Category: News

GARDAÍ have issued a renewed appeal for information following the death of a Polish man in alleged violent circumstances in Ennis last week.

It comes as two brothers charged in connection with the incident appeared in court for a third time yesterday.

Michael and Darren Maughan, both with addresses at 20 Stonecourt, Ennis, were remanded in custody to appear again at Ennis District Court next month.

Michael Maughan (39) is charged with the murder of Piotr Nowakowski (31) at 15 Sandfield Mews, Ennis on July 23. Darren Maughan (21) is charged with assault causing harm to Declan O’Dea at the same location and date. Mr O’Dea is currently recovering in hospital.

The brothers first appeared in court on Wednesday. Garda Nadine Keane of Ennis Garda Station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in respect of Michael Maughan. She said Michael Maughan made no reply to charge after caution on July 24.

Garda John Moore gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution on Darren Maughan.

The court heard Darren Maughan made no reply when charged after caution at Shannon Garda Station on July 24.

Separately, Darren Maughan is charged with assault and two public order offences at The Height, Ennis on July 22.

Both men were remanded in custody to appear in court on Friday where they were remanded to Ennis District Court yesterday.

On Monday, Inspector Michael Gallagher said the State were seeking a further two-week remand in custody.

Solicitor for both accused, William Cahir, consented to the application. The men, who have been supported in court by family members, will appear again at Ennis District Court on August 12.

Yesterday Gardaí in Ennis also re- newed an appeal for information on the incident.

Sgt Joe Downey stated, “The Gardaí in Ennis are investigating this incident and are currently engaged in collecting and collating all available evidence.

“We are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed this incident, or who may have information concerning this incident, to come forward and make themselves known to the gardaí in Ennis”.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have helped in any way so far in this investigation as without their help our investigations would be made much more difficult,” he added.

CLIFFS of Moher Visitor Experience is t he thi rd most popular fee-payi ng tourist att raction in the count r y, sur passed only by t he Guinness Store House and Dublin Zoo.

Fáilte Ireland, the national tour- ism aut hority, published its listing of Ireland’s top visitor att ractions for 2012 and the iconic Clare tourist att raction is among t he list of top fee-charging att ractions growing by eight per cent to 873,988.

Bunrat ty Castle and Fol k Park, wit h 286, 270 visitors, was up four per cent, according to the figures released dur ing the week.

Fiona Monaghan, Fáilte Ireland’s Head of Operations, said, “This list always makes fascinating reading, but it’s also a good reminder of the huge range of visitor att ractions that we have in Ireland. People visit this countr y for many reasons, but they always expect a high st andard of things to see and do, which is why we see Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience and the Bunratt y Castle and Fol k Park make t he list.

“Our visitor att ractions are a big par t of the tourism offering and with the increase in visitor numbers to Ireland, it is no sur prise that our top att ractions have also enjoyed a busy year. I have no doubt that t he recent good weather will have encouraged many Irish people to get out and about and discover what is on t hei r doorstep – next year we may be quoting even bigger numbers.

“Tourism is in a good place compared to five years ago but we can’t become complacent,” she added.

There were no Clare destinations on the list of Top 10 Free Tourist Att ractions.

AFTER more than two decades of local campaigning and action, construction work on a new state-of-theart rescue centre for the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coast Guard will being later this week.

The new € 2 million centre, which is expected to be operational by the summer of 2014, will revolutionise the way in which the Doolin Unit can operate – and may, in time, save lives.

Even though the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coast Guard is one of the busiest coast guard units in the country, it does not currently have the ability to store all of its equipment at the current site at Doolin Pier.

This means that important equipment has to be stored at different locations around North Clare, meaning making rescue operations more complicated. The new facilities will include a garage area for the storage of boats, equipment and transport as well as changing facilities and an operations room.

“Ultimately this will make our work more efficient because we will be able to keep everything in the one place. The team will all have one place to assemble; there will be no confusion over where different teams should go in an emergency,” said Mattie Shannon of the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coastguard earlier this year. “Also, when you put a piece of equipment down you will where it is going to be when you need it again. That was a big problem. We had to store so much equipment in so many different places that it was very difficult to keep track of everything.

