Author: admin

KILRUSH Town Council is only two days away from being abolished, but councillors are set to stave off the spectre of closure by backing a proposal in the 2012 Budget to leave rates at 2011 levels for the next 12 months.

The decision is set to be made by councillors at this Tuesday night’s re-convened Budget meeting as part of a compromise between members of the local authority and the executive over key policy issues. The Clare People has learned that councillors will back rates remaining at 2011 levels, but that the prospect of cutting rates for 2013 will be looked into by the town council authorities during the course of the year. And with rates remaining at 2011 levels, the controversial proposal to abolish the arts and community grants schemes looks set to be overturned.

The decision to leave rates untouched comes on the back of an acceptance by councillors that the parking concessions introduced by the town council during the course of 2011 mount to a rates cut in another name.

“The money has to come from somewhere,” one councillor told The Clare People this week. “The parking concessions mean a loss in rev- enue of around € 40,000 a year and actually amount to around a six per cent cut in commercial rates,” the councillor added.

At the Budget meeting on December 15, former mayor Tom Prendeville (FF) proposed that “as a gesture, if we were to reduce our commercial rate by one per cent it would send a message to business people that we are on their side”. This sentiment was shared by Cllr Mairead O’Brien (IND) who said that she would prefer a two per cent rate cut for 2012.

According to Town Clerk John Corry, the two per cent rate cut would result in a rates reduction of just € 2 per week for the vast majority of businesses in Kilrush – 201 of the 241 businesses. For 2011, Kilrush Town Council has recouped 74 per cent of the rates due, with the threat of legal action hanging over those who have failed to pay.

In relation to funding for arts and and community projects, a bombshell was dropped at the Budget meeting when town manager Nora Kaye revealed that “due to the current economic climate, it is not possible to provide support for community and arts projects as has been provided in previous years”.

However, with councillors digging their heels in, the proposal now won’t be brought into effect.

RESIDENTS on the Clare Road fear a proposed retail development will have an adverse impact on flooding in the area. The concerns of residents of Abbeycourt and Abbeyville are outlined in a submission to Ennis Town Council.

Michael Lynch Ltd are seeking planning permission for a large development on a five-hectare site the Clare Road / Tobertascain, which it is claimed will create 300 construction jobs.

However, according to Brendan O’Connor, Chairman of the Abbeycourt-Abbeyville residents association, “Residents here have experience problems with flooding and sewerage during periods of prolonged rainfall. The adjacent River Fergus and its flood plain encroach onto both estates from the east when the river floods. Should the proposed development proceed on its raised site bordering us to the west, we greatly fear surface water from the proposed development will drain downhill, causing further problems to the many houses located below.”

An engineering planning report, prepared on behalf of Michael Lynch Ltd, states that the site would be developed in a sustainable manner “in order to minimise the impact of the development during construction and throughout the lifespan of the proposed store”.

IT GOES without saying that it’s a long way from Clare to Kazakhstan. And for Ray Flannery that distance and sense of enormous difference is dramatically brought to life every time he looks out his office window. Especially these days, in the depths of winter. The Ballyea man doesn’t work in one of Kazakhstan’s many large cities or towns. The office doesn’t overlook any smog-choked metropolis. It’s far away from all that. In fact, it’s far away from most things.

Work for Ray for the past few weeks has been a man made island somewhere in the Caspian Sea, about 80km off the coast of Kazakhstan.

Like many his age, it was the offer of a job that brought Ray to one of the harshest and most remote regions in the world. The Caspian Sea is home to the Kashagan Project a vast network of islands and rigs working on what is estimated to be one of the largest oil fields on the planet.

He explains, “They reckon it’s the biggest oil find of the past 30 years. There’s something like 4,500 people working for different companies. It’s a pretty big operation.”

Ray works on Island Delta as a field engineer for the Italian firm Tozzi. It’s a job he has done for different companies in various far-flung places of the world including Indonesia, Madagascar and Canada. Kazakhstan though is different. It’s harsh and very cold. He says, “Weather wise it’s -15º at the moment and a guy was telling me that it will go down to -30º in January. The Caspian Sea is frozen over so the boats can’t run. They had been using choppers to get to the mainland but now a bog fog has come in as well. They’re hoping it will clear so people can get back home for Christmas. The weather here is a big factor…It’s very harsh when you see the frozen sea and the mounds of snow.” The former St Flannan’s student realised just how remote Island D is when a colleague told him a story about unwanted visitors during last year’s big freeze.

“A guy who worked here last year was telling me that when it froze over a wolf actually walked out from the coastline and was headed towards the islands.

“They had to tranquilise it and Medivac (helicopter ambulance) it back to the mainland!”

Apart from the wolves there is a strong international presence among the workforce dotted around the various ships and islands of the Kashagan Project. But not too many Paddys, Ray says.

