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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.

A MOROCCAN chef, who is in Ireland sending money home to his wife and five children, pleaded guilty before a court yesterday to throwing a glass at a barman and to criminal damage to a pub window.

The court heard that Jama Moukrim (45) with no address on record threw a glass containing beer at a barman in The Diamond Bar after the bar- man refused him any more drink on the grounds that he had had enough. The offence was committed on Feb- ruary 4, 2007, the court heard and the glass didn’t hit the barman.

On April 3, after being refused entry to Bar 26 on Abbey Street, he broke a window, causing ©50 worth of damage, Ennis District Court heard.

On September 14, he ordered and ate a meal at the Prince Dragon and

had no money to pay for it, Judge Leo Malone was told.

On September 6, a Garda witness said, Moukrim had to be taken into custody for his own safety. “He was very drunk and had to be rescued. He was asleep on the ground in Abbey Street,” the garda said.

Tara Godfrey, his solicitor said that the Morrocan national had been working as a chef but had been in custody since July 18.

After asking if he could pay com- pensation for the meal and the win- dow, Judge Leo Malone was told that he could.

“If he ever comes before this court again on any such charges, I will im- pose a prison sentence,” the judge Sr HKOR

THE Citizens Information Service ion Ennis is advising those who are working and have returned to educa- tion that they may be able to claim relief for eligible courses.

Tax relief for third-level tuition fees is available for approved under- graduate and postgraduate courses (full-time and part-time) that are in private or publicly funded third-level colleges in Ireland, in publicly fund- ed or duly accredited third-level col- leges in any other EU country.

Tax relief is at the standard rate of income tax (20 per cent). The max1- mum relief allowable for the aca- demic year 2007/2008 is €5,000

According to Paul Woulfe, manger

with the county wide information service many people who are not re- celving grants and paying for courses are not aware of this.

“When tax relief on third level edu- cation was introduced in 1996/97 it was quite restricted. However since then the relief has been expanded as the Celtic Tiger exposed this coun- try’s paucity of certain skills. So if you or a dependent are on a course costing €5,000 (excluding registra- tion and capitation fees) you can claim back €1,000 backs from the taxman.

The relief can be claimed either on the individual’s tax return at the end of the tax year or during the tax year when the fees have been paid.

Most undergraduate students in

publicly funded third-level courses in Ireland do not have to pay fees. For students who do pay fees, under- graduate courses must be of at least two years duration to qualify for tax relief. Tax relief is also available for approved training courses in the ar- eas of information technology and foreign languages.

The tuition fees must be paid by you on your own behalf or on be- half of your spouse, your child or someone for whom you are the legal eabe-Nueue-Nee

Application forms (IT 31) are avail- able from the Revenue Commission- ers’ website at www.revenue.ie, by telephoning LoCall 1890 306 706 or from the citizens information centres throughout the county.

THOSE who thought that Kilkee was the preferred place of Limerick people to just “hang out” and relax were forced to think again on Satur- day last as a group from the Limer- ick Masters Swimming Club hosted a 12-hour swimathon around Kilkee er MA

The 250-mile swimathon began at Qam and finished at 9pm, as water wrinkled bodies emerged from the salty water.

The day-long event was organised to raise funds and awareness for the charity Muscular Dystrophy Ireland.

The swimathon was also organised as a training session for eight brave swimmers from the Limerick Mas- ters Swimming Club, including one from Clare, who are preparing to cross the English Channel in mid- September, weather permitting. This is also to raise funds for the MDI OitTeIA

These channel swimmers were in the water of Kilkee Bay for a total of

four hours during the west Clare part of the fundraiser.

MDI Lily O’Brien’s_ chocolates were also sold on the day.

Philip Mudge, a member of the Channel Swim Team, said all the swimmers have been training ex- tremely hard over the past year and are “100 per cent dedicated to raising as much money as possible to fund Muscular Dystrophy Ireland’s Medi- cal Research Fund.”

The two relay teams of four people will be swimming across one of the

busiest shipping lanes in the world and facing seasickness, jelly fish and severe cold waters.

Joe T Mooney, CEO of Muscular Dystrophy Ireland, added, “we would like to sincerely thank the Limer- ick Masters Swimming Club Relay Team for organising the swimathon and their remarkable commitment to high endurance training really de- serves a huge amount of admiration as they raise awareness and money for medical research into the cond1- tion Duchenne MD”.

A LOCALLY-BASED environmen- tal group has instituted High Court proceedings against plans by Whelan Limestone Quarries Ltd to expand their flagship operation at Fountain outside Ennis.

This follows the Cairn Environ- mental Protection Group Ltd insti- tuting judicial review proceedings against An Bord Pleanala over deci- sions 1t made to give the go-ahead for three separate developments at the large-scale quarry.

In the proceedings, the Environ- mental Group of Bushy Park, Ennis, is seeking that decisions granting permission relating to the continu- ation of quarry operations; the up- grading of the road entrance and the extension of the landholding for the purposes of relocation and upgrading of the polishing area for the quarry, be overturned.

Already, An Bord Pleanala has dismissed one appeal by Cairn En- vironmental Protection Group Ltd and granted permission for two other AAA aed E-ReMeCoaKo) eo) eeToOL AE

It is not expected that the proceed- ings being instituted will have any material effect on the Whelan opera- tions prior to a court decision being made.

In an affidavit lodged to court, local resident and director of the company, Michael Halpin states that “since the date of its incorporation, the compa- ny and its members have been partic- ularly concerned with the activities of Whelan Limestone Quarries Ltd and the planning status of that com- pany’s quarry and source of stone”.

Mr Halpin states, ““We have made

numerous complaints to Clare County Council about the lack of planning permission for large tracts of Whelan’s quarry and partaken in a number of applications made by Whelans at both council and An Bord Pleanala level.

‘Moreover, we made a complaint to the Commission of the European Community about the manner in which the planning status of Whe- lan’s was being dealt with and the European Court of Justice delivered a judgement in our favour on July 3 last which dealt with the complaint.”

The environmental group are seek- ing to have the decisions quashed based upon an alleged procedural er- ror by Clare County Council in deal- ing with one of the applications.

Mr Halpin contends that An Bord Pleanala is precluded from consider- ing the appeals before it as the plan- ning application by Whelan’s must as a matter of law be declared and deemed to be withdrawn. Mr Halpin is also seeking that “pre-emptive cost orders” be put in place to ensure the company is able to bring proceedings at a cost which is not prohibitive.