Category: News

SENATOR Timmy Dooley (FF) has opened up a constituency office in Ennis just over a year before the current Dáil term expires.

With a Fianna Fáil party convention looming to nominate candidates for next year’s General Election, the 36-year old Mountshannon man has moved to up his profile by opening the office on Ennis’s Carmody Street.

Work was continuing on the fit-out of the office over last weekend before it formally opened yesterday (Monday).

“It is in response to the demand of work really that has considerably increased for me in the Ennis area”, said Senator Dooley.

“Up until now, I would be meeting people in hotels and bars so opening up the office makes things far easier. I have a secretary working in Dublin, but there will now be one working full-time at the Ennis office.”

Asked was the opening in any way connected to his campaign to secure a party nomination to run in next year’s General Election, Senator Dooley said: “No, not at all. That will be decided by delegates, that is their decision.”

Senator Dooley said that he took out the lease on the office last October and was planning not to open the premises until after the planned convention in early January.

“When the convention was postponed, I thought I could not wait any longer due to the inconvenience.”

Asked what kind of response he has been encountering in his campaign to secure a party nomination, Senator Dooley said, “It has been very, very good. I’m very, very happy with it.”

Commenting on the move, Fine Gael TD, Pat Breen said, “Senator Dooley obviously sees himself as a potential candidate for the next election and is seeking political advantage by opening up an office in the county capital.”

Senator Brendan Daly (FF) said: “The opening of the new office by Timmy is to be welcomed as it will provide further services to the public.

“I wonder just how effective constituency offices are. There were three in Ennis before the last general election and the candidate, James Breen, who didn’t have any office, polled 4,000 votes in Ennis.

“The demand for such offices is becoming less and less as the public receives a lot of information from the likes of the Citizen Information Bureau and other voluntary groups.”

THOUSANDS of fake driving licences are in circulation on the roads, a Clare court has heard.

The issue of the counterfeit licences came to light after a driver sporting a fake document was stopped at a routine checkpoint.

The judge in an Ennis court handed down a four-month prison sentence to the man in question.

Sergeant Dermot O’Connor told the Ennis District Court that he stopped Trevor Condon (38) of Goirtroe, Corrandulla, in Galway at Newmarket-on-Fergus on July 12 last.

“When I asked for his licence, he produced a document which appeared to be a full driving licence but when I checked it, in my opinion, it was a forgery,” Sgt O’Connor said.

“When I informed him of this, he challenged me and said that he had been issued the licence by Galway Corporation,” the Sergeant told Judge Aeneas McCarthy.

The Shannon-based officer seized the document and sent it to the handwriting section at Garda Headquarters, Dublin, for examination.

Sgt O’Connor said that the experts there “advised that it was a forgery and one of a batch of a few thousand which are in circulation, mainly in the Southern part of the country,” Sgt O’Connor said.

He described the forgery as being “of average quality,” and handed it over to the Judge for inspection.

The court heard that the accused man had a number of previous convictions, but none for road traffic offences.

His solicitor, Bill Loughnane, said that the Galway man’s previous offences had all been when he was a young man and he had not been in any trouble for a considerable time.

“He is on disability payments and has numerous problems. He was offered the opportunity to purchase one of these licences and he foolishly accepted,” Mr Loughnane said.

After asking to see the licence, Judge McCarthy handed the convicted man a four-month jail sentence for possession of a forged document. But he suspended the jail term, provided the driver entered into a bond to be of good behaviour for 12 months. Judge McCarthy also fined Condon €150 for having no driving licence.

THE office of the Director of Public Prosecutions will decide before March 9 what course of action it intends to pursue in the case of four peace activists arrested following a small protest at Shannon Airport last September, a court has been told.

The four defendants gained access to a balcony in the main terminal building at Shannon on September 17 last and managed to unfurl three anti-war banners. All four were arrested and taken to Shannon Garda Station where they were questioned, detained overnight and later charged before being taken to court the following day.

Reappearing at Shannon District Court in Ennis last Thursday were 38-year-old Conor Cregan of 42 Cronan Lawn, Shannon, and Niall Harnett aged 39, originally from Dublin, but living at the time in Liscannor. Both face one charge each of failing to obey directions from airport police officers contrary to Section 33 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act.

Two others, Margaret Liddy aged 34 from North Circular Road in Limerick and 21-year-old St John O’Donnabháin with an address at Áth Stúin in County Kilkenny, face charges of failing to provide names and address to airport police staff also contrary Section 33 of the same act.

