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Hotelier stages stand-off against water supply

THE number of prisoners being admitted with heroin addictions and availing of rehabilitation pro- grammes at the overcrowded Limer- ick prison has increased by over 300 per cent in the past year.

In a stark indication of the increas- ing grip heroin is having on Clare and the mid-west’s criminal classes, Justice Minister Dermot Ahern has confirmed that 37 prisoners under- went rehab programmes at at Limer- ick prison last year.

With just ten prisoners availing of the programme in 2007, the increase coincides with a significant increase in heroin related crime offences com- ing before Clare’s court system.

Separate figures confirm the con-

tinuing problem of overcrowding at Limerick prison with Minister Ahern confirming that on April 14 last year, there were 303 people in the 275 bed Limerick prison.

He said, “The prison system is sub- ject to peaks and troughs. Numbers are particularly high when the courts are at their busiest, giving rise to a high number of committals.

“This situation is particularly ap- parent over the past 12 months, where we have seen dramatic in- creases in the number of sentenced prisoners, those being committed on remand and a trend towards longer sentences.

“The prison service must accept all prisoners committed by the courts. For example, figures show, over the past 12 years, the numbers in custody

have increased by 65 per cent.

““T acknowledge that our prisons are Operating in excess of bed capacity and it is evident that the continuation of the current capital programme is necessary if overcrowding is not to become a problem going forward.

Clare Fine Gael TD, Joe Carey said that overcrowding created extra tension and made prisoner violence more likely.

“This issue is not about prisoner comforts but about having safe ef- fective prisons which function prop- erly. Prisons cannot work properly if they are packed to over capacity. The cycle of crime cannot be broken if prisoners are not rehabilitated. I don’t believe the conditions at Lim- erick Prison are in the best interests of society as a whole.

last April in a desperate bid to find a home for the two squirrels when the developer who commis- sioned the work pulled out. If the Ennis man was unable to find an alternative patron, he would have been forced to destroy the unfinished sculpture.

However, after subsequent national publicity, a Cork-based couple made an offer for Mr Wrafter to complete the work.

Yesterday, Mr Wrafter revealed that he received an offer double the amount from another developer.

“His locations lacked what the sculptures needed plus I didn’t think he knew that much about art, this was just a trophy for him. So I de- cided to stick by my guns and go with my principles and with people who know about art and appreciate what it is.”

“To be honest I took the work way further than they needed to go because I wanted this be finished immaculately. Financially it killed me, but I felt it was more important to get it done and get it out there and then come what may after that.”

The completed sculpture includes the eight foot tall grey squirrel weighing nine tonnes and the smaller red squirrel weighing three quarters of a ton.

He admitted to having mixed emo- tions with the removal planned this week for the transfer of the squirrels to the Cork collectors.

“I will be delighted in some way. It has been a big part of my life over the past two years, but I want my work to go in different directions now. I will be sad as well though. It is my most ambitious piece ever. It

is very unusual and I have grown at- tached to it.”

Mr Wrafter said that the public will no longer be able to see his work af- ter itis handed over to its new owners as it will be placed in front of a castle but away from public view. One of the other sculptures on the collec- tors’ estate is by a former winner of the prestigious UK-based Turner uv ier

Mr Wrafter said he was angry that in the past number of weeks, he asked three officials from Clare County Council to come to view the sculpture, but they turned his offer Kenan

“I was very disappointed with the council’s attitude,” he said.

POTHOLES and bad roads are set to dominate local authority meetings in Ennis for years to come, a meeting has heard.

Senior executive engineer with En- nis Town Council, Eamon O’Dea told last week’s meeting of council- lors in the Ennis electoral area that the council has been forced to re- evaluate its roadworks programme for 2009 in the face of dwindling resources.

Mr O’Dea said funding cutbacks would lead to a major drop in the level of re-surfacing and repair work

on roads in Ennis.

Last week’s announcement of a €5.7 million cut in Clare’s local roads allocation was strongly criti- cized.

Mr O’Dea told councillors that the council was in the process of identi- fying the roads in most need of re- ene

Resources, said Mr O’Dea, would be very limited in 2009 but that the council will take a ‘structured’ approach to the roadwork’s pro- eramme.

“We don’t know what allocation we are going to get. Essentially we can’t escape the fact that the resources

aren’t available,’ said Mr O’Dea.

