Category: News

A HIGH tech badger-baiting operation has been uncovered in East Clare with people using underground tracking devices to locate and kill families of badgers.

A small black terrier dog, equipped with the powerful mobile transmitter, was discovered in the O’Briensbridge area of the county yesterday. According to Clare County Council’s ISPCA dog warden, Frankie Coote, the dog was being used to ferret out the badgers and lead groups of “hunters” to their sets.

It is understood that this sort of equipment would be used by serial badger baiters who would travel the countryside searching for badger sets to attack. The baiters could be invited by a farmer on the land, but, according to Mr Coote, they often enter property uninvited in order to kill badgers for the illegal blood-sport.

“I have the dog and the collar with the tracking device and this dog was clearly used for digging out badgers. This is a very high tech device – they track the dogs movements underground and then they go in and kill the older badgers and the younger defenseless badgers in the set,” said Mr Coote. “We can tell that the dog has been used for this a lot. She is blind in one eye and has several old wounds and more recent wounds. This is an underground blood sport in the same way that dog fighting is underground.

“It is a problem. We believe that there are four or five underground groups that participate in this in Clare. Sometimes they would be invited in by farmers to remove the badgers, because the farmers are worried that they [the badgers] might be carrying TB, but in some cases they go in without the knowledge of the farmers.

“These people are just doing this because they get a kick out of killing the badgers. The are the same people might set two dogs to fight each other and bet on which dog would win the fight.

“This is cruelty for the badgers and the dog. This dog is destroyed from the fighting. She has a lovely temperament but she has been trained to be involved in this awful thing.”

Badgers are naturally docile creature but when cornered they can turn into dangerous fighting animals. Badger baiting has been illegal in Ireland for decades but the NPWS has secured ten convictions for the illegal persecution of badgers since 1993.

THE Killaloe Diocese has just announced an ambitious new blueprint for the development of the diocese over the next seven years – but has side-stepped a number of controversial subjects such as woman priests and allowing priests to marry.

The new Pastoral Plan for the Killaloe Diocese, which is entitled Builders of Hope, was officially launched by Bishop Kieran O’Reilly in Ennis last Friday.

The plan was devised following an extensive “listening” process among the grass roots members of the diocese, which took place over the past two years.

The process involved the setting of 12 cluster groups, including more than 700 lay Catholics and members of the clergy, in different parts of the diocese. These groups have been meeting since October of 2011, debating and suggesting changes that could be introduced.

The new Diocesan Plan mentions a number of ambitious changes for the Killaloe Diocese including an increased role for women and lay people, an open dialogue with other faiths in the diocese and developing a more open decision-making structures for the diocese.

However, a number of the more controvertial suggestions put forward by the clusters, including an end to clerical celibacy and the ordination of female priests have been omitted from the final document.

According to the information received from the Killaloe Diocese, 11 of the 12 cluster groups who took part in the report indicated that allowing priests to marry and ordaining women into ministries was a priority issues.

Despite this strong grassroots mandate for including these issues in the Building of Hope report, neither issue is mentioned directly.

In addition to the cluster meeting, the diocese also conducted two on-line surveys, which included the participation of over 1,000 young people. Indeed, increasing the participation of young people in the activities of the diocese forms a central part of the new Pastoral Plan, as does issues surround child protection.

AN INTERNATIONAL run in memory of two young Clare people has raised € 28,000 for two local charities.

The Hurley-Hoey Memorial Run/ Walk and Jog took place on March 9 this year in Doora-Barefield, while simultaneous events under the Hurley-Hoey banner were held in Sydney, Melbourne, London, Dubai, Capetown, New York, Madrid and Buenos Aires.

The event was organised in memory of Eilish Hurley, who died from cancer aged just 30 years old, and Ger Hoey, who died suddenly while out running aged just 40 years.

The proceeds from the event went to two organisations – St Anne’s School in Ennis, which provides education to pupils who have special educational needs and the Children’s Ark Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick.

Each charity received € 14,000 each.

Eilish’s sister Fiona is a nurse on the children’s ward.