The State claims that only Mr Cregan and Mr Harnett, were involved in the alleged incident on the balcony where airport police officers were prevented from entering the area.

Inspector Tom Kennedy sought to have the four remanded on continuing bail until March when, he told Judge Leo Malone, the DPP would have decided what course of action to take. It is understood that further charges may be preferred against any of the defendants

Two of the defendants, who represented themselves in court, attempted to address the court but were advised by Judge Malone that the matter had already been adjourned to March 9.

Niall Harnett was warned that he would be “held in contempt” and “removed from the court” after he began reading from a document in which he accused the justice system of “failing to engage” with him in all respects relevant to his case.

Conor Cregan also sought to address the court but was told by Judge Malone, “the problem with that is that the DPP has not yet directed in the matter.”

All four will appear in court again on March 9 next.

CLARE County Council has come under fire from Limerick City Council for refusing to meet with it to discuss the proposed city boundary extension into South East Clare.

City officials, in a submission lodged with the Department of the Environment that they, “offered to meet with both Clare and Limerick in order to present and clarify the proposal and answer any questions. This offer was declined and no direct discussion or negotiation took place.

“Clare entirely dismisses the idea of tripartite planning cooperation as “too complicated”.

The statement also claimed that a survey conducted by the council showed that the boundary extension proposal would be likely carried by a plebiscite and there was no significant opposition to the administration of the area by Limerick City Council.

With a decision on the proposed extension expected within weeks, public representatives across Clare have vowed not to give up their land, their rates or their hurlers.

Kilrush Town Councillor Jack Fennell (Ind) warned, “there is no hurling in North Clare and West Clare. If we keep whittling away at the hurling area of County Clare we will have no team left.”

His council colleagues have agreed to write to the Minister for the Environment asking him to refuse Limerick City’s request. Councillors in South East Clare have hit back angrily at suggestions made by Limerick City Councillor John Ryan (Lab) that Clare County Council wss neglecting its responsibility for the south east of the county.

His party colleague, Clare County Councillor Paschal Fitzgerald, hit back angrily telling the Limerick man to “stick to his own area”.

He said council’s plans to provide a library and council offices in the Parteen/Westbury area proved a willingness to provide a good service to the people of the area.

“I am very angry as an East Clare councillor, that not one TD in Clare has come out to back the council and the Clare people,” he added.

Meanwhile, Councillor Cathall Crowe (FF) maintains that no boundary extension into Clare will be granted.

“Whilst there is validity to

the boundary opposition argu ments put forward by Limerick County Council, I consider the Clare argument to hold far more substance. At the end of the day, Limerick city and county are part of the one geopolitical entity — Limerick,” he said.

THE country’s leading catering college has voluntarily agreed to move 84 students from two apartment blocks, which it leases in Shannon, to a local hotel, following a fire at the complex on Tuesday night

The blaze has raised serious concerns in the fire authority in Clare about the safety of the buildings.

The Shannon College of Hotel Management, which is governed by the Shannon Airport Authority, has moved the students from Hawthorns and Linden blocks at Drumgeely Flats, adjacent to Shannon Airport, to the nearby Great Southern Hotel, which is also owned by the Airport Authority.

The move follows an incident on Tuesday night last when a fire broke out in a flat at one of the blocks. No one was injured in the incident that is understood to have been caused by a fault in an electric shower. Following the fire however, concerns were expressed by the fire authority and the owner voluntarily made arrangements to vacate the block. Subsequently, a second building, also leased by the Shannon College of Hotel Management, was vacated by the college authorities.

A spokesperson for the Shannon Airport Authority has confirmed, “we were not forced to leave the flats, we took this decision ourselves in the interest of safety. The fire authority has been inspecting the flats and we await their final report. In the meantime the students are being accommodated in the Great Southern Hotel here at the airport.”

Clare’s Chief Fire Officer, Adrian Kelly, has confirmed that there are “some fire safety issues” with one of the blocks.

“We are inspecting both blocks, which have been vacated, and have been in touch with the management company. There are 12 blocks in all at Drumgeely, but we are not aware of any safety issues with the other 10. But we hope to inspect them also.”

Chief Kelly has confirmed, however, that the fire service is trying to establish ownership of the other buildings with a view to inspecting the blocks to ensure they meet current fire safety regulations. Mr Kelly also praised the college authorities for their cooperation and their speedy response to the safety concerns expressed.

