Category: News

A NEW York marketing manager who threatened to headbutt an airline pilot and forced an emergency landing at Shannon Airport was ordered to pay € 3,367 in compensation to British Airways and a sum of € 1,000 to the court poor box at Ennis district Court yesterday (Friday).

Judge Patrick Durkin struck out the charges against Damian Kington with an address at 105 West, 29th Street, NY, 10001 taking into account a number of factors including the affect a new medication combined with alcohol had on the defendant at the time of the incident over the Atlantic.

On Wednesday, Mr Kington, an Australian native, was taken from BA Gunb flight 004 to Ennis District Court and charged with threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour contrary to Section 2A(3) and Section 2A(4) of the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1973 as inserted by Section 65 of the Air Navigation and Transport (Amendment) Act 1998.

He was also charged with engaging in behaviour likely to cause serious offence or annoyance to any person on board the aircraft under the same Air Navigation and Transport act.

Garda Noel O’Rourke told the court he had arrested Mr Kington that morning at 9.15 after the flight from JFK New York to London City airport was diverted to Shannon.

At 7.30am the captain and commander of the flight Niall Jones told air traffic control that he had an unruly passenger on board and requested to land at theCounty Clare airport.

The court heard that when Mr Kington had boarded the 32-seater business class plane he was observed by the cabin crew to be in a sober state.

During the course of the flight, he was served four to five aircraft bottles of wine and in his luggage were found two different types of medication.

Two hours into the flight, the 35year-old got out of his seat and stood over two other male passengers across the isle, in what they said was a “threatening manner”.

He then referred to them as “c@*ts and paedophiles”. He started “F-ing and blinding at staff and other passengers”.

The frequent flyer was served with a verbal warning by the crew and then a written warning. A few minutes later, the captain was called again. As he came down the aisle, the defendant came towards him and pushed him.

“He pushed me and tried to head butt me,” the captain told gardaí in a statement.

As there was no marshal aboard, the crew then struggled to restrain and handcuff the defendant as they considered him “a serious risk to passengers on the flight.”

Later when Gda O’Rourke went on to the flight at Shannon they found the accused to be in a subdued and “dozy state”.

He was extremely pleasant to us,” he said. “There was a strong smell of alcohol and he was unsteady on his feet.”

Mr Kington works in New York as the head of marketing team in a very high profile company and was travelling to England for Christmas.

Solicitor for the Defence Úna Moylan said that her client was in a state of shock after the events aboard the plane.

She told the court that he had an ongoing depression condition and had taken one and a half Xanax and one anti-anxiety tablet coupled with the alcohol. She said he remembered nothing of the incident.

Yesterday (Friday) Mr Kington told the court that he was on a new medication at the time.

“It is fair to say I was and still am mortified by the accounts given by the witnesses. The fact I have no recollection is more frightening.”

He apologised to the airline, passengers, captain and crew and the gardaí. He said he would no longer be taking that form of medication or drinking on an aircraft.

Judge Durkin said that the charges against Mr Kington were very serious but he dismissed them and ordered him to pay € 3,367 to cover the costs of the landing charge in Shannon, the ground handling cost and the fuel cost and ordered him to pay a further € 1,000 to the court poor box.

The judge said he was taking into account that the Damian Kington onboard the flight was not the man reflected in his many references.

He also took into account his early guilty plea, describing the defendant as “a man of impeccable character.”

“I accept your responsibility was seriously diminished,” he said adding that he hoped Mr Kington would visit Ireland again under different circumstances.

A MAN who had to be forcefully removed from his ex-girlfriend’s car by four gardaí had been ordered to pay € 575 in compensation and donations to the court poor box.

Brendan Brosnan, Ballycasey, Shannon pleaded guilty to four charges relating to a night that saw him arrested by gardaí and placed in a cell where he later caused criminal damage.

The 35-year-old refused legal representation at Ennis District Court, the operations manager opting to represent himself.

Prosecuting Garda Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that on Sunday December 15, 2012, Mairead Gavin called Shannon Garda Station and reported that her ex-boyfriend had refused to get out of her car.

She said she had been giving Mr Brosnan a lift home and when they got to his house he told her he was not leaving the car.

