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Hansel and Gretel take to the Ennis

The smallest items cause the biggest grievance

Waving the Purple Flag to lure UK tourists?

A COURT has heard that a man’s nose was broken and teeth were damaged during a pub incident in GR

THE Labour Party revival in Clare has seen the formation of a new branch in the west.

It once had a party stronghold in west Clare, providing the first female chairperson of Kilrush Town Coun- cil, but in the last number of years the party had lost support and mem- bership.

At an open meeting of the party in Kilrush last week however, the latest branch of the party has been formed.

Constituency Chairman Michael Corley reminded the meeting that,

“west Clare has had in the past a strong tradition of Labour Party rep- resentation down through the years, there have been strong and dedicated representatives pushing for a fairer and more equal society for the peo- ple of Kilrush and the rest of west Oren

Labour councillor Tony McMahon said the turnout was a testament to the level of concern that people have for the social fabric of the commu- nity. “Everyone here is concerned about the problems that affect Kil- rush and west Clare and I believe that it is in the hands of individuals com- ing together in this community that

these problems will be solved. I en- courage everyone here to be proud of this step taken in bringing together a force for positive change in Kilrush and West Clare.”

A spokesperson for the party said that the formation of new branches throughout the county overcomes the perception that Labour is an urban and east coast party.

‘The Labour Party is ready to pro- vide a new leadership and direction to Ireland where the insanity of give- away tax-breaks and the protection of the wealthy at the expense PAYE workers, small business owners and the most vulnerable in society will

not be an option. We believe in a so- ciety where fairness and equality are the guiding principles of how a gov- ernment should plan for its people,” he said.

A wide range of topics were dis- cussed in the meeting including “Government attacks on rural life’, the proposal to cut Government sup- port for the Rural Transport Pro- gramme, and the high rate of unem- ployment and youth unemployment in the county.

More than 10,000 people in Clare are without jobs at the moment and the number of people under 25 with- out work is almost at 2,000 in Clare.

AN Ennis man who was jailed for four years last month for a drugs of- fence has been handed an additional jail term for criminal damage.

Michael Clune (24), of John Paul Avenue, Ennis, pleaded guilty to a criminal damage charge arising out of an incident a year ago.

Ennis District Court was told on Friday that an apartment door was damaged. The accused admitted to gardai that he had been in the apart- ment.

The court was told that Clune is currently serving a four-year sen- tence, handed down in the circuit court last month for a drugs offence.

Defending solicitor Tara Godfrey said that her client was “acting un- der the influence of controlled sub- stances and alcohol” on the night in Ltn Coyne

“Unfortunately my client forced open the door,” she said, adding that the accused believed this was the apartment he had been in, earlier that night.

‘He had been drinking and had been anxious to get back into the flat where the party was on,’ she said.

Judge Joseph Mangan imposed a four-month jail term, to run consecu- tively to the four-year term Clune is currently serving.

He fixed a bond in the event of an appeal.

THERE was All-Ireland handball success last week for Tulla’s Co- lin Corbett and Niall Bolton in the 60×30 Secondary Schools Junior Doubles Championship.

Representing St. Joseph’s Tulla, the Tulla pair had a hard-fought semi- final win (21-11, 14-21, 11-7) over Pol Clarke and Niall Allison from Omagh on Wednesday last in Mull- baheea

Then in the final, the Clare pair came from behind to beat Wexford’s Galen Rioradan and Padraig Foley in a classic encounter — winning thee a breaker to claim the title on an 8-21, 21-20, 11-9 scoreline.

In the Intermediate Doubles event, Jamie Lynch and Christopher Phil- pott of St. Joseph’s Tulla qualified for the All-Ireland final also, with a relatively straight-forward semi-final win in Abbeylara, Longford on Sun- day week last.

