Category: News

LANDOWNERS have welcomed a decision by Clare County Council to implement the council’s existing Wind Energy Strategy as part of the County Development Plan 20112017.

There was a near unanimous vote in favour of keeping the current wind energy strategy, as proposed by Councillor Brian Meaney (Green), at yesterday’s monthly meeting of Clare County Council.

Cllr Meaney had urged the council not to amend its current wind energy strategy, as it would jeopordise the viability of many proposed windfarm projects in Clare.

Cllr Michael Begley (Ind) said the council had to decide if it wanted to have a wind energy policy that was “likely to happen or an aspirational one”. He said that under the revised strategy proposed in the County Development Plan, many areas identified as potential wind farm locations would be significantly reduced or completely eliminated.

Cllr Martin Conway (FG) criticised the role of the Department of the Environment, who had sought changes to strategy. He said the proposed changes were a “classic example of Big Brother” trying to interfere with a locally formulated policy.

Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) said that any downgrading of the strategy would “significantly reduce chances of employment” in many areas of Clare.

Cllr James Breen (Ind) said, “At the same time that the economy is struggling we can’t do anything that will hinder employment.”

Landowners from east Clare, who are seeking to develop a wind farm in an area between Broadford and Ardnacrusha, sat in the council gallery while the vote was taken.

After a majority of councillors voted in favour of keeping the existing wind energy strategy, one landowner told The Clare People of his relief at the decision.

He said, “We felt that the original plan that was in place was acceptable to us and now there was an amendment coming. Amendments at this stage are changing the goalpost com- pletely. There was an amount of time and energy put in at that stage. We were happy that we could go ahead with planning a wind farm in our area, or go towards planning one.

“If a decision is made, we need to stay with that particular decision. The amendments that were being proposed would have made it a lot more difficult to proceed with a viable unit.”

Over 30 landowners in the Broadford, Ardnacrusha area are seeking to form a co-op to develop a windfarm over a “large area”.

Another landowner, who did not wish to be named, remarked, “It’s tied down to farmers setting up a co-op in the area. It’s about the local community, local jobs.”

DETAILS of the 2011 Ennis Book Club Festival will be announcned in the Old Ground Hotel, Ennis tonight, Tuesday, January 11, at 7.30pm.

The festival will run at venues around Ennis from March 6-11. The programme will include authors’ readings, lectures, music, workshops, exhibitions and more.

Among the contributors to last year’s festival were Lionel Shriver, prolific journalist and Orange Prizewinning author and Joseph O’Connor, journalist, screenwriter and author of ten Irish number one bestsellers

Supported by Clare County Library, the three-day programme of events is expected to attract hundreds of Book Club members and book lovers from all over Europe and North America. The festival programme features author visits, readings, lectures and workshops, exhibitions, walking history tours, musical entertainment and chocolate tasting in various venues around Ennis.

It also includes a ‘Book Club of the Year Award’ and a professional development workshop for library staff.

The winning Book Club (up to a maximum of six people) will receive a prize of free weekend passes to festival events and overnight accommodation at the Temple Gate Hotel in Ennis.

The inaugural Ennis Book Club Festival was held in 2007. Past participants have included Patrick McCabe, John Boyne, Carlo Gébler, Edna O’Brien, Joanne Harris, Brian Keenan and Roddy Doyle.

Previous festivals have also attracted literary enthusiasts from all over North America and Europe, including members from many of Ireland’s 150 Library Book Clubs and more than 300 Private Book Clubs, thus proving that literature and books are still thriving in Ireland.

WITH just six days until the Fianna Fáil convention, the party which was traditionally considered the political strong hold in Clare is struggling to even find candidates.

Fianna Fáil has been thrown into further turmoil with the retirement of Minister Tony Killeen (FF), leaving sitting TD Timmy Dooley as the only sure candidate prior to the convention.

The number of candidates to be selected on Sunday is also unclear, with no direction as yet from the party’s head office.

Up to last Wednesday the party was scouring west Clare for a third candidate, sure that its two sitting TDs would again contest the General Election.

Now just days before the convention, and it is not only struggling to find the much talked about candidate from the west, but any candidate that will appeal universally to a very disgruntled electorate.

