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A FIREWORKS display is poised to light up the skies in Shannon this Halloween. If plans to host the event get the go-ahead, it may well form the first prong in a plan for an annual Halloween festival in the town.

That was the overwhelming view of Shannon town councillors, who discussed the issue at its monthly meeting last week.

Labour Councillor Greg Duff brought up the issue and said he had received quotations for fireworks displays. He said that a display last- ing between five and eight minutes would cost €8,000.

He suggested that a fireworks dis- play would be held alongside a disco for children, which would be pro- vided by the Shannon Youth Service. He said that events could take place

in different parts of the town, to cel- ebrate Halloween.

He said that while there was some anti-social behaviour in Shannon during Halloween last year, it was relatively small. Three people were arrested, while there were five cases oem oreaca bho

“A small minority of anti-social yobs terrorise their neighbours,” he HCG

However, Labour’s Tony McMahon said he had concerns about fireworks. ‘‘T have grave reservations about fire- works in any capacity. They are quite a dangerous object to be operating with. Their effect on animals is very frightening,” he said.

Independent Councillor Mike Mc- Kee said the cost of clearing up bon- fires in previous years was €10,000. “In the last six weeks, fireworks have been let off all around the place.

Orolht (cM (ceexol merc eeeebeepionetsrl mm BKeye| residents associations to prevent fires and use the money for fireworks?” he asked.

Councillor Patricia McCarthy (In- dependent) said the fireworks were a good idea and it would be fantastic to run a display alongside a disco. She said the display should be in a cen- tral area in the town and not split into various events.

“We have to be mindful of the fact the town is spread out. I don’t see having one event in one place and another in another would be good for community spirit,” she said.

Referring to a display of between five and eight minutes, she said she feared it wouldn’t be big enough.

“TI don’t think we are going to stop the bonfires. It’s a tradition that has built up,’ she said. However, she said bonfires should be supervised.

Councillor Duff then said that gardai would educate schoolchildren on the dangers of crossing the road when events were taking place.

He said he would encourage fam1- lies to get involved on the night and said it would be important that secure places would be found for people to watch the fireworks.

“We could start building towards a Halloween festival,’ he said.

Shannon Town Manager Ger Dol- lard said that considerable costs were incurred in cleaning up after Halloween every year, right across the county. “We are in the lead- up to Halloween. There is evidence of stockpiling already,” he said.

The mayor of the town, Council- lor Gerry Flynn (Independent) said, ‘This is probably a first step to some- thing that is going to be good in the future.”

THE awards just keep on rolling in for Lisdoonvarna’s Burren Smoke- house, which last week claimed its third major national prize in as many weeks. The smokehouse brought back two category awards, as well as the overall Grand Prix award from the SHOP 2008 Final in Dublin last week. The undoubted star of the event was the smokehouse’s newest product, smoked salmon with honey, whiskey and fennel glaze.

This new recipe was conceived as a means of bringing an uniquely Irish flavour to the smoked salmon.

“We couldn’t believe it; to get one award was something else but then the second and third awards was just unbelievable. To get the award for best product in show was really spe- cial,” said Birgitta.

‘There was such huge competition out there and we feel very fortunate. It’s great recognition, not just myself but for the whole team in the Burren Smokehouse. It’s the whole package that was being judged – the original product, all that we do to in terms of flavouring as well as the final pres- entation.

‘We wanted to come up with some- thing which was uniquely Irish. Pre-

serving salmon with honey is an old Irish tradition – both in terms of pre- serving and improving the flavour. We wanted to create a really Irish product, and something that really had its own character and flavour. It worked really well, the judges really loved the salmon.”

The smokehouse has won a number of high profile awards in recent time, most notably two Gold Medals at this years Great Taste Awards.

“It is satisfying, we have been working on product range a lot this year, coming up with new ideas and widening the range more and more. This makes it more attractive for the

customers who come to our shop and for the shops that we stock,” contin- ued Birgitta.

