Category: News

RYANAIR never left Shannon but its presence in Clare’s international airport was back with a big bang in October thanks to the low-cost airline’s new target of one million new passengers as it geared up to reach 2007 levels when its traffic numbers reached a record 1.9m.

This vision and commitment of the low-cost airline for Shannon was sounded out at the airport on October 24 by deputy chief executive Michael Cawley, at the announcement of eight new Ryanair flights out of Shannon that will commence in April 2014.

“My ambition for Shannon,” said Mr Cawley, “we talked about one million passengers. I wouldn’t lessen that in any way. We can move on. 300,000 is a very good start – this is a very significant step, almost doubling our business,” he added.

In 2011, Ryanair pledged to grow traffic numbers in Shannon by one million, provided it secured the same incentive deal that was being afforded to Aer Lingus by the Dublin Airport Authority at Dublin Airport.

Now the commitment of delivering 300,000 new passengers to Shannon as early as 2014 comes on the back of the announcement of new routes to Berlin, Munich, Krakow, Paris, Nice Fuerteventura, Warsaw and Faro as well as increased frequency on the Stansted route.

“I think we have to walk before we run. I would characterise the an- nouncement as running fairly fast,” said Mr Cawley. “As the economy grows from a very low level, we would see great opportunity as well as putting new spots on the map. It provides us with a platform. “Once these can be bedded down and successful we can grow more. We take one step at a time. That is critical in our business too. We bed down what we have and we move on. This is a very big step,” he added. The Ryanair deputy chief refused to disclose the terms of the new deal, but said, “Shannon wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t good for them; Ryanair wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t good for us. All we want is Shannon to be competitive and they have been competitive on this issue and we have a very good understanding. We have met in the middle on that – the tax has been a critical ingredient in making it happen. We are committed for a good number of years under this deal, so is the airport. “We have 30m more passengers that we want to allocate to airports over the next six/seven years – we want to be with people we can ring up and say ‘are the terms the same as the last time’, ‘can we extend it further’. “I would be very disappointed, now that the shackles of the Travel Tax are removed, that Shannon doesn’t participate, at least pro-rata or possibly more so, in that 30m expansion. We are here to stay, we are here to grow,” he added.

A MAN, who was murdered while sleeping rough in the Phoenix Park in Dublin at the end of November, will be laid to rest in a family grave in Kildysart Cemetry today (Tuesday).

Gerard Donnelly will be buried along side his father after 11am Mass tomorrow.

The 36-year-old was found burned to death at Wellington Road, in the Phoenix Park, in the early hours of November 29 and it took Gardaí some time to identify the murder victim who grew up in Tallaght.

An only child, he has no remaining family in Dublin and so has been brought to West Clare to be laid to rest where his uncles and cousins still live.

His later father Flan was a native of Cranny and his mother is believed to be in hospital.

It is understood that the Gerard opted to live outdoors in the Phoenix Park on occasions as a “lifestyle” choice and was “not a typical homeless person”.

The father of one also had € 130,000 in a bank account following the sale of the family home five years ago.

Mr Donnelly’s remains reposed in Kildysart Church last night before his funeral Mass and burial today.

Ciaran Moran (27), who has an address at Camden Hall, Camden Street, Dublin, has been charged with his murder at Dublin District Court.

Two other people – a 20-year-old man and 17-year-old woman – were also arrested but both were later released without charge.

THE property market in Clare could be on the verge of a recovery with a number of Clare properties making far more than their reserve at auction last week.

Four Clare properties sold for a combined total of € 228,000 at last week’s Allstop Auction in Dublin, a full € 83,000 of 57.2 per cent above their reserve.

The best performing property was a three bedroom, end of terrace house in Bunratty which sold for was € 92,000. The property, which was located in the Castle Garden development, went on the market with a reserve of just € 30,000.

Another property to perform well was was an end of terrace, three bedroom house in Mountshannon. The Lakeside Close property went on the market with a reserve of of € 35,000 but went on to be sold for a total of € 46,000.

