Category: News

TWO men have pleaded guilty to assault charges arising from a violent feud related incident in Ennis when a father of 10 lost part of his f nger. Bernie McDonagh Snr (47) suffered multiple injuries including the loss of half of his right ring f nger when he was viciously assaulted by three men at Market place, Ennis on May 18, 2010.

The incident developed after Mr McDonagh drove to Ennis National School to collect his children at 3pm.

He was followed to the school by three men in a black Toyota Avensis. The three men launched an attack on Mr McDonagh’s vehicle.

McDonagh drove furiously away from the front of the school and ended up driving the wrong way into the market area of the town, coming to halt in heavy traff c and very narrow ly avoiding a collision.

Mr McDonagh’s 14-year-old son, f ve-year-old daughter and baby granddaughter were in the car throughout the course of the incident.

The group traveling in the Avensis caught up with Mr McDonagh in the Market where they launched another attack on the car.

Mr McDonagh was driven to Ennis hospital by his 14-year-old son.

One of the perpetrators received a three-year prison sentence at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court in May 2011 after pleading guilty to assault causing serious harm.

The two other men involved in the attack appeared before Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday.

Their respective barristers told the court a jury would not be required and their clients could be put forward for arraignment. Michael McDonagh (34), with an address at Kilcruttin Halting Site, Kilcruttin, Tullamore, Co Offaly, pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Bernie McDonagh at market place Ennis on May 18, 2010.

Anthony McDonagh (28), with an address at Ardreigh Walk, Dun Brinn, Athy, Kildare, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Bernie McDonagh on the same date and location. Counsel for the State, Stephen Coughlan said those pleas were acceptable to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the case now becomes a matter for sentence.

Counsel for Michael McDonagh, Mark Nicholas said his client is a 34-year-old man with no previous convictions who “stupidly got involved” in this incident.

He said a report from the Probation Services would be help Judge Gerald Keys get a proper prof le of Mr Mc Donagh prior to sentencing.

Counsel for Anthony McDonagh, Pat Whyms, also requested a probation report for his client.

Judge Keys ordered probation reports for both accused and remanded them on bail to appear in court on January 12, 2015 when a date for sentencing will be f xed.

JAIL terms have been handed to two people involved in a robbery in Ennis that left a woman “terrorised”.

At Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday, Congolese national Mao Kimbai (41) received a three-year prison sentence with the f nal year suspended.

His co-accused Clara Chapman (20) received a two year prison term with the f nal year of the sentence suspended. Both were jailed after admitting their roles in an attack on the young woman at the Causeway link Road near Glór in Ennis on January 18, 2014.

Mao Kimbadi and Ms Chapman forced the woman to hand over her handbag after she was told Mr Kimbadi was holding a knife.

The court previously heard the woman did not see the knife but could feel something poking into her back.

The incident was reported to gardaí within minutes and Mr Kimbadi was arrested a few hours later in possession of a kitchen knife.

Both accused were heroin addicts at the time and Ms Chapman later told gardaí the pair were looking to “rob someone for a bag of heroin”.

Kimbadi, with a former address at Laurel Lodge, Ennis, and Chapman, with an address at Harbour House, Woodquay, Ennis and former address at Banner Lodge, Ennis both pleaded guilty to robbery of a handbag at the Causeway Link Road, Ennis on January 18.

Mr Kimbadi admitted a further charge of possession of a knife at Clon Road, Ennis on January 19.

Mr Kimbadi has 18 previous convictions and Ms Chapman has four previous convictions for theft and drugs offences.

Imposing sentence, Judge Gerald Keys said an aggravating factor in the case was the fact the robbery “was a joint enterprise and violence was used”.

Judge Keys noted a knife had also been threatened.

He said it was clear from the evidence of Garda Denis Stack the victim was “terrorised” by the accused’s actions.

Judge Keys noted the pair, Kimbadi amnd Chapman had also expressed remorse for their actions.

Judge Keys said Mr Kimbadi had claimed Ms Chapman was the main protagonist in the robbery.

