Category: News

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.

A NEW people’s think-tank has been set up in north Clare with the purpose of pooling ideas and reinventing a future for the people of the Burren.

The first Mind Meitheal, as it is known, will take place at the Kilnaboy X-PO this Wednesday, with local people invited to come and share ideas or to simply listen.

Unlike other think-tanks, the Mind Meitheal is open to all local people and a particular emphasis has been placed on attracting young people and Burren farmers.

The think-tank has been set up by local artist Deirdre O’Mahony, who reopened the Kilnaboy Post Office as a community space known as the X-PO in 2007.

“We have such a mixed group of people using the X-PO, because of all the different groups involved, so we have already been hearing the mixing of ideas here.

“There are lots of different ways of generating ideas. Obviously, places like universities are good for things like that but I feel that somewhere like the X-PO is an ideal place for people who might not always feel comfortable sharing their ideas to get involved,” said Deirdre.

“It is a small and informal place and I think there won’t be as much of a reluctance for people to put forward some strange and unusual ideas. We are really looking for people like farmers, for blow-ins and locals, but I suppose the one group who we really want to come are the young people of the Burren.

“Common Agriculture Funding (CAP) is going to change in 2013 – how are we going to be able to imagine the future of the Burren, its people and its landscape after that?

“How are we going to find these young people with a future? Because it is not going to be like the farming that we have in the Burren now.”

The first Burren Mind Meitheal will take place at the X-PO in Kilnaboy this Wednesday, October 19, from 8pm and will continue on a monthly basis after that.

The Mind Meitheal is one of a number of new events which have been launched at the X-PO this October.

“The X-PO is open to absolutely everybody and we are very interested in anyone coming along and getting involved.

“We have a number of different clubs here already and more people are always welcome to the clubs or to set up something for themselves,” continued Deirdre.

For more information, email xpo. community@gmail.com

A FUNDRAISER to help pay the remaining costs for the renovation and extension of Quin Community Centre will take place on Saturday night.

A traditional music concert, featuring a blend of local and national musicians, will take centre stage at Quin Community Centre at 8pm on Saturday.

Among those due to perform include Mary Liddy’s Music School, Karen McMahon, Fergal Breen, the Maher School of Dancing, Frank Custy, Flan Murtagh and Pat O’Loughlin, along with Quin’s Young Talent.

The major renovation and extension project of the community hall has been completed, to the tune of around € 500,000. While around two-thirds of this was provided in funding, local fundraising was required for the remainder. Most of this has been raised and the debt has been reduced to single digit thousands, according to the treasurer Daire Ó Criodain. “The operational revenue should run ahead of the operational outgoings, but just to accelerate it, this is being organised,” he said. “It is a combination of local talent and Munster and All-Ireland traditional musicians.”

Since the work on the project was completed, the centre has been a hive of activity with several groups holding meetings both during the day and in the evenings. “As a physical space, it is top class,” he added.

Admission for Saturday’s concert is € 7.

INCIDENTS of anti-social behaviour at an Ennis playground have “settled down considerably” since the introduction of CCTV, a meeting has heard.

There was praise for the set of measures implemented this year at a € 240,000 children’s playground in Tim Smythe Park at yesterday’s meeting of the Ennis Joint Policing Committee.

The playground was the focus of incidents of anti-social behaviour when it opened earlier this year.

Reports of vandalism, bullying and intimidation led to calls for improved security measures including CCTV and fencing.

Residents in the area also expressed concern over the high number of cars parking in the area when the playground opened.

Town Manager Ger Dollard told yesterday’s meeting at Waterpark House, Ennis, that the playground is now “operating to a standard that we would accept”.

Praising the impact of the new CCTV system, double yellow lines and pedestrian crossing, Mr Dollard described the overall development of the playground as a “success story”.

Welcoming the report, Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said the playground at Tim Smythe Park is a “world-class facility”.

He said that he acknowledged that initial concerns have now been addressed. He said that anti-social behaviour had “settled down considerably”.

