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THE Killaloe Search and Rescue service have put emergency procedures in place to allow them to continue to patrol Lough Derg, despite the theft of two engines last week.

The theft, which was yesterday described by rescue service founder Tony O’Brien as a “crime against the whole community”, took place late on Wednesday night last in Killaloe. A group of thieves made away with two 90-horsepower Honda engines, each of which is worth € 15,000.

“It is devastating to think that people would go so low as to take equipment that could be used in a rescue operation. This is more than a theft from a person, this is a theft from the whole community. These engines were funded and paid for by the communities of Killaloe and Ballina and that makes it so, so disappointing,” said Mr O’Brien.

“We are a resilient group and we have put in place emergency procedure so we will be able to respond if there is an emergency. But these two engines will have to be replaced. I don’t know how we will do that.”

It is understood that the people involved in the theft were aware that the engines being stolen belonged to the volunteer rescue service.

“There is no question that they knew. The boat is quite clearly marked and the people who did this crime knew exactly who they were taking this from and what they were doing. It is sad that people would stoop this low,” continued Tony. “This is stealing material that would help to safe someone’s life down the line. If the people involved do find their conscience, if they leave the engines, someone we will go and collect them.”

The theft was also criticised by local Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) who described the theft as “outrageous”.

“It is awful what happened. Crime is getting bad out here in East Clare. It is simply outrageous. To take something like this from a voluntary group and put lives at risk in the process is just outrageous,” said Joe.

Anyone with information on the theft is asked to ring the gardaí in Killaloe on 061 620540.

AN unemployed stonemason was in a “very bad place” and in debt when he was found by gardaí in possession of cannabis, a court has heard.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Eddie Leahy (34), with address at 58 Ardnaculla, Ennistymon, was ordered to engage with the probation and welfare services.

The court heard that the father of four had already pleaded guilty to charges of having cannabis for the purposes of sale or supply.

Garda Stephen Hession of Ennis Garda Station told the court that gardaí stopped a car driven by Leahy at Cloongowna, Kilnamona on De- cember 10 (2010).

He said cannabis was discovered in the car.

The court heard that Leahy was interviewed at Ennis Garda Station.

Garda Hession said that a search of 58 Ardnaculla, Ennistymon, carried out on the same day, uncovered three small bags of cannabis and weighing scales.

He said the estimated total value of the drugs found in both searches was € 2702.

He said Leahy had been “extremely co-operative and at no point did he hinder the investigation”.

Solicitor John Casey said his client; previously “a heavy cannabis user” had worked as stonemason but had been forced to stop because of an accident. He said he had personal debts of around € 50,000 at the time he was stopped by gardaí.

Asked by Mr Casey about his client’s circumstances at the time, Garda Hession said, “He was in a very bad place….You could tell he was a man in a vulnerable position”.

Garda Hession added, “I can say that he broke away from the scene he was in and is not smoking cannabis anymore”.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy ordered the preparation of a report by the probation and welfare services. He remanded the accused on continuing bail to appear again at Ennis District Court in May.

PROMOTING Kilrush in Galway has proven too costly an endeavour for the Kilrush Town Council’s diminished marketing budget.

However, promoting the town and particularly the Loop Head Lighthouse, in Limerick and Kerry has already paid off according to the town council’s marketing and development officer Síobhan Garvey.

“It is an achievement to get people from Kerry out of their own county and spending money,” she told the March meeting of Kilrush Town Council.

But that is what the people south of west Clare and from many other parts of Ireland did last year, with 1,700 people visiting the lighthouse over a few weeks.

Despite having her budget cut this year, Ms Garvey said she is adapting and using imaginative ways to promote the town and the west Clare area. She said she was now pushing social media as a way of free advertising.

“You could put an ad into a magazine and you don’t know how much you get out of it,” she said.

The council pays to have the Kilrush promotional brochure in stands in Clare, Kerry, Limerick and Shannon Airport but it cannot afford to do it in Galway due to high costs.

“It is too expensive. I would love to get in there,” said Ms Garvey.

“I had to renegotiate for the other stands already because of the cuts to the marketing budget.”