But Judge Keys said that bearing in mind the age gap between the parties, it was his belief that Mr Kimbadi was the most culpable.

He imposed two concurrent three year sentences on Mr Mr Kimabdi with the f nal year suspended. Ms Chapman received a two-year sentence with the f nal 12 months suspended.

Referring to the pair’s drug addiction, Judge Keys said;

“I believe that if more resources were put into people who become addicted to drugs, the number of cases (coming before the courts) would fall rapidly”.

A YOUNG woman was left shaken after she was allegedly ‘groped’ while out walking in Ennis on Friday night. The woman and her friend were walking near St Flannan’s College when a man jumped from behind a wall and grabbed the woman.

A passer-by witnessed the incident and came to the aid of the woman who is from Ennis. The suspected offender, who is in his early 20s, f ed through the grounds of St Flannan’s.

The woman, a mother of two, returned home and reported the incident to gardaí. She was able to give a detailed description of the man to gardaí.

A person matching the suspect’s description was observed by gardaí in Ennis within hours of the incident. He was detained for a brief period but later released without charge. Investigations into the matter are ongoing.

The woman left her house at around 8.45pm on Friday. She and a friend were walking on the Limerick Road, near the West County Hotel.

They were going in the direction of the town centre when they became aware of man wearing a dark camouf age hoodie walking closely behind them.

The women stopped and noticed the man. They decided to cross the road to Michael Lynch’s Joinery before crossing back to the Flannan’s side of the road.

The young man followed the same route but turned at Flannan’s and started to walk towards Ennis. The two women had passed the college’s main entrance and were just passing another narrow entrance to the school when the youth re-appeared.

It is alleged he jumped a wall and suddenly grabbed the woman. The shocked victim and her friend turned on the man who f ed through the grounds of the school. The young mother was left shaken and upset by the incident.

A STUDENT with a “dreadful” criminal record has avoided jail for driving offences committed in Ennis last year. Chris Kelly appeared in Ennis District Court on Wednesday for sentencing for motoring offences committed at Cahercallamore, Ennis on April 23, 2014.

In December 2013, Mr Kelly, with an address at Newtown, Castletroy, Limerick was convicted after a contested hearing at Ennis District Court of having no insurance, no driver’s license and no NCT certif cate.

The court heard he was disqualif ed from driving for 15 years at the time of the commission of the offence. Mr Kelly, a father of one, has eight previous convictions for no insurance and two for dangerous driving. He also has previous convictions for theft offences, the court heard.

Mr Kelly appeared back in court in September when Garda Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court the accused had a “dreadful record”.

Judge Patrick Durcan further adjourned sentencing to November 5 after requesting a detailed report on Mr Kelly’s academic progress at the University of Limerick. He also sought clarif cation on the accused’s previous convictions.

On Wednesday, defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said she had a letter from the welfare off cer at UL, say ing “very good things” about her client. Ms Godfrey told the court her client maintains his innocence with respect to the Ennis convictions.

She said Mr Kelly has not resiled from his original position that he was not the person in the car when it was stopped by the gardaí.

She said Mr Kelly would have appealed the conviction in the circuit court but the matter had not yet been f nalised in the district court. “He would be of the opinion he’s an innocent man and was going to pursue that to the Nth degree”, Ms Godfrey added. In relation to Mr Kelly’s previous convictions, Ms Godfrey said her client is a young man of tremendous promise who squandered most of his youth. Judge Patrick Durcan imposed a f ne of € 350 on Mr Kelly for having no driver’s license. He imposed a further f ne of € 1000 in respect of the conviction for no insurance. Mr Kelly was also disqualif ed from holding a driver’s license for 10 years. Judge Durcan said he was not imposing a custodial sentence in light of Mr Kelly’s academic progress. Recognisance’s were f xed in the event of an appeal at Mr Kelly’s own bond of € 500 and an independent surety to be approved by the court of € 1000.

stood to have contribute € 5,000 to the event last year with the remainder being made up from the races own cash reserves, which have now been depleted.