Cllr Peter Considine (FF) said the council could maximise resources by allocating work crews to tar “short stretches of road”’.

Mr O’Dea said road tarring would form the main element of the coun- cil’s repair programme. However he warned that the council would have to carefully balance day to day re- pairs with larger, one-off projects.

“We will do that (tarring) but we also have to put resources in place to deal with bigger repair jobs. For in- stance, where do we get resources for roads that get into trouble because of sever weather conditions? It’s a bit of

catch 22 situation,” he said.

Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) said the issue of bad roads couldn’t be Tea LO) Keree

“We have to deal with this. Other- wise we’ll have motions coming in here for the next three years on pot- holes,” he said.

Cllr Brennan admitted that budget cuts meant it was unlikely that all road problems could be addressed.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) asked if funding from the CLAR programme was available for roads in Ennis.

Mr O’Dea said the CLAR pro- gramme was not applicable to En- ah

THE bank holiday weekend will see people in east Clare getting on their feet and their bikes.

The very first running of the East Clare 12K takes place in Kilkishen on bank holiday Monday next, May as

It’s open to runners, walkers and cyclists over a very picturesque course on the shores of Cullaun Lake and with shade from the – hopefully – hot sun through two kilometres of the walk which wends through Cul- laun Wood.

The walkers will have a water or snack stop at Cullaun House which isina beautiful setting on the shores

of the lake. One steep hill towards Craggaunowen Ring Fort will be a challenge for the cyclists to rise to.

“The running competition will be very competitive as there are valua- ble sponsored prizes for the first four men and the first four ladies home. There will also be spot prizes for the walkers and cyclists,’ sais Pat Nev- ille, one of the organisers.

‘There is a raffle for seven days ac- commodation in a holiday apartment in Sunny Beach Bulgaria for anyone who collects €150 or more by way of sponsorship for the Irish Cancer Association. Of course you can also take part on the day with the appro- priate entry fee or with a donation to the association,” the spokesman

Sr nLGe

Registration takes place in the GAA Clubhouse on the day between llam and 12 noon. The individual entry fee 1s €10, a family can participate for €20. The walkers and cyclists will get on the road at 12 noon and the runners have a scheduled start at 12.30pm

Entries from all over the county and beyond are expected with all proceeds going to the Irish Cancer Association.

Pat said the organisers want to thank everyone who has supported the event “and particularly our main sponsors Lenmac Services”.

Sponsorship cards are still availa- ble and will be posted to anyone who

calls 087 9691415

All sponsorship cards and receipts must be handed in at registration on the day, to qualify for any raffles or other items such as tee-shirts. “This is very important as all moneys to the Irish Cancer Association must be forwarded within 20 days of the event and nobody likes chasing peo- ple for money after an event,’ said le

Dail vote on US pre-clearance

NEWMARKET-ON-FERGUS maintained their impressive run of form in the Clare Cup by proving too strong for Inagh Kilnamona on Saturday.

Leading by three points at half time, the Blues gradually eased away in the second half with their sharp- ness in front of goal ultimately prov- ing decisive.

Seanie Arthur bagged Newmarkets first goal before Martin O’Hanlon stormed through to put his side 2-5 to O-5 clear in the 37th minute.

After a solid first half performance, Inagh Kilnamona struggled in the second half. They slumped to a 12 point loss when Jamie Liddy goaled

late on for Newmarket.

The defeat, Inagh Kilnamona’s fourth in a row, leaves them anchored at the bottom of Division one and badly in need of a turn in fortunes.

With Clare playing a challenge in Ogonnelloe, throw-in in Newmar- ket was put back just over an hour as both sides awaited their return of their county representatives.

However the waiting could only go on so long and both sides started the game without their county players.

Not that that diluted the intensity of a keenly contested first half.

Shane O’Brien pointed in the fifth minute for the game’s opening score before Cathal Lafferty responded with a well-taken point for Inagh Kilnamona, two minutes later.

With Lafferty the focal point of the attack, Inagh Kilnamona settled into the game.

Dermot Gannon swapped frees with O’Brien before O’Hanlon edged Newmarket 0-3 0-2 ahead in the 15th minute.

Gannon pointed after a strong run through the middle of the Blue’ de- fence before converting a free in the 18th minute. Eoin Hayes landed per- haps the point of the afternoon with a powerful long-range strike in the 19th minute.

