Category: News

THE family of a Kilmaley pensioner who was beaten to death in Birmingham last year has expressed relief that his killer has been held accountable.

Danny McGann (73), a native of Gortagannive, Kilmaley, was found dead in the garden of his home in the Acock’s Green area of Birmingham, on September 28, 2005. He had lived and worked in Birmingham for several years, having emigrated in the 60s.

Heroin addict Mohammed Naheem (35), of Enville Grove, Sparkhill, Birmingham, admitted murder and was jailed for life at Birmingham Crown Court last week.

Danny’s brother Christy McGann (84) said the conviction did not change anything for the grieving family.

“It doesn’t change things for us. It makes no difference now. It was very sad the way he died and we have to put up with it now. We can do nothing about it now . . . it is done with now anyway,” he said.

“We have gone through enough sadness. We want to know no more about it now”.

Kilmaley parish priest Fr Michael McLaughlin said there was “no winner” in the case.

“It is good there is closure. Thankfully he pleaded guilty so the family did not have to go through a trial in court. They have gone through enough already. Danny will be remembered by everybody. He was such a gentle man and was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” added the priest.

Mr Justice Hodge, in passing sentence last week, said the killer would spend 26 years in jail before being considered for parole. Naheem stole property from Ms McGann’s home, while he lay dying outside.

Naheem was jailed for 10 years in 1997, after he and another man had broken into the home of an 87-yearold woman and fractured her skull.

Individual planning applications are costing Clare County Council an average of €10,000 each, with the applicant expected to fork out a further €7,100 per application.

According to Clare County Councillor PJ Kelly (FF), this is often borrowed money, which puts even further financial pressure on young people when they are refused permission and forced to reapply.

The figures were revealed by the councillor at a specially convened meeting between the Kilrush Area councillors and planners, to address what were described as “inadequacies” in the county development plan.

In the course of the heated meeting, the planners came under attack for inconsistency in their discussion making.

“It seems to me the architects have a different interpretation to the planners and the planners have a different interpretation to the elected members,” Cllr Bill Chambers (FF) said of the controversial development plan.

Cllr Tom Prendeville (FF) said that the county development plan might be the councillors’ plan but it was not their interpretation. He gave an example of four people who applied for planning permission on land in West Clare.

The first applicant got the permission almost straight away. The second person was told he would have to sign up to ‘Section 47’, a local planning provision, which meant that no other houses could be developed on that strip, while the third applicant was issued with the same response. The fourth applicant was given the permission with no reference whatsoever to ‘Section 47’, according to the councillor.

The councillors gave examples of farmers who could not get permission for a home on their own land, and other examples of what they described as “inconsistencies”.

Senior Executive Planner Liam Conneally said Section 47 was an operational issue.

“It would be a tool for us to grant planning permission in high-development areas,” he said.

The planner maintained that the development plan was a good one, with the council members at the heart of it.

A KILKISHEN hurler and footballer was jailed for six months after being found with 240 ecstasy tablets in Ennis.

Kevin McMahon (25) of Plunkett Drive pleaded guilty to having the tablets when stopped by Garda Stephen Hession on July 8 last at Knox’s Lane.

His solicitor told Ennis District Court that McMahon was “not actively dealing.

He was offered an opportunity to earn some extra money by carrying these drugs for one person and delivering them to another and foolishly, he agreed to do it.”

The solicitor said his client was actively involved in soccer and hurling and he holds a full-time job as a roofer.

“He is someone who has roots in the community and is actively involved in his community.

“He has never been involved in anything like this before and deeply regrets having done this,” the solicitor said.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told Judge Joseph Mangan that the accused man had previous convictions for public order, but no previous convictions in relation to drugs.

Judge Mangan imposed a six month jail sentence on the Kilkishen man and set bail for an appeal at McMahon’s own bond of €3,000 with an independent surety of €3,000 and a cash lodgement of €3,000.

A HOMELESS “chronic alcoholic” who threatened staff at Ennis General Hospital with an imitation gun has been jailed for two years.

Oliver Boylan (38), a native of Dublin who has lived in Ennis for the past few years, pleaded guilty to the offence, on May 3, 2004. Boylan had spent the past six months in a shed on the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh’s premises.

Ennis Circuit Court heard allegations that the accused – a separated father-oftwo – had suffered abuse in an orphanage some years ago in Dublin and currently had an application before the Residential Redress Board.

He had one previous conviction, after he went to a former partner’s home with a hoax bomb and threatened to blow up the home, in Dundalk in 2000, for which he received a suspended sentence.

Detective Garda Kevin Kennedy said Boylan pointed an imitation gun at a doctor and nursing staff at the accident and emergency unit at the hospital and threatened them. He demanded a brain scan and looked for his girlfriend. On seeing that a doctor was going to ring gardaí, Boylan threatened to shoot him, if he failed to put the phone down.

