Category: News

FORMER pupils of Barefield National School fondly recalled their schooldays as the school marked its latest milestone on Sunday.

Sr Kitty Baker attended the school between 1925 and 1932. Her thoughts are contained in a memorial booklet produced by the school to mark the official opening of a new school extension. Sr Baker recalled walking five miles to school often through fields and bogs.

She said, “We had nice teachers, Master O’Riordan and Mrs O’Driscoll. The Master was a very good singer and he taught the choir. Mrs. O’Driscoll taught us sewing and knitting which I loved. I was not too good at the Irish but I was good at arithmetic and the teacher often gave me a pencil or a rubber as a reward. My sister Nelly was the best in her class.”

Sean Howard, who attended the school in the 1930s, explained his family’s long connection with the school. Sean, whose grandchildren now attend the school stated, “Barefield school has always been very near and dear to me and my family. My grandfather, John Howard, was the headmaster in Barefield National School from circa 1864 to 1907. In the early years, the school was located in the grounds where the church now stands and in later years (1895) the ‘new school’ was built in Drum- quin.”

John Butler lived in a cottage in Ballymaley with his father, mother and brother, Michael. He was a pupil at Barefield National School in the 1960s.

“Back then, rural electrification had not arrived in Barefield so we did not have electricity or running water, just candles and oil lamps and we carried water from a spring well for drinking and cooking and took water from a barrel off the roof for washing etc”, he recalled.

Bríd Baker was a student at the school from 1983 to 1991. “The highlight of the year had to be our sports evening. We paraded from the school behind the marching band up to the small sports field where all the events took place. A boys and girls relay team were picked from this to represent the school in the parish sports competing against Doora National School and Knockanean National School,” she recalled.

AN ENNISTYMON man who launched an unprovoked attack on a Polish national in Lahinch was yesterday remanded in custody, after a court heard he has not paid all of the compensation as directed by a court.

In February of last year, a threeyear suspended jail term was imposed on Christopher Collins (19), after he pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Cezary Leszczynski in Lahinch on April 28, 2009.

The victim was knocked unconscious in an unprovoked attack as he withdrew cash from a pass machine.

Six of his teeth were broken in the assault, his nose was broken in three places, while his left cheekbone was also fractured.

At Ennis Circuit Court, the sentencing judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said he had “rarely seen so much physical damage done to an unfortunate victim as was done in this case.”

In suspending the sentence, the judge ordered Collins, of Kilcornan, Ennistymon, to pay € 20 a week to cover Leszczynski’s dental costs, which cost € 3,000. The case was subsequently adjourned on a number of occasions and the compensation issue was monitored. At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Counsel for the State, Stephen Coughlan, said that to-date, € 1,300 of the total of € 2,655 should have been paid. However, “only a sum of € 345 has been paid,” said Mr Coughlan.

“At the moment he is in default to the tune of € 955,” he added.

Defence Counsel Pat Whyms, BL, said, “I am not really in a position to contradict any of that. He is in default.”

Mr Coughlan said, “He has had ample opportunity to make the payments.” He told the court that 11 payments – ranging from € 20 to € 80 – have been made in total.

Two payments were made in June 2010; one in October 2010; three in November and one in December. Two payments were also made in February and another two in March of this year.

Mr Whyms told the court: “It’s a question of the payments being made but not being paid every week.”

Judge Carroll Moran noted that it was recommended by the judge who heard the facts in the case that the three-year sentence had been suspended on condition that the compensation be paid. He said he would have to think about it and adjourned the case until Thursday of this week. “He is to stay in custody until then,” said the judge.

ENNIS is one of three locations nationwide chosen to take part in a pilot initiative combining the county’s court offices.

The district and circuit court offices for Clare have been combined into one, as part of the Public Service (Croke Park) Agreement.

Ennis, together the Monaghan and Naas, has been chosen for this project, which is expected to eventually be rolled out nationally.