“It’s very multinational but at the moment there is a very small Irish presence.

We spoke in the run up to Christmas and Ray was hoping to speak by skype to his parents, brother and sister.

He says, “Christmas is just a regular day. It runs like clockwork. They run a pretty tight ship. We might get to eat the turkey!”

Apart from being grateful for the opportunity to work, Ray says the chance to travel to places like Kazakhstan has given him a new understanding about life away from home. “It’s given me a completely different perspective, the things you see and what people are born into.”

HIGH vacancy rates, distance and a fear that the uniqueness of Ennis will be distorted are among the main reasons highlighted by town centre businesses in their opposition to a proposed retail development.

Michael Lynch Ltd is seeking planning permission to build on a fivehectare site on the Clare Road/Tobertascáin. The application was the subject of a Freedom of Information request from Ennis Town Council.

Businesses in Ennis, many of whom have been strongly opposed to the project, have reiterated their concerns in a number of submissions to the council.

Traders in Parnell Street state that the development would not be in the “town’s best interest”. The submission continues, “While we recognise and welcome competition, it is vital that the current core retail sector in the town be maintained as this is one of Ennis’ unique selling points.

“At present in Parnell Street there are 12 vacant commercial premises in our street,” they state. “We feel if this development were to go ahead, it would compound an already existing problem. We, the business community, are at present struggling to keep our doors open and maintain jobs in these challenging times. We need your support.”

According to the proprietors of Food Heaven in the Market, the proposed development “will significantly detract from the viability of the existing town centre retail area”.

The submission states, “The proposed retail centre is located almost 1km from the town centre and this is too great a distance to encourage pedestrians to visit the town centre on completing their purchases.”

They add, “The level of vacancy rates and under trading in the existing town centre retail sector is at present at crisis levels and can only be exacerbated by this proposal. It seems astonishing that this proposal could be seriously contemplated at a time of unprecedented economic distress locally and nationally.”

In their submission, the O’Connell Street Trader’s association state, “The proposed development would significantly detract from the viability of the existing town centre retail area. There is already an over provision both of convenience and comparison retailing in Ennis at present.”

In their submission, members of the Abbey Street Trader’s Association assert that the development of a large out-of-town retail development would “distort the uniqueness of the town”. They continue, “To allow this development to go ahead is akin to welcoming a factory ship into our waters which essentially will hoover up all forms of business life and decimate the very water it sailed in.”

According to Specsavers, Ennis, “There are at least three other sites which are more suitable for provision for new retail development and which are closer to the town centre and which would bestow some benefit to the town centre.

“We are not opposed to a reasonable level of additional retail space in Ennis but feel the priority should be given to a location which will provide synergy and interaction with the existing town centre.”

LISDOONVARNA matchmaker Willie Daly is to re-double his efforts to find a suitable husband for the newly-separated Irish singersongwriter Sinead O’Connor.

Last September, O’Connor engaged the services of Daly and his daughter Claire during a much publicised visit to Lisdoonvarna, but last week announced that she and her husband of just 16 days had separated.

According to Daly, O’Connor’s marriage to drugs counsellor Barry Herridge happened too quickly and, because of that, was destined to fail.

“I think she was in too much of a rush. Sinead’s a wonderful, free spirit and I noticed that about her when she came to Lisdoonvarna earlier in the year,” he said.

“She got a lot of attention and was in huge demand from many of the eligible fellas when she was here, but I think the enthusiasm of one or two of them scared her off. She was maybe more picky than I expected her to be, but I’m still certain that I could find the right man for her.

“My technique is tried and tested and it works. Sinead has a wonderful heart and I’ve no doubt she will soon find the happiness she deserves and a lasting romance,” added Daly.

O’Connor made quite the stir when she arrived at this year’s Matchmaking Festival in Lisdoonvarna. She cut her planned three-day visit to the festival short and later admitted that the experience had been too much for her.

Describing the scene that greeted her at Lisdoonvarna, Sinead said that the gathered men were “winking and grinning at each other and hitching up their trousers as if to say: we’re in here, lads”.

Just two months after her visit to Lisdoonvarna, O’Connor tied the knot with Mr Herridge at the famous White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas. The marriage lasted just 16 days, with O’Connor admitting that the pair lived together for just seven days.

“From the moment myself and my husband got together not long ago, there was intense pressure placed upon him by certain people in his life, not to be involved with me,” she said. “The marriage was 16 days. We lived together for seven days only. Within three hours of the ceremony being over, the marriage was kiboshed by the behaviour of certain people in my husband’s life.”

Daly is the third generation in his family to take up matchmaking. He claims that his matches yield around 200 weddings each year.

AS ONE of the country’s foremost concertina players, music provided Chris Droney with a passport to see the world.

In 1951, the Bellharbour musician visited America for the first time, hopping aboard a plane for the first time from Shannon to Boston.