“This is going to make our job a lot more easy and they will make us better able to save leaves. We will be able to assemble at the one place and leave as a block.”

The news was welcomed yesterday by Clare Senator, Martin Conway (FG).

“The building in which the volunteers have worked in for the last 20 years was not fit for purpose and I have no doubt that the new facility will greatly assist the volunteers in their tireless work on behalf of the community, carrying out search, rescue and recovery operations off the coast of County Clare,” he said.

A CLARE woman is proposing to go where no woman has ever gone before – into Clare county council chambers as a Fianna Fáil county councillor.

Clare Colleran Molloy is aware however that her biggest challenge is to first get through the hotly-contested Fianna Fáil convention for the Ennis Electoral Area.

At least 15 people are expected to contest the convention for the new constituency, and it is very likely she could be the only woman in this contest, especially if former independent candidate Rita McInerny opts to contest the West Clare Fianna Fáil convention.

The Quin woman is a complete novice when it comes to elected politics, but has worked with community and charitable organisations.

A barrister by profession, she has also helped to run a restaurant with her husband Tony Molloy, formerly of Tony’s Fashions, Ennis, in her hometown of Quin.

The Clare woman spent a number of years living and working in Florida, returning home in 2002, and selling her American home and moving back on a permanent basis in 2007.

At the time she saw a lot wrong with politics in Ireland.

“While Fianna Fáil was in my blood I saw a lot of problems when I came home. I remember a news report from the time saying the Government was surprised with the surplus and did not know what to do with it, and thought this was bad forward planning,” she said.

She told The Clare People that she felt that the time was now right for her to begin a political career, aware that more female voices need to be heard in the council chambers and the Dáil.

She has returned to the law library and she and her husband are in the process of selling the restaurant, allowing her more time to the law and a possible political career.

“Fianna Fáil is on its knees and needs new blood,” she said.

For the first time ever the convention will be run on a one person one vote selection process, which Ms Colleran Molloy believes may be an advantage to her in the two month run up to the convention.

“It allows me as a new comer to ruffle some feathers,” she said.

There has never been a female Fianna Fáil county councillor in Clare and the party fielded just on female candidate in the last county council elections – Michelle Moroney in the Ennistymon Electoral Area.

CLARE farmers could be forced to begin using winter fodder, just harvested over the past few weeks, as the drought has brought grass growth in the county to a virtual standstill.

Clare farmers, especially in shallow soil in the North and West of the county, have been unable to fertilise land following the first cut of hay or silage. This, coupled with drought conditions experienced over the past two weeks, has created a situation where fresh grass for livestock is running out – and few farmers have been able to generate enough grass for a second cut of silage.

With thunder storms expected in some areas in the coming days, there is also the prospect that farmland in the county may become flooded, while other areas may remain in drought.

According to Martin McMahon of the ICMSA, Clare farmers desperately need a number of days of moderate rain to return the grass to growth.

“Grass has already started to burn in many parts of the county and this does not bode well for the rest of the year. If we don’t get some grass growth soon farmers will have to start giving out the fodder they have just saved – which is bound to create another big fodder shortage this winter,” he said.

“There is definitely going to a problem with grass. Fertiliser wont go into the ground at this stage so there is no point in spreading it. The chances of a second cut of silage on most Clare farms is not there at the moment. This mean that there will be less grass for cattle after the second cut is eventually made this year – which will put even more pressure on fodder.

“We need to get three or four inches of rain over a few days and then for the weather to clear again. If we get that then we have a good chance of saving enough fodder this year. If we don’t get that then farmers will be in trouble fro fodder again this year.”

THE HSE in Clare are warning people, especially older people and those that live alone, about bogus health and care staff.

The warning follows an attempt by criminals to use a HSE identity as a cover for their activities.

The Health Service Executive is advising people throughout the midwest to always be satisfied that people presenting at their homes as HSE staff are genuine.

All HSE staff carry official I.D.

“Most people have an ongoing relationship with their HSE staff in the community and this is not a problem. However when a home visit is taking place on a one-off basis or new staff are appointed, the public don’t necessarily know the staff involved,” said a HSE spokesperson.

“In such cases it is always advisable to ask for I.D.”

