Category: News

LAST Friday’s vote against altering the zoning of 24 acres of land in Clarecastle for the construction of a crematorium was the second time in just four days that councillors voted against crematorium plans, which the council planners had been in favour of.

While planning permission for the Clarecastle crematorium and grave- yard had not yet been granted, the proposed material contravention was the last obstacle in the way of planners issuing a green light for the proposal.

At Monday’s meeting of Clare County Council, councillors decided not to sell land for a crematorium in Shannon, even though the project had been granted permission by the local authority and the council had put the land up for sale earlier this year.

The land, which is located at Illaun- managh in Shannon, was purchased by Clare County Council from Shannon Development in 2002, with planning permission granted for the creation of a crematorium in March of 2009. A proposal to sell the land was opposed by Shannon Cllr Gerry Flynn (Ind) who claimed that the land should be kept in local authority ownership and for the future use of the people of the Shannon area.

Cllrs Flynn’s proposal not the sell the land was then opposed by his neighbouring councillor, PJ Ryan (Ind) from Sixmilebridge, who argued that a Clare businessman should not be prevented from developing a legitimate business on the site.

The vote was held to decide the situation with the councillors voting by 14 votes to 11 to retain the land in council ownership.

The land was granted planning permission in March of 2009, with both the Shannon local area members and a full meeting of Clare County Coun- cil voting to sell the 1.29 acre site to Illaunmanagh Ltd for € 140,000 later that year.

The purchase of land never took place however and in March of last year a second developer, Jim Cranwell, applied for an extension of the planning permission for the crematorium. The land was offered for sale by Clare County Council at this time with Mr Cranwell making an offer of € 140,000 – the same amount offered in 2009.

A BRAZILIAN carer who stole his 79-year-old employer’s credit card to fund a € 3,000 spending spree in Dublin has been sentenced to four days in jail.

Rodrigo Pires (21) stole the card from the home of Hugh Weir at Ballinakilla, Whitegate, on July 12, 2014.

The English language student travelled to Dublin where he used the card to buy flights to Italy, an Apple Mac notebook, and clothes from Brown Thomas, shoes and sunglasses.

Details of the spree were heard at Ennis District Court on Friday. Mr Pires, who is originally from Sao Paulo but was staying at an apartment at Shaun Court, NCR, Dublin, pleaded guilty to one charge of theft and nine charges of deception.

The offences were committed at Whitegate and locations around Dublin city centre on July 12 and July 13. Inspector Tom Kennedy explained Mr Pires came to Dublin to study English on a student visa. He said after completing his studies, the accused decided to move to another county because he was living with Portuguese friends and not getting his opportunity to speak English.

Garda Declan Condon explained that Mr Pires lived with Hugh Weir, an author of books on the environment, and his wife at their home in Whitegate.

He spent five months helping to care for Mr Weir, who suffers from polio. Garda Condon said Mr Pires earned € 100 a week for his work.

Garda Condon said Mr Pires was due to return to Brazil when his visa expired at the end of July.

Instead, he stole Mr Weir’s credit card and travelled to Dublin where he dishonestly by deception with drew sums of cash from AIB bank. He bought flight tickets from Aer Lingus and Easy Jet, sunglasses worth € 229 and clothes and shoes from stores such Schuh, Top Man and Brown Thomas.

Gardaí arrested the accused at Dublin Airport after the bank notified Mr Weir his card was being used in various locations in Dublin.

The court heard most of the goods were recovered but Mr Weir is still owed € 1,531. Mr Pires has no previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Stiofán Fitzpatrick said his client was ashamed of what he had done.

“He decided to do it in the spur of the moment. He saw the opportunity and he took it,” added Mr Fitzpatrick.

Judge Patrick Durcan said, “This is a very serious matter.” He sentenced Mr Pires to 90 days in prison but suspended the final 86 days, meaning the accused had to spend four days in prison.

Judge Durcan ordered that Mr Pires agree to leave Ireland on his release and not return for five years.

A SOLID link connecting the Burren and the Lord of the Rings may finally have been established following extensive research by a Northern Irish scholar.

