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AN EIGHT month campaign to pro- vide better services for the homeless in Ennis received a major boost last week with the announcement that a CNKeyombOMectscomnysU0mKO)e\o0 TOMO sComcOdyvar| in September.

The Sara Finn centre will operate from premises on Chapel Lane and will be run by the HELP organisa- tion, a local group who provide as- sistance and support to the homeless community in Ennis and others faced with difficult social problems.

The centre is named after the late Sara Finn who died in June. It will be

Open seven days a week from 10am to 12 midday and from 8pm-10pm.

“The centre will cater for anyone with social problems and who feel they need to come in and talk about it,’ said HELP committee member, Josephine O’Brien.

“They can stay as long as they like and we will try and provide them with as much support as possible. It’s a place where people can just come and relax and be themselves, play PlayStation or whatever. We will also be looking to organize other ac- OAs La loee

Itis hoped that the centre will be and running by September 15. O’Brien,

one of the founders of HELP, said the opening of the centre would be a “very special moment” for everyone involved with the organisation.

“We have been working hard for this and its great to finally get it up and running. Its special for me and its very special for everyone who has worked hard for it”.

HELP are also appealing for vo- lounteers to come and work at the centre.

“We are really looking for people to help out and volunteer. The place we have in Chapel Lane needs a bit of painting. There is a bit of work to be done so we’re going to start into

that as soon as possible”.

The announcement comes after a dinner dance organized by HELP and held last week in the Ennis, raised €3000 for the Sara Finn Drop Oo tlbKee

O’Brien thanked all those who at- tended and donated money on the night.

“We had a great night” she said, “We raised a good bit of money and that will come in use for getting the centre up and running. It was bril- liant that we got so many people down there. Sara’s mother Karol was there. It was a great night and a really great turn-out”.

SUSU See r-Wcclmmcchlbul hmm OKOecmmselomm belie Lufthansa group of companies show they have recovered from an indus- trial dispute at Shannon Aerospace to record a 57 per cent increase in pre-tax profits last year.

Profits for the Irish operation rose from $11 million in 2006 to $24 million last year while turnover in- creased by 38 per cent from $242 million to $335 million.

According to a statement accom-

panying the accounts, the airline in- dustry experienced a buoyant year in 2007, which saw the profits in most of the group’s segments increase.

“Industrial relation problems, which marred the results of Shannon Aerospace Ltd in 2006 were resolved in the second quarter of 2007 and the company operated profitably for the remainder of the year.

‘The group continued to experience strong competitive cost conditions in 2007, but there were significant con- tracts won in both the aircraft and

engine related business segments in 2007.

“The aircraft industry tends to be cyclical in nature and the board con- siders this to be the principal risk to the group’s operations and its cus- tomer base. The directors consider that quality of service to customers, turnaround times, cost control and production volume as key perform- AW Nom OSE RUD Rohe

No dividend was proposed or paid by the directors during 2007.

The statement added, “The empha-

sis of the group is to keep the compa- ny focused of the changing require- ments of an increasingly competitive market and of its customers.”

Previous accounts show that the in- dustrial dispute at Shannon cost the group $9 million.

Cost of sales increased from $201 million in 2006 to $272 million in 2007 and operating profit increased from $10 million to $28 million.

The company is in a healthy state with accumulated profits going up from $85 million to $116 million.

Fixed assets account for $383 mil- lion, while shareholders’ equity 1s valued at $249 million.

Underlining the importance of the company’s operations to the local economy, the accounts show that it employs 1,245 people — down slight- ly on the 1,258 it employed in 2006.

921 are employed in production, 308 in administration and 16 in Phe

The group’s payroll costs for 2007 were $88 million — up $10 million on the costs in 2006.

THE Government it would seem got value for money when decentralis- ing its offices to Kilrush, compared to moving civil servants to other towns.

Sixty staff took up jobs in the town’s Revenue office in Kilrush during Summer 2007.

