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THE founder of one of the leading Lovie alee mmr TIC MOM BDO ab NsounIty companies in the western region has reiterated his commitment to build- ing a hotel in Kilrush and developing the marina.

Louis Keating of Kilmihil based L and M Keating Ltd, was speaking at the launch of the company’s biggest ever development in Kilrush — The Merchants Quay Business Quarter.

‘This is our first job in the town as developers. Generally we see our- selves as contractors, we generally tender for work, sign contract and carry out work on time,” he told the packed room at the development’s launch.

“These offices are part of a larger development which consisted of apartments, offices, hotel and a multi storey car park. The apartments at this stage are built. We acquired the

project in the past few months and we have now completed the offices and we do intend if possible at all, to proceed with the hotel and with the car park.

‘I suppose in the current economic climate, its unlikely in the next few months that we will be commencing work on the hotel but we are very aware that Kilrush really needs a hotel, and I know all of the bodies in the town are very supportive of a hotel,” he told the mix of business people and politicians.

“In fact everywhere I go I am al- ways asked, any move on the hotel?” he added.

‘As people may be aware we also have involvement with the marina in Kilrush. Our company together with another company are the preferred bidders to develop the marina.

“Now we have quite ambitious plans, again they are on the back burner to some degree at the mo-

ment but we are still actually talking to Shannon Development and I am quiet confident that we will carry out our development dreams in the ma- rina, and I think this would be a great boost for the town,” he said.

Merchants Quay has been hailed as Kilrush’s landmark building with office and commercial unit available for sale or lease.

Mr Keating also pointed out that the units are one of the few tax-des- ignated properties in the country.

Dentist Dr Niall McCarthy has al- ready decided to take up residence in the building.

Ten years ago Louis Keating went through the old mills – then boarded up and closed – that make up the new state of the art development.

“Today is part of a new life for these building and I hope they are just as noisy as ever they were with just as many people working here, and that they are as important a part of Kil-

rush as they always were,” he said.

“Vd like to acknowledge the vi- sion of Mark and Dermot Reidy who started off this project,’ he added be- fore thanking all those that worked on the development.

He added a special word of ap- preciation to the new development’s neighbours Charles and Edel Glynn for their patience during the two and a half years work.

Mayor of Clare Cllr Madeleine Taylor Quinn (FG) congratulated Mr Keating and thanked him for the amount of employment his company brought to west Clare.

‘He is a very humble man who does a very good job and we really are proud of him,” she said.

A WOMAN threatened to kill four gardai during a stand-off at her home on the outskirts of Ennis, it has been alleged.

Caitriona Barker (37), of Bridge Court, Roslevan, Ennis, is accused of threatening to kill or harm a garda sergeant and three gardai, on May 14, 2007. She is also accused of pro-

ducing a knife, on the same date.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told En- nis District Court that gardai were called to the home of the accused at 1.40am. The front door was open and the accused was staggering on the street. He said she appeared she be 1n a distressed state.

“It will be alleged she produced a knife from behind her back and threatened the guards she would kill

them and herself,” he said.

‘There was a stand-off for a short period before gardai overpowered her and took possession of the knife. Gardai were not injured,” he said.

He said Ms Barker was disorien- tated and fell over a flowerpot.

Judge Joseph Mangan (right) said he was declining jurisdiction. The case will be sent forward to the Cir- cuit Court.

IT’S top marks all round for the lead- ing tourism enterprises of the region and the accolade has come from the most important source of all – the Kes ae

In what was the most detailed sur- vey of customer satisfaction in the Mid West, over 5,500 visitors gave their verdict on tourism attractions, hotels, restaurants, retail operations, activity centres and hostels.

Ratings on every count were very

Dympna O’Callaghan

“The difference in a good and great company is the leadership provided at management level. With three out of four businesses failing once their founder retires, business owners now recognise the need for effective leadership in their companies and are hungry to improve these skills and apply practical leadership ideas which will improve their impact as a leader, straight away,’

That was the message from Mike Gaffney of Galway-based Leader- ship and Management Development company LEAP, when he addressed a Shannon Chamber leadership sem- inar in Shannon last week.

positive with satisfaction on levels of excellent, very good and good reach- ing 80 per cent and over in every case. In no case did visitors register fair or poor ratings above 10 per cent.

“The survey has proved a price- less marketing tool and guide for the future but in a very difficult year, it has shown that the operations taking part in the survey are getting it right as far as customers from all markets are concerned” said Padraig Cleary, Regional Director for the Tourism Learning Network.