He had been admitted to hospital 10 minutes earlier and was heavily intoxicated. Two security guards at the hospital wrestled him to the ground. Det Gda Kennedy said he himself knew, after taking possession of the implement, that it was not a real firearm. This was confirmed after analysis in Dublin.

Defending barrister, Michael Fitzgibbon said this incident was “a disgraceful escapade”, but there was no intent to intimidate anyone. Boylan wanted to see his girlfriend “at any cost.”

Boylan himself told the court the incident was all down to drink and that he needed treatment in his head. He said he accepted the best place for him was in prison, if he could get suitable treatment. Judge Carroll Moran said he has a considerable amount of sympathy for Boylan, who he said, clearly needed help.

“Violence at A & Es in hospitals is becoming a prevalent problem everywhere and doctors, nurses, porters and staff are entitled to protection,” he said, adding he must take into account the man needs help.

Judge Moran said if he had been convicted by a jury he would be facing a sentence up to six years. Boylan, he said, was entitled to a substantial decrease because of the plea and because of his condition.

He imposed a two-year sentence and ordered that Boylan receive treatment for his alcohol problem while in jail.

THE mother of a six-year-old was jailed for 14 days after a judge heard she was found with 83 Ecstasy tablets that she admitted she was going to supply to other people.

Triona Hayes (28) of Oakwood Drive in Ennis pleaded guilty to the offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act before Ennis District Court at Newbridge Road, Ennis on May 21 last.

Her solicitor, Tara Godfrey, said Ms Hayes had a six-year-old son and had recently divorced after being in a very difficult marriage since she was 21.

“She admitted that she was going to supply the tablets to others and but for that admission, there would have been no evidence of supply in the case,” Ms Godfrey said.

She added that the Ennis woman “had a very hard time in her marriage and social workers commend her highly for the way in which she has worked with them to benefit her son.”

The solicitor told Judge Joseph Mangan that it was “the old story. She fell in with a bad crowd and was asked to hold on to these drugs one weekend and she did.

“She was not involved before this and no longer sees these people. Other than this incident, she is of good character.”

The solicitor added that Hayes had “her family behind her supporting her and her father is with her today.”

After leaving the matter stand until the end of the court sitting, Judge Joseph Mangan jailed the woman for 14 days. He set bail for an appeal at €500 with the woman’s own bond of €500.

THE Bishop of Killaloe has urged victims of institutional abuse to come forward, after an abuse victim was jailed last week for threatening hospital staff with a fake gun.

Dr Willie Walsh was speaking after homeless man Oliver Boylan was jailed for two years for threatening staff at Ennis General Hospital with an imitation firearm.

Boylan’s barrister told Ennis Circuit Court that his client suffered from ‘horrendous physical and sexual abuse’ in an orphanage in Dublin in the past, and had been unable to deal with this.

The Bishop allowed Boylan to sleep in a shed on his premises in Ennis for the past six months.

He told The Clare People that he was pleased the judge ordered that the accused receive treatment for his alcoholism, while in jail.

“I’d certainly hope he would get the treatment while he is in prison because he does very much need it. I would have found him at an extremely low ebb,” said Dr Walsh, who revealed that Boylan discussed his abuse with him.

“Our prisons should be more about rehabilitation than punishment. There should be more help there for people and the period immediately after release is the most crucial period,” he said.

He believes the abuse suffered by Boylan in the past has played a role in his life going downhill in recent times.

“I would certainly say it [the abuse] is an important factor. All of our lives are so complex it is very hard to put all of our difficulties into one particular experience,” he said.

He is advising victims of abuse to come forward.

“I’d certainly say if somebody has suffered abuse, it would be our policy in the Diocese to welcome people coming to us.

“Some people can live with these things for years and it all comes flooding back to them,” he added.

The Bishop said he did not deserve praise personally, regarding Oliver Boylan.

“He came and knocked on my door and was desperate at the time…I wouldn’t want in any way to say I saved him. I didn’t. At times I felt I…I wouldn’t do anything.

“ I would say there are flaws in the system, but no system, based on rules and regulations can deal with every case,” said the Bishop.

He praised groups like St Vincent de Paul and the Samaritans.

“However, some needs fall beyond that.”

LOCALS in Sixmilebridge were left in anger after eight cars were broken into during a three-hour period one night last week.

Four cars in the Mill Court housing estate, three at Cappagh Lodge and one at Chapel Court, were broken into between 2am and 5am on Thursday last.

All of the cars were searched. While nothing was taken from some of the cars, a stereo was taken from one and phones from two others.

“We would view this as a very serious incident. People in those estates may have heard suspicious activity,” said Supt John Kerin, who is appealing for witnesses to come forward.

“This is not the first time this has happened and we are very concerned about it,” said a community spokesman.

CLARE’S mayor, Councillor Pat Keane (FF) has been admitted to hospital suffering from exhaustion.