‘They can now choose more differ- ent flavours than ever before. When you marinate the salmon it makes it even more palatable for people. It’s about giving people something dif- ferent. People are getting into new flavours and they like to widen their experiences more and more.”

The smokehouse won the award for the best Irish product and the over- all award for the best item on shop at SHOP 2008. The SHOP awards are organised by a collective of some of Ireland largest food retailers.

THE national surgical oncology ad- visor has criticised the media for its coverage of the breast cancer misdi- agnosis in Ennis General Hospital. Professor Arnold Hill, consultant surgeon at Beaumont Hospital, told the annual meeting of the Irish Hos- pital Consultants’ Association — that an excessive media focus on a small number of cases made for “a very difficult environment in which to

practice cancer care.”

The cancer specialist revealed that the best cancer centres had a misdi- agnosis rate of 1.6 per cent. Although the mammogram unit at Ennis Hos- pital is now closed it examined 450 women as recently as 2006.

Other women, like the late Ann Mo- riarty, would have undergone x-rays and women like the late Edel Kelly would have undergone biopsies.

According to Professor Hill, even with a perfect cancer diagnosis sys-

tem approximately 25 women with breast cancer would be misdiagnosed every year in Ireland.

Meanwhile, concerns have also been raised that the HSE will use the findings from the HIQA investiga- tion at Ennis, as ammunition to close the hospital.

“My fear is that the HSE may use this report to downgrade the hospi- tal and implement Hanley,” said Fine Gael TD Pat Breen.

Ennis Hospital Development Com-

mittee chairman Ciaran O’Dea was concerned that the report’s terms of reference made presumptions about the hospital.

“It has not been framed to reassure the people of Clare that the recom- mendations issuing from the review will not further erode the services provided by the Mid Western Hospi- tal in Ennis.

‘In the terms of reference there is an apparent assumption that the level of resourcing 1s adequate.

“We would like them to comment on the level of funding and resoursc- ing in the hospital over the past two decades,” he said.

“We also hope the review team would not be narrow in their focus and take into account historical cir- cumstances and the role of manage- ment and government in creation of the current hospital structures.

“We call on them to use the ability to expand the investigation and where required they will investigate.”

MORE than four and a half million euro has been lost to the county’s coffers during the first eight months of this year as planning applications plummet.

From January to August 2007 Clare County Council was paid almost €6 million in development

contributions. This year develop- ment contributions

paid to the local plan- ning authority during the same period fell by 78 per cent to almost €1.3 million.

These Development Contributions of Sec- tion 48 levies are paid on all planning applica- tions granted – from one-off houses to major developments.

Planning applications in the county have decreased by 42 per cent from AF Welet-D mya KO a Uelcab nc mA OD ECMA (or)

Clare County Council has claimed, however, that as development contri- bution income is applied to capital projects it has no impact on revenue.

This is a point challenged by Clare County Councillor PJ Kelly (FF).

The west Clare councillor who has been critical of planning issues in Clare, said he believes that the re- duction in the planning applications is not solely as a result of the reces-

sion.

“Many of the main developments have quit the county because of the continuous difficulties with plan- ning,” he said.

“Difficulties with rural planning have caused many to throw in the towel and just give up,” he main- tained.

“The absence of any industrial policy which is replaced by a rural sterilisation programme has left us with a zero rate of lao (oy oyentoy imum temp alon- it areas,’ he said.

In response to a mo- tion by Cllr Kelly to be tabled at Monday’s adjourned meeting of the September meet-

ing, the council also pointed out that it is employing less staff in the plan- ning section due to the reduction in activity. Five planning staff members have not been replaced this year.

“While the number of applications and staff has decreased this year it is not intended that the level (of service) would be reduced,” the reply said.

Cllr Kelly remained critical of the sector however. “One would expect with a decrease in work load we would have an increase in Service. This has not happened,” he said.

