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AN ENVIRONMENTALIST has maintained that a windfarm, which is currently part of a planning application to Clare County Council, will be visible from Doonbeg Golf Course.

Friends of the Irish Environment director Tony Lowes, who in 2000 held up the construction of the course when he raised concerns in the high court about the protection of the microscopic snail Vertigo Angustior, told a Scottish newspaper that he now wants new owner Donald Trump to help back a campaign against the proposed nine-turbine wind farm.

The billionaire businessman reportedly ceased plans to build a second luxury golf course in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, following a failed legal battle to stop the construction of an 11-turbine windfarm off the Scottish coast.

Last week West Clare Coastal Windpower lodged plans for the nine 126-metre wind turbines at Carrowmore South, Einagh and Shragh, two kilometres south of Doonbeg village.

The company’s previous plan for an “industrial scale” € 200 million windfarm at the same location was refused by an Bord Pleanála last July.

Local business people said this week that they were taking a “neutral stance” on the issue, and that the previous application went through the process without any major concern locally.

Mr Lowes is reported as saying he believes people will listen to Mr Trump rather than the environmentalists on the issue.

Asked about the Trump Organisation getting involved in any such issues locally, executive vice president Eric Trump said it was not afraid of taking on important issues.

“Maybe it is too early, but we have never been afraid to tackle important issues time and time again, and we have never been afraid to take on important issues,” she told The Clare People .

“We are not afraid to take on the fight for the betterment of the community and quite frankly often times the community looks to us to lean on, to help them and for that leadership and for the resources to do so.”

AN ENGLISH conman who duped businesses on a € 1,300 “nationwide tour” of hotels in Ireland has received a 12-month prison sentence.

David Brown (57) was arrested by gardaí in Clare last week after failing to pay for food and alcohol at the Ravine Hotel, Lisdoonvarna, on February 11.

It came after gardaí issued a nationwide alert for Mr Brown’s arrest after he committed a string of similar offences at hotels around the country between January 25 and February 12.

He appeared before Ennis District Court on Thursday.

Mr Brown, with an address at Mallard Road, Scunthorpe, England, pleaded guilty to six changes of dishonestly by deception availing of food, accommodation and beverages.

The charges relate to Mr Brown’s stay at Creevy Pier Hotel, Ballyshan- non, Donegal, where he accrued a bill of € 333 between February 4 and 6; his stay at Lismore House, Lismore, Waterford, between January 25 and 27 where the bill came to € 382 and the Templemore Arms Hotel, Templemore, between February 1 and 3 where the bill came to € 271.

He also admitted offences at Dunning’s, The Octagon, Westport, between February 7 and 8 (€ 65) and Murphy’s Law, Barrack Street, Athlone, between February 3 and 4 (€ 150).

Judge Patrick Durcan enquired what type of food and drink Mr Brown availed of during his stays at the hotels. Inspector Tom Kennedy replied that the accused was “pretty accomplished at entertaining himself”.

Garda Shane Kavanagh of Ennistymon Garda Station said he arrested Mr Brown in the early hours of February 12 after the accused failed to pay for drink and food worth € 81 at the Ravine Hotel, Lisdoonvarna.

Garda Kavanagh told the court Mr Brown would typically tell hoteliers he was over from England to do maintenance work on telegraph poles. He would claim his colleagues were arriving in a few days and they would pay the bill. “He would book in on a Friday but by Monday morning he’d be gone,” added Garda Kavanagh.

The court heard Mr Brown travelled across the country by hitch hiking and getting lifts from fellow ‘guests’.

Insp Kennedy said Mr Brown has 50 previous convictions, many for deception offences, and was only released from prison in January.

Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client is divorced and previously worked as an unskilled labourer.

She said Mr Brown was homeless when he was released from prison and committed the offences as a means of surviving.

She said her client had mainly drank pints of lager and eaten burg- ers and pies during his time at the hotels. “The most extravagant thing he had was a Jack Daniels whiskey,” she added.

She asked the court to consider deporting Mr Brown back to the United Kingdom.

Judge Patrick Durcan said this was an “unusual case” one where like his countrymen did in the past, Mr Brown commenced his journey through Ireland in Waterford.

He said Mr Brown had perpetrated a “reign of commercial tyranny” against tourism businesses, many of whom are based in coastal communities devastated by recent storms.

“His spree, his nationwide tour, cost € 1,322,” added Judge Durcan.