Over forty business leaders from the Shannon area attended this lively seminar and went away not only ques- tioning their leadership styles, but assessing their individual strengths and weaknesses as a leader, having been urged to “Know Thyself’.

Helen Downes, interim chief exec- utive, Shannon Chamber, comment- ed: “This event was timely in light of the current economic downturn. The attendees listened intently to Mike Gaffney’s authoritative words. They certainly left with a lot of food for thought knowing that leadership brings clarity to a business and that success is built on this clarity.

Commenting on the high level of at- tendance at the event, Mike Gaffney

The survey was carried out over a ten week period by over 50 members of the Tourism Learning Network as their major 2008 project in the three- year Failte Ireland programme which is now coming to a close.

The highest score recorded in the Survey was in the restaurant sector where the friendliness of staff won ratings of excellent from 65 per cent of those surveyed, with 28 per cent on very good and just short of 6 per cent on good. The combined positive satisfaction ratings for restaurant

added: “LEAP is delighted to be able to help owners with this pertinent challenge. We are delighted with the response we received from the busi- ness community in the Shannon re- gion to this event and we would like to thank everyone at Shannon and District Chamber who contributed to its success.’

The event ended on a positive note when the event’s sponsor, Smart Tel- ecom, offered Shannon and District Chamber members or new customers a 15% discount.

Shannon Chamber will host similar business-focused events in the com- ing months. Details will be posted on the Chamber website www.shan- nonchamber.ie.

customers surveyed came to 99 per one

The retail sector also scored highly with the friendliness experienced by visitors bringing high ratings while friendliness and hospitality also scored highly for participating ho- tels. Value for money and the warmth of welcome also won strong approval el ebO tease

The main shortcomings identified by visitors related to aspects of ho- tels, hostels and activity centres. The combined total of 18 per cent of cus-

tomers who registered fair and poor ratings for hotel bathrooms was the highest level of negative reaction. A further 13 per cent were not entirely happy with their hotel rooms.

Hostels and activity centres scored high on the scale in overall positive reaction from visitors but were found wanting in other aspects. Hostels were given lower levels of satisfac- tion in value for money while ap- proval levels at activity centres were lower in relation to equipment and value for money.

ENNIS greets November with the sound of music as the Ennis Trad Festival reels into life next week.

A fixture on the live music calendar for 15 years, this year’s festival runs from November 6-10.

As always, the festival offers a healthy traditional spread of con- certs, workshops and competitions.

Noel Hill, Tony Linnane, Sean O’Sé and the Turloughmore Ceili band and the Kilfenora Céili Band are just some of the well known names due to perform in Ennis over the week.

Elsewhere classes will be given in playing instruments, singing and CP Tater bates

Flute player and Miltown Malbay native Jon Dodd will give a talk on the care and maintenance of wooden flutes, while Steve Corry, a sound engineer presents a talk on sound engineering and equipment for trad1- tional music on November 8 in the County Museum. The centrepiece of the festival is the Ceili Band com- petition Ard Ghaisce na mBuionta, which takes place on Friday, Novem- ber 7 in the West County Hotel.

The Great Céili Band Challenge

was a big hit at last year’s festival and this year has been expanded to 13 bands. John Rynne, the event or- ganiser explained that this will be a sporting opportunity for several of the best céili bands in Ireland to- day to compete for a first prize of €5,000, in a public setting designed to test their mettle.

Last year’s winners Ceoltoiri na Mainistreach will again be the band to beat out, having finished third in this year’s All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil in Tullamore.

Second and third place bands will receive €2,000 and €1,000 each and

the competition is set up in a way to ensure that the battle will be hotly and vigorously contested.

Most of the bands have competed, toured and performed at all the high- est level events including Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann.

The winners on the night will be decided by votes taken from the au- dience and by four independent adju- dicators. The €15 entry ticket guar- antees a voting paper in addition to a vibrant night of céili band music.

The festival concludes November 10 with a performance by the lively Cape Breton based band, Beolach.

IT WOULD seem that the bees haven’t been so busy in west Clare last summer as honey is as scarce and precious as gold in the county.

As a result of the honey decline EIRI Corca Baiscinn has found yet another niche in the market to help supplement farmers income in west Clare. The organisation is hosting a nine-week Bee Keeping Course starting on Monday, November 3 at the Brothers of Charity in Kilrush.

The course 1s aimed at anyone who may have considered keeping their own honeybees and harvesting their own wild flower honey.

