Author: admin

FACT is often more shocking than fiction according to the charity Clare Haven as it calls on book clubs around the county to consisder adding the book “Into the Darkest Corner” by Elizabeth Haynes to their reading list this month.

The Clare charity that supports women who have experienced domestic violence are part of the Mid-West Local Area Network on Violence against Women and the multi-agency fora made up of representatives from statutory, community and voluntary organisations which co-operate to promote a coordinated approach to tackling violence against women in the Mid-West region.

Each year the networks come together for the ’16 Days of Action and Awareness on Violence against Women’ campaign to raise public awareness around issues such as domestic abuse, rape and women’s rights.

The 16 Days is an international campaign which starts on November 25 (UN Day Opposing Violence Against Women) and finishes up on December 10 (Human Rights Day).

This year, as part of the campaign, the Mid-West networks aim to engage people on the issue of domestic violence by encouraging readers and book-clubs to read the book “Into the Darkest Corner”.

The book is a work of fiction which follows the struggles of a woman who becomes trapped in an abusive relationship.

The book has been promoted to local libraries and book-clubs, and discussions have been organised for the book-clubs to meet with local Domestic Abuse services who will critique the book in terms of their experiences of the real-life stories of domestic violence.

The theme for the campaign in the Midwest is “You don’t need a bruise to be abused”.

Using this theme that group hopes to draw attention to the fact that that many women suffer financial, sexual, emotional, psychological, social and verbal abuse – all of which can be as harmful as a physical assault and have serious implications for their mental health and wellbeing.

It is estimated one on five women in Ireland experience domestic violence.

THE annual Éamon De Valera Commemoration in Clare will take place this Sunday at the People’s Park in Ennis at 1pm.

At 12pm there will be a mass at Ennis Cathedral in memory of deceased members of Fianna Fáil in Clare. After mass, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin TD will lay a wreath at the De Valera Monument before delivering an oration.

Clare Fianna Fáil TD, Timmy Dooley, who is part of the organising committee, said the commemoration is always a very important date on the calendar and it gives an opportunity for members of Fianna Fáil in Clare to remember party colleagues who have passed away.

“The legacy of Éamon De Valera in Clare, Ireland and throughout the world has been well documented but it must not be forgotten that he served the Clare constituency with distinction for nearly 40 years. Sun- day is an opportunity for the people of Clare to remember the impact De Valera had.

“This Sunday will also be a chance for people to commemorate all the deceased members of Fianna Fáil in Clare,” said Deputy Dooley.

Following the event on Sunday there will be lunch afterwards in the Old Ground Hotel, Ennis. All are welcome.

A MAN told gardaí that he had no memory of stealing a woman’s handbag from a pub in Ennis a court has heard.

Norman Hogan (50), with an address at 40 Fergus Park, Ennis stole the handbag from Lucas’ Bar, Parnell, Street, Ennis on July 8 (2011).

He pleaded guilty to the theft at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that the accused “opportunistically” took the bag from the pub. The bag contained a digital camera, a mobile phone and € 60. Insp Kennedy said Mr Hogan removed the contents before discarding the bag.

CCTV was used to identify Mr Hogan who later told gardai that he had very little memory of the incident. The contents of the bag were not recovered.

Defence solicitor Siobhan McMahon said her client had a serious addiction to alcohol.

She said this particular type of offence was the “not the norm for Mr Hogan.”

She told the court that Mr Hogan was with his partner on the night and may have picked up the handbag thinking it was hers.

Ms McMahon added, “He cannot recall the situation. He was drinking vodka straight.”

She said Mr Hogan is now taking steps to deal with his alcoholism. Ms McMahon added, “I would urge you to give him this last chance.”

Mr Hogan also pleaded guilty to the theft of groceries valued at € 38 from Tescos in Ennis on July 27 (2012).

Judge Aeneas McCarthy imposed a nine month suspended sentence in respect of the theft of the lady’s handbag.

He imposed a three-month consecutive suspended sentence in respect of the Tesco’s theft. He also ordered Mr Hogan to be of good behaviour for a period of two years.

Judge McCarthy warned Mr Hogan that any further offence would not be tolerated by the court.

Addressing Ms McMahon, the judge said, “Advise your client of the consequences of coming back before me.”

A LARGE number of parish priests in the Killaloe Diocese have given their backing to a revolutionary new document which calls for an end to clerical celibacy, the ordination of female priests a radical change to how the diocese is operated.

The diocese has just published its first report of a series of “cluster” meeting involving more than 700 priests and lay people in Clare and Tipperary.

The process, which was set in mo- tion by Bishop Kieran O’Reilly, has resulted in the creation of a new blueprint for the future of the diocese – as envisioned by local parish priests and lay people and not by The Vatican.

The process started in October of 2011 with two large open meeting one involving the parish priests of the Killaloe Diocese, the other involving representative of the lay community. These meeting led to the creation of 12 “cluster” groups in different areas across the diocese where priests and lay people have been regularly meeting for months.

