Category: News

IRELAND’S oldest living person, Clare native Kathleen Snavely, celebrated her 112th birthday on Sunday by relaxing and getting her hair done.

Kathleen Hayes Rollins Snavely, who was born in East Clare on February 16, 1902, became Ireland’s oldest ever living person late last year when she overtook Louth woman, Katherine Plunket, and is now clos- ing in on becoming one of the oldest people ever to live on planet Earth.

Kathleen, who lives in Syracuse in upstate New York, is currently in excellent health and is now just three years from becoming one of the 10 oldest people ever to have lived. She is, however, still a long from becoming the worlds oldest person – that honour rests with Jeanne Calment, who was 122 years and 164 days old when she passed away in 1997.

Kathleen was born in Maghera near Feakle in East Clare in 1902. She emigrated to America in 1921 and set up a successful dairy, completely from scratch.

Up to two years ago, Kathleen was living independently, travelling on the bus and shopping for food, until she broke her hip and had to move into a local care centre.

Sr Kathy Osbelt, a friend of Kathleen’s, says that Snavely regularly talks about her experiences growing up in Ireland and her family.

“She talks about the wit and the appreciation for natural beauty. She is very funny and very feisty and loves a good story and to tell stories,” said Sr Osbelt.

“It is unfortunate that more people don’t know her. She is a treasure; she really is a peach.”

So far Kathleen has lived through two wars and survived 18 American presidents and two husbands. She never had any children.

Kathleen received a letter from President Michael D. Higgins last year and the centenarian bounty of € 2, 540.

AN ENVIRONMENTALIST has maintained that a windfarm, which is currently part of a planning application to Clare County Council, will be visible from Doonbeg Golf Course.

Friends of the Irish Environment director Tony Lowes, who in 2000 held up the construction of the course when he raised concerns in the high court about the protection of the microscopic snail Vertigo Angustior, told a Scottish newspaper that he now wants new owner Donald Trump to help back a campaign against the proposed nine-turbine wind farm.

The billionaire businessman reportedly ceased plans to build a second luxury golf course in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, following a failed legal battle to stop the construction of an 11-turbine windfarm off the Scottish coast.

Last week West Clare Coastal Windpower lodged plans for the nine 126-metre wind turbines at Carrowmore South, Einagh and Shragh, two kilometres south of Doonbeg village.

The company’s previous plan for an “industrial scale” € 200 million windfarm at the same location was refused by an Bord Pleanála last July.

Local business people said this week that they were taking a “neutral stance” on the issue, and that the previous application went through the process without any major concern locally.

Mr Lowes is reported as saying he believes people will listen to Mr Trump rather than the environmentalists on the issue.

Asked about the Trump Organisation getting involved in any such issues locally, executive vice president Eric Trump said it was not afraid of taking on important issues.

“Maybe it is too early, but we have never been afraid to tackle important issues time and time again, and we have never been afraid to take on important issues,” she told The Clare People .

“We are not afraid to take on the fight for the betterment of the community and quite frankly often times the community looks to us to lean on, to help them and for that leadership and for the resources to do so.”

SHANNON-based mining company Mincon could be set to double in size over the next two or three years – with the prospect of more jobs coming on stream in looking increasingly possibly. That is according to Mincon’s “house brokers” Davy Stockbrokers, who in a letter to potential investors last week described the Clare company as ‘outperform’ and said it was primed for expansion.

“It has grown rapidly in recent years, while generating returns of over 20 per cent,” the Davy note said. “[The company is] a pure play on the structurally less volatile global consumable rock-drilling products industry.”

Earlier this year, the company’s two biggest shareholders gave employees € 1.2 million from their own private funds to reward them for their hard work over the years.

Company founder Paddy Purcell and Kevin Barry initiated the employee recognition plan, which excluded all members of senior management.

The money was paid to Mincon’s 140 eligible employees across the group and was based on years of service with a payment of € 1,000 per staff member per year of service.

The Shannon-based rock drilling engineering company was founded in 1977 and listed on the Dublin and London stock exchanges late last year. Many of the company’s Shannon-based employees have been there for a number of decades.

