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A MAN telephoned an east Clare garda station stating he was going into the Shannon to “end it’, an in- quest into his death has heard.

Ennis Coroner’s Court heard that the body of the 36-year-old unem- ployed man was taken from the water just hours after the telephone call.

The inquest heard that the man telephoned Killaloe Garda Station shortly after midnight last October and identified himself.

‘He said he had enough and his nerves were at him. He had suffered with his nerves for years. There were voices in his head to do good things and bad things,” recalled the garda, last week.

“He said he was going into the Shannon to end it,” he said.

The garda said the man gave him his brother’s mobile phone number. He felt that the caller sounded in- toxicated but he told the garda that he had not drank for more than 10 (era

The garda tried to encourage the man to call to the garda station, but

he said he was going into the river. Asked where exactly he was, he evaded the question and hung up a short time after. The garda tried to call the man back, but the call went directly to his voicemail.

The garda said he directed a patrol car to search for the distressed man. They found clothing and a mobile phone beside a river and the man’s body was taken from the water some hours later by Killaloe/Ballina Search and Rescue.

An autopsy carried out on the man’s body at Limerick Regional Hospital showed there was no alcohol detect- ed in his system. His death had been consistent with drowning.

Clare County Coroner Isobel O’Dea said she was conscious of the fact that the man had telephoned the garda station and said an open ver- dict was appropriate.

She acknowledged the efforts of the garda who had received the phone call at Killaloe garda station that morning.

She also paid tribute to the rescue Services, “who come out in all sorts of weather to carry out searches.”

FOR Ennis native Tony Morgan, the biennial pilgrimage to the Fine Gael Ard Fheis is the very first date etched in the calendar. A veteran of more party conferences than he’d care to remember, the former chair of the Ennis branch of Fine Gael is in a unique position to judge the current crop of Fine Gael talent.

According to Tony, despite some shortcomings, Enda Kenny is the man to lead Fine Gael back into Government.

“Enda is not a great man to think on his feet – if I could put it that way. But if he is in a situation where he is dealing with a problem that he is well briefed on, then he can really talk about it,” he said.

‘He 1s inclined to hum and haw a bit when faced with the general cut and thrust of politics but maybe that’s no bad thing. Other people can be too bloomin’ glib altogether sometimes.

“Richard Bruton is great – he has a great financial brain on him. He would make a great minister for fi- nance. I think he should be left in the position. Enda Kenny is a good leader and he should be left where he is too.

“I know that a lot of people say that Enda Kenny can’t cut the mustard but I think he is doing very well. He rescued the party after the last gen- eral election. It’s a good team and a young team. They are all excellent people who would make good min- isters.””

As with many who attended the Fine Gael Ard Fheis over the week- end, Tony believed that the state of the economy should be the main fo- cus for the party going forward.

“I watched a few of the debates there this morning and Fine Gael is certainly putting across their poli- cies and what they want to do. They are also well able to elaborate on all the ills that Fianna Fail have created over the years,” he said.

“The economy and the banks is a really big thing. I think a lot of peo- ple feel totally let down. It wasn’t just the Government alone, but the banks, the regulators, the central bank.

“The banks were shovelling money out to the people. If someone came looking for a 100 per cent mortgage, they gave them a 105 per cent mort- gage. It was totally ridiculous. They borrowed billion and millions from the international money markets and now the whole thing has collapsed.”

TOM McNamara is hoping to end a Kilmaley famine on Clare County Sees

The first candidate from the area in 30 years, Mr McNamara declared as a Fianna Fail candidate last week when he was put on the ticket by the party’s head office.

With the change in the electoral area boundaries coming into affect in June, Mr McNamara can but ben- efit from the addition of even more of Kilmaley into Ennis West.

The former Assistant Director of Nursing with Clare Mental Health Services is well known for his com-

munity involvement and work with eo OraVae

A life-long member of Fianna Fail, he comes from a long political pedi- eree. He is a nephew of Joe Ryan from Inagh who was a member of Clare County Council from 1944 to 1984 and is the first person from Kul- maley Parish to contest an election since Martin Cahill in 1979.

Married to Mary, with two teenage sons, he played a leading role in the development of community services for mental health in Clare and was involved in setting up ‘Meitheal’ Kilmaley Development Associa- tion in 1995. He was chairperson of Meitheal for seven years.

In recent years, he has coordinated the training of 35 parishioners in CPR and installed two defibrillators in the parish.

In the new four-seater area of Ennis West, he will be running on the same ticket as Fianna Fail candidates Cllr Peter Considine and Garett Greene.

With just four seats for the taking he will also have to see off strong can- didates such as former Fianna Fail councillor and Independent TD James Breen and Cllr Brian Meaney (GP).

Chamber of Commerce CEO Rita McInerney is also running in the area as an independent candidate as is Tony Mulqueen for Fine Gael and Sean Hayes for Sinn Féin.

THE old ways of managing both the economy and the health system need to be totally scrapped and rebuilt from scratch if Ireland is to over- come the current economic crisis.

