Category: News

ONE OF the Burren’s largest employers may be forced to close for good next month – leaving 16 people out of work.

The Gallery Café says they maybe forced to close for good at the end of the Summer, with owner Sarah Harty blaming a lack of support from the local authorities as the main reason for the closure.

An estimated 20 separate business have closed in Gort over the past two years – with many of the market towns traditional employers feeling the effects of the recession.

According to Sarah Harty, proprietor of the Gallery Café on Queen Street, businesses in Gort are being “buried alive” by Galway County Council.

“I have been running a business for eight years in this town, employing up to 16 people.

“In order to reinvent my business I needed to enhance the outside of my property to attract people in.

“After spending thousands each year on council rates, the council rejected my claim to improve the pavement outside which was a myriad of potholes – completely unsightly and near reck- less for any passer-by, due to lack of budget,” she said.

“So I took matters into my own hands and put up an attractive decking. This decking feature was instrumental in attracting people down this formerly little known side street of Gort, spreading business around this side of town.

“I was then asked to remove this by the council as it didn’t comply with their regulations, which I duly accepted.

“However, during the recent hot weather, my restaurant was too uncomfortable to sit inside, so I put tables and chairs outside on the pavement in order to keep my business going, making sure not to obstruct anyone.

“I then received a letter with a summons to court and a fine for doing so. I have now completely hit a wall and am considering closing – this lack of support for small businesses is killing our town, and I can’t afford the fine plus my rates.

“I feel I am getting no support from our local government.” The Clare People contacted Galway County Council in relation to this story but a spokesperson from the local authority declined to comment – saying it was policy not to comment on ongoing enforcement matters.

RATE payers in Ennis are facing an uncertain year in 2014 with the prospect of a split rate – with businesses paying more for the second half of the year than they do in the first six months.

The upcoming merger of Ennis Town Council and Clare County Council means that the Ennis authority will strike a rate for the first six months of the year in December and businesses in Ennis may be forced to pay a different “county” rate for the second hand of the year.

The difference between the rate charged by Ennis Town Council and Clare County Council is one of the highest of any town and county council in the country. If the charge was directly transferred at its current rate it would mean a 10 per cent increase in the charge levied for businesses in Ennis.

“The town council is going to set a rate in Ennis until June of next year and we don’t know what is going to happen in July. There is a huge disparity between the town council rate and the county council rate in Ennis, and the fear is that the new rate will be adjusted upwards. But businesses in Ennis could see a jump of something like 10 per cent next year,” said Rita McInerney, CEO of Ennis Chamber of Commerce.

“Our members could budget for the year on one rate and then come July that rate is no more. That is the fear that a lot of businesses in Ennis have right now.”

Following the news that 16 jobs could be jeopardy at the Gallery Cafe in Gort, Rita called for all local authorities to show more support for local businesses.

“It is difficult in the hospitality and tourism sector at the moment and everyone is looking at every way they cant increase revenue of to cut costs.

“Businesses have looked at all of their expenses – like rent or staff costs and they have been able to make some progress. However, when it comes to rates, it is not something that you can shop around with,” she said.

“That is the most frustrating thing for businesses, as the recession has hit and as things have gotten more difficult, they have been able to work with suppliers and workers – but there has been no reduction in rates.”

SEVEN summer festivals in Clare are receiving € 81,500 in Arts Council funding this year, with the Willie Clancy Summer School Festival receiving the majority of the funding.

The Miltown Malbay festival, which took place from July 6 to July 14, was awarded € 60,000 as part of Arts Council’s provision of € 2.1m in support to over 40 festivals scheduled to take place all over Ireland this summer and early autumn.

The Summer Music on the Shannon, which is currently taking place at different venues throughout the county received € 6,000, while the Feakle International Traditional Music festival which is to begin tomorrow (Wednesday) was awarded € 5,500.

The Crotty Galvin Traditional Music Festival Weekend which will take place in early September and last months Ennis Street Festival received € 3,000 each, while the Music in the Glen and the Willie Keane Memorial Weekend, both to take place in October received € 2,000 each.

The funding was made available to these festivals under yearly grants, with a number also receiving fund ing through the Arts Council’s festivals and events scheme.