A 15-YEAR-OLD girl appeared before an Ennis court last week, charged with a list of offences including threatening a person with a knife.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy heard that the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons was “out of control” during the time between April and September last year when she committed a series of offences, including the knife threat, stealing alcohol from Dunnes Stores, stealing a handbag, theft, assault and criminal damage at shops in Ennis and possession of the banned drug, Ecstasy. The offences took place in locations in Ennis, including Fifila Belle’s, Cornucopia and the boys’ national school, the court heard.

The court heard that the girl was currently the subject of a care order, which has seen her placed in a secure facility catering for troubled young people.

One of the guardians appointed to the 15-year-old at the facility, told Judge Aeneas McCarthy that she had been making such good progress that she had been allowed home for Christmas and for weekend visits.

The Health Services Executive’s plan drawn up for her, provides that she can soon be moved to another, high-support unit in Limerick, which has a more open regime.

“She has been obedient, cooperative and pleasant to work with,” the guardian said.

Her mother had been co-operating with the girl’s programme and her father had also been very supportive, the guardian said.

Judge Aeneas Mccarthy said that he would adjourn the case until May 12 to allow the therapeutic programme which she was undergoing, to continue.

“She seems to be doing very well in the secure unit,’ the judge said.

He adjourned the case and remanded the teenager to the care of the Health Service Executive.

THE body charged with supplying and ensuring that 30,000 residents in the greater Ennis area have safe, clean drinking water increased its spend on bottled water by 50 per cent last year.

Figures released to The Clare People through the Freedom of Information Act, show that Clare County Council increased its spend on bottled water for its 900 staff by 50 per cent, from €13,723 in 2004 to €20,821 in 2005.

The massive increase in the spend on bottled water coincided with the county council, along with the Health Service Executive (HSE) and Ennis Town Council imposing three separate “boil notices” on the Ennis water supply last year.

A spokesman for the HSE confirmed yesterday that €26,000 was spent on bottled water at Ennis General Hospital.

“This is obviously an exceptionally high amount and is obviously connected to the problems with the water supply in Ennis,” he said.

Councillor Brian Meaney (GP) said yesterday: “the amount spent on bottled water by Clare County Council last year is yet another example of the loose attitude by the council towards taxpayers’ money.”

Cllr Meaney said that it was “ironic in the extreme that the organisation responsible for providing water to a safe, potable standard should increase its spend on a massive scale last year.

“The town council has consistently said that the water is as good as anywhere else in the country, but the employees and people ordering bottled water at the county council obviously don’t agree, if the amount spent on bottled water at the council last year is anything to go by.

“While the additional spend on water by the council is being funded by the tax-payer, what recompense is there for facilities across the greater Ennis area, including crèches and homes for the elderly, where there is no sign of any subvention coming from the state for the additional costs incurred?”

The costs for crèches and other facilities that look after the very young and those prone to infection, continues, as the partial ‘boil notice’ remains in place.

A temporary solution to the problem is expected to be in place by April while a new treatment plant is anticipated to be in place by October 2007. On a recent visit to Ennis, the Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche described as “nuts” the need for continuous boil notices in a town the size of Ennis.

THE home of Clare’s only All-Irelandwinning racing pigeon is the source of a bitter neighbours’ dispute.

In a hard-hitting objection against a proposed pigeon loft, Ennis Town Council has been told that neighbours, John and Mary Flynn now regard themselves as “being prisoners in their own home”, due to the pigeons already housed at 24 Marian Avenue, Ennis.

Solicitors have become embroiled in the dispute, which threatens plans by Ennis-man George Guilfoyle to continue housing 30 racing pigeons from a loft at No 24.

The Flynns live next door, at 26 Marian Avenue, and in their objection state that Mr Guilfoyle’s pigeon fancying, “creates a very difficult situation in which they cannot enjoy the reasonable amenity of their own dwelling house”.

In a letter to the Town Council, Mr Guilfoyle states that pigeons have been kept at 24 Marian Avenue since 1974.

“Practically, all spare time is used to tend the birds, that require constant attention. I feel that my birds hold no threat as regards a health hazard.”

Fifty residents of Marian Avenue have signed a petition “to continue keep racing pigeons at the loft”, while an accompanying letter from the Marian Avenue Residents Association states that “local support for Mr Guilfoyle is high”.

