Category: News

A MAN who engaged in what a Judge called “wild west behaviour” in pubs in Ennis has been sentenced to four months in prison.

Darren Maughan (21) threw a keg at the door of Kelly’s Bar in the Market, one of a number of offences committed in Ennis during April.

On Wednesday at Ennis District Court, Mr Maughan pleaded guilty to three charges of theft.

He also pleaded guilty to provoking a breach of the peace at Dan O’Connell’s bar, Ennis and criminal damage at Kelly’s Bar on April 8.

The court heard Mr Maughan stole nine bottles of Blossom Hill wine from Fine Wines off-license over two days, April 14 and April 15.

Mr Maughan, with an address at 20 Stonecourt, Drumbiggle, Ennis, also pleaded guilty to the theft of four bottles of Blossom Hill wine from O’Keeffe’s off-license on April 14.

The court heard that on each occasion, the accused walked out of the premises without paying for the alcohol. None of the property was recovered.

Inspector John Galvin told the court that the accused entered Dan O’Connell’s bar on April 8. He said Mr Maughan was barred from the premises and became abusive and threatening towards staff when asked to leave.

The court heard Mr Maughan was also refused entry to Kelly’s Bar. Insp Galvin said the accused threw a keg at the door of the premises causing € 500 worth of damage.

Mr Maughan has 39 previous convictions predominantly for public order offences, the court heard.

Defence solicitor William Cahir told the court that his client is a young man with serious problems with alcohol.

The court heard two of Mr Maughan’s brothers died because of alcohol-associated problems.

Mr Cahir said his client’s older brother is trying to assist him. He added, “He was out of control with alcohol consumption.”

Judge Patrick Durcan asked Mr Maughan to explain his “wild west type behaviour in the pubs of Ennis.”

Mr Maughan replied, “I was drunk. I was on medication. I am very, very sorry for what I did.”

Prior to passing sentence, Judge Durcan asked if Mr Maughan preferred red or white wine. Mr Maughan said, “I’d prefer to have none at all.”

Judge Durcan said he had deemed probation or community survive not to be a suitable sentence.

He said Mr Maughan had committed very serious offences against the people of Ennis, particularly those working in licensed premises.

Judge Durcan imposed sentences totaling four months in prison. He warned Mr Maughan that he would deal with him more harshly if he appeared in court again.

Judge Durcan commended Mr Maughan’s elder brother for the help he has given his sibling.

He told the Mr Maughan that he hoped his time in prison would benefit him.

THE town of Kilrush is back in the national eye, one week after it hosted the National Famine Commemoration, as it has been shortlisted for Best Kept Tidy Town in Ireland.

The Heritage town is one of just four nationally in the final stage of the competition.

Chairman of Kilrush Tidy Town Committee Paul Edson said that winning the award would be “a great stepping stone for the national Tidy Town Awards”.

Mr Edson said that while the town has never looked as good there are still some contentious areas that need addressing. He explained that the town could not become complaisant. Boundary walls in areas such as Pella Road, O’Gorman Street, Grey Street, and St Senan’s Terace needed to be addressed he said.

The Tidy Town’s committee is tak- ing the issue in hand by going door to door to residence and offering to help them to paint their wall if they wish to take on the project.

In what is likely to be the last every report to Kilrush Town Council the Tidy Town’s chairman said, “This might be our last ever meeting with the town council so we want to achieve as much as possible in the next 13 months.”

The council contributes € 4,000 to the Tidy Town fund.

Mr Edson fears that such funding will not be available from the amalgamated Clare County Council.

He said the Tidy Towns also want to concentrate on Francis Street, the largest and widest street in the town.

“It is like a beautiful around a painting that is not completed,” said Mr Edson.

He said the committee were seeking extra funding to put a three tier planter and hanging baskets for the street.

AN AMERICAN tourist says she is “extremely embarrassed” after her driving resulted in a two car collision near Shannon earlier this month.

No one was injured as a result of the crash involving two cars that occurred at Hurler’s Cross on May 14.

The court heard that Julie Dowling (31) was driving in convoy with her family on the day in question.

The court heard that Ms Dowling looked left but never looked right before turning onto the main road near Hurler’s Cross.

Inspector John Galvin told Ennis District Court that Ms Dowling pulled out in front of an oncoming car, causing a collision.

Ms Dowling, with an address at 1210 W Indian, TRL Apartment 4, Aurora, Illinois, 60506, USA, appeared in court charged with dangerous driving.

After hearing the facts of the case, Judge Patrick Durcan agreed to reduce the charge to one of careless driving.

Defence Solicitor Stiofán Fitzpatrick told the court that his client had been traveling in a convoy of cars with 10 members of her family when the collision occurred.

He said this was the first time that Ms Dowling had driven in Ireland.

He added, “She is extremely nervous to be here before the court. She is driving for 16 years in her home state.