Cllr Mary Coote Ryan (FG) said residents had been “very concerned in the early days” but are now happy that the problems had been addressed.

Mr Dollard told the meeting that good progress had been made over the past 12 months in the area of pedestrian crossings.

He said crossings are now in place at the Maid of Eireann, Tim Smythe Park and Ennis Golf Club while further work is expected at a number of sites around the town.

He also appealed for people using the Western Relief Road in Ennis to jog on the footpath. Mr Dollard said there had been reports of joggers jogging on the road at night.

He said that in the interests of safety, people should use the footpath and also wear appropriate clothing.

TWO NEW state-of-the art rescue boats were officially named in Clare over the weekend with the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coastguard welcoming ‘Lir’ to active service while the Killaloe Unit launched the boat ‘Dalton’.

The Lir was officially named by Senator Martin Conway (FG) in Doolin on Saturday. He pledged that the boat was a good first step but his main aim was to ensure that funding is made available for construction of a rescue centre in Doolin as soon as possible.

Spokesperson for the Doolin Coastguard, Mattie Shannon, said that the new boat would be a great benefit to the unit, which is one of the busiest in Ireland.

“It’s a great new boat to have. It seats four people and can travel up to 48 knots per hour – which could very useful in the future for helping members to escape from danger ous or hazardous sea conditions,” he said.

Speaking at the event, Senator Conway said that the big occasion that he wanted to attend in Doolin was the sod-turning ceremony for a new rescue centre.

“The fact that they have been giv en this boat is a reflection of how busy the unit is and also the level of professionalism that they have in Doolin. I think this boat is a strong endorsement from Government of the work that is done in Doolin and I would see this very much as a preamble to something a lot bigger, which is the provision by the Government of the funding needed for the long overdue new rescue centre,” he said.

“This campaign has been going on since 1997 and the current facilities are completely unacceptable for one of the biggest units in the country. It is imperative that all the various strands of this are pulled together and we get a timeline.

“I would hope that the next big event in Doolin is the turning of the sod for this new centre. The message has to go out loud and clear that Friday was just the beginning and we need.”

Meanwhile, Minister of State, Alan Kelly (FG), was in Killaloe on Saturday to officially name the new eight-metre Redbay Stormforce Rescue Boat. The boat was given the name ‘Dalton’ after Thomas Dalton, who tragically lost his life on Lough Derg in 2006.

To date this year, the Killaloe Coast Unit has responded to 27 call-outs, provided safety cover for a number of local events and visited five national and one secondary school to give safety talks.

GARDAÍ will only impose nighttime pedestrianisaion in Ennis town centre if the situation warrants it, a meeting has heard.

The matter of closing Ennis’ streets to traffic at night was raised at yesterday’s meeting of the Ennis Joint Policing Committee.

Rita McInerney, CEO, Ennis Chamber, asked if pedestrianisation was going to be introduced perma- nently in the town centre or on “adhoc basis”.

Insp John Galvin explained that Gardaí only take the decision to close the streets to cars and other vehicular traffic if there is a large number of people in the town centre area after closing time at the weekend. “We call it as we see it,” he said.

Supt Peter Duff said Gardaí had noticed that there are less people now spilling out onto the streets after pubs and nightclubs closed. He said the fact that people are not out socialising as much is probably reflective of the current economic situation.

The meeting also heard that Ennis could be a “test case” for a UK awards scheme that recognises a town’s nighttime activities and services.

Town Manager Ger Dollard told the meeting that while the Association of Town Centre Management (UK) is not currently taking applications from Irish authorities, the council would examine the criteria required to achieve Purple Flag status.

