Category: News

A NEW Clare feature film, which is set for a nationwide release later this month, was saved by Northern Ireland Screen after both the Irish Film Board (IFB) and the Irish Arts Council refused to to give it any funding.

The film, which is entitled ‘A Nightingale Falling’, is based on a novel of the same name by Kilnaboy broadcaster and writer, PJ Curtis.

The production company behind the film, Mixed Bag Media, made five separate funding applications in the Republic of Ireland and were rejected on each occasion.

These application included a request to the Irish Film Board for just € 2,000, which was turned down earlier this year.

Had this request been granted it would have given the film official IFB accreditation – allowing it to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival as well as allowing it to access the IFB’s own distribution supports.

Instead, the film, which is set in North Clare during the Irish War of Independence, was saved by unexpected funding from north of the border, and the IMC group of cinemas, who agreed to screen the film nationwide.

“We applied to the Arts Council two years in a row and applied to the Irish Film Board on a number of occasions.

“We never at any stage set up to be an independent film.

“We actively engaged and asked for help all the time,” said Garret Daly of Mixed Bag Media.

“We applied to the Irish Film Board on three separate occasions, the last time being the cost of the print that we showed at the Galway Film Fleadh.

“It became apparent to us as we were making the film that the IFB have their own distribution support fund, and if you don’t have IFB money in your project, you’re not entitled to apply for it.

“That was staring us in the face as we were completing the film – if we didn’t have IFB money in the film then realistically, no-one would be able to see it, because we would not be able to get it distributed.”

With funding for the production running out, Northern Ireland Screen stepped in to fund the recording of the films score by the Ulster Orchestra while, following rave reviews at the Galway Film Fleadh, the IMC independent group of cinemas came on board to ensure screening the film nationwide.

“The Irish Film Board have to make decisions on films every day. It’s hard to know how to react [to being rejected for funding]. It’s a subjective medium.

“All we can do is try and make it as successful as possible,” said Garret.

A spokesperson from the IFB yes- terday claimed that the organisation had received two, and not three, applications in relation to ‘A Nightingale Falling’.

“Whilst we can’t comment on the funding decisions of other funding bodies, I can confirm that all applications received by the IFB go through a rigorous assessment process and final funding decisions are made by the IFB board,” said a spokesperson.

“There is very strong competition for IFB development funding awards. In 2013 the IFB received 329 applications of which only 168 awards were made. Completion funding is even more competitive with much less funding awards available, with only three completion funding awards made in 2013. It is important to note that final funding decisions are and must be made on the strength of the application, the script and the specific film project involved and not on the amount of funding requested, no matter how small.

“We would like to wish the team behind ‘A Nightingale Falling’ every success with the exploitation of this film. Our production and development department is already in discussion with the team behind ‘A Nightingale Falling’ on a separate project.”

‘A Nightingale Falling’ will be screened in the Ennis cinema and 13 other cinema’s nationwide for a week from September 12. ENNIS native Eoin Doohan will be leading 50 cyclists from Dundalk to Liscannor this week in aid of cancer charities, with Cahercalla Hospice just one of the worthy causes set to benefit from the fundraising event. Eoin and his group are hoping to raise € 75,000 this week. “We will be stopping in Ennis Golf Club on Friday morning around 11am and that is almost the last leg of the cycle. “Hopefully there will be a good local turnout to welcome us and maybe throw a few euros into the bucket,” reports Eoin, who has undertaken a strict training regime to prepare for the 350km trip. The idea for the cycle came after Eoin lost a close friend Stephen Carroll last November. “Unfortunately in November 2013 a close friend of mine, Stephen Carroll, lost his year-long struggle against cancer. Stephen was just 38 and left a wife and three young kids behind him,” he said. “Stephen, among many things, was a wonderful cyclist and in the weeks before he passed away I told him of my intention to raise money for a number of cancer charities by undertaking a fundraising cycle from Dundalk to Liscannor in 2014. “The charities to benefit are The Irish Cancer Society, The North Louth Hospice and The Clare Hos

pice at Cahercalla.

“The help and support provided by the various cancer charities proved invaluable throughout Stephen’s fight against cancer and while it is impossible to repay the palliative care team and night nurses for how they cared for Stephen and his family I hope to raise funds in his name to ensure the amazing work these charities do continues,” said Eoin, who added, “I can still remember the look on Stephen’s face when I told him what we were planning.

