Category: News

TWO Clare secondary schools received a significant boost last week with the news that the Department of Education and Science has approved building extensions in Ennis and Killaloe.

Clare VEC will receive grant funding to carry out the works at Ennis Community College and St Anne’s Community College, Killaloe.

Making the announcement on Thursday, Clare VEC CEO, George O’Callaghan said the new facilities are needed to cope with a projected increased in the number of students attending both schools. He said a Department of Education report had predicted that enrolment at Ennis Community College would rise to 740 students in the near future, while enrolment at St Anne’s is expected to increase to 750.

There are currently 500 students enrolled at Ennis Community College. Clare VEC will receive a devolved grant for the projects – a 2813sq/m extension in Ennis and a 1800sq/m extension in Killaloe.

There will be two separate tendering processes for each school while Mr O’Callaghan added that the process of seeking planning permission for both projects would begin “immediately”. He said, “They [the de- partment] have indicated that they want people walking in the doors by 2014.” Mr O’Callaghan said preliminary discussions had already taken place with the department. He said the department had indicated a preference for a new standalone building at Ennis Community College. He said the building would also alleviate pressure on Gaelcholáiste an Chláir, an Aonad that currently operates within Ennis Community College.

Mr O’Callaghan was speaking at the October meeting of Clare VEC where he said it would be “remiss” of the committee not to accept the funding. Committee member Michael Corley proposed that the VEC accept the department’s offer. Seconding the motion, committee chairman Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) welcomed the annoucement. He said an extension for St Anne’s is “long overdue”.

A DECISION to retain a VEC suboffice in Ennis will be determined by the outcome of “local discussions”, a meeting has heard.

The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn, has outlined proposals to amalgamate Clare VEC with Limerick City and Limerick County VECs.

The new entity would be known as a Local Education and Training Board (LETB).

CEO George O’Callaghan told the October meeting of Clare VEC that while the new LETB will require a headquarters, “there will be local discussions” that will determine the location of any potential sub office.

“You must have a designated headquarters and after that it is a matter of discussions,” he added.

Mr O’Callaghan said that from next August third-level grants would be administered by Dublin City LETB. He said that while Clare VEC will continue to deal with existing applications for a three to four years, it would not accept new applications.

Responsibility for school transport will be transferred to Bus Eireann in January, he said.

Clare TD and Fine Gael Deputy, Pat Breen has called for the retention of a sub office in Ennis.

Deputy Breen has argued that the proposal would be cost-neutral because the Department of Education and Skills owns the building in Ennis.

Mr O’Callaghan also told the meeting that the department had also published the heads of a Bill outlining the proposed new legal structure of new VEC entities. He said the Bill proposed changes to the make up of vocational education committees.

He explained that while county councils will be represented on the new committees, the Bill contains no provision for town councils.

Mr O’Callaghan said that three local authorities – Limerick City Council, Limerick County Council and Clare County Council – would be represented on the new LETB.

Cllr Peter Considine (FF) proposed that the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) “strongly reject” the proposal.

Cllr Considine, a member of Ennis Town Council, said VECs had always represented urban and rural communities.

CLARE VEC would face competition from other bodies for the patronage of a new Irish secondary school if approval were granted for a new site, a meeting has heard.

CEO, George O’Callaghan was speaking last week at a discussion on the findings of a survey for the public’s preference for the future of Gaelcholáiste an Chláir.

A new building has been approved for Ennis Community College and Mr O’Callaghan was questioned if the new extension would affect a proposal to develop a new standalone Irish secondary school in Ennis.

Gaelcholáiste an Chláir currently operates within the campus of Ennis Community College.

Parents’ representative Maolíosa Ní Chléirigh asked if the VEC is continuing to push for an independ- ent Gaelcholáiste.

Ms Ní Chléirigh said the Gaelcholáiste does not have enough classrooms to cater for student numbers.