If the public are not satisfied with the I.D. then they should ask for the office number of where the staff member is based and call to check that it is genuine.

If in doubt people are advised not to admit anyone to your home until fully satisfied.

Commenting on this issue, HSE area manager for the mid-west, Bernard Gloster, said, “In most cases our staff know the public and the public know our staff. However we are a large organisation and this is not always possible. We are concerned based on a recent report in the mid-west that the public need to be vigilant as unfortunately there are a small number of people who might try to use our identity as a means of gaining access to the homes of unsuspecting and vulnerable members of the public.”

“We continue to work close with our staff and the Gardaí in minimising such risk. Remember always ask for I.D. if you don’t know the person and even never let someone into your home until you are completely satisfied they are genuine,” he said.

AN OPEN verdict was recorded in the inquest into the death of Thomas Keane, Kilclogher, Cross in West Clare at yesterday sitting of the Ennis Coroners Court. Mr Keane (45), was discovered by his wife Ursula and his brother in law Brendan in his car, roughly two miles from his house, on February 7, 2013. Coroner Isobel O’Dea ruled that death was the result of acute cardiac arrest as a result of carbon monoxide inhalation. ENNIS Coroners Court heard yesterday that the death of Tina Doyle, from Ivy Hill, Gort Road in Ennis was the result of cardio-respiratory failure with a drugs overdose as a secondary cause. Mrs Doyle, born on April, 23, 1968, was discovered at her home by Garda Donagh Walsh from Ennis Garda Station on Janu- ary, 11, 2013, after being contacted by Mrs Doyle’s landlord. Coroner Isobel O’Dea recorded an open verdict in the inquest. AN OPEN verdict was recorded in the inquest of Barbara Glover, born July 31, 1964, at yesterday’s sitting of Ennis Coroners Court. The court heard that Mrs Glover was discovered by her husband, Sean Peter Glover, at their former home in Mountshannon on February 25, 2013. Coroner Isobel O’Dea ruled that Mrs Glover’s death was the result of asphyxiation with ligatures on the neck given as the secondary cause. THE DEATH of Niall Quinn of Cooraclare, Kilrush, was the result of asphyxiation, Ennis Coroners Court heard yesterday. Mr Quinn (55), was discovered by his wife Gretta Quinn in a shed at their farm on the morning of February 19, 2013. Coroner Isobel O’Dea recorded an open verdict in relation to the death. A VERDICT of death by misadventure was recorded in the inquest of Frank (Frankie) O’Connor at Ennis Coroners Court yesterday. The court heard that Mr O’Connor, born on June 4, 1969, was at a friend’s house at Clancy Park in Ennis, in the early hours of January 19, 2013, when he full unconscious. Coroner Isobel O’Dea ruled that Mr O’Connor’s death was the result of the combined effects of drugs and alcohol. A SMALL amount of prescription drugs combined was found to have caused the death of Ennis man Mark Travers in January of this year. Ennis Coroners Court heard yesterday that Mr Travers was discovered by his friend and employer, Leo Mannion, at his Ennis home on January 7 of this year. Mr Travers, born on March, 20, 1975, was found to have died from acute cardiac failure. Coroner Isobel O’Dea recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.

HOLIDAY homeowners are disposing of their rubbish at beaches in Kilkee and Lahinch.

Although the majority of these holidaymakers are leaving their rubbish beside public bins, they are still in violation of the Litter Act 1997.

Clare County Council’s Environment Section spokesperson Mary Skehan warned that people caught dumping their domestic rubbish on the beach, near or beside refuge bins, will be prosecuted.

“The record volume of people visiting our beaches has resulted in an increase in littering and the council has employed additional resources and installed extra bins to ensure the problem is minimized,” she said.

“However, some people are taking advantage of the situation by depositing domestic refuse at our bin collection points. Such dumping is unsightly and tarnishes the image of the locations in question and indeed, it is a breach of the Litter Act 1997 to depose of refuse in such a manner.”

Since the beginning of the warm spell of weather, the local authority has recorded a significant increase of domestic rubbish being placed alongside bins at popular seaside resorts.