“The only order I can make is one that forces the Irish people to pay € 1,700 a week to accommodate him further,” he said.

He imposed sentences totalling 12 months but suspended the final eight months on condition Mr Brown enter a bond to be of good behaviour. TWOmen have appeared in court charged in connection with an alleged burglary in the Corrovorrin area of Ennis. Patrick Ballard (28) and Michael Clune (28) are alleged to have entered 2 Corrovorrin,Tulla Road, Ennis as trespassers and attempted to commit theft therein.The charge relates to an alleged break in on December 11, 2013. Mr Ballard, with an address at Lifford Lodge, Lifford Road, Ennis and Mr Clune with an address at BridgeviewCourt, Ennis, both appeared before Ennis District Court onWednesday. The court heard the DPP has directed summary disposal of the cases in the district court. Legal aid was approved for solicitor Tara Godfrey. Ms Godfrey said she required time to seek disclosure fromthe State. The cases were adjourned to April 2 for the accused to enter pleas or to fix a date for hearing. A POLISH man who admits being in an intoxicated state at Ennis Cathedral will carry our volountary work in the town, a court has heard. Last November, Judge Patrick Durcan said he wanted Tomasz Hajduk (43) to get involved with a group like Ennis Tidy Towns to make up for his behaviour in the upper O’Connell Street area of the town on November 13. Tomasz Hajduk, with addresses at Sandfield Apartments, Sandfield Road, Ennis and Cree, pleaded guilty to being intoxicated to such an extent so as to be a danger to himself and to others. Gardaí found Mr Hajduk in an intoxicated state outside Ennis Cathedral and he has a number of previous convictions mainly for public order offences, the court heard. The case came back before Ennis District Court on Wednesday where solicitor William Cahir told the court his client had secured work with Ennis Parish on a voloutary basis. Judge Patrick Durcan adjourned the case to October 1 for review. Addressing Mr Hajduk, he said, “I expect you will so some work for the church”.

A COUSIN of former Republic of Ireland soccer star Steve Finnan has pleaded guilty to drug dealing arising from the discovery of an amount of prescription drugs in Quin last year.

Father of two, Sean Finnan (22), appeared before Ennis District Court on Thursday charged with possession of a controlled drug for sale or supply at his former address at 21 The Park, Quin, on January 7, 2013.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court gardaí found 250 xanax tablets and dealing paraphernalia including a ‘tick list’ when they executed a search warrant on the property.

The court heard Mr Finnan has 57 previous convictions mainly for drugs, public order and burglary offences.

Defence solicitor Shiofra Hassett told Judge Patrick Durcan her client is currently in prison.

She said Mr Finnan received a suspended sentence at Limerick District Court earlier this month but asked for the sentence to be activated because he feared for his life outside prison.

The court heard Mr Finnan received 25 pellet wounds outside his home in Limerick city in December.

Ms Hassett said her client had been forced to leave his home and sleep rough because he could not secure alternative accommodation.

“He had serious concerns for the safety of his family and that is why he left home”, she explained.

The court heard Mr Finnan is currently being held in protective custody because of threats against his life.

Ms Hassett asked the court not to add to her client’s current term of imprisonment.

Judge Patrick Durcan noted the risk of Mr Finnan re-offending is high.

However, noting the danger to Mr Finnan’s life, his family circumstances and current sentence, Judge Durcan said he wanted to make an order that reflected the seriousness of the charge and offered the accused some hope.