These workers filled 50 full-time positions through job sharing and other family friendly employment NSU RUN Kone

The government secured a long- term lease for offices in the west Clare capital for €85,000 a year, while the estimated fit out, excluding VAT and fees, was €411,000.

These figures compare favourably to similar sized towns that also ben- efited from the decentralisation of government offices.

The fit out of an office in Listow- el, Co Kerry, cost €1.3m. The an- nual rent for the long-term lease is €183,000.

In Loughrea, Co Galway, the gov-

ernment is paying €139,235, a year in rent for offices which cost another €572,000 to fit out, excluding VAT and Fees.

In Navan, Co Meath, the taxpay- er is funding an office at a rent of €382,492 a year while the fit out cost more than €1.4 million.

In Athy, Co Kidare, the Govern- ment took out a temporary lease on offices costing €©231,554 a year in rent, while fitting out the offices cost €493,000.

It was only in the neighbouring

county of Limerick that the Govern- ment seemed to be paying less rent. The rent for offices in Newcastle West is €68,771 per year.

According to Fine Gael TD Pat Breen the Kilrush office seemed to be value for money.

‘When you consider what has to be paid out for green field sites and the cost of rents in other towns, it Seems a good option.”

“It is a work friendly, open space office,” he said of the offices on the Cappa Road.

THE anniversary of the air disaster in which the 99 passengers died on KLM flight 607-E off the coast of Galway was remembered last week.

It has been 50 years since the Dutch airliner crashed into the sea killing everyone on board.

On August 14, 1958 the airliner ‘Hugo de Groot’ came down approx- imately 200 km west of Slyne Head.

The air disaster was on the second leg of its trip from Amsterdam to America when disaster struck.

At the time it was the worst plane crash ever to happen in Galway and the fourth worst accident ever in the Atlantic Ocean.

There were no survivors of the transatlantic flight which included six members of the Egyptian fenc- ing team. The plane crashed without even a radio distress call. The flight was last heard 35 minutes after tak- ing off from Shannon. Then silence.

Ten hours later a British pilot saw spots on his radar. A British Royal Air force plane flew over and noticed wreckage. A French trawler and 12 other ships from five nations attempt- ed a rescue which lasted through the night. “It was an errie scene lit by our flares” said Flight It. Keith McDon- ald, who first spotted the wreckage.

Only 34 bodies were recovered and the scenes by the dockside and dur-

ing the biggest funeral procession the city had ever seen were recalled at a memorial service in Bohermore OAM (os) e

Addressing the gathering, Bernard Surrem of KLM quoted from the of- ficial report of the Irish manager of the airline at the time of the disaster.

On August 20, the report records him saying “I must make mention of the wonderful co-operation and as- sistance so freely given by the people of Galway in this whole tragic affair. Their generous effort has made the work of the accident crew so very much easier’, he said.

There was no evidence of any ditching procedure before the deaths of the 45 men, 38 women, 8 children, including a 14-month old baby girl and 8 crew members. Only one of the bodies, that of a young boy, was wearing a lifebellt.

By the time the Galway registered MV Naomh Eanna was notified and reached the wreckage, there were no survivors. John Reck, was a deck steward onboard the Naomh Eanna and remembers a small boat sailing beside them which “attempted to pass nine bodies over to the ship, but currents proved too strong and the bodies had to be abandoned.” Search and rescue efforts were extended to search a cluster of uninhabited is- lands about 50 miles from the crash scene.

Because it was not known how deeply the plane sank, no salvage effort was made. Autopsies were performed on the recovered vic- tims. Only a handful were formally identified and these were buried in a communal grave and some were sub- sequently re-interred in their native countries. Others still lie in Boher- more cemetery, including baby Ber- nadette de Kock Van Leeuwen.

Lack on any physical evidence has meant that no definite cause the crash has ever been found. Theories include the possibility of an explo- sion, electrical failure or pilot error. The most likely explanation given was “over-speeding” of one of the propellers, which may have been caused by oil pollution after a gear became defective.