FINE Gael in Clare proposes to dou- ble its membership of the county’s two urban councils.

The party met on Friday night in Ennis and in Kilrush last night to nominate its candidates for the re- spective town councils in the up coming local election.

It has nominated four candidates for Ennis Town Council including the two outgoing councillors Mary Coote-Ryan and Johnny Flynn.

No stranger to local elections – Tony Mulqueen’s name will also be on the ballot paper, as will new kid on the block Rodger Fox.

Nominations for the selection proc- ess closed on September 19 at 6pm and on Friday night all four got the seal of approval at the convention meeting chaired by Limerick Coun- ty Councillor and former director of elections in Limerick East Leo Walsh.

Described as a woman of “integrity and honour” Mary Coote-Ryan was the first to be nominated by Michael

Carey and seconded by Suzanne Mangan.

In her acceptance speech the only woman to have served as mayor of Ennis maintained that her Fine Gael pedigree could be traced back to the blue shirts.

She told delegates that she was still passionate about politics and her door is always open to anyone who wishes to call.

The other three nominees were all part of the remaining proposing 1D KOLen Ice

Sitting councillor Johnny Flynn was proposed by Tony Mulqueen who described him as a family man with great knowledge on health is- sues. The former chief of the Limer- ick Fire Service had fire in his belly as he spoke of how he believes that public services should be audited externally and he had serious issues with how the town, county and coun- try has been run.

“T think the health services and (the political element of) the local authorities are not being managed properly,’ said Cllr Flynn.

His nomination was seconded by his other running mate Rodger Fox who he in turn nominated as a candi- date. Praising Mr Fox as an extraor- dinary administrator, Cllr Flynn said he also worked hard volunteering for different groups. Best known as the chairman of the Ennis Community Games last year, Rodger is a native of

Barrack Street Ennis and worked in two well known local businesses – Bredin’s and Shannahan’s. He was seconded by Earl Mulqueen, who explained that as Rodger had chil- dren in both primary and secondary school he was more than aware of the issue of class sizes and school ac- commodation in the town.

Accepting the nomination the new candidate said he was well aware of issues surrounding the elderly, edu- cation, water and the hospital.

Earl Mulqueen nominated his brother Tony as the fourth candidate. He told delegates that Tony lived in the town all his life and was aware of its difficulties.

Seconding the nomination Johnny Flynn described Tony as a man of “integrity and honour.” In accepting the nominee Tony outlined his ambi- tion for the town council.

‘“W hat we hope to achieve next year is to double the membership of the Fine Gael on Ennis Town Council.”

Fine Gael in Kilrush will be hop- ing to do the same as last night the party nominated outgoing councillor businesswoman Marian McMahon Jones and newcomer farmer Liam Williams.

All candidates will now have to be ratified by head office before going on the ballot paper on June next.

COME to sing or come to listen – the Kilnaboy X-PO is pioneering a new venture that will brighten up Monday evenings for local music lovers this winter.

The singers club is the first in a host of new projects started at the former post office since it was taken over by the local community last month.

Young and old have been making their way to the revamped post office each Monday for an evening of mu- sic, tea and catching up with friends and neighbours.

“We started off by saying it was a singers and players club but we soon found out that there was a lot of peo- ple who wanted to come and listen. So we have changed it into a singers, players and listeners club,” said Phil Gaston of the X-PO.

“We have a real wide range of age groups. We have some older people who have been involved in choirs down the years but we also have a few younger people and a young singer-songwriter from Ennistymon who is playing a lot of newer music.

“Everyone plays or sings what they like. It not about the quality of what

is sang but more so about the partici- pation.

“We have people who have come who say that they can’t sing but after an hour they have decided that they have no problem singing and have joined in with the rest.”

Along with the singers club, the X- PO 1s also hosting a range of commu- nity events including set dancing, an Irish conversation evening, mapping and history group, the local Macra, music teaching, a coffee morning and drawing classes.