He imposed sentences totaling six months but suspended them on condition Mr Finnan enter into a bond to be law abiding. Mr Finnan is due for release in August. A CA S E where it is alleged a serious public order disturbance took place at a busy shopping centre in Ennis last year may be heard in the Circuit Court, a court has heard. OnWednesday, Inspector TomKennedy said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has not yet directed in the case. He said a book of evidence may be required for the matter. Insp Kennedy was referring to an alleged incident at Tesco’s Ennis on December 18, 2013. Four people are facing charges arising from the alleged incident. Anne Delaney (45), with an address at Waterpark Heights, Ennis, is charged with engaging in threatening, insulting or abusive behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace. James Delaney (26), with an address Gordon Drive, Cloughleigh, Ennis is also charged with engaging in threatening, insulting or abusive behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace. James Keenan (40), with an address at 30 Childer’s Road, Cloughleigh, Ennis and a teenager are both charged with public order offences arising fromthe alleged incident at Tesco’s, Francis Street, Ennis on December 18. The cases were adjourned to March 12 for DPP’s directions. A MA N charged with having drugs allegedly worth €13,000 for sale or supply in Doora has been sent forward for trial to the Circuit Criminal Court. Keith Loftus (21), with an address at Noughaval, Doora, appeared before Ennis District Court on Wednesday. He is charged with possession of cannabis for purposes of sale or supply at Noughaval, Doora on August 6. He is also charged with unlawful possession at the same address and date. He is further charged with possession of cannabis and amphetamine for sale or supply when the aggregate market value of the controlled drugs amounted to €13,000 or more. Garda Irene O’Flynn gave evidence of serving the book of evidence on the accused. Inspector TomKennedy said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had consented to the accused being returned for trial to the next sittings of the Circuit Criminal Court, on bail as set. Legal aid was approved for solicitor Daragh Hassett, one junior counsel and one senior counsel. Judge Patrick Durcan delivered the alibi warning and made the order returning the accused for trial. A MA N has appeared in court charged in connection with an incident of alleged dangerous driving in Scariff almost two years ago. DeclanWard (20), with an address at Derrynameal, Feakle, is charged driving a vehicle in a dangerous manner, which created a substantial risk of death or serious harmat Market Square, Scariff on March 13, 2012. He is further with handling stolen property, 10 cans of cider and the use of the vehicle without the owner’s consent. The court heard Mr Ward made no response to any of the charges after caution. Legal aid was approved for solicitor Daragh Hassett. Mr Hassett said he would not be making an application for bail at this point. Mr Ward was remanded in custody to appear again at Ennis District Court on February 19.

IRELAND’S oldest living person, Clare native Kathleen Snavely, celebrated her 112th birthday on Sunday by relaxing and getting her hair done.

Kathleen Hayes Rollins Snavely, who was born in East Clare on February 16, 1902, became Ireland’s oldest ever living person late last year when she overtook Louth woman, Katherine Plunket, and is now clos- ing in on becoming one of the oldest people ever to live on planet Earth.

Kathleen, who lives in Syracuse in upstate New York, is currently in excellent health and is now just three years from becoming one of the 10 oldest people ever to have lived. She is, however, still a long from becoming the worlds oldest person – that honour rests with Jeanne Calment, who was 122 years and 164 days old when she passed away in 1997.

Kathleen was born in Maghera near Feakle in East Clare in 1902. She emigrated to America in 1921 and set up a successful dairy, completely from scratch.

Up to two years ago, Kathleen was living independently, travelling on the bus and shopping for food, until she broke her hip and had to move into a local care centre.

Sr Kathy Osbelt, a friend of Kathleen’s, says that Snavely regularly talks about her experiences growing up in Ireland and her family.

“She talks about the wit and the appreciation for natural beauty. She is very funny and very feisty and loves a good story and to tell stories,” said Sr Osbelt.

“It is unfortunate that more people don’t know her. She is a treasure; she really is a peach.”

So far Kathleen has lived through two wars and survived 18 American presidents and two husbands. She never had any children.

Kathleen received a letter from President Michael D. Higgins last year and the centenarian bounty of € 2, 540.

A KILRUSH man found guilty of illegally dumping household waste will have to pay out € 1,030, following a hearing at Kilrush District Court on Tuesday.

Clare County Council brought the case against Flan Burke, Apartment 2, Vandeleur Street, Kilrush who was found guilty of littering contrary to section 3(1) of Litter Pollution Act 1997 and Section 24 (1) of the Lit- ter Pollution Act 1997 as Amended Section 58. In evidence litter warden Conor Leyden said that the council received a complaint on July 2, 2013 stating that there was litter on the side of the road at Dunneill, Kilimer.

On investigating the complaint he found an ESB bill with Mr Burke’s name among the rubbish.

A fine was sent to Mr Burke by registered post.

He was also told he could appeal the fine in writing, the court was told, but this did not happen.

Reminder letters were again sent on July 29 and August 6, 2013 and finally a court summons was issued on December 31.

Mr Leyden described the road as a “quiet road with no residential houses, with mostly agricultural lands.”

Describing Mr Burke’s actions as “contemptible” Judge Patrick Durcan fined him € 750 and ordered him to pay costs of € 280.

He added that he was taking into account that the defendant in the case had no previous convictions.

NORTH Clare farmers have pledged to fight on against the decision to sell the Ennistymon Mart to Aldi following a “fruitless” meeting in Ennis yesterday.