“She is extremely embarrassed. Fortunately no one was injured”.

The court heard Ms Dowling cooperated fully with gardaí. People were taken to hospital as a precaution but were all released, the court heard.

Judge Patrick Durcan said he could understand how an accident like this could happen.

He said he would prefer not to impose any order. Ms Dowling paid € 300 to the court poor box and the charge was struck out.

Judge Durcan told Ms Dowling that the money would be donated towards charity.

He added, “You are very welcome in this country and I hope this hasn’t dampened your visit.”

MORE than three quarters of a million euro was yesterday allocated to 26 different community roads works projects in Clare.

A total of € 767, 529 will be spent on the 26 Clare projects – with a € 614,023 coming from the Department of Transport and the remaining € 153,506 coming from the local communities where the roads will be built.

The scheme is specifically targeted a more rural roads in the county and requires that a portion of funding to be put forward by local communities.

Half of the allocated projects are located in the Killaloe electoral area, where 13 projects have been earmarked funding totally € 420,000. Shannon was the least represented electoral area with just one successful project receiving funding of more than € 15,000.

There were six successful projects in the Kilrush electoral area, four in Ennistymon and two in Ennis.

Clare County Council’s roads maintenance budget has been cut drastically in successive years with decreasing budgets meaning that a large number of roads projects are being delayed by years – or indefinitely.

This funding crisis was compounded by the unseasonably cold and wet winters in recent years which have caused unexpected damages to a large number of roads, with most or sometimes all of the annual roads budget being spent on repairing these roads.

“Local authorities have asked communities to come up with a portion of the cost of road maintenance ei- ther through funding, labour provision, machinery supply or other forms of benefit,” said Alan Kelly, Junior minister at the Department of Transport.

“This funding is then being added to my department’s spend to prioritise maintenance in rural isolated areas and will allow communities have a direct input along with their local authority into local road maintenance.”

It is expected that the funding will effect a total of 108 households in Clare, 56 farms and two forestry plantations.

A TEENAGER has been ordered to stay away from parts of Ennis town centre after being released on bail.

The 16 year old pleaded guilty to multiple charges of burglary and theft at Ennis District Court in April

He was one of two people who stole a car from Castlewood Park, Ennis last summer. The teen pleaded guilty to trespassing on a farmhouse in Lemenagh, Kilfenora last October. He admitted stealing items from a house in the Lifford area of Ennis, also in October

He also pleaded guilty to his role in burglaries at houses in Westwood, Ennis on dates unknown between December 25 and 26 and at Showground’s View, Ennis on dates unknown between December 26 and 27. He appeared back before Ennis District Court on Wednesday having been remanded for a month to Oberstown detention centre.

Reports handed into court offered contradictory views on the teen’s behaviour, the court heard. Inspector John Galvin said it was hard to be “optimistic” given the boy’s attitude to bail conditions previously imposed by the court.

Defence solicitor John Casey said his client was fully aware of the consequences of not abiding by the court’s orders.

He added, “If he betrays this trust, he will be putting himself away. He will be throwing away the keys.”

The court previously heard that the boy had been led astray by a man described in court as a “Fagin” type character.

Judge Patrick Durcan said he was willing to give the boy a chance.

The teen was ordered to abide by the directions of gardaí; stay away from named individuals; stay away from parts of Ennis town centre. He was remanded on bail to appear again at Ennis District Court on June 28.

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A MAN alleged to have had drugs for sale or supply in Ennis has been returned for trial.

Sean Slattery (23), with an address at 39 Park Avenue, Clon Road, appeared at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

He is charged with the unlawful possession of ecstasy and cannabis at 39 Park Avenue, Clon Road on February 17 (2013).

He is further charged with having cannabis for sale or supply at the same location and same date.

His case was adjourned to Wednesday to allow time for the service of the Book of Evidence.

Inspector John Galvin applied to amend some of the charges against Mr Slattery.

Defence solicitor Daragh Hassett said he could not consent to the changes.

Judge Patrick Durcan permitted the State to amend the charge sheets.

He consented to the deletion of the word ‘herb’ in two of the charge sheets.

Garda Irene O’Flynn of Ennis Garda Station gave evidence of serving the book of evidence on Mr Slat- tery.

Insp Galvin told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) consented for the accused being returned for trial to the next sittings of Ennis Circuit Criminal Court.

A legal aid application for one junior counsel was approved. Judge Patrick Durcan delivered the alibi warning.

Judge Durcan made the order returning Mr Slattery for trial.

IN THE last three years the Loophead peninsula has gone from one of West Clare’s best kept secrets, to attracting thousands of visitors every year and being shortlisted as one of the top five places in Ireland to visit.

Much of the credit for the prominence of the Loop has been attributed to the local community who is working hard to promote the area and the opening of the lighthouse as a tourist attraction during the summer of 2011.

