Category: News

WITH Clare already on a natural high following last Saturday’s AllIreland final victory over Cork, the county is now preparing to enter the stratosphere with the news that a new form of cannabis has been named after famous Banner witch, Biddy Early.

The seed, which is one of five new strains developed in recent years by Magus Genetics in Holland, is described as growing to between 1.8 metres and 2 metres high and is ready for harvest in early October.

Selling and buying cannabis seeds is currently legal in Ireland but cultivating these seeds for person use of sale is a criminal offense. The Biddy Early strain has been specially bred to allow it to grow outdoors in a European climate.

Biddy Early is synonymous with Clare hurling because of the 81-year curse which the East Clare woman placed on the Banner county.

According to the Marijuana.com website, the Dutch company chose the Biddy Early name because her connection with witchcraft.

“Biddy Early is named for a 19th century woman accused of witchcraft, whose story became the subject of folk ballads and entered Irish legend. Magus, from the Latin for ‘priest’ or ‘sorcerer’, felt kinship with Biddy Early’s plight given the similarity between the witch hunt hysteria in times past and the current war on drugs.

“Biddy Early is the first variety that Magus genetics specifically formulated for outdoor gardening in temperate regions. Although an even mix of sativa and indica, this plant exhibits the strong lateral growth typically seen in sativas.

“Biddy likes to branch out. The branches are very elastic and pliable, easily trained or tied like vines to suit the available space. Outdoors, this suppleness makes the plant storm proof or resilient to harsh weather.”

The seeds are no longer available from Magus Genetics who have transferred distribution rights for Biddy Early to another Dutch company, Serious Seeds.

Magus Genetics were unavailable for comment yesterday, either about the Biddy Early seeds of Clare All Ireland success.

A CONVICTED rapist who failed to tell gardaí in Ennis he had moved address last month has received a suspended sentence.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Judge Patrick Durcan warned the man that if he again failed to comply with his obligations under the Sex Offender’s Act, he would go to jail.

The 41-year-old man pleaded guilty to failing to notify gardaí of a change in his Ennis address in September, as required under the Sex Offenders’ Act (2001).

This is the second time in 12 months the man has committed such an offence.

Last September he spent three weeks living rough near the River Fergus after leaving rented accommodation.

At the time gardaí admitted they were extremely concerned when the man fell of their radar. He subsequently received a two-month prison sentence that was suspended for two years.

On Wednesday, Detective Garda John Casey of Ennis Garda Station, told the court the man was convicted in April 2005 of the sexual assault of a male and rape contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990.

The man moved to Clare in 2010 whereupon gardaí explained to him that he was required to tell them of any change in his living arrangements.

Defence solicitor John Casey told the court his client was between accommodation at the time.

He said the man slept in a garden shed at the rear of his former house while his new accommodation was being renovated.

Mr Casey said that if his client was sent to prison he would lose his accommodation, possessions and go back to “square one”.

“For someone like him to get permanent accommodation would be very difficult”, he added.

Judge Patrick Durcan said the accused is “someone who has fallen to the bottom of the barrel, very considerably.”

However Judge Durcan added, “It is incumbent on the defendant to comply strongly with obligations imposed on him by statute.”

Noting that the man had spent the past week in prison having been remanded in custody, Judge Durcan imposed a four-month sentence, suspended for two years.

He also decided not to activate the suspended sentence handed down last November.

Warning the accused as to his future behaviour Judge Durcan added, “If non-compliance is proven, I will put you into prison.”

AS NEW hurling Clare heroes were being written into the sporting annals on Saturday, a former Clare hurling great was inaugurated into a sporting hall of fame in Limerick.

Sean McMahon was one of the first 16 sports stars of all disciplines to be inaugurated in the new University of Limerick Sports Hall of Fame at the University Arena.

While he was shouting on his fellow Clare men on the pitch in Croke Park, miles away, back in Limerick, UL President Professor Don Barry announced the Doora Barefield man as one of the country’s sporting heroes at an event in the university.

Regarded as one of Clare’s greatestever hurlers, the 40-year-old holds the record as the highest scoring back in All-Ireland Championship history with 0-97 from 51 games.

In his book, ‘Raising the Banner’, Clare hurling manager Ger Loughnane famously said of the hurling star, “There are men, then there are men, then there’s Sean McMahon.”

The event on Saturday was open to members of the public to attend free of charge and was followed by a live screening of the replay of the All Ireland Hurling Final between Clare and Cork on a large screen at the University of Limerick Sports Club.

The other inaugural University of Limerick Sports Hall of Fame inductees were Dr Sarahjane Belton Rugby; Brian Mullins – Gaelic Football; Eimear Cregan – Hockey; Seán O’Grady – Paralympic Athletics; Jimmy Deenihan – Gaelic Football; Eddie O’Sullivan – Rugby; Gerard Hartmann – Triathlon; Ciara Peelo Sailing; Dr Liam Hennessy – Athletics; Ray Silke – Gaelic Football; Dr Eddie Keher – Hurling; Pat Spillane – Gaelic Football; Carmel Vekins Kayak and Canoe Polo; Tony Ward – Rugby and Sinéad Millea – Camogie.

