Category: News

JUST one nurse has been provided to the Clare Mental Health Services under the € 35 million ringfenced in the budget for development of community mental health services.

According to a Clare member of the HSE West Forum, the money that was earmarked for recruitment within the under-resourced service has provided just one staff nurse to the child and adolescence psychiatric service in the county.

Cllr Tom McNamara (FF) has called for more services in Clare to be supported from the funding.

Minister of State, with responsibility for Disability, Older People, Equality and Mental Health, Kathleen Lynch said the funding would primarily be used to strengthen community mental health teams in both adult and children’s mental health services.

Over 400 additional staff are to be recruited to support initiatives under this package. It is intended that the additional resources will be rolled out in conjunction with the scheme of appropriate clinical care programmes currently being developed.

It is understood that the € 35 million is to be released over three years.

Cllr McNamara said that he was disappointed to learn that to date just one appointment has been made in Clare under the scheme.

THE people of Doolin will hit the big time later this week as the town features in an hour-long programme to be broadcast on Sky TV. A number of local people and musicians were interviewed during the recent Micho Russell Memorial Music festival in the village, with many of these interviews to feature on the programme.

The programme, which is entitled ‘Out and About in Ireland’ will be broadcast on Sky channel 201 this coming Thursday, March 8, from 9pm and repeated twice on Sunday and Monday, March 11 and 12, at 11pm.

It is not clear as yet which local people have made it into the final cut for the programme, but it will feature something from local musicians Kevin Griffin, Adrian O’Connor, Albie Grace, Donal Murphy, Pat Ryan, David Crowe, Tom Delaney, Matt Burke and Christy Ennis, as well as an interview with Sean Keane who was in Doolin performing for the weekend.

“It is always an honour to be invited back to perform in front of people that really appreciate and understand the music,” said Keane about the Russell Memorial Festival.

“I love coming down to Doolin. Micho Russell has a legendary place in traditional music and I think this weekend embodies the emotion and spirit of his music.

“There is something about Doolin and the music of Clare that is magical and I am sure people will really enjoy this programme.”

The programme focuses on the Russell Memorial Music Festival, describing it as one of the “hidden gems” of the Irish traditional music calendar.

While the festival already attracts musicians and music-lovers from all over Ireland, it is hoped that the exposure gained from the television programme could attract new audiences to the festival for 2013.

The programme was made for Sky by a film crew from an Irish television company who will also be streaming the programme online at www.irishtv.ie from this Thursday.

It is presented by Pierce O’Reilly and, besides focussing on the traditional music of the area, it also looks at some of the leading local artisan food producers in the area, including the Burren Smokehouse in Lisdoonvarna and Linalla Ice Cream in New Quay.

PATIENTS and visitors to the Mid West Regional hospitals in Ennis and Limerick will have to leave the hospital campuses and walk to the roadside if they plan to light up.

From May 1, all hospitals in the midwest, including the maternity hospital, will become smoke-free, following in the footsteps of other HSE West hospitals.

Sister hospitals in Galway have been smoke-free for more than two weeks, although not everyone is a fan of the new regulations that must be imposed in all Irish hospitals by 2015.

Chairman of the HSE West, Pádraig Conneely (FG) asked if the HSE had gone a step too far by banning smoking on all hospital campuses.

“Is it not a far walk all the way down to the road?” he asked, referring to the tree-lined avenue of Merlin Park Hospital, Galway, where last week’s meeting of the HSE West took place.

The Galway councillor also raised unease at the sight of patients in their pyjamas and dressing gowns standing on the side of the main road, out- side the walls of the University College Hospital, Galway.

He asked who would be responsible if a passing car knocked one of these patients down.

The HSE West chairman also raised concerns about policing the new ban. “How are you going to stop people outside accident and emergency in an inebriated state who are smoking, or a person dealing with a tragedy who wants to go outside to smoke,” he said.

Clare representative to the HSE West Forum, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said he agreed with the policy, but raised concerns about hospitals like the Mid Western Regional Hospital Ennis, which has a psychiatric unit. “It is more than a dependency for people with psychiatric problems,’ he said.