Aviation experts speculated a propeller might have sheared off, plowed into the cabin and ignited the fuel tanks which had been filled to capacity at Shannon a short time before the crash. This would tie in with speculation that passengers died before plunging into the Atlan- tic. Indications suggest the accident was sudden. KLM station manager Lawrence Melling said “four engines and four radios do not cut out imme- diately.”

KLM subsequently made modifica- tions to reduce further possible dis- asters.

THE land at the centre of a bitter east Clare family dispute remains unsold more than a year after a court case over ownership of the property which is valued at €1.4 million.

However, Limerick auctioneer, John de Courcy who is handling the sale of the 66 acres near Tulla, said he had turned down a number of of- fers and is talking to a number of interested parties. Last year the land was put up for sale at public auction and Mr de Courcy said the failure to sell was due to “the current climate”.

The lands at Larraroe and Rannagh are being sold in five lots and include two ruins and an old house.

The sale was allowed proceed after Judge Harvey Kenny ordered Marie

O’ Halloran to vacate the land after a case taken by her sister-in law, Jose- phine Barry (72).

Mrs O’Halloran told Ennis Circuit Court that her late husband, Stanley O’ Halloran reached a deal in the late 1970s with the owner of the farm, his late brother, Michael, to buy the land for £65,000. She said Stanley paid different sums of cash over the years to Michael, who was a bachelor farmer.

However, it was admitted that there was no record of the agreement and Mrs O’Halloran had no record of cheques paid to Michael due to the time that had elapsed.

Josephine Barry dismissed the monies paid by Stanley O’ Halloran to Michael as ‘pocket money’ and said she had no knowledge of the alleged

deal to sell the farm to Stanley.

Mrs Barry’s sister, Ida Rohan told the court: “If there was a deal, it wouldn’t hold water.”

Counsel for Mrs Barry said Michael O’Halloran died aged 64 in May 2004 without a will and his farm was divided between his two sisters, Mrs Barry and Ida Rohan and Stanley O’ Halloran. Stanley died four months later aged 68 and his share passed to his wife, Marie O’Halloran.

Judge Kenny granted possession of the lands to Mrs Barry, an injunc- tion against Mrs O’Halloran from re-entering the lands, damages of €30,000 with a permanent stay if there was compliance with the order and costs to Mrs Barry.

After the Judge’s decision in Au- gust, a sign was erected on a pole at

the land stating “The O’Hallorans have been evicted from these lands despite several attempts to settle. The O’Halloran family now intends to purchase the lands at auction.”

Solicitors for Marie O’Halloran subsequently wrote to Mrs Barry’s solicitors stating that the signs had been removed and that she would not carry out any acts to frustrate the sale of the land.

Another incident occurred on Sep- tember 24 involving Mrs O’Halloran’s son, Daniel; Mrs Barry’s husband, Michael and her sister, Ida Rohan.

The matter was raised at Ennis Cir- cuit Court last October when Daniel and Conor O’ Halloran undertook not to obstruct the sale of the land and a court order was granted to this ef- ee

WHILE August 15 has certain sig- nificant for Irish Catholics as it is the holy day the Assumption, for the people of west Clare it has long been associated with nine days devotion to the mother of Jesus.

This devotion centres around a holy well situated in Tubridy’s field between Cree and Cooraclare village in the townland of Dromelihy.

From 6am on this day people from Loop Head to Lisseycasey and Kildysart to Miltown Malbay can be seen walking barefoot and with shoes, in groups and alone, sitting and standing all praying intensely.

When the well first became a cen- tre of prayer remains a mystery, as are some of the stories associated

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One of the best-known pieces of folklore or fact – depending on your belief – is the overnight recovery of a man on crutches.

‘There was a tradition where peo- ple used to go to the well the night before the 15th and stay the night. They would sleep there,” said Mar- tin Queally – a man who remembers the well always playing a part in the lives of the locals.