That was the message from Clare TD and newly re-elected member of the Fine Gael Executive Council, Martin Conway, at this weekend’s Fine Gael Ard Fheis in Dubllin.

“The economy has now entered centre-stage and Fine Gael, as a party, have a great asset in its deputy leader Richard Bruton – who is seen as being 100 per cent strong on the economy,” he said.

‘The Fine Gael party certainly be- lieve that Richard Bruton as finance minister would take a blank sheet and start from scratch and, at this stage, that is probably what is required. We need a new Government with a new strategy and a mandate to start from scratch and rebuild the economy.

‘There is a feeling that the people at the top seem to get away with eve- rything. We are now faced with a sit- uation in next week’s budget where the people at the bottom are going to have to fund it.”

Health also dominated much of the debates at the Ard Fheis, with Fine Gael announcing details of a univer- sal healthcare system.

“The other major thing that Fine Gael have announced is its health

policy, where we are going to have universal healthcare. Fine Gael will put in a system if they get into Gov- ernment where we will have a uni- versal health insurance which will eliminate the two-tier health system which currently exists,’ continued Conway.

“Again I think we need to take a blank sheet, start from scratch and build a universal health system that BUN Mores eles eUmrU 0B

“James Reilly, the FG spokesperson on health, has been to Ennis Hospi- tal. He has spoken with the people who are involved in the implementa- tion of the Teamwork Report and he had made it clear that it is Fine Gael’s policy to retain 24-hour consultant-

led accident and emergency services at Ennis General Hospital.

‘There are examples in other coun- tries and even in Northern Ireland where small emergency centres like Ennis are properly funded and do save lives.

“At the end of the day, if you are coming from Loop Head into Limer- ick in the middle of rush-hour traffic, then you have a problem.

“It may not have been mentioned directly but it certainly is uppermost on the minds of the delegates from Clare and the party health spokes- man.”

THE top brass in Clare County Council may have to go without their bonuses on a permanent basis as a new opposition proposal to scrap all non-pay or expenses related pay- ments gathers steam.

At present the position of county manager with Clare County Council carries with it a salary of just under €150,000. This income is also sup- plemented by a number of perform- ance-based bonuses which are paid on reaching a number of different performance targets.

However, a new proposal which would see the performance bonuses for the county manager as well as the council’s five directors of services being abolished is expected to come before a general meeting of Clare County Council before it breaks up for the local election this June.

Mayo-native Tom Coughlan is ex- pected to be formally ratified as the new county manager at next week’s April meeting of Clare County Coun- cul. As aresult of the current embargo on recruitment in the public service, Mr Coughlan will only be appointed in the €146,845 a year position on a care-taker basis.

“County managers and directors of services are more then well remuner- ated for the responsible job that they carry out. Their positions are guar- anteed and so are their pensions,” said Cllr Martin Conway (FG), who is proposing the scheme.

“I do not see the point in having a bonus scheme in place which would appear to be self-audited, payable ir- respective of results and costly in a way that could not be sustained in good times never mind bad times.”

According to Cllr Conway, this scheme could save millions if im- plemented in all local authorities na- tionwide.

“We have a very tight budget situa- tion at the moment and the payment of bonuses across the civil service 1s something that we should seriously be looking at. It you consider that the bonuses paid in an average-sized

council could be between €50,000 and €100,000 – this proposal could lead to millions in savings if it was introduced throughout the country,” he continued.

“The people who have to pay for the current economic situation should be those at the higher levels. It is the people at the top levels of employ- ment who should have to carry the

major burden in the current situation, not those on the lower levels of pay.”

According to Cllr Conway the scheme could also be spread to other Government agencies such as Bus Eireann and the ESB.

AY LMER’S Rest bar and restaurant, together with the award-winning Rose Cottage Guest House, is on the market with Leyden Auctioneers at €2.5 million (negotiable).

Located at the top of the Turnpike, close to the Limerick Road, the bar has been recently renovated and modernised to a high standard. Fea- tures include stained glass windows, flag floors and solid oak counter. It also encompasses an off-licence and has a good trade, serving bar food seven days a week.

Upstairs is ‘O’Donaills Restaurant’, which has been newly renovated. It is

a 50-seater restaurant with bar facili- ties and comes fully furnished. It is an ideal venue for private parties and functions.”

The characterful Rose Cottage, which has its own entrance, 1s situat- ed next door to the bar and restaurant and it comprises nine en-suite bed- rooms. It is well designed and main- tained and is in constant demand, by its loyal and regular clientele, as well as those holidaying or visiting the area. Together with the nine en- suite bedrooms, Rose Cottage also includes a spacious breakfast room, reception area and two luxury bed- rooms with feature baths.

There is a garden to the rear of

Aylmer’s Rest, with decking and a patio area, plus a separate smoking area.

In addition, there is a car parking area to the front and side of Aylmer’s Rest and Rose Cottage.

Occupying a 1.2 acre site, selling agents Leyden Auctioneers believe ‘‘Aylmer’s Rest and the adjacent Rose Cottage guest house offer excellent development potential”.