“He got a good laugh out of it. Stephen was a great guy. It will be very emotional when we start, during and on the finish of the cycle.”

The cycle begins this Wednesday from from Stephen’s house in Dundalk this Wednesday and the group intend to finish in Liscannor on Friday evening.

Anyone who wants to contribute to such a worthy cause can click onto www.mycharity.ie and click on Sponsor a Friend and type in Eoin Doohan, or make their way to Ennis Golf Club on Friday morning and greet the cyclists and maybe contribute there.

THE Cliffs of Moher have been selected as the favourite place in Ireland to bring foreign visitors.

According to the results of the fifth National Heritage sur vey, more than 30 per cent of people say that they would take tourists to see the world famous tour ist at t raction.

Indeed, the Cliffs of Moher would seem to have developed a cer t ai n addictive qualit y for visitors with 22 per cent of those sur veyed saying they visited the Cliffs more than 10 ti mes this year.

The Cliffs of Moher have also been identified as Ireland’s most scar y heritage site with 79 per cent of people admit ting that it is t he heritage site they are most afraid of.

This news comes as t he Cliffs of Moher reveals that it is on course to at tract more than one million tourists to Clare this year – the largest number of visitors since records began.

“It’s great that t he nation are continuing to t ake enor mous pride in our herit age sites and landmarks and enjoying showing these off to overseas visitors. Our heritage sites are vital to the tourism industr y in Ireland but also in defining where we have come from and t he r ich legacy we hold i n Ireland,” said David Lane of Ecclesiastical Ireland.

“The research highlights the need for heritage proper t y owners to continue to protect the sites to ensure t hese remain prominent in t he lives of Irish people.”

Newgrange in County Meat h was voted as Ireland’s favourite heritage site, while al most all of those sur veyed, 99 per cent, rate Ireland’s heritage as ver y impor tant to the tourism indust ry.

A tot al of 46 per cent of people believe t here should be st ricter laws gover ning the protection of heritage sites, while 98 per cent of people thi nk t he Gover nment needs to conti nue to provide tax incentives to heritage proper ty owners regarding the maintenance and upkeep of t hei r heritage proper ty.

THE number of Clare women travelling to the England and Wales for an abortion has dropped significantly over the past 12 months since legislation for the X-Case was enacted by the Government.

According to figures obtained by the UK Department of Health, the number of women obtaining an abortion who listed Clare as their home, fell by 15 per cent last year. This is the continuation of trend which has emerged in recent years with fewer and fewer women from Clare travelling to obtain a termination.

A total of 55 women gave County Clare as their home address when travelling for an abortion last year. This compares to 64 in 2012, 83 in 2011 and 75 in 2010.

There has also been a marked increase in the number of Irish women who do not give a county of origin when travelling to England and Wales for an abortion. A total of 855 women did not state any county of origin when travelling to the UK.

This means that almost a fifth of all Irish women did not give a county of origin, which could mean a larger number Clare women obtained abortions than the figures suggest.

A spokesperson from the Clare Pro Life Campaign said yesterday that many women who travel to the UK for abortion feel that they do not have a choice in the matter.

“Any number of women travelling to the UK for an abortion is too many. We feel that, 12 months on from the legislation, we still need to sit down and talk about the root causes of abortion,” said Maura Garrihy of the Clare Pro-Life Campaign. “We need to support Clare women who still feel like they have no other choice but to have an abortion. We feel that part of the reason why the number of abortions are down is the increase in information that is out there. People are now realising more that a baby’s heart is beating after 21 days and it is not just a clump of cells.

“When you talk to women who have had abortions, many of them feel that they have no choice but to have an abortion.”

A CLARE actress and student of an Ennis-based acting school has scooped a top award in one of the country’s biggest drama competitions.

West Clare woman Anna Moloney has been honoured with a Leinster School of Music and Drama Excellence Award for her outstanding performance in drama.

Approximately 15,000 students across the country take the Leinster School of Music and Drama exam each year and this excellence award accolade is only bestowed on four students in all of Ireland.

Anna, who is from Miltown Malbay, will be presented with her prize at a Gala Concert in Griffith College, Dublin, in October.

Anna is a student of the School of Speech and Drama, Actors and Reactors in Ennis. The school was founded by Clare sisters Aoibhín and Doireann Garrihy last August.

The sisters have had a hugely successful year. Several of their students were award winners at the world famous famous Feile Luimni.

