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THE NORTH Clare tourism sector will receive a boost this week with the news of a €1 million investment by Cliffs of Moher Cruises, which will create four new jobs in the lo- cality. The company is set to for- mally launch the Doolin Discovery which will allow for the creation of two new routes to and from the Aran Island.

According to Eugene Garrihy of the Cliffs of Moher tours, the new expansions will help attract more tourists to the Doolin area and help all businesses 1n north Clare.

‘The boat is called the Doolin Dis- covery and it is the sister ship to the boat we already operate, the Jack B. The boat will be used on the Aran Island’s routes as well as the Cliffs of Moher cruises. We are develop- ing the business; we have not gone to Inis Mor and Inis Meain before now, so these are two new routes that we are putting on because of the new boats,” he said .

‘As everyone knows all businesses in Clare, and north Clare in particu- lar, are going through a difficult time because of this recession. So I think that this is a welcome addition to the facilities that are on offer in north Clare for tourists. As well as that,

it is a substantial investment on our behalf so it shows that we are confi- dent that we can develop the business there more in the future.

“It’s a very difficult time for the tourism sector at the moment, espe- cially for the people who run hotels and bed and breakfasts. So it is all about an area being able to offer dif- ferent services to tourists. One of the big problems traditionally with tourism in north Clare is that a lot of people have traditionally gone from Kerry to Galway and bypassed a lot of north Clare.

“The Cliffs of Moher has done a lot to tackle that over the last number of years through the centre that they have build up there and the area is starting to hold more people over night. That is what we are hoping to do – even if it’s just a case of hold- ing people for one extra night in the area.

“Tt will also see the creation of four extra jobs in the area which is an ex- tra boost. The tourism businesses in north Clare are all linked together. We think that this will help other businesses in the area and we would be hopeful of getting support from the business community in the area as well.”

THREE prison officers ended up in hospital after a prisoner lashed out and attacked them, during a court sitting in Ennis on Thursday.

One sustained a broken arm and was bitten, another received head and shoulder injuries and was detained overnight in hospital, while a third sustained a badly swollen wrist.

The incident occurred after a pris- oner – in custody at Limerick prison – became irate when his solicitor was not present in court.

Daniel Darcy (30), of Tannery Wharf, Rathangan, Kildare, ap- peared in court on foot of a bench warrant that had been issued for his arrest on July 17 last year.

He is accused of assaulting Berna- dette Phiri, at Tullyvarraga, Shannon, on June 13 last. He is also charged with stealing a jeep at Ballymore Road, Naas, Co Kildare, on June 12.

He initially appeared before a spe-

cial court sitting in June last year but failed to appear the following month and a bench warrant was issued.

Solicitor Daragh Hassett told the court that the accused is represented by Limerick-based solicitor Chris Lynch. However he was not available to appear in court last Thursday and Mr Hassett was acting as agent.

As he was telling the court that the accused wanted to see a copy of statements in relation to the alleged offences, Darcy interrupted and de- manded that he be represented by Mr yee

“Don’t say any more. I’m waiting for my solicitor,” he shouted to the court. He told Judge Joseph Mangan that Mr Lynch was in the corridor and was on his way into the court- room.

The judge replied that it would take Mr Lynch about 15 seconds to get to the courtroom as the corridor was not a long one. He then moved on to the next case and Darcy was taken

from the packed courtroom by prison officers, amid commotion.

It took several prison officers and gardai to control Darcy, who was handcuffed, as he shouted outside the courtroom and later in the hold- ing cell downstairs.

At one stage, the roars on the corri- dor were so loud that Inspector Tom Kennedy suggested adjourning the court sitting until the noise abated, but Judge Mangan continued with the sitting.

This occurred around noon and the court was addressed by a prison of- ficer after the lunchbreak. Melissa Kiely told the court that the prisoner had become “extremely volatile” while being escorted from the court- room by three prison staff.

She said that one of the staff was bitten twice, another sustained an arm injury, while another received a wrist injury, when Darcy resisted be- ing removed from the courtroom.

She said she had contacted the pris-

on chief officer Pat Desmond, who instructed that the prisoner be held IMA NROOER

A specially trained control restraint team was dispatched to the court- house and transported him back to the jail.

‘He has a well-documented psychi- atric history and is currently receiv- ing treatment at Limerick prison,” she said.

Judge Mangan remanded him in custody for a week and said he ex- pects Mr Lynch to be in court on the adjourned date.

The judge later returned to the issue and asked why Mr Lynch was not in court. He was told he had commit- ments in Limerick. The judge stated, “I don’t for a moment want to con- done what happened but if Mr Lynch was here, things might have taken a CHS Rosle) Uso

Mr Hassett replied that Mr Lynch had arranged for consultations with his clients.

SOME of Clare’s leading business lights were in New Quay last week for a meeting of the Clare branch of Network Ireland.