The Kilkishen duo beat Christopher

McKenna and Terry McElvanney (St. Macartan’s, Monaghan) 21-7, 21- 8 to qualify for the decider, but went down in that final by 11-21, 18-21 to Cian Connolly and Mark Nally (Ros- common CBS) on Sunday in Ballina, Tipperary.

At Primary Schools level, there was further Munster success for the Banner County in the Cumann na mBunscoil team championships. Clare took both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ team events on Staurday at Dungarvan and Cappagh respectively to further un- derline the county’s current strength at this grade.

The *A’ team won a round robin event beating both Cork and Water- ford and the team consisted of Fergal Coughlan, Brian Fahy,Jamie Keane, Kevin Conlon, Clodagh Nash, Gary Cooney, lan Murray and Shane Hunt.

The ‘B’ team had an 84-76 win over Cork and the winning team was Cathair Agnew, Jake Kearney, Eoin O Hara, David Sheedy, Barry

Loughnane, David Gleeson and Eoin Wnts Ene

Away from the court, County Hand- ball Board Treasurer Willie Roche was recently recognised for his great work in Clare and Munster handball over a long period. Willie was a re- cipient of a Munster Handball All- Star Award as ‘Official of the Year’, a very well deserved accolade for one of the mainstays of Clare hand- ball, especially at underage level. A national handball promotional/fund- raising event was held in Croke Park last week. The “Ultimate Showdown’ saw prominent handballers from across the country team up with a leading hurling, football or camogie player from their county. Clare were represented by Diarmaid Nash and county hurling goalkeeper Philip Brennan.

PARKING charges in Ennis have been frozen at the current level of €1.20 under Ennis Town Council’s budget for 2010.

Announcing the decision at last Thursday’s budget meeting, Town Manager, Ger Dollard also signalled the council’s intent to carry out a “major review of parking arrange- ments and charges in 2010”.

In his report, Mr Dollard stated that while parking income for 2009 is ahead of budget, “income from traffic fines is substantially down on anticipated budget levels for the year’.

He continued, “This would sug- gest a higher levels of compliance with parking regulations despite the temporary reduction in spaces due to works on the Ennis Flood Relief Scheme. These spaces will again be available for 2010. It 1s proposed to undertake a major review of park- ing arrangements and charges in 2010 and present separate proposals for consideration of council. No ad- ditional income has been assumed in the draft budget from such a re- aoa Ale

A proposal from Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) to reduce parking charges and to introduce free parking on Fridays from 2pm onwards was rejected.

Describing the budget as “very dif- ficult”, Cllr Flynn said new parking initiatives were needed to halt what he called the “drain” of shoppers from Ennis to Limerick and Gal- way. He claimed that the creation of 60 extra car park spaces in Parnell Street would generate a turnover of €1,100 per space.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said Cllr Flynn’s proposal could not be in- troduced as councillors seeking to alter the budget had to also identify

matching proposals that would either raise revenue or reduce costs.

Cllr Flynn countered by rejecting Cllr Meaney’s claim that his propos- al was a “populist” one.

“T’m not being populist. I’m trying to be positive to promote the town,’ he said.

Mr Dollard told the meeting that the council has allocated €210,000 from its own resources to the 2010 roads programme.

He added, “The overall situation regarding roads will need to be re- viewed when road grants are notified in 2010 as there is evidence of sig- nificant work required as a result of the serious flooding that occurred in mid-November.

On the issue of the Ennis Inner Relief Road, Mr Dollard stated, “An arbitrator has been appointed under the Compulsory Purchase Order for the acquisition of the land required. It is expected that the arbitrator will report in mid-2010. Provision has been made in the draft budget under the provision of loan charges for this project. Loan approval will be required from the department to progress this scheme.”

RALLY co-driver Grainne McEnery from Ennis has had a fantastic sea- son so far this year culminating re- cently when she was presented with the Dunlop National Rally Champi- onship Awards in Galway where she was honoured with the fastest two wheel drive car in the 09 Dunlop Na- tional Championship.

