Category: News

RESIDENTS of the Summerhill area in Ennis say they have been made “prisoners in their own homes” by the use of an open area at the rear of Charlie Stewart’s pub in nearby Parnell Street, as a dining area and beer garden.

Ennis Town Council has issued an enforcement notice requesting Charlie Stewarts, “to cease unauthorised use of the beer garden”.

In response to the pub failing to comply with the notice, the council has instituted legal proceedings against the pub.

The council acted after a strong objection from local residents, James and Mary McMahon, who were supported by neighbours in the Summerhill area.

The residents praised “Ennis Town council and An Bord Pleanala for their wise, consistent and far-sighted planning decisions.”

“We regret to say however that to date, they have been completely and utterly ignored and disregarded by the owners of this premises.

“The owners developed the site by fencing off a beer garden, erecting outdoor furniture to facilitate drinking and continued to use the fire exit as access for drinking and smoking.

“In acting such a manner, they have shown nothing but contempt for the planning process and procedures and have inflicted sheer hell on us, their nearest neighbours.

We have endured excessive noise from a large number of drinkers, shouting, foul language by day and night, all facilitated by use of the fire escape door.

“On weekdays, we have to endure daylong drinking sessions and a large-scale outdoor smoking area.

“In the Summertime, our back gardens are currently ‘out of bounds’. We cannot enjoy a bit of sun or fresh air without being subjected to the patrons of Charlie Stewarts.”

They say a decision to grant retention to Charlie Stewart’s planning application “would be to perpetuate this absolute torture on us on a permanent basis.

“We are prisoners in our homes, we are deprived of the proper use and enjoyment of our back gardens.”

Last month, Ennis Town Council refused planning permission to Cyril Cusack, Tony Enright, Kieran Gleeson and Gerry Collins to retain the daytime use of a yard, to the rear of Parnell Street.

The four have now appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanala stating, “the proposed development consists simply of a small area of yard, which had been utilised during the good weather for external dining.

“It is confirmed, however, that this is not being used at night times for public bar use or beer garden use.”

CONCERNS have been expressed that the revised Scariff Feakle Quilty Mullagh Sewerage Scheme may not be servicing an area as wide as originally hoped.

Junior Marine Minister John Browne was in Mullagh this week to announce the granting of the foreshore licence for the scheme.

But it has since emerged that the original proposal has been substantially reduced to meet with the Government’s strict water pricing policy.

Clare General Election Candidate, Cllr Madeleine Taylor- Quinn (FG), expressed her concern about what she described as the €3.2 million shortfall to make up the €12 million scheme.

She said the council was planning to gather €700,000 from the people of the area. This will cost each household €1,500 each.

The former TD said she was particularly concerned about current households outside the revised scheme who will not be able to avail of the scheme.

She is now calling on the Minister for the Environment to increase the €8.8 million he granted last week, and has asked the Minister responsible for Rural Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív, to provide some funding for the scheme.

The disappointed chairman of PlanClare, Ciarán O’Dea, said, “We got no indication that the scheme was to be rationalised.

“The contract documents are yet to be approved after a twoyear waiting period, and we remain unsure as to the design and extent of the network which has been specified by the Department of the Environment.

“It now appears that the design approved in the preliminary report is not the design which will be constructed under the cost/ benefit stipulations of the pricing policy,” he said.

“The Government’s pricing policy is being used as a tool to copperfasten the national spatial strategy by hindering necessary rural infrastructural development.

“The tone and application of this policy begrudgingly acknowledges rural communities while justifying a withdrawal of infrastructural investment from communities outside of the larger urban centres.

“If rural communities are to prosper, it is now necessary to adopt a principle of ‘investment’ in rural communities, as opposed to an application of current ‘value for money’,” he added.

Clare Minister of State Tony Killeen said he was glad that the visit of junior Minister John Browne had “effectively hastened the delivery of the foreshore licence”.

“I regret that the long delays and other elements in the saga did damage in the eyes of the public in their belief in the public sector’s capacity to deal with the project and also that credibility of the political system,” he said.

THE promoters of plans to commemorate Richard Harris in Kilkee are ready to flout the planning laws by erecting a statue to the Hollywood actor in the west Clare resort.

Last month, Clare County Council granted planning permission for plans to celebrate the late Hollywood actor in Kilkee, in spite of opposition from local residents.