A site with planning permission for a two-story detached house at Knockanean in Ennis also exceeded its reserve at last weeks Allstop auction. The site, which measures approximately 0.25 hectares, went on the market with a € 50,000 researve but was eventually sold or € 60,000.

The only Clare property not to exceed its reserve was a two-bedroom apartment in Kilkee. The apartment, which is located in the Kilkee Bay Apartments development, went on the market with a € 30,000 reserve and was sold for the same price.

The auction attracted more than 1,000 bidders with a total of 144 properties offered for sale. This latest auction was by far the largest undertaken by Allstops with with € 25 million worth of property being sold – almost double the next largest Allstop auction in which € 13 million worth of property was sold.

Large properties sold at the auction include an 18-hole golf course at Woodlands Golf Course sold for € 650,000. The 127-acres property includes a pitch and putt course and practice area.

A CASE where it is alleged a GAA fan ran onto a pitch during a Clare club football game and kicked a player in the head is to be heard in the Circuit Court.

After hearing an outline of the alleged assault, Judge Patrick Durcan refused jurisdiction at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

Eamon Leahy (51) has been charged with assault causing harm of football player Richard Carmody (29) during a football match at Wolfe Tones camogie grounds on May 12.

The alleged assault is alleged to have occurred during a Division 6 Junior B football match between Wolfe Tones and Killimer.

Mr Leahy, with an address at Cronan Park, Shannon, appeared before Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed summary disposal of the case in the district court on a plea of guilty only.

Defence solicitor Daragh Hassett said he had reviewed evidence and written to the DPP. Mr Hassett said his client had indicated he would plead guilty on the basis that he struck the alleged injured party just once.

Mr Hassett said witnesses had given varying accounts of what happened on the day.

Insp Kennedy said it was acceptable to the State for the case to proceed on the basis Mr Leahy struck one blow.

Judge Patrick Durcan requested an outline of the alleged facts to allow him consider jurisdiction.

The court heard Mr Leahy’s son Daragh was playing corner forward for Wolfe Tones when an incident developed on the pitch.

Insp Kennedy explained Eamon Leahy left his position on the sideline when a skirmish involving a number of people developed on the pitch.

“The State will say Mr Leahy came in from the sideline and kicked Richard Carmody (Killimer) in the head on the ground.

“It was a severe kick,” he added.

After viewing a medical report of the injuries suffered by the alleged victim, Judge Durcan said, “This man was kicked into the face, into the teeth. He was kicked unconscious.”

Insp Kennedy said, “He [Carmody] was dizzy, when he tried to get back on his feet he collapsed and lost consciousness.”

After hearing the alleged facts, Judge Durcan refused jurisdiction. He extended time for the service of the book of evidence.

INCREASED foot patrols will be among employed by gardaí this month to tackle the seasonal rise in shoplifting.

Details of the crime prevention measures were outlined at a meeting in Ennis last night between local gardaí and businesses.

The Ennis Chamber Garda Accord was established in 2003 to formalise meetings between the business community and the local Gardaí.

Members of the Garda Crime Prevention Unit and Business Liaison Team will be in attendance to give advice to businesses on how best to protect themselves, cash and premises in the busy Christmas period.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, crime prevention officer Joe Downey said businesses are encouraged to take appropriate security measures.

The businesses most at risk tend to be chemists, newsagents, off-licenses and fast food outlets.

He said appropriate measures helped to protect staff, reduce losses and avoid the risk of increased insurance premiums.

Practical security steps that can be taken include: not leaving large sums of cash in tills; training staff in security procedures; maintaining safe keys under dual control and varying the times when cash is transferred to the safe.

Sgt Downey said, “This time of year you can typically have a rise in shoplifting.

“These meetings are an opportunity to emphasize and remind businesses about having the right security features and settings in their businesses.”

CEO of Ennis Chamber, Rita McInerney said businesses are also concerned about levels of anti-social behaviour on the streets of Ennis.