Essentially it means that both court offices will work together, rather than be separated, as is currently the case. The aim is that the combination of smaller offices will provide opportunities for the improvement and enhancement of the offices to ensure the better use of staff time and resources in maintaining frontline services.

Josephine Tone, who has been the manager of the district court offices in Ennis, has been appointed office manager of the combined offices.

Brid O’Dea, Paul O’Gara, Tara Hayes and Brid Curtin will deal with crime lists in both the district and circuit courts. Brian Caden, Susan Dermody, Mary Greene, Ann McMahon and Noreen Cahill-O’Keeffe will work together on the civil and family law lists in both courts.

As part of the changes, the county registrar Pat Wallace’s role will change from that of office manager to one where he will make legal decisions. Mr Wallace is also manager of the Tipperary office at the moment, after the position became vacant recently.

Spokesman for the Courts Service Brendan McDonald told The Clare People the measure “is an efficient way of optimising the limited resources we have, to provide the same care”.

“Ennis and Naas were picked because Naas is a large office and En- nis would be smaller. We needed one in the region. There is a mixture of challenges,” he said.

“Our business has gone up by more than 28 per cent since 2008 nationally and staff numbers have gone down by 12 per cent and are likely to go down even more,” said Mr McDonald.

“It’s about sharing resources and sharing information. It is about sharing knowledge by pooling our resources. We will be able to provide for family friendly measures for staff (in terms of working hours).

“When the customer comes in there is now one public office,” he said.

“This is the biggest change we have had since 1922 in the courts system. The offices have always been separate,” he said.

The initiative will be reviewed after a few months.

THERE’S was no chance for President Barack Obama to echo the famous words of “seeing old Shannon’s face again” – used by President John F Kennedy on the runway of Clare’s international airport as he left Ireland in 1963 after his historic State visit.

The airport link was still present in Moneygall on Monday on the double. President Obama spoke of drinking Guinness in Shannon when he made a whistle-stop visit to his ancestral home during his brief one-day stay in Ireland, while a former Scariff Garda told of his brush with the Kennedy clan at the airport 44 years ago.

Garda Mick O’Dwyer was on duty in Shannon in 1967 when President Kennedy’s wife, Jackie, daughter Caroline and son John Jnr left Ireland through the airport after holidaying in Waterford.

“There was a massive crowd and we were trying to hold them back,” he re- called of the Kennedys’ visit.

“She (Jackie) had a hold of the two children by the hands and the young fella, John Jnr, had a small plastic bucket with seashells and a book. He passed by me and this little book entitled Spr ings of India n Wisdom

THE first step towards the establishment of the first all-Irish secondary school in the county is being taken by the Clare Vocational Educational Committee, on foot of a mounting campaign by Irish language enthusiasts.

As part of this process, Clare VEC has embarked on a wide-ranging consultation process with members of the public on the future status of Ghaelcholáiste an Chláir in Ennis, an arm of Ennis Community College that has catered for the needs of those wishing to receive secondary education through Irish for nearly two decades.

The move by Clare VEC is in direct response to a decision taken last year to accept in principal a proposal to create a new standalone secondary school in Ennis where every subject would be taught through the medium of Irish.

“The Gaelcholáiste currently shares resources with Ennis Community College such as the science lab and music rooms. But it is short of space and, because of its reliance on the facilities of the community college, it is challenging to provide an Irish-speaking environment and the provision of all subjects to Leaving Certificate through Irish,” a VEC spokesperson

“Clare Vocational Education Committee is exploring several options to further develop and expand Gaelcholáiste an Chláir if there is sufficient demand,” the spokesperson added.

As part of the VEC survey to take place between now and deadline date of June 17, respondents are being 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”.

This project to establish all-Irish secondary education was born in 1993 when Ghaelcholáiste an Cháir opened. Since then the school has built up to a full 6 year secondary cycle with an annual intake of approximately 30 pupils.

The project was initiated by parents and involved polling parents of potential pupils as well as supporting the Vocational Education Committee and Department of Education to find the way to fund the project.