As well as creative drama and feiseanna, the students participated in the Leinster School of Music and Drama exams in April of this year and each one received first class honours.

“We are extremely proud of all of our students. The standard in Clare and indeed our school is very high and in a time when the importance of self confidence is becoming more and more apparent our focus is on developing crucial skills which we hope will benefit our students greatly,” said Aiobhín of the student’s achievements.

Two students of the Actors and Reactors School of Speech and Drama, Ava Rochford and Anna Moloney, were nominated for an excellence award for their outstanding performance in drama. They performed for a panel of judges in Griffith College, Dublin, on July 5.

Aoibhín is currently playing Jane Bennett in Alan Stanford’s production of Jane Austen’s famous ‘Pride and Prejudice’ in the Gate Theatre Dublin.

THE cash strapped Rape Crisis Centre in Clare is forced to close its doors from Monday for one month.

The service that provides counselling and services to victims of rape and sexual abuse throughout the county has been forced to take this action due to lack of funds.

The Rape Crisis Mid West, of which Clare is part, made the decision to close the Nenagh centre during the month of July and Clare in September when it was apparent it could not make up the annual shortfall of € 120,000.

Verena Tarpey of the Rape Crisis Mid West explained, “We are part funded by the Government to carry out our services – the service in the entire mid-west, taking in the three centres including Limerick, Clare and Tipperary cost approximately € 450,000 – we face an annual shortfall of approximately € 120,000 which we must bridge by fundraising.

“We receive no government funding to service the overheads connected with the Ennis centre and must fundraise locally to raise this deficit. We did not foresee us being in a position to bridge this significant shortfall this year and made the decision to temporarily close Ennis in September, Nenagh in June and provide a skeletal service in Limerick for the summer,” she said.

As well as dealing with a financial shortfall the service is also working with a waiting list of 30 people who are in need of long-term counselling.

Those on the list must wait approximately three to four months for medium- to long-term support and counselling, and that timeline has now been extended again as a result of the temporary forced closure of Clare’s only centre.

Ms Tarpey said it was important to highlight the fact that despite the financial challenges facing the organisation, emergency cases and crisis calls would be dealt with immediately.

“It is important to distinguish this from crisis support that we provide where no person will be turned away. For example, if a person rings our centre looking for support in the immediate aftermath of a rape, either he or she will be seen immediately, often within an hour or a couple of hours. Likewise, if a person rings us in relation to past abuse and are in crisis at present, we will offer them support within hours or days. All those on the waiting list are monitored and contacted and are offered up to six weeks of support counselling while they are on the waiting list,” she said.

Meanwhile the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU) in the midwest, will continue to run uninterrupted.

This is an out of hours service for 12 hours from 6pm.

The unit is a forensic facility where someone who has been raped or sexually assaulted can be forensically examined.

In the mid-west, the SATU unit is activated by the Garda only when a report is made and is not a walk-in unit. Rape Crisis Midwest provide a trained volunteer to attend the forensic examination when called.

“We have a roster of volunteers every night of the year. The role of the SATU volunteer from a rape crisis perspective is to provide crisis support to victim/survivor on initial attendance to the SATU,” said Ms Tarpey.

“We are also there to support victim before, during and after the forensic examination to provide support, advocacy and information and the reporting, examination and SATU process to liaise with the forensic examiner, nurse and any attending garda on the person’s behalf.”

IN A bid to avoid closing the county’s only Rape Crisis Centre again in 2015, supporters for the charity have begun its biggest fundraiser of the year. The Dainty Daisy Contest, described as the “Lovely Girls competition for Men”, will raise funds for the Rape Crisis Centre in Ennis and all funds raised will stay in the county.

Already 12 men have signed up for the contest in the Treacys West County Hotel on November 1, and the organisation is looking for more men in high heels to take on the challenge.

Rape Crisis Services in the midwest, including Clare, costs an estimated € 570,000 each year. While the Government provide € 450,000 towards the service, manned mostly by volunteers, a shortfall of € 120,000 must be found through fundraising.

This year the shortfall could not be met and the Clare service, which depends 100 per cent on fundraising, has to close for the month of September.

Friends of the charity said raising funds for the charity is difficult, as those that use the service who want to give back by supporting fundraisers often cannot do so publicly.

“Raising funds for the Rape Crisis Centre is a challenge, least of all because those that use the service do so in confidence and often without the knowledge of even their closest friends and family,” explained Cllr Mary Howard, who has been a volunteer fundraiser with the organisation for a number of years.

