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A NEWMARKET-ON-FERGUS man, who admitted assaulting a garda, has been handed a suspended jail term.

Adam Mulqueen (25), of Kilna- soolagh Park, Newmarket-on -Fer- gus pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Cathal Nolan and to resisting arrest outside the library on October 31, 2007.

Garda Nolan told Ennis District Court that as gardai were in the process of arresting two people, the

accused arrived with a can of Bulm- ers in his hand.

“When he saw that his younger brother was one of those being ar- rested, he became very agitated,” Ger MN e) Ei er- bee

“I became concerned for my col- league’s safety. I thought that he (the accused) would throw the can at him so I put out my hand to keep him back.”

Gda Nolan said there was a scuffle between himself and Mulqueen as he tried to restrain him. The pair fell to the ground and Gda Nolan injured

his elbow.

The court was told Mulqueen then calmed down but soon afterwards, Gda Nolan again became concerned for his colleague’s safety. At this point, Gda Nolan attempted to arrest Mulqueen. The pair again fell to the ground, as the garda tried to hand- LUND ME WatomrLerel UEorOn

Mulqueen lashed out and struck Gda Nolan on the cheek with the ort

The garda sustained a cut to his cheek which later required three stitches and was off work for over

two weeks as a result.

Defending solicitor Daragh Hassett suggested to Gda Nolan that “things were a bit frantic on the night with bonfires out of control”. Mr Has- sett suggested that the garda was “dismissive” of his client and that at first Mr Mulqueen was not agitated but was trying to talk to the gardai. Garda Nolan said the accused was “drunk and very aggressive”.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy imposed a four month sentence for the assault charge, suspended on condition he be of good behaviour for two years.

FINAL preparations are well under- way for Ennis Musical Society’s dou- ble whammy of entertainment.

Instead of performing one show, this year, Ennis Musical Society will present a double bill of shows run- ning over four nights in March.

Musical director Cormac McGuin- ness, chorus mistress Mary Curly and rehearsal pianist Dylan Walsh, are busy adding some last minute sheen to this year’s toe-taping num- bers.

Instead of performing one show, this year, Ennis Musical Society will present a double bill of musi- cal entertainment over four nights in March.

Shows on March 4, 6 and 8 will reunite performers past and present as they bring the audience on a trip down memory lane, singing hits from shows the society has produced over the past 50 years.

On March 5 and 7 there will a be a change of direction for the second half of this double bill, when Ennis Musical Society will pay tribute in

verse and song to the great Irish en- tertainer, Percy French.

Ennis Musical Society PRO Fr Feargus McEveney ofm explained, “Mary Curly, Dylan Walsh, under the direction of our musical director, Cormac McGuinness have everyone going full steam ahead to make sure a certain amount will be ready by the time last year’s producer, Alan Kin- sella, comes down to set some of the solos and choruses of the production due to open in Glor on March 4”.

Among those appearing are award winning singers Maretta O’Hehir

and Edel Heaney, society stalwarts, Anna Monahan, Emer O’Flaherty and Mary Heal.

They will be appearing alongside stars from the past such as Vincent de Placido, Tom Lillis and John Lil- lis, and a host of other great perform- ers backed by the chorus of the musi- cal society.

Songs from shows such as the ‘Mer- ry Widow’; ‘La Belle Heléne’; ‘Show Boat’; ‘Oklahoma and ‘My Fair Lady’ etc, will be enough to ensure a most enjoyable evening of musical jnatesssO)u leh

LAST Tuesday marked a major milestone for one of Irelands most successful and enduring farming or- ganisations.

February 19 marked the 50th an- niversary of the enactment of the legislation providing for the estab- lishment of An Foras Taluntais, the Agriculture Research Institute which now forms part of Teagasc.

A series of nationwide events are planned throughout the year to cel- ebrate the achievements in agricul- ture and food research over the last fifty years.

The establishment and develop- ment of AFT under the leadership of the late Dr Tom Walsh coincided

with a period of revolutionary think- ing in national economic policy.

‘The research carried out, first by AFT, and more recently by Teagasc, has provided a firm scientific founda- tion for modern agriculture and the dynamic food industry we have in Ireland today,” said Professor Gerry Boyle, Director of Teagasc.

“A great deal has been achieved over the last 50 years and this is in no small part due to the high quality people recruited into the organisa- tion and who have worked tirelessly for the benefit of Irish agriculture.”