TEACHING AT three of Clare’s second level schools has been praised by the Department of Education and Skills. The department has made positive remarks after carrying out inspections at St Flannan’s College, Ennis; Ennistymon Vocational School and St John Bosco Community College, Cahercon, Kildysart.

Subject inspections were carried out at all three schools. Geography was the chosen subject at St Flannan’s; Construction Studies was inspected in Ennistymon, while Guidance was inspected at Cahercon.

According to the report, teaching and learning in Geography was “very good” at St Flannan’s. It stated that the integration of information and communication technology (ICT) into teaching and learning had a very positive impact on students’ learning.

The uptake of Geography in senior cycle was strong, while the achievement by students in examinations was described as “very good”. The inspectors encouraged the school to build on its “very good practice” by introducing assessment-for-learning strategies into lessons. It also suggested that the Transition Year plan for Geography be further developed.

The teaching of Guidance at St John Bosco Community College was also praised by the inspectors. They concluded that students are well supported and that Guidance is perceived appropriately in the school.

According to the report, the facilities for the subject are good, while the Guidance department has engaged with the community and with parents. The inspectors have made a number of recommendations including that a whole-school guidance planning team be established.

The teaching of Construction Studies at Ennistymon Vocational School was also praised by the inspectors. They noted that support for the subject is “very good with regard to the supply of resources such as tools, equipment and materials”. It also noted that provision for students to study Construction in the school is very good.

“The quality of teaching and learning observed in the course of the inspection was at all times very high. The voice of the students formed a central part of the lessons,” stated the report.

In total, 44 school inspection reports were published by the Department last week. Subject inspection reports evaluate the teaching and learning of specific subjects in second-level schools.

GARDAÍ are investigating an incident in which an elderly woman was robbed in her home in Feakle on Friday. A man selling clothes called to the woman’s house at around 1.30pm. While in the house, he stole money from the elderly lady’s handbag, before leaving in a red car.

The man is described as tall with dark hair, of slim build. He is believed to be in his 50s and clean shaven. He was wearing a black suit and spoke with a foreign accent. The man, believed to be from India or Pakistan, was driving a red car with a yellow number plate on the back. Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have seen the car to contact them.

Meanwhile, gardaí in Kilmihil are investigating an incident in which the Vodafone compound at Lack West was broken into, after the lock on the gate was cut. 200 litres of diesel and a Wilson generator were stolen.

In Killaloe, a suspicious fire is being investigated by gardaí. The car, which was parked on Radharc na hAglise on Convent Hill, caught fire in what are described as suspicious circumstances at around 3.30 on Sunday morning.

The theft of a car in Ennis is being investigated by gardaí. The grey coloured Fiat Punto hatchback was stolen from Park Avenue in Ennis town between 10pm on Wednesday and 8.30am on Thursday. Also on Wednesday night, two youths were seen running from the Tobarkeel area on the Drumcliffe Road, after a portaloo had been set alight. Both were in their late teens.

In Kilrush, the theft of lead from the roof of the library on O’Gorman Street last weekend is being investigated, while gardaí are investigating an incident in which four car tyres were slashed outside a house on Hector Street last Thursday. And in Sixmilebridge, the theft of two cast iron gates from the gateway of a private house at Castlecrine, Sixmilebridge last Wednesday, is being investigated. Gardaí across the county are investigating a number of burglaries over the past week. Houses in Kilkee, Quin, Kilmihil and Shannon were targeted. A licensed premises in O’Briensbridge was broken into in the early hours of last Tuesday. The cigarette machines containing cigarettes and money were stolen.

GARDAÍ in Ennis are following a definite line of enquiry after a scam involving the office of the Bishop of Killaloe and businesses in the town.

€ 3,000 worth of electrical goods were fraudulently ordered for the Bishop by an individual, during a number of transactions. A member of staff at the Diocesan office’s name was used by the individual who ordered the goods. A request was made that the goods would be collected at another business in the town and that the invoice be sent to the Diocesan office in Ennis.