On one of those fateful nights, the story goes that an unknown man lay down to sleep with his crutches by his side.

That morning he woke up and walked away from the well leaving lord OUD ANG MU SlomOnut Kel lene

For years later the wooden crutches were left at the well as a reminder.

Martin is regarded by many as somewhat of an authority on the lo- cal monument.

“It has always been there. I am 70 plus and when I was young the old people all remembered it as being Wolken

‘There is no recorded date for when people first started going there,” he ALOR

“Some improvements were made in the 1840s by a man named John Quinn from Caherfeenick. There is a stone in the wall behind Our Lady asking for prayers for him. It is not recorded exactly what was done,’ said Martin.

During the Marian Year, 1954, more improvement works were car- ried out and in the past 20 years the well committee have continued to

build on that work.

The hard working committee have added a shelter for Mass, toilet fa- cilities and a prayer room where the sacrament is exposed during the nine day of services.

For the first time Mass was held at 3pm on the opening day last Friday.

Mass will take place at the well to- night, Thursday and Friday at 8pm, with the closing Mass at 10 am on Saturday.

A special Mass will be held on to- morrow (Wednesday) at 3pm.

Many people will also do the “rounds”, which will see them pray five decades of the rosary while walking the outer ring of the well, five again for the inner ring and five around the wall of the well finishing Uh OMNI Ty (6 Con

A GREAT Gael passed to his eternal reward in Ennis over the weekend. His name was Paddy O’Hara, whose remains were removed from St Joseph’s Church in Ennis for burial in Belfast. O’Hara played both hurl- ing and football for Antrim in the 1940s and ‘50s, while he moved to live in Ennis a number of years ago.

Among those who attended the removal of his remains were Down football legend Sean O’ Neill and Jim Corr, the former Antrim goalkeeper. O’Hara was a member of the An- trim team that won the 1946 Ulster Football championship, while off the field he gave distinguished service across the province, managing Six of the nine Ulster counties, as well as steering Queen’s University to

their first ever Sigerson Cup success in 1958. He was still team trainer- manager when Queen’s regained the Cup in 1964. He withdrew from his post with Queen’s in 1970 because of business commitments and became well known as a commentator on Gaelic Games on both the BBC and RTE.

O’Hara also won a GAA McNamee Hall of Fame Award in 1990 and was a member of the GAA AII Stars se- lector panel for a number of years. A minute’s silence was observed for O’Hara before Saturday’s All-Ire- land football quarter-final between Tyrone and Dublin in Croke Park.

ENNIS TOWN Council has been accused of showing no goodwill to- wards the traders in the Ennis Farm- ers’ Market.

Spokesman Jason Horner said the traders are very frustrated with the lack of response from the council to- help promote the market which takes place each Friday at the town’s his- toric market area.

Mr Horner said that the council recently ended the monthly market at Glor as it didn’t comply with the council’s casual trading bye-laws.

A grower and seller of organic pro- duce, Mr Horner said the council “don’t seem to want to do anything Koma ee

He said business was thriving for the market traders.

“Things are really going well and the market helps bring people into the town centre. We have a good reg- ular clientele and what we are doing should be encouraged.”

Mr Horner said it is getting to the stage where the attitude of the coun- cil towards the farmers market 1s stymieing the development of the market.

“We are not looking for a lot, but

we don’t seem to be successful in what we are asking for.”

He said that the traders sought an electricity connection from the coun- cil, but were unsuccessful, while a request for a water connection was met with what Mr Horner described as “an unhygienic connection which was only knee high”.

The longest running problem 1s the issue of cars parking in the area des- ignated as the Farmers’ Market the night before and this makes it very difficult for stall holders to erect their stalls on market morning.

“We have been in touch with the council on this but they have done nothing for us.”

Mr Horner said some of traders who operate at Ennis also operate at Kilrush where there is a market every Thursday.