Major milestones have been achieved in agriculture research in the past and Teagasc continues to provide the technological base ena- bling the industry to adapt to ongo-

ing changes in policy.

“Irish producers and processors must confront ever greater challeng- es in the global marketplace and the existence of a strong research func- tion fully integrated with advisory and training services is an essential component of that future,’ continued Professor Boyle.

Fifty years ago at the time of AFT’s establishment, over 60 per cent of the total national exports were from agri- culture and production was relatively static for a considerable period. AFT put in place a national programme of agriculture research to underpin the dramatic developments in Irish agriculture, and enabled it to benefit from access to new markets.

AFT initially set out to help farm-

ers increase productivity and income, broadening its research activities over the years as the policy environ- ment, market conditions and latterly erowing consumer demands set new priorities for research.

Representative advisory commit- tees were put in place from the start to ensure that the research programmes would focus on the real problems of the industry. A productive two-way flow of information was established, bringing first-hand knowledge of problems requiring research to AFT.

This speeded up the transmission and adoption of research results and this two-way flow was consolidated with the merger of AFT and ACOT to form Teagasc in 1988.

THREE former football stars have highlighted a reluctance to play inter- county football on the behalf of some players as part of the reason for Clare football’s current low standing.

Odran O’Dwyer, Frankie Griffin and Aidan Moloney each pointed to a lack of commitment from players who should be making the current panel as a central element to the de- cline in recent years.

“It seems to me at the moment that a lot of players in Clare just don’t enjoy it and that’s why they’re not playing for the county,” said Griffin. “Maybe there’s too much involved — too much commitment.

“There are probably some better players out there, but some won’t commit themselves to it. Getting 30 good fellas committed to the thing 1s the problem.

“I don’t think we have that at the moment and there’s no easy solution

to Clare’s problems,’ added Griffin.

Moloney echoed his former Clare teammate’s words, saying he began his inter-county career during a pe- riod when Clare football was also at a low ebb.

‘“There’s no doubt that it’s a big commitment for players and when fellas don’t see a lot of success it’s hard to swallow. But in our time eve- ryone really wanted to play and we didn’t have much success for a lot of years either.

“There were a lot of dark days as well but we were always proud to wear the jersey and there was never a question of considering giving it hone O’Dwyer broadened the debate, saying Clare not only needs added commitment across the county, but also investment in the right places.

“If you take Tyrone as an example, they’ve 15 county coaches whereas we only have one football coach in Clare. That’s just not good enough.

People might say they get extra grant money from the British government, but why can’t Clare increase the number of coaches in the county? Something has to be done and invest- pneKo emp MA’s LED

“These days players have houses and mortgages — things we wouldn’t have had — so maybe they’d have oth- er priorities. But you have to ques- tion the attitude if players don’t want to play for Clare,’ added the former Compromise Rules International.

A KAYAKING accident brought tragedy to a well-known Ennis fam- ily at the weekend when it claimed the life of a 45-year-old man.

The body of Tomas Mannion from Ennis was pulled from the water at Lough Derg on Saturday afternoon, some hours after a search for his body was launched.

Affectionately know as “Moses”, Tomas was a son of prominent Ennis travel agent, Tom Mannion.

He had been missing since Febru- ary 13, but the alarm was not raised until last Saturday when he was re- ported missing by his family.

A search immediately got under-

way. Mr Mannion’s body was taken from the water at Scariff Bay at lunchtime on Saturday, after some of his personal belongings were discov- ered. He had been kayaking and was wearing a lifejacket.

In his younger days, Mr Mannion was a keen sportsman and had won several titles in hurling and football in the underage ranks. |

He played on the Eire Og side in the All-Ireland Feile hurling final in 1975, while he won Harty and Croke Cup medals with St Flannan’s in 1979. He was also a keen athlete.

Tomas’ brother, Gearoid, yesterday paid tribute to all those involved in the search and recovery of the body.

“The gardai, all the branches of

the rescue services, the landowner – they did a great job and we are very thankful for the work that they did,” he said.

Paying tribute to his late brother, Gearoid said, “Tomas was a gentle soul and treated everyone that he met with respect.”

Describing Tomas as someone who liked adventure, Gearodid added, “There was a calmness about him and everyone that knows Tomas would appreciate what I am saying.”

Gardai in east Clare say the inci- dent was being treated as a “tragic accident”.

CLARE people are being forced into extensive fundraising activity in order to bridge the gaps in the HSE speech and language service for children with Downs Syndrome in Clare.