Dr Liam Campbell has studied a number of edits undertaken on JRR Tolkien classic fantasy novel between 1949 and 1954, when it was first published. By painstakingly cross-referencing the individual edits with known visits by JRR Tolkien to North Clare, Campbell believes he has, for once and for all, proved the connection.

According to Dr Campbell, who will speak at next month’s Burren Tolkien Society Festival, some of the discovered passages read like a virtual road map to the Burren.

“I have evidence of late passages which were put into the book in the 1950s by Tolkien. Once you are aware of the chronology of the book, and when he edited certain section, you can see some of the later edits which when written up read like a road map to the Burren,” said Dr Campbell.

“Many people say that the Lord of the Ring was finished in 1948, before his visits to Ireland, but I also uncovered a letter between Tolkien and his editor from April of 1953 in which he says ‘at last I have finished the book’.

“I know that he did a major rewrite of the whole book in 1952 with his son, and that took place after he came to the Burren and experienced the place.”

Dr Campbell will reveal specific passages from the book, which is the second most published book of all time, which have a distinctive Burren influence, and is keeping the exact details close to his chest until the Burren Tolkien Society Festival in August.

“It is true to say that if I was to read some passages to you, and told you it was a tourist guide to the Burren, you would not bat an eye lid. I can’t speak on which sections of the book have these passages but I will reveal that during the talk,” continued Dr Campbell.

“There is a deep connection between the book and the Celtic mythology. I would almost say that so much of the information about the Elves in the book comes almost directly from Celtic mythology.”

For more on the Burren Tolkien Society visit www.burrentolkiensociety.ie.

AN ENNIS man who stole bottles of spirits from Dunnes Stores has avoided jail but has been ordered to do some “pick and spade” work around the town. At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Patrick McCarthy (21) was ordered to do 200 hours of community service in lieu of four months in prison, after pleading guilty to theft and public order offences.

Mr McCarthy admitted stealing bottles of vodka, Jack Daniels whis- key and Captain Morgan’s rum from Dunne Stores on February 4.

He further admitted stealing rum and whiskey from Dunnes Stores on February 9. Those bottles were later recovered, the court heard.

Mr McCarthy, with addresses at Woodlawn, Lahinch Road, Ennis and Ballaghboy Halting Site, Quin Road, Ennis, also pleaded guilty to being intoxicated to such an extent to be in breach of the public order act at Ballaghboy on May 14.

After being told Mr McCarthy had a number of previous convictions for theft, public order and drugs offences, Judge Patrick Durcan said the accused had an “appalling record”.

“He’s got a masters degree at this stage”, Judge Durcan said.

Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey told the court her client had a very difficult childhood. She said Mr McCarthy started taking head shop type drugs, aged 15 and has had serious problems with alcoholism.

The court was told he is currently awaiting sentence in the Circuit Court on a criminal damage matter.

Judge Patrick Durcan imposed pris- on sentences totaling four months but substituted them for 200 hours of community service.

He said this was a time of the year when Ennis is in competition for the Tidy Towns.

The Judge said he was sure the local authorities in Ennis would appreciate a few “pick and spade merchants” doing work around the town.

He remanded Mr McCarthy on continuing bail to appear again at Ennis District Court on September 17 for a pre-sentence report from the Probation Services.

A MAN who threw a pint glass at a car during an altercation outside a country and western concert in Ennis has received a suspended prison sentence.

Martin McDonagh (19) hurled the glass at a car containing two people outside Treacy’s West County Hotel on June 8, 2014 Ennis District Court heard on Wednesday.

The incident occured while singer Nathan Carter was performing inside the Limerick Road venue.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court Mr McDonagh was refused entry to the concert.

He said the accused went out to the car park where he became embroiled in a verbal argument with two people in a car.

The court heard the two people were shouting at McDonagh, saying they were going to fight him.

Insp Kennedy said Mr McDonagh responded by calling them “scumbags”.

The gardaí were called. Mr McDonagh was restrained by two detec- tives but managed to escape and pick up a pint glass, which he threw at the car. No one was injured.

