Category: Uncategorized

NEXT Thursday, students from the Ennistymon CBS will ‘Go hungry for Gloria’ as they take part in this year’s annual Concern Fast.

Two fifth years from the school, Daniel McInerney and David Car- roll, were chosen to visit Kenya last year in recognition of the schools long history of supporting Concern.

The students were joined by teacher Gerry Sexton on the trip, which took them to see the good work being done on the ground by Concern in aviulere

A host of students from the school will join more than 250,000 young

people from secondary schools all over Ireland on December 3.

Last year, the school raised more than €5,000 through their participa- tion in the fast.

Liam Slattery, Cathal McMahon and Thomas Nagle were the top col- lectors for last year’s fast.

This year’s trip to Kenya saw the students and teachers in Ennistymon join the Irish National Debate Cham- pions in their visit to Concern com- plexes in Kenya.

The trip allowed Concern the op- portunity to thank schools for their JON KG MAY LO)e QUE MBAUUNCCDU-HKSDOTcMmClUDUDO roam Nels ele

“Kenya spans an area about 50

times the size of Ireland and the pop- ulation has grown rapidly in recent decades to nearly 38 million,” said Gerry Sexton.

“IT feel that Kenya is at a crossroads. Almost every sphere and sector of life is in crisis. Over 10 million peo- ple face hunger and starvation. That number is set to increase as the cur- rent crop season has failed.

“Urban life is facing imminent dan- ger. Water shortages have persisted. We saw hundreds of water tank- ers bringing water to every part of the city; to those who could pay of course,” he said.

“In the slums of Mukuru and Ko- rogocho, we saw long queues of poor

people waiting with large containers to get water. Even this water is often contaminated and water related dis- eases are areal problem.

‘Most poor people survive on less than a euro a day with the average wage being €7 or €8 a day for those fortunate enough to have a job. HIV and TB have become huge problems for the population.

“Commodity prices are at an all time high. Most basic goods, such as food are beyond the reach of many. Agriculture faces collapse. Tea farm- ers are uprooting their crop,” added Mr Sexton.

The Concern Fast takes place on Dien lelo wer

A COURT has heard an allegation that a young man called to a neigh- bour’s house in Kilrush looking for a ‘top-up’ of money, telling the man ‘You don’t need me as an enemy.”

Arising out of this, Martin Blunnie (21), of Beech Park, John Paul Estate, Kilrush, was charged with assaulting John Naughton, on April 17, 2009.

John Thomas Naughton told Kil- rush District Court last Wednesday week that he was at home at Beech Park, on April 17 last. He said there was a knock on the door at 8.20pm and his wife answered it.

He said that Martin Blunnie was at the door and was looking for a loan of €20. “I told him I had no money to give him. He said he wanted a top- up. He had €50. He said, ‘You don’t need me as an enemy. I’m a big man’ and kicked me to the leg. My knee was bleeding,’ Mr Naughton told the court.

The case was adjourned on that date for a week after Mr Naughton told the court he did not have his read- ing glasses with him. Judge Joseph Mangan told him to return, with his

glasses, last Wednesday, so that he could read a statement.

However, on the adjourned date, Superintendent Michael Comyns said Mr Naughton wished to with- draw his statement.

Solicitor Joe Chambers, on behalf of Mr Naughton, said, “I’m satisfied

his attitude to this is solely related to the fact the defendant’s mother is in hospital.”

The case was then struck out by Judge Joseph Mangan.

SPANISHPOINT was the scene of two daring rescues in the past year, and the heroics of the people in- volved was recognised by the Irish Water Safety last week.

In total six lives were saved due to the bravery of four people, among them a ten-year-old girl from Quilty.

Courageous Emily Luff received a SEIKO Certificate of Courage for saving her little sister Isabelle’s life.

In September 2008, the sisters had been bathing at knee depth when they got caught in a rip current, which pulled them out to sea beyond the surf break.

Despite the frightening ordeal, Emily had the presence of mind to hold her sister up while they waited

for help.

Those that came to the young girls assistance were also praised for their eae

Thomas Thompson and Peter Brad- bury who received a Rescue Appre- ciation Award heard calls for help from the beach. They ran onto the beach to assist the two girls. Upon as- sessing the situation, Peter Bradbury called the coast guard while Tho- mas Thompson paddled out to reach them on his surfboard. Meanwhile Peter stayed with the mother of the children. Due to poor light Thomas could not see the children however he heard their shouts for help and went to their assistance. Upon reach- ing them he reassured them and with the use of his surfboard he brought them safely to back to shore.

