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THE affects of the building boom have been hammered home with the findings of the 2011 Census, which have revealed that there are now over 11,000 houses in the county with no one living in them.

The official 2011 Census returns which were published by the Central Statistics Office last Thursday revealed that there are now 42, 534 houses occupied in Clare, but that there are 11,782 unoccupied.

These figures mean that the va- cancy rate among houses and flats in the county is now running at nearly 21.2 per cent, 7.5 per cent higher than the national average of 14.7 per cent, with the western seaboard being the worst part of the county affected.

The county’s population increased by five per cent between 2006 and 2011, but despite the upward graph that gives the county the highest population it has had in over a century, there are more houses than ever vacant.

This can be directly attributed to the building boom that took place in the county – with one statistic emerging from the Census returns being that there are more vacant family homes in the county now than there are vacant holiday homes.

The numbers of vacant houses is 5,936, while there are a further 1,236 flats unoccupied, while the number of holiday homes in the county stands at 4,610.

The Census figures revealed that the number of new housing stock in Clare increased by 14 per cent in between the 2006 and 2011 censuses, which means that Clare house builds ran ahead of the national average of 13.3 per cent.

However, the breakdown of these figures have also revealed that this in housing numbers has contributed to a sharper increase in the number of vacant dwellings around the county.

A map of the county produced by the CSO shows that vacancy rates in west and north Clare are now run ning at over 25 per cent.

Only seven other counties have higher rates of vacant housing than in Clare, with Leitrim topping the league table with 30.4 per cent, while within Munster, Kerry on 26.5 per cent is the county with a higher rating than Clare.

CLARE’S population boom over the past 20 years has been highlighted by the 2011 Census returns, which reveal the county now enjoys its biggest population since the 1890s.

The returns published by the Central Statistics Office on Thursday last have revealed that there are now 117,196 people in the county, a figure that’s broken down between 58,898 females and 58,298 males.

This statistic means that for the first time in 140 years there are now officially more females than males in county Clare. The last time this was so was in 1871 Census when females were in the majority, when the breakdown was 74,422 to 73,442.

Meanwhile the overall figure of 117,196 represents the first time since the 1901 Census when there 112,334 people in Clare that the county’s population has broken through the 110,000 barrier.

Over the past 20 years Clare’s population has risen by 27,190, while every Census since 1991 has shown an increase in the numbers of people in the county.

Between the 2006 and 2011 Census returns, Clare’s population increased by 6,396, which represents a 5.3 per cent increase, while the average increase across the country is 8.1 per cent.

The percentage increase in population in Clare represents the lowest increase since the 1996 Census when the number of people in the county jumped by 5.46 per cent. The highest percentage increase occurred in 2002 when the county’s population jumped by 9.9 per cent.

However, the headline grabbing statistic is female to male ratio in the county. The number of females in the county grew substantially in the five years between the 2006 and 2011 Census reports. The number of females grew by 4,098, while male numbers only grew by 2,298 in the same period.

In 1926 Clare’s population dipped below the 100,000 for the first time since official records were kept, with the Census of that year showed that there were only 95,064 people in the county.

From there Clare’s population declined in six successive Census reports from 1936 to 1966, before the a record low population of 73,597 was recorded. At four subsequent Cen sus’ the population increased, with a figure of 91,344 returned in the 1986 Census, before the economic recession of the 1980s saw the population decrease to 90,918 by the time of the 1991 Census.

However, in the last 20 years the county has enjoyed a population explosion, with the number of people in the county increasing by 28 per cent. It wasn’t until the 2002 Census that the county’s population topped 100,000 when that year’s Census revealed a return of 103,333.

THE majority of Clare’s 847 travellers are living in permanent housing units, while the number of people who describe themselves as Travellers has risen.

According to the 2011 census the travelling community makes up 7.3 of every 1,000 people in the Clare population, a figure that is two per thousand higher than the national average.

In fact the number of travellers now living in Clare has increased by 187 since the last census in 2006 when 660 Clare people registered as members of the travelling community.

In 2006 travellers made up 5.9 per thousand of the Clare population.