Cllr Keane underwent tests over three days at Ennis General Hospital after suffering a near-collapse at his Kilkee home recently and was allowed out of hospital last week.

Cllr Keane said: “My doctor told me that if I didn’t slow down, I would have a stroke, so I am trying to take it easy at the moment and not be going all the time”.

Elected mayor last July, the Kilkeebased councillor said: “It is a tough job and you just have to keep going and I will give it my best for the final four months that I am mayor. It is only for 12 months and I will try to give it everything”.

Cllr Keane said that his near-collapse was from sheer exhaustion and his doctor recommended that he be admitted to Ennis General to undergo tests.

First elected to the council in 1991 and elected twice since, in 1999 and 2004, Cllr Keane said: “I never drank or smoked. I eat well and there is no history of strokes in the family. The doctor told me that I must slow down.”

Married to Margaret, Pat is the father of two grown-up children Marina (26) and Diarmuid (18).

“There is no point complaining. This is what we stood to be elected for. The meetings go on and in the days after I was allowed out, there were more meetings to attend,” he said.

Cllr Keane is the second prominent Clare politician to be admitted to hospital as a result of the stresses of the job. Last December, Fine Gael’s Pat Breen was admitted to intensive care at Ennis General after being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat. Deputy Breen took a break from work over the month of January after medical advice.

Former Labour TD and consultant psychiatrist, Dr Moosajee Bhamjee said this week, “what happened to Cllr Pat Keane confirms that politics can be dangerous for your health.”

He added: “It is one of the hazards of the job where politicians overwork themselves in order to keep everyone happy. This is a warning sign for Pat and he must heed the advice that he has been given”.

THE Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell has told each member of Clare County Council that there is no danger of infiltration by subversives or criminals into the new Garda reserve force.

In a bid to counter what he calls the ‘disinformation’ put into the public domain over the new reserve, Minister McDowell has written to each member of Clare County Council and stated, “I am confident that many of our fellow citizens will be proud to serve in the new Garda reserve.

“The reserve will provide an opportunity for continued involvement in law enforcement by retired members of the force, for many of whom policing and serving the community has been a life-time passion.

“Far from undermining the professionalism of our police force, these people will provide a diverse and rich resource for An Garda Síochána. Police forces across the common law countries have had reservists for many years. Is anyone seriously suggesting that police forces in the US or Britain are second rate as a result.

“The Garda Reserve concept has won the support of the Oireachtas, both in the ranks of Government and Opposition parties. I believe that the support of the public will also be forthcoming as the concept and the clear benefits it will bring are well understood”.

The reserve proposal is facing vehement opposition from the Garda Representative Association (GRA). GRA Central Executive member for Clare, Tom Keane stated, “a reserve police force, with little training and full Garda powers is something that we will not accept. It will be met with the opposition it deserves.”

In response to the letter, Councillor Brian Meaney (GP) said, “I am in favour of the Garda reserve and the attitude of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) needs to change on the issue.”

Cllr Meaney said that he would be applying to join the reserve only for Minister McDowell had ruled out members of political parties joining.

“The reserve needs to be given a fair chance. It will enhance the role of the Garda. However the resentment of the GRA towards reserve members will make life intolerable for the Garda reserve.”

THE Health Service Executive has said that it expects to open its temporary replacement prefabricated physiotherapy unit in Ennis by the end of the month.

But there have been claims this week that there is not sufficient electricity being generated from the hospital to power it.

The HSE would not comment on claims that a generator would have to be brought in to power the unit on the grounds of the Mid Western Regional Hospital, Ennis, or give a timeframe for when it might be installed.

On Tuesday evening last, the physiotherapy unit in the hospital building had to be cleared to accommodate the overflow of patients from other units.

The portacabin at the front of the hospital was first muted as a temporary solution to overcrowding at the hospital.

It was expected to be open in December last year to house the patients of the physiotherapists. But the HSE say it will now be March. It will be used as an overflow ward for up to nine patients.

The emergency move was originally expected to cost the HSE over €150,000.

Trolleys will be put into the physiotherapy room in an attempt to cope with the ongoing overcrowding at the county’s hospital, once the portacabin is up and running.

Ennis General Hospital is currently working to a capacity of 115 per cent, 30 per cent higher than is recommended.

Meanwhile, the HSE hopes to submit the planning application for the €20.8 million development at the hospital by June, with a view to putting the works to tender before the end of the current year.

According to the HSE Network Manager of the Mid West Area, John O’Brien, this will enable the construction work to commence in early 2007.

He confirmed that the design team were currently preparing detailed drawing submission to the planning office.

Welcoming the development, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) said he was confident that Clare would have a top-class hospital within the next two years.

The €20.8 million development will see a new radiology department and Accident and Emergency Unit constructed at ground level.

Two new medical wards and a surgical ward will be constructed on the second floor, and ICU developed.

There will be a 20 per cent increase in beds, from 88 to 106.