Three member of Ennistymon IFA met with representatives from Clare Marts for a number of hours yesterday, at a meeting facilitated by Clare IFA president Andrew Dundas.

At the meeting, a spokesperson for Clare Marts confirmed that the sale of the mart had been agreed by the board of Clare Marts, but said that contracts had yet to be signed and the sale was dependent on planning permission being granted.

Tom Clair from Ennistymon IFA said yesterday that the people of Ennistymon feel like they have been “sold-out” by their fellow farmers for a “few dollars” from a multi-national.

“The people up here will fight this to the bitter end, that is for sure. But we are desperate downhearted that this has happened,” he said.

“The way that this has come about is not right.

“After all that was gone through to get that mart there in the first place and now to have it sold out from under us by our fellow farmers. And just because they had a few dollars dangled down in front of them. It’s not right.”

Yesterday’s meeting followed a protest help by more than 20 North Clare farmers outside of Ennis Marts last Tuesday evening and a mass meeting of more than 450 people which took place in Ennistymon earlier this month.

Those opposed to the sale will now likely take to the planning system to try and block the sale going through by lodging planning applications once Aldi bring forward a proposal.

The land where the mart currently sits was gifted to the people of Ennistymon by the McNamara clan as an area for fairs.

“It is though that the mart’s deeds could yet contain a condition requiring it to be operated for agricultural purposes. The Clare People contacted Clare Marts in relation to this story but they had no comment to make.

A JUDGE has asked the gardaí to investigate the circumstances in which a second teenager from Ennis was married by a man claiming to be a ‘Bishop’.

At Ennis Children’s Court on Wednesday, Judge Patrick Durcan said, “It is disgraceful that this young man is being duped by someone who parades around pretending to be a Bishop”.

He was speaking after being told by a 17 year old boy he had recently been married by Bishop Michael Cox.

The youth – who cannot be named for legal reasons and was before the court on a trespass charge – confirmed to Judge Durcan that he paid € 100 to Mr Cox for the marriage and that he met him only once before the wedding.

He told the judge that he and his wife are expecting their first child in August. The legal age for marriage in Ireland is 18.

Judge Durcan said he wanted the issue to be brought to the attention of the State.

Addressing the teenager, Judge Durcan said, “This man is not a Bishop and he is not entitled to marry you.”

He told the boy this could have seri- ous implications for the status of his marriage, the status of his wife and the status of his child his wife is expecting.

Judge Durcan noted this was the second time in recent months he had been informed of a marriage performed by Bishop Cox for an Ennis teenager.

Last November he ordered gardaí to investigate the circumstances of a wedding of another 17 year-old performed by Bishop Cox.

At the time, Judge Durcan was strongly critical of Bishop Cox. He said the fact that the couple had paid money for the service was “appalling” and “brings things to the lowest depths.”

“I want to say loudly and clearly that anyone who masquerades as a clergy man and who takes money from young people and imbues in them a mistaken belief that he has married them, is in my view committing the most serious offence”, added Judge Durcan.

On Wednesday, Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court the case is under investigation.

Judge Durcan said he also wanted the Probation Services to investigate how young people are being “duped” into paying for sham marriage ceremonies.

Probation Officer, Eoin Ryan said the case has been discussed by the service.

Bishop Cox previously attracted controversy when he ordained Sinead O’Connor a priest in 1999 in Lourdes — he is not a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church and is instead a bishop of the Latin Tridentine Church.

A YOUNG family lost not just the roof of their home but a lifetime of memories and numerous precious objects when storm Darwin took the roof from their house and destroyed their home in Rehy East, Cross.

The Abel-Cahill family are now staying in a house in Kilkee, as each day more of the ceiling disappears and cracks appear on the family home.

Mother-of-two Kim Abel is thankful however that her young family escaped physically unharmed.

“I am glad I had my daughter in the living room with me at the time of the storm, because if she was in her room napping she would have been covered in glass because the sky light came right in,” she said.

Terrorised Kim was at home with her six-month-old baby daughter Kaylana when the storm took hold at lunchtime on Wednesday.

Kim recalled how a tree and debris fell outside narrowly missing her car as the gale became stronger. The house began to shake and she began to panic.

The young mother screamed for her partner’s mother, Anna Cahill, who was on the other side of the bungalow building and then ran into another room to be with her.