According to the 2011 census, as many as 794 members of the travelling community in Clare are resident in permanent homes.

A further 23 are living in caravans or in temporary housing units while a further 30 did not state the type of accommodation they lived in.

There are more women than men from the community registered as living in Clare, with 438 traveller women registered as living in the county and 317 men.

The number of people enumerated as Irish Travellers in Census 2011 increased by 32 per cent from 22,435 to 29, 573, with all counties apart from Limerick and

Waterford showing increases greater than the increase in the general population.

There were 97.8 males for every 100 females within the Irish Traveller population. The equivalent sex ratio for the general population was 98.1.

Irish Traveller numbers increased in every county with the exception of Waterford where the numbers declined by over 7 per cent.

Only 12 per cent of Irish Travellers nationally lived in caravans and mobile homes in 2011. This was a big fall from 2006 when one in four Irish Travellers lived in temporary accommodation.

Almost 84 per cent of the Traveller population live in permanent housing.

A DOCUMENTARY that will showcase the Burren is set to be filmed over the next year in a major project that aims to reconnect people with their natural surroundings.

Lahinch-based filmmaker Katrina Costello is behind the project, drawing her inspiration from the Burren hinterland that she calls “the most spectacular and most beautiful place in the world”.

“It’s taking metaphors for the natural world to create a better understanding of our own nature and who we are and the circle of life. It’s basically getting enlightenment from nature,” she says. “We will take metaphors from the landscape and reflect them back onto our own lives. Nature is a great teacher that it’s enlightening and inspiring and that’s where we get our ideas. There will be a number of strands to it. We’ll be following a farmer who produces organic produce in his livestock and his crops. The grasses are all species rich – all the livestock are grazed for a longer time than they would in highintensity farming.

“Also, I’d like to hear from people who know the locations of dens and nests, be they squirrels, foxes, birds of prey, barn owls etc. We will be looking at the wildlife of the Burren, ex- otic flowers, everything that people flood to the Burren to see,” she adds.

According to Ms Costello, it’s the current economic climate that makes it ripe for a documentary of this type to be filmed. Her project has a working title of ‘Landscapes of the Heart’.

“When it’s finished it will be a onehour documentary film and it’s about people and places in the Burren,” she says. “Maybe it’s a time to go back to the land, reconnect with nature, reconnect with our spirituality.

“People are more receptive to nature now. People are more receptive to producing food in a way that people want to go back to traditional methods of farming,” she adds.

LEONORA Carey said she was thrilled to be re-elected to Fine Gael’s Executive Council during the party’s Ard Fheis this weekend.

The Clarecastle woman is no stranger to the world of politics. Not only is she from the Carey family that has produced two Clare TDs to date, she has a vast experience in the world of party politics having been elected to the executive council three times.

The current vice chairperson of the Clare Constituency she was first elected to the council in 2004 while a member of Dublin Central.

As a member of the constituency of the late Jim Mitchell she worked hard to build the party in Dublin central from a constituency with one councillor to one with a TD and two councillors.

In 2007 she returned to her native Clarecastle to work as an occupational therapy manager.

Since then she has been re-elected to the national executive council with the support of the Clare branch of Fine Gael.

She was active across a range of constituencies in devising strategy and preparing for the 2011 General Election.

It is this activity that saw her succeed on to the north west section of the executive.

Ms Carey told The Clare People that she was particularly greatful to all of the Clare delegates who travelled to Dublin and supported her election.

“It is great to say you are re-elected from your own county,” she said.

Asked if she one day hoped to stand for elected office, in her home county or elsewhere, the daughter and sister of politicians, said she didn’t know.

“I wouldn’t say yes and I wouldn’t say no,” she added admitting with a laugh that she already sounded like a politician.

“I enjoy doing what I do at the moment. I enjoy developing and maintaining the party across the large area of the north west.”

THE early indications are that Clare is among the top counties in Ireland in terms of collection of the € 100 household charge, a meeting has heard.

Town manager Ger Dollard said yesterday that Clare County Council had indicated that the county is in the “upper echelons of collection of the charge”.