“That is one of the things we struggle with as a centre because, in the vast majority of cases for organisations that are charities, people would be very open about using something perhaps like a cancer support service or a hospital where perhaps their child was ill or other charities that support illnesses or conditions. The vast majority of our clients and the 85 people that are coming through the mid-west every week, and that does not include those on the phone, the vast majority of these people will not go public and say they were sexually abused as a child or an adult and ‘I am going public to raise money for this organisation’,” added Verena Tarpey from Rape Crisis Centre Mid West.

She said while funds for the centre are being cut, the need for the service is increasing especially since the recession.

“Often a new crisis brings up a sexual abuse as a child and it needs to be dealt with,” she said.

“We are trying to change the public perception of who the rape crisis centre is for an who goes through it. It is for ordinary people who may have been sexually abused or have had some sort of sexual violence in the past.”

This is the third year of the Dainty Daisy competition and it is hoped that it will raise much needed and urgent funds for the Clare Rape Crisis service.

Those wishing to support the fundraiser can do so by sponsoring a “Daisy”, attending the event on November 1 or nominating their own “Dainty Daisy” to take part.

Anyone wishing to support the Rape Crisis Service in Clare can contact Verena at verena. tarpey@rapecrisis.ie or Mary at maryhoward2009@gmail.com or by contacting

BY now a host of Clare sports stars, politicians and musical personalities have all taken the plunge this week with the Ice Bucket Challenge taking the county by storm. The challenge, which involves filming yourself while someone pours a bucket of ice and water over your head, is part of a major fundraising drive in aid of Motor Neuron Disease.

Clare’s All-Ireland hat-trick hero, Shane O’Donnell, was one of the first stars to to get himself wet during the week when he took the challenge during the inaugural Shane O’Donnell Summer Camp.

The Éire Óg club man nominated Podge Collins, footballers Colm Cooper and Jack McCaffrey as well as Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, to take up the challenge while also donating € 100 to Motor Neurone Disease Ireland (MND).

Clare TD Timmy Dooley (FF) has put himself in the firing and took the challenge over the weekend.

Deputy Dooley called out his fellow Clare TDs Michael McNamara (Lab), Pat Breen (FG) and Joe Carey (FG) – none of whom have yet posted a video (as of Monday evening). For more see page 13.

GARDAÍ in West Clare and the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are investigating what a dog warden with more than 20 years experience described as “the worse case of animal cruelty ever seen”.

Clare dog warden Frankie Coote said he was shocked at the state of the four-year-old German Sheperd discovered in a yard in West Clare. The animal who was still alive was too weak to move and was being eaten alive by rodents and maggots.

Mr Coote was not expecting the harrowing scenes that were to greet him in West Clare on Monday last, following an anonymous tip to the ISPCA.

“In 23 years I have seen a lot of animals suffering and dying but this was by far the worst. I believe the dog could not have moved from the position in five to six weeks and he was being eaten by maggots and rodents,” he said.

Parts of the young dog’s limbs were dismembered from the rest of his body, Mr Coote recalled, visibly distressed by the incident.

“I thought the dog was dead, and said as much to the guard with me, until I went to take the photo and the dog moved. The flash went off and I couldn’t believe he was still alive,” said the warden who is employed by the ISPCA and works full time with Clare County Council.

In a heartbreaking description of the dog rescue Mr Coote described how despite the agony the dog was in, he lifted his head and licked the warden’s face he lifted him from the yard.

“The dog was so gentle. He was licking my face as I was lifting him out. He could only lift his head. The only muscles still working in his body were in his neck. It was one of the kindest dogs I have ever come across,” he said.

Mr Coote was disappointed the dog had to be humanly destroyed.

“We had to put the dog down. Even examining the dog would have been cruel. I hate even saying this but there were parts of his body left on the ground as we lifted him,” he said, adding the vet was shocked at the state of the animal.

“Many rescue groups offered to take the dog but he was beyond help.”

Gardaí and the ISPCA are investigating and it is understood they are following a definite line of inquiry.

Mr Coote encourages anyone with concerns about an animal’s welfare to contact the ISPCA on 1890 515 515 and support the work of the charity whenever possible.

MOTORISTS are advised to expect delays in Ennis following the introduction of a one-way system aimed at alleviating traffic congestion outside one of the county’s biggest schools.