The meeting, which allows local businesswomen to network and trade ideas, was hosted by Brid Fahy of Linnalla Ice Cream. Linnalla will be celebrating it’s third year in opera- tion in north Clare later this month, and to mark the celebrations it will be hosting its third annual free ice- cream day.

“We started making ice-cream here in July of 2006 so we are nearly three years there now. We decided to diversify from the farming. We still milk cows, most of the milk goes to the creamery but we keep some of it here for the ice-cream,” said Brid.

“We started off with about five fla- vours and now we are up to about 25. We use real fresh milk and cream and that is the basic ingredient – without them we would have nothing.”

The ice-cream is 100 per cent home made using milk from the Fahy’s own cows and local fruit and berries as flavouring whenever possible.

The ice-cream 1s available from the Linnalla shop in New Quay as well as being on a number of local restau- rant and hotel menus.

Recently Linnalla have also reached an agreement to be distribut- ed throughout the western seaboard with Keane’s Distributors in Ennis.

This year free ice-cream day in support of the Jack and Jill Founda- tion and takes place on June 14.

“When we started planning it last year the Burma Cyclone was af-

ter happening so we decided that it would be a very worthy cause. We contacted Trocaire who gave us a lot of information and on the day we had more than 1,000 people here and raised more than €2,000,”’ continued Brid.

“This year we will have some ab- seiling with the help of the Burren Outdoor Education Centre. Down here we had a ‘digging for gold com- petition’ for younger kids who can dig in our sandpit for some gold nug- gets and whoever finds a nugget gets a free tub of ice-cream.

“We will have donkey rides and other water games, milking the cow, bouncy castles – it’s all about having some fun. And having some free ice- cream of course.”

To learn more about Linnalla check out www.linnalla.com.

SIX men have pleaded guilty to af- fray, arising out of an incident in the Cloughleigh area of Ennis.

The six, who are members of two families, admitted the offence, at Ennis Circuit Court last Tuesday, re- lating to an incident in Cloughleigh, on October 11, 2007.

The accused are Christy Mongans Senior, Christy Mongans Junior and Jim Mongans, all of Shalee Drive, Ennis; Michael and Thomas Molloy,

of Gordon Drive, Ennis and John Molloy, of Clarehill, Clarecastle.

Counsel for the State, Stephen Coughlan, BL, told the court that the case “is part and parcel of an ongoing difficulty between various families in and around the town of Ennis”’.

He asked for an adjournment of the sentencing until next month. He said that one of the two families, the Mongans, has since moved to Cork and “there is no danger of events re- curring”.

Judge Donagh McDonagh said he

would adjourn the case if the status in place remained “and neither the twain shall meet at any time”.

“If any of you see the other coming in you direction, you turn around the other way,” warned the judge to the SPN te

Mr Coughlan informed the judge that peace has broken out and he re- plied, “I want to ensure peace con- tinues.”

THE legislation implementing the changes announced in the sup- plementary budget published last Thursday included an extension to the deadlines for tourism projects in the Shannon Region which was not included in Finance Minister Brian

Lenihan’s budget speech last month.

The Shannon Corridor Scheme was introduced in 2007 to provide tax re- lief for expenditure on certain tour- ism facilities in the Mid-Shannon area. Projects had to be submitted for approval by May 31 and had to have a planning application submit- orem ae elo OF

The May 31 deadline has been pushed out to May 31, 2010. In addi- tion, the time frame in which the ex- penditure must be incurred has been extended to May 31, 2013.

The scheme, designed to act as an incentive for both new development and refurbishment of tourism infra- structure in Clare, Galway, Tipperary,

Offaly, Westmeath and Roscommon, applies to tourism buildings such as facilities for watersports, boat rental and inland cruising, health spas, equestrian and other facilities.

Jackie Masterson, Taxation Partner with Russell Brennan Keane said that while they had met with a number of parties interested in the scheme, the deadline was proving prohibitive in the current climate and the one year extension was very welcome.

“Successful applicants have the op- tion of claiming the tax allowances themselves as a means of reducing their own tax bill annually or can use the incentive as a means of financing their project. “However difficulties in attracting investors will still re- main a challenge’, she said.

The Clare district electoral divi- sions that qualify under the scheme include Ayle, Ballynahinch, Boher- glass, Caherhurley, Cappaghabaun, Carrowbaun, Cloonusker, Coolreagh, Corlea, Derrynagittagh, Drummaan, Fahymore, Feakle, Inishcaltra North, Inishcaltra South, Killaloe, Kullo- kennedy, Killuran, Kilseily, Lack- areagh, Loughea, Mountshannon, O’Briensbridge, Ogonnelloe and Scarriff.

A DEFENDANT accused of rob- bing a man of his bus pass has been refused bail, after gardai lodged an objection.