He asked if the HSE now plans to extend the practice of allowing unhealthy behaviour on campus, by ceasing to sell sugary foods in its hospital shops, given the rise in typetwo diabetes.

Fellow Clare representative Cllr Tony Mulqueen (FG) asked about the size of the hospital campus and was told it was a 150-acre site.

“If there were 1,5000 acres, would you have the same rules? Where does it stop?” he asked.

Regional Director of Operations HSE West John Hennessy said it was “somewhat of an anomaly if we have banned cigarettes in pubs and public places and allow them on hospital grounds. I just can’t see us going back on an inevitable move.”

Tony Canavan, General Manager, Galway Primary Community and Continuing Care (PCCC), HSE West, added that “in a small number of cases, patients will be allowed to smoke in consultation with their doctor.”

GOVERNMENT cutbacks in youth services that are set to be implemented over the next three years now means that frontline services provided throughout the county by the Clare Youth Service will be closed.

That’s the warning that has been issued by both the chairman and chief executive of the Clare Youth Service, as they front up a new fundraising campaign to try and stave off the forced closure of key services that will be brought on by budget cuts.

These fears for the future of Clare Youth Service operations have been sounded out in a letter, secured by The Clare People this week, in which chairman Michael Byrne and chief executive Margaret Slattery launched their appeal to members of the public to row in behind a fundraising campaign for youth services throughout Clare.

“We’ve responded to the cutbacks of recent years by pay reductions, restructuring and changing the way we work. This has helped us maintain core services,” the letter outlining the current financial well-being of Clare Youth Service states.

“However, we’ve now been informed of the scale of cuts to our grants up to 2015. There will be more significant reductions each year to the extend that internal savings will not allow us to maintain a reasonable level of service.

“Unless alternative income in generated, frontline services will close,” it adds.

Clare Youth Service has a huge network of services throughout the county, providing 68 projects in 25 locations for up to 3,000 young people between the ages of 12 and 25.

Clare Youth Service had its beginnings in 1969 when it was established as Clare Regional Youth Council. Over the years it has changed and developed to become a leader in the field of youth services.

The range of services includes youth clubs, certified training, music projects, youth cafés and education programmes.

To ensure that services can be maintained, people around the county are being asked to become “a patron or a friend” of Clare Youth Service.

“Individuals and companies can become a patron for a donation of € 50 or become a friend for € 20. There is no ongoing commitment. Friends will receive a car sticker, whilst patrons will receive a certificate for their premises or home in addition to the sticker,” the letter adds.

A PHOTOGRAPH that captures one of the most dramatic moments in Clare’s political history has been discovered in a Dublin attic. It shows Eamon de Valera addressing a huge rally at O’Connell Square in Ennis in 1923, shortly before shots were fired at the future President of Ireland.

De Valera survived the attempt on his life and was rushed from the podium. Ms Barrett, the woman with the coat, pictured to De Valera’s right, took the bullets meant for him. She survived and married in the town.

The photograph was part of a case of material taken by the Duffy family when they left Ennis in the late 1950s. Rónán Ó Dubhthaigh discovered the case at Christmas when he went to Dublin to visit his mother. The photograph subsequently found its way back to Ennis, where it was identified by local historian Pat Brennan. Pat and members of the Steele’s Terrace Centenary Committee, including Simon O’Donnell (Chairman) and Anthony Lynch (Secretary) had issued an appeal for photographs for a new publication on one of Ennis’ oldest residential areas. The fruits of their labour Steele’s Ter ra ce: More Tha n A Centur y of Histor y, Pictures a nd Memor ies will be launched in the Old Ground Hotel, Ennis, on March 15 at 8pm. The new De Valera photograph is not included in the collection but many more memorable images are. Simon O’Donnell explained that work began on the project last August. He said there had been a great response to the committee’s appeal, with responses coming from as far afield as Australia and New Zealand. Simon also thanked the work of committee members and local researchers. He said, “Pat Brennan did a lot of the groundwork. Without him, it wouldn’t have have happened. The Clare Roots Society were a great help in getting the names of the original tenants.” The terrace is named after ‘Honest’ Tom Steele, a Protestant landowner who became a prominent member of the Catholic Association and a close friend and supporter of Daniel O’Connell. Rónán Ó Dubhthaigh would like if any readers would contact him if they have any information on the Duffy family who lived at No. 9, Steele’s Terrace. He can be contacted at anfhiontarlannteo@gma