Plans have been drawn up with one Hollywood star due in Kilkee on September 30 to unveil the statue.

But the project has already suffered a setback with local resident, Maureen McMahon, yesterday appealing the decision to An Bord Pleanála.

The statue was to be erected in the Wellington Square area, depicting Harris playing racquet ball. The actor won a racquet ball competition four times in a row in the west Clare resort, where he used spend much of his summer holidays.

However, Project Director Manuel di Lucia said that the statue will now be erected on private property on a temporary basis on Kilkee’s Cliff Walk over the well-known Pollock Holes.

Mr di Lucia said that he was not concerned about any planning issues that may arise until An Bord Pleanála deliver its decision on the appeal.

“The statue will be there until an Bord Pleanála gives planning permission for the statue at Wellington Square”, he said.

Mr di Lucia confirmed that “a major Hollywood star” will be in attendance for the unveiling at the end of September.

“We are very disappointed that the appeal has been lodged. I’m absolutely gutted. It should go up on Wellington Square because it was near there that Richard played racquet ball. I can’t understand why anyone would appeal and one woman is scuppering the arrangements for the whole town.”

He said that the organising committee would not be negotiating with Ms McMahon over her appeal.

Speaking to The Clare People yesterday from Kilkee, Maureen McMahon said, “I have no objection to the Richard Harris statue, but I do object to where it is being put as it is a residential area.”

In her initial objection , Ms McMahon said, “The proposed statue is 20 yards from my house. I do not want a statue or anything like it erected in front of my home. It would interfere with my view and attract crowds of people who may be undesirable.”

Mr di Lucia confirmed that over €35,000 of the €42,000 budget for the project has now been raised with former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds contributing €1,000.

The twice-Oscar nominated actor and star of Gladiator and The Field has strong associations with Kilkee and his three sons have confirmed that they will contribute €21,000 to the project and will be present for the unveiling of the statue by local sculptor, Seamus Connolly.

THE show must go on for the 35 shocked staff of the Royal Russian Circus as they prepare for their first performance since the tragic death of their colleague in Scariff last week.

Vitaly Kharapavitski fell to his death as he performed the last trick in a comic air balloon act with his wife Sasha. More than 300 people, the majority of whom were children, witnessed the accident.

A spokesperson for the circus, Wayne Courtney, told The Clare People that performers risked their lives every time they stepped into the Big Top on show night.

The circus folk have not slept for nights as they have been coming to terms with the horrific death of the quiet and friendly performer, he added.

The tragic Belarusian joined the circus last April with his wife of just one year. The couple were making plans to take a year out to have a baby but, instead, on Sunday, Sasha along with grief-stricken family members, buried 26-year-old Vitaly in Minsk.

Back in Ennis, the late performer’s colleagues were setting up in the Showgrounds in Ennis and researching their acts in an attempt to overcome the trauma of the previous week.

“I would hate people to think that we didn’t care,” said General Manager and spokesperson for the circus, Mr Courtney, “But we have so many staff and we have all the animals to feed and care for.”

“It is the same as a factory or shop or any other business, you have to open up again.”

The Royal Russian Circus postponed the weekend shows scheduled for Ennis and are now preparing to open the Ennis performance on Thursday.

“The last few days have been like coming out of a haze. Nobody could sleep,” said Mr. Courtney.

“This is the first time they (circus staff) have experienced something like this. It has never happened in the living memory of any of the people here.”

“In my recollection, there have been broken bones but no fatalities.

“This is amazing when you take into account the number of dangerous acts.”

Mr Courtney said had the young performer fallen three or four seconds later he “would have been out of the position” and probably got away with a few broken bones.

The circus spokesperson said while no one was talking about their fears for the next performance, he was sure that the accident is playing on the minds of the other trapeze artists.

THE Health Service Executive MidWestern Area has confirmed that there are no plans to proceed with a controversial renaming of three Limerick City hospitals.

It was feared that the move would serve to disenfranchise Ennis and Nenagh General Hospitals. However, a HSE spokesperson has stated that, “There are currently no plans to proceed with the name change at present.”

Early last year, it was announced that three Limerick facilities – the Mid Western Regional Hospital, the Mid Western Regional Maternity Hospital and the Mid Western Regional Orthopaedic Hospital in Croom – would be renamed University Hospital Limerick. Some months beforehand, the facilities had been tagged under the umbrella term, ‘Mid Western Regional’.