Garda Pearce and Sergeant Ryan went to the house but Mr Brosnan refused to get out of the car.

Two more gardaí and a second patrol car were called to scene.

Eventually the four gardaí forced Mr Brosnan from the car.

He then started to hit out at gardaí and told Garda Pearce he would “kick the head off him”.

Inspector Kennedy said Mr Brosnan was taken to a cell at Shannon Garda Station where he then “stuffed a cell blanket into the toilet” causing damage to the blanket.

“Tell me why I should not impose a prison sentence,” asked presiding Judge Patrick Durkan.

“It was totally out of character for me and I do apologise to the gardaí on the night.

I threw the blanket and it ended up in the toilet,” said Mr Brosnan.

“I am very embarrassed and deeply ashamed.”

“I have no excuse,” adding that he was inebriated at the time.

Inspector Kennedy told Judge Durkan that the loss to the state following the damage to the blanket was € 75.

“Your behaviour on the night was appalling,” the judge said to the defendant.

Taking into account his clean record and early plea Judge Durkin ordered Mr Brosnan to pay € 175 in compensation – € 75 towards the cost of the blanket and € 100 for the clean up of the cell.

He remanded him to appear in Ennis District Court on February 16 by which time Mr Brosnan must have paid the compensation and € 400 to the court’s poor box.

If these orders are not met Mr Brosnan was told he will be fined a total of € 950.

A MAN of the people, a legend in his own lifetime, one of the greatest ballad singers Ireland has ever produced, a historian, a storyteller, a farmer and a hurler.

All were used to describe the late Robbie McMahon – the King of Spancil Hill responsible for making the song of the same name famous – who passed away last Thursday after a short illness.

The tributes were led by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann chief, Labhrás Ó Murchú, who gave the graveside oration at his funeral and described McMahon as “a giant of traditional Irish culture, whose legacy will live on for future generations in his songs”.

These words were echoed by his many friends – in his native parish of Clooney, around Clare and beyond as huge numbers attended the removal of his remains on Saturday evening last and his funeral on Sunday afternoon.

“His legacy will be the historical events that he has recorded through his own songs,” says Frank Whelan of the Clare branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, who was one of the driving forces behind the 2010 documentary on McMahon’s life entitled ‘Last Night as I was Dreaming’.

“He was much more than a singer, he was a social historian, because all his songs were stories,” added Mr Whelan. “The one thing about Robbie was that King or pauper – they were all equal,” says Mike Duggan, in whose pub in Spancil Hill that McMahon played host to a monthly singing session that became known throughout Ireland and beyond as ‘ Robbie’s First Fr ida y’. “It was his magnetism, it was his wonderful personality,” continues Duggan. “Thousands of people have come to ‘Robbie’s First Fr ida y’ over the years. No dignitary was too big, no person was too small for Robbie.”

THREE thugs broke into a West Clare home late on Sunday night last, terrorising two elderly sisters and demanding money. The trio broke down the door of the rural farmhouse in Kildymo, Bansha near the seaside town of Kilkee be- tween 10.30pm and 11.30pm and entered the premises where the women had lived all of their lives. A frightening ordeal then began for the two ladies in their eighties as the robbers ripped the phone from the wall and demanded money from them. There was very little money in the house and the thugs eventually got away with a small amount of cash from the old age pensioners purses. The three who had targeted two vulnerable older women in their own home covered their faces during the robbery. It is not known how long the frightening ordeal continued for, but the two ladies were left very shocked after the late night experience. They are recovering in a nursing home since. The farmhouse, described as being left in a state after the event, is situated close to Bansha graveyard along a minor but busy rural road. One neighbour told The Clare People that while the sisters lived a very simple life on their family farm, opting to live with out modern comforts such as electricity, central heating and running water, they were very popular and well known locally. “People locally are shocked and many are very frightened after this,” he said. Gardaí in the Kilrush district are leading the investigation into the late night robbery. They have appealed to anyone who may have seen anything on the night of Sunday, December 9, or have any other information to contact the Garda Station in Kilkee or Kilrush.

MORE than one third of this year’s LEADER funding for Clare was signed off on this month with community groups and small businesses from across the county benefiting.