The award recognises UK towns where improvements have been made to the experience of going to the town at night. According to the Association of Town Centre Management, it is aimed at raising the standard and broadening the appeal of town centres between 5pm and 6am

In order to qualify for Purple Flag status, successful towns must meet four standards – wellbeing, appeal, movement and place. Towns are judged on a number of criteria including active policing, safe late night car-parking, public transport, public utilities nightlife and street activities.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG), who proposed the awards scheme two years ago, said the UK authority are keen to use Ennis as a “test case” for introducing the Purple Flag in Ireland. Cllr Flynn said a working group had been set up to examine the proposal

HELPING people with illness, injury or disability to secure employment has been the goal of Clare Supported Employment Service (CSES), which this week celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Events to mark CSES’s 10 years in existence were launched yesterday at the Temple Gate Hotel in Ennis. Open information mornings are being held today (Tuesday) at Skycourt Shopping Centre in Shannon; Wednesday lunchtime at Tesco in Kilrush; Thursday morning at Scarriff Adult Education Centre; and Friday afternoon at the Family Re- source Centre, Ennistymon.

The service is holding a table quiz fundraiser for Clare Crusaders on Wednesday at the Temple Gate Hotel at 8pm. Employment-related workshops will be held during the week. Further details can be obtained from Karen at 065 6844007.

Supported employment originated in the United States in the late 1970s when it was recognised that people learn best on the job with practical instruction.

A successful funding application by the Brothers of Charity, Clare, together with Enable Ireland, led to the creation of a Supported Employment programme in Clare. A team of four staff began providing a countywide supported employment service to people with a range of disabilities, from its office in Carmody Street, Ennis, in 2001.

Since then, the team has expanded and developed but the purpose of the service has remained constant: to offer a highly professional service that is clearly focused on matching the employment needs of people with disabilities and the recruitment needs of County Clare employers.

“We monitor key performance indicators on a monthly basis and are constantly striving to improve the service we provide,” explained Alice O’Carroll, team leader with the service.

After finding suitable employment for clients, the service also provides extra workplace training, if it is deemed necessary.

“Some of it is on-site but the majority is off-site. It’s about ironing out any difficulties that might arise and providing reassurance,” Alice added.

Additional staff have been recruited over the years and business coaching was implemented in 2006. In 2007, placement numbers rose significantly as an additional project, ‘Career Link 2007’ delivered an 80 per cent employment outcome.

CSES was the first FÁS-funded supported employment service to be awarded the Q Mark Standard in 2009.

Alice explained that, as the current recession took hold, the service began to explore a wider range of employment options for job-seekers, such as self-employment and raising awareness of the wage subsidy scheme and other grants.

Under the scheme, employers who employ a person with a disability for 21 hours a week or more may be eligible for a subsidy of € 5.30 per hour. Alice said, “As the candidates we put forward are carefully matched to the business needs, this is really an allround win for employers.”

A PILOT project that has been credited with reducing speed on the Tulla Road could be extended to other roads around Ennis, a meeting has heard. Electronic displays that show the speed of passing cars have been installed in the area by Ennis Town Council for road design purposes and the recording of traffic flow data.

The council is providing four 50kph activated electronic speed display signs on the Tulla Road at locations outbound after Tulla Road and Railway Bridge and Roslevan roundabout and in bound near Hillcrest and Cappahard Lane as a pilot scheme.

Through the scheme, the council will be able to download traffic flow data from the signs and this information can be used for road design purposes and data will be forwarded to the Garda traffic corps.

At yesterday’s meeting of the Ennis Joint Policing Committee, Town Manager Ger Dollard said speed control measures in place on the Tulla Road have received a positive response from gardaí. He said the scheme had been quite successful and consideration has been given to extending it to other roads around the town.

Figures contained in a garda report on crime in the Ennis sub-district show that there have been no fatal collisions for the first nine months of 2011.

The report, which was presented at yesterday’s meeting, shows that there have been two serious injury traffic collisions in Ennis this year, compared to three in the same period in 2010. There has also been a reduction in the number of non-serious injury traffic collisions in Ennis so far this year, from 28 in 2010 to 23 in 2011.

Supt Peter Duff told the meeting that drivers are now more conscious of the importance of road safety due to greater public awareness of the issue.

Yesterday’s meeting at the Civic Room, Waterpark House, was attended by the Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind), Cllr Brian Meaney (GP), Cllr Mary Howard (FG), Cllr Mary Coote Ryan (FG) and officials from Ennis Town Council including Town Manager Ger Dollard, Town Clerk Leonard Cleary and Niall O’Keefe from the council’s housing section.

