Category: News

CLARE’S first sponsored walk to promote suicide awareness aims to get people talking about one of the few taboo subjects left in today’s society.

One of the organisers, Claire O’Brien, is already aware of the devastation that suicide can cause to a family. Her brother Peter died this way eight years ago. It is only in recent years that the young Ennis woman can talk openly about the tragedy.

Teaming up with her brother-inlaw Keith Molloy and niece Sasha O’Brien, she has organised a walk of awareness for Ennis on April 23.

Keith, who has lost seven Clare friends through suicide in the last two years, said the response to the walk so far had been overwhelming, giving a small indication of the number of people affected by the issue.

“It (suicide) causes so much pain. If people realised there are people they can talk to, it would make it so much easier,” Claire told The Clare People .

Sasha believes that the issue needs to be discussed more in society.

“People are afraid to talk about it,” she said.

The fourth-year student, who has encountered suicide a number of times in her young life, is now trying to raise awareness in Ennis schools through a non-uniform day. The Colaiste Mhuire student hopes to get all the schools in the county town involved.

“My hope is that people will talk about it a lot,” said Ennis-man Keith. He wants the walk to make society aware of the number of people that lose their lives to suicide every year. The organisers say that both the public and the Government need to be aware of the seriousness of the issue.

While helplines are in place across the country, all too often, callers go through to voicemail, which is not good enough, they say. More funding needs to be provided to man such services, they claim.

The only 24-hour support for potential suicide victims in Clare is the Samaritans, according to Keith.

The group will give all proceeds from the walk to the Samaritans, and hope to organise a bag-packing day and non-uniform day in the future to raise more awareness and funds for the Samaritans. A pub collection will also be held on St Patrick’s Night.

The 10km sponsored Suicide Awareness Walk will begin at 2pm sharp from The Court House in Ennis. Light refreshments will be served afterwards in the Barge Rooms, Ennis.

FRAUD leads to economic chaos if it is left unchecked, a judge said, as he warned a man who admitted several offences that he would face jail if he re-offended.

Judge Carroll Moran was speaking at Ennis Circuit Court, in the case of Patrick McNamara (29), from Miltown Malbay, who currently lives at Lisdeen, Kilkee. He pleaded guilty to several charges on various dates in 2004.

McNamara, described by his barrister as “a rogue who wants to retire” was warned he was facing a possible three year sentence if he failed to keep out of trouble.

The court was told he used cheques and a credit card belonging to another person at a number of premises in Ennis, Newmarket and Ennistymon.

Garda Brian O’Donnell said the accused took a chequebook from a guesthouse in Ennis.

He admitted writing cheques and wrote the name of the woman who owned the chequebook on them. He signed his own name on the back of them.

He cashed several of the cheques at two premises in Ennis while he also used the woman’s credit card without her consent.

The garda said the total amount taken from the woman’s credit card and cheque accounts was in excess of €16,000, most of which had been paid back to her by her bank.

“The majority of times he was paying off bills and debts for other people. He benefited very little himself,” said the garda.

The accused paid back a loan for his brother and got new tyres fitted onto a friend’s car.

Gda Michael Burke said the accused obtained goods valued at €3,429 at a Newmarket-on-Fergus business, using his brother Brendan’s laser card, in July 2004.

He also used the laser card on four occasions in a business in Ennistymon in October 2004 and the transactions amounted to almost €500 in total.

The accused said the card had been given to him by his brother but his brother disputed this.

The court was told the accused had several previous convictions for a number of offences, including for false pretences and deception.

Defence Counsel Mark Nicholas said his client was a “black sheep, lonely character” has been ostracised from his family. He lived in squalor and never intended to take from individuals.

Judge Moran adjourned the case until July.

“I am thinking of a sentence of three years. Let’s see what happens in the meantime,” he said.

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”.