The idea of the project is to protect the community interaction and fel-

lowship that existed in the building when it was a post office.

“We had a few of the old school songs there last week and all of the sudden there were all of these memo- ries about school days years ago and great banter back and forth,’ contin- ued Phil.

“Music is a great medium for trig- gering memories. If someone asks you about a song they almost always have a story to go with it. It’s a great way of getting chat going with a group.”

For more information on the X-PO e-mail xpo.kilnaboy@ gmail.com.

THE families of two mothers who died from breast cancer having be- ing misdiagnoised at Ennis General Hospital, have welcomed the terms of reference of HIQA investigation into the quality and safety of patient care at the hospital.

The health service watchdog was ordered to carry out the investiga- tion after Ann Moriarty (53) and Edel Kelly (26) died earlier this year having been incorrectly given the all clear from breast cancer.

Ms Moriaty’s husband Karl Henry said he initally had a few concerns relating to the terms of reference of the investiagtion but following a tel- ephone conversation with the Direc- tor of Health Services with HIQA he was Satisfied.

He wanted to know “what was go- ing on at Ennis A and E” and why vital blood tests from his late wife

remained in a file unread.

Mr Henry, however, is not satis- fied that a crucial missing x-ray at St James’s Hospital, Dublin, is not be-

ing investigated.

“T am sure that HIQA will under- take a thorough and robust investi- gation and we will be provided with

recommendations that will lead to a better quality of care and improved patient safety at Ennis hospital. I ex- pect that many of the lessons learnt will also be applicable to other hospi- tals across the country,” he said. “The terms of reference don’t make specific mention of my wife, Ann Moriarty. However, I know I will have the opportunity to input into the investigation and I expect that the final report will provide me with the answers to the many questions I have relating to her care, and how my complaints were dealt with within the HSE at local and corporate level. “The issues surrounding St James’ Hospital are excluded from this 1in- vestigation and, in my view, remain outstanding and unresolved. I am considering how best to pursue these very serious matters,” he added. Speaking through Kilrush solicitor Eugene O’Kelly, the late Edel Kel- ly’s family said they were generally

pleased with the review.

‘They are pleased that the terms of reference take into account the expe- rience Edel had. They are not con- cerned that it does not specifically refer to them,’ said Mr O’ Kelly.

Chief Executive of the Health In- formation and Quality Authority, Dr Tracey Cooper, said, “the investiga- tion team will review the arrange- ments for providing safe, quality clinical care which will include how the hospital focuses on the needs of patients, the management and leader- ship at the hospital. The investigation team will also review the systems and processes that support safety and quality and the communication be- tween staff and patients, particularly when patient safety incidents occur and when complaints are made.”

JOBS are under threat in Ennis with the announcement that the hotels in the Dunne Hotel group are to go into liquidation.

The Woodstock Hotel, which cur- rently has 39 people on the payroll, is one of three hotels for which a liqui- dator has been appointed.

It has also been announced that Cronan Nagle Construction, one of Clare’s best known buildiung com- panies is facing liquidation.

Sources at the hotel said that it is keeping its doors open, with business as usual and all existing bookings are being honoured.

Sources have also said that while

staff are very concerned about the situation, they are hoping that the public in Ennis will support the busi- ness going forward.

The businesses have been in ex- aminership since June and the High Court has now been told they have no prospect of survival.

The hotels facing going out of busi- ness are the Woodstock in Ennis, Patrick Punches in Limerick and the Clybaun in Galway.

Other hotels in the group, the Two Mule Inn in Limerick and the Ridge- pool in Ballina are to have a receiver appointed by the Bank Of Scotland, who are their main creditors.

The court was asked to take no ac- tion in relation to the sixth concern,

the Seno Hotel and Property Ltd as this would have a reasonable pros- pect of survival.