Community representatives Robert Wilkie and Mary Leahy also attended the meeting. The gardai were represented at the meeting by Supt Peter Duff, Insp John Galvin and Sgt Paul Slattery.

FOR John Kearney, the chance to reenter the workforce after two frustrating years was one he seized with both hands.

When the Kilmaley man was 17, he had an accident, which left him with a serious back injury. For some years following the accident, John was out of work. Then, he found part-time work as a school caretaker under a Community Employment Scheme.

However, in 2004, John was lifting heavy pipes at work and suffered a relapse. His back was now worse than it had been when he had the accident initially and he had to undergo medical treatment for a period. But gradually he improved and from September 2005 he was ready to go back to work.

Besides the financial incentive of work, John found he missed the routine of a job and really missed making a contribution in terms of his work. However, any of the vacancies he encountered were full time or in- volved either sitting or standing for long periods, both of which would prove detrimental to his physical health. He grew more and more frustrated as he wondered what he could do. He wanted to work and wasn’t content to rely on a disability payment on an ongoing basis.

Enter Gaelscoil Mhichil Ciosóg and Clare Supported Employment Service (CSSE).

In December 2005, the school’s parents’ council voted to employ a part-time maintenance person. CSSE heard about the position and contacted then school Principal, Mairín Ui’ Dhuinneacha to find out more. After careful consideration of the school’s requirements, CSSE employment facilitator Deirdre Ball found that she had the perfect candidate.

Initially, John began working just six hours per week. Given his physical disability, John needs to take an individual approach to work. Tasks may need to be adjusted slightly or physically demanding tasks alternated with lighter tasks. John com- menced work at Gaelscoil Mhicil Ciosóg in early 2006 and quickly became a valuable member of staff.

John is now a full-time staff member at the school and is no longer in receipt of a disability payment.

After five years, John says he is delighted to be working at the school. He explains, “I still get regular physiotherapy but I can do more work. It’s great. The work will always be done. I get on very well with them. It’s brilliant to be working with all of them. Donál (O hAinifin, current principal) is a great man. He’s very understanding. There’s no better man.”

For his part, Donál describes John as a person “with loads of ability”.

John is a firm advocate for CSSE. He says, “I was eager to get back into the workplace with any type of job. It was great to be directed to Clare Supported Employment. They are brilliant for me and for everyone.”

POLITICAL pressure against a controversial proposal to change Ennis’ development plan to pave the way for the development of a major retail outlet on the outskirts of the county capital has been ramped up this week.

Labour Party TD Michael McNamara has told The Clare People that “the historic centre of Ennis” as a retail centre has to be maintained, something that only be achieved if local public representatives turn down an application to change the provisions of the Ennis and Environs Development Plan 2008-2014.

In issuing a statement that, Deputy McNamara has warned that any move to develop “a major shopping centre in the Tobertaoscain area is not in the long term interests of Ennis”.

His comments come in the wake of last week’s report from County Manager, Tom Coughlan, which said changes to the development plan are “not appropriate” as he recommended to members of Ennis Town Council and Clare County Council that “no modifications are made to the proposed original variation of April 2011”.

“The decision is a difficult one, as the temporary gain of construction jobs and employment expectations in a shopping complex, has to be balanced against the inevitable damage to the existing town centre, in terms of jobs lost and businesses closed,” said Deputy McNamara.

“Overall, the proposal for the Limerick Road area will create the classic doughnut effect whereby business moves from the centre to the edge leaving a degraded space in the middle.

“In a buoyant retail environment, it might be argued that both could survive. That is not the climate in which we are living and it is unlikely to prevail for some time. Our priority must be to maintain and develop the historic centre of Ennis,” he said.

“Only the elected councillors have the power to make or refuse such change. It is a difficult decision and places a heavy burden of responsibility of their shoulders. It is one of the most important questions to come before them for a long time and the implications of their decision will impact on Ennis for many years to come,” Deputy McNamara warned.