Mr McDonagh, with an address at Drumbiggle Drive, Ennis, pleaded guilty to engaging in behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace.

A charge of criminal damage against him was struck out following an application from the State.

Defence solicitor William Cahir said his client was not intoxicated on the night.

He said Mr McDonagh was previously involved in another case where he assisted the gardaí. He said that was why the people in the car verbally abused his client.

He said Mr McDonagh “let fly” with the pint glass out of “pure frustration”.

Mr Cahir said there was never any risk of anyone getting hit by the glass.

“He fully accepts he should not have done it”, he added.

Mr Cahir said his client intends moving to Galway with his wife.

Judge Patrick Durcan said he does not like incidents where people throw glasses.

Mr Cahir told the Judge that Mr McDonagh did not intend using the glass as a rocket.

“It was flung in frustration”, he added.

Mr Cahir said his client was a witness in a different case and may have been put under pressure from other sides.

The court heard he has never been involved in any disputes in Ennis.

Asked for his view on the incident, Insp Kennedy said;

“It’s hard to determine what his intentions were with the glass but he let it go one way or the other”.

Judge Durcan imposed a two-month sentence but suspended it on condition Mr McDonagh be law abiding.

In sentencing, Judge Durcan said he was taking into consideration a number of factors, including the accused’s age and the fact the glass had been thrown at a car and not a person.

He told Mr McDonagh was a “very lucky young man” not to be going to prison. A MA N accused of attempted robbery at a shop in Shannon last month has denied the charge. Ger Delaney (28), with an address at Rossbracken, Shannon, appeared before Ennis District Court on Wednesday. He is charged with attempting to rob money froma female staff member at Mace stores, Ballycasey Crescent, Shannon on June 24. During a bail application, Mr Delaney told the court,“I’mcontesting this charge. I did not commit this offence.” The State opposed the bail application brought be defence solicitor John Casey. Det Sgt Kevin O’Hagan of Shannon Garda Station outlined the grounds for the State’s opposition to bail. He said these included the seriousness of the alleged offence and alleged strength of the alleged evidence. Det Sgt O’Hagan said it is alleged that Mr Delaney entered the shop brandishing a kitchen knife.The court heard that staff resisted demands for money to be handed over. Det Sgt O’Hagan said customers in the shop at time intervened and forced the man alleged to be Mr Delaney, fromthe shop. Mr Casey cross-examined Det Sgt O’Hagan. Mr Delaney also gave evidence. He urged Judge Patrick Durcan to release himon bail. “I’mcontesting this charge. I did not commit this offence”, he added. Judge Durcan said that he was satisfied on the basis of Det Sgt O’Hagan’s evidence that he could refuse bail. He remanded Mr Delaney in custody to appear again in court on August 11. Inspector TomKennedy said directions fromthe Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) are awaited in the case. A MA N has pleaded guilty to having heroin for sale or supply in Ennis last year. Gardaí discovered heroin valued at €492 and cannabis worth €125 at the then home of Mao Kimbadi (41) in Sandfield Hall, Ennis on October 24, 2013. Details of the raid were heard at Ennis District Court onWednesday. Inspector TomKennedy told the court gardaí found 24 individual deals of heroin in the kitchen of the premises.A quantity of cannabis was also discovered. Mr Kimbadi pleaded guilty to two charges – having diamorphine for sale or supply and having cannabis for sale or supply. Defence solicitor John Casey said his client made full and frank admissions in respect of the offences. He said Mr Kimbadi sold the drugs to feed his own habit. “He’s a hopeless heroin addict caught up in a cycle”, added Mr Casey. Mr Casey described Mr Kimbadi as being on the “lowest rung of the ladder” when it comes to drug dealing. Mr Kimbadi has previous convictions for theft and drugs offences. He is currently serving a six month prison sentence. Judge Patrick Durcan adjourned sentencing to November 25. He also ordered a report fromthe Probation services. A MA N has been remanded in custody after being charged in connection with a disturbance that occurred at a house in Kilkee this month. Ciaran Fitzgerald (24) is facing five charges arising fromalleged incidents at his home at Erin Street, Kilkee and Kilrush Garda Station on July 17. Mr Fitzgerald appeared before Ennis District Court on Friday where Garda Eoin Daly gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. Mr Fitzgerald is charged with four alleged offences arising fromhis alleged behaviour at Erin Street. He is charged with engaging in behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace. He is facing two separate charges of assaulting two different women. He is also charged with the criminal damage of a glass mirror. He is further alleged to have caused criminal damage to a cell at Kilrush Garda Station by allegedly urinating on the cell floor. Legal aid was approved for solicitor Fiona Hehir. Ms Hehir told the court she did not have a bail application at this stage. Judge Patrick Durcan remanded Mr Fitzgerald in custody to appear again at Ennis District Court tomorrow.