As Minister Killeen stepped down early indications were that the party were Keane to return to the Daly days, with five names to the fore solicitor and Kilkee native Marina Keane, who has repeatedly refused any approach to run; former Clare hurling star and Dublin manager Anthony Daly; Ronan Daly, son of former TD Brendan Daly; Eire Óg football manager and former Lissycasey footballer Martin Daly, and Ennis councillor Pat Daly (FF).

Anthony Daly was quick to rule out a career in politics, preferring to leave his running to Dublin hurling training sessions.

Cllr Pat Daly, who has worked closely with Minister Killeen for more than 18 years, is also thought to be out of the running on medical grounds.

Other possible candidates being suggested since the stepping down of Killeen are three Fianna Fáil members from the north of the county or with strong connections with the area.

Among those suggested is Dr John Hillery, son of the late president Dr Patrick Hillery and former president of the Irish Medical Council.

The Dublin-based medic still retains strong ties with his ancestral home.

Inagh woman Michelle Moroney, who contested the local election for the party in 2009 is seen as another contender, but many favour Spanishpoint school principal Mary Crawford.

The principal at St Joseph’s Secondary School would be strongly supported not only by the Killeen camp, but also the Daly camp if Ronan Daly was not to contest the election.

The north Clare woman would also provide an ideal geographical location for the party if she were to be selected.

In the west of the county Coora- clare county councillor Bill Chambers is also in the running as a candidate, with many hoping CEO of the Ennis Chamber of Commerce Rita McInerney will return to the Fianna Fáil fold to run as a candidate, having ran as an independent candidate in the local elections.

While Minister for Defence Tony Killeen (FF) is confident that with the right candidates selected Fianna Fáil can retain two seats, many within the party are preparing for a difficult and disappointing election.

Sources close to the party say that as of the beginning of this week finding candidates for the convention is proving difficult, without even looking as far ahead as the general election.

HE DIDN’T want to go. He was never as sure of a seat entering an election having seen poll after poll declaring him a shoe in. He was at the peak of his political career and was preparing for the fight.

But medical advice and “appraisals” of his health meant Minister for Defence Tony Killeen was forced to bow out of contesting the General Election on Wednesday last.

The Corofin man does not hide his disappointment at having to retire from politics, and said the decision was so sudden and so against what he wanted to do in his heart that he has no plans for after the votes are counted.

“It is a question that has completely stumped me. I had a lot of work done and a huge election team lined up,” he told The Clare People .

He will not be returning to teaching, having retired from the profession, and will spend some time rest- ing before he makes up his mind.

Having battled with cancer for the last number of years, Minister Killeen’s decision was made he said on health grounds.

“The medical stuff was not encouraging and family were adamant when they told me to cop on,” he said.

Prior to Christmas he had begun work on the election determined to be a candidate but having agreed that an election would be difficult given his health, he said he feared that if he stayed in the race he would have to pull out at the last minute and scupper a new candidate.

Despite being disappointed that he is now out of one the most hotly contested general elections in Clare in years, he has promised to immerse himself in campaigning for other Fianna Fáil candidates.

And despite all the national opinion polls, the out-going Minister for Defence is confident that Fianna Fáil in Clare can still win two seats in the Banner County, against most odds.

A 10-MONTH baby boy living in Shannon is recovering in hospital, having sustained serious injuries including a burn mark, two broken arms, a broken leg and multiple bruising.

The baby was taken to hospital a week ago and the circumstances surrounding the injuries is the subject of a major garda investigation.

The extent of the injuries sustained by the baby were revealed during a weekend court sitting, where a man was charged with assaulting the boy’s mother.

While nobody has been charged with assaulting the baby, the matter is being investigated by gardaí and the HSE.

Larry Connors (18), with an address at Town Court, Shannon, is facing three charges of assaulting his 18-year-old partner in Shannon on various dates in December. Two of the incidents are alleged to have happened at Tullyvarraga, Shannon; one on December 31 and the other between December 1 and 31.

The other incident is alleged to have taken place at the library in Tullyvarraga, Shannon, on December 2 last.

He was brought before a special sitting of Ennis District Court on Saturday, where bail was granted despite garda objections on the grounds that the alleged victim would be “terrorised” by the accused.

Garda David Laing told the court that Mr Connors was arrested in Shannon last Thursday evening. In reply to charge, he said: “I didn’t do it.”

Defence solicitor Caitriona Carmody was granted free legal aid for her client, who is unemployed.