TWO Galway men involved in a row at a stag party in Lahinch earlier this year have been told to be more careful when they are out.

Martin Frehill (31) and Kevin Kilkenny (42), both with addresses at Kill, Kiltormer, Ballinasloe, Galway, appeared at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

Mr Frehill pleaded guilty to provoking a breach of the peace and failing to comply with the direction of a garda.

Mr Kilkenny (42) pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the direction of a garda.

The charges relate to an incident at The Promenade, Lahinch, on July 6.

Inspector Michael Gallagher told the court that gardai were called to deal with an incident at O’Looney’s pub.

The court heard Mr Frehill verbally abused and pushed one garda, calling him a “f***ing p**** and a f***ing b*****x”.

Insp Gallagher said Mr Kilkenny then intervened and refused to leave the scene when directed to do so by a garda.

Neither man has any previous convictions.

Eight people in total were charged in connection with the incident.

The court heard that a number of the men have since returned to work in Australia.

Bench warrants were issued for their arrest when they failed to show up in court in July.

Defence solicitor John Casey told the court that a younger member of the group became involved in a row when he was refused entry to the pub.

Mr Casey said his clients had spent the day drinking.

He said they never behaved like that before and rang gardaí the next day to apologise.

Judge Patrick Durcan said the men were welcome to attend stag parties in Clare but were not entitled to abuse gardaí and members of the public.

“If you’re involved in a stag weekend again, be more careful,” he added.

Judge Durcan ordered both men to pay € 250 to the court poor box.

BOAT owners are being encouraged to install tracking devices after a raft of engine thefts from Clare piers in recent days.

A Mariner 65 HP engine was stolen from a boat at Seafield Pier in the early hours of Sunday morning. Thieves pulled the boat ashore and the engine was forcibly removed. Engines were also stolen from boats at Doonbeg pier overnight between Friday and Saturday and overnight between Wednesday and Thursday.

One of the stolen engines was valued at € 16,000. Sgt Joe Downey, Crime Prevention Officer, said Gardaí have not received many reports of suspicious activity as passers by may think thieves are actually the owners working on a boat.

He is encouraging boat owners to install tracking devices on engines. Similar devices are required by insurance companies for the owners of cars valued at € 50,000 or more.

The owners of JCBs can also use tracking devices to send out text messages to alert when machinery has been moved outside a certain set area.

Sgt Downey explained, “People are going to have to seriously ask themselves is it really necessary to keep engines overnight at piers? And if so have they installed tracking devices. A well installed tracking device can be be very useful.

“For instance tracking devices are very useful in laptops. People should seriously consider installing tracking devices when the value of the item is high.”

Despite a small number of breakins around the county over the AllIreland weekend, Sgt Downey said homeowners and businesses are heeding advice for someone to keep an eye on properties during major events.

“When the whole county is gone to the All-Ireland final, someone has to stay behind to mind the house. A lot of people heeded that advice. We had a couple of break ins in that period (match) and one that happened around the time of the homecoming on Sunday”.

A number of items were stolen from a houses in Newmarket and Corofin between Saturday and Sunday morning. A ladies handbag was stolen from a house in the Drumcliff Road area of Ennis between 6pm and 10pm on Sunday night.

Thieves ransacked house in the Hawthorns estate on the Limerick Road overnight between Sunday and Monday. The rear window was forced open.

A POLISH man who verbally abused children after drinking on the day of the All-Ireland hurling final behaved in a “contemptible” fashion, a court has heard.

Pawel Faldowski (26), an unemployed panel beater, roared abuse at members of the public and gardaí in Ennis town centre on September 8, Ennis District Court heard on Wednesday.

Mr Faldowski, with an address at Barrack Close, Ennis, pleaded guilty to engaging in offensive and abusive conduct having been ordered to desist by gardaí.

He also pleaded guilty to a second public order charge of being intoxicated to such an extent so as to be a danger to himself or to others.

Inspector Michael Gallagher said Mr Faldowski was falling in front of cars and being abusive to the public on Abbey Street on the night of the drawn hurling match between Clare and Cork.

The court heard he has 15 previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Angela Byrne told the court her client had been drinking all day and has very little recollection of events.

She said Mr Faldowski’s previous convictions all relate to drink.

Ms Byrne said he has taken steps to address his alcohol abuse.

Judge Patrick Durcan said he found the accused’s behaviour “contemptible”.

He imposed a fine of € 250. CLARE County Council has been fined € 5000 for breaching a licence by allowing odours escape from its landfill. At Ennis Circuit Court last week, Judge Gerald Keyes imposed the fine on Clare County Council after it pleaded guilty to the offence at its Inagh landfill on August 22, 2007. The council had initially pleaded not guilty to the offence before a jury on Monday with the case due to commence Tuesday and last two weeks. However the Counsel for the Council, Hugh Hartnett SC, told the court on Wednesday that his client would be pleading guilty to one count.