“It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Mincon Group employees that it has grown from its origins in Shannon into the interna- tional business it is today, with operations in Europe, Africa, the Americas and Australasia and with its securities quoted on the ESM and AIM,” said Paddy Purcell at the time that the payment was announced.

“As the largest shareholders in the company, Kevin and I wished to take this opportunity to show, in a tangible and meaningful way, our appreciation to the staff for their contribution in bringing Mincon to where it is today and positioning it for the next phase of its development organically and through acquisitions.”

AN ENNIS woman has received an 18-month prison sentence for a string of offences including stealing money from a pensioner and assaulting a garda.

Ann Marie Molloy stole € 200 from 85-year-old Anne McCullagh as the pensioner walked through Paddy Quinn’s car park in Ennis on November 1, 2013.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Detective Garda Claire O’Shaughnessy said Ms Molloy grabbed Ms McCullagh’s handbag before running away.

“She was extremely upset and crying. She was tramautised by the whole experience,” said Detective O’Shaughnessy of Ms McCullagh’s condition after the theft.

Ann Marie Molloy, with an address at Ballaghboy Halting Site, Quin Road Ennis, pleaded guilty to punching and kicking a female garda at Ennis Garda Station on May 14, 2012. She also pleaded guilty to a number of other theft and trespass offences including a break in at the Maria Assumpta Hall, Station Road, Ennis, between August 29 and 31, 2012, and theft of a wallet from a woman in a cinema on February 12, 2013.

She also admitted damaging post boxes at the Mill Road apartment complex. The court heard it cost the owner € 595 to repair to damage.

Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client came from a large family of 13. She said Ms Molloy has learning difficulties and a drinking problem. “She’s a lovely lady with a horrible problem with drink,” she added.

Ms Godfrey urged the court not to impose custodial sentence but rather remand her client in custody for a period to “frighten her into understanding what she did”.

An offer to pay compensation to Ms McCullagh was rejected by Judge Patrick Durcan. He said he was not impressed by people who bring money to court trying to buy their way out of jail. He said he would much rather hear compensation had already been paid.

He said Ms Molloy engaged in “horrendous criminal activity” over a 12-month period. He said he was cognizant of her family background, physical and intellectual difficulties and problems with alcohol.

In the case of the theft from Ms McCullagh, Judge Durcan said the victim had “gallantly and valiantly fought back but had been left in a distressed state”. He imposed sentences totalling 18 months. Judge Durcan warned assaults against gardaí and the robbery of old women would be met with the toughest measures open to the court. Recognizance were set in the event of an appeal.

NORTH Clare farmers have pledged to fight on against the decision to sell the Ennistymon Mart to Aldi following a “fruitless” meeting in Ennis yesterday.

Three member of Ennistymon IFA met with representatives from Clare Marts for a number of hours yesterday, at a meeting facilitated by Clare IFA president Andrew Dundas.

At the meeting, a spokesperson for Clare Marts confirmed that the sale of the mart had been agreed by the board of Clare Marts, but said that contracts had yet to be signed and the sale was dependent on planning permission being granted.

Tom Clair from Ennistymon IFA said yesterday that the people of Ennistymon feel like they have been “sold-out” by their fellow farmers for a “few dollars” from a multi-national.

“The people up here will fight this to the bitter end, that is for sure. But we are desperate downhearted that this has happened,” he said.

“The way that this has come about is not right.

“After all that was gone through to get that mart there in the first place and now to have it sold out from under us by our fellow farmers. And just because they had a few dollars dangled down in front of them. It’s not right.”

Yesterday’s meeting followed a protest help by more than 20 North Clare farmers outside of Ennis Marts last Tuesday evening and a mass meeting of more than 450 people which took place in Ennistymon earlier this month.

Those opposed to the sale will now likely take to the planning system to try and block the sale going through by lodging planning applications once Aldi bring forward a proposal.

The land where the mart currently sits was gifted to the people of Ennistymon by the McNamara clan as an area for fairs.