ONE OF west Clare’s most scenic walks has been targeted for industrial fly-tippers, with a large amount of industrial waste being dumped at the “back strand” of Seafield in Quilty last week. The rubbish was found by local photographer and nature lover, Ann O’Connell, who discovered the rubbish while out walking last Wednesday. The waste included a number of light fittings and long-life bulbs. Also included in the waste was the remains of at least one computer and a metre stick. Because of the nature of the rubbish Ann believes that it may have been dumped by someone in the construction industry to avoid from paying recycling or landfill costs for the waste. “I came across the waste last Wednesday while I was out walking and taking photographs. I know that it is a recent dump because I walked the same route four days previous to that and it wasn’t there,” said Ann. “There was a load of spotlights and low energy bulbs dumped aswell-as what looked like a computer and some other industrial waste. We don’t know who dumped it, but maybe it was a builder or contractor who didn’t want to pay to dispose of the waste properly. “It is a very scenic scenic area. I do walking there a lot and there are great views of the ocean and out towards Mutton Island and the Cliffs of Moher. This isn’t the first time that dumping like this has taken place in the area – not at all. It is a rocky enough place where it is dumped so I would imagine that the person who dumped this would have to be a local. “If children were to wander onto this rubbish it is the sort of stuff that could be very dangerous to them. They could injure themselves or get cut quite easily. There is also a very large ‘no dumping’ sign in the area so there is no excuse for whomever did this. It is just irresponsible.”

THERE is good news on the horizon for one Clare company as – after making himself Ireland’s foremost hurley maker – O’Callaghan’s Mills businessman John Torpey is about to take on the production of renewable fuels.

Torpey Hurleys have almost doubled the workforce at its Sixmilebridge factory over the last two years and now employs seven full-time people and a number of part-time workers.

The company began producing briquettes from the ash left over from making the hurleys last year and they are currently seeking funding under the LEADER Programme to roll out this product on a large scale.

“I have been able to take on a few people in the last few weeks and that brings it up to seven full-time employees and a few part-time. I’d say we now make between 60,000 and 70,000 hurleys a year now so there is a big demand for it right now.

“It’s about giving the customer what he wants. My father gave me a saying one time – he said ‘make quality and you’ll never be out of the job’. So that is what I have done. You will only sell a poor-quality product once and that is a fact,” said John.

“I have started into briquette-making using the waste from the hurleys. The briquettes are now selling in a number of shops in Ennis and they are selling well.

“These briquettes are made from material that would otherwise be going to a landfill. I have been in contact with LEADER and I am hoping that they can help me expand the Belvoir Briquette product.

“The lads are making hurleys flat out at the moment and, because of the mild spring, there probably won’t be as large a demand for the briquettes as there might be in other years. The briquettes will be great for the business.

“I have an ongoing supply of waste from the hurleys that is the raw material for the briquettes. At the moment, I have an acre of ground taken up with these pieces of ash because I have no place to put them. So the briquettes will be great for the business and great for the environment locally if I can expand this.”

John was brought to the attention of the world last week when he supplied hurleys and a lesson in the game to the Chinese president elect, Xi Jinping, on his official state visit to Ireland.

FOUR men have appeared in court arising out of an alleged public order disturbance in Ennis last week.