She also applied for bail, pending the hearing of the matter.

However, Inspector Tom Kennedy said gardaí were opposing this for two reasons.

KILKEE woman Marina Keane has ruled herself out of the race for the Dáil, but hasn’t ruled out running in the future.

The 30-year-old solicitor is heavily involved in the Fianna Fáil party in Clare and was approached by party officials to run in the forthcoming election.

While she did consider contesting the election – in the aftermath of sitting TD Tony Killeen announcing his retirement from politics last week – she decided over the weekend that she would not run.

“I’ve ruled myself out. I’ve made the decision not to go. I did give it serious consideration after Tony Killeen stepped down. I did come under pressure last week and was asked to stand. There is an appetite there for a candidate from west Clare and I think people did want a west Clare name on the ticket, but you have to take personal circumstances and work circumstances into account,” she told The Clare People .

She has chosen to concentrate primarily on her career as a solicitor, in the short-term at least. She currently works as a solicitor with Michael Houlihan’s office in Ennis, having graduated from Blackhall Place four years ago.

“I’m still young enough and I am fairly early starting out in my legal career and I want to progress that. I also want to work on reform within the party. I’d like to work with the party on a national level. There has obviously been some damage done to the party over the past couple of years. We need to work on communications in the party,” she said.

Marina grew up in a Fianna Fáil house in Kilkee. Her father Pat has been a county councillor since 1991 and is a former mayor of Clare. She has been a key member of his election campaign team for several years. It’s not the first time that Marina’s name has been linked to the political stage. Her name was mentioned as a possible candidate in the 2007 General Election, but she similarly took the decision at that time not to stand.

She became a member of Ógra Fianna Fáil in Clare at the age of 19 and is currently a Kilrush Comhairle Ceantair representative to the Comhairle Dáil Ceantair.

She is highly regarded in Fianna Fáil circles in Clare and recently worked on the party’s county strategy, aimed at bringing about reform. She has also worked on various subcommittees in the county.

“That’s something I would like to continue to work on in the future; reform in the party,” she said.

“I would never rule anything out. However, my priorities are now on progressing my legal career and working in the Comhairle Ceantair,” she said.

“I’d never say never. It is something that might arise in the future. You can only assess things as they arise,” she said.

ROGUE developers and unfinished estates might be more associated with the present economic crisis that Ireland finds itself in since the collapse of the Celtic Tiger, but State Papers released this week under the 30-year rule show that the Fianna Fáil government of 1980 was confronted by similar problems, with grassroots members of the party leading the charged all the way to the Taoiseach’s office

It meant that the problem was passed over to Clare’s Minister for the Environment of the time, Deputy Sylvester Barrett, for consideration by Taoiseach Charles Haughey after a slew of complaints about unfinished estates landed at the cabinet table.

Fianna Fáil members complained directly to Mr Haughey about developers – many of whom were party backers – after they had left many new housing estates unfinished and then abandoned them. Confidential files contained in the 1980 State Papers reveal that a memo was issued to Minister Barrett about the scourge of private developments that were left unfinished around the country. The memo, that was also circulated to other members of cabinet made specific mention of Fianna Fáil’s promise during the 1979 Local Elections campaign that “developers will have to foot the cost of completing estates one way or the other”.

At the time there were 120 unfinished estates across, many of which had serious safety concerns attached to them. “Frequently housing estates are left unfinished by builders, many of whom are known Fianna Fáil supporters,” one letter passed on to Minister Barrett by Haughey claimed.

In response to grassroots anger about unfinished developments, Mr Haughey deflected criticism of his government by saying it was ultimately the responsibility of the local authorities involved to police developers

However, Mr Haughey also pledged some government action as those concerned had been forwarded to Deputy Barrett, who in his capacity as Minister for the Environment also had responsibility for all matters local government.

THE CLARE music scene has needed a hero for a long time. Leaving traditional music entirely to one side, recent years has seen the county struggled to produce a band or artist for other to point to and say, “look at them, they made it, so maybe we can too”.

This is no trivial matter – one only has to think about the amount of north Clare musicians in their mid30s who are playing their songs today because of the success of The Stunning and the real impact that success can have on a scene in brought into full focus.

I think that everyone who loves Clare music hopes that 2011 is a very big year for C!TIES. The Ennis band have promised a lot and, up until now, have delievered everything they’ve promised. The release of their split-single vinyl with Guilty Optics in November is evidence enough of that.