So opposed were staff, management, politicians and hospital groups to the proposed renaming to University Hospital, that the HSE’s Programme Manager for Acute Hospital Services offered to resign from two key HSE committees in protest.

North Clare Councillor and Ennis hospital Committee member, Joe Arkins (FG), has welcomed the decision of the HSE not to proceed with the name changes. Councillor Arkins had raised serious concerns regarding the matter when it first arose over 12 months ago.

“The hospitals at Ennis and Nenagh would have been out on limb completely and further relegated for training purposes if the singular link with the Limerick hospitals and UL had gone ahead.

“It is time to end the smoke and mirrors act, and do something tangible about moving forward the refurbishment of Ennis General, which is drastically overdue,” he said.

US AMBASSADOR to Ireland, James Kenny made a nationwide appeal at the weekend to allow the Poor Clare nuns in Ennis to see the AllIreland hurling final.

Ambassador Kenny made a private visit to the Poor Clares on Francis Street last week and he told RTE radio at the weekend, “The nuns are very, very special people and remind me what Ireland is about.

“They knew who I was because one of the treats in life they do get is to watch the news and see what is going on in the world and, secondly, on All-Ireland final day, they are allowed to listen to the match.

“But the nuns got very perturbed because the GAA changed the starting time from 3.30pm to 4pm and they have to leave and go into prayers before half-time. They are very upset because they want to be able to listen to the All-Ireland final.

“They wanted me to relay this to the GAA and I said I would. These are wonderful, wonderful people that are praying for everyone around Ireland. “

Sunday’s final, however, started at the traditional time of 3.30pm – allowing the Poor Clares to enjoy the entire game.

The Abbess of the enclosed order, Sister Bernadine, told The Clare People that the nuns jokingly asked Mr Kenny during his visit to raise the issue, as the nuns’ rosary starts at 5pm every day.

“We said it as a bit of fun and we didn’t take it too seriously. There were only a few of us who wanted to see the match. We have some nuns from Cork and they didn’t wish to see it and we were able to tell them the result.”

Sister Bernadine said that Mr Kenny, “is a lovely person. It was a private visit”.

There are 17 Poor Clares based in Ennis and they come from various parts of Ireland. Their monastery was founded on October 7, 1958 with Joseph Rodgers, the then Bishop of Killaloe, laying the foundation stone in 1957.

THE principal of Scariff National School said yesterday that pupils have coped extremely well in their response to the death of 26-year-old circus performer, Vitaly Kharapavitski, last Monday night.

At the Royal Russian Circus performance last Monday, an audience of more than 300 people, with more than half young children, witnessed the Russian man dying instantly during a mid-air routine with his wife Sasha after a steel ball and metal cage collapsed on top of him.

Many of the 152 pupils that attend Scariff National School witnessed the tragedy and school principal, Martin Scanlan, said they coped extremely well and there was no serious need for the counselling services.

“I have three names of children that may avail of counselling, but I believe that it is unlikely that they will do so.”

In the aftermath of the tragedy, the HSE confirmed that its psychologist services have been made available to local primary schools as well as Scariff Community College.

A HSE spokeswoman said, “The Senior Clinical Psychologist has spoken to school principals and parish priest to outline the services which can be provided to the children if a need emerges. He has been in contact with the National Educational Psychology Service (NEPS), who will also be in a position to provide services if the need emerges.”

The father of two young children who witnessed last Monday night’s tragedy, Patrick Doyle, welcomed the services being made available by the HSE.

He said, “The kids might say ‘I’m okay’ to me, but at least with a counsellor, they may be more willing to talk about what happened.

“After it happened, I told my two children that ‘it’s a bad part of the act’ and left the tent…Everyone was stunned. There were kids crying leaving the tent and they were obviously traumatised.

“I never saw anything like it before. It was the suddenness of it. Everything came crashing down and I would say that the poor man died instantly from the impact. Everyone was in shock and I saw people coming out of the tent pure pale, with the blood drained from their faces.”

Local county councillor Joe Cooney said, “Scariff is a small rural parish and nothing like this has ever happened here. It is an awful tragedy and is very distressing for the children who witnessed the man’s death.”