Mr O’Callaghan said the VEC had previously indicated that it is in favour of a standalone school. He said the new building would bring “enormous relief” to the current problems at the Ennis Community College campus. “The extension may offer some form of relief and be the basis for future developments,” he said.

However, Mr O’Callaghan explained that a school must have an enrolment of 400 students before the department will approve a new standalone building. He told the meeting that a “health warning” would have to be attached to any application for a new greenfield site. He explained that if the department approved a new site, patronage of the school would be open to competition.

A NEW secondary school through the medium of Irish has moved much closer to reality, following last Thursday’s announcement of a major capital investement in Ennis Community College. The Clare People has learned that the building programme at Ennis Community College, details of which were reavealed at October monthly meeting of Clare VEC, is set to pave the way to incorporate a new premises for Gaelcholáiste an Chláir.

Since Gaelcholáiste an Chláir was established in 1993 it has been part of the community college but now the green light for new building programme, in tandem with overwhelming support from the public for the development of second level education throught Irish, is being held up as major step forward.

“This major announcement of a 2800 sq m development is great news for Ennis Community College,” said college chairman Dónal Ó hAiniféin, “but it is also brilliant news for Gaelcholáiste an Chláir as the development of new facilities will enable the school to access the sort of facilities it needs to develop.

“This will be a purpose-built facility and Gaelcholáiste an Chláir will have access to the state of the art facilities that it needs,” added the chairman of Ennis Community College.

These words have been echoed by Ennis Community College principal, Matt Power, who said that the new developement announcement is “a vote of confidence in the vocational education system, while the new facility will be able “to provide all the resources that Ghaelcholáiste an Chláir needs”.

The annnouncement, which will see the new school facilities developed by the September 2014 school year comes on the back on the publication of findings of a major survey which investigated the demand for second level education through Irish in Ennis.

Key figures contained in the report secured by The Clare People showed that 88 per cent of the 854 respondents to the survey “agreed or agreed strongly that Irish medium education should be available at second level”, while 69 per cent of survey participants said that Gaelcholáiste an Chláir would move to its own campus.

These report was commissioned by Clare VEC in January when it “appointed an independent external consultant to conduct a survey to assess the demand for second-level education entirely through the medium of Irish in Clare and to inform future planning and options for Gaelcholáiste an Chláir”.

As part of the process participants were asked their views on whether the Gaelcholáiste “should establish independent status and move to its own campus”, or whether the school “should remain as it is, operating within Ennis Community College”.

“There was clear evidence from respondents’ comments that more parents will be encouraged to enroll their children in Gaelcholáiste an Chláir if it can provide full immersion education and establish its own ethos and identity,” the report says.

“In 2006, Limerick VEC established a very successful standalone independent Gaelcholáiste. Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh began with 30 pupils and now attracts over 100 applications annually and has an intake of 80.”

A GENTLEMAN, an innovator, a friend and a man who has given so much to traditional music and to his adopted home town of Miltown Malbay. Many tributes have been paid to Muiris Ó Rocháin, co-founder of the Willie Clancy Summer School, who passed away last week after a short illness.

Some of the most poignant words came from the man most associated with Muiris, the co-founder of the Willie Clancy Summer School, Harry Hughes. The pair, who met when they were both teaching at St Joseph’s Secondary School in Spanish Point in the late 1960s, were involved in numerous different music and local history projects over the years.

“He is a great loss. From the day I met him until the day he died, there was never a bad word spoken between us. He was a gentleman and a generous man and a man with a great since of humour. He took his work seriously and he took his music seriously but he never took himself too seriously,” Harry told The Cla re People yesterday.

“I think he has left a tremendous legacy behind him – not just in traditional music but in a number of fields. When we started the school, there was nothing really like it in traditional music. When you think about it, how many festivals there are around the county now?”

Tributes were also paid by John Lynch, head of the Kilfenora Céilí Band, who said that the Willie Clancy Summer School was a great boost to traditional music in Ireland.

“He will be sorely missed. When himself and Harry [Hughes] set up the Willie Clancy Summer School, there was nothing like it in Ireland. They were way ahead of their time,” said John.