Mayor of Kilrush, Councillor Ian Lynch (FG), who flew to New York at the weekend, has produced an investment document with the assistance of the marketing department, which he will present to business people, potential visitors and politicians.

Meanwhile Ms Garvey told the council members that she also has responsibility in providing a supporting role to the town clerk in the area of parking fines and permits.

Here too, she is using new and imaginative ways. In co-operation with the town clerk and Clare County Council, she is currently co-ordinating a pay-online facility for parking fines. This is expected to be live by the end of the year. “We have a lot of visitors that get parking fines,” she said.

A POPULAR car mechanic, who lost his life in a work place accident, was laid to rest on Friday, after one of the largest funerals Sixmilebridge has ever seen. Jim Millane from Corlea, Sixmilebridge, died from severe injuries he received while he was working on a car at his garage near his home on Tuesday morning last. It is understood that the father of four was working under a car when the vehicle collapsed, trapping him underneath.

His wife Jacqueline called emergency services, but the father of four was pronounced dead at the scene.

His body was removed to the MidWestern Regional Hospital Limerick for a post-mortem.

While the 54-year-old was originally from Sixmilebridge, he had lived in the Doora area of Ennis until five years ago. A keen motorcycle and rally enthusiast, he was described locally as a “decent and kind man”.

Hundreds of moaners turned out for his funeral service at St Finnachta’s Church, Sixmilebridge, and up to 50 members of the Banner and West Coast Motorcycle Clubs provided an escort for the funeral cortège.

He was laid to rest in Lemanagh Cemetry, Newmarket-on-Fergus.

Mr Millane is survived by his wife Jacqueline, his daughters Dawn, Laura, Caitriona and Joanna and his mother Jo.

NO PAIN. No gain. That was certainly the case for one Ennis schoolboy who was the centre of attention yesterday as he proudly showed off a rugby ball signed by Irish international Ronan O’Gara. The ball was an unexpected souvenir from eight-yearold Oliver Cassidy’s first visit to an Ireland rugby match.

The Clarecastle National School student was with his father David, cousin Damien Reidy and uncle Peter Reidy for Ireland’s victory over Scotland in the Six Nations Championship in Dublin on Saturday.

The group were sitting behind the goals at the Aviva Stadium watching the teams go through their pre-match warm-up when Oliver was struck in the nose by a ball kicked by Irish flyhalf O’Gara. Oliver was brought across the pitch to the medical centre for treatment. His nose was bloodied but not broken.

Afterwards, as Oliver and his family celebrated Ireland’s 18-point victory, they were informed by a match stew ard that Oliver would be receiving the match ball signed by Munster legend O’Gara.

Oliver was presented with the ball after the game. It was signed ‘To Ollie, Best Wishes, Ronan O’Gara’. Dad David said Oliver, who plays for Ennis Rugby Club’s under-9s team, was over the moon with the gift.

“He brought it up to rugby training and soccer training. He brought it into school today to show it off. It was his first International game. He’s been to a few Munster games.”

Oliver’s brush with kicking king O’Gara was even recognised by the visiting Scottish fans as he walked to the medical centre at the Aviva Stadium. Mum Edel explained, “He was walking across the pitch after he was hit and one of the Scottish fans spotted him with the blood on his face. He said to him, ‘Here’s a fiver for being so brave’.”

A sports enthusiast, Oliver plays for Ennis Rugby Club and Ennis Town Soccer Club.

A FORMER All-Ireland-winning Clare hurler has scored a victory against Tesco in a defamation case taken over the purchase of a bottle of wine.

Scariff man Patrick Moroney (33) was awarded € 7, 500 and costs at Ennis Circuit Civil Court last Thursday.

However, Judge Donagh McDonagh granted a request from Tesco’s legal representatives to have a stay placed on the order for a period of 10 days in the event of an appeal.

Mr Moroney, who played wing forward on the Clare minor hurling team that won the All-Ireland title in 1997, took the case for defamation following an incident at Tesco, Corbally, Ardnacrusha on November 28, 2010.