It was a shocking experience, one that Chris vividly recalled to The Clare People in 2007.

He said, “I remember the first time. It was one of those planes with the propellers and we had to re-fuel in Gander airport in Newfoundland. I mean, the cold in that place was unreal. I’d say it was about 25 degrees below. I’ve never known anything as cold. We had to refuel there and then head of for Boston. The planes would be half-empty.

“It took nine and a half hours to go to America that time. They were all re-fuelling in Gander back then. It was the first time on a plane and I will tell you one thing, it was like being in the World Cup, that’s how nervous I was.”

Music brought Chris Droney to Gander. It brought him most places. He learned the concertina by paying careful attention to his father James and grandfather Michael at the family home in Bellharbour.

Playing music was a social thing. It also provided the opportunity to travel. His teenage years were spent playing in pubs and dance halls and competitions. He was named All-Ireland Senior Concertina Champion on nine occasions. After winning the All-Ireland in 1961, he was invited to play in Boston.

They toured hard in the 1960s, travelling from America to Canada and back to America, playing to noisy, sold-out venues.

He said, “I was asked to go to play in a concert in Boston in the colonial hall. I’ll never forget it. It was frightening, because I never realised there would be much of a crowd there but there were 2,200 people.

“I had to play for about 20 minutes for two nights, just two nights. The second night there were maybe about a thousand people there. But the amplification they had was perfect. It was no trouble…

“I know there were 23 concerts in America. We started off in Boston; there were two concerts in Boston. Then we went to New York and after that we flew to Canada and we did Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa and then we crossed into Detroit. We went from Detroit to Chicago and from there to Philadelphia. We went all over.”

Despite the rigours associated with transatlantic travel at the time, Chris said he was grateful for everything music afforded him.

He added, “I don’t think I’d be here now if I wasn’t playing music. I’ve been playing all my life, 74 years now. I don’t think there was ever a bad night.”

BUSINESS representatives have expressed support for a new model of economic development for Ennis saying it will aid job protection.

Plans for a possible Business Improvement District (BID) were unveiled last week with backers claiming it will protect and create new jobs.

Incoming President of Ennis Chamber Brian O’Neill said, “The Chamber supports moves toward a possible BID initiative as it would be a great opportunity for business owners to improve their business streets/area, which they are most familiar with, in the most efficient manner for their own business, job protection and the district as a whole.”

Rita McInerney, Ennis Chamber CEO stated, “The BID process has worked very well in Dublin and elsewhere as shown just two weeks ago by a 78 per cent vote in favour of renewing the BID that ran for the last three years in Dundalk.”

Aoife Madden, Chairperson of Ennis Development Forum, “Recent experience shows that it is only by employers and employees working together with others such as Ennis Town Council that we can keep Ennis a strong employment centre and to grow jobs. The BID idea may well be the best way to go forward building on recent successful partnerships including the Ennis street radio, free parking initiative during Christmas and the Ennis Share the Feeling Christmas video.”

The concept of BIDs originated in northern America and BIDs have been in existence in the UK since 2003 with an estimated 1,000 BIDs now in the US and over 100 in the UK.

The largest BID in Ireland (and indeed in the whole of Europe), is the Dublin City BID, which has been in operation since March 2008 and has a five-year renewable mandate to develop and promote the economic advancement of Dublin city centre. Half-way through their mandate, the Dublin BID was able to report the following successes in their Annual Report of 2010: (1) A city-wide marketing group that for the first time brings together city stakeholders to establish a common message and approach to the promotion of the city; (2) The process of making the BID cost-neutral for our members by creating a heavily discounted insurance scheme. We intend devel- oping a wider programme of similar offers; (3) Local area action groups which establish members’ needs and expectations on a district by district basis and work to make the shared vision a reality; (4) A strong working relationship with the Gardaí that is helping to create a safer environment for our customers; (5) A prominent presence on the city’s Joint Policing Forum with the Lord Mayor, the Gardaí, Dublin City Council and other business groups to establish a road map for a sustainable and safer city; (6) A dialogue with politicians and city officers to plan for a new and vibrant city.

THE suspension of transatlantic services operated by Aer Lingus out of Shannon kicks in this week as flights to both Boston and New York from Clare’s international airport are cancelled for the next number of months. The decision to sever the transatlantic link over the winter period follows on from last year’s unprecedented move by Aer Lingus not to operate any transatlantic services from Shannon between January 5 to March 27, 2011.

This move represented the first time since Aer Lingus transatlantic services commenced out of Shannon in 1958 that a year-round service wasn’t provided by the national carrier.

The decision to suspend the New York and Boston routes for the winter comes after the move to end the Shannon/Chicago route for the autumn and winter schedules on September 1 last.