“When the Willie Clancy Summer School got going, traditional music in Ireland was way different from how it is today. I was 17 years old when the first Willie Clancy week took place and at that stage there weren’t a lot of people playing traditional music. Both Muiris and Harry are so well respected by everyone in the traditional community and they did so much to help that tradition.

“He will be sorely missed by everyone in traditional music and, on behalf of the Kilfenora Céilí Band, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to his family.”

Alongside his many great musical achievements, Muiris can also take the credit for helping to save his adopted home in Miltown Malbay. The Willie Clancy Summer School raises an estimated € 6 million for the west Clare economy each year.

“Muiris was a man of great foresight and vision and that was a key part of the success of the school. No matter how much the school grew though, he always kept the common touch, he was always down to earth and interested in what was going on on the ground,” said Cllr Michael Hillery (FF).

“The Willie Clancy Summer School has been a huge boost to Miltown over the decades — not just to Miltown but to all the neighbouring towns as well. There are a number of businesses in town that wouldn’t have survived had it not been for the Willie Clancy Summer School.

“He will be missed by everyone in the town and we would all like to extend our sympathies to his wife Una, his daughter Maura and his son Seamus.”

AROUND 60 people attended a meeting at Barefield Community Hall on Thursday night to highlight concerns over recent Traveller encampments in the area.

The meeting was called after a number of caravans and vehicles moved into a section of road leading to the M18, near Barefield village, over the past two weeks.

Residents and landowners have raised concerns over allegations of rubbish dumping and the presence of dogs on popular walking routes.

There was a feeling of “anger” at the meeting, according to one man who attended. Sean Corcoran, Chairman of Barefield Tidy Villages, said locals are frustrated that action was not taken to force caravans to move from the side of the road.

The meeting was also attended by local councillors and members of the gardaí. Mr Corcoran said some local people have been “heckled” and feel “intimated”.

“People are losing patience with the whole lot of it. We are no farther down the road than we were 20 years ago. € 20 million has been spent in the past 10 years (on Traveller accommodation). It seems that whatever they want, they get.”

Mr Corcoran said the community have sought a meeting with Clare County Council. The issue was raised at yesterday’s meeting of the Ennis Joint Policing Committee.

Town Manager Ger Dollard said council staff are working on a daily basis, with all parties to try and resolve the situation.

He said, “The council is aware of issues regarding illegal encampments in Ennis town and environs. It is also noticeable that there has been some movement in recent days between encampments. The council has had daily contact with the gardaí in relation to issues arising and will continue to work with the gardaí and other parties to try and resolve the situation.”

Mr Dollard added, “Council staff have also been involved on a daily basis in managing the situation. We are fully aware of the difficulties that such illegal encampments cause for both the settled and Travelling community and our aim is to secure their removal as quickly as possible.”

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) told the meeting that Traveller encampments are causing stress to communities around Clare.

According to a council report prepared by Bernadette Kinsella, Director Of Housing, Social and Cultural Services, 201 statutory notices instructing the removal of temporary dwellings from unauthorised encampments were issued in the past two years.

UP TO 50 new jobs are to be created in the retail sector by a Clare company over the next 12 months, which will bring to 150 the number of people employed in the region.

Zest, a food hall that opened in Ennis’ Market area in June 2010, has announced they have purchased the old Avoca site at Bunratty, which will be developed in the next year as part of the expansion plans of the company.

“This fulfils a long-held wish to see the site resurrected and vibrant again in such a historic heritage area, since it burnt down four years ago when owned by Avoca,” a spokesperson for Zest, the retail arm of EFG Inflight Ltd based in Shannon told The Clare People .

Zest has also announced that they successfully won the tender to operate a café as part of the newly restored Limerick City Gallery of Art at The People’s Park, Pery Square, due for completion before Christmas this year.

The café, located in the beautifully restored Carnegie Building will afford an opportunity to Limerick residents to enjoy the range of Zest foods, handmade breads, cakes, pastries and meals.