“There are many reasons to keep bees as well as being able to get your own local, nutritious honey to sweet- en drinks and food,’ said Hilary Gleeson, Rural Development Officer with EIRI.

“Bees, as every keen gardener knows, help with pollination in your own garden or orchard and surround- ing area. Beeswax can be used to make candles, soap and cosmetics,” she added

The wet summer resulted in a low honey yield this year and the ru- ral development officer hopes that if more people get involved in the home industry next year there will be sufficient honey available to act as

a sweetener to the health conscious and ward of colds and flus in the county.

Ms Gleeson said that honey was not very plentiful in the seen farmers markets in the county this year, and hoped that with more suppliers the natural produce would be available well into the winter.

“Tt is very hard to buy at the mo- ment. It would be a big seller if we could get more of it at the markets,” she said.

The bee-keeping course will cover the history of beekeeping and how to get started including beekeep- ing terminology, and the equipment needed.

Information on the types of hives, apiary selection and management, handling the bees, a month by month beekeeping diary, queen rearing, pests and diseases, flowers for nectar and pollen, dealing with the honey crop and preparing for winter will also be among some of the areas Ono Keren

The course will also include a visit to lecturer, Fintan Ryan’s apiary in Rahona, Carrigaholt.

Bookings and information for the course 1s available at EIRI Corca Baiscinn, Kilkee on 9056611 or by contacting Hilary Gleeson, Rural De- velopment Officer on 086 8235598. The course cost €20.

A 51-YEAR-OLD man has been ac- quitted by a jury of assaulting his three sisters, on a drink-fuelled St Stephen’s night in Kilrush two years ago.

At the end of a two-day trial at Ennis Circuit Court on Friday, the jury found Martin Walsh not guilty of assaulting his sisters Josephine O’ Loughlin and Caroline and Helena Walsh, causing them harm, in Kil- rush, on December 27, 2006.

Mr Walsh, of Island View, Kilrush, denied assaulting the women, during two incidents in the early hours of the morning. He pleaded not guilty to assaulting Josephine O’Loughlin at Francis Street and denied assault- ing Caroline and Helena Walsh at his home, some time later that night.

Josephine O’Loughlin told the trial that she and her husband John went to Charlie Martin’s bar on the night in question. She said on their way home, they met her brother Martin and his partner Julie Counihan, at Francis Street. “He came out of no- where,” she said.

“He was screaming and shouting. He had a bottle in his hand. He said he was going to do us. He repeatedly punched me in the mouth,” she said. She said she hit the ground and broke her wrist. She said she was knocked unconscious.

Under cross-examination by Lor- can Connolly, BL, for the accused (instructed by Mairead Doyle, solici- tor), Ms O’Loughlin denied that she was heavily intoxicated on the night.

“You say you were punched repeat- edly in the mouth. That didn’t hap- pen at all. You had no injury to your mouth. You say you were knocked unconscious. We didn’t hear that un- til now,” said Mr Connolly.

‘The accused and his partner were going about their business and you attempted to attack Ms Counihan and you fell to the ground and broke your wrist and you were very drunk,’ added the barrister.

Ms O’Loughlin replied that while She had drink taken, she was not “out of my mind with drink.” She said the injuries she sustained “were inflicted on me.”

Her husband John O’Loughlin told the court that the accused was “shout- ing expletives towards my wife” on the street.

‘He was coming towards us with a broken bottle in one hand. He pushed my wife to the ground,” he said. He also denied that his wife was very in- toxicated on the night.

Mr Connolly said, “At no stage did the accused man have a bottle,’ but Mr O’Loughlin repeated that he did.

Caroline Walsh told the trial that she and her sister Helena got a taxi from Kilkee to their sister Jose-

phine’s house in Kilrush in the early hours of that morning. She said that Josephine was covered in blood.

She and Helena then went to their brother Martin’s house at Island View in Kilrush. She said they knocked on the door. “I confronted him. I wanted to know why he beat my sister. He pulled me in the door and started beating me. He punched me in the face,” she said.

She said that her sister Helena tried to stop Martin from beating her, but he then hit her with a baseball bat to the head. “He hit her again while she was on the ground,” she said.

Mr Connolly put it to her that they had no business going to the ac- cused’s house at that hour of the night. She said she accepted it had been a foolish thing to do. “If he had apologised, there would have been none of this,” she said. Mr Connolly asked her did she recall picking up pots and pelting them at the house and she said she didn’t. He also said the accused did not have an imple- ment. “He was fending off an attack from ye,” he said.