A RADIO consortium headed by Clare FM boss Liam O’Shea and Killaloe rugby star, Keith Wood, has been awarded a licence for the new south west regional youth radio service by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. The new service will broadcast to 15-34 year olds in Clare, Limerick, Kerry, North Tipperary and South West Laois. SPIN South West will initially employ 43 people from the region.

“We are delighted to have been awarded this licence by the BCI. I would like to thank the team and the shareholders for their commitment and hard work. We believe the SPIN youth brand will be very successful in this region. SPIN South West will be regional, relevant and revolutionary in everything we do. We will encourage creativity and provide opportunities and training for new young local talent,” said Mr O’Shea.

Keith Wood said that he was “absolutely delighted to be a shareholder in SPIN South West and was looking forward to the project.”

SPIN South West plan to launch in June 2007.

CLARE County Council has issued planning enforcement notices against four landowners living along the route of the West Clare railway for excavating part of the route of the line at Quilty.

In separate actions, the Council has served enforcement notices against PJ Murnane, Martin McGannon, Henry Molohan and John Daly all of Quilty.

The four landowners were told by the Council to cease excavations immediately and submit a schedule of re-instatement works prepared by an engineer.

The four have also been told to reinstate the embankment in accordance with the schedule of re-instatement work agreed with the Council.

They were also directed to refund to the Council costs and expenses of €271 incurred in investigating and detecting the alleged unauthorised development.

The Council stated that in the event of non-compliance, the four men may be liable to additional costs.

The Enforcement Notice issued stated that the West Clare railway is protected under a number of headings in the West Clare Area Local Plan and the Council has warned that if steps aren’t taken, the four may be guilty of an offence and may be liable to a €1905 fine.

One of the four, Martin McGannon said yesterday that he has written to the Council to explain his point of view which was shared by the other three landowners.

He said, “We are all in the same situation.”

He declined to state what he has told the Council on the issue.

One of the other landowners contacted, Henry Molohan declined to comment.

The Council is shortly to publish a feasibility study which has assessed the potential of the West Clare railline as a recreational facility and/or walking route for the west Clare area.

The 27-mile railway line from Ennis to Miltown Malbay was the last narrow gauge line to be closed by Government in 1961 as it was suffering annual losses of £23,000.

This followed an earlier decision not to press ahead with a £700,000 plan to convert the line to a standard gauge.

The line operated between 1892 and 1961 with the first sod turned on the project by by Charles Stewart Parnell in 1885.

Immortalized in song by Percy French, the railway has become part of Co Clare folklore and in recent years, tourists have travelled to Moyasta where 1.5 miles of the track has been restored.

NOT a single fine was imposed on people flouting Clare County Council’s new dogs ban over the summer months, it was confirmed yesterday.

The afternoon ban on dogs at beaches over the summer came to an end last Thursday and a council spokeswoman confirmed yesterday that, over the three months it was in place, not one fine was imposed on any individual with their dog on the beach.

She did confirm that one fine was imposed on an individual having his horse on Lahinch beach between 11am and 6pm each day.

She said, “The emphasis in the first year of the beach bye-laws was on awareness rather than enforcement. It was mainly tourists who would have been found with their dogs on the beach and, when they were told of the new law, they left the beach without any problem.”

The Council’s Director for the Environment, Ger Dollard, said, “In almost all cases where a breach of the bye-laws occurred, the matter was regularised when the individual involved was spoken to by council personnel.

“Where extreme circumstances required it, the council did resort to the fine issue. Generally the council is exceptionally pleased with the positive response of the public during the summer. There are areas for improvement, such as ensuring that the designated areas for surfing are fully adhered to, and we will be addressing these issues as part of the overall review.”

According to the bye-laws, those found on Clare’s beaches walking their dogs – even those on a lead – between 11am and 6pm – face onthe-spot fines of €125 and fines of €1,270 if cases go to court.

Member of the council’s Special Policy Committee (SPC) for the Environment, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said, “I welcomed the introduction and I hope that, next year, we will have the resources for the proper enforcement of the laws.”

One of the councillors opposed to the ban, Cllr Colm Wiley (FF) said, “The fact that not one fine was imposed shows that the new laws have not been enforced. The council have had no-one policing the ban on dogs and I was up in Lahinch six or seven times over the past three weeks and, on different days, I saw five, three and two dogs on the beach for upwards of half an hour at a time and no one approached the people concerned.”