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THE newly established Miultown Malbay Farmers’ Market is looking for a new venue.

The market, which began in June, is having trouble sustaining operations in it’s current location and 1s appeal- ing for any local group of business

people who may have a suitable loca- tion to get in contact.

“We are operating in the Miltown Business Centre at the moment and we are having a lot of problems with itin terms of accessibility,’ said mar- ket secretary Kate Harrin.

“The market is going well and we are really appealing to anyone who

might have a suitable venue to let us know.

“If there was any suitable outdoor space, possibly with access to elec- tricity, it would be ideal.”

The market takes place on Friday evenings and has created a lot of lo- cal interest despite the difficulty in finding a suitable location.

THE trial heard details of treatment received by three patients, at the East Clinic in Killaloe. While six patients were listed on the 25 charges, there was insufficient evidence to pro- ceed with three of those, Josephine Durkan, Mary O’Connor and Karen Kurvink.

Relatives of John Sheridan, John James Gallagher and Conor O’Sullivan gave evidence during the lengthy trial. Six of the 17 charges that went to the jury related to John Sheridan, four related to John James Gallagher and seven related to Conor O’Sullivan.

Mr Sheridan, from Kells, County Kilkenny, died from cancer in No- vember 2002. He had several tu- mours on his liver and had colon can- cer. His wife Margaret told the trial that Dr Carmody told him he was “a strong man. He said he could benefit from the treatment and he would be able to help him.”

She said her husband was delighted and it gave him hope.

Mr Sheridan’s brother-in-law Mar- tin Smith said that at a meeting with Mr Carmody and his colleague Dr William Porter, at the East Clinic, on October 16, 2001, Mr Carmody briefly touched him on the elbow and said, “We’ll cure John’s cancer.”

He said that Dr Carmody and Dr Porter were “speaking off the same hymn sheet on the PDT treatment.

They believed in the treatment. They said they would cure him (John) and despite all my scepticism, they were doctors. You invest trust in doctors and I believed them too.

“John was facing death and this was his last hope and he believed that the treatment would cure him,’ said Mr Smith.

John James Gallagher’s widow Bernadette told the court she felt cheated by the doctors at the Kil- laloe clinic where her husband had received PDT.

Mr Gallagher had cancer of the liv- er and died in September 2002. He underwent PDT at the clinic in Feb

ruary of that year. Bernadette Gal- lagher said that Mr Carmody told her and her husband he was opposed to chemotherapy as it was “barbaric.”

Instead, he recommended PDT, which, he said, was suitable for all types of cancer and would destroy her husband’s cancer. They paid €14,000 for the treatment.

She said Mr Carmody told her hus- band the treatment was ‘just like magic’ and they thought it was too good to be true. Mrs Gallagher said that Paschal Carmody told her hus- band it was his mission in life to find a cure for cancer.

She said that their son Tecwen, now 23, asked Dr Carmody would he keep his dad’s cancer at bay. She said he replied, “We’re not alone going to be able to hold it at bay, we’re going to destroy it. Aren’t we Bill? (to Dr

Porter)’

Conor O’Sullivan died from cancer on November 13, 2002, just weeks before he turned 16.

His mother Christina told the trial that Paschal Carmody promised

that he would cure his cancer or “at worst” keep him alive.

In 2001, ewings sarcoma was iden- tified and Conor underwent chemo- therapy. At that stage he was given a 50-50 chance. He was later given

just six months to live, after a scan in May 2002 showed that his tumor had returned.

The O’Sullivans visited the East Clinic and she said that Paschal Car- mody said PDT would work a treat on Conor’s type of cancer.

‘He said the doctors up in Dublin don’t know the good work we do down here,’ she said.

She said Dr Carmody told them that Dr William Porter would do the treatment.

“He came around from the side of his desk and went around to Conor and put his arm on his shoulder and said, Conor I’ll cure your cancer and at worst if I don’t cure your cancer, Pll at least keep you alive,” she said.

“We felt as if the weight of the world was lifted off our shoulders. We were on cloud nine,’ she said. Conor underwent the treatment on July 29 of that year, but died in No- vember.

However, in court, Mr Carmody de- nied the allegations and insisted that he never promised any of his patients he would cure them of cancer.

‘“T never use the word ‘cure’ in any care, with any patient,’ he told the ete

His barrister Pat Marrinan SC, told the jury in his closing speech, “Pas- chal Carmody didn’t kill these pa- tients, cancer did.”

BRITISH anglers, who were once one of the mainstays of the year- round tourism business in Clare, have become a disappearing species.

In years past, happy fishermen and women from the UK and further afield could be seen on the shores of Clare’s many lakes and rivers sport- ing tight lines in every season.