Surfers also played a major role in the second rescue in July this year.

Four swimmers became caught in a rip current and were carried out from shore and beyond their depth.

Miltown Malbay man Mark Flynn borrowed a surfboard and entered the water. He then took two casual- ties to shore. With the help of a pass- ing surfer the third person was en- couraged back to shore safely.

Then Clarecastleman and off duty lifeguard Norman Cleary reached the scene and with Mark Flynn entered the water and continued to search for the fourth person. Mark felt him un- Clan d eToys No me-DIO MY BINOMCeuert-TImcwIlote they placed him onto a surfboard and took him back to shore where he re- gained consciousness.

Minister of State at the Department

of Environment, Heritage and Local Government Michael Finneran (FF), presented the SEIKO Just In Time Rescue Award to these rescuers.

“Tragically 158 drowning occurred in Ireland last year,” he said. “One reaches for the word tragic, but it doesn’t seem adequate when the most heartbreaking aspect of drown- ing deaths is that they are prevent- able. This high figure would be even higher but for the dramatic efforts of these individuals who saved oth- ers from drowning and the ongoing work of volunteers teaching swim- TPODN Orca Dele mush YOU ome

A COURT has heard that a man threatened to break a traffic warden’s face while he took photographs of cars parked on a green area in Kil- Met ep

Aidan Carrig (34), of St Patrick’s Terrace, Kilrush, pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour on November 5, 2008.

A traffic warden told Kilrush Dis- trict Court that a complaint was made to the town hall in Kilrush in relation to parking on the green at St Patrick’s Terrace, on November 5 last year. He said he was asked to go there and take photographs. He went to the area and while there, he encountered Aidan Carrig.

“He threatened me to smash my face if I used the photos as evi- dence,’ he said. He said the accused later apologised to him.

Defending solicitor Eugene O’ Kelly

said his client’s behaviour was totally out of order and that the traffic war- den’s job “is difficult enough without people speaking to you in that man- ner”.

He said his client’s recollection of what was said was somewhat differ- ent. “There was reference to putting the camera where the sun don’t shine,” he said.

He said his client did not realise he was doing wrong by putting his car up on the green. “The width of the roadway is insufficient for the number of cars parking there. Had he been asked not to park there, he wouldn’t have parked there,’ he said.

He said his client reacted very bad- ly and does not have any animosity towards the traffic warden.

The court was told the accused has a number of previous convictions and a one-month jail term was im- posed. A bond was fixed in the event of an appeal.

THERE was a time when Anne Moloney was content to frame her talented husband’s works of art and the prints of those works on the kitchen table of their home outside Feakle. But thanks to the success of their business, Glendara Art, Anne and ‘Tim have had to think again.

“Tt got to the stage that I wondered, where can I work from that won’t involve me having to move stuff off the table to serve family dinners or go crawling under the bed to find a particular kind of mounting board,” said Anne.

For a time, the couple had space in the Tulla Stables community arts centre and having had that experi- ence, Anne said they wanted to have somewhere that “people can come and relax to look at the paintings and the prints. I think there’s terri- ble pressure on people if they come to your family home, they feel they have to buy something”’.

On the land where the Moloney’s made their home, there was an old building which was once used to house cattle. “It’s right beside the riv- er and I always loved to walk down there. It was ideal for a studio but needed a lot of work,” said Anne.

One restoration later, the Molo- ney’s have made the Glendara studio and exhibition space a reality.

Anne is based at the studio dealing with orders for prints and mounting prints and paintings for customers as well as showing people around.

“We want people to come at their own pace so they can ring anytime, weekends or evenings, but we are having a special open week from No- vember 23 to 28 and we would love for people just to come and have a look around.”

Time finds inspiration for his col- ourful works in the countryside and

the people around him.

“Born to a farming family in Clare, I grew up with a deep respect and love for my rural setting. I experi- enced all the old ways, cutting the turf, saving the hay, tilling the land and selling the cattle at the fair day. These experiences have influenced

my painting. In recalling times past, I hope that my use of colour and tex- ture leave people with the good feel- ing of romanticism and nostalgia. “If you are searching for spiritual- ity, there is nothing more awesome than a glimpse of nature, and if I was painting for a thousand years, I would

have but a cameo of that beauty.”