Despite the appointment of addi- tional speech and language therapists for the county, the Clare Branch of Downs Syndrome Ireland admit that there are still some Clare children who have never been seen by a HSE therapist.

‘Because there is such a gap in speech therapy for a lot of people, with a lot of kids and adults never having had any speech therapy from the HSE, we try and alleviate that by part funding a speech therapist along with the family,” said Margaret Dix- on, secretary of the Clare branch of Down Syndrome Ireland.

“It is very important that these children get early intervention, from birth right up to six years old. This time forms the seeds of how they will develop into adulthood. If they get this, they will find it a little bit

easier in school and the whole way up along.

“Besides supporting people with Downs Syndrome, the local branch also run a number of activities to help the families of those effected.

“It’s very important to have support eroups. It’s areal help. If you’re a new parent, to be able to talk to someone who is a parent for a couple of years in a great thing,’ said John O’Brien who four year old daughter Megan suffers from Downs Syndrome.

The Clare Branch of Down Syn- drome Ireland will hold it’s AGM

on March 6 in the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis. The Arch Club social club for sufferers takes place in Ennis every Saturday evening – contact 065 6824565 for more info.

Resent fundraising includes €7,500 raised by Deirdre Rafferty, Collette O’Brien, Carol O’ Reilly and Martina Ryan at the Dublin Marathon and €1500 raised by the Ennis Leisure Centre.

A MAN who operated the main broadcast site for a Limerick City pi- rate radio station at his County Clare home has appeared in court in con- nection with the illegal activity.

John McNamara (30), of Ballycar South, Ardnacrusha faced six charg- es under the Broadcasting and Wire- less Telegraphy Act 1988. However five of the counts were withdrawn by the Commission for Communi- cations Regulation (ComReg) after the accused pleaded guilty to one Oe aero

Tom Hurley, who works as an In-

spector with ComReg’s Compliance Unit, gave evidence of carrying out a raid, with the assistance of gardai, at the premises at Ballycar South, Ar- ehatleuels ere

Mr Hurley said that he had been in the area carrying out monitoring and on the basis of that monitoring, sought a search warrant and visited Mr McNamara’s premises.

Mr Hurley said that when he ar- rived at the property, it was unoccu- pied but that he observed an antenna on the side of a barn. He said that a few minutes after he had arrived at the address, Mr McNamara turned up and confirmed he was the owner

of the property.

During a search of the barn, a pow- er amplifier and FM transmitter were located and dismantled. The court heard that the transmitter was broad- casting the studio output of Limerick City based pirate radio station Radio Limerick One (RLO).

In response to questioning by coun- sel for ComReg, Philip Rahn BL, Mr Hurley confirmed that the output of RLO’s studio was sent by cable to Mr McNamara’s property from where it was broadcast to the public on 105.2 naKeeeed aes A

Judge Aeneas McCarthy expressed concern that such transmissions

could interfere with air traffic con- trol but was assured that “there was no interference with air traffic con- trol, emergency services or other l- censed broadcasters”.

Counsel for the accused, Lorcan Connolly BL said Mr McNamara had never been in any sort of trouble before and had no previous convic- tions.

Judge McCarthy said, “The defend- ant has pleaded guilty to the offence but despite my reservations about the danger of interference with air traf- fic control and communications with aircraft, in this case I will apply the probation act.”

A LEADING consultant psychiatrist has hit out at the lack of forensic psy- chiatric services available outside of Dublin.

Clare-based psychiatrist Dr John O’Mahony made the comments in court on Friday, as he gave evidence in the case of one of his clients.

He told Ennis District Court that there was a “paucity of places in Ire- land” for those requesting the serv- ices of a consultant psychiatrist.

He spoke out in the wake of the rev-

elation last month that two people in Clare had waited for six months for appointments with a forensic psy- chiatrist.

“The HSE for all its promises of change, this country sadly is deficient in facilities for the condition this man sadly suffers from,” he said.

‘The forensic mental health service is sadly deficient in this country…in- adequately funded. If you live outside the Pale, there is little in terms of an adequate forensic mental service.

“T’ve a very clear idea of what this man needs. I know where it can be

got but the HSE has chosen not to provide this outside Dublin.

“West of the Shannon there’s no fo- rensic mental service,’ he said.

He said that forensic psychiatrist Dr Ananth Pullela had provided a serv- ice in Limerick up until recently, but that was a “one-man and not a mean- ingful service”.