Orlaith McBride, Director of the Arts Council, said, “The Arts Council is delighted to be able to fund these very important upcoming festivals. Many of these festivals have be- come household names and this is down to the great work that is being done on the ground and in organisations around the country.”

“In addition, these festivals provide an important economic stimulus for the regions where they are held.

“Each year, thousands of tourists travel not just from across Ireland, but from across the world, to sample the atmosphere and to take part in the excitement that these events generate.

“Despite the vagaries of our summer weather, these festivals give a lift to cities and towns and create many memorable moments for visitors and locals alike.”

“Despite funding for the arts being cut by 30 per cent in the last five years, the Arts Council remains dedicated to maintaining support for the arts and ensuring that events around the country are available for people across Ireland in the months and years ahead,” she added.

AN Ennis based community group has issued an appeal to raise greater awareness of the issue of suicide amongst Travellers.

The Primary Health Care Programme is urging people struggling with problems to contact them or other services. The programme, which is run by the Ennis commu nity Development Project (CDP), was commenting following the recent death by suicide of a number of young travelers in the Mid West.

Programme coordinator, Dr Siobhan O’Connor, stated that deaths by suicide are “not uncommon in Clare.”

She said, “Ennis Community Development Project and the Clare Primary Health Care Programme for Travellers was saddened to read, once again, of suicides here in the MidWest.

“Our thoughts are with the families of the young people who died in Limerick and Tipperary. Unfortunately dying by suicide is not uncommon here in Clare.

“It breaks our hearts to lose those that died, their unrealised potential and their presence amongst us in our daily lives.

“We are distressed to bear witness to the heartbreak and confusion that is left behind.

“In 2010, the All-Ireland Traveller Health Study, the first study of Traveller health status and health needs that involves all Travellers living on the island of Ireland, was published.

“The study showed the suicide rate in male Travellers is 6.6 times higher than in the general population; and the female suicide rate is also higher than females in the general population”.

Dr O’Connor said suicide is blind to ethnicity, gender or faith. She continued, “Whether you are rich or poor, whether you live in the town or the countryside, it can reach everyone”.

Dr O’Connor said people need to know that help is available and are not alone in their struggle.

She said, “We appeal to anybody who is struggling, or needs to talk, or has a problem, to reach out, to find somebody to talk to before you take that very permanent solution to whatever it is and take advantage of all of the help that is there.

“Here in the Primary Health Care Programme for Travellers our Community Health Workers will listen in confidence. They can be contacted on 065 6823968.

Ennis CDP Primary health Care Programme for Travellers in Clare has a drop-in service every Wednesday from 10am to 1pm for any Traveller that wants to talk or get information on health services in the region.

OFFICIALS at Clare County Council admit they are baffled as to how a heavy bin full of rubbish was dumped in the River Fergus in Ennis last week. The large wheelie bin was thrown into the river near Eason’s bookshop in Ennis town centre sometime between Monday and Tuesday. Black refuse sacks could be seen in the bin, which has drifted down river towards the Club Bridge.

The act of illegal dumping comes just days after Council workers and local community groups took advantage of low water levels to carry out a clean up of the Fergus.

The Council has contacted the company that provides the bin and asked them to make arrangements to have it removed from the water. A council spokesman said last week that a crane would be required to lift the bin from the riverbed.

“We’ve been in touch with the contractor but it’s going to be very difficult to get it out from its current location. You’d probably be looking at a crane to lift it. Its full of rubbish”, he explained.

The Council believes a group of people may have been responsible for hoisting the bin over a fence and into the river. The spokesman said, “Its one of the bigger bins so you’d need a lot of power to get it off the ground and into the river. Physically, you’d need a number of people to do it. We think that they might have wedged the bin up against the wall and forced it over.”

“To see it happen so soon after the clean up is really disappointing, especially at a time of the year when we are asking people to be responsible when it comes to getting rid of rubbish. It is very disappointing that this happened.”

Last month water levels in the River Fergus dropped to their lowest point since September 1995 following a prolonged spell of dry weather.

Community groups and local authority workers took advantage of the dramatic decrease in the water levels to clean litter from the river.

Ennis Town Council environmental staff assisted members of Fergus Salmon Anglers Association, Ennis Trout Anglers Association, Ennis Sub Aqua Club and Ennis Tidy Towns during last weekend’s cleanup.