“It’s not widespread but there has been a few instances in the last few weeks.

“The gardaí cannot act unless they are informed about what is happening by businesses.

“There is a lack of reporting of these things, and I can understand that as well.

“But that shows the value of the Garda Accord, these concerns can be raised by businesses as a group.”

Ms McInerney said businesses are also hoping to discuss the possibility of using Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) to deter offending among young people.

At Ennis District Court last week, Judge Patrick Durcan said that shoplifting offences and thefts are creating major problems for small businesses in Clare and promised the courts would tackle the issue.

A CLARE hat maker, whose began her career as a 12 year old knitting dolls of Brian Lohan, last week sold a hat to the worlds biggest fashion icon.

Margaret O’Connor, from Tubber in the middle of the Burren, says she want to help put Irish fashion designers on the map, after Lady Gaga choose one of her hats to wear to an event in London last week.

Margaret opened her millenery business in London just six months ago and is already the talk of the town after Lady Gaga wore her creation to a public appearance at the Isabella Blow Exhibition in London last week.

It was all a far cry from hand knitted dolls of Clare hurlers in red helmets.

“It all started off with hurling. When I was 12 years old I began making little Clare men and selling them in the wool shop in Ennis. I remember I used to make so many of Brian Lohan’s red helmets – I still see those dolls around the place when I come back to Clare,” said Margaret.

“I nearly had a stroke when I heard [about Lady Gaga], I was so happy. When you make something, it’s like your child and you are putting it out to the world and all you need is for one person to like it.

“I showed that piece [that Lady Gaga wore] to lots of people and they didn’t like it. I told them to trust me, that it was a statement but they didn’t get it. That’s why it was so brilliant when someone like Lady Gaga decided to wear it. It just showed that somebody gets it.”

Margaret studied at Cluain Mhuire in Galway before continuing her fashion education in Scotland, Edinburgh and South America. Last year she worked under the watchful eye of Irish milliner Philip Treacy and worked on a number a hats for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Following last week high profile experience with Lady Gaga, Marga- ret is hoping to help Irish fashioner designers to become better know in the UK and across Europe.

“I want people to hear about Irish designers. A lot of Irish designers are not breaking through and I want to help them break through. I think there is a lot of Irish talent going under the radar in Ireland. I don’t think there is a voice for Irish designers at the moment – the struggling artist is really struggling,” she said.

MONEYPOINT Power Station will be fuelling the West Clare economy for at least another decade, but concerns have been expressed for the future of Kilrush and the environs if and when this station closes.

“A power station that was built in the 1980s would have probably been designed at that time to run for maybe 30 to 40 years or what ever would be typical enough for a plant. I suppose we have done the maintenance over the years to keep that in line. I would be surprised if the station didn’t have it running for another decade any- way,” said, Brendan Kennedy, Station Manager at the ESB plant.

“I would expect Moneypoint to run on a high merit in the national grid for the next number of years,” said the Ennis native.

The ESB company pays up to € 12 million in rates to Clare County Council every year, as well as supporting sport facilities, clubs, organisations and the Christmas lights in Kilrush and West Clare.

“I hate to think what Kilrush would be like if Moneypoint never came,” said former mayor of Kilrush Liam O’Looney.

MEMBERS of the public are urged to be vigilant after Gardaí were informed of an unauthorized charity collection on Shannon last week.

Gardaí issued the warning after two teenage girls were seen carrying out an unauthorized collection on behalf of Youthreach Shannon, collecting for the Irish Cancer Society.

Shannon Youthreach are collecting for Limerick Marine search and rescue this year.

Crime prevention officer Sgt Joe Downey said that while bogus charity collections are not very common in Clare there can be an increase in such activity in the lead up to Christmas.

“You can see a bit more of these things before Christmas when people are feeling a bit more generous and they are inclined to give money without checking credentials. In this case there was a bit of legitimacy to it in that they had an old card. But it was for the Shannon Youthreach collection for 2012 for the Irish Cancer Society – Shannon Youthreach’s collection this year was for Limerick Marine Search and Rescue,” added Sgt Downey.