Clare County Council implementing a new one way system at Lifford Road, also known locally as Dr Daly Road.

Works to put in place the new traffic system commenced yesterday and are expected to last for approximately two weeks.

In May, members of the former Ennis Town Council gave the go-ahead for the system, which will see traffic run one way from New Road to Lifford Road.

The council proposed the system to address heavy traffic congestion at Ennis CBS primary and secondary schools around opening and closing times.

In a report to councillors at the time, executive engineer Alan Morrissey stated, “A number of near miss incidents have been reported at the school warden crossing point adjacent to this junction. Traffic congestion on New Road was cited as a major contributory factor.

“A number of cars are parking on a long stay basis at the New Road end of the L4556, which exacerbates traf fic congestion in this area at school pick up times,” he added.

In its submission to the council, CBS primary school said enrollment at the school has grown in the last few years leading to an associated increase in traffic congestion.

The school states the proposed scheme would provide a marked al- leviation to the problem. However in their submissions, residents and landowners on Lifford Road objected to the new one-way system. One resident said the proposal to “discharge traffic onto Lifford Road R352-455, will not work because it is a much busier road with restricted visibility to the right.” Another resident states, “The proposal aims to solve a traffic conges- tion issue that occurs for 20 minutes per day, 167 days a year by permanently directing traffic to a dangerous junction. The short-term congestion is far more acceptable than the proposed scheme.” Works at Lifford Road will take place typically between the hours of 8am and 6pm over the next two weeks. Traffic management control measures will be in place and will include restrictions on use of the road and the use of stop/go traffic control. Clare County Council are advising the public to reduce speed in the vicinity of the works and to expect delays, owing to the road works and traffic management controls in place. Local access will be accommodated at all times, the Council says. Dr Daly Road is the road that runs alongside the Fair Green from New Road (at the CBS Primary School) to Lifford Road (near St Joseph’s Hospital). The council states, “Under the new one-way system that traffic will be one-way northbound on Dr Daly Road, i.e. from the junction with New Road (L4554) in the direction of Lifford Road (R352-455). Informal pedestrian crossing points will be provided as part of the scheme. On street parking with a maximum stay of two hours will be provided along the western side of the road, closest to the Fair Green. Parking will be prohibited along the eastern side of the road.”

FAMILLIES of Clare people affected by addiction are increasingly seeking help from one of the midwest’s largest addiction treatment centres.

The Ennis-based Bushypark residential treatment centre has increased the level of services on offer to families to meet a growing demand for their provision.

“There are a number of people trying to access assessments or residential treatment programmes or our outreach services,” explained Mar- garet Nash, manager of Bushypark Treatment Centre.

“There has been an increase in service required for family members affected [by drug alcohol abuse, gambling]. We have a new family support services running, additional ones in Ennis and Limerick.

Ms Nash said it has been an “extremely busy year” for the centre, which provides around the clock addiction treatment and outreach services to people in the mid-west, Galway and Kerry.

“We have developed a number of new services during the year. We’ve set up an outreach project in conjunc- tion with other services in Kilrush for clients in the West Clare are that need to access service in relation to alcohol or drugs,” she added.

Ms Nash was speaking ahead of a major fundraiser in aid of Bushypark. The third annual Bushypark Golf Classic takes place in Ennis Golf Club on Saturday, August 30.

This event is an important fundraiser for the centre. Teams of four are € 120 or € 30 for individuals.

The event can also be supported through tee or green sponsorship. Further information is available from 065 6840944.

Ms Nash said the centre is grate- ful for the support it has received throughout the years.

“We’ve had a lot of loyal supporters throughout the years: People who are grateful; people who have accessed our services. Money has got scarce but people’s goodwill is still good to us. People are delighted with the services we offer them,” she said.

BushyPark Addiction Treatment Centre was founded in 1991 by Clarecare with funding and assistance from the Mid-Western Health Board.

It provides services at 16 locations throughout the country. Ms Nash said a growing number of people are coming forward to seek help with addiction.

“There are more people coming forward in relation to dealing with addiction which is good. I think people are more likely to confront issues. Hopefully the stigma has been reduced. It’s not broken but its reduced. People are starting to come forward. There is a link between mental health and addiction and people are beginning to deal with both issues, which is great,” she said. “We’re finding it a very mixed age. There is no upper limit. That’s good too, that people haven’t decided at 65, ‘I’m too old to deal with this’.”