Gerry Murphy, Environmental Warden, Ennis Town Council explained, “With water levels being so low, debris and litter on the river bed had become visible. Amongst the items collected during the cleanup were general litter items including plastic bottles, cans and wrappers. Amongst the more unusual items recovered were supermarket trolleys, traffic cones, footballs and even bicycles.”

UNDERGROUND hunting rings are believed to be behind the reintroduction of herds of wild boar into rural County Clare. Three separate herds of wild boar have been discovered by authorities in forestry areas in the east and south of the county – with a total of 24 animals being captured from the wild. The most recent herd was discovered last week in the Sixmilebridge area where two adults and two young boar were discovered.

“These can be very dangerous animals – especially if they turn wild. The difficulty is that they breed like hell and while these animals are relatively sedate, one sow could have 13 or 14 offspring, and these offspring would be wild,” Clare’s ISPCA Warden, Frankie Coote told The Clare People this week.

Earlier this year, 15 animals were discovered in the Scariff area and a further five were discovered in a separate location in East Clare.

According to Frankie Coote, the animals are likely being released so that their offspring can be hunted for sport.

“I believe that they are being introduced by people who have an interest in coming back again and shooting the animals,” he said. ContinuedonPage14

THERE is a glimmer of hope for dwindling vocations in the Diocese of Killaloe as five young men have expressed an interest in training for the priesthood next year and are in talks with the vocations officer.

Even if one of these men are from Clare and decide to enter St Partick’s College Maynooth as a clerical student, it would still be at least seven years before the county had a new Clare priest among the 52 priests currently working in the county.

There is currently no Clare man training for the priesthood and just one man from the diocese – a Birr native – studying in Maynooth.

Meanwhile the number of priests serving the diocese continues to decline, as the patrol needs of the 124,000 Catholics in the six county dioceses are met through a “cluster system”.

According to figures released by the Diocese of Killaloe there are currently 82 priests in full-time ministry in the diocese’s 58 parishes, and The Clare People has learnt that 52 of those priests are serving in this county.

Among the 50 plus priests serving in Clare is Bishop Emeritus Dr Willie Walsh, who retired as bishop in 2010, but continues to serve the people of his adopted county as a priest.

The Diocese also has a priest from a Polish Diocese – Fr Dariusz – attending to the patrol needs of the Polish community.

Based in the Cathedral in Ennis, he serves Mass once a week in Ennis, while also moving to other counties in the diocese to serve Mass and administer at christenings, weddings and funerals.

A further six Killaloe priests are engaged in full-time school chaplaincy, teaching, diocesan administration and other pastoral work throughout Ireland, while five more serve overseas in various ministries.

Fifteen Killaloe priests are fully retired from active ministry, four of these men are from Clare.

The Diocese also benefits from the service of six priests from other dioceses or religious congregations serving as priests and benefits from the ministry of the clergy based at the Franciscan Friary in Ennis and the Cistercian Monastery at Mount St Joseph’s, Roscrea.

A WELL-KNOWN garda is swapping the highways and byways of County Clare for a new assignment in Cyprus.

Garda Martin O’Brien, a member of the Clare Garda Traffic Corps, has been chosen to participate in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). Garda O’Brien is one of just a handful of Irish gardaí chosen to serve with the UN. His duties will include monitoring a buffer zone between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. He departs Clare in August for a 12-month posting in Cyprus.

The father of three has been a member of An Garda Síochána for 31 years in Clare. He has worked for 26 years in the Traffic Corps, serving in Ennis and Killaloe.

Garda O’Brien is well known in Clare soccer circles having refereed in the League of Ireland for 16 years. He still officiates at junior and adult soccer matches in Clare.

Garda O’Brien says he will miss life in Ireland but is looking forward to a new challenge in Cyprus. “Its something new. I’ll miss refereeing in Clare. Its something I really enjoy.”

At Ennis District Court on Friday Judge Patrick Durcan paid tribute to Garda O’Brien. “The fact that Garda O’Brien has been chosen to serve in Cyprus is reflective of his high qualities as a Garda,” he said

Speaking yesterday, Chief Supt of the Clare Garda Division, John Kerin also praised Garda O’Brien’s achievement. He said, “This is a nationwide selection process. The fact that he has been selected shows the high esteem in which Martin is held.”

