Category: News

THE stories of three Clare girls who were sent to Magdalene Laundries in the late 1940s have been recorded as part of the McAleese report into State involvement in the laundry system, released last week.

These records, which were on the file in the archive of Clare County Council, show that the local authority, and many other regional authorities in Ireland, were part of a system of referring girls and young women into Magalene Laundries.

A Clare County Council spokesperson confirm that, up until the enactment of the 1970 Health Act, Clare County Council had some responsibility for the provision of health services in the county. This process ended with the establishment of the Regional Health Boards, which were later replaced by the HSE.

The Clare County Archive includes records from the Clare Board of Health and Public Assistance from 1915 to 1966, as well as records on the operation of the County Home and County Hospital.

There were no records in the Clare archive of girls or women who gave birth outside of marriage being referred to laundries. However, there were a number of reports of “boarded-out children” or foster children, being referred to laundries in the 1940s and 50s.

In those times, financial help to foster parents came to an end when the child turned 15.

“[There was a] frequent refusal of foster parents to provide a home for the children after the age of 15 unless the board continues to maintain them. Recently a girl of 15 was returned to the County Home by her foster parents when payments for maintenance ceased. Nothing is gained by rearing children in foster homes if they are returned to the County Home at the age of 15,” the report says.

Three Clare girls are mentioned in the report – although they are not named. The first was ordered to the Good Shephard Convent in Limerick on December 20, 1947. Records indicate that she was 17-years-old and her mother was alive at the time of admission.

She remained in the Magdalene Laundry for slightly less than two years, before she “went to a situation” or a job.

A second similar case was recorded in 1949 when the 17-year-old girl was also sent to the Good Shepherd Convent in Limerick. There was “no account of parents” for this girl who remained in the Magdalene Laundry for just over five years, at which point she went to the Magdalene Sisters in Belfast.

A third case identified in the records of Clare County Council occurred in 1950. This case involved a 16year-old-girl who was ordered to the Good Shepherd Convent on June 19, 1950. There was no record of parents for this girl, who spent almost three months at the Magdalene Laundry, before she “went to a convent”.

CLARE women were amongst the most likely in Ireland to find themselves in the care of a Magdalene Laundry, according to figures released as part of the McAleese Report published last week.

The report has identified, but not named, 261 different Clare women who each spent various lengths of time in a Magdalene Asylum or Laundry. This means that Clare had the fifth highest number of women in Magdalene facilities in the State. Only counties with much larger populations such as Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Tipperary had more women in Magdalene Laundries than Clare.

Indeed, the number of Clare women to have spent time in Magdalene Laundries is likely to be much higher than those presented in the report, as no details of any Clare facilities are mentioned in its findings.

This is despite claims by a large number of local people that a laundry operated in Ennis for many years during the 1940s and 1950s.

The vast majority of Clare women referred to in the report attended the Limerick City Magdalene Asylum. This facility was opened by the Good Shepherd Nuns in 1848 and contin- ued in operation until 1984. While entrants into this facility peaked on the 1930s, there was still a considerable number of girls and women being admitted to the facility in the 1970 and 1980s.

Indeed, according to the McAleese Report, a total of six women were admitted to this facility in 1981 – the last years than any new intake of women was recorded.

Members of the Magdalene Sur- vivors Together met with Taoiseach Enda Kenny (FG) and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore (Lab) yesterday to discuss the McAleese Report.

Both the Justice for Magdalenes advocacy group and the London-based Irish Women’s Survivors’ Network decline to attend the meeting.

The groups are anxious that they receive an opology from the State over abuses which took place in the laundries.

THE owner of a well-known hotel has expressed concern that Ennis is falling behind other areas of the country when it comes to attracting tourists.

John Madden of the Temple Gate Hotel called yesterday for a more unified approach to the promotion of the county capital, saying that groups currently involved in the tourism sector are “not working together”.

Mr Madden said he is concerned that Ennis is losing tourists to areas such as Westport, Cork and Galway.

He said, “Are there too many organisations? I don’t know but we need to be acting and working together.”

“There is a huge push going on in Limerick at the moment and it just seems that we don’t have the same push in Clare,” he added.

Mr Madden was speaking at a meeting of Clare County Council’s Community and Enterprise, Tourism and Emergency Services, Strategic Policy Committee (SPC).

He said the recent purchase of the West County Hotel by the Treacy Group could also be a huge boost to the town.

Mr Madden said the hotel’s reputation as a conference venue would continue to be “crucial” to bringing visitors to Ennis.

He explained, “I remember a time when there were up on 19 or 20 conferences a year in Ennis.