TJ O’Brien of TJ’s Angling in Balli- na/Killaloe says this 1s the worst of his 15 years in business.

“Visiting anglers have all but disap- peared. It was common in years past that a group of anglers would come from a week or a couple of weeks as mates on a fishing holiday and come back again later in the year for a fam- ily holiday. Now, if they come at all, we re seeing them come for a couple of days fishing and they go elsewhere

for the family holiday”.

With his business heavily reliant on visiting anglers, TJ has been anxious to find out what has prompted the Keren labuee

“We’ve asked those who have re- turned and a lot of them say access has become a problem. The loss of the Heathrow slot has certainly ex- acerbated things. They also say that things here have become very expen- sive and that is a factor, along with exchange rate changes.”

Rita Boner has been running a bed and breakfast business in Killaloe for the past 30 years and she is also seeing her quietest summer.

“There is no angling business any more. In the last four or five years, we’ve seen fewer and fewer anglers, and this year I can count the numbers on the fingers of one hand. I have one gentleman who comes every few

weeks and stays for a couple of days, but my doors would have closed a long time ago if I was relying on the angling business.”

She believes a combination of factors are keeping anglers away. ‘“There’s currency rates, and air fares are so cheap that people are just go- ing to the sun,” she said.

Aside from those UK anglers who used to come to Clare via Heathrow, Rita does not think she has lost fur- ther business because of the cessa- tion of the route.

“T wouldn’t normally have gotten a lot of business through Heathrow, but things are desperately quiet general- ly. We should be full – it’s the second week of July but we’re not.”

TO coincide with the celebration of the ancient festival of Lughnasadh, the Mountshannon-based Mogh Roith Historical Re-enactment Soci- ety are taking visitors to Craggauno- wen several steps back in time.

The ancient Festival of Lughnasadh honoured the Celtic God Lugh and celebrates the arrival of the harvest season.

On August 3 and 4 there will be displays demonstrating various apsects of Ireland’s history and herit- age from different time periods, with

showcase events such as a Brehon Law Trial and a hand-to-hand com- bat demonstration.

There will be a Bronze Age dem- onstration at the fulacht fia featuring re-enactors in Bronze Age costume, demonstrating and discussing as- pects of Bronze Age technology and lifestyle.

The Iron Age display will be at the Crannog, and will cover the La Tene period of Irish archaeology, when Celtic art, religion and language first entered the country.

As well as a range of weapons and tools, there will be costumed re-en-

actors demonstrating period musical instruments, stone-carving, cooking, weaving and dyeing.

Described as Ireland’s Golden Age, the Early Christian period display will demonstrate a range of aspects of life from 8th century Ireland, in- cluding ancient hurling and board- games, textile production, bread making, weapons and manuscript illustration

The medieval display at the castle will showcase Ireland’s medieval pe- riod, and feature demonstrations of tapestry, spinning and embroidery, and will offer the braver visitors a

chance to explore the weapons and armour of the Anglo-Norman and native Gaelic warriors and soldiers who once inhabited Craggaunowen or TS Aer

The time-travel goes on each day from llam to 5pm.

PRESSURE continues to mount on Ennis Town Council to solve parking difficulties caused by ongoing con- struction work in the Parnell Street car park.

Traders and taxi drivers operating in the area say that the reduction in car-parking space brought about as a result of the works is contributing to a gradual but noticeable decline in business activity.

Figures put forward be representa- tives of the Parnell Street Trader’s association at the July meeting of Ennis Town Council suggested that as many as 13 businesses have closed in recent months.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) commenced work on the upper section of the Ennis Flood Relief Scheme two months ago.

The main works include the con- struction of new river walls and three dedicated surface water pumping stations at Island car park, Parnell Street car park and Mill Road

Brendan Rochford owner of Roch- ford’s pharmacy located on Parnell Street, said the loss of 26 parking spaces is having a major impact on the area.

He said, “The work that is being done is needed and 1s definitely wel- come but there is no doubt that it has created definate obstacles for busi- eas

“If the Council were able to provide alternative areas for parking within the town for staff then that would free up quite a lot of space for cus- events) ace

John Dillane, owner of Banner Motor Factors said, ““We are not the town planners. The responsibility

for solving ongoing problems with parking in Ennis should not lie solely 21 eb eae

He added, “I know they are talk- ing about freeing up the top level of car park in Dunnes, but how is that meant to help customers who are shopping in Parnell Street?”

Taxi driver Martin White said that further meetings are being sought with the council.

Council officials recently ruled out the prospect of temporarily relocat- ing the taxi rank in Parnell street to another site in Ennis.

The council has however agreed to open 30 parking spaces in Waterpark house on Saturdays.

Meanwhile, planning restrictions mean it is unlikely that the former site of Western Garages on the Mill road would be made available for parking.