This suspension of the New York and Boston routes affects four flights per week between Shannon and New York and a further four flights per week between Shannon and Boston. However, the airline says it is committed to Shannon and will continue to operate these services for the remaining nine months of the year.

Last year’s cutbacks were intro- duced on the back of significant losses that were incurred during the winter months over the previous 15 years. Since 1995, Aer Lingus has lost a total of € 163 million on its transatlantic flights from Shannon during the winter months, with an average operating loss per winter season of almost € 11 million.

“Aer Lingus is committed to the Shannon market as an important part of our network,” said Aer Lingus chief executive Christoph Mueller.

“However, in order to maintain the viability of our Shannon transatlantic operations throughout the remainder of the year, the three-month suspension of these routes when seasonal demand is at its lowest is crucial.”

The suspension of the routes comes in the wake of latest passenger returns for Shannon which show that commercial flights from the airport were down by 5.7 per cent in November, when compared to the corresponding month last year. The figures also revealed that there were only 45 daily movements at Shannon during the month, a figure that compared with 49 in Cork Airport and 366 in Dublin Airport.

In 2010, almost 1.8 million passengers passed through Shannon, a decline of 37 per cent on the previous year. Terminal traffic was down 40 per cent on 2009 to 1.5 million.

A CHARITY walk organised by members of the Clare Association Dublin has raised € 3,000 for children and adults with physical and sensory disabilities.

A large crowd turned out for the Martin Corry Memorial Walk which took place around Howth Head last October.

A former President of the Clare Association Dublin, Cree native Martin was a keen walker who was actively involved in fundraising for local and national charities. Money raised from this year’s walk will go towards the Clare branch of Enable Ireland.

Gerry O’Reilly, Clare Association PRO, presented the cheque to representatives of Enable Ireland in Dublin last month.

Acknowledging the large turn-out at the Addison Hotel, Gerry paid tribute to those who had helped make the Martin Corry Memorial Walk such a success. He said 2011 had been an excellent year for the Clare Association.

He thanked all those who participated in the charity walk around Howth Head. Gerry said that, despite the poor weather and difficult terrain, the walkers enjoyed the scenic 10k walk. He also paid tribute to sponsors and those who contributed in any way towards the success of the walk. In particular, Gerry thanked Mary Corry, wife of the late Martin Corry, and her family, who joined the crowds on the day. Gerry said that he was particularly pleased that the proceeds from the walk would be going to the Clare branch of Enable Ireland. The charity provides essential support, therapy and services to children and adults with physical and sensory disabilities to enable them to achieve maximum independence, choice and inclusion in their community. Enable Ireland Clare was formed in 1990 as a support group for families and carers of people with physical disabilities. In the following years, Enable Ireland has developed and expanded to include a wide range of services to meet the needs of children and adults with disabilities and their families in Clare. Dorothy Barry from Enable Ireland thanked the Clare Association Dublin for their efforts and, in accepting the cheque from Mary Corry, she outlined the benefits that this contribution would make to those who rely on support and assistance on a daily basis.

STATE Papers for 1981 that have been released under the 30-year rule have revealed how Shannon was plunged into the international limelight for all the wrong reasons, thanks to an entrepreneur who established a business in the Free Zone.

On May 2, 1981, it was revealed that the man, who hijacked an Aer Lingus flight to Heathrow because he wanted to know the Third Secret of Fatima, was Laurence Downey, a man who operated out of Shannon, touting himself as an international entrepreneur who would bring hundreds of jobs to mid-west region.

Downey – a former Cistercian monk, Olympic boxing trialist, sailor and Shannon Free Zone-based company director – came to Shannon in late 1979 and unveiled ambitious plans to develop among other things an Institute of Learning, a Shannon Co-Operative and a £10 million sports and recreational complex.

However, Downey’s plans for Shannon were too good to be true – he had a string of dodgy business dealings in his native Australia, among them the disappearance of £40,000 from a trust fund.

Downey then re-emerged into the limelight when he walked into the cockpit of an Aer Lingus flight, threatening to cause an explosion by setting fire to his petrol-soaked clothes, unless he was taken to Teheran and that the Third Secret of Fatima be released by Pope John Paul II and published in Irish newspapers.

Captain Foyle suggested that they fly to Le Touquet because of a shortage of fuel, with the captain announcing, “Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to land in London but there is a man in the cabin who wants us to go on to Le Touquet.”

The end of the highjack ordeal for the 108 passengers and crew of five came at Le Touquet when crack French commando forces moved in and stormed the plane when it was on the runway. Downey was arrested while passengers spoke about the drama. “He must have been very dis- turbed,” said one passenger. “I asked the stewardess if we were being hijacked and she said yes,” commented another. “It wasn’t scary because we knew almost from the start that he wasn’t from a terrorist organisation. He said something about wanting to tell people in Ireland that the Virgin Mary had a sister and that there were two of them.”