This process has been directed by Bishop O’Reilly, Fr John Kelly, Fr Pat Malone, Fr Donagh O’Meara and Sr Clare Slattery alongside lay members Leonard Cleary, Sean Conlan, Michael Geaney, Maureen Kelly and Marie O’Connell-Quinn.

A report into the clusters operations to date was published on the Killaloe Diocese earlier this month. Of the 12 clusters who took part in the report, 11 indicated that allowing priests to marry, ordaining women into ministries, creating a new role of lay people in the church and fostering appreciation for local priests were priority issues.

Nine of the clusters cited the ordination of women as an important issue, with three citing the promotion of vocation and two raising the issue of priests from abroad coming to the diocese to preach.

The report also found that a crisis of faith among young people, a disconnect with the church itself and the development of the clusters system to be important issues in the diocese.

“One of the most striking impressions from these conversations is that many people feel a strong affinity and connection, a sense of iden- tity and belonging with their local parish community, despite feelings of disconnect with the institutional Church,” said the report.

“However, it is also true that hurt or anger with stances or decisions taken by the institutional Church impacts negatively at local parish level and leads to people walking away.

“It is clear that these are days of immense change. There are new needs to be met and new challenges are set before us. These conversations set out the reality of these challenges.”

The report can be read in full at www.killaloediocese.ie.

THE Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is expected to issue directions later this month in the case of four people charged in connection with a disturbance at a roundabout in Ennis last month.

Bernard McDonagh (45), Christopher McDonagh (38), Bernard McDonagh Jnr (22) and a 16-year-old boy are alleged to have committed a number of offences arising out of the incident at the Maid of Erin on October 14.

Bernard McDonagh (45), with an address at 1 Ashline, Kilrush Road, Ennis is charged with the assault of John Doherty.

He also faces three charges of criminal damage and one charge of dangerous driving.

It is further alleged that Bernard McDonagh (45) drove a vehicle in a dangerous and reckless manner, which created substantial risk of death or serious harm to another.

Christopher McDonagh, with an address at 1 Davitt Terrace, Cloughleigh, Ennis, is charged with producing an iron bar while about to commit an assault.

He also charged with possession of an iron bar with intent to cause injury to John Doherty, Martin Doherty and Jimmy Doherty.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons is charged with possession of a hatchet with intent to cause injuries to John Doherty, Martin Doherty and Jimmy Doherty.

He is also charged with the production of a hatchet while about to commit an assault.

Bernard McDonagh Jnr (22), with an address at 1 Ashline Kilrush Road, Ennis, is charged with possession of an article with intent to cause injury and the production of an article in the course of a dispute.

He is also charged with assault causing harm.

The four people appeared at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

Inspector Tom Kennedy said the State are awaiting directions from the DPP. He requested the matters be adjourned for another two weeks.

He said the State is working to “expedite” the cases, which he described as “not easily moved on.”

Defence solicitor for all accused, Daragh Hassett, consented to the adjournment.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy adjourned the case for two weeks to allow for DPP’s directions. All four people were ordered to appear again in court on November 21.

A JUDGE has refused jurisdiction of a case involving an alleged assault in Lahinch on New Year’s Eve.

Paul Matthews (21), with an address at Mullagh Road, Miltown Malbay, is charged with assault causing harm at the Claremont Hotel, Main Street, Lahinch on December 12 (2011).

Details of the alleged assault were heard at Ennis District Court on Wednesday. Inspector Tom Kennedy said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed summary disposal of the case.

He said it would be alleged that Mr Matthews punched another man in the face, breaking a bone in his nose. Insp Kennedy said the alleged incident appeared to be “at the higher end” of assault cases. He said the alleged victim had surgery for his injuries. After hearing a summary of the alleged facts, Judge Aeneas McCarthy said he did not deem the case fit to be tried summarily. He refused jurisdiction of the case. He adjourned the case for the service of the book of evidence.

PARENTS of children with diabetes are not just fighting to control their child’s condition, but the majority of Clare parents are fighting to get on a waiting list for an insulin pump, for better on-going testing and for a dietician and specialised nurse promised two years ago to be finally appointed.

Adding to their worries is the claim by Diabetes Ireland this week that the HSE is presiding over a health disaster as diabetes amputations have climbed by 20 per cent.

Newly available HSE statistics show there were 781 diabetes related lower limb amputations in Ireland during 2010 and 2011, a 20 per cent increase on the previous two year period.

Diabetes Action says the HSE is amplifying this public health disas- ter by failing to fill critical posts and make retinal screening available, despite funding being available since 2010.

The diabetes clinic in Limerick, which serves the majority of Clare people, is still without a designated dietician promised two years ago.