Inagh Kilnamona introduced Patrick Kelly in the 25th minute but the Clare goalkeeper’s first task was to pick the ball out of the net. O’ Hanlon chased down Collins’ free and did well to work the sliotar back

to the unmarked Seanie Arthur, yards from goal, who made no mistake, banging home in the 28th minute. Lafferty posted a point a minute later but Shane O’Brien’s free made it 1-5 to O-5 at the break for the Blues.

The second half developed with Newmarket looking more focused and more determined. Substitute Ger Arthur pointed for Inagh Kilnamona in the 36th minute but it didn’t take long for Newmarket to take over.

The rain was still bucketing down when Martin O’Hanlon charged through the middle before offloading to Arthur in the 37th minute. The sli- otar bounced back to the midfielder who finished high to the net.

The introduction of James MclIn- erney stiffened the blues defence as Inagh Kilnamona struggled to create chances.

O’Brien converted a free before James Liddy’s point made it 2-7 0-6 in the 42nd minute. Darren Duggan hoisted over another point in the 35th minute. Inagh Kilnamona hit back with a point from Conor Tierney but The Blues finished the game strongly with points from O’Brien and Mar- tin Murphy and a goal from Martin Murphy.

THE Miltown Market is back this May bank holiday weekend. The lo- cation of the market will be in the lo- cal Community Hall in Miltown. There’s freshly baked breads and cakes and also gluten, dairy and sug- ar-free baking for those on special diets. There will also be some local jams, fresh eggs, chutneys and local cheeses. Stock up on fresh seasonal vegetables, salads, herbs and seed- lings, flowers and plants, or sample some olives, sun dried tomatoes, de- licious vegetarian food or try freshly made sweet or savoury pancakes. The market also has some beauti- ful gift ideas from locally produced crafts. Many new and seasonal foods will appear every week so there is al- ways something different to try.

Many of the producers also supply the Kilrush Farmers’ Market which is held every Thursday from 9am to 2pm at the Square.

Also the Kilkee Farmers’ Mar- ket starts this summer on the Whit weekend, May 31, on Sunday morn- ings on O’Curry St, Kilkee.

‘Farmers markets are going through an exciting time. Many people are be- coming more aware of growing their own food or buying food locally, helping the local economy, enjoying the chat and eating tasty, seasonal, fresh food,’ said Hilary Gleeson, Rural Development Officer.

If anyone is interested in joining one of the west Clare markets or would like more information please contact Hilary Gleeson 086 8235598 or Cora O’Grady 087 1354192 (Mil- Ket

Magpies win in mudbath

DAIRY farmer Michael O’Leary from Knockmore, Kilmihil is one of 200 volunteers travelling with The Building of Hope Project to Mom- basa, Kenya to build a feeding and training centre to benefit one of the most impoverished urban communi- ties in east Africa.

Michael is no stranger to the task ahead as he was also a volunteer when the Building of Hope Project

build in Post Elizabeth, South Africa early last year.

Michael, who is married with five children said “It’s an experience he will never forget. When you see the conditions out there, there is no re- cession in Ireland.”

An only child, Michael was edu- cated at the local St Michael’s Sec- ondary School and took over the family farm at a young age when his father fell ill. A teacher in the school encouraged him to further his educa-

tion and become a school teacher but Michael decided to stay farming and realised the benefits of that when, as he put it himself, “A lot of my mates had to emigrate in the early 70s as work was scarce here. I was glad I didn’t have to do that as I had my job at home on our own farm.”

The Building of Hope Project is planning to provide a 10,000 sq ft centre for feeding, education and training in Migombani, Likoni on the south suburb of Mombasa which is the second largest town in Kenya with a population of approximately three million. Migomban1 itself has a fast growing population of up to 600,000.

Fr Martin Keane, who hails from the nearby parish of Cranny, is a priest with the Holy Ghost mis- sionary order. He manages projects which helps to educate young teen- agers who come from deeply impov- erished families and saves those who are little more than children from a life of prostitution and desperation Chea oie mnaten

If you would like to join Michael and the other volunteers, you too can become part of this life changing project by contacting Olive Halpin, Clarecastle, who is co-ordinator of the Building of Hope Project on 087 6994599.

Donations to the project can be made to the AIB branch in Bank Place, Ennis.