“The contrast is really obvious where Kilrush Town Council re- sponds in a positive way to requests made by the traders there,” he said.

THE body of a man has been recov- ered from the River Fergus in Ennis.

Although not formally identified last night (Monday), it is believed the remains are those of a 3l-year-old Polish father of one missing since he went for a swim in the swollen river last Wednesday night.

The body was spotted floating in the river shortly before 4 o’clock yesterday (Monday) by a passerby at Abbey Street car park.

Przemyslaw Jablonski, who worked as a cook in Ennis, had been attend- ing a house party with a group of friends at Springfield Orchard in the town when he left the apartment with a number of friends.

He reportedly entered the River Fergus at the rear of the complex and was attempting to swim across to the other side when he was washed downstream in the strong current.

After the body was spotted in the river yesterday and the sighting was reported to gardai, officers went to the scene and observed it as it was taken downriver with the current. After travelling a further 500 metres, Gardai and Clare Civil Defence per- sonnel were able to safely secure the body before taking it ashore.

After being pronounced dead at the scene, the man’s body was first removed to Ennis General Hospital where formal identification was due to take place last night.

The body was then expected to be

transported to the Mid Western Re- gional Hospital in Limerick where a post mortem examination 1s expected to be carried today (Tuesday).

As soon as Mr Jablonski was re- ported missing last Wednesday, a massive search and rescue opera- tion was launched. Ennis fire serv- ice, Clare Civil Defence, gardai, the Doolin unit of the Irish Coastguard and the Shannon based Coastguard helicopter searched the river and bank until darkness fell before call- ing off the operation for the night.

The search continued since then and also involved Limerick Search and Rescue, Burren Sub Aqua unit and the Garda Water Unit. Poor weather conditions, treacherous river currents and almost zero underwa-

ter visibility seriously hampered the search at times.

Tragically, Mr Jablonski entered only yards from a sign which read: “No Entry – Deep Water – Do Not Swim” in a fatal act of bravado for his pals. Mr Jablonski is a separated father of one who worked as a cook at The Grove Bar and Restaurant in Roslevan in Ennis. His former partner and child are in Poland and while Mr Jablonski had no family in Ireland, gardai have kept them in- formed of developments through an interpreter.

WEST Clare has been the focus of currach enthusiasts this year. Dur- ing the summer visitors and locals have enjoyed numerous currach re- gatta races this year and played host to the All-Ireland championships in SNe Te

On August 24, local interest will be firmly fixed on the next regatta in the west and the showdown between top teams Kilrush and Coonagh, when the Clare Decider takes place during the Leon Currach Regatta.

The Clare Decider will be a hard

fought series of races and both cur- rach crews can expect to face stiff competition from the many teams lined up to compete on the day.

Currach rowing has enjoyed a huge revival in the last number of years thanks to the dedication and com- mitment of a growing number of vol- Pion

The Quilty based Leon Currach Rowing Club, which was formed in 2007, will host the Leon Currach Regatta and will field at least three crews to represent the club.

Having participated in several re- gattas this year in Clare and beyond,

the Leon club crews are all set for the Quilty Confined race to be a very oy en elo NLS AV om BOERNE

In addition to the Clare Decider and the Quilty Confined, currach races will include the heats and finals of the Men’s Open, Women’s Open and Mixed Open events.

The shore-based regatta staged off Seafield, Quilty, proved a huge at- traction to spectators last year. The Stretch of sandhills at Seafield, as well as the elevated road overlooking the sea all the way to Quilty village, provides excellent vantage points with which to view the races.

On August 24, the currach racing commences off Seafield, Quilty at lpm sharp with the heats of the Clare Decider.

If tidal and weather conditions are favourable, then organisers have pre- dicted a “fine days currach racing”.

Anyone wishing to find out more about the Leon Currach Regatta should call Mick Egan on 087 PAIR SOP

The Leon Currach Regatta is the first of two associated events in Quilty this autumn.

The festival will take place in Quilty from September 26 to 28.