A spokesperson from Clare Coun ty Council conf rmed that they would meet with race organisers in the coming days to discuss the 2015 event.

Clare County Council has worked hard with all parties, including the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau, to attract events to County Clare.

The Junior Tour of Ireland held in July and the Ras na mBan held in September have been successfully brought to Clare in 2013 and 2014,” said the spokesperson.

“Both of these events, which run over seven days, create strong economic activity particularly on accommodation and other services. They also help to enhance Clare’s strong reputation as a cycling destination. Both events secure TV cov erage with highlights of both races being shown on international sports channels. “A meeting has been scheduled with the race organisers for early November to discuss the situation around the 2015 event. The council cannot guarantee any support pending discussions and agreement on its 2015 budget.” Ms Sherratt said f nding a race sponsor would be “impossible” in the current economic climate. “We literally don’t have the money. I’m going to have to go out now and see if I can get more sponsors but it’s an impossibility,” she said. “I’ll have to go back to the council in Clare to see if I can get the € 5,000 for next year again, and the same with the IVCA. But I don’t know if that will happen; if it can happen every year. And even with that mon ey and the Cycling Ireland grant, we are still well, well short.”

CLARE suicide prevention charity, the William Winder Rainbow Foundation, will be forced to close in the coming weeks if urgent funding cannot be found.

The charity, which has provided more than 700 hours of free counselling to vulnerable Clare people over the past two years, is appealing to the people of Clare to get behind the service and help save the organisation.

The charity currently spend roughly € 1,000 a month on counselling hours – all of which must be raised from local fundraising. The foundation was set up by Mark and Caroline Winder in memory of their son William who took his own life in 2012.

According to Mark, suicide is a bigger issue in Clare than anywhere else in Ireland and the demand for counsellor hours is great.

“We need Clare to get behind us. We can only go far but beyond that we need the community to get behind us. This is need in Clare more then anywhere in Ireland. The death toll [from suicide] here is higher than anywhere,” he said.

“To put it plain and simple, if we can’t get the public behind us there is only one way that the foundation will go, and that is to close down. It’s been two years since our son died and we are breaking our backs. The community has been fantastic; we know everyone is on hard times, we’re on hard times ourselves. But we’re talking about people not buying a pint or not buying a packet of fags – that’s saving a life. The public have been fantastic, they really have, but we can’t do this by ourselves anymore. We need the support of the Clare people.

“We can’t colour it up any more than that. We’re looking at what’s coming in and what’s going out and it doesn’t match. I’m not a millionaire, I’m not earning the money to fund this ourselves, I wish I was.”

Despite the huge demand for its counselling service, the William Winder Rainbow Foundation currently operates without any government or HSE funding.

“Without a shadow of a doubt this service is needed in Clare. There are people out there who have no other options. We have not received any government support so far. So I’m basically calling around to companies asking is there any chance for a donation. I’m on the road doing that,” he said. To f nd out more or to make a do nation visit www.williamwinderrainbowfoundation.ie.

will be rescheduled in the coming days.

An Post announced in late October that they plan to bring an end to all services currently provided in Cratloe Post Off ce from March of 2015. The local community were shocked by the announcement, which came in the wake of the Cratloe Post Off ce Action Group collecting more than 1,000 signatures from local people and businesses who are committed to supporting the post off ce. The future of Cratloe Post Off ce came into doubt in June of this year when it was discovered that the post off ce was not registered in the name of its current operator, Dermot O’Brien, but in the name of his brother who formally operated the business. This prompted An Post to conducted a review of operations in Cratloe, which found that the post off ce was not generating enough income to justify keeping it open. The Cratloe Post Off ce Action Group has appealed to An Post to give the facility a f veyear stay of execution, to see if the situation could be rectif ed, but that has been turned down by the postal service. According to the Cratloe Post Off ce Action Group, a number of local businesses could also be in jeopardy if the post off ce closes.

SINN Fein members were prevented from carrying party banners during Saturday’s Ennis protest against Irish Water.

A number of party members, including local election candidate Noeleen Moran, took part in the Ennis protest, but were asked not to carry materials belonging to the Sinn Fein party, including banners.