The board of Clare Local Development Company approved almost € 2 million in LEADER grant-aid at the December board meeting.

This grant-aid is estimated to lever an additional € 1 million in private funding bringing a major boost to the local economy at the end of the year.

Almost € 5.8 million in the total LEADER grant-aid has now been approved in Clare in 2012.

According to the CEO of CLDC, Doirin Graham, the grant aid will support a range of community projects including a new purposebuilt community centre for Lough Graney and the refurbishment of community buildings in Tulla, Cooraclare and Feakle.

“LEADER funding will support the development of new astro-turf playing pitches at Killdysart and a new children’s playground at Clarecastle, while a number of smaller community initiatives will also benefit,” said Ms Graham.

Several Tourism and Enterprise projects also received grant support with new businesses being established in Feakle, Clonlara, Lahinch, Kilmurry McMahon, Quin and Whitegate and existing businesses expanding operations at Shannon, Loop Head, Carron, Ennistymon and Quin.

A small number of training projects also received support as did a local history project for Corofin and a feasibility study on the potential use of Ballinalacken Castle for tourism promotion in North Clare.

The CLDC board also approved funding towards the promotion of The Gathering initiative in the county.

“Next year is the last year of the current LEADER Programme in terms of project approvals and funding would appear to be already expended on capital community projects other than heritage projects,” added Ms Graham.

“We have exceeded the targets which we set at the beginning of 2012 and with the success of the programme nationally our department is now taking stock of the areas where projects will continue to be accepted in 2013.”

Stephen Walsh, Chairman of the Board of CLDC, complimented his fellow board members for their commitment to the work of the local development company in 2012. He also thanked the management and staff for their work in successfully rolling out a wide range of programmes to the people of County Clare and looked forward to further achievement in 2013

FORMER Mayor of Kilrush Cllr Stephen O’Gorman (FF) passed away on Friday morning just hours after watching a recorded episode of Coronation Street with his wife Geraldine.

The town councillor had been ill for the last few months, but his sudden passing was still a shock to his loving family, friends, fellow councillors and constituents.

Cllr O’Gorman was elected to Kilrush Town Council in 1994 and served as mayor on two occasions. His colleagues described him as a political colossus.

He was recognised for his resilience and more particularly for his stand against anti-social behaviour.

At his request the Multi-Agency Task Force, bringing together all strands of community life under one umbrella, was established. The John Paul Estate Regeneration Project was one of his greatest political achievements. As Manager of the Community Centre in the estate, he organised self-development programmes for the residents. He was also a member of the board of Kilrush Amenity Trust, Éiri Corca Baiscinn and Clare VEC.

Kilrush Town Clerk John Corry said that during his time working with Stephen he found the councillor took a “very keen interest and pride in his town and in particular in John Paul Estate.”

“He continuously fought to see the regeneration of John Paul Estate and it was an immense source of satisfaction to him to see such significant improvement works taking place in the estate over the past few years. As well as the structural improvements within the estate he also sought to improve the social fabric of the estate through the Multi Agency Group set up for that purpose and through his role as supervisor of the community centre within the estate.

“Over the years Stephen raised many Notices of Motion regarding carrying out improvement works to Moore Street, Crawford Street, and Wilson’s Road. Stephen was delighted to see significant improvement works carried out to roads, footpaths and public lighting in these areas by Kilrush Town Council, on foot of his Motions.

“On a personal level Stephen was a great family man and on my last conversation with him he spoke to me about family and the importance of family. Stephen will be a huge loss to Kilrush Town Council, to Kilrush and most of all to his family. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.”

Stephen O’Gorman is survived by his beloved wife Geraldine, sons Stephen and Barry, daughters Mandy, Sinéad, Mary and Claire, sonsin-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, relatives and friends.

CLARE County Council planners have said that there are “serious concerns” relating to the application by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to construct a car park in the shadow of Mullaghmore mountain, which has threatened to re-open interpretative centre controversy that dogged North Clare for over a decade.

The local authority has outlined these concerns to the NPWS this week in a direct request for more information about the car park plan because “the information submitted with this application is insufficient” for planners to make a judgement.