The numbers of tourists visiting the lighthouse has increased steadily since, and figures release yesterday (Monday) shows that despite the inclement weather conditions of the past two months, more than 2,000 tourists passed through its doors.

That is an average of 250 people every weekend.

The 19th century lighthouse’s opening hours will be extended to weekdays from the June bank holiday weekend and will remain open up to the end of September, attracting even more tourists.

The speculation of a local ghost is also adding to the mystery at the westerly lighthouse, with modern day ghost busters currently writing up a report of their findings in the historical building.

And the peninsula has been shortlisted in the last number of days as one of the five finalists in the The Irish Times Best Place to Holiday in Ireland competition.

For the competition – which has been running since March – members of the public were invited to nominate the places they love to holiday. The shortlist features three remote areas of natural beauty: the Glen of Aherlow, Co Tipperary; Inishbofin island, Co Galway; and Loop Head peninsula, alongside Derry city and Killarney, Co Kerry.

The Mayor of Clare, Cllr Pat Daly, congratulated the people of Loop head and said;

“The fact that Loophead has made the shortlist from an entry list of more than 1,400 destinations throughout Ireland is testament to the quality of the tourism product on offer. A huge amount of work is being carried out by local community groups, supported by Clare local authorities, to promote the peninsula as a visitor destination to both domestic and international tourists.”

START up companies seeking incubation facilities and enterprise support to allow them to progress from business idea stage to commercialisation are being invited to apply to the 2013 Ennis Innovate Programme.

Facilitated by the Ennis Innovate Regional Innovation Centre, the Programme supports and guides companies through the start-up process and provides them with introductions and linkages to various support bodies in the West of Ireland.

Based in Shannon Development’s Information Age Park in Ennis, the centre is funded by NUI Galway, UL, Shannon Development, Clare County Council and Ennis Town Council and supported by partners Enterprise Ireland, Clare Local Development Company, Clare County Enterprise Board.

Commenting on the Ennis Innovate programme, Gert O’Rourke, Director of Ennis Innovate said: “The aim of the centre is to provide practical support to entrepreneurs as they navigate the start-up path and provide them with introductions and linkages to relevant support bodies and processes, ultimately improving their chances of success.”

“Applicants to our programme should ideally have a number of years industry experience, and have the enthusiasm and drive necessary to develop and grow a successful business. If you’re looking for practical help and linkages to help your business grow then this programme is for you,” added Ms O’Rourke who has over 20 years experience in the micro-enterprise and SME sector.”

The Ennis Innovate Regional Innovation Centre, which was officially opened in early 2012 by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD, has already supported a number of business in the region through its Ennis Innovate Programme, including Empress Cosmetics, Fraysen Systems, Golf Voyager, Greenieland and Egan Concepts.

A number of applicants have already been accepted on to the 2013 Ennis Innovate Programme. There are a limited number of places remaining. Interested applicants should visit www.ennisinnovate.ie or email gert@ennisinnovate.ie.

THE value of Clare’s water infrastructure, which will soon be transferred to the Irish Water Agency, has been estimated at more than € 400 million. Councillors at last night’s meetings of Clare County Council raised fears that this valuable public resource could be sold to a private company – and possibly even a for eign-owned private corporation.

Figures released at last night’s meeting of Clare County Council puts the total fixed assets of Clare County Council at € 637.2 million. When depreciation of € 247 million is taken into account and € 10 million of works currently being built – that brings the total value of Clare water system to € 400.1 million.

Councillors last night criticised the lack of clarity about the transfer of water resources from Clare County Council to Irish Water – and raised fears that the county’s water infrastructure could be sold to private companies in China and Singapore.

“Our water infrastructure could end up in Chinese hands – maybe we will have the Who Flung Dung corporation looking to take control of the Irish water system. We won’t have a control over the pricing structure and there will be no investment in water systems over the years,” said Cllr PJ Kelly (FF).

“Who is going to control water charges in the future? Is it going to be public representatives like this? No. It will be companies who will see every price increase as profit.”

The discussions follow a pair of water-related motions put forward by six councillors – including PJ Kelly and Pat Hayes (FF).

“There are a lot of critical issues which need to be insured if we are going to transfer to Irish Water. Irish Water should be retained permanently in Irish control. That any price increases would be list to the cost of living. That a percentage [of money collected] be invested back to infrastructure. And that all loans [on the water projects] be written off. I am not in supporter of Irish Water but if it going to happen then these points should be looked at and put in place.”

The meeting also heard that there is currently € 24.8 million owed on Clare water projects.

“Everything that we have heard to date states that the assets will remain in public ownership and we can only accept that as it stands,” said Director of Services, Anne Haugh.

“The basis of the negotiations at the moment are that liabilities will be transferred along with assets.”