A version of the Diocesan office stationery and the Bishop’s signature were used to confirm the order.

However, the Bishop of Killaloe Kieran O’Reilly and his staff didn’t have any knowledge of the order and did not receive any of the goods.

The Diocesan office was alerted to the incident when it received a phone call from the business indicating that the remainder of the order was ready for collection. This was after part of it had been collected by an unknown individual from another business premises.

Gardaí say that a number of transactions were carried out in recent weeks, but that similar issues have not arisen previously and say this is an “isolated incident”.

“We are following a line of enquiry on it,” said Ennis Superintendent Peter Duff.

“There were a few incidents but it is not endemic of a crime wave,” he said.

He advised business people in Ennis to be mindful of this incident. “If people get orders in a person’s name, they should check did they make an order. We would encourage all suppliers of goods to deliver to the address on the order,” said Supt Duff.

Killaloe Diocesan Communications Officer Fr Brendan Quinlivan said, “When we became aware of it, we contacted the guards straightaway.”

“We felt it was important to alert people, in case they got caught up in the scam,” he said.

“The idea was they would be left somewhere to be collected after office hours. This is the first time our offices have been used in this way. The Bishop would be very unhappy that his name and the Diocesan office would be used to perpetrate a fraud on small businesses especially in the current climate when they are trying to survive. Ennis is a small town. Trust erodes when you have to put businesses on alert,” he added.

THE final decision on whether Tulla will be home to a major nursing home project this year will be delivered by An Bord Pleanála within the next month.

The Clare People has learned that the planning appeals board decision on the application by John and Ted Nugent to build the nursing home in the east Clare town that would cater for up to 30 patients will be handed down on June 16 next.

The application for the 26-bedroom development together with living complex comprising of four semidetached one bedroom units and four two-bedroom units was originally lodged with Clare County Council in December 2009.

A number of objections to the de velopment were lodged, with Noreen Hickey from Cork saying “the proposed development contravenes the new HIQA standards with are underpinned by legislation” and the it “outside the existing town zoned area which contravenes the planning regulations of Tulla”.

Conditional permission for the development was granted by Clare County Council planners was granted last December, with Director of Service Nora Kaye saying that “the proposed development would not seriously injure the amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity, would not be prejudicial to public health and would otherwise accord with proper planning and sustainable development of the area”.

The appeal to this conditional permission was lodged with An Bord Pleanala in January of this year.

GARDAI are investigating vandalism which involved gravestones at an historic cemetery in East Clare being smashed.

Three headstones at Kilquane Cemetery in Parteen have been smashed and toppled over.

Previously, gravestones had pieces chipped away but the fresh vandalism is described as being of a much more serious nature

Locals are outraged at what they see as “wanton vandalism and sacrilege” after a committee formed locally put in trojan work to make the graveyard accessible for visitors and tourists.

The Kilquane Cemetery Committee have held meetings with local representatives and gardai have confirmed they are taking the destruction very seriously.

The historic cemetery, which is final resting place to a host of colourful characters, was made accessible last year thanks to a community effort and the generosity of a local business.

The Parteen resting place dates back to the seventh century. Local historian, Donal Ó Riain was closely involved in the project to create access to the overgrown and rubblestrewn area.

“The ruins of the church are from the 7th century and the first recorded burial there was in 1700. That was Phillip McAdams, the man who was said to be a traitor because he showed the Williamites a safe way across the river to attack Sarsfiled’s Jacobites.”

Also buried in the cemetary is the last man to say Mass in the Protestant Cathedral of St Mary’s.

Padraig O’Brian, the noted Úileann piper has also found a place of rest there.

“For years, there was a problem for people getting into the cemetary because you had to cross a field to get to it but then we got permission from the new landowners to make a pathway across the field and Bobby O’Connell quarries in Ballycar got involved and they gave us the materials to put in a path. Frank Sweeney, a local man came along with his truck and his JCB and laid it out,” he said.