The best thing about C!TIES is that they are that most illusive of melds – a band that is both truly alternative but still has the potential to achieve mainstream success.

“For the first EP, we were in my garage in one of my old houses, and so this time around we had the whole studio. Sean is studying all the sound recording stuff so he was able to pretty much record the whole thing for us,” Sean from C!TIES told The Clare People in an interview last month.

“This is our second paid release. It’s getting pretty heavy at this stage. The last stretch of gigs for Stress, Debt and Chest Pains’ vinyl, was to older crowds than what we are used to playing. We are used to playing in pubs to people roughly our own age – 17, 18, 19, 20 – getting drunk and dancing around the place.

“But we had a more sophisticated type of audience – people were more appreciative of the music as opposed to going mental. And then when we had them coming up afterwards and buying the record, and saying we were great and stuff. It was something else.”

FORMER US president Ronald Reagan famously toasted his Irish roots when drinking a glass of stout in Ballyporeen in 1984 during his controversial state visit to Ireland, but four years previously it was to Clare and not Tipperary that the then White House aspirant looked to when embracing his Irishness for the first time.

Early in his campaign for the presidency, Reagan had shown little interest in tracing his Irish roots, but the State Papers from 1980 reveal that all changed when the Republican Party candidate discovered that his connections with Ireland descended back to Killaloe and the High King of Ireland, Brian Boru.

Reagan revealed his interest in his relationship to the most famous Clareman of all-time in a phone-call to Morgan Llywelyn, the acclaimed author of Lion of Ireland that was published earlier in 1980.

Details of Reagan’s phone-call to Llywelyn that occurred a matter of weeks before he was inaugurated as president came to the notice of the state after the American-born writer gave a detailed account of the conversation to Ireland’s ambassador in Washingthon, Clareman Con Howard.

“At 1.30pm on Christmas Eve I was working in my study when the telephone rang,” wrote Ms Llywelyn. “This is Ronald Reagan. When I picked myself up off the floor, the President elect told me he had called to say how impressed he was with the Lion of Ireland . ‘I just wanted you to know that you are interfering with the transition process dreadfully because I sneak away every chance I get to read your book’, Reagan said.

“He had obviously read the book thoroughly and with high retention, for he can quote chunks of it. He was warm and friendly, easy to talk with. He told me he has found much that is thought-provoking and analogous to current situations in Lion, and that he was grateful to have knowledge of that distant ancestor of his. He indicated that some of Brian’s strategies and philosophies had impressed him deeply.

“He is interested in learning more about Ireland and the Irish. He wants to know the positive things; like so many others, he had heard for too long only the negative.

“The incoming president is half Irish and glad of it, according to his own words. With so many other ma jor and immediate problems vying for his attention, he has taken the time to express a sincere and personal interest in Ireland,” concluded Llywelyn in her letter to the Dysart-born Irish ambassador, who was associated with another famous literary figure in Clare history – Brian Merriman, in whose honour he founded the Merriman Summer School in 1967.

WHEN the Ballyvaughan Farmers’ Market reopened back in 2003 it became just the second operating farmers’ market in Clare. Now, in just seven short years, it shares the stage with more then 20 regular markets which take place throughout the county during the summer months with some even carrying on all year round.

The markets are being driven by three main factors; an increased awareness of food miles and the environment; an increased demand for quality “slow” food and an increased interest for local people to grow and make more of the things they need to live their life.

“Markets seem to be popping up all over the country in recent years. There has been a lot of talk over the last decade over the quality of food that we are consuming and this notion of “food miles” seems to be talked about more and more. People have caught onto the idea of being eco-friendly by eating local foods,” said Tracey Kelly of the Ballyvaughan Farmers’ Market.

“We have also become so much better at doing what we need to do. We have learned how to grow better and how to make all kinds of things like cheese and other things which has helped to drive the development of the farmers market movement. People have really bought into the ideas.

“People who come to farmers’ markets are also very very loyal. Even the visitors are loyal in that they will visit farmers’ markets wherever they are on holidays. It doesn’t put them off, in fact they are dying to see what we have in the farmers’ market in Ballyvaughan that they don’t have in their own markets back home. So it’s something that is growing all the time and it looks like the interest both from customers and producers is increasing all the time.”