PASCHAL Carmody told the trial he successfully treated his dying broth- er at his east Clare clinic.

He said that he elongated his broth- er Peter’s life, with his cancer return- ing only after he discontinued the treatment.

Carmody, of Ballycuggaran, Kil- laloe, was accused of 25 separate charges of obtaining ©80,172 from six terminally ill cancer patients and their families by deception between September 2001 and October 2002.

Judge Rory McCabe told the jury on Wednesday that he would be di- recting them to find the accused not guilty on all charges relating to three patients and one charge relating to John Sheridan, due to insufficient evidence.

Mr Carmody told the court that he first became involved in compli- mentary medicine when he saw the benefits of bone setting to one of his patients.

He then went to England to study muscle and joint pain. In the 1980s he went to Germany and “was shocked” by the approach to medicine where the whole body was treated rather Wet 0 MN LORSI MW OComr-BUCorel (10 Mr: B uct

At this time he also worked on the principal of immunise enhancement therapy. He said the first cancer pa- tient he treated was a friend of his brother-in-law who was given one month to live.

“After much argument I agreed I would endeavour to get him one month extra. I put together what I could from the limited information | had at the time,” he said.

He put together a programme of

bio-oxidated treatments, photother- apy, hypertherapy and intravenous immunotherapy.

‘He survived two years. He went from six stone weight up to his own weight of 13.5 stone,” he said.

Mr Carmody said he had reserva- tions about treating Mark Hadden who was in his 20s and told his fa- ther that it was beyond his abilities. He suggested treatment in Germany.

This treatment proved costly and money raised in a fundraiser quickly sec) ome) 0 Lm

Mr Carmody said he then went to Germany and purchased the equip- ment needed to treat Mark and began treating the young man “for almost no cost”’.

He said that while Mark never “looked the healthiest”, his quality of life improved greatly.

The court heard last week that Mr Hadden who was given three months to live in 1996 died just weeks before Welom BME Dm olorer- 00

In 1998 he treated Maggie Porter for breast cancer.

A year later her husband Dr Wil- liam Porter came with Maggie to see Dr Carmody.

Paschal Carmody said they were interested in the work he was doing. He offered them a room in his own clinic, which they renovated them- TO AVone

Mr Carmody said that as Dr Porter had experience with lasers, “it made more sense for him to become in- volved with patients”.

“T would assess them and with him doing laser I could take on more pa- tients. My purpose was to assess pa- tients. If they were suitable I would prescribe a photosensitiser.”

PLANS for a €10 million retail park for Miltown Malbay have been with- Oe hate

In order for planning permission to be granted to the proposal, three quarters of the 32 members of Clare County Council were needed to vote to contravene the Clare County De- velopment Plan.

The council’s planning department signalled that it is ready to give the go-ahead to the plan which will de- liver 100 jobs to the town through the provision of a new Supervalu outlet.

The council has ruled that the plan would materially contravene the County Development Plan which states that the land should be retained for residential purposes.

However, due to the number of lo- cal objections, the proposed develop- ment didn’t have the support of all the six north Clare councillors and

the developer, local supermarket owner John Jones, withdrew the ap- plication.

The development was to have in- cluded seven shops, 18 apartments and offices and the plan was subse- quently revised in response to further information sought by the council and objections lodged against the proposal.

The plan was opposed by other businesses in Miltown with one busi- ness owner telling the council that the scale of the project was so large that it threatened the existing busi- ness ecology of the town.

“*T estimate that the retail space pro- posed is in excess of the entire retail floor space currently occupied by all the other businesses in the town,” the objector stated.

“In effect, this development would constitute a new town centre. it is on the scale and design of a modern shopping centre suitable for a large

town or city but is not compatible with a village. The development of an American-style shopping mall is not compatible with this vision. The attraction to tourists of a bustling vil- lage with traditional shop fronts and small individually owned businesses would be lost,’ the objection stated.

Speaking in relation to the project last year, John Jones said, ““Miltown needs something like a Supervalu and it will mean more business for Miltown. People go into Ennis and Limerick to shop, but having more services in Miltown will make sure that Miltown is a bigger draw for shoppers.”

Mr Jones said his family have been Operating a business in Miltown since the 1830s.

“We have a proud tradition here and we are well qualified to be in line to put in a new shop and we should be allowed opportunity to do it,’ he said.

’s Co- lin Davey and three times UK Sports Photographer of the Year, Bob Mar- tin who selected the top 146 photo- graphs for inclusion in Assignments 3. The book was published to coin- CHT ALAM Neem COP INCOIMWZO OI BKMo.c pected to attract over 200,000 view- ers over its six week run in London.