Helena Walsh told the court that Martin hit her at his house. “I fell to the ground and then he hit me with a bat, once on the head, once on the hip while I was on the ground. Caroline pushed him. That was the only rea- son he didn’t hit me again,” she said. She said she received nine stitches to

a wound on her head at Ennis Gen- eral Hospital some hours later.

Mr Connolly put it to her that she and her sister “were completely out of control.” She replied, “We were upset about the state Josephine was in.” He also accepted it was foolish to go to Martin’s house at that hour o) aa elo ou rca ole

Garda Eoin Daly told the court he came upon Josephine O’Loughlin on Francis Street at around lam on December 27, 2006. He said her face was covered in blood and there were several marks all over her face. At 2.30am, he received a call to go to a house in the town where he met Caroline and Helena Walsh. Caro- line had an injury to her right eye, while Helena had sustained a cut to her forehead.

Martin Walsh told the court that he saw his sister Josephine in the pub that night, but they did not exchange words as they do not speak. He said that he left the pub with his partner, Julie Counihan. He said while they were on their way home, Josephine Started to run after them, at Francis Street.

“She grabbed on to Julie’s hair and ripped two chains from her neck,” he said. He said they went home to bed and after 2am he heard voices. He went downstairs and said Caro- line and Helena were beating his son. “They were screaming and roaring,”

he said. He said they ripped his pyja- mas from him and then left.

He denied assaulting the three women. Under cross-examination from Stephen Coughlan, BL, prose- cuting, Mr Walsh denied that he had waited for his sister Josephine on the street. He said he did not have a bot- tle in his hand.

His partner Julie Counihan told the court she wanted to phone the gardai that night, but the accused told her not to, as the three women were his sisters. She said Martin Walsh did not assault Josephine O’Loughlin. “If anything, she ran after me and as- Saulted me,’ she said. She said that Ms O’Loughlin was “on a rage with alcohol” that night.

“T never thought it would go this far. I never thought that brothers and sisters would have themselves inside in court,” said Julie Counihan.

Judge Gerard Griffin told the jury the three charges were “separate and distinct.” “Each must stand on their own merits and must be dealt with individually,” he said.

After more than two hours deliber- ating in the case, the jury found Mr Walsh not guilty on all three counts.

WITH next week designated as na- tional Design Week, Deirdre John- ston, Network Manager of Ennis- based Unlocking Innovation Skillnet, is advising Clare businesses to use design more effectively if they want to increase their chances of surviv- ing the current economic downturn.

According to Ms. Johnston, almost three-quarters of businesses that de- velop new products or services ex- perience growth. “This needn’t be in the form of a major new invention,’ she adds, “but can be as simple as tweaking existing offerings to meet marketplace demand. Failure to get products or services right, particu- larly during a downturn, can be the death knell to a business.”

Unlocking Innovation Skillnet is currently running a Series of free seminars for SMEs. “These half-day seminars, which are taking place in Limerick, provide an overview of the tangible benefits of innovation in business, combined with some prac- tical tips on how to apply it on the ground,” Ms. Johnston explains.

The programme also includes op- portunities for one-on-one work- shops with seminar trainers, who are

leaders in their fields, at a nominal fee.

Companies wishing to delve more deeply into the area can take advan- tage of two-year programme, offered by sister Skillnet, Design Shannon Skillnet. “This programme brings together leading experts from Ire- land and abroad, who will guide participating companies on how to determine, develop and deliver new products and services to grow their businesses. Highly subsidised, it provides top level training at a to- ken price; ideal for savvy companies with plans to beat the recession,” she concludes.

Unlocking Innovation Skillnet aims to help businesses identify ways to achieve growth through innovation and design-related activities. It runs in association with Design Shannon Skillnet, and is funded by Skillnets and member firms.

For further information, go to www.designshannon.ie; tel. 065- to VAL ee

PREPARATIONS are already well underway for one of Ennis’ most popular pantomime shows.

The members of the all singing all dancing Pantaloons are in rehearsal for their latest show Cinderella, which arrives in Glor in December.

Cinderella adheres to many of the elements that have made Pantaloon productions so popular with audi- ences down the years, namely great dance routines, big, loud songs, and, of course, audience interaction.

Getting the audience to take an ac- tive role has been a staple ingredients of the Pantaloons experience and the

group hope that with Cinderella, the crowds will again be singing, danc- ing and shouting in the aisles.