“It is though that the mart’s deeds could yet contain a condition requiring it to be operated for agricultural purposes. The Clare People contacted Clare Marts in relation to this story but they had no comment to make.

AN ENGLISH conman who duped businesses on a € 1,300 “nationwide tour” of hotels in Ireland has received a 12-month prison sentence.

David Brown (57) was arrested by gardaí in Clare last week after failing to pay for food and alcohol at the Ravine Hotel, Lisdoonvarna, on February 11.

It came after gardaí issued a nationwide alert for Mr Brown’s arrest after he committed a string of similar offences at hotels around the country between January 25 and February 12.

He appeared before Ennis District Court on Thursday.

Mr Brown, with an address at Mallard Road, Scunthorpe, England, pleaded guilty to six changes of dishonestly by deception availing of food, accommodation and beverages.

The charges relate to Mr Brown’s stay at Creevy Pier Hotel, Ballyshan- non, Donegal, where he accrued a bill of € 333 between February 4 and 6; his stay at Lismore House, Lismore, Waterford, between January 25 and 27 where the bill came to € 382 and the Templemore Arms Hotel, Templemore, between February 1 and 3 where the bill came to € 271.

He also admitted offences at Dunning’s, The Octagon, Westport, between February 7 and 8 (€ 65) and Murphy’s Law, Barrack Street, Athlone, between February 3 and 4 (€ 150).

Judge Patrick Durcan enquired what type of food and drink Mr Brown availed of during his stays at the hotels. Inspector Tom Kennedy replied that the accused was “pretty accomplished at entertaining himself”.

Garda Shane Kavanagh of Ennistymon Garda Station said he arrested Mr Brown in the early hours of February 12 after the accused failed to pay for drink and food worth € 81 at the Ravine Hotel, Lisdoonvarna.

Garda Kavanagh told the court Mr Brown would typically tell hoteliers he was over from England to do maintenance work on telegraph poles. He would claim his colleagues were arriving in a few days and they would pay the bill. “He would book in on a Friday but by Monday morning he’d be gone,” added Garda Kavanagh.

The court heard Mr Brown travelled across the country by hitch hiking and getting lifts from fellow ‘guests’.

Insp Kennedy said Mr Brown has 50 previous convictions, many for deception offences, and was only released from prison in January.

Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client is divorced and previously worked as an unskilled labourer.

She said Mr Brown was homeless when he was released from prison and committed the offences as a means of surviving.

She said her client had mainly drank pints of lager and eaten burg- ers and pies during his time at the hotels. “The most extravagant thing he had was a Jack Daniels whiskey,” she added.

She asked the court to consider deporting Mr Brown back to the United Kingdom.

Judge Patrick Durcan said this was an “unusual case” one where like his countrymen did in the past, Mr Brown commenced his journey through Ireland in Waterford.

He said Mr Brown had perpetrated a “reign of commercial tyranny” against tourism businesses, many of whom are based in coastal communities devastated by recent storms.

“His spree, his nationwide tour, cost € 1,322,” added Judge Durcan.

“The only order I can make is one that forces the Irish people to pay € 1,700 a week to accommodate him further,” he said.

He imposed sentences totalling 12 months but suspended the final eight months on condition Mr Brown enter a bond to be of good behaviour. TWOmen have appeared in court charged in connection with an alleged burglary in the Corrovorrin area of Ennis. Patrick Ballard (28) and Michael Clune (28) are alleged to have entered 2 Corrovorrin,Tulla Road, Ennis as trespassers and attempted to commit theft therein.The charge relates to an alleged break in on December 11, 2013. Mr Ballard, with an address at Lifford Lodge, Lifford Road, Ennis and Mr Clune with an address at BridgeviewCourt, Ennis, both appeared before Ennis District Court onWednesday. The court heard the DPP has directed summary disposal of the cases in the district court. Legal aid was approved for solicitor Tara Godfrey. Ms Godfrey said she required time to seek disclosure fromthe State. The cases were adjourned to April 2 for the accused to enter pleas or to fix a date for hearing. A POLISH man who admits being in an intoxicated state at Ennis Cathedral will carry our volountary work in the town, a court has heard. Last November, Judge Patrick Durcan said he wanted Tomasz Hajduk (43) to get involved with a group like Ennis Tidy Towns to make up for his behaviour in the upper O’Connell Street area of the town on November 13. Tomasz Hajduk, with addresses at Sandfield Apartments, Sandfield Road, Ennis and Cree, pleaded guilty to being intoxicated to such an extent so as to be a danger to himself and to others. Gardaí found Mr Hajduk in an intoxicated state outside Ennis Cathedral and he has a number of previous convictions mainly for public order offences, the court heard. The case came back before Ennis District Court on Wednesday where solicitor William Cahir told the court his client had secured work with Ennis Parish on a voloutary basis. Judge Patrick Durcan adjourned the case to October 1 for review. Addressing Mr Hajduk, he said, “I expect you will so some work for the church”.