The two photographs selected from Eamon’s portfolio were a study of Kilfenora boxer Mark Clancy before his fight in Madison Square Gardens on St Patrick’s Day last year and a

photograph of scorekeeper Flan Mc- Namara at Cusack Park in Ennis.

Commenting on his latest success, the 36-year-old Coonagh man said it was a great honour to have two of his photographs considered good enough to be included among the best press photographs from the last year.

“Many of the photographers whose work is included in

IF EVER Guinness goes out of busi- ness, barman Joe Sciascia will be worth a fortune.

Joe would be the first to tell you he’s more of a collector than a bar- man, and he has what must be one of the largest collections of original Guinness and old advertising signs in the country.

He’s lost count, but there are up- wards of 5,000 pieces of advertising memorabilia, between signs, ciga- rette cartons, tobacco tins and other items passed over bar counters in years gone by.

So vast is his collection, that Joe quips that the Old Mill Bar in

O’Briensbridge, which he runs with his wife Kathleen and step-daugh- ter Clodagh “was bought so I would have somewhere to put it”.

The Old Mull recently won the Licensing World magazine’s, Bar Awards, in the Best Country Bar cat- OMe

Joe claims no glory for the win, “It’s the hard work that Kathleen and Clodagh put in – I’m no great shakes this side of the bar.”

Whatever about his bar skills, as a collector you wouldn’t doubt Joe. He started 25 years ago and has been scouring car-boot sales, markets and second-hand shops ever since.

“I find stuff everywhere and cus- tomers bring things in as well. I have

my own little museum here.”

Joe’s imagination was caught by the old advertising and he particu- larly loves his collection of “original – not reproductions” of the John Gil- roy Guiness ads, featuring the “See What One or Toucan Do” and “Guin- ness is good for you” themes.

Some of his signs are now almost a century old.

“Advertising and packaging was far more decorative before TV. It had to make a visual impression. It’s not like that anymore. You wouldn’t col- lect most of the packaging they use Old

Joe and Kathleen took over the pub ten years ago and since have invested €300,000 to bring it back to it’s old

(ey ule meso ate

“The old pubs are dying out. We wanted to keep the old character here and the old ads and signs fit in with that,’ said Joe.

The family is delighted with the AEN KOR

“It’s not one of these that you can go online and buy – there are a lot of those out there. The judges liked the place, though I’m surprised they saw anything, there were so many peo- ple here at the time. They arrived on Sunday when we were doing lunch.”

PASCHAL Carmody insisted that he never promised any of his patients that he would cure them of cancer.

‘“T never use the word ‘cure’ in any care, with any patient,’ he told the trial, during cross-examination on Friday morning.

He disputed evidence given earlier in the trial by the widow of one of his former patients.

Bernadette Gallagher, from Mullin- gar, County Westmeath, lost her hus- band JJ through cancer of the liver in September 2002.

He underwent photodynamic treat-

ment at Paschal Carmody’s East Clinic in Killaloe in February of that year.

Mrs Gallagher said Mr Carmody told her husband the treatment was ‘just like magic’ and they thought it was too good to be true.

However, Mr Carmody told the court he didn’t say this and also de- nied that he had promised to cure Mr Gallagher.

He also denied saying to the Gal- laghers that when people found out about the treatment for cancer that it would be “like the days of Lazu- rus, they will be banging down the doors.”

He said that his recollection of events relating to Mr Gallagher were very fresh in his mind, as Mrs Gal- lagher went public on the issue in 2002 on RTE’s Prime Time.

“My recollection of events are ex- actly as I describe,” he said.

Referring to another of his former patients, John Sheridan, Mr Carmo- dy was asked had he promised to get him through his illness, as had been claimed previously.

“T don’t recall those words,’ he Cr HOR

Asked by Prosecutor Denis Vaughan-Buckley had he promised a cure for Mr Sheridan, he replied,

“There was no question of a cure. I did not promise a cure for John. I do not use that word in communica- nto) ei

He denied that he had led the Sheridans to believe he would cure John.

Mr Carmody also denied that he had promised to cure Conor O’Sullivan – a 15-year-old boy from Wexford who died from cancer in November 2002 – or at worst, keep him alive.

This was the claim made by Conor’s mother Christina, earlier in the trial.

“No. I didn’t use the word ‘cure.’ I may have put my hand on his shoul- der to reassure the young man and say

‘Pll do my best for him’,” he said.

When it was put to him that he had made a lot of money from pho- todynamic treatment, he said to the Prosecutor, “Since you have started your examination, you’ve repeatedly referred to income without outlay. I want the jury to know the substantial outlay involved was far greater than the income.”

Mr Vaughan-Buckley then asked Paschal Carmody was he telling the jury that he had lost money on the photodynamic treatment (PDT), to which Carmody replied, “I’m telling the jury there was substantial outlay in setting up the PDT centre.”