James Liddy (34), of New Houses, Clarecastle, is accused of robbing a man of a mobile phone and wallet, which contained €90 and a bus pass, at Station Road, Ennis, on November 20 last.

Ennis District Court was told on Friday that it would be alleged the accused and two others robbed the jnerenee

Judge Joseph Mangan deaclined jurisdiction of the case in the district court. It will be heard in the circuit court.

Inspector Michael Gallagher said the State was objecting to bail, based on the seriousness of the charge and the possibility that the accused may interfere with witnesses.

Judge Mangan remanded him in custody to appear in court later this week.

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MINISTER for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley has described as “un- acceptable” problems encountered with the commissioning of the €8 million Ennis water treatment plant.

A boil notice, in place on the town’s water supply since July 2005, was last week extended for a further three months after it was discovered that the treatment plant cannot sup- ply enough water for homes in the Ennis area.

The quality of water produced by the plant did meet required Euro- pean standards however problems with supply, resulting from periods of heavy rainfall, emerged during the commissioning period.

As a result the 56-day commission- ing period is to recommence with an interim treatment plant still being used to treat water.

Speaking in Ennis on Friday, Min- ister Gormley said, “We’ve had fail- ures. In my own backyard we’ve had a sewage treatment plant, which was on the basis of a public private part- nership, which failed, it was a bit of a

debacle. If you’re saying, is it accept- able? Then no, it’s not acceptable”.

He continued, “We have to get these things right. We have to ensure that infrastructure projects come in on budget and are actually a service for the local people. The most im- portant thing in all of this is to retain our focus on what is best for the local community.”

Mr Gormley said that there were no problems with quality of the Ennis water supply and that local authori- ties had to be sure before they com- missioned the treatment plant for full WD OSLoMENos

He said, “The plant is being com- missioned at the moment. We have to ensure that there are no further false Cra the

“We have to ensure that we are absolutely certain that the drinking water quality is up to scratch. We’re sure that is the case but we’re just, I suppose, employing the pre-caution- ary principle to make sure that we’re absolutely sure. So that investment is a good investment and people have the very best drinking water qual- ity when that commissioning phase is done.”

SHANNON Town Councillor Mike McKee has announced that he is to retire from politics, bringing to an end a career spanning more than 20 years.

The Independent councillor made his intentions clear last week, follow- ing months of speculation on whether he was to seek re-election to the town council.

Mr McKee, a former Sinn Féin councillor, was first elected to the

council in 1985 and has served as a councillor for the 24 years since WeloOe

Mr McKee was the first mayor of Shannon Town Council, which re- placed the town commission in 2001. He fondly recalls this honour.

“T was privileged to be cathao- irleach of the commissioners at the time and subsequently became the first mayor of Shannon in 2002, an honour I will never forget,’ he said.

Among the fond memories he has taken from the council include the

development of the playground and the extension of the town bounda- ries.

“We all worked together as a team for the good of the people of Shannon ad the success of the building of the Tir na nOg playground, the instal- lation of badly needed bus shelters, the extension of the town boundaries and the estate and road name plates, to name but a few, are testament to that unity,” he said.

SHANNON Development has re- ceived only two expressions of inter- est for the €50 million redevelop- ment of Kilrush marina.

Last month, the regional develop- ment agency confirmed that a private sector consortium, that included west Clare firm L&M Keating, withdrew from the project. It said the wors- ening economic climate resulted in the developers confirming that their proposal for the development of the marina and marina lands at Kilrush was no longer viable. This resulted in Shannon Development re-advertis- ing to seek expressions of interest to re-ignite the project with applicants given a deadline of May 5 to lodge expressions of interest.

A Shannon Development spokes- man declined to confirm if any ex- pressions of interest were received. However, it is understood that the re- gional development agency received just two expressions of interest.

Clir Tom Prendeville (FF) said it was important that the rights of the marina staff were protected and that the development would increase the number of berths at the marina from 120 to 200. “The marina has achieved a small surplus over the past few years and marina manager, John Hehir has turned it around.”

Cllr Prendeville, who is also a member of Kilrush Creek Marina Ltd, said that the marina has pro- vided a major boost for Kilrush and west Clare. The latest employment Statistics for west Clare, show that the numbers in Kilrush on the live register has increased from 657 in April 2008 to 1,248 in April of this year — an increase of 89 per cent.

According to its advertisement for expressions of interest, Shannon De- velopment state that “Kilrush Marina is managed and operated by Kilrush Creek Marina Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Shannon Development. The landbank that surrounds the marina, which consists of approxi- mately 15 acres, is also owned by Shannon Development.

“The development of the marina in a way that delivers economic benefits to the Kilrush area and is compatible and complimentary to the existing marina operations has been identi- fied for implementation by Shannon Development,’ it added.