“Our retail brand Zest! has enjoyed tremendous success since opening in Ennis last year, and we are keen to develop the brand further. The acquisition of the old Avoca site at Bunratty, together with our new presence in Limerick at the LCGA, will allow us to serve more of our customers who have been very loyal and supportive to us,” Ean Malone, Managing Director of EFG Inflight Ltd, stated.

“Our success is testament to our wonderful staff and chefs who have worked hard to build this brand, and developing further units will afford us an opportunity to create new lines and products,” he added

It is envisaged that the two new developments will produce another 50 jobs for Clare and Limerick over the next 12 months, adding to the 100 staff currently employed full-time by the company in Clare. Financial Director Fiona Barry stated, “The purchase of the Bunratty site is an indication of our long-term commitment to the area, and our desire to create much-needed employment in the locality.”

EFG Inflight Ltd is a wholly owned independent company, and has been in operation for four years based at Knockbeg Point, Shannon Airport. It primarily services the international inflight catering and private jet requirements, corporate catering and related services.

NEW figures indicate that the number of assaults, drug seizures and incidents of arson are down in Ennis for the year so far.

There were 23 incidents of assault causing harm in the first nine months of the year, compared to 25 for the same period in 2010.

Minor assaults are down from 81 in 2010 to 63 in 2011.

The number of on-street drug searches that took place in the first nine months of 2011 stood at 278, compared to 316 for the same period last year.

The figures were presented at yesterday’s public meeting of the Ennis Joint Policing Committee.

Supt Peter Duff of the Ennis Garda District told the meeting that criminal damage caused by fire had fallen from 27 (2010) to 13 (2011).

The report compared recorded incidents of crime in Ennis from January to September (2011) with the same period in 2010.

Arrests for drugs for sale or supply are down from 46 (2010) to 35 (2011) while the number of people caught in possession of drugs has reduced by almost 50 per cent (131 to 66).

Public order offences have fallen from 406 (2010) to 395 (2011) while robbery of persons fell from 10 (2010) to two (2011).

In relation to drug searches carried out under warrant, the figures show a reduction from 151 to 84.

Supt Duff told the meeting that a cannabis growhouse had been de- tected on the outskirts of Ennis during the summer.

He said a quantity of mephedrone had also been seized in Ennis earlier this year, a discovery that led gardai to conduct a follow-up search of premises in Lissycasey.

He said that both matters are now before the courts.

There was also a small reduction in the number of incidents of sexual offences recorded by gardaí (27 to 21).

Supt Duff said many of the cases are historic in nature and relate to alleged offences that took place in the 1960s and ‘70s.

He said people are now more confident about reporting sexual offences that occurred in family or institutional settings.

The meeting was attended by local councillors, council officials and community representatives.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) expressed concern that apart from representatives of Ennis Chamber, no members of the public were in attendance.

A WOMAN yesterday told a court that getting caught with drugs was the best thing to happen to her brother, as it forced him to make changes in his life.

The man’s sister told a judge that her brother’s involvement in drugs devastated his parents, but that his family was fully supporting him every step of the way in his efforts to get his life back on track.

Carpenter Ian Kelly (41), of Capparoe, Scarriff, pleaded guilty to cultivation and supply of drugs.

Garda Aidan Sweeney told Ennis Circuit Court that on foot of confidential information, he obtained a search warrant and carried out a raid on the accused’s house, on the evening of June 21, 2010.

He said that the accused lived there with his partner and partner’s two children. “He was very forthcoming. He showed me the garden shed he was using to grow cannabis,” said the garda.

He said that the end of the timber shed was concealed into compartments and 23 cannabis plants were growing. 17 of the plants were small, he said. There was a number of shelving units and aerators in the shed.

Cannabis leaf, valued at more than € 4,700, was seized by gardaí during the search, along with 10 grammes of amphetamines and a small quantity of ecstasy. The total value of the seizure of the cannabis and the plants amounted to € 8,000, said the garda.