“People should check the details of people they are giving money to see if they are genuine. Otherwise it’s just another form of begging,” he added.

Ennis councillor Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) previously expressed concern about unauthorized charity collections.

He told a meeting of Ennis Town Council that there are doubts about the veracity of some collections taking place on the streets of Ennis. Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) told the meeting that the practice needs to be tightly monitored.

Meanwhile, teenagers have been warned that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated in the town.

The warning comes ahead of a noalcohol teen disco for 14 to 17 year olds in Ennis on Friday, December 20. Gardaí have issued advice aimed at encouraging responsible behaviour.

“Teens are to be dropped and collected by parents/guardians. Those transporting by buses are to ensure that none of their passengers have consumed alcohol. There will be a Garda presence on the evening. Any teenager found to be misbehaving will be dealt with and parents/guardians will be contacted.”

THERE are no new Fianna Fáil faces on the West Clare ballot paper for next year’s local elections as five sitting county councillors were returned to contest the new Municipal District election.

Cllr Bill Chambers, Cllr Michael Hillery, Cllr Pat Keane, Cllr PJ Kelly and Cllr Richard Nagle will all be on the ticket come next summer following the party’s convention in the Armada Hotel in Spanish Point on Monday night. Councillors Nagle and Hillery were selected automatically following a directive from Fianna Fáil’s National Constituency Committee that two candidates were to come from the Ennistymon area.

The remaining six candidates from the Kilrush area, that included three sitting councillors as well as Kilrush town councillor Tom Prendeville, Michael O’Neill and Rita McInerney, went before the delegates for selection.

A decisive vote saw Cllr Kelly and Cllr Keane pass the quota in the first vote and their surplus brought fellow councillor Bill Chambers safely over the mark.

The five candidates will now go forward and represent the party in the eight seat West Clare Municipal Area elections.

The longest serving member of the council, Cllr Kelly, does not believe ‘the line up’ is complete as yet, believing another candidate will be added.

Total poll: 156. Quota: 40.

First vote: Bill Chambers 32; Pat Keane 50; PJ Kelly 51; Rita McInerney 1; Michael O’Neill 15; Tom Prendeville 7.

Second count (PJ Kelly surplus): B Chambers +6 (38); R McInerney +1 (2); M O’Neill +3 (18); T Prendeville +1 (8). (R McInerney and T Prendeville eliminated).

Third count (P Keane surplus); B Chambers + 6 (44); M O’Neill +1 (19).

BEING a card-carrying member of the Fianna Fáil comes at a cost that is too rich for some blood.

Following the fall of the last Government, it cost life-long grass root members a certain bit of embarrassment, but now as the soldiers of destiny regroup it is the monetary cost of membership that is causing concern.

Each member must pay an annual fee of € 20 to be a member of Fianna Fáil.

For this the members are to have the right to vote at convention for their preferred candidate, however as some members struggle to pay the fee their voting right is withdrawn.

This was a concern for Cllr Pat Keane at the party’s West Clare con- vention last week, during which he was selected to represent the party in the next Local Elections on the first count.

“It is sad for me to see some people turn up here tonight and they hadn’t a vote, and I say to the two deputies [Timmy Dooley and Nial Collins who were at the convention] that this is something at headquarters we have to address,” he said following his selection.

“The one person one vote is a good idea but we have to make it a realistic charge if people are to become members, and I think we can have more members if we can get that rectified and I have no doubt that ye will,” he added.

The € 20 fee was also a bone of contention at the Ennis convention where delegates questioned why they pay it after a directive to select just three candidates came from the party’s National Constituency Committee who are later to add two.

Delegates argued that their right to select candidates for the 2014 Local Election was taken away, and all that they got for their € 20 was to fundraise for the party.

It is understood that Fianna Fáil’s finance committee is now looking at “equitable ways of spreading cost on members”.