Last year, the Flynns employed solicitor Billy Loughnane to fight their case, resulting in an Enforcement Notice being served on May Guilfolye, the owner of 24 Marian Avenue. The Town Council also employed its own legal firm to correspond with the Flynns’ solicitors.

The Enforcement Notice requires Mrs Guilfoyle to cease the keeping of pigeons in the newly constructed shed and threatens legal action if the situation continues.

In response, Mrs Guilfolye lodged a planning application last month. In an accompanying letter, she states: “For over 30 years, the Guilfoyle family have taken an avid interest in pigeon fancying.”

She said that her son, George’s National Title win, “was a source of great joy, not only for my son in particular, but also for myself and I would like to think that the town of Ennis and Clare”.

The objection states that, “the Flynn’s children are afraid of the swirling of the birds and the noise and nuisance created by them.

“They are unable to use their back garden premises during the Summer months and now regard themselves as being prisoners in their own home.”

A decision is due on the application later this month.

A CALL was made this week for a coordinated approach to the marketing of the dolphin-watching industry in the Shannon Estuary.

Dr Simon Berrow of the Shannon Whale and Dolphin Foundation (SWDF) made the call on the back of figures released to The Clare People showing that the dolphin-watching industry had failed to build on the massive gains enjoyed at the start of the decade.

The SWDF figures show that there has been a slow, but steady decline in the numbers dolphin watching in the years recorded since 2002.

Last year there were 431 dolphin trips on the estuary. There are no statistics available for 2004, however, the 2005 out-turn represents a five per cent drop on the 454 trips in 2003.

The 2003 figure in turn represented a three per cent drop on the numbers dolphin watching in 2002.

Between 1998 and 2001, the thenfledgling industry enjoyed a massive 400 per cent increase in dolphin watching trips and 600 per cent increase in dolphin watching numbers.

“There is a need for a co-ordinated approach amongst all the operators in the estuary to market dolphin watching, because the figures have reached a plateau out in recent years,” said Dr Berrow.

“There has been a positive feedback from the operators to the idea of a promotional plan. I realise that they are competitors to one another, but they must make the pie bigger for everyone concerned.

Dr Berrow said that the dolphin watching in the Shannon estuary “is quite badly promoted.”

“I spoke to secondary students at a Shannon school recently and only 10 per cent had heard of dolphin watching which is an indictment on the level of promotion.

One of the operators, Paul Griffin of the Dolphin Discovery, said however that everything was been done to promote dolphin watching.

“There hasn’t been any reduced spend on marketing and we are doing everything we should be doing.

“Last year was better that 2004 and we would hope to increase the numbers again this year.”

“A lot of the business would have come from people holidaying in Lahinch and Kilkee and there has been repeat business from that area, but not now to the extent that was there and that would account for some of the drop.”

THE family home of one of Clare’s most respected traditional musicians, Micho Russell, is to go under the hammer in Ennistymon next month. The house, which is located in Lough North in Doolin, will be sold along with 8.5 acres and is expected to fetch up to €300,000.

The house was built by Micho’s brother, Packie, almost 70 years ago and was inhabited by members of the Russell family until 2001. The site is likely to generate a large amount of interest, not just because of its location, but because of its history and significance for traditional music enthusiasts.

“It was built by Packie, who was himself a stonemason, about 70 years ago,” said the auctioneer in charge of the sale, John Casey.

“It is an absolutely fantastic location and Micho even had a recording studio going in the house 30 or 40 years ago, before something like that was ever heard of.”

With planning permission difficult to secure in the area it is unlikely that any major structural alterations would be allowed to take place. There had been concern in some quarters that the house, and the long history, might be lost to a modern development.

“It wouldn’t be right for someone to knock it, not just because of the lovely stonework, but also because of the history behind the building,” continued Mr Casey.

“Planning is restricted on that side of the road so it will offer someone a chance of a lovely home in an area where it is very difficult to build.”

The Russell family lived in Doonagore, near Doolin since before the Great Famine.

The music in the Russell family came from Micho’s mother Annie who played the concertina, while Micho’s brothers Packie and Gussie were both renowned musicians.

Micho first came to prominence when winning the All-Ireland tin whistle competition in 1973. He was renowned for his originality and inventiveness.

In the 1970s, he toured all over Europe and America and was a favourite at the Willie Clancy Summer School. He died tragically, as a result of a car accident, 12 years ago this week.

The house will be sold by public auction at the Falls Hotel on Friday March 10 at 3pm.