Grainne, a service manager with O’Sullivan & Hansbury Motors has had rallying in her blood from a young age having travelled as a spec- tator with her father Joe to events all over the country and also being in- volved with her brother Charlie who navigates with Anthony O’Halloran.

She began co-driving in 2006 in the Clare Stages Rally with British based Galwegian, John Reddington (Ford Escort) where they finished eleventh overall. Her first big acci- dent came in the 2008 Clare Stages where she co-drove for Eddie Cogan in a Peugeot 205

Just before the beginning of the 2009 Dunlop National Rally Cham- pionship Grainne was asked if she would be interested in co-driving with Kerry’s Mike Quinn in a Mk 2 Escort. Naturally, she did not hesi- tate and so far its turning out to be a

very fruitful partnership. Mike from Listowel in Kerry has been rally- ing his escort for about fifteen years and has had many a battle with local driver Anthony O’Halloran down through the years when Anthony was driving his Opel Manta. This bat-

tle continued in the ‘09 season with Anthony driving his Mitsubishi Evo and Mike still in the Escort and with a great brother sister rivalry devel- oping in the McEnery family it was Grainne who came out on top on the recent Auburn Lodge Clare Stages Rally back in September.

After swapping times all day on their home event O’Halloran and Quinn were second and third overall behind Niall Maguire’s Subaru Imp- reza but on the last stage O’Halloran’s Mitsubishi developed a puncture af- ter picking up piece of steel on the road and this put them out of the event leaving Quinn and Grainne to finish second overall.

The 2009 season started in The Birr Stages Rally where Mike & Grainne finished 12th overall. Next was The Kerry Stages rally which was based in Tralee where they finished 3rd overall and the first two wheel drive car.

The Circuit of Munster in Limerick proved more difficult as they crashed

out hitting a pole and this put them back to 92nd place. After getting back on the road they fought their way back up tp 21st overall and they won Class 14.

Grainne and Mike crashed out again on the next round The Ravens Rock Rally in Carlow where they hit a wall, after getting back on the road they finished 35th overall and another win in class 14.Next was the Stonethrow- ers Rally in Clonmel where they fin- ished sixth overall and the first two Wheel drive car. They repeated this result in the next round The Galway Summer Rally, sixth overall and first two wheel drive. Grainne and Mike are now lying second overall in the championship with one round to go in Limerick on December 28. After a fantastic first season for Grainne and Mike they will be hoping to hold this position after Limerick and if they can secure some sponsorship for they hope to be back in 2010.

ENNIS Town Council has main- tained commercial rates at the current level of 65.45 per cent in its budget for PAUnTeR

It follows similar moves taken by Clare County Council and Shannon Town Council to also freeze rate lev- els.

Town Manager, Ger Dollard an-

nounced the decision at Ennis Town Council’s annual budget meeting last week. The decision is expected to serve as a boost to local business representatives who had _ lobbied the council to cut or freeze rates at present levels.

Mr Dollard also announced a reduc- tion in council spending for the year ahead and stated that there had been a significant reduction in income lev-

els. In his report, Mr Dollard stated, “The budget as presented provides for commercial rates to be maintained at the 2009 level and for parking charg- es also to remain at 2009 levels. The current rate for Ennis is at the lower end of the scale relative to similar sized towns around the country.

He added, “The draft budget pro- poses expenditure of €12,143,853 million, which is a reduction on the

amount provided in the budget for 2009. Overall income shows a sig- nificant reduction with a fall in in- come levels evident in many service areas and in Local Government Fund Grant Allocation. The provision for the County Demand in the budget is €2,983,000 which is a one per cent increase on 2009.

Welcoming the budget, Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) urged the council to

pursue government funding in order to purchase land for the development of local authority housing.

Cllr Michael Guillfoyle (Ind) urged people to recognise that the council did not have “pocketfuls of money” to spend in the year ahead.

Cllr Mary Howard (FG) acknow- eldged the difficult financial circum- stances in which the council had pre- pared its budget.