A decision on the planning permission was to be made by last Sunday, December 16, but this has now been deferred after the council’s senior staff officer in Planning and Enterprise Development Siobhan O’Reilly has that “serious concerns arise as regards the principle of the development as proposed at this site location within an area that is designated as a Special Area of Conservation”.

“Concerns arise that in the absence of a formal Conservation Management Plan for the Burren National Park, the development may be premature and may lead to piecemeal, uncoordinated development at this sensitive location,” Ms O’Reilly adds.

In its objection to the car park application at Knockaunroe, Corofin, submitted to Clare County Council in October, the Burren Action Group (BAG) said the development was “part of a process” that will eventually lead to the building of a visitor facility in the area.

BAG warned that the car park will “create a new set of risks” in the Burren – chief among these a covert plan of “induced development” designed to eventually bring about the building of visitor facilities at Gortalecka, the original site earmarked for the Mullaghmore Interpretative Centre.

Now, council planners have made a number of requests from the NPWS before they will make a decision on the planning application. “It is considered that the content of the Conservation Management Plan for the Park would inform the planning process in terms of future plans for access management, visitor management and service provision at this location,” says Ms O’Reilly in her correspondence with NPWS. “As a management plan has not been prepared, it is considered that there is a shortfall in terms of information available,” she adds.

The NPWS have been asked to submit details of a timeframe for the completion of the Conservation Management Plan and this should include: a visitor management plan for the Burren National Park, a transport and access plan, future development plans for the area and details of the management plan.

In advance of a formal response to this request for further information, the NPWS has been invited to meeting with the planning authority, while Ms O’Reilly states that “the request for further information should not be construed as an indication of a positive decision”. Th e re will b e n o Wh ite Ch rist m a s t h is ye a r, wit h Ch rist m a s Day fo re c a st to be m ild a n d we t .

MONEYPOINT and Innismurry/Cahercon have been named as “Strategic Sites” on the Draft Strategic Integrated Framework Plan (SIFP) for the Shannon Estuary.

A multi-agency steering group comprising of Clare County Council as lead authority has commissioned the land and marine-based plan, which is said to be the first of its type to be developed in the country.

It has been a long held view of many local representatives that the southern part of the estuary – Kerry and Limerick – has been developed to the detriment of Clare.

This new draft plan outlines a strategic plan for the future development and management of marine-related industry and tourism along Ireland’s largest estuary, and includes a number of key points along the Clare side of the estuary.

The SIFP identifies nine ‘Strategic Sites’ on the Estuary, namely Moneypoint, Innismurry/Cahericon both in County Clare, Limerick Docks, Foynes Island, Foynes Port and adjoining lands, Askeaton Industrial Estate, Aughinish Island, (Limerick), Tarbert Power Station and Ballylongford Landbank (Kerry). For the most part, these sites are zoned for ‘Marine-Related Industry’ with Askeaton zoned for ‘Industry’ and Limerick Docks zoned for ‘Mixed Use’.

In some cases, the zonings confirm existing large scale developments but additional lands for expansion and some new sites are also identified.

Moneypoint Power Station has also been identified as part of the ‘Key Energy Sites’ in addition to Ballylongford Landbank and Tarbert Power Station, the site of the permitted liquefied natural gas LNG project.

The Plan identifies Moneypoint, Kilconly point, Carrig Island and Tarbert Bay as opportunity sites for renewable energy, with opportunities for servicing offshore renewable energy developments also identified.

Five Clare fishing points have also been singled out for fishing and aquaculture development. There are eight separate opportunity sites singled out on the Estuary, including designated Shell Fish Waters at Poulnasherry Bay and Carrigaholt Bay in Clare.

Other areas of opportunity include Rinevella Bay, Killimer and Clonderlaw Bay in Clare, Carrig Island in Kerry, and Greenish Island and Long Rock in Limerick. The plan outlines the tourism potential of the Estuary and includes objectives to further develop the cruise ship industry, while it highlights the potential of the islands on the Fergus Estuary.

Meanwhile, the strategy features objectives relating to aviation and supports the future development of Shannon Airport, including acknowledging the importance of the 2,000acre land bank zoned for aviation uses in the new Shannon Town and Environs Local Area Plan 2012-2018.

