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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.

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.

PRESSURE is mounting on Clare County Council to alter the County Development Plan to prevent fracking from taking place in the Clare Basin in west Clare.

Members of the Clare Fracking Concerned group will address next Monday’s January meeting of the local authority when the councillors will vote on Gabriel Keating’s (FG) motion to formalise their opposition to the controversial practice.

A series of anti-fracking meetings will also take place in West Clare in the coming weeks as momentum begins to gather behind Clare Fracking Concerned.

According to Cillian Murphy of the Loop Head Tourism Group and Clare Fracking Concerned, the process could seriously pollute the ground water not just at the fracking site, but all over West Clare.

“Around 99.5 per cent of the mixture which is pumped underground is chemical free. But that still leaves 0.5 per cent chemicals and, when you consider that they are talking about pumping millions and million of tonnes of this mixture, it amounts to an awful lot of chemicals,” said Murphy. “The geology in the area is already quite fractured and brittle, and water already passes readily through the rocks, so if there was a problem it wouldn’t just be in one area, it would be in all the ground water in West Clare.

“We are trying to give people a knowledge base for them to make their own minds up. We are not trying to force our opinions on anyone. But we would hope that when people see the facts and make up their minds, that they would contact their local councillor and tell them that they do not want fracking taking place in West Clare.”

Should Clare County Council come out against the practice taking place in West Clare, it does not prohibit the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources from granting permission to begin fracking. UK-based company Enegi Oil secured an initial exploration licence from the Government to undertake a number of fracking-related tests in the Clare Basic earlier this year.

“We would hope that the council will come out against fracking in Clare and if they do we would hope that they could make an amendment to the County Development Plan which says that. That would at least give us some legal basis or protection,” continued Murphy. “From our research, any jobs that come out of this are very short term. There is a certain amount of employment in the construction phase but that is very short term. The work after that is very technical and can be done by a very small number of people brought in from outside.”

Clare Fracking Concerned will host meetings at the Lighthouse Inn in Kilbaha on January 6, Murphy Black’s Butter Market Café on January 7, Kenny’s Bar, Lahinch, on January 8, Kildysart Hall on January 20 and Fanny O’Dea’s in Lissycasey on January 26.

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”.

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.”

CLARE would have played a frontline role in Ireland’s reaction to a German victory in World War II, newly released papers relating to the operation of Met Éireann services have revealed. And the Met Éireann secret files have also revealed that Shannon Airport had been identified as having a key role to play in helping Ireland react quickly in the event of a nuclear war breaking out.

The Met Éireann papers which have been released in tandem with the latest publication of State papers reveal the extent of Clare’s role in dealing with the twin threats of a Nazi war victory and nuclear war.

The papers reveal efforts to protect weather reports from the Nazis, naturalise staff members who could face prosecution had the Germans won the Second World War and to ensure the protection of weather stations against nuclear fallout.

Released by the National Archives, the files outline a meeting of the inter departmental committee on emergency preparations for the delivery and maintenance of essential supplies in the event of a conflict. This included how goods would be bought from Britain and elsewhere and stored at Shannon Airport and Urlanmore in Newmarket-on-Fergus.

And, the spectre of nuclear war meant practical scenarios for the transport of vital supplies needed to be mapped out, with Shannon Airport crucial to this policy.

An air link to Canada and America was singled out as being vital to Ireland’s response to a nuclear situation, with one file stating Shannon would need to be operational for “essential cargo purposes only”, with no passengers likely to be flying.

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.

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.

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.

BUSINESS groups in Ennis say an intensive ‘Shop Local’ campaign helped boost trade in the town during December.

Representatives of Ennis Chamber and Ennis Development Forum say local businesses reported an increase in takings last month compared to Christmas 2010.

The introduction of free morning parking has also been cited as one of the main reasons for bringing more shoppers to Ennis.

“It was way up on the last two years. There was definitely more people in the town and most people said their tills were way up”, said Aoife Madden of Ennis Development Forum.

Free parking was one of a number of initiatives rolled out by Ennis Town Council in conjunction with local businesses for Christmas.

“The free parking definitely brought more people in, In the last two years, people, with the free parking in Limerick, were thinking why would I bother coming into Ennis. They did not come in”.

Ms Madden said Ennis Street Radio, which played music in the town centre, allied to the unseasonably mild weather, helped create a more festive atmosphere.

“Takings were up and the atmosphere was way better than last year”, she added.

The ‘Shop Local’ campaign was launched in earnest at the start of December with the release of a festive Internet video.

Ennis Town – Share the Feeling sees Santa Claus turn to Ennis ‘The friendliest town in Ireland’ to help him after all of his elves fall sick on Christmas Eve.

Directed by local man Gavin Gallagher, the 2min 54sec video was shot in locations around the town and features a number of well-known politicians and businesspeople.

The video has so far attracted just 23,500 views on websites You Tube and Vimeo. It has been distributed to hundreds more people around the world through social networking sites.

Incoming President of Ennis Chamber said shoppers were more mindful of the benefits of supporting local businesses.

He said, “The Shop Local campaign made a big difference. People did make that extra effort to shop locally and that was appreciated.

“Also businesses seemed to be supporting other businesses, which is what its all about.

“With the parking too, people were staying in town that little bit longer in the morning”.

Mayor of Ennis, councillor Michael Guilfoyle said the Council would support future free parking initiatives if the circumstances “warranted it”.

Cllr Guilfoyle said cooperation between Ennis Town Council and local businesses had helped boost trade in the town during Christmas.

He added, “The businesses definitely made an effort and the free parking seems to have had an effect especially in the morning”.