“If the West County can be encouraged along, we can get back to that stage again.”

He continued, “We had the AllIreland Darts Championships in the West County at the weekend and the hotels were full.

“I saw families of players coming back to the hotel with bags after shopping in the town. If we can get more of that (type of business), Ennis will do well.”

Mr Madden said all groups involved in the promotion of Ennis should meet and agree on a unified approach.

Director of Service and Ennis Town Manager, Ger Dollard told the meeting that groups such as Promote Ennis are working to bring more tourists to Ennis.

However, Mr Dollard said that both Promote Ennis and the Clare Tourism Forum will have to “gear up for a new reality” when the responsibility for tourism promotion for the mid-west is transferred from Shannon Development to An Bórd Fáilte.

Mr Dollard said initiatives such as the recent Purple Flag are aimed at bringing more tourists to Ennis.

Mr Madden told the meeting that businesses are concerned over the time it is taking for responsibility for the newly independent Shannon Airport to be transferred away from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) to the new board.

He said, “It hasn’t really transferred and it is a worry and the people that are going to suffer are businesses.”

He also called for Clare to be better promoted in the arrivals hall of Shannon Airport.

Mr Dollard said a two-person board has already been set up and further appointments are expected.

He said stands promoting Clare will be on view in new destinations serviced by Shannon, such as Phoenix and Washington.

Mr Dollard told the meeting that the Clare Tourism Forum will spend up to € 10,000 this year on signs at Shannon Airport. Ma n u fa c tu re rs o f Bo x P ro file Cla d d in g a n d Co rru g a te d Sh e e tin g a ls o ma n u fa c tu re rs o f No n -Drip In s u la te d Ro o fin g , All Fla s h in g s , Cla p p in g s a n d Gu tte rs e tc Sp e e d y d e live ry, ke e n e s t p ric e s fo r a ll yo u r n e e d s in Ro o fin g Ag ric u ltu ra l o r In d u s tria l

TOWN councillors from Clare’s four different authorities who plan to run for the next local election have one major fear in common, that there respective towns will be forgotten in a new larger local authority.

They say that the major driving force behind their intention to stand is to ensure that their town and the surrounding area will continue to have a voice.

“I would prefer to be standing for Shannon Town Council than Clare County Council. I think town councils have a lot to offer and I think the current situation with the councils being disbanded should be reversed,” said Shannon’s Greg Duff (Lab).

Kilrush town councillors Ian Lynch (FG) and Marian McMahon Jones (FG) know what it is like not to have town representation at county level, and it is with this in mind that they both had decided to contest a county election, even if the town councils had remained.

“It is of the up most importance that we have a strong voice from West Clare,” said Cllr McMahon Jones.

“The town of Kilrush plays a huge part in the development of West Clare. Kilrush needs a councillor on the county council to ensure that the town and West Clare are represented and the concerns and needs of the electorate served,” said Cllr Lynch.

And while Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) may be preparing to contest the county council election, he will forever be a “townie” at heart.

“Look I’m going to have to see what the results of the boundary commission are but I would be intending to go. I would like to see people from the town have someone from the town to vote for. You could have people running that wouldn’t be inclined to have the same love for the town as a townie. I’d be inclined to run just to give people in the town a chance to vote for a townie,” he said.

Cllr Michael Fleming (FG) is keen to represent his town and area but realized getting the opportunity will not be easy.

“It is going to be difficult for anyone to get elected to these new municipal districts, but for people like me who contested their first election in 2009 it is going to be even harder. But despite that I am willing to throw my hat into the ring. I would be a lot happier to run for Shannon Town Council and not this new district,” he said.

A KILMHIL-BASED construction and civil engineering company has plans to develop, upgrade and expand the Kilrush Marina, which is hoped will bring more business and employment to the area.

During the next five years, L&M Keating will invest € 3 million in the marina, at the end of which it should take ownership of the landmark.

In a deal with Shannon Develop- ment, the West Clare Company will construct a new pavilion building, landing pontoon, fixed and floating breakwaters and additional car marking.

It also sought planning permission from Clare County Council to extend the 120-berth marina pontoon to 160 and will carry out much needed dredging and land reclamation works.

When the work is complete, if Shannon Development is happy with the standard, the ownership of the marina will be signed over to L&M Keating, the company that built the marina’s centre for € 400,000 in 1998.

Managing Director of the company, Louis Keating is both excited and confident about the project. A keen sailor, he hopes to turn it around to what it was 20 years ago.