AFTER lying empty for almost a month, the old Ennis National School will re-open on Friday for the upcoming referendum.

The building has traditionally served as polling station for elections and referendums and will swing open its doors once again on October 4.

The site has been practically vacant for the best part of a month since pupils and teachers moved to the new school building at Ashline at the start of September.

The project involved the construction of a new 32-classroom school including ancillary accommodation. The design is of a St Bridget’s Cross layout – a central area with four separate wings of eight classrooms ema- nating from the core.

The school has moved from its former site on the Kilrush Road near Carmody Street where it had been located since 1973.

Ennis Town Football Club, who have been based at the Kilrush Road for a number of years, have retained the use of the pitch and dressing rooms at the old site but the building has been vacant. The Ennis Parish Council were asked about the possibility of opening the builder to cater for voters on referendum day.

Electricity will also be re-connected at the building this week. Polling cards have already been printed bearing the name of the old school. Voters are being asked to decide whether or not to abolish the Seanad and whether or the country needs a new Court of Appeal.

A NORTH Clare poet and writer has just won one of Ireland’s most prestigious short story competition for a story on Ireland in the recession.

Mary O’Donoghue saw off competition from more than 300 writers from all over Ireland to claim the Legends of the Fall short story competition.

He story, which is entitled ‘The Sweet Forbearance in the Streets’, tells the sport of a middle-aged woman whose husband has died and whose son has emigrated to Australia.

“It means a great deal to have been selected by writers whose work I deeply admire, Eilís Ní Dhuibhne, Donal Ryan and Fintan O’Toole. I wrote this story from a distance, so I’m especially honoured to be included in a series of writers responding to my home country’s thoroughgoing hardship and malaise,” she said

Miss O’Donoghue was born in Kilreedy in North Clare in 1975 but emigrated to America in 2001 and now lives in Boston. She teaches creative writing and literature in Babson Col- lege, Massachusetts, but returns to Ireland regularly to visit her family.

Her first book of poetry, ‘Tulle’, was published by Liscannor-based publishing company Salmon Poetry. She has since published a second collection of poetry, ‘entitled Among These Winters’, while her first novel, ‘Before the House Burns’, was pub- lished by Lilliput Press in 2011.

She has also won a number of awards including the Salmon Poetry Prize, a Hennessey New Irish Writing Award and two artist fellowships from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

A PRIVATE air tour company based in Mountshannon is bidding to have Davy Fitzgerald flying high this week, as it is proposing to fly the Clare hurling manager all over the county with the Liam McCarty Cup.

Harbour Scenic Tours are propos- ing to give the manager and members of the Clare team a scenic view of the county, covering almost every town and village in an hour and a half.

Operator with the company Darren McNamara said it was hard to get commitment for the venture the morning after the All-Ireland home coming, but he was convinced he already had an orange light for an air trip that would see the Liam McCarthy Cup leave the base in Mount Shannon and circle the county before landing at Shannon airport.

“This would have many benefits. It would get him everywhere in a short space of time, continue the buzz and give the company some promotion,” he said. Last night he was proposing the event for early Wednesday afternoon, so the children could run into the schoolyard and wave on the plane that flies between 300 and 500 feet high. He admitted however that those watching from ground level would not be able to see the Liam McCarthy cup or anyone on board, but maintained it would be a very special and unique event causing a stir around the county.

MEMBERS of Clare’s Nigerian community will gather in Ennis this week for events to celebrate the African country’s Independence Day.

The Association of Nigerian Community in Clare (ANCC) has planned a series of activities in Ennis that include football, a party with dancing, singing, fashion and Nigerian food.

A number of events including a fashion parade and a children’s awards ceremony are planned for Ennis CBS.

It is 53 years since the first Independence Day.

The association has invited the Mayor of Ennis Town Council and Clare County Council, Bishop of Killaloe, Garda Superintendent in Clare and other guests to grace the occasion.

The ANCC was first set up in Clare in 2007. One of the prime objectives of the Association of Nigerian community in Clare is to foster closer working relationships within all communities in Clare and also with the Nigerian embassy in Dublin. It exists as an advocate and to suppor t the welfare needs of Nigerians as well as to progress integration and to be valued, valuable residents of Clare.

“We are delighted to be celebrating Nigerian Independence here in Ennis which is home to many of us now, these events will give us an opportunity to showcase and share our culture and rich heritage from food music, fashion and dance as well as the history of Nigeria,” said ANCC President Francis Okeyebulor.

The father of five who was elected president of the ANCC in August said the association is also planning a number of charity events.

He adds, “As an organisation we want to help Nigerian people who are in Clare. We believe that integration to the Irish way of life is very important. We thing it is integral that people integrate with their local communities. We want to help Nigerian people who maybe in difficulty. The association had been dormant for a few years but we have a good committee in place now. We have resuscitated it and we hope the association can play a role in helping people in Clare.”