According to the Clare Says No To Water Charges group, who organised the Ennis protest, Sinn Fein was not targeted in the march but it was instead decided that no posters from any party should be displayed.

“It was a non-political protest. We had a meeting last Wednesday and, as a group, we agreed that we were not going under the banner of any political party. That was agreed as a group and that is the way we want to have it,” said Paul Whitmore of Clare Says No To Water Charges. “That is not just an issue with Sinn Fein, it was the same for all the political groups. We are not about politics or a political party. We are Clare Says No To Water Charges and there is no great plan beyond that – this is just about us beating the water charges.” Fianna Fail’s Timmy Dooley was Clare’s only Oireachtas member to take part in the protest but a number of county councillors including Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) and James Breen (Ind) marched in Ennis. The Shannon protest was co-organised by Sinn Fein under the Right to Water organisation with local councillor Mike McKee (SF) addressing the marchers alongside Seónaidh Ní Shíomóin, local elections candidate for the Anti Austerity Alliance. No other elected member from the Shannon area attended the Shannon protest but it is understood that Cllr Gerry Flynn (FG) attended the Dublin anti-water charge protest on Saturday.

continue in Clare, even if the Government introduces measures to water down the controversial charges in the coming days.

The membership of the Clare Says No To Water Charges group has swelled dramatically since Saturday’s protest and the group are now setting up local sub-groups in towns and villages across the county to spread information and organise members who are not contactable online. The group conf rmed yesterday that its members will also attend two national protests in Dublin on December 6 and 10 while a meeting will take place this Wednesday to discuss a number of local actions, which could include pickets and further protests.

An estimated 2,500 people attended protests against Irish Water in Ennis, Shannon and Westbury on Saturday. In excess of 1,500 people turned out in Ennis, with 50 protesting in Westbury and estimated numbers for the Shannon protest ranging from 500 people to 1,200 people.

“It was a good turnout, especially with the bad weather. We’re not shocked though, there is a lot of anger out there. What has happened over the weekend has highlighted this fact and there is more and more people getting involved. We’ve taking more than 200 new people into the group since Saturday alone,” said Paul Whitmore of Clare Says No To Water Charges.

“We are now organising for little groups to be set up in the small towns and villages for the people who don’t have broadband and who don’t have a way of communicating with us. People have a lot of questions and if they don’t have access to the group [online] they can feel isolated. We want this to be one big community group. It’s everyday ordinary people coming together.”

A large group from Shannon are also planning to take part in the Dublin protests – with local organiser Cllr Mike McKee (SF) promising to bring Dublin to a ‘standstill’.

“We’ve had reports of there being up to 1,200 at the Shannon protest so it was a really big turnout – it was the biggest protest in Shannon for very many years,” he said. “We are aff liated with the Right to Water protest on December 10. We will be going to the Dáil on that day and we hope to bring Dublin to a complete standstill.”

WHILE Irish Water may not be anyone’s favourite semi-state company just now, it did begin a process last week which could bring an end to one of Clare’s longest running issues as it formally applying for planning permission for an upgrade of the Shannon Town Wastewater Treatment System.

The system, which is used by both domestic consumers and a number of factories in Shannon, has been blamed for series of gas emissions in recent years – including a prolonger period of emissions in September and October of 2013.

Irish Water last week applied for planning permission for the construction of a new inlet works within the boundary of the existing wastewater treatment plant, located approximately 4.8 kilometres southeast of Shannon Town.

The development will include the construction of a large domestic and industrial balancing tank, more than one tenth of a hectare in size, as well as an odour control unit.

The work is part of an proposed € 3 million overhaul of the Shannon Sewage Scheme announced by the Department of the Environment in February.

The current Shannon scheme is more than 40 years old and is understood to be operating far beyond its original capacity.

Already this year work has been undertaken on four pumping stations on the scheme but the current pressure from domestic and industrial sources is understood to be preventing growth in the area.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Clare County Council received more then 50 complaints about the smell in Shannon in September and October of last year.