“The most useful thing we are going to do from a user’s point of view is that we are going to automate the lock gate, which is a contentious issue. Currently, the lock gates only work business hours and we are going to make them 24 hours a day. That will be a huge bonus to marinausers,” he told The Clare People .

Dredging the marina also remains a top priority.

The new building planned on site will be for public use, providing access for dolphin tours and visits to Scattery Island. Plans are also in place to upgrade the boat yard, formally Doherty’s Timber Yard.

“We are going to make it a smart, clean boat yard and hopefully get back the marine businesses – boat repairs, engine repairs and electronic repairs – that were there up to relatively recently, but for various reasons they have gone away. I think by drumming up a bit of business and providing nice facilities, we will get them back in,” he said.

“In terms of jobs, actually employed by the marina, there won’t be any change in numbers but I hope the marina industries will come back.

“My vision is that in five years time you would have eight to 10 people working there – let’s say five all year around and 10 through the summer.”

“I’d be making a serious drive to get in more yachts and more business. It is a fantastic facility. It is fundamentally the best marina on the west coast. I am hoping to drum up business on the west coast and further afield. I actually believe there is a market with the UK boat-owners that are paying probably three to four times the berthage that we are paying in Kilrush.

“We will be on a serious marketing drive once we get the development we are planning done.”

THE only name coming from Kilkee Town Council as a possible contender for the county council election in 2014 is that of Paddy Collins (FG).

Cllr Collins is leaving his final decision until the boundary commission has decided the new electoral areas.

“On a personal level, it depends on legislation in March regarding the size of the districts. It looks like it would be impossible if seats are reduced and the constituency goes up as far as Ballyvaughan. I would need possibly 4,000 votes and there ain’t 4,000 votes back here,” he said.

In Kilrush, councillors Liam Williams (FG), Paul Moroney (Ind), and Tom Prendeville (FF) are likely contenders but again the boundary commission is reducing any commitment.

“I am not prepared to commit. I have an interest but it will depend on the boundary commission,” said Cllr Williams.

Cllr Prendeville said, “I will take all matters into consideration – my family, the people of Kilrush and the boundary commission. If it is favourable, I will stand.”

Cllr Moroney said his family are still young so he would have to take that into consideration. The inde- pendent councillor added that he has already been approached by two parties to run, a fact that he is also taking into consideration.

The boundary issue also proved contentious in Ennis, with Cllr Peter Considine (FF) leaving his decision until it reports.

For other councillors, the decision is more straight-forward. They will not be running in the county election.

Kilrush councillor Tom Clyne (Ind) had already decided to retire after serving 10 years on the council, but others were forced to make the decision.

In Kilkee, Mayor Clare Haugh (FF) said she enjoyed her 27 and a half years on the town council to date, but would not be contesting the county elections.

“I hope I have made a contribution to Kilkee,” she said.

Cllr PJ Lardner (FF) said “There’s enough of them there. I prefer working for the community of Kilkee as I have done since ‘94. Maybe 15 years ago but it’s a no for now anyway.”

Cllr Lily Marrinan-Sullivan (Ind) came to the realisation that being a county councillor to a vastly increased area would be a full-time job.

“I hadn’t even thought about it. I’m still hoping they’ll save the town council. I would have to say no. Well, I have a full-time job and I’m not in a position to give all my time, which is what you would have to do,” she said.

Cllr Elaine Haugh-Hayes (FG) has other priorities at the moment.

“No, not me anyway. I have no intention. I have a new baby so I’m a little busy at the moment,” she said.

In Kilrush, it was disillusionment with politics in general that will help former mayor of Kilrush, Liam O’Looney (FF), to leave the world of politics behind after the next local election.

He said, however, that the town council would be missed when it is gone.

“If I never went, I would like to see a council there.”

KILRUSH town councillor Tom Prendeville (FF) will not be standing down when the council meets this evening (Tuesday).

The father of the council threatened such drastic measures at last month’s meeting of the council, if parking is- sues outside a local primary school were not resolved within the month.

He told

THREE Clare properties, including two hotels will go under the hammer in another auction of distressed properties to take place next month.

The Allsop Space auction will feature the well-known Kilkee Bay Hotel in the seaside town, and the Ashford Court Hotel in Ennis.

A house in Mountshannon is also included among the 155 properties listed.

The familiar landmark hotel on the Ennis Road into Kilkee will go to auction with a reserve not to exceed € 315,000. The 41-bedroom hotel together with bar and function room facilities extend to 18,910.45 square feet. The two-storey hotel neighbours The Kilkee Bay Leisure Centre, a basketball court, and several rows of apartments/holiday homes.