“As a children’s nurse working in the Ark, I nominated this unit as I could see first-hand how the money raised could be used to make the lives of parents and children a little easier in particular the parents of children with oncology or life life-limiting conditions who spend prolonged periods in hospital,” said Ms Hurley.

“The event was an enormous success with in excess of 2,000 people registering and taking part,” she added.

“Much of the success of the event was attributed to the excellent organisation and dedication of a committee chaired by Lorcan Hassett. I would like to thank to all those who supported the event and thus contributed to its success.”

CLARE County Council has abandoned a policy which has, in the past, seen one per cent of the money invested on major infrastructure projects being used for public arts works at the locations of the project.

It emerged at yesterday’s September meeting of Clare County Council that the local authority is employing a new strategy, which allows the council to pool the one per cent “arts money” associated with major infrastructure. The money is then used to fund arts projects in the general area of a major infrastructure projects rather than a single visual arts project at the location.

This change of policy came to light following a motion put forward by Cllr Christy Curtin (Ind). While commending the work of county Arts Officer, Siobhan Mulcahy, Cllr Curtin said there was an “omission” concerning the € 17 million sewage schemes for Quilty, Mullagh, Feakle and Scariff.

These schemes, which were completed in 2011, should have resulted in € 170,000 in arts projects.

“There has been an omission in the answer. I am alluding to the schemes completed in 2011 in Quilty, Mullagh, Feakle and Scariff. I am concerned as to what has been done to mark the scheme in the east and west of the county,” he said.

Responding to Cllr Curtin, director of Services Bernadette Kinsella said that “rather than advocate the one percent for arts, it is the council policy to pool the funds for a more strategic use”. She also indicated that “significant” projects would be forwarded in the east and west of the county next year.

It is not clear if this one per cent funding from infrastructure projects will be used to fund projects that, in the past, would have been funded from other sources.

Overall Arts Council finding for Clare has fallen dramatically over the last five years.

LAHINCH will be the hub of the Irish hip-hop world next weekend for a festival that brings the best local and national talent to the Banner County. Senses is a three-day event that runs from September 27 to 29 at venues in the seaside town.

Organisers say the event aims to promote the existing youth culture within Lahinch and examine how interaction with new media and art forms can help promote a modern local arts environment.

Senses kicks off in Flannagan’s Bar on Friday night with a show by Community Scratch collective, Deviant, Mikey Fingerz and Ennis DJ / Producer MyNameIsJohn.

Local MCs Bubba J and God Knows will hold a beatbox showcase at the T-Shirt shop on Saturday, September 28. Some of the county’s brightest young DJs and beatboxers will per- form at the open-air event.

Clare filmmaker and photographer, James Skerritt will curate screenings of short films on Saturday, September 28, at Flannagan’s Bar.

James is a well known as a local surf photographer, having worked on a large number of local film projects and directed 2012’s surf-comedy ‘The Element’.

James will be curating a screening of a number of short surf films from around the country, highlighting the creative talents of young Irish surfers and also the dramatic scenery unique to the coastline around Ireland.

The festival concludes on Sunday, September 29, with a special trad special by the people behind hit Limerick club night, ‘A Love Supreme’. The event takes place at the Nineteenth from 3pm to 8pm.

The Love Supreme team will be inviting renowned Clare flautist Conor Crimmins, along with a host of other local talent, to join them on the day for a very special trad performance. Also spinning on the day is one of Ireland’s finest producers and DJs, T-Woc from Dublin’s Alphabet Set collective.

Senses Festival Lahinch is supported by the Clare Arts Office, The Claremont, Flanagans Bar, The Nineteenth, Danny Macs, The Celtic T-shirt Shop. For further information log onto sensesfestivallahinch.wordpress.com and check out the Facebook page.

FUNDING cutbacks has forced Clare Youth Services to close two popular youth cafés in Ennis, it has emerged.

The cafés, which are located in Ennis town centre, were both drug and alcohol free areas. One of the buildings has closed completely, while the youth services have been forced to reduce the opening hours of another facility for young people.

Speaking at a meeting to discuss issues around alcohol misuse, Clare Youth Services CEO, Margaret Slattery said the Government must invest more money in preventative services.