The court heard that Moroney and his girlfriend, Claire Hayes, were on the way to his parent’s house when Ms Hayes suggested that they purchase a bottle of wine.

Ms Hayes, a trainee solicitor who was then aged 25, was refused purchase of the wine because she did not have identification.

Mr Moroney, a solicitor for Moroney Meehan Solicitors who have offices in Scariff and Limerick, was then refused the wine by Tesco employee Ann Devlin.

In refusing to sell the wine to Mr Moroney, Ms Devlin, it was claimed, said, “you might as well be buying it (wine) for the children on the street”.

This was disputed by Ms Devlin. However, in his judgment, Judge McDonagh found that “these words or words to that effect were used” by Ms Devlin.

He described the words as “inflammatory and unnecessary” and seemed designed to “put him (Moroney) in his place”.

Counsel for Tesco, Ronnie Robins SC, had previously told the court that Tesco were presenting a defence of qualified privilege.

He had stated that qualified privi- lege failed when malice is shown, claiming that Mr Moroney had failed to prove that there had been malice.

Judge McDonagh said he was satisfied that Mr Moroney’s reputation had been “impugned” and that Mr Moroney had discharged the appropriate proof.

He said that he had raised concerns over accepting jurisdiction of the case.

Judge McDonagh said no evidence had been given of “serious or any damage” to Mr Moroney’s reputation.

He added, “As defamation goes, it is not a serious defamation”.

He said the appropriate damages are € 7,500.

Noting that Tesco clearly recognise their responsibilities regarding the sale and supply of alcohol, Judge McDonagh said that the retail firm should also train their staff in the “limits of language”.

The court had been told that damages of up to € 50,000 could have been awarded by the court.

A GERMAN woman who developed a heroin addiction after moving to Ireland has been sentenced to 14 months in prison for drugs offences.

Imposing the sentence at Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Judge Aeneas McCarthy described Annette Hausmann (34) as a “dealer in heroin”.

Hausmann, with an address at Clare Villas, Clare Road, Ennis, pleaded guilty to having heroin for sale or supply in Ennis on August 12 (2011) and possession of heroin on November 4 (2011).

Insp John Galvin said gardaí carried out a search of the accused’s apartment under warrant last August. He explained that they discovered 36 deals of heroin with an estimated value of € 1,128. He said the accused was also found in possession of heroin during a Garda search of her home in November. Insp Galvin said Hausmann had previous convictions for drugs offences.

Solicitor Tara Godfrey said that it appeared that Hausmann had been sharing heroin with serious heroin addicts. She said that on none of the occasions had her client been found with a weighing scales or a tick list.

She added, “My client did not appear to be enriching herself at all from the sale of heroin”.

The court heard that Hausmann had moved to Ennis with a good work ethic and clean of drugs. Ms Godfrey explained that her client appeared to have “acquired a very serious habit in Ireland”. She said Hausmann had made every effort “to rid herself of this pernicious addiction”.

She added, “Her family have become exhausted by her addiction and appear to have distanced themselves from her”.

Ms Godfrey said that in attempting to distance herself from other heroin users, Hausmann had seen her property damaged and suffered offensive graffiti near her home. Judge McCarthy said, “This is a serious matter. This lady is dealing in heroin”.

He imposed two sentences of seven months to be served consecutively. Recognances were fixed in the event of an appeal.

MUCKROSS Park in Killarney could soon have some serious competition from Kilrush as the council proposes to introduce jaunting cars to Kilrush Wood.

The wood, which surrounds the popular Vandeleur Walled Garden, is also the responsibility of Coillte, and members of the council executive are to meet with the state body to discuss this proposal and a number of other issues.

At the March meeting of the council, Mayor of Kilrush Ian Lynch (FG) asked that “Shannon Development and Coillte in association with Clare County Council to explore the possibility of opening of the Kilrush Wood existing road and track network to the seasonal attraction of jaunting, which would complement the existing attractions of the Vandeleur Walled Gardens and Kilrush’s Historic Trail while also providing tourism revenue to the town.”

He said that there are already old stables on the grounds of the Vandeleur Walled Gardens and the tracks are in place.