There is extensive car parking to the front of the property.

Meanwhile, the Ashford Court Hotel on the Old Mill Road, Ennis, has a smaller reserve than the West Clare hotel, set at a price not to exceed € 215,000. The 27-bed hotel is being sold on the instruction of receiver Kieran Wallace of KPMG.

Set on 0.072 hectares, the property will be sold with all contents to be included.

The property comprises a hotel building arranged over ground and three upper floors. The property includes a restaurant, bar area and ancillary accommodation.

A freehold-detached four-bedroom house with views of Lough Derg will also be on the books at the March 1 auction in the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin.

The Mountshannon house will have a reserve of no more than € 125,000.

THE Gathering Ireland 2013 will be the subject of a unique world recordbreaking attempt this June when the largest ever gathering of persons with the same first name is attempted in County Clare.

The Clare Volunteer Centre, supported by the Gathering Clare Steering Committee, is inviting people with the name Claire, Clair or Clare to travel to Ennis to participate in the potentially record-breaking feat on June 23.

The largest gathering of people with the same first name is 1,096 Mohammeds as part of the Dubai Shopping Festival at Creek Park, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on February 10, 2005.

The record-breaking attempt forms part of the ‘Welcoming Claires to County Clare, Ireland’ project, one of the estimated 230 Gathering festivals and events taking place throughout County Clare during 2013.

According to Sharon Meaney, Manager of the Clare Volunteer Centre, “This is a family event where everyone from babies to grandparents is welcome to attend. You don’t have to be from County Clare, you may not have even heard of County Clare, but you will share a name that is synonymous with being ‘clear, bright and famous’.”

Ms Meaney said the same-name gathering will form part of a weekend of welcomes featuring a free music event on Friday, June 21 in Ennis as part of the Love:Live Music event.

The weekend also will feature street entertainment on Saturday, June 22 and a special-edition ‘Welcome to Clare’ card, which will offer special offers and discounts to various attractions countywide for the weekend.

Tracy Crawford of BallyO Promo- tions and Director of the new Ennis Roots Music weekend added, “As it is the year of the Gathering, we are thrilled to extend the Love:Live event to incorporate a weekend of events, of which ‘Welcoming Claires to County Clare’ will form a part. We are all committed to getting the message out there, that if you want to visit Ireland, there is no better place to come to than County Clare.”

A short film is being filmed and produced by Martin O’Malley of Malbay Studios featuring Claire Daly dancing in various locations around the county showcasing what Clare has to offer.

EDUCATION Minister Ruairi Quinn has warned that it’s “unacceptable” that every national school in the Shannon and Newmarket-on-Fergus area remains under the patronage of a Christian Church.

Minister Quinn made his comments as the month-long school patronage survey close on Friday, just as fears have been raised locally that “pressure” was brought to bear on parents to demand that the status quo of eight Catholic schools remain in the Shannon and Newmarket-onFergus catchment.

“Ireland is a changed place and we have to reflect that change,” warned Minister Quinn, “so it’s simply not acceptable that 96 per cent of primary schools in the country be under the patronage of a Christian Church.

“The Shannon area has to play its part in that, so we have asked parents what kind of ethos they would like to have other than what’s already there. I would expect that in the Shannon region it’s not unreasonable to say of the eight Catholic schools, at least one of them should be in a position to be transferred by way of patronage to the Department of Education.

The eight Catholic schools in the survey area are Scoil na Maighdine Mhuire, Clonmoney and Stonehall in Newmarket-on-Fergus and Gaelscoil Donncha Rua, St Aidan’s, St Tola’s, St Senan’s and St Cronan’s in Shannon. A number of parents have complained that a letter circulated in Newmarket-on-Fergus amounted to pressure from the Catholic Church wanting three schools in the parish included in the survey to remain under Catholic control.

“The schools are rooted in the community and each one has its own distinct identity. A change of patronage would have major implications for staff, boards of management, parents and children,” the letter said.

The results of the survey of these schools will be made known to the Catholic authorities by the end of the month. The church authorities will then have to come back to the Department of Education within three months, ahead of a final resolution of the patronage issue by the end of the year.

“We want to reflect the change in Ireland and provide people with a choice,” said Minister Quinn. “We will assist the Catholic Church authorities in whatever way they want in identifying and selecting a school that could be reasonably transferred.

“In this day and age I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that one or two of those schools can’t change. If this is a true Republic and we accommodate and respect everyone equally. If this is the Banner County, where De Valera was elected for so many years, he would be to the forefront of a republican approach.”