She said the service had suffered a 40 per cent cut in funding over the past three years, a situation that forced the closure of alcohol-free facilities for young people in Ennis.

Ms Slattery said three groups have approached the service appealing for the cafés to be re-opened.

“It would cost around € 14,000 to re-open the cafés but we just don’t have the resources,” explained Ms Slattery.

Retired consultant psychiatrist, Dr Moosajee Bhamjee told the meeting there is a chronic lack of treatment programmes for young people in Ireland with alcohol and substance misuse problems.

He said, “We have all these young people on Saturday night and Sunday morning having all these problems but where do you go for your detox.

Dr Bhamjee continued, “How do you get detox? The GPs will put you on a detox programme but that’s only for certain selected people. The psychiatry hospitals don’t do it anymore. The Department of Health has no policy on treatment programmes. The mental health commission doesn’t see alcohol and drug abuse as their responsibility. So who is responsible to help these people? I know we have Bushypark and other places but first you have to detox the person and there is nowhere to go.”

Former Labour party councillor and now Independent councillor Paul O’Shea described as a “dis- grace” the lack of treatment centres for young people in Ireland.

Cllr O’Shea said the situation with alcohol abuse has grown so bad in Ireland that the HSE should consider using separate Accident and Emergency units for people presenting with drink related problems.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) called for the off-trade sale of alcohol to be priced out of the market. He said pubs, restaurants and other businesses are being forced to deal with the effects of high volumes of alcohol consumed before 10pm.

THERE will be no big screen put up for public viewing of the All-Ireland hurling final replay on September 28.

A crowd of between 1, 500 and 3,000 people watched the drawn match between Clare and Cork on September 8 on a big screen in the Abbey Street car park.

The screen was erected at a cost of € 8,000 to Ennis Town Council.

However in a statement last week, town manager Gerard Dollard the timing of the replay for an evening throw-in on a Saturday evening presented “a different set of circumstances”.

He explained, “The logistics associated with the replay are significantly more complex than a Sunday afternoon showing. The revised ticket prices for the replay at Croke Park should make it more accessible to families with the reduced price for all tickets, including juvenile tickets at € 10. The cost and weather factors must also be taken into consideration. The council was delighted to stage such a family-friendly occasion last Sunday but due to cost, logistical and weather factors does not plan to repeat a similar open-air event for the senior replay.”

Local community activist Dermot Hayes is calling on the council to re-consider the decision. He said, “The big screen does not have to be in Abby Street car park. It could easily be in the Fair Green and remain erected until the home coming on Sunday. Our elected councilors should support the citizen, hurlers and fans.

We have seen many dark days in Clare in the last few years. The hurlers of both under 21 and senior have brought us great joy and excitement. It unites us as citizens of county and it brought so many families and friends together. A gathering in Ennis would bring to life a real passion that could be captured on film and used world wide in promotion.

The council has confirmed that a joint homecoming for the Clare senior squad and the All-Ireland winning under 21 panel will take place at Tim Smythe Park (Fair Green) on Sunday, September 29.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of one of Clare’s biggest GAA clubs has written to the President of the GAA requesting that a portion of the gate receipts from the replayed All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final between Cork and Clare on September 28 be allocated towards the respective county holiday funds. Pat Daly, who is Chairman of Éire Óg GAA Club, Inis, and is a former Mayor of Clare, said the players had trained nine months of the year to provide the people of Ireland with one of the most memorable sporting displays ever seen at Croke Park and should be rewarded for their efforts.

The sitting member of Clare County Council has suggested that funds of € 200,000 and € 100,000 respectively be provided to the All Ireland Hurling Championship winning and losing sides.

GARDAÍ have warned that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated on the streets of Ennis ahead of a teenage disco in the town later this week.

Extra gardaí will be on duty to police the event at the Queen Hotel on Friday night.

A large crowd is expected for the event, which is being held to celebrate the results of the Junior Certificate.

Gardaí in Ennis have issued advice to parents and transport operators ahead of the disco.

Garda Therese Flannery, Juvenile Liaison Officer, explained, “This is the highlight of this particular age group and is very popular amongst the Junior Cert students. A large crowd is expected to attend from the county and bordering counties. To ensure a safe an enjoyable night out for these students we, the Gardaí, have the following advice to parents, transport operators and to the students themselves.”