Price-Waterhouose Coopers have been appointed as provisional liqui- dators and Mr Justice Barry White made the matter returnable until October 13 next after counsel for the exmainer, Rossa Fanning asked that the hotel be allowed to continue in operation to honour any existing bookings.

The family-owned business, run by Brendan and Hilda Dunne ran into difficulties last year.

The hotels suffered a serious down- turn with the fall-off of American visitors. The firm has said that the weakening of the dollar, a strong

euro and the emergence of cheaper holiday destinations has seen the number of Americans coming to Ire- land drop dramatically.

Meanwhile, Cronan Nagle Con- struction, the Clare building contrac- tors who worked on the ESB power plant at Moneypoint as well as 400 sustainable houses in Clare is to go into liquidation.

The directors of the company, which was formed in 1999, have called a meeting of creditors for later this month, when it 1s expected the business will be wound up.

The company, which had also worked on projects in Nigeria, could not be reached yesterday for a com- ment.

through the Freedom Of Information Act show that one of the options considered by the Elec-

toral Boundary Committee was to increase the Scarriff area to a five Seater.

This would have been achieved by adding the areas of Clareabbey, Doo- ra, Quin, Clooney, Spancilhil and Kiltraghtis from the Ennis area and transferring Killuran and Carrow- baun to the Killaloe electoral area.

Under this arrangement, Ennis and Ennistymon would have lost a seat

each and Killaloe would have gained VORorcoe Meelilanelee

However, the Committee opted to abolish the Scarriff area as its terms of reference ‘no longer permit three seater electoral areas save in very ex- ceptional circumstances’. It has now been merged into the Killaloe area with the Shannon electoral area also gaining a Seat.

Ennis has been divided into two

separate areas and increased the number of seats by two with Kilrush and Ennistymon losing out.

The committee decided that split- ting the town offered the best solu- tion as it “respects the reality that Ennis continues to be a strong focal point for its hinterland to the east and west”.

One of two Fianna Fail councillors in the Scariff area, Cllr Pat Hayes

said he didn’t wish to focus on the ‘what if?’ scenario and preferred to concentrate on the reality of Scarriff now being included in the Killaloe electoral area.

Confirming that he will be putting his name forward for the local elec- tions, he said it was important there was a high turnout in rural areas in order for local councillors to be re- NDA oLe

LAHINCH woman Tessa O’Connor has returned from Belarus with a message of thanks for all the people of north Clare who have contributed to the work of the Burren Chernobyl Project.

Earlier this year she organised a charity sandcastle building compe- tition, with all the money raised go- ing towards works on the Cherven and ‘Tarasiki projects. Tessa has just spent four week in Belarus, working with the people there effected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

“Thanks to everyone who helped with the sandcastle building compe- tition – it wouldn’t be possible to help

the people out there if it wasn’t for people generosity,’ said Tessa.

“We went to the children’s orphan- age in Cherven for awhile and then on to Tirasiki, which is an adult in- stitution. It’s a miserable looking place, all blue and white, and with a very cold, institutionalized feel- ing. We really to give each person a different colour bedroom, and make them feel that they had somewhere of their own. The different colours are great for them, even that simple change helps to bring them out of themselves.”

Tessa has been involved in the Bur- ren Chernobyl Project for a number of years. Indeed, her latest trip was her fourth journey to Belarus.

‘My mum has been involved with the Burren group for a while and I think it was back in 1993 when we started getting children with us dur- ing the summer. We had a child called Sergi over with us from the Cherven orphanage and when they were no longer allowed to come over here, myself and a friend of mine decided to go over and visit them 1n- Stead,” she said.

“There is great satisfaction from being over there. They give you love so willingly. These people out there are in a really bad situation and even if you do something really small for them, the reaction is incredible. It’s gives you a real sense of perspective about your own life.”

For more information or to make

a donation check out Wwww.bur- renchernobyl.ie or contact the of- fice on 065 7071130 or e-mail office @burrenchernobyl.ie