Marketing Officer with Kilrush Town Council, Síobhan Garvey said, “The Vandeleur Walled Garden and Kilrush woods remain a top priority when the town council engages in any tourism promotion and in recent years Kilrush Town Council has invested in resurfacing the roadway leading from the main road in through the woods to the car park as week as including it in the Historic Town Trails Walk.”

“In 2011, following consultation with coillte, they developed their walkways further by adding a new marked way and interpretational signs. It is acknowledge that the gardens and woods are almost a hidden treasure in the area and every effort is being made to promote both.”

THE number of frontline civil service staff working in the county has been reduced by hundreds since the Government embargo in 2008.

The exact number is still unclear, but a least 100 more have been lost through the Government’s early retirement scheme, which ended on February 29.

Clare local authorities are suffering the greatest staff reduction, losing almost one fifth of its staffing levels since its peak in 2006.

In June 2006, there were 1,002 employees working for Clare County Council, Kilrush Town Council and Kilkee Town Council.

By March 1 this year, that number had dropped by 197 people to 805.

The council started to reduce its staffing numbers prior to the embargo in 2008, so as to avoid “a slash and burn” once the Government called for the cuts.

From June 2008 to March 1, 2012, Clare’s local authorities lost 159 staff members through retirement, voluntary redundancy and people leaving for other employment.

The councils are attempting to cover the staffing shortage by moving staff between departments and councils.

The number of Gardaí in the county has dropped by at least 41 members in the last 11 months.

At the January meeting of the Joint Policing Committee, Chief Superintendent John Kerins told the members that there will be at least 41 less members on the force in Clare at the end of February this year when compared to the end of March last year.

As a result of the drop in personnel and the ever-tightening Garda budget, Carrigaholt lost its garda station this year, with more stations expected to close in the coming years.

At least 31 primary school teachers have retired from the county’s schools in the last few months, with many more choosing to take their retirement package from the county’s secondary schools.

The number of teachers in the county is expected to be reduced further in September, when the Department of Education increases class sizes.

Last week, the HSE announced that as many as 1,222 people have retired from the HSE West since last September.

The health service area, which includes County Clare, lost 680 people, mostly frontline staff, to the Early Retirement Scheme since the beginning of the year.

In the former Mid Western Health Board area, made up of Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary, almost 300 staff had retired just one week before the cut-off mark of February 29.

ST PATRICK has his work cut out for him if he ever decides to return to County Clare, with reports of grass snakes in the Ennis sewer, corn snakes in a Kilmihil graveyard and a 14-foot anaconda living in one Clare council estate.

According to the Clare Dog Warden, Frankie Coote, the Clare snake population has ballooned in recent years and, with no laws or licensing system in place for snakes, there is little that can be done to control the numbers being introduced into the county.

While the number of poisonous snakes in Clare is believed to be low, Frankie has urged snake owners to be vigilant and ensure that their animals are not allowed to escape. A number of snake escapes have been reported in recent months, most recently a corn snake which was discovered in Kilmihil and has since been returned to its owner.

“The county has become a lot more cosmopolitan when it comes to animals and there are a lot of different types of pets in Clare these days. There were a lot of people, during the boom time, who started buying exotic pets like snakes,” said Frankie.

“The problem is that because they are so new, there is no law for them. It is against the law to go down the road with a Jack Russell if he’s not on a lead, but it is not against the law to walk down the road with a big snake or a tiger.

“We had an incident in Ennis recently where someone was leaving his snakes out to play as people were on their way down to bingo – in the middle of the town centre. People were getting worried and phoning me but it turned out there was nothing against the law going on.

“We had one snake that lived in the drains in Ennis for six months. It was found in the back of Paddy Quinn’s pub in the market. It had been seen by several people going in for a drink but no-one believed them, they thought they had drank too much. We managed to find the owner for that one.

“I am also aware of one particular man who had a 14-foot anaconda in a council estate in Clare.”

The corn snake, which was found at the Kilmihil Graveyard, had lived there for six months and survived by hunting mice and rats at the graveyard.