Category: News

A CLARE businessman is hoping to bring jobs back to his home county through a new internet business. South Clare businessman, Paul Hall, is looking to recruit three Clare reps straight away and plan to employ more than 20 others in coming months by creating a call centre in the county.

Paul has won the exclusive contract to roll out the award-winning kid’s website www.whatson4littleones.ie, in Ireland. The website, which has four companion sites aimed at different age groups, has been a great success in America, Austrailia and the UK since it was set up in 2006.

Paul decided to take on this new business, after the recession hit his old business Unitech Ireland, which supplied equipment to the hotel sector.

“The sites have become really very popular in other countries and there is no reason why they won’t catch on here in just the same way. The sites are up and running at the moment but the next step is to get reps on the ground all over Ireland to begin to build up a client base for the service,” Paul told The Clare People .

“We set up the site so the client can just log in and update the site whenever they like with the different events that they have going on. So the site becomes a one-stop-shop for locals and tourists who want to know the different things that they can do in their locality. We are looking to hire two or three people in the Clare area as soon as possible but the hope is to set up a call centre locally in the months ahead.”

The website were first launched in the UK in 2006 but have spread to America and Australia in recent years. The Irish business has four different websites – aimed at “little ones”, school kids, kids parties and the adult site – whatson4me.ie.

The sites are inter-connected to allow people to find exactly what local event would suit their children or themselves. The Irish site is also connected ot the foreign versions meaning that tourists coming from the UK, America and Australia can plan their activities in Ireland before they arrive here.

To apply for the Clare positions email a CV to Paul on info@whatson4.ie.

James (Jamie) WALL
of Ballynote, Kilrush, Clare. Peacefully. Laid to rest in Old Shanakyle Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Delia (Brigid) MANGAN, (née
McNamara)

THE MUNSTERGROUP Clare Community Games competed in the Munster Community Games finals in U.L. on Sat last. They participated in Basketball, Camogie, Futsal, Gaelic Football, Hardcourt Tennis, Rugby, Judo, Rounders, Skittles, Soccer & Volleyball. For the outdoor games the conditions were difficult while the weather was dry the playing pitches were extremely wet. All teams put in a great effort. Some of the matches were extremely close.

Clare brought home 1 Individual and 5 team gold. While 4 teamsa brought home silver. The gold medal winners now have the opportunity to represent Clare in the National Finals in Athlone in August.

The Judo, Soccer & Volleyball are on 17th-19th August. Tag Rgby & Rounders are on 24th-26th August. R esult s 1st place Judo – Open Roisín Cahill – Doora/Barefield Rounders Boys U-15 – Sixmilebridge/Kilmurry – Jason Loughnane, Brian O’Sullivan, Charlie Carmody, Cathal Lynch, Jamie Lyons, Ronan Tuohy, Cian McInerney, Gavin Fawl, Eanna Chaplin, Tadhg Donnellan, Shane Flynn, Patrick Mulready Soccer Girls U-15 – Ennis St Johns Niamh O Brien, Aoife Glavin, Laura Brown, Orla Waters, Fridaous Karimu, Aoife Mcnamara, Rebecca Windall, Marese Hayes, Nina Jobonska, Natalia Fankucenska, Katie Kenneally, Sinead Mulcahy, Lauren Keane, Alma Conway, Katie Shannon Tag Rugby U-14 – Quin/Clooney – Kate Taylor, Ellie Rochford, Jennifer O’Neill, Darragh Ryan, David Rochford, Conor O’Brien, Barry Loughnane, Daniel Griffin, Mary Connelly, Eoghan O’Brien, Conor Mahon, Rachel Begg Volleyball Boys – Quin/Clooney – Fergal Coughlan, Connor Mahon, Douglas Reddan, Paul Reynolds, Colm Harrison, Eimhin Dunne, Sean Hehir, Eanna Barry, Brendan Dolan Volleyball Girls – Doora/Barefield – Gabrielade Silvo, Niamh Courtney, Claire Purcell, Sarah Jane O’Connell, Anna Courtney, Ali McCarthy, Mia Norton, Caitriona Ni Riordain, Orla Purcell, Emma Purcell, Enya Feerick 2nd place Basketball mixed U-11 – Quin/ Clooney – Cliodhna Ryan, Kirsty Begg, Alice Larkin, Juliette Cantwell, Sara Hassett, David Barbotin, Adam Deegan, Martin Fiain, Colm Cassidy Futsol Girls U-13 – Miltown Malbay – Aine Keane, Eimear Keane, Aoife Hehir, Grainne Meade, Aisling Clancy, Grainne Lynch,, Aine Talty, Niamh Blake Gaelic Football U-12 Girls – Doora/Barefield – Niamh O’Keeffe,Muireann Collins, Irene Neylon, Aoibhinn O’Loughlin, Trease McAuliffe, Laura McDonnell, Saidbh Kelleher, Aisling, Reidy, Chloe Towey, Amy Lenihan, Anna Lynch, Aisling Hannon, Shauna Murphy, Roisin Dixon, Maebh O’Connor, Gail Norton, Mia Norton, Saoirse O’Donoghue, Sally Brogan, Emily Fanning Hardcourt Tennis U-13 – Ennis St Johns – Shauna Kearney, Edith Kearney, Emilia Kovale, Tomiwa Mattheu, Conall Moore, Emmunale

AN ENVIRONMENTAL Impact Statement (EIS) into the proposed construction of a new pier in Doo- lin has indicated that the pier in its planned location will have little impact on the surfing wave at Crab Island but could have some impact on the lesser used wave at Ballaghaline Point. The EIS, which run to almost 500 pages, was completed by Malachy Walsh and Partners and commissioned by Clare County Council. The statement was required following an objection by a number of lo- cal surfers and the Lahinch-based West Coast Surf Club to the Part 8 planning permission granted to the project by Clare County Council in January of February of last year. According to the report, the development will have some “residual impacts” on tidal currents in the area but the changes that the impact will take place in front of or beside the new pier were “slight”. “The impact of the proposed development on Crab Island waves is not significant on water levels at and below mean high water neap and is only potentially significant at the highest water levels for the longer swell waves,” reads the EIS. “Impacts at waves approaching Ballaghaline Point are greater than at Crab Island but for the majority of wave periods and water levels are either not significant or occupy the borderline between not significant and potentially significant. “Increases in wave heights in the vicinity of the surfer’s access are low for low water levels, and only become potentially significant towards higher tide levels. Impacts on wave driven currents are minor significant.” The EIS in full has now been submitted for the approval of An Bord Pleanála. Submission can still be made to the planning authority in relation to the EIS so a final decision on the future of the development is not expected until later this year. Providing the planning application is approved, construction work on the pier is not likely to begin until early in the new year. Tue17July12

CLARE women are waiting longer than ever before to give birth to their first child with the average age of a first-time mother in the county now almost 31 years old. This means that Clare mothers are amongst the oldest in the country with only Galway and Cork City recording older first time mother.

New figures produced by the Cen- tral Statistic Office show that only 30 teenage births took place in the county last year with more mothers giving birth between the age of 30 and 40 than between 15 and 30.

According to the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, the number of babies born to teenagers has dropped by 44 per cent over the last 10 years. This represents the lowest level of teenage pregnancies since the foundation of the organisation.

“It is welcome that we are seeing a decline in the number of births to teenagers. This year for the first time, we have evidence from a number of sources that indicates why the birth rate for teenagers has declined,” said Dr Stephanie O’Keeffe, of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency.

“There have been improvements in sex education, the age of first sex is stable at 17 years of age for men and increased slightly for women to 18 years of age. Ninety per cent of young people are using contracep- tion when they have sex for the first time and 80 per cent of young people use contraception every time they have sex.”

A total of 1,748 children were born to Clare-based parents last year or just under five new babies per day. Of these babies 887 were male with just 861 females babies being born. The birth rate in Clare last year was 14.9, which was well below the Munster average of 15.5 and the national average which was 16.3.

THE number of people signing on the live register in Clare fell to a threeyear low last month, with the lowest figures since October of 2009.

However, according to people in the business community, this low is being driven by emigration rather than job creation in the local economy.

The biggest fall came in the North Clare area, where the Ennistymon office reported a drop of almost eight per cent between March and May of this year.

According to North Clare-based hotelier and head of the Irish Hotel Federation (IHF), Michael Vaughan, emigration has devastated the locality.

“The tourism trade in the county has been very flat. There was a small rebound earlier in the year but nothing that would have any real impact on employment.

“North Clare has been hit very, very badly by emigration and, sadly, it is that and not any great growth in employment that is leading to these figures,” he said.

This flat outlook for employment prospects in the Clare economy was echoed by CEO of the Ennis Chamber of Commerce, Rita McInerney, who said that local tourism and retail businesses were hopeful of a big July and August to kickstart the year.

According to Ms McInerney, a number of Clare businesses are actually having trouble hiring people to cover short-term and seasonal positions – because of difficulties for people accessing social welfare after taking up fixed-term contracts.

“I have come across a number of Clare employers who are having trouble filling short-term positions. The Government needs to give people assurances that if they get off the live register to take up short-term employment, that it won’t take them weeks and weeks to get back on it again,” she said.

“It is a very difficult time for businesses to take on staff. Staff is based on turnover and, given the current situation, employers will be slow to take on extra staff until they are sure that they will need them.”

Sean O’SULLIVAN
of 325 Golflinks Road, Ennis. Suddenly. Funeral arriving for 11amMass to Ennis Cathedral today (Tuesday). Burial afterwards in Drumcliffe Cemetery. Family flowers only please. Donations if desired to Clare Care. May he rest in peace.

James BROHAN
of Spancillhill, Ennis. Suddenly. Funeral Mass today (Tuesday) at 11am in Clooney Church followed by burial in Clooney Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Flan CARMODY
of Monvana, Kilrush. Peacefully.Arriving at St. Senan’s Church, Kilrush this morning (Tuesday) for funeral mass at 10amfollowed by private cremation at the Island Crematorium, Ringaskiddy, Cork. No flowers please. Donations, if desired, to Crumlin Children’s Hospital. May he rest in peace.

Tom (John) LONG
of Connaught Road, Scariff. Peacefully, in his 91st year. RequiemMass today (Tuesday) in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Scarriff, at 11.30am followed by burial in the Old CemeteryTuamgraney. Donations, if desired, to Caring for Carers, Co. Clare. May he rest in peace.

Bernadette BARRY (née Hanrahan)
of Caheraphuca, Crusheen. Peacefully. Laid to rest in Kilawinna cemetery. Donations, if desired, to cancer care. May she rest in peace.

Gerry CLOHESSY
of St Columba’s Ballindereen, Co. Galway and late of Miltown Malbay. Laid to rest in Miltown Malbay. May he rest in peace.

Bridget (Birdie) MORAN
(née Callinan) of Kilfenora. Peacefully at St Domnic Savio nursing home, Liscannor. Laid to rest in Holy Cross Cemetary,Athea, Co. Limerick. Donations in lieu if desired to St. Domnic Savio nursing home. May she rest in peace.

Jack MOORE
of Rooeast,Ardnacrusha.Arriving for 12 noon mass today (Tuesday) Tuesday in Clonlara Church, with burial afterwards in Ballycannon Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Martin McNAMARA
of Luton, Bedfordshire, England and formerly of ShackletonTerrace,Well Road, Kilkee.Ashes laid to rest inThe Family Grave in Lisdeen Cemetery Kilkee. May he rest in peace.

Paddy O’DONOGHUE
of Caherush, Quilty. Laid to rest in Quilty. May he rest in peace.

Margaret (Peg) McKEEN
(née Hegarty) of Ivy Hill, Gort Road, Ennis, Laid to rest in the Holy Rosary Cemetery, Doolin. May she rest in peace.

Alfie CROWE
of Boston Massachusetts and Dysart, Corofin. Ashes laid to rest in Dysart Cemetery. Donations, if desired to Cancer Research. May he rest in peace.

Thomas WHITTAKER
of 9 Brookfield, Lahinch Road, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Mary DOHERTY
of Castlewood Park, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe cemetery. May she rest in peace.

THE process of removing illegally parked caravans and other temporary dwellings has become a “huge drain on staff and resources” for Clare County Council, a meeting has heard. Town clerk Leonard Cleary was speaking yesterday after concern was expressed over a recent rise in illegal encampments in Ennis and Clarecastle.

Mr Cleary said that at a time when the council has seen a 20 per cent reduction in staff numbers, local authorities do not have the capacity to devote resources to dealing with illegal encampments. He added, “It’s a huge source of frustration for staff and management.”

Mayor of Clare, Cllr Pat Daly (FF), said illegal encampments had become “too regular” around Ennis.

Mr Cleary was speaking at a meeting of councillors in the Ennis west electoral area. Cllr Tony Mulqueen (FG) had called for immediate action on illegal encampments and for “those responsible to pay all costs from their social welfare if necessary”.

In her reply, Fiona Mooney, Acting Senior Executive Officer, Housing Section, states, “The process for dealing with illegal encampments of temporary dwellings are invoked immediately by personnel.

“This does not amount to an immediate outcome, because the elements of the process necessarily take a minimal amount of time.

“The processes are as efficient as they can be given the inadequacies in the legislative framework available, the requirements of the legislation that can be invoked in each particular case, the available human resources to the council and other statutory agencies, and given the level of non-compliance with notices served.

“There is no mechanism provided for those responsible paying ‘all costs.’

In any case where a temporary dwelling has been removed, there is legislative provision for the owner to have to pay the removal cost, in order to retrieve it,” she added.

At a meeting of the Ennis East Electoral Committee, Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) said that people living in Ennis and Clarecastle have had their “hearts broken” by illegal encampments.

Mr Cleary said new national legislation is required in order to give the local authorities more effective powers.

A NEW website has been launched to help promote the folklore and oral history of County Clare, with the story tellers taking centre stage.

The site, www.clarememories.ie, is a result of the work of Cuimhneamh an Chláir, the Clare Oral History and Folklore Group, who have been documenting the memories of Clare’s oldest citizens for the last two years.

The voluntary group have already amassed considerable collection of material amounting to more than 330 interviews with people aged between 65 and 106.

The website, which was supported by the Clare Local Development Company, provides information on Cuimhneamh an Chláir’s collection programme as well as their outreach and education initiatives. Viewers can also play samples of the groups recordings as well as learn about aspects of Clare’s folklore, like old Irish words used by older people in Clare as well as Biddy Early, Bríd Uí Choisteala and other folklore figures in the county. An interactive map shows an example of where the group have conducted interviews across Clare and a sample of the summaries conducted for each interview can be read. Of the 300 plus people interviewed by Cuimhneamh an Chláir, more than 40 have passed away, including ten people who were over one hundred years old when they were interviewed.

According to Frances Madigan of the Cuimhneamh an Chláir Executive Committee, the group aims to continue with its intensive collection programme in the coming years andwill also maintain their ambition of taking the material back out the public at every opportunity.

“It’s vital that we make the material as available as we can to the people of Clare in the short term through our listening room concept, ‘Come here till I tell ya’ and through radio programmes as well as public workshops. However in the long term, we aim to make all the material available to the people of Clare and are working towards that on a continuous basis. Features will be added to the website over the coming months based on collected material all across County Clare, exploring themes such as farming in the old days, electrification, beliefs, and calendar customs.”

Former Mayor of Clare and founding member of the group Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) said, “Just three years ago, Cuimhneamh an Chláir was an idea. Now we have built one of the largest and most successful folklore collection groups in the country.”

LAST Wednesday’s temporary loss of water supply to parts of Ennis and its surrounds was a result of a burst mains on a main trunk supply from the Drumcliff reservoir.

Clare County Council identified the problem quickly and worked through Wednesday night to ensure supply was fully restored within 24 hours.

During the disruption Ennis General Hospital was without water for a short time but fire services using water tankers ensured that hospital supplies of water were unaffected by the loss of supply.

According to Senior Engineer with Clare County Council Sean Ward, the discovered leak was a serious one.

“On Wednesday morning we observed high flows through our district meter on Sandfield Road, indicating that there was a major leak or burst in that district.

“We shut the district off at 10am, located the burst and started to repair it,” he told The Clare People , adding that very quickly people were in contact with the council to report water issues.

“CCC staff immediately started inspecting the network to locate any other bursts that might account for this loss of pressure.

“With the assistance of the operating contractor’s staff at Drumcliffe water treatment plant, a major leak was found on one of the two trunk supply mains from Drumcliffe reservoir to the town,” Sean said.

To protect the town’s main water supply, the council took the decision to temporarily cut off the main supply route in question.

The burst section of main was exposed by 6pm and repaired by 9.30pm. Ennis area staff then worked during the night and again early the following morning to ensure that supply was getting back to all areas. Mr Ward praised the co-operation of local landowner Pat Tierney, who facilitated the early repair work.

“Clare County Council would like to record its appreciation to Pat Tierney, the owner of the land on which the trunk main burst occurred, for readily facilitating entry to his land to allow the big main to be repaired this greatly assisted the speed of our response,” he added.

CLARE has officially suffered its wettest June since 1947, with farmers across the county facing major bills this winter as grass growth and fodder harvesting are both well behind normal.

According to new figures produced by Met Éireann, June 7 was the wettest June day recorded at Shannon Airport in 65 years.

These record rainfalls have been compounded by unusually low levels of sunshine in the county – which have been disturbing beach users and holiday makers, as well as the county’s farmers.

Indeed, according to the the Irish Meteorological Service, Shannon Airport recorded its dullest June since 1993, 19 years ago, with average temperature for the month also below normal. This is despite the average temperature for the month being higher in Clare, at 13.6 degrees, than anywhere else in the county.

This unseasonably wet June has created a situation where many Clare farmers have yet to harvest their first cut of silage. A number of dairy farmers in the county have been forced to return cattle to shed at night and supplement their feed in order to keep milk supply up.

“This is adding serious cost to Clare farmers. They are keeping them inside and there is a big extra cost on meal in order to keep cows milking. If you let cows back this time of the year it is impossible to get them back again,” said Martin McMahon, Clare President of the ICMSA.

“This is a disaster for farmers. The ground conditions are unbelievable we never saw land as wet before as we are seeing it now. The big problem is coming down the line. A lot of farmers need two week of good fine weather before some farmers in the county will be able to cut anything.

“They are in trouble now but that is going to put them in serious trouble this winter when they don’t have the feed to feed their cattle. There are some farmers who would normally do two cuts of silage and they haven’t even got their first cut in yet.

“Farmers don’t know whether to chance cutting the land or not. Farmers are getting desperate and taking chances and they are needing up with fodder down for maybe a week or more and that means that the quality in the fodder will not be there.

“There is going to be a big scarcity of fodder over the winter – and the quality is going to be very poor,” he said.

THE team behind the Ballyvaughan Bay Hop have vowed to restart the commuter ferry service as soon as possible, despite the cancellation of the last three days of sailing during its week-long trial.

The service was halted on the morning of Thursday, June 31, with “unforeseen circumstances” on behalf of the chartered boat operator cited as the reason.

All sailings for Friday and Satur- day, July 1 and 2, were completely booked out, with more than 70 per cent of seats on the June 31 sailing also booked.

According to Gwen Ryan of Ballyvaughan Bay Hop, everyone who booked tickets for these days will receive a full refund.

“It was very disappointing that the service was cancelled but, on the up side, the few days we did run the service have indicated a huge demand and interest in this transport option,” said Gwen.

“It has also demonstrated for a lot of people, just how central the harbour is in Galway City. And we have learnt a valuable lesson from the unexpected aborting of the service. The project group will be meeting soon to reflect on the results of the trial service and to plan the next stage in the project.

“I can’t shed any light on what these next steps might be until we have met and decided them but we will certainly have to look at the funding options available to source a cabined passenger rib and we will have to engage Clare County Coun- cil on the possibility of getting a floating pontoon for passengers so that they can disembark comfortably.

“We have a lot of work to do yet before the service is up and running on a permanent basis but our efforts to date have been buoyed by the fantastic reaction and support the trial service received.”

The fastest crossing time recorded during the trial was 27 minutes more than an hour quicker than the average commute time by car of the same journey.