SHANNON Airport’s return of profit and passenger growth in a little over a year since it was granted its independence from the Dublin Airport Authority has been hailed as “very impressive” by the Minister for Transport, Leo Varadakar.

On what as his first visit to the airport since it became an independent entity on December 31, 2012, Minister Varadkar told The Clare People that the upsurge in the fortunes of Clare’s international airport has “certainly validated the Government decision” to let Shannon chart its own future.

“To be brutally honest as minister, I didn’t think the airport would manage a profit in year one, I thought it would take three years for that to happen. That is one of the areas where we are ahead of schedule,” said Minister Varadkar.

“It has been a very impressive first year for Shannon Airport and the performance has certainly validated the Government’s decision to give the airport its independence. The financial position of the airport is very strong and last year was about stabilisation and making a reality of a merger and this year is about growth,” he added.

In its first year full year of independence Shannon reversed five years of successive passenger decline by recording a marginal increase in numbers on 2012 to just over 1.4m passengers.

Chief executive of the Shannon Group, Neil Pakey said the airport is projecting double digit percentage passenger growth this year based mainly on increased Ryanair services and increases services on transatlantic routes.

“During the last six months, we have been successful in securing new capacity and have to make sure the marketing is right and we are hopefully looking at double digit-plus growth,” he said.

“The airport has paid its own way since separation,” confirmed Shannon Group chairperson, Rose Hynes. “We are able to present him [Minister Varadkar] with a really positive report card on the airport’s first year as an independent entity. We have very strong momentum at Shannon, and the passenger growth, in particular, has been hugely satisfying.

Commenting on the return to profit, Minister Varadkar said it means that “the airport is a stronger position to invest and do things. If you are making losses, you are eating into your reserves”.

“Our priority in 2013 was to stabilise the position at the airport, stem the five-year decline in passenger numbers and increase connectivity,” continued Ms Hynes. “We are in passenger growth mode now and this will continue in 2014 and we will continue to make progress in the creation of an international aviation services centre in Shannon,” she added.

THREE men found guilty of damaging a car during a religious ceremony at a graveyard outside Ennis have been given eight months to pay full compensation to their victim.

Michael Doherty (52), Patrick Doherty (34) and James Galbraith (45) were convicted in November (2013) of criminal damage.

They were ordered by Judge William Early to pay € 7000 compensation to the victim. Judge Early said if the money was paid, he would recommend a six month suspended sentence for each accused.

The case came back before Ennis District Court on Tuesday where solicitor for the Dohertys, Daragh Hassett, said his clients did not have the full amount of compensation.

Mr Hassett told Judge Early his clients had € 500.

He said Michael and Patrick Doherty are both on social welfare and required time to get the outstanding compensation.

Defence solicitor for Mr Galbraith, John Casey said his client also had € 500 for the court and required further time.

He said Mr Galbraith has moved away from Ennis and had to spend money on securing new accommodation.

“The move from Ennis, to get away from this trouble, has cost him”, explained Mr Casey.

Judge William Early agreed to adjourn the case to October to allow the men time bring the remaining € 6,000 to court.

Judge Early warned the accused he would impose the default sentence of six months in prison if the money was not paid by October.