ENNISTYMON woman Kate McGlennon says she is ready to take on the world following a great performance in the Miss Ireland Competition over the weekend.

Kate, who is this year’s Miss Clare, represented the county with pride in the Dublin grand final on Saturday, narrowly lost out to Jessica Hayes for the overall title. Indeed, Kate was one of two Clare women to perform well in this year’s competition with Sarah Jane Dunne, daughter of the late Kilrush traditional musicians, Pecker Dunne, also giving a good showing.

Despite missing out on the top spot, Kate, who will begin the third year of her midwifery training this September, says she is determined to make the big break as a model.

“It was an experience of a lifetime, I wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it was to be honest. My mam, my dad and by brother were up from Ennistymon to support me and it was a great night. But as well as my family being there the support I got from home was unbelievable. I am overwhelmed by the support I received,” said Kate.

“I definitely want to keep going in modelling. Just because I didn’t win Miss Ireland doesn’t mean that it will be the end of me. I have a few photo shoots lined up so I’m looking forward to getting started with those and then I have some meeting with a few agencies in Dublin. Hopefully something will come of it but if not I will keep going, I won’t stop.

“I’m now going into my third year of midwifery in Dundalk this September so it’s going to be busy one way or the other. But I love being busy, I love being kept on my feet.”

THE new West Clare Municipal District has been described as unmanageable and a thinly cloaked attempt to downgrade Clare County Council.

Councillors at last Friday’s meeting voted to write to the Department of the Environment and insists that the old electoral boundaries be restored.

In terms of geographical size, the West Clare Municipal Area is now the largest electoral area in the country, taking up just under half of County Clare. In a joint motion put forward by three councillors from the area, it was claimed that the council will not have the resources to meet the needs of such a large area.

“I think the boundaries as set out are wrong and I cannot see them working on the ground. The overall size of the area is unmanageable, there is just one senior engineer in Kilrush now, we lost one in Ennistymon. The idea behind this is to downgrade local government as was done with the NRA and Irish water. We should go back to the old system.

According to Ennistymon Cllr Richard Nagle (FF), the council will face major budgetary difficulty in the years ahead.

“What we are facing as we go about preparing a budget for 2015, is that we are now totally dependent on the Department of the Environment to provide the finances that the people of this county have rightly come to expect,” he said.

“When the property tax was first introduced we were told we would get 100 per cent of the money. This year we are getting none, next year we are getting 80 per cent. We need to make sure that we don’t end up getting 80 per cent of the property tax but with the ministers from various departments taking back the funding we recieve – leaving us with the same level of funding or less.

“My fear is that we won’t be left with the money to live up to the promises that were made. These promises were made by the Department of the Environment and not Clare County Council.”

Independent Cllr Christy Curtin said the situation wasn’t ideal, but councillors had to work with law.

“I share the frustrations but the law is in place. There is now a challenge on us to use this as best we can to serve the people,” he said.

THE Government has been accused of treating rural Clare like a game of Jenga – and dismantling it one block at a time.

The comment was made by former Fine Gael councillor Ian Lynch (IND), while speaking on a motion regarding possible changes to the way in which social welfare is paid, which could put the future of dozen of Clare post offices in jeopardy.

The motion, which was put forward by Cllr Bill Chambers (FF), is seeking to prevent the Government from passing the new Social Welfare and Pensions Bill, which, if adopted, would remove An Post as the designated payment services provider for Social Welfare benefits.