Gráinne Flynn, Secretary for Diabetes Ireland Clare branch, said, “Management of diabetes revolves around matching doses of insulin to the food we eat. A dietician is responsible for teaching people with diabetes and parents of children with diabetes how to measure the food eaten and learning how to match insulin. Limerick does not have a dedicated dietetic service for either adults or children with diabetes, despite the fact that the funding has been provided since 2010.”

THE Department of Agriculture will not be returning any services to its Ennis offices – even on a two-day a week basis. The offices were closed to farmers in April of 2010 with all services for Clare farmers transferred to the department’s offices in Limerick.

Saving on costs was given as the reason for closing the offices, but it emerged before services were cut in Ennis that the Department of Agriculture owned the Ennis offices, while they had to pay rent on the offices in Limerick.

A number of local campaigns to reopen the Ennis branch on a twoday a week basis or to set up a satellite farm advice service as Ennis mart have both been rejected by the Department of Agriculture in recent weeks.

In a letter issued by the department last week, it was confirmed that a part-time office would not be taking place.

“A key reason why this arrangement is necessary is because staff number at the Department [of Agriculture] continue to fall, and in order for the Department’s local office network to provide a fully integrated service to our farm customers and the wider agri-food and rural environmental sectors, our resources need to be concentrated on a regional level,” said Kevin Galligan, private secretary to Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney (FG). “This reorganisation has and continues to yield significant annual savings to the exchequer in the order of € 30 million.”

This decision means that Clare will continue to be the only county in Munster with no Department of Agriculture local offices – despite the fact that the department continue to own a building on the Kilrush Road in Ennis.

ANYONE travelling in East Clare this week is being asked to be on the lookout for a mythical unicorn which has, apparently, gone missing in the Tulla area.

A number of posters have been erected in the Tulla area in recent days, asking that anyone who spots a the female unicorn to report it immediately.

Unicorns are mythical legendary animal who exist in the folklore of many European countries. The mythical creatures are believed to resembles a white horse with a large, pointed horn projecting from its forehead. They are also sometimes depicted as having a goat’s beard and cloven hooves.

According to the posters, one such animal is currently wondering the East Clare area. People in the Tulla area are asked to keep their eyes peeled for a what is described as a “large female unicorn with friendly disposition” who was last seen “galloping in the Tulla area with native cattle”.

While the mythical creature is described as having a “friendly disposition” it is not clear whether it would be safe to approach the animal.

The unicorns owner, who does not include any direct contact information on the posters, asks that anyone who spots the mythical creature to post the location of the sighting on social networking site Twitter, using the tag #unicornsanonymous.

The lost and found poster also included a poem dedicated to the unicorn. The poem bears a striking resemblance to ‘My Lovely Horse’, a song taken from the Fr Ted television show. In fact, the poem reuses the exact lyrics of ‘My Lovely Horse’, except with the word “unicorn” used in place of horse.

To date, no sighting of the unicorn has been made, either on Twitter or to local emergency services or animals welfare services in the Tulla area.

ENGINEERS in Ennis may request that the speed limit be reduced in the town centre to ensure greater pedestrian safety.

Senior executive engineer Eamon O’Dea said yesterday that he may consult with gardaí over the speed limit. It comes after concerns were raised over the layout of pedestrian crossings.

Cllr Tony Mulqueen (FG) said elderly people are having difficulty crossing the street. At yesterday’s meeting of councillors in the Ennis West Electoral Area, he called on the council to restore the pedestrian crossings at O’Connell Square. Mr O’Dea told the meeting that the council had been forced to alter the crossings to comply with the latest traffic signs rules.

Mr O’Dea stated, “The crossings are uncontrolled crossings and the road markings comply with the latest traffic signs manual. The provision of lines across the road at a pedestrian crossing can only be provided at controlled pedestrian crossings in accordance with the traffic signs manual.”

He continued, “Therefore a set of amber pedestrian lights would have to be provided at each crossing point which would both be very confusing to the drivers and would detract from the centre of the town. Ennis Town Council consulted with the road safety engineer of the NRA before the present markings were put in place.”

Mr O’Dea told the meeting that he is “not totally happy” with the current layout at the Square. He said one possible solution would be to request that gardaí consider reducing the speed limit in the town centre.

He said slight alterations could be made to the current layout but that a system of numerous lighted crossings would confuse drivers and detract from the visual amenity of the town.

Town Manager Ger Dollard said the council accepts there is an issue with the current layout.

The meeting also heard calls for pedestrianisation to be introduced on a trial basis in May, June and July. Cllr James Breen (Ind) called for the system to be put in place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during summer 2013.

He told the meeting that pedestrianisation had the potential to revitalise the town.

Mr Dollard said it remains the objective of the council to pedestrianise the town centre.

He said a bid to achieve Purple Flag status for the town’s nighttime economy and the opening of the inner relief road could boost plans for pedestrianisation.

“It’s [pedestrianisation] considered a matter of when it’s achieved and not if it is achieved,” added Mr Dollard.