Inspector Michael Gallagher told the court the men had not come to garda attention since November.

Michael Doherty and Patrick Doherty, both with addresses at St Michael’s Park, Ballymaley, Ennis and James Galbraith, formerly of Lissaniska, Ennis and now living in Bettystown, Meath, all denied the charge of criminal damage at Drumcliff graveyard on March 24, 2013.

In November Ennis District Court heard mother of two Kathleen Maughan was visiting her husband’s grave when her Ford Focus car was damaged in a violent attack.

Ms Maughan told the court she saw three men armed with slash hooks and hatchets alight from vehicles and attack her car on March 24, 2013.

Ms Maughan, who is from Ennis but now lives in Cork, was one of a group of 20 people attending a blessing of the graves ceremony.

After hearing the evidence, Judge William Early said, “I believe the evidence of Ms Maughan.

“I believe she is telling the truth, therefore it must follow that I find them guilty as charged.”

Judge Early said it seemed to be the case that Ms Maughan was a “victim of one of these wretched family feuds that are all too common in the Traveller community”.

There was a heated conclusion to the hearing of the case in November. A flurry of insults were fired at Ms Maughan from people sitting in the gallery A MA N accused of using a knife during alleged robberies at two businesses in Ennis last year is to be sent forward for trial to the Circuit Court. James Hayes (26) with an address at Dun Na hInse, Ennis appeared at Ennis District Court on Wednesday. Mr Hayes is charged with the robbery of a woman at Glamorize, O’Connell, Street on November 25, 2013. It is alleged Mr Hayes took €400. He is also charged with production of a knife during the course of the alleged offence. It is further alleged Mr Hayes did rob €70 froma woman at Vaughan’s Florist, Ennis on December 12, 2013. He is also charged with the production of a knife arising fromthe same alleged robbery offence. Inspector TomKennedy told the court the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed the cases proceed to trial on indictment, meaning they will be heard in the Circuit Court. Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey told the court her client suffers frommuscular dystrophy and his movement has become more restricted. She said the High Court had previously directed prison authorities to provide appropriate care for Mr Hayes. He was remanded in custody to appear again at Ennis District Court on February 19 for service of the book of evidence. A W OMA N has appeared in court charged with child neglect at a Clare address. The 22-year-old woman appeared before Ennis District Court onWednesday. It is alleged the woman had in her care a child whomshe allegedly ill-treated, neglected, abandoned or exposed the child, or caused the child to be assaulted, ill-treated, neglected, abandoned or exposed, in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to the child’s health or seriously to affect his or her wellbeing. The charge relates to an alleged incident at a mid-Clare address in October 2012.The alleged offence is contrary to the Children’s Act Inspector TomKennedy said he believed this was the first charge of its type he had seen come before the court where the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed summary disposal. Insp Kennedy said he suspected the case may be an indictable matter and would probably have to be referred back to the DPP. He said the issue of jurisdiction would also have to be addressed. The accused was remanded on continuing bail to appear again at Ennis District Court on February 26. A JUDGE has refused jurisdiction of a case where it is alleged a man was found in possession of a slash hook near the grounds of Ennis Courthouse. Michael Keenan (23), with an address at Meelagh View, Mahon, Cork, is alleged to have had a slash hook which had a blade or which was sharply pointed at Steele’s Terrace, Ennis on November 28, 2013. The alleged offence is contrary to the firearms and offensive weapons act. The case came before Ennis District Court on Wednesday to allowJudge Patrick Durcan consider jurisdiction. Garda Francis Brennan of Ennis Garda Station told the court the slash hook was allegedly found in the back of Mr Keenan’s vehicle. Garda Brennan said it would be alleged Mr Keenan denied any knowledge of having the alleged weapon. After seeing the slash hook, Judge Durcan refused jurisdiction, meaning the case will nowproceed to the Circuit Court. Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey consented to an extension of time for service of the book of evidence.The case was adjourned to April 9. A FIFT EEN year-old boy has appeared in court charged in connection with an alleged violent disturbance in the Market area of Ennis last year. The boy, accompanied by his mother, appeared before Ennis Children’s Court onWednesday. Inspector TomKennedy told the court the case is connected to that of two other accused who will be sent forward for trial to the Circuit Court. He said that as this charge concerns a juvenile, the presiding district court Judge must decide the issue of jurisdiction and not the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The teenager is charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. Insp Kennedy said the charge relates to an alleged incident at Lower Market Street, Ennis on February 18, 2013. Insp Kennedy said it would be alleged the alleged injured party’s car was attacked. He said the incident allegedly involved three people carrying weapons including hatchets and a machete. He said the alleged incident took place around 7.30pm. Judge Patrick Durcan refused jurisdiction. Insp Kennedy said a book of evidence would have to be prepared in the case. The teenager was remanded on continuing bail.