“If this bill goes through Dáil Éireann, something like 500 post offices will be under threat and I would like to think that that won’t happen,” said Cllr Chambers.

Speaking on the motion Cllr Lynch told the Government to “back off” and stop threatening rural services.

“They are playing a game of Jenga with rural Ireland. They’re pulling out the blocks one by one and it’s time we told the Government to back off,” said the former Mayor of Kilrush.

The motions comes as discussion are ongoing about the future of the Cratloe Post Office with a number of other Clare post offices understood to be under threat.

“They are trying to close down a post office in our area at the moment. It will have a devastating effects on our community,” said Cllr PJ Ryan (Ind).

“It seem that someone up in Dublin just makes a decision to close down a post office and does not have any consideration with the local community at all.”

The future of Cratloe Post Offices is set to be decided in the coming weeks. A local group made a submission to an post 10 days ago and are awaiting a response from the company.

COUNCILLORS in Ennis have called on the Minister for Transport to release funds for the development of a € 250,000 roundabout on the Tulla Road in Ennis.

Clare County Council is proposing to develop a roundabout near Oakleigh Woods and Cappahard to alleviate traffic issues in the area.

Residents have long campaigned for the measures to improve safety on the road.

At the July meeting of the Ennis Municipal District Committee (MDC), councillors agreed to write to the Minister for Transport to see if funds are available for the project.

The discussion stemmed from a motion tabled by Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF). Cllr Colleran Molloy wants the council to address the need for “additional signs for Ennis town centre on the northern part of the motorway at the current Tulla / Scariff exit”.

She is also seeking brown exit signs at the current Quin exit for Quin Abbey and Knappogue Castle.

In his reply, Eamon O’Dea, Senior Executive Engineer, stated, “Junction 13 on the 18 is not intended as a primary access road to Ennis and provides a means of direct access at R352.”

He continues, “I would not be recommending the inclusion of Ennis on the signs at junction 13 until the Cappahard Roundabout is constructed.”

Mr O’Dea told the meeting that any motorway signs encouraging traffic to access the town centre via the Tulla Road would put “severe pressure” on the route.

Mayor of Ennis MDC, Johnny Flynn (FG) proposed the committee write to the minister’s office to seek funds for the roundabout.

Cllr James Breen (Ind) said the roundabout is badly needed. Cllr Pat Daly (FF) described the project as “very important”.

Cllr Ann Norton (Ind) said there are a lot of families living in the area. She called on the committee to write a strongly worded letter to the minister.

In May, Director of Service, Ger Dollard told a meeting of the former Ennis Town Council that funding for the roundabout project is unlikely to be available in the short to medium term.

MORE than 16 families in the Cloughaninchy area of Quilty face an anxious wait this winter as it is now seems virtually certain that no fresh flood defenses will be in place before next year.

Residents of the area, which bore the brunt of severe storms in January and February of this year, face an anxious winter with little protection from a similar storm or high tide event. According to local councillor Michael Hillery (FF), Clare County Council have had its hands tied on this issue – as central government have yet to respond to a funding request following St Bridget’s Day Storm last February.

“There is no firm date for works to start in the Quilty, Tromera and Cloughaninchy coastline.

“We are currently awaiting a response from central government in relation to the February storm damage assessment and coastline protection works. When this response is received we will be able to progress with a fully resourced programme of coastline repair work for the entire county,” said a council spokesperson last week.

According to Cllr Hillery, people in the area are already starting to get nervous ahead of possible storms this winter.

“The council has put in a request but the Government has not responded so money can’t be allocated and work can’t be done. The council’s hands are tied, there is nothing they can do until they get some response from government,” he said.

“The residents are very concerned, especially for their homes, but the local roads and farms were also badly effected last year. It’s already too late, nothing will happen this year.

“The whole area are concerned but especially the residents of Cloughaninchy. These people are facing next winter with nothing in place to protect them if something happens again this year.

“We had a number of Ministers down here and they all made promises. It really was just a PR visit and nothing has actually happened.”