“He took full responsibility. He said he was addicted to drugs. It was for self-medication mostly. From his phone records, he was selling the drugs to approximately three peo- ple,” said the garda.

Defence Counsel Elaine Houlihan, BL, said that her client’s partner was not aware of his actions.

She said there was no cash seized during the search, adding, “He doesn’t have any of the trappings of wealth. He had an addiction to cannabis, amphetamines and alcohol at the time. He wasn’t a street dealer. He was dealing to a small group of friends,” said Ms Houlihan.

She said that two days after the discovery of the drugs, her client went for treatment and has not come to the attention of gardaí since. She said her client wouldn’t fit the “usual profile of a person who comes before the court in terms of previous convictions” and the garda agreed with this.

Ms Houlihan said that her client came from a respected family and that his father is a former school principal. “He has brought a degree of shame and hurt to his family,” she said.

The accused’s sister, Ruth Minogue, took the stand and said that “for years, he was a mess” but that her brother is now determined to get his life back on track.

“As a family, we tried but he was the only person who could help himself. His life was a complicated mess. Being caught was the best thing that happened to him because it forced changes in his life,” she said.

She said that her parents were “absolutely devastated, but we are behind him all the way”. She added, “He is trying as hard as any individual can try to get their life back on track.”

Judge Carroll Moran said, “This is a very serious matter and in the normal course of events would warrant a prison sentence.” However, he said the circumstances in this case were extraordinary. He said that the accused “made serious efforts to address his drug addiction” after he was caught, adding, “and he is now clean of illicit drugs”.

“I accept he wasn’t a street dealer. He was dealing to a small number of friends,” said the judge. He said he accepted Ms Minogue’s evidence and said he was taking into account the fact that the accused was making a serious effort to turn his life around. “He is going to have to abstain from drugs for a substantial period of time,” said the judge.

He imposed a four-year jail sentence, suspended for four years, on condition that the defendant does not commit any crime during the next four years; that he obey the directions from the Probation service and abstain from drugs.

IRISH language groups are hoping the use of cuplá focal will boost business and encourage cultural tourism in Ennis. The objectives have been set out as part of Inis Dom, a new marketing and promotion campaign that will be launched in the Temple Gate hotel on Thursday night (8pm).

The initiative has been organised by An Clár as Gaeilge Teo, Glor na nGael Inis and Conradh na Gaeilge with the assistance of Foras na Gaeilge, Comhairle Baile na hInse, Ennis Chamber and Ennis Town Council.

As part of the campaign, businesses will receive information on the advantages of marketing through Irish along with Irish in-house promotional and advertising material. Local groups involved in the promotion of Irish will also provide support and ongoing advice while helping businesses identify promotional opportunities.

Inis Dom will build on Gnó Means Business, a special branding campaign that aims to facilitate the practical use of Irish within the business sector.

Research on the links between Irish and business promotion was carried out over the past 12 months while 1,000 leaflets outlining the initiative were delivered to businesses in the past seven days

Domhnall O Loinsigh, secretary of An Clár as Gaeilge Teo, explained, “We are focusing on traders to show how Irish can be attractive as a mar- keting tool and it will cost businesses nothing to take part”.

He added, “We’re trying to raise the profile of the town as a cultural shopping destination. If we can do that, this will raise the profile of Ennis as a centre of excellence in promotion of traditional culture.”

Mr O Loinsigh said, “Hopefully traders will benefit from the increased focus on Ennis as a shopping destination”.

The new marketing campaign follows the work of An Clár as Gaeilge Teo. Established in 2002, the group has promoted Irish in Ennis and throughout the county.

Ennis has won the Glór an nGael National award on four occasions and the ‘Tidy Towns le Gaeilge’ twice. According to Mr O Loinsigh, the long-term aim is to introduce the Inis Dom concept across all sectors of the local economy.

“We’re very much thinking of the future with this. The better response we get, the more we’ll provide,” he added.