John Doherty (46), Jimmy Doherty (38) and Michael McDonagh (21) and Bernie McDonagh (44), all with addresses on the Kilrush Road, Ennis, were each granted bail subject to conditions at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

The charges relate to an alleged incident on the Kilrush Road, Ennis on February 21 (2012)

Bernie McDonagh (44), with an address at 1 Ashline Kilrush Road, is charged with engaging in threatening, insulting or abusive behaviour with the intent to provoke a breach of the peace. Bail was approved subject to McDonagh not having any contact with John or Jimmy Doherty.

Mr Hassett said that the McDon- aghs and the Dohertys lived in the same estate. He said his client understood that he was not to have any direct contact with the Dohertys.

Jimmy Doherty (38), with an address at 8 Maiville, Kilrush Road, Ennis, is charged with engaging in threatening, insulting or abusive behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace. Doherty was ordered not to have any contact with Bernie or Michael McDonagh.

Michael McDonagh (21), with an address at 1 Ashline, Kilrush Road, Ennis, is charged with threatening, insulting or abusive behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace and failing to comply with the directions of a garda.

Insp Kennedy said McDonagh was not to have any contact with John or Jimmy Doherty.

John Doherty, with an address at 4 Ashline, Kilrush Road, Ennis was charged with failing to comply with a direction of a garda. Insp Kennedy said the gardaí would consent to bail if Doherty did not have any contact with Bernie or Michael McDonagh.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy granted the State liberty to re-enter in each of the four cases should there be a breach of the bail conditions.

Each of the men was remanded on bail to appear in Ennis District Court on March 21.

ON MONDAY, February 27, three members from the Gardaí visited Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon.

Rosaleen O’Connor, Deirdre Scanlon and Noreen King, accompanied by Barry Keating, Road Safety Officer for Clare County Council, were at the school to give all to transitionyear students on the dangers of road accidents.

Their talk included a PowerPoint presentation featuring graphic images and video clips of accidents in Ireland. The students were informed about the main factors that cause accidents – speed, alcohol and fatigue.

“The PowerPoint presentation made us more aware and cautious about road safety as it proved to us that accidents can happen very easily and anyone can be involved. The images showed us the reality of not wearing seatbelts and how much damage can be done if we’re going over the speed limit,” said the students. “It also made us think about the decisions we should make and how careful we should be on the road.”

A schools competition is being organised to raise road safety awareness, whereby students suggest methods of raising awareness. The winning idea will be promoted nationwide.

SHANNON Town Council member, Cllr Cathy McCafferty, has broken her silence outside the confines of the local authority chamber on her resignation from Sinn Féin that has left the party without any representation in Clare local government.

However, in issuing a statement about the controversy that has racked Sinn Féin since late 2011 after Cllr McCafferty was initially suspended and her husband Eugene McCafferty expelled from the party, she has declined to say whether she took her former party’s pledge before the 2009 local elections.

Sinn Féin authorities are adamant that Cllr McCafferty signed a pledge that she would vacate her seat on Shannon Town Council in the event of a parting of the ways between herself and the party.

“I think that it is common knowledge by now that I recently declared myself a non-party, independent Town Councillor,” said Cllr McCafferty in broaching the subject of her controversial exit from Sinn Féin party politics in a newspaper column in The Clare Courier .

“I have parted ways with Sinn Féin after a long number of years. It is not my intention to enter into a slagging match about this as I still have many friends in the party.

“For me, however, it was time to move on and I am very happy to continue to represent the people of Shannon who gave me a mandate in 2009.

“I would like to acknowledge the great support I have received from local people over the last number of weeks. This has been both humbling and very encouraging. Many have called me on the phone or texted me, but I been especially heartened by all of those people who have stopped me when out shopping or socialising to offer their encouragement and kind words of support.

“Contrary to the impression that might have been given otherwise, my situation is not unique; many others have parted ways with political parties in the past and many more will do so in the future.

“For me, I intend to honour the commitment I made when I was elected by continuing to work for a better Shannon and a fairer society,” added Cllr McCafferty.

“She hasn’t honoured a commitment she made before standing for election,” a local spokesperson for Sinn Féin has told The Clare People this week.

“That was in the party pledge she signed. It’s as simple as that,” the spokesperson added.