BUSINESSES in Clare need further investment in broadband to support enterprise and jobs growth across the county. In a new report, Connecting the West: Next Generation Broadband in the Western Region, the Western Development Commission highlights this need.

The report includes case studies such as that of MeteoGroup in Ennis, a company that finds the cost of telecommunications services for a given level of broadband capacity more expensive in Ireland than at its other sites across Europe. Another Clare company, eTeams based in Scariff, highlighted the practice of eWorking, where employees work remotely from the company office, but need broadband connections to do so.

The Western Development Com- mission’s report examines the likely rollout of next generation broadband services and makes recommendations to ensure next generation access for all areas and better value for money for state investment in infrastructure.

Mr Ian Brannigan (acting CEO) said “broadband costs in the Western Region need to be competitive with prices available across Europe. Rural and regional areas need quality broadband services at a competitive price to ensure that businesses can compete on a level playing field”.

“The evidence from across the region presented in this report indicates that in many areas broadband services lag those that are available elsewhere in the country, for example, the western region accounts for 18 per cent of the households in Ireland but accounts for 28 per cent of applicants to the Rural Broadband Scheme (RBS) highlighting the weaker broadband services there.”

The WDC report noted that a better value of next generation broadband infrastructure can make geographic distance to customers far less relevant and provides easy access to worldwide markets. “This can be a real benefit to promoting regional and rural job growth, but only if the infrastructure and services are there,” said Mr Brannigan.

THERE was mixed reaction to the Draft Strategic Integrated Framework Plan (SIFP) for the Shannon Estuary, with one experienced local representative saying he was not impressed.

West Clare Councillor PJ Kelly (FF) who has been critical of the lack of development on the north of the estuary compared to the south in the past said the plan “was not an inviting document. It is not a document that would invoke interest for international investors.”

The father of the council chamber said that he has seen five different reports on the Shannon Estuary being published and they were all shelved.

“I have a funny feeling this one will go the same way,” he said.

Cllr Kelly had argued that the area north of the estuary be zoned a “Special Development Zone” to encourage development.

This is not included and he maintains that the number of special areas of conservation without a SDZ would prove off putting to investors.

“We are more sterilised on the Clare side than on the south side by EU regulations,” he added.

“Like previous reports it is aspirational, lacks focus, is too general and far from convincing.”

Launching the report Minister of State for Housing and Planning Jan O’Sullivan, was more positive.

“It represents collaboration and joined up planning at its best and I have no doubt that it will be emerge as an example of best practice for others to replicate,” she said.

Mayor of Clare, Cllr Pat Daly said, “This plan is the culmination of months of work and represents the commitment of those with a role in the management of the Shannon Estuary to ensuring that future development takes place in a coherent and sustainable manner. I hope that many new opportunities will be afforded to the people of Clare, and the wider region, as a result of this Plan.”

Tom Coughlan, Clare County Manager and Chairman of the Steering Group overseeing the plan, stated that the aim of the SIFP was to identify the nature and location of future development, economic growth and employment that can be sustainable accommodated within the Shannon Estuary.

However, as the estuary is desig- nated a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the EU Habitats Directive and also partly a Special Protection Area (SPA) for Birds, he noted that “the SIFP will also aspire to achieving a careful balance between promoting development, and protection and conservation of this natural resource”.

“The estuary is multi-functional as its waters and adjoining lands support a range of functions, uses, communities, activities and environmental resources and assets. Although the SIFP attributes a very strong weight to the growth of shipping and safe guarding the commercial shipping lanes it also has objectives for marine tourism, leisure and recreation as well commercial fishing and aquaculture, energy and renewable energy as well as aviation,” he added.

Meanwhile, Gordon Daly, Senior Planner, explained that the SIFP recognises the importance of the role the towns and villages along the estuary.

“The important role Kilrush can play in developing tourism on the estuary is recognised in the SIFP due to its many amenities including Kilrush Marina, Cappa Pier and Blue Flag Beach, Vandeleur Walled Garden and Scattery Island. The importance of the estuary to Kilrush is reciprocated in the soon to be published Draft Kilrush Town & Environs Plan 2014-2020.”

The website www.shannonestuarysifp.ie, has been developed to coincide with an eight-week public consultation that extends from December 17, 2012, to February 15, 2013.