“I was on the other side of the house with my mother-in-law when I saw something crash on the ground. It was the roof from the other side of the house, where I had just left,” she said fighting back the tears.

The two women decided to grab the baby and run for the car in an attempt to drive away from the house. Ms Abel’s partner, Paul Cahill, has just arrived home grabbed the two pet dogs and joined the evacuation.

Ms Abel’s other daughter Chloe (5) was still in school just a few miles away.

The devastation of the house came at the worst time for the family as they have planned baby Kaylana’s Christening for this weekend, and family and friends from as far away as Wales and England are to gather in West Clare for the special family occasion.

“We have lost everything we had in the house. Everything in the attic is destroyed, all my memories are ruined,” said Kim.

For Mrs Cahill too the event was both emotional and frightening as the house was built by her later husband for his family.

“I don’t know what we will do, but we are all staying together where ever we go.

We are all a family and we need to be together,” said Ms Abel.

The family are currently staying in a house in Kilkee, but are now also under financial pressure as they do not qualify for rent allowance as they own a house, albeit one they cannot live in.

“We are definitely not going to be home in the next few months,” explained Kim, who continues to be haunted by the traumatic events of Wednesday afternoon.

VICTIMS of industrial abuse in Clare are preparing a mass protest against the newly formed CaraNua organisation, which they say does not represent what the vast majority of victims actually want.

CaraNua, formally the Statutory Trust Fund, was formed last month to oversee the provision of services for people who have suffered abuse at the hands of the religious orders.

It is estimated that there are between 13,000 and 15,000 survivors still alive and CareNua has a budget of around € 110 million to help gain different services for these people.

Many victims groups are against the service, and claim that the money is owed directly to them from the religious orders and the state should not get involved. Ennis resident and spokesperson for the Survivors who Standing Together group, Cathriona Barker, said that many abuse victims now feel that a massive public protest is the only was of forcing the Government to change its mind.

“This money was given to survivors as a good will measure by the religious orders and the state have no business putting their hands on our money and dictating to us what happens. The state are guilt party in our childhood abuse, along with the church. What’s worse is that no survivor was ever asked for their opinion about any of this,” she told The Clare People yesterday.

“The vast majority of people would like this money split up between us. If you did that, then each victim would get € 7,300 from the church. For what many people went through this would be an insult, but at least it would be our decision.

Cathriona has been in contact with a number of other abuse survivors and the possibility of a mass protest seems to be getting closer.

“I was talking to a survivors group from the UK over the weekend and the majority of people over there don’t want anything to do with this new group either,” continued Cathriona.

“As far as we can see, most of the services being offered by CaraNua are services that a person should be able to access anyway. It is things like dental care, if a person needs a hip replacement, maybe if you need a door in your house widened.”

For more about Survivors Who Stand Together visit survivorswhostandtogether.wordpress.com.

AN Ennis woman charged with robbery has been told her bail will be revoked if she does not abide by all conditions

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Clara Chapman (19) admitted not residing at an address she had given gardaí when granted bail last month.

Inspector Tom Kennedy said, “Our application is to have bail revoked. Ms Chapman, in our view, is flagrantly ignoring bail conditions as set”. Insp Kennedy was speaking after Detec- tive John Casey of Ennis Garda Station told the court Ms Chapman was not present at her stated address of Banner Lodge, Ennis when he visited it on dates in January.

He said the owner had informed him, Ms Chapman had not resided at Banner Lodge since January 18.

Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client was staying with her mother at Harbour House, Woodquay, Ennis.

She told the court Ms Chapman now realizes she should have first applied to the court to amend her bail conditions before moving address.

Ms Chapman is charged with robbing a handbag and cash from a woman at the Causeway Link Road, Ennis on January 18.

Judge Patrick Durcan said it was a concern to him that Ms Chapman had entered into a bond to reside at a certain address, which she had vacated four days previously.

The court heard Ms Chapman was not present in court earlier this month when she was called to explain the breach of her bail conditions.

Ms Godfrey said her client was unable to attend court because of an appointment in Limerick.

After a brief adjournment, Detective Casey told the court he had received confirmation Ms Chapman was at an appointment.

Judge Durcan agreed to amend the accused’s bail conditions to reside at Harbour House, Woodquay, Ennis.

Addressing Ms Chapman he said, “Any further non compliance, I will not accede to an application for bail”.

Ms Chapman was remanded on continuing bail to appear again in court tomorrow, February 19. She was also ordered to abide by a curfew from 10pm to 7am.