SHANNON Airport has stepped up to the mark as a key economic driver for the mid-west region, according to Transport Minister, Leo Varadkar, who has told The Clare People that Donald Trump’s acquisition of Doonbeg Golf Club was made possible by having an international airport on its doorstep.

Speaking in Shannon Minister Varadkar lauded the “the renewed energy and vibrancy” as a new growth phase was announced for airport services that will see a new programme of hangar development come on stream in the next year.

“It is fair to say that recent high profile investments in this region like the Regeneron announcement for Limerick and Donald Trump’s acquisition of and planned investment in Doonbeg would not be happening were it not for Shannon Airport’s presence,” said Minister Varadkar.

His comments came as a new deal was signed for an eight-year lease by Air Contractors, a member of the ASL Aviation group, with the Shannon Group for the remaining hangar space at the airport.

This will be used by Air Contrac- tors for line maintenance on its fleet of Boeing and ATR aircraft, including its Boeing 757 aircrafts which will be flown by Aer Lingus on the new daily Shannon-Boston service launched last week and its six times weekly JFK New York service that commences in March.

The airport currently has 50,700sq meters of space in nine hangars, all of which will be fully occupied following the signing of contracts with Air Contractors.

To meet a current request for near term additional hangar space, the board of the Shannon Group recently agreed to seek planning permission and to tender for the procurement and associated works of a fabric hangar of 4,300sq metres capable of accommodating wide-bodied aircraft.

It is anticipated the new hangar – intended to be the first of a number of new hangars developed at Shannon – will be built and open for business by the end of the year.

“I welcome the board’s progress in relation to hangar capacity and its plans to develop an additional hangar this year,” said Minister Varadkar.

“This is in keeping with the wider plans for growth at Shannon, includ- ing the development of an International Aviation Services Centre here to complement the existing cluster of 40 aviation related businesses operating in Shannon.

“The development of maintenance facilities is one opportunity identified under this plan and this is a very positive first step in that space,” he added.

According to Shannon Group chairperson, Rose Hynes, the airport is “making strong early progress in relation to the wider Shannon project. Our success in achieving full occupancy of our hangar capacity is evidence of this”.

A KILRUSH man found guilty of illegally dumping household waste will have to pay out € 1,030, following a hearing at Kilrush District Court on Tuesday.

Clare County Council brought the case against Flan Burke, Apartment 2, Vandeleur Street, Kilrush who was found guilty of littering contrary to section 3(1) of Litter Pollution Act 1997 and Section 24 (1) of the Lit- ter Pollution Act 1997 as Amended Section 58. In evidence litter warden Conor Leyden said that the council received a complaint on July 2, 2013 stating that there was litter on the side of the road at Dunneill, Kilimer.

On investigating the complaint he found an ESB bill with Mr Burke’s name among the rubbish.

A fine was sent to Mr Burke by registered post.

He was also told he could appeal the fine in writing, the court was told, but this did not happen.

Reminder letters were again sent on July 29 and August 6, 2013 and finally a court summons was issued on December 31.

Mr Leyden described the road as a “quiet road with no residential houses, with mostly agricultural lands.”

Describing Mr Burke’s actions as “contemptible” Judge Patrick Durcan fined him € 750 and ordered him to pay costs of € 280.

He added that he was taking into account that the defendant in the case had no previous convictions.