UNFICYP was originally set up by the Security Council in 1964 to prevent further fighting between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. After the hostilities of 1974, the council has mandated the Force to perform certain additional functions. In the absence of a political settlement to the Cyprus problem, UNFICYP has remained on the island to supervise ceasefire lines, maintain a buffer zone, undertake humanitarian activities and support the good offices mission of the Secretary-General. In 1989 the Government of the day passed the Garda Síochána Act which permitted for the first time, members of An Garda Síochána to participate with the United Nations Civilian Police Component on Overseas missions.

ENNISMAN Anthony McMahon has been appointed to parish priest of Kilmurry-Ibricane this week.

The Clare priest was the only priest promoted by Bishop Kieran Reilly SMA, when he announced the new Killaloe Diocesan Priest appointments yesterday morning (Monday).

The bishop made 11 changes and appointments in total, including the reconfiguration of the of the East Clare Cluster to include the parish of O’Callaghan’s Mills, which is to move from the Scáth na Sionnaine Cluster.

Fr McMahon will move to Mullagh in succession to Fr Pat Larkin who has been appointed parish priest of Kilmaley.

Fr McMahon who is a native of Ennis was educated at St Flannan’s College, Ennis, and St Patrick’s College Maynooth and was ordained in 2001. He continued post graduate studies in Maynooth in 2001 and 2002 and was appointed Curate in Kinnitty, County Offaly, in 2002. In 2003 he was appointed Curate in Nenagh, County Tipperary, and has also worked as the Diocesan Catechetical Advisor to the Gaelscoileanna.

Canon Michael McLaughlin, PP Kilmaley, will also see a change to his role in the diocese when these changes come into affect on August 30, as he is to be priest in residence in Inch.

Fr Harry Bohan is to continue as parish priest in Sixmilebridge, while Fr Harry Brady is to continue as PP of Clarecastle.

Fr Paddy McMahon, a native of Kildysart, is retiring from the Diocese of Spokane, USA, and is to be attached to the Cluster of Scáth na Sionnaine with residence in Bridgetown.

Fr Ignatius McCormack will con- tinue to teach and reside in St Flannan’s College, Ennis, and be available for weekend ministry in the parish of Quin.

Changes outside the county will see Fr Enda Burke, assistant priest Cloughjordan, retire and Fr Tom Whelan, Administrator Cloughjordan, to be appointed curate in Castleconnell, Limerick.

Fr Tom Hannon, who is returning to the Diocese from Sabbatical leave, is to be parish priest in Cloughjordan.

Fr Noel Hayes, Assistant Priest, Bridgetown, is to retire due to ill health, returning to St Patrick’s Missionary Society.

LATE night beach parties are being blamed for causing the lions share of the littering which has blighted the counties beaches over the past month. Yesterday’s meeting of Clare’s Joint Policing Committee heard that these late night parties have become more common in recent years and are increasingly difficult for Clare County Council and the Gardaí to police.

The meeting also heard that prosecutions for litter offenses are currently difficult to follow up on in Clare, with Clare County Council’s four beach litter wardens currently focused on cautioning and education, rather than bringing prosecutions.

A spokesperson from Clare County Council also highlighted illegal household dumping from people in mobile homes and holiday home as a growing problem.

“The main problem that we are having on the beaches this year is excessive littering. This is a problem not just in Clare but all over the country,” said a spokesperson from Clare County Council.

“We have provided additional resources at all of our beaches. We have provided extra bins at our beaches and promenades and we have a good crew in operation.

“A large source of littering takes place late at night, with late night beach parties and rubbish from fast food outlets. While this behaviour is regrettable, there is little that we can do to stop it. We also have a problem this year with people in holiday homes and caravans who are using the public bins. If you are staying in a holiday home, there should be a facility there for disposing of rubbish.

“We can fine people but the severity of the fine depends on the severity of the offense. But a lot of our focus is on education and caution, and not on fines.”

North Clare senator Martin Conway (FG) called for a name and shame policy to be introduced for serial offenders.

“I have already called for the fines to be increased. I realise that might require a direction from the minister. But I also think that if someone is caught littering more than once, there should be a name and shame policy. I don’t know what it is in our society that makes people do this,” he said.

County manager Tom Coughlan, confirmed that Clare County Council had wanted to introduce a name and shame policy but were instructed by the Department of the Environment not to go ahead with it.