“Holiday home owners and other householders are reminded that the onus is on them to dispose of their domestic waste at either of the Council’s West Clare Civic Amenity Site Recycling Centres at Lisdeen and Ballyduff beg or to avail of a private refuse collection service,” explained Ms Skehan.

Meanwhile, Clare County Council is also urging visitors to Clare’s main beaches to take responsibility for their rubbish by bringing it home with them.

“The council wishes to acknowledge those who have used the public bins to dispose of their litter. These bins are emptied regularly each day but often reach their capacity due to the unprecedented large volumes of visitors to the beaches. In Kilkee, we are finding that some people are dumping their litter along the seawall, on the beach or beside already full bins rather than bring their litter home with them. We have installed additional bins to counteract the problem but would continue to ask the public to take responsibility for their rubbish.”

Leaving or throwing litter in a public place is an offence that can be subject to an on-the-spot fine of € 150 or a maximum fine of € 3,000 if convicted of a litter offence in the District Court.

A WOMAN was hospitalised after bring struck by Dusty the Doolin Dolphin in the water off Doolin Pier on Friday.

The woman, who is from Westport in Mayo, was struck in the abdomen and legs by the Dolphin – who has made Doolin it’s home for the past two years.

The woman received medical at- tention at the scheme and was transferred to hospital in Galway – but her injuries were not understood to be serious.

A number of reports of swimmers interfering with the dolphin have been reported in recent times. The woman was assisted by members of the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coastguard, who have warned people not to get close to the Dusty.

“However it happened the dolphin hit her with her tail and she had lower abdomen pain. We tended her while she was waiting for the ambulance,” said Matty Shannon of the Doolin Coastguard.

“She [the dolphin] is a wild animal – people have to be careful. She enjoys the noises and vibrations of the boats and just because she swims in that area, does not give people the liberty to catch her and touch her. And that’s what’s happening.

“People seem to think that they can just catch her fin or catch her tail and when the dolphin gets frustrated then she is bound to strike back a little bit. She is perfectly fine and calm if people just give her her own room and space.

“Just like any wild animal tempers can vary. Just because one dolphin allows people to swim with them doesn’t mean that you can do it with all dolphins. People need to be aware that she is wild and she needs her space. If people want to see her that can see her from the top of the pier. People need to be responsible for themselves.”

The Doolin-based lifeguards were flying the red flag – signifying danger – at the time of the incident. It is now policy for the lifeguards to fly the red flag any time the dolphin enters the area.

A video taken last year showing Dusty getting angry with swimmers can be viewed on youtube at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=AAMFBvpPQ4.

IARNRÓD Éireann has been told to come up with a plan to fix the Ennis to Athenry section of the Western Rail Corridor.

Despite an overall increase of 7 per cent on the numbers travelling between Limerick and Galway last year – the section of the track between Ennis and Athenry continues to struggle.

The Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Alan Kelly (FG), last week told Iarnród Éireann to get the service back on track. This is the second time in recent months that Minister Kelly has publicly criticised the service.

Campaign group West-On-Track also criticised the rail operator last week for not making the route attractive for commuters. Spokesperson for West On Track, Colmán Ó’Raghaillagh, said that a number of long standing issues – such as online booking – has not yet been addressed.

He also called for a more intigrated connection between the rail and bus timetable and proposed the idea that people could travel from Galway and Limerick to Lahinch and the Cliffs of Moher using a combined rail/bus ticket.

“We should have proper inter-city trains [on the route], and a lot of people don’t find it attractive by travelling in older trains,” he said.

“Online booking is still not available after our proposals. It seems odd that you cannot go online in Limerick and book online to save yourself a tenner.

Mr Ó’Raghaillagh also criticised the way that passenger numbers on the service are calculated.

“The measurement of this increase has always been problematic. If you get on the train, on the LimerickGalway line, and get out at Ennis, they won’t count your seat. Likewise, if I get on in Galway and I get out at Athenry, I am also not counted,” he said.

Minister Kelly last week ruled out any move to close the section of track between Ennis and Athenry – which was reopened in 2010.

“The numbers aren’t what we would like. I have spoken to the chief executive of Irish Rail with a view to looking at various different strategies to encourage more to use the line,” he said.