For further information, telephone 065 6820555

Bonuses for council top brass may be scrapped

DON’T be fooled by the four goals.

True, there was plenty of goalmouth action and those four goals but you could easily draw a line under things Neuse

All because, this was a dreadfully poor spectacle — the bite you’d asso- ciate with a cup tie at this advanced stage of the competition was sadly missing. Instead it was a tepid affair served up by two teams that certainly didn’t show their best.

Not that Lifford really cared at the end of this excruciatingly boring 90 minutes — they were full value for the win and if anything should have won by more as they closed to within one more win of a first Clare Cup final appearance in 33 years.

Both sides were understrength, but the loss of Stephen Hickey and Shane Daniels to the Rock Rovers cause was more keenly felt than Declan McMahon and Gary McNaboe’s ab- sence for Lifford.

Daniels’ commanding presence was badly missed in the centre of the defence while their attack was some- thing akin to a blunt instrument in the absence of Hickey, who has been scoring goals for fun all season.

It rendered Rock a pale shadow of the team that won an historic first Clare Cup title last season and meant that Lifford didn’t have to over-ex- tend themselves to cruise into the ETS me celtie

They were on their way as early as the fifth minute when the combative Roberto Pinto bustled his way from the edge of the area to the byline before centering for Ryan Boyle to sidefoot home the lead goal from eight yards.

It was as if Lifford were expecting an easy day of it after that opening

strike, because they subsequently sat

back on the lead and let Rock Rovers

come at them for a lot of the half. They didn’t pay the price for this

lax attitude, but should have. Rock could have had two penalties before Roberto Pinto made it 2-0 in the 42nd minute. In the 20th minute a

Lifford handball in their own area was waved away by referee — ten minutes later Brian Fitzpatrick was clearly obstructed in the area.

This rough justice on Rock was compounded when a clever flick-on by David McCarthy put Roberto in the clear and he made no mistake when beating Leonard Keane from six yards.

Any hopes of a Rock comeback ended 13 seconds into the second half when Leonard Keane spilled David McCarthy 25-yard yard effort into his own net. Game over, but the champions did at least make it inter- esting when Ashley Glynn finally forced the ball over the Lifford line after a five double-save from Mike elerliy

That said in the closing 15 min- utes David McCarthy’s penalty was save by Keane, while Ryan Boyle sidefooted wide with the goal at his mercy.

The final whistle couldn’t come quick enough.

Flynn in the firing line over ‘take over’

PENALTY shoot-outs rarely have fa- vourites but even in the tension, there were little signs that this was going to be Shannon Olympic’s day.

After Ray Quigley saw his spot kick saved by Rhine goalkeeper Ro- nan Gallagher, referee David McCa- rthy ordered the strike re-taken, for Gallagher’s movement off the line.

Quigley made no mistake at the second time of asking. With the score 4-4, Paul O’Connor stepped up for Olympic’s first sudden death penalty.

Again Gallagher saved. Or so it seemed. In pushing the ball clear, Gallagher was dealt a massive stroke of bad luck when it rebounded off his foot and trickled back into the net.

Seconds later David Collins thumped home before Olympic goal- ie Kieran McCarthy guessed cor- rectly to save from Enda Malone. We

had our winners, a mightily jubilant Olympic.

As cup-ties go, you couldn’t have asked for much more. In an action packed first half, Rhine scored early on before Olympic struck twice to lead 2-1.

In first half of injury time, Noel Donnellan felled David O’Brien in- side the box. Johnny O’Brien con- verted from the spot for his second ON alomee NYA

From there on Olympic had more clear chances than their opponents to win it. Rhine too had their moments and even had a goal rubbed out for handball in the closing stages of ex- tra time.

Second Division Rhine set the ball rolling when Johnny O’Brien thumped home from the edge of the area in the 10th minute. It didn’t take long for Olympic to respond with O’Connor’s terrific strike restoring parity.

Gallagher’s booming free kicks regularly located Rhine’s _ lively frontmen and caused plenty of prob- lems for Olympic’s back four.

But with Jason Regan and Don- nacha Kelly pulling the strings for Olympic, it was the Shannon side who edged ahead. Wayne Regan whipped in a terrific corner and Kelly rose to head home in the 32nd minute.

Rhine persevered and were reward- ed with an equaliser through Johnny O’Brien’s penalty. David O’Brien’s half volley shaved the post just after half time. At the other end, Gallagher did well to keep out Jason Regan. Ol- ympic had a better chance moments later when O’Connor’s shot bounced to Gallagher.

The last chance of normal time fell to Rhine’s Caimin O’Connor who pulled his shot just wide. O’Connor again went close for Olympic in the first half of extra time as did Ray

Quigley.

It was time for penalties. Johnny O’Brien and Jason Regan both netted before the tie was eventually settled in Olympic’s favour.

Rhine go back to chasing promo- tion. Olympic, well placed near the summit of division one with a cup Semi-final to come, can still dream of the double.