Glendara Art can be found on line at www.glendaraart.com or contact Anne on 087 2204635.

THE continuing difficulties posed by flooding led to the early adjournment of an inquest at the Coroner’s Court in Ennis yesterday.

County Coroner Isobel O’Dea ad- journed the inquest into the death of a Tubber man after being told that a garda due to provide a statement would be unable to attend as he was currently on vital flood relief duty.

After initially calling a temporary adjournment, Ms O’Dea then stated that she was adjourning the inquest entirely. She told the court that the garda in question was assisting with flood relief efforts and would be un- able to attend.

A jury had earlier been sworn in for the inquest into the death of Michael Conroy who died following a tragic accident at his farm on July 12, 2009. Prior to the adjournment, the inquest heard details of the incident that led to Mr Conroy’s death.

Inspector Michael Gallagher read

the deposition of Tim Walsh who had been visiting the deceased’s home when the accident occurred.

The Coroner’s Court heard that Mr Walsh, who lives in the American State of Massachusetts, had been in Ireland to see his sister.

The inquest was told that Mr Walsh arrived to Mr Conroy’s farm on July 12. Mr Walsh stated that Mr Conroy wanted to show him a new tractor. He said that when Mr Conroy turned the key, “the tractor jumped forward”.

He said that Mr Conroy was stand- ing beside the tractor. “I think the big wheel ran over his chest,’ said Mr Walsh.

The court heard that Mr Conroy’s daughter identified her father’s body to gardai later that day.

No further depositions were heard and Ms O’Dea adjourned the in- quest.

ENNIS native Anita Lyons is the toast of London town as the fashion1- sta takes the world of clothes and de- sign by storm.

The 31-year-old is the internation- al business manager for Arcadia, a company that is better known to Irish shoppers as the mammy of Top Shop, Wallis, Dorothy Perkins, Burtons, Evans and Outfit.

This week, the Irish community in London paid tribute to the hardwork- ing and successful businesswoman

through one of its publications, highlighting her as one of the most powerful Irish businesswomen in the English capital.

Anita is no stranger to the world of retail and some would say her role within the retail clothing company was even pre-destination.

Her mother is the proprietor of Eileen’s boutique in Ennis, while her father owns Kelly’s corner shop.

As a child she was taken to trade shows and quickly became familiar with the business.

She was determined, however, that

she would never end up in the busi- ness and studied for an arts degree and a business post-grad at the Na- tional University of Ireland, Galway.

However, an open day held by Ar- cadia in Dublin changed her mind and she began work there as a gradu- ate trainee. She soon became a vital part of the company and became brand manager in the Oxford Circus branch. From there she was promot- ed to her current position, with inter- national responsibilities.

She was quickly given the major undertaking of setting up the Rus-

sian and Eastern European market.

Her glamorous lifestyle has also seen her shop with Beyonce and sit beside top models at world movie asi Rene

Although she thrives in the com- mercial corporate world and has no plans to leave the job anytime soon, the Ennis woman hopes to one day open her own business. What that business would be is still a mystery.

For now, she works hard to stay ahead of trends and remain one of the most fashionable Irish women in London.

A MAN rang his sister to say “good- bye” moments before jumping to his death from the Cliffs of Moher, a court has heard.

The detail emerged yesterday at the inquest into the death in June of a 47- year-old taxi driver from Clare. The Coroner’s Court in Ennis heard that the man also rang a close friend to say that he was going to “end it all now’.

The court heard that following a short search the man was pronounced dead after his body was brought ashore at Doolin.

The deceased’s sister told the court that when her brother rang, he told her he was standing on the Cliffs of

Moher. The woman told him not to do anything.

She told the court that her brother ended the call by saying “goodbye”.

The inquest heard from a family friend who received a call from the man to say he was standing on the cliffs and that he was going to “end it all now”.

The inquest heard that the friend immediately contacted the emergen- cy services.

Michael Hayes, a ranger at the Cliffs of Moher, told the inquest that on the day in question, he saw a man holding a phone, walk towards the viewing area at the cliffs. “I heard him saying ‘it’s not your fault’,’ Mr BEAT NCE

Mr Hayes stated that he saw the

man jump and that there had been no time and no way to prevent him from eCeyunhcanrey

Bernard Lucas, member of the Doolin Branch of the Irish Coast Guard, told the court that the man’s body was recovered from an area of eround “well above the shore” at the base of the cliffs.

Garda Mervyn Forