Category: News

CLARE’S newly elected mayor wants “Michael O’Leary to come to Shannon and negotiate a deal”.

At his inaugural speech as mayor of County Clare, Ennisman Pat Daly (FF) said he would like to see Ryanair back in Shannon International Airport as “a positive customer”.

“Some years back the airline brought in hundreds of thousands of visitors from England, France, Spain, Germany and Italy to County Clare, and it created a financial bonanza for businesses in the county,” he said.

The mayor added that Clare County Council should be included in the marketing of the airport that must be undertaken by its new management company.

He said the airport must also play a central role during ‘The Gathering’ next year.

He made the remarks in front of a crowded gallery, which included family and supporters who had gathered to see him named first citizen of Clare – the fifth man from “the town” to hold the honour.

There was no doubt as to who would be elected when outgoing mayor Pat Hayes (FF) handed back the chain on Friday.

As alluded to in his nomination of Cllr Daly to the post, Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) paid tribute to a unique selection formation brokered by then mayor Tommy Brennan (Ind) as far back as 2004.

Under this agreement, currently supported by all of the members with the exception of Independent councillor James Breen, Cllr Daly was to be selected for the 2012-2013 period, with Cllr Joe Arkins (FG) to take over the reigns when he steps down.

For now, however, all eyes are on the former tailor from Ennis, who spent 18 years working for former TD and Minister Tony Killeen (FF), a position he believes has given him the experience and expertise to carry out his new role.

The new mayor is optimistic about the future despite the harsh econom- ic times.

“It is clear to me that in these challenging times, opportunities will arise to move this county forward both in social and economic terms,” he said.

The Eire Óg chairman is also keen to see Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann come to what he described as “the home of traditional music”.

“Council management, Clare Comhaltas and councillors have been working very hard to deliver the fleadh to Ennis. And I hope, before I leave office, a date would be confirmed. An injection of € 30 million to the local economy would be a great positive boost, particularly at a time when businesses are under serious financial pressure,” he said.

Mayor Daly was also upbeat about the future of the hospital.

“At Ennis General Hospital in recent times, there has been a big increase in day care procedures, while huge numbers are using the outpatient facilities. I welcome the new state of the art 50-bed unit, which will open shortly.”

The new mayor and chairman of the council also has plans to make changes to the councillors’ monthly meetings – the details which have yet to be announced.

“It is important that we continue to deliver an efficient and quality service to the people whom we represent, that is the people of Clare,” he said.

The new mayor will be supported during his year in office by his wife Tikki and his three children Ciarán, Niall and Elen.

ON FRIDAY night, June 22, DJ Trevor White played a poignant piece of music as part of the end of the Junior Cert exams celebrations in the Queen’s nightclub, Ennis. The techno soundcloud mix was produced by 15year-old William Winder.

“Most of his friends, who were present in the night club, were celebrating the end of their exams,” said William’s mother, Caroline.

“He use to love going to the Queen’s disco and he had some friends there so it was lovely to see that it is not just our little community that has been affected. It has gone as far as Ennis and beyond.”

And those friends knew that their late fellow student loved music. They also knew him as a good friend, as Facebook pages testify to a young sensitive man, who was ever the counsellor and listener to their teen- age woes. William Winder was a good friend, who didn’t discriminate between genders or age when he offered help and assistance.

“That was a very special trait he had. William could get down and play with the kids. He was the first grandkid. All the kids just loved him. He was also one of us, the adults. We always counted him as one of us and the kids as the kids,” said his proud uncle, Lee Brennan.

“Even on his Facebook page, he was so proud of his little brother Jacob. A lot of 15-year-olds would be embarrassed by their little brother but, no, he loved it,” added Caroline.

A student at Ennistymon Vocational School, William had a lot of interests. He loved soccer, GAA and badminton, according to his parents.

“Unfortunately, with the Junior Cert, he had to cut back a bit. He loved music and DJ mixing. He loved dancing and golf. Golf was probably his biggest passion next to football and his music,” said his Mum.

A Liverpool fan all his young life, he was also a keen public speaker and was proud of his win in the Lahinch Golf Classic with his friends.

His biggest achievement was, however, no small feat, as he took on and climbed Kilimanjaro in aid of Ennis Voices for Autism. He had planned to climb the mountain again.

“He was always up for helping others – always,” said his proud father, Mark.

THE teenage community of Clare, as well as their family and friends, are already busy fundraising for the William Winder Rainbow Foundation.

Among the biggest fundraisers will be the ‘Climb 4 William’. On August 5, friends, family and supporters of the charity will climb Croagh Patrick for the charity.

Sponsorship cards are available from caroline@williamwinderrainb owfoundation.ie.

William’s uncles plan to follow in their nephew’s footsteps up Kilimanjaro to also raise funds for the charity.

Following on from William’s love of music, a teenage disco will be held on Wednesday, July 11, in O’Looney’s Surf Bar, Lahinch. Tickets cost € 10 and are available from Green’s Coffee Shop, Lahinch; Tara at Seaworld; and Catriona at the Ennistymon Fruit Stall.

A talent show and disco will also be held in the Falls Hotel in Ennistymon on August 22 for the foundation, while an indoor beach party will be held in Éire Óg’s clubhouse in Ennis in aid of the William Winder Rainbow Foundation and Cahercalla Youth Green Area Development.

The website, which is a one-stop shop for teen support and counselling, is www.williamwinderrainbowfoundation.ie. The site is currently being completed, but people can also log on to the organisation’s Facebook page for more information.

CLARE’S oldest man passed away peacefully in his home at Illawnbawn in Inagh last week at the ripe old age of 104. John Joe Marrinan passed away in the early hours of last Wednesday morning, June 27, and was laid to rest at Moughna Cemetery on Friday afternoon.

John Joe was born on May 24, 1908, and would have witnessed first-hand the Irish Revolutionary War and the Civil War as a child.

He is survived by five daughters and seven grandchildren, as well as a wide circle of friends and relatives. John Joe’s wife, Treasa Marrinan, passed away eight years ago.

While John Joe was a keen fan of music and dance, his favourite pastime was playing cards and, until very recently, he would make his way to Ennistymon for a regular game of 45.

He was also a very religious man and made a pilgrimage to Knock each year, as well as attending Mass locally on a regular basis.

“He was very active until quite recently. He was up and about every single day until a month or two ago. He was a farmer and his home was his castle, and there was always a great welcome for anyone who went to visit him,” said local priest, Canon Richard Tarpey.

“He was a great family man and each of his five daughters were all very good to him in recent years. He was able to to remain in his own home right up to the very end of his life, which was a great thing for him.

“He was also a very religious man and he attended Mass every week. He also visited Knock once a year and had a lot of time for the Rosary.”

John Joe’s death comes just days after the passing of one of Clare’s other most senior citizens, following the death of West Clare man Timmy Ryan (102), last week.

A Kilmihil native, Timmy stayed fit throughout his entire life and could often be seen walking on the roads around his homeplace or working on the bog in Corgrigg.

Timmy was also a life-long Fine Gael supporter and was one of the local people visited by Taoiseach Enda Kenny (FG) earlier this year.

Timmy was a member of the Kilrush Athletic Club who won the All Ireland Cross Country Championship in 1938.

SECURITY arrangements in place for the recent Clare Connections concert in Ennis appeared “heavy handed”, a meeting has heard.

Despite poor weather, the concert, which featured performances by singer Maura O’Connell and the Kilfenora Ceilí Band, drew a large crowd to the Abbey Street car park.

The free music event was organised as part of Love Live Music – a daylong celebration of all forms of music in Ireland through free live music events in cities, towns and villages all over the country. The success of the event could see Ennis receive financial support for a larger concert next year.

Councillors hailed the success of the concert though some voiced concerns over security arrangements.

Councillor Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) said he had met two elderly men who were re-directed to other entrances despite having hand-stamps for the event.

He said security at times appeared “heavy handed” and that this was an issue that organisers should address for future events.

He said, there had been “fantastic feedback” from people in Ennis to the event.

Town manager Ger Dollard noted that there had been a short lead in time to the event. He said the fact that the event was “heavily policed and well marshalled” should be viewed positively.

He added, “It does give a platform, in terms of The Gathering in 2013, that we have a track record for an event of that kind.”

Cllr Mary Howard (FG) said music lovers would normally pay up to € 200 to see the calibre of line-up on display at the concert. Cllr Howard said the rain failed to dampen the spirits of those who attended on the night. She said that in light of ongoing attempts to stage Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann, the concert showed that Ennis has the capacity to hold family friendly mid-week events.

Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) said the even had attracted national attention.

A PROPOSAL to commemorate Irish men who fought in the Vietnam War has provoked disagreement among members of Ennis Town Council.

Fine Gael councillor Johnny Flynn has urged the council to consider supporting a proposal that would see a memorial installed to mark the “contribution of soldiers of Irish descent who served in the US armed forces during the Vietnam War”.

Cllr Flynn told yesterday’s meeting that a group of Vietnam veterans, who attend the Ennis Trad Festival every year, are willing to fund the memorial.

He said Ennis could tap into the Vietnam veteran tourist market, which he said numbered 1.9 million people.

The meeting heard that 2, 500 Irish people served with the US armed forces in Vietnam, including two men from Lahinch.

Cllr Flynn said that Ho Chi Minh, the leader of the People’s Army of Vietnam, showed strong interest in the 1916 Easter Rising when he worked as a pastry chef in London.

Cllr Paul O’Shea (Lab) said Viet- nam is a “sensitive issue” and that the war had left a terrible legacy of unexploded ordinance. He told the meeting that he had worked with the United Nations in the country. He said the motion needed more debate and called on the council to write to the American ambassador to urge him to request that America sign up to an anti-landmine treaty. Cllr Mary Howard (FG) said the memorial should include those men, including three from Clare, who died in the Korean War.

Remarking that the issue of Vietnam put the council’s earlier discussion on lead piping “into perspective”, Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) said he could not support the motion in its current format. He claimed many atrocities had been committed by soldiers who were given “drugs”.

Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) said any memorial would have to be sensitive to both sides of the war. “It takes two people to fight wars,” he added.

Deputy Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) suggested that the memorial honour Irish men who fought in all wars. Town manager Ger Dollard said any memorial should respect all those who fought in wars.

GARDAÍ are investigating an incidence of cattle rustling in East Clare with a Quin farmer losing almost € 5,000 worth of livestock in a nighttime raid last week. Three mature animals were taken from the farm of Anthony Flannery in the Knappogue area of Quin last week, with a further five animals managing to escape capture.

This is the third instance of cattle rustling to take place in Clare in recent month, sparking fears among farmers that an organised gang may have been responsible. The animals were taken from a locked field on June 13 last, between 2am and 4am.

According to the Clare chairperson of the IFA, Andrew Dundas, farmers are becoming more and more fearful that their animals will be stolen.

“The animals were stolen from a field with a locked gate, so they had to cut through the lock to gain access. The animals were herded into a holding pen in the field and five of the animals managed to knock the wall of the pen and break out,” said Andrew.

“The farmer is very distressed after this. These people came prepared to do this job. They certainly had transport and were organised.”

The stolen cattle were each one and a half-year-old limousins which could have reached between € 1,100 and € 1,500 at the mart. These animals will not be able to be sold at any mart in Ireland with their current tags and it is likely that the criminals will try to use tags taken from dead farm animals, who have not be disposed of legally.

“People are scared, I have been talking to the milk truck driver and he tells me that gates are locked that never used to be locked. There was a major theft in Bridgetown in March with 13 animals stolen from inside a shed,” continued Andrew.

“I also heard of a large number of calves stolen from out of a shed over in West Clare, so it is all over the county. We would appeal to anyone who may have heard something on that night to get in contact with the guards. These animals can be traced. If we can locate them, even with their tags taken off, we can trace the DNA and confirm that they are the right animals.”

AN ENNIS teacher has made history by becoming the first woman to be named as principal of St Flannan’s College. Carmel Honan, who grew up in College View directly opposite St Flannan’s, is also thought be the first ever female principal of a diocesan college in Ireland.

A former student of Holy Family National School and Coláiste Mhuire in Ennis, Ms Honan has worked at St Flannan’s since 1990, teaching English and History.

The Ennis native said she is “deeply honoured” to have been named principal of one of the country’s largest secondary schools.

She added, “I have been really fortunate to work at what I love doing, which is teaching. I am going to miss the classroom.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge. I suppose I am excited about the challenge ahead.”

She replaces retiring principal Colm McDonagh, who became the first lay person to be appointed principal of the college.

Ms Honan said, “I certainly want to pay tribute to Colm. He was an inspiring colleague and an inspiring principal. He is a person of tremendous vision.”

She said she regards the appointment as “huge privilege”.

Ms Honan continued, “It’s a challenging role to ensure in the present climate that we cater for all of our diverse community.

“I grew up across the road from the school and I never once dreamed I’d be principal.

“I’ve always been happy at St Flannan’s because St Flannan’s is a place that was always concerned about people and motivating students.”

The history of the school dates back to 1846. It currently caters for over 1,200 students.

THE opportunity for Shannon Airport to strengthen its place in the global business aviation sector will be explored at a major conference attended by key international players at Dromoland Castle this week.

The second annual Irish Business Aviation Convention, hosted jointly by Shannon Airport and Shannon Development, on Wednesday and Thursday, will hear a number of leading figures discuss not just Shannon’s emerging role in the sector but also a range of opportunities and challenges facing the industry globally.

Among those speaking at the event will be Transport Minister Leo Varadkar, who will give a key note address on ‘Irish Aviation: Challenges and Opportunities’.

“The aviation industry presents enormous opportunities for Shannon, and for Ireland, in terms of job creation and economic growth. As we face into a crucial period for the Shannon’s future, the airport’s longstanding expertise in the aviation gives it a vital head-start,” said Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar.

“This conference is ideal opportunity to tease out options for the aviation sector in Shannon, and for Ireland as a whole,” he added.

Shannon Airport director Mary Considine said that the conference is a timely opportunity to showcase Shannon’s potential to become a key player in the global aviation industry in the years ahead.

“Last year’s inaugural event was widely applauded by the industry, with the presence of representatives from the biggest operators in the business being a real vote of confidence in relation to our global reputation in this industry,” said Ms Considine.

“This year’s event will build on that, with an even stronger line-up of national and international speakers set to give insights into this very significant and exciting aviation sector. Shannon already has an excellent international reputation for delivering a top quality service to operators of business (private and corporate) jets. It is regularly used by some of the world’s highest net worth individuals and corporate entities. Last year, in a challenging year, we had over 4,500 business jet movements in and out of the airport, a slight increase on 2010. Our plan now is to build on this and broaden Shannon’s role as a potential business aviation hub.”

“This is Ireland’s only business aviation convention and the fact that it is being held in Shannon is testament to our rich aviation history,” said Shannon Development Chief Executive Dr Vincent Cunanne.

Among the other guest speakers are CEO of Avolon, Ennis nativeDomhnal Slattery, aviation consultant Brendan McQuaid and former NASA astronaut and space shuttle commander Bill Readdy.

IT MAY look suspicious when a group of strangers meet up in car parks and at bus stops around the county to hand over packages and large goods, but the new phenomena is a lot more innocent than it first appears.

These people have met through a Facebook page that gives away used good for free.

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” explained Ennis woman Tina Whelan, the brainchild behind the operation.

The Facebook page “Clare free to a good home” allows people advertise items that they no longer require and want to give away for free.

Everything from a three piece to a bicycle, phone to a playhouse, and even some wedding dresses have been given away.

With over 1,500 friends Ms Whelan set up the closed page as the original “open” page was too difficult to police.

“People were messing and causing offence so we closed the first page after 50 to 60 days and then set up the closed page that people have to ‘like’ to access,” she explained.

There are now rules associated with the page, such as the amount of items any one person can claim. People are only allowed to claim one item a day from the 50 to 60 items a week that are posted.

There remains a few minor arguments from time to time, Ms Whelan admits, but nothing too serious that the administrators can’t manage.

People also ask for items they may need from the other members.

Last week one man asked for old fertiliser bags so he could go to the bog and fill his turf.

Within hours he had four to five offers.

“Another girl came on looking for a wedding dress and someone gave her their dress which was worth over € 2,000,” said Ms Whelan.

“In the first week one girl came on looking for a mannequin. I thought she will never get that, but she had three to four offers.

“It has just taken off. I am absolutely stunned at the reaction. People tell me they are now addicted to the page,” she added.

Since the page was launched last week more than 2,000 items have been given away.

“Children’s clothes are the biggest draw,” said Ms Whelan.

And as children finish up at school this week, the woman behind “Clare free to a good home” has set up a new page where parents can offer school uniforms, books and other materials to other parents.

“I am encouraging people to swap on this page so everyone benefits,” she said. Clare School/Book Uniform Swap has already had a lot of hits and a number of followers.

And while “giving stuff away” may be at the core of Ms Whelan’s first two pages she has set up a third that allows employers advertise jobs in Ennis.

“Ennis regular jobs for regular people” contains what she describes as “ordinary jobs that don’t require degrees or qualifications”.