David Mulcaire, of St Senan’s Road, Ennis was re-appearing in court on theft charges. He has been in court on several occasions on the charges and is currently an inpatient at Ennis General Hospital.

Previously the court heard that Mul- caire suffered a serious brain trauma in 1999, when he was hit in the head with a concrete block.

Two psychiatrists gave conflicting evidence on that occasion on whether he was fit to plead. He had pleaded with the court not to send him to the Central Mental Hospital in Dun- drum.

Dr O’Mahony said on Friday that the issue centered on “fitness to plead” and said Mulcaire required “an intense level of care’’.

He said he had discussions with

Nationwide Health Resources prior to the court sitting that morning.

“They are willing to do an assess- ment of Mr Mulcaire next week.”

He pointed out that a specialist was to travel from the UK to carry out an assessment on Mr Mulcaire this Neto) e

Judge Joseph Mangan said that Mulcaire had “departed from the criminal sphere to the psychiatric sphere”.

He adjourned the case until the end of March, remanding Mulcaire on continuing bail.

CARERS from Clare will finally get an opportunity to outline their re- quirements to the most senior person in the Health Service Executive.

The Chief Executive Officer of the HSE, Professor Brendan Drumm, will address the Caring for Carers Ireland 17th Annual Respite Break and Conference this March in the Clare Inn.

Professor Drumm, who has reiter- ated his commitment to community care and supporting people in the home since he was appointed CEO,

will hear the realities facing the country’s 161,000 carers.

The outcome of this year’s confer- ence, entitled “The Future of Long term Care in the Community: How to meet the needs of the Family Carer”, will be significant in the composi- tion of the National Carers’ Strategy 2008 to 2016.

Also addressing the gathering will be Laverne McGuiness, the HSE’s National Director for Primary Com- munity and Continuing Care, Marian Harkin MEP, Brigid Barron, Founder President, Eurocarers; Helen Kelly, Chairperson of Caring for Carers,

Clare and Mary McMahon, the chief executive of Caring for Carers, Ire- land.

Caring for Carers was originally formed in Clare. It has since expand- ed to an all Ireland and European body, giving a voice to those often to busy and stressed to speak up for themselves.

Attendance at the conference on March 7 to 9 will include more than 500 Family Carers drawn from Car- ing for Carers Ireland national net- work of 90 Carers Groups through- out Ireland.

“Family Carers experience high

levels of stress and financial difficul- ties. Many express fears around their abilities to continue to provide care,” a spokesperson for the organisation said.

This conference will provide an opportunity for carers to report their need for services and support to sus- tain caring in the home into the fu- ture. The outcomes will be reported to the interdepartmental working eroup, which is tasked to develop a National Strategy for Family Carers aligned with *““Towards 2016”, which will set out the Government’s vision in relation to all family carers.

AMBULANCE personnel across the county have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action, if a staffing cri- sis within the service is not resolved.

It is estimated that more than 20 new personnel are required to bring employee numbers up to a quota ca- pable of delivering a proper and safe 24-hour service to the county.

SIPTU ambulance service employ- ees across the country are also dis- eruntled with the HSE which signed contracts with three private compa- nies.

When asked this week if the HSE Mid West had signed a contract with a private operator to do out of hours or overtime emergency work in Clare, a spokesperson said, “Private operators will be used if necessary to maintain life-saving services in accordance with the National Ambu- lance Service policy.”

Meanwhile, the HSE has apolo- gised to the three west Clare moth- ers left without ambulance cover to get them safely to hospital to deliver their babies.

Speaking on behalf of the Min- ister for Health, Minister of State Pat “The Cope’ Gallagher said that it was regrettable that the mothers

Should have suffered undue distress, particularly as the birth of a child should take place in a safe, secure environment.

“Tl have been advised that while, thankfully, such incidents are rare, the HSE will examine the circum- stances which culminated in the un- fortunate events.”

“The HSE apologises unreservedly to the three mothers. Both the min- ister and myself hope that the events leading up to the birth of these babies have not taken from the joy which the birth of a child brings to parents,” he said.

Minister Gallagher was respond- ing to the issues raised by Fine Gael Deputy Pat Breen during a debate on ambulance services.

The deputy was referring to young Kilrush mums Mary O’Gorman, who gave birth on the family couch; Anna Jenkins, who was taken to hospital in Limerick by her father when an ambulance failed to arrive one hour after it was called; and mother of three Patricia Keane who gave birth on the side of the road in the family car.

He said that while all three babies were delivered safely, inadequate ambulance cover in the county was putting lives at risk.