The production, written by John Morley and directed by Leonard Anderson is full of lively characters including the mischievous Dandin1, family favourite Cinderella, But- tons, The Fairy Godmother, Prince Charming, The Baron and Baroness and not forgetting the ugly sisters.

According to producer and per- former, Maeve Fox, the Pantaloons will inject their own brand of mis- chief and fun into the show.

‘“Pantaloons present the familiar story of Cinderella as a traditional pantomime designed with quirks

and twists to delight the modern-day audience. The whole ensemble is looking forward to singing, dancing and being dramatic all the way to a happy ending.”

This year’s cast includes old favour- ites Ken O’Shaughnessy, Paul Cur- ley, Paul Cusack, Maeve Fox, Tina O’Neill and Geraldine Saunders.

They are joined this year by new- comers Aidan O’Gara, Andrew Kil- leen and Siomha Brock who will pay Cinderella.

There is also an expanded cast of extras and of course the Pantaloons resident musician, Gerry Mc Laugh- thee

Pantaloons pantomimes are a firm

favourite in the town’s calendar and Maeve invites everyone to come along on another fun filled festive journey.

Panto tickets are also available as Christmas gifts. Tickets on sale at Glor box office 065 6843103. Family tickets for two adults and two chil- dren cost €50. Single tickets cost €15.

CLARE county councillor Oliver Garry (FG) said a higher Garda vis- ibility in Kildysart is giving an ele- ment of confidence and security back to the local people.

In the last number of weeks a patrol car has been visible in an area that has been victim to daylight burgla- ries and boat engine thefts.

The Kildysart councillor said that the visibility of the gardai and the formation of the local community alert under the chairmanship of local

businessman Michael Michaels are adding to community confidence.

A spate of burglaries within a ten- mile radius of the village had been a cause of concern for the quiet west Clare area.

Homes in rural areas around Bal- lynacally and Cranny had witnessed a series of day light burglaries

The thieves targeted the unoccupied homes during the day and among the items stolen include jewellery, cash and computer games.

Five boat engines, valued at up to €6,000 each, had also been stolen

from Crovraghan Quay, Kildysart on two separate occasions.

These boats were used by local farmers to access the island.

“The reports I had been getting back from people was the lack of Garda presence and the Garda vis- ibility has given the people more as- surance that there is a watchful eye on the area,” he said.

“*T felt concerned for the people who lived on the island, and have now moved to the mainland, that they felt their boats and engines were not safe on the quay side. People go to the 1s-

land on a daily basis to work on their farms. It is all very upsetting.

“The community is now more to- gether on this. They are reporting strangers in the area and are more alert to different people. People are also keeping an eye on elderly people living alone through the community alert,” he said.

Gardai are covering areas such as Ballynacally, Ballycorrick, Cranny, Coolmean and Kilmurry McMahon in the patrol car and giving support to Labasheeda, according to Cllr Garry.

AN UNPROVOKED attack which the left the victim with a scar re- sulted in a criminal conviction for a Shannon man.

The Circuit Court heard that Chris- topher McGorrian (18) Rossbarack- en, Shannon struck Martin O’Leary in the face on April 21 2007, splitting his lip before running off laughing.

O’Leary told Stephan Coughlan BL for the prosecution that he he was standing talking to friends at Cronin Lawn on the night.

McGorrian came out of a house across the road and was “walking in circles. He was very agitated.”, O’Leary said.7

McGorrian walked over to O’ Leary and struck him in the face.

“The cut went right through to the inside of my lip and I had to have seven stitches to the outside and sev- en to the inside’, he told Judge Ger- ard Griffin in evidence.

The injured man was referred to a

plastic surgeon in Cork University Hospital and the surgeons report was read into the court record. It said that O’Leary would be left with a 2cm permanent scar which would be vis- ible at conversational distance.

McGorrian had pleaded not guilty to a charge of causing serious harm and disfigurement but guilty to a lesser charge of causing harm.

Summing up for the jury, Mr Coughlan said the fact was that the scar is permanent and this constitut- ed disfigurement.

Mr Mark Nicholas for the defence told the jury it was “nonsense” to de- fine “a scar which I couldn’t see and you couldn’t see as serious disfigure- ment. My client’s behaviour was dis- graceful and he has apologised to Mr O’Leary. It’s a bad injury but it’s not serious disfigurement.”

The jury returned a verdict of non guilty on the more serious charge and guilty on the lesser charge.

The Judge adjourned sentencing until Wednesday October 29.