The event is alcohol free and Gardaí say anyone found to have consumed alcohol or other substances will not be admitted to the disco. Parents are asked to ensure that arrangements are in place for the safe arrival and departure of their children.

Transport operators of busses and taxis have been advised to ensure that no alcohol is allowed on their vehicles and to not allow any person whom they believe to be under the influence of any substance to travel on their vehicles.

Garda Flannery added, “Parents will be contacted by the Gardaí in the event of any student found to be engaged in any negative conduct that requires any Garda intervention. Parents are reminded to discuss these matters with their children beforehand and to insist that they not misbehave. If these simple rules are followed by all concerned it should allow for a most safe and enjoyable evening.”

AS TOWN councils resume this month for their last ever term, and the county council regroups for the last time in its current format, political parties must now begin to look seriously to next summer’s local elections.

The two largest political parties in the county both agree that the county’s hurling success has somewhat delayed the party conventions and the only sport the people of Clare are interested in these weeks is hurling. The blood sport that is local politics will have to wait another day.

That day for the Government party, Fine Gael is most likely November or perhaps late October as the party are anxious to get the process of selecting their candidates started.

Fine Gael currently has its strongest ever membership in Clare County Council, while also dominating the town councils.

There are also some new names being considered as candidates for the party, with the final election candidates being selected at four different conventions – one for each new Municipal Electoral Area.

Each member of more than two years will have a vote at convention.

Regional organiser Jim McMahon explained that a local committee has been set up to consider dates for the conventions, which they will then propose to the party’s National Ex- ecutive Council.

Fianna Fáil, who are promoting a new look party at every opportunity and insisting there is change since Michael Martin took over as leader of the party, must have their new candidates selected soon too if the public are to get to know the new blood ahead of polling day.

Local representatives are to meet with Mr Martin in Galway on Thursday at his request, followed by a second meeting with the National Director of Elelections Michael Moynihan in Ennis.

Fianna Fáil constituency organiser Michael Neylon said the party intends to have five selection conventions in early to mid-October.

As well as having a convention for the new Ennis, Killaloe and Shannon electoral areas, it plans to have two conventions for the West Clare area dividing the selection process between the outgoing Ennistymon and Kilrush Electoral Areas.

“Our intention and desire is to have a female in each area, even if it is not yet a requirement. Gender balance is very important in itself,” said Mr Neylon.”

“We are looking for a balance of youth and experience and we have to get that if we are in the process of reforming.”

For the first time ever, every Fianna Fáil member of a year or more will have a vote at conventions, with sitting councillors also required to go before the members for selection.

TWO Clare men have appeared in court charged separately with possession of child pornography.

Both men are charged with offences under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1988. The alleged offences are alleged to have been committed in two different parts of the county.

A 33-year-old man is charged that on June 28, 2013, at a location in County Clare he did knowingly have in his possession child pornography featuring naked male images.

He was previously brought before Kilrush District Court before making his serious court appearance at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that gardaí are awaiting directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Defence solicitor William Cahir said his client was reserving his position with respect to bail. Judge Patrick Durcan granted a State application to change the date of the alleged offence on the charge sheet. Mr Cahir did not consent to the application. The man was remanded in custody to appear again at Ennis District Court on October 2.

Reporting restrictions have previously been placed on the case. Superintendent Seamus Nolan (Kilrush Garda Station) previously requested that the court impose reporting restrictions. He said the investigation is ongoing and to identify the accused or the location of the offence would impede the investigation.

Separately, a 48-year-old Clare man has appeared in court, charged with possession of images of child pornography.

It is alleged that the man, on dates unknown in September 2009 in an area of Clare, did knowingly have in his possession child pornography, to wit, five images of a child under the age of 17, engaged in illicit sexual activity or witness to illicit sexual activity. Detective Garda Frank Browne gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that a Book of Evidence is being prepared in the matter. He said the Book would be ready for service by October 16. Legal aid was approved for solicitor Daragh Hassett.

Judge Patrick Durcan granted Mr Hassett’s request for reporting restrictions to be placed on the case.