Responding to questions at yesterday’s meeting of Ennis Town Council, Mr Dollard said, “Clare as a county is in the upper half of the table in terms of compliance with the household charge.”

Mr Dollard told the meeting that the charge had been introduced to make up for the reduction in the local government fund.

Reports yesterday indicated that local authorities in counties where there had been a low compliance rate would be penalised by the Department of the Environment.

However Mr Dollard said the council had not received any communication or instruction from the department regarding what “might or might not happen”.

He said there was no indication yet that there would be any impact on Ennis Town Council.

Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) questioned whether or not a high compliance rate would result in extra money coming to Clare. He said he was doubtful this would happen, adding that the Government are “codding the people”.

Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) told the meeting that he had paid the charge and said he had encouraged householders to do so.

He said that Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan, had made a “total kibosh” of the introduction of the charge.

He repeated his call for a system to be introduced that would allow hard pressed homeowners to pay of the charge on a weekly basis.

Cllr Neylon said this would allow the Government to make good on a campaign promise to look after the most vulnerable people in society.

He added, “There are people out there who don’t have it. You can’t draw blood from a turnip.”

Cllr Paul O’Shea (Lab) was also staunchly critical of the Government’s handling of the charge.

He said, “It was handled disastrously. Laurel and Hardy would have handled this better.”

TWO men have apologised for their actions following scenes of “bedlam” outside a courtroom in Ennis last week.

Thomas Molloy (20) and Darren Maughan (20) were detained in holding cells at Ennis Courthouse for three hours on Wednesday after being held in contempt of court by Judge Patrick Durcan.

The court heard that both men became involved in a noisy altercation outside the courtroom as Judge Durcan presided over court business.

Following instructions from Judge Durcan, both men were brought back into the court.

He told them that he was holding them both in contempt. The two men were brought back before the court shortly after 2pm.

Referring to the manner in which the earlier incident had impacted on court business, Judge Durcan said, “It was impossible here because of the bedlam outside.”

He said the matter could be satisfactorily dealt with if both men apologised to all services involved in court business.

Thomas Molloy, with an address at 39 Park Avenue, Clon Road, Ennis said, “It should not have happened. I apologise to everyone.”

Darren Maughan, with an address at 20 Stonecourt, Drumbiggle, Ennis, said, “I apologise for the incident this morning. It won’t happen again.”

Both Mr Molloy and Mr Maughan were originally in court to face separate charges.

Mr Molloy pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal damage. The court heard that he broke a downstairs window of 8 Upper Market Street on January 1, 2012.

Inspector Tom Kennedy said the total value of the damage came to € 227. Solicitor Daragh Hassett said his client had broken the window in his girlfriend’s apartment in a “fit of pique”. He said Mr Molloy, the first person in a family of 17 to complete his Leaving Certificate, was sorry for his actions.

Judge Durcan ordered that he carry out 100 hours of community service in lieu of two months in prison. He adjourned the matter until April 25.

Separately, Mr Maughan pleaded guilty to two public order offences – being intoxicated in a public place and being a danger to himself and to others, and, to provoking a breach of the peace. The charges relate to an incident at Abbey Street, Ennis on March 10, 2012.

Insp Kennedy said the accused was very intoxicated when he was ap proached by Gardaí. Solicitor William Cahir said his client accepted his behaviour was unacceptable. He said Mr Maughan “struggles with alcohol” but now appeared to be keeping on top of the battle.

Judge Durcan ordered he carry out 100 hours of community service in lieu of two months in prison. He adjourned the matter until May 2 for the preparation of a report by the probation and welfare services. A we e k o f m o st ly dry b u t d u ll a n d fre sh we a t h e r, with te m ps we ll be lo w t h e pa st we e k’s glo rio u s sp e ll. Ra in a n d a lo t o f it , e xp e c t e d e a rly n e xt we e k.

THE number of people building new houses in Clare has dropped by almost a half in the last year.

During January and February 2011 81 planning applications were submitted to Clare’s three planning authorities – Clare County Council, Ennis Town Council and Kilrush Town Council.

In the same period this year, that number had dropped to 46 applications in total.

This is a 43 per cent drop, the second largest decrease in the country.

However there has been a three per cent rise in the number of commencement notices issued in Clare.

According to the new National Housing Construction Index complied and issued by Link2Plans Clare is experiencing a significant decrease in construction activity.

Link2Plans National Housing Construction Index has shown huge variations nationally in housing construction activity and that housing extensions now make up the majority of active projects.

Produced by a team of researchers the new National Housing Construction Index relates to all Planning Applications and Planning Commencements throughout the months of January and February 2012 and gives a direct comparison with the same period in 2011.

The detailed index shows the overall national trend, and highlights the counties that have seen a significant rise or significant fall. The index shows huge variations in activity from county to county, with Clare and Kildare showing the second largest drop in planning applications.

Managing director of Link2Plans, Danny O’Shea said, “Construction related statistics tend to be up to six months out of date which limits their usefulness to those working in the sector. Our new National Housing Construction Index shows clear and current patterns and indications of activity in every county in Ireland. Link2Plans will issue this index on a bi-monthly basis and it will provide a solid and reliable resource for people in the industry in Clare, economic commentators and professionals who service the sector.”

FOR many people in North Clare and beyond, the dawn masses conducted annually at Corcomroe Abbey by the late John O’Donoghue were the highlight of the Easter period.

The masses, which attracted huge attendances, represented O’Donoghue’s way of connecting religion with local tradition, culture and the environment that he knew like no other.

The tradition started by O’Donoghue was sadly abandoned in 2001 because of the outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease and hasn’t been revived since, but for those who are spiritually minded and into their exercise, there are the Heart of the Burren Walks that combine both.

The first event took place in January when walkers travelled St Colman McDuagh’s Way, while in March it was the turn to pay homage to St Patrick with a walk along the Burren Way that was interspersed with commentary about St Patricks’ connection with the landscape.

This Easter Sunday it’s the turn of the ‘Monks and Pilgrims’ in the Bur- ren Landscape Walk. The walk is being organized by Tony Kirby, the author of The Bur ren a nd the Ara n Isla nds – a Wa lking Guide , who also operates Heart of the Burren Walks.

“It will be a half-day long walk at an easy pace with the high point being the visit to a remarkable monastic site and pilgrimage station,” says Kirby.

“Highlights will include a rich complex of penitential stations, holy wells, rare reliquary shrines and an Early Medieval (400-100 AD) chapel with successive Romanesque ornamentation.

“The narrative will focus on the golden age of Irish art (400-1100 AD), the story of pilgrimage in Ireland and the enduring fascination of holy wells as places of public worship. The Burren region boasts about 45 wells. Stone, soil, soul, saints, sinners, pilgrims, poetry, penitents and purgatory will feature,” adds Kirby.

The walk takes place at 10am on Easter Sunday and lasts two and half hours. More information at 087 2925487 and www.heartof burrenwalks.com, with pre-booking essential for those who want to take part.

THE majority of Clare secondary schools will lose at least one teacher next September, resulting in the subject choices available to students being cut and class sizes increasing.

The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) warned that approximately 16 full-time teaching posts will be lost in second-level Clare schools as a result of changes to guidance counselling provisions introduced in the last Budget.

From September, guidance counsellors will have to be provided from within the general teaching provisions of the school.

TUI President and Clare woman Bernie Ruane said, “These cuts will leave school principals with some harsh choices. They will have to choose between cutting back guidance provision, limiting subject choice, increasing class sizes or a combination of such measures. This latest cut to an education system already ravaged by a litany of cuts will result in significant further damage to the interests of students.”

Ironically, this cut to teaching posts is most likely to affect the stem subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) the Government say are paramount to the future of the economy.

The TUI maintains that as teacher numbers are being cut, principals will have to look at how best to serve all students with the reduced teaching provision available. Those options that currently attract less students for example, honours maths or physics – will inevitably be high on any shortlist of subjects under threat.

“The major threat is to subjects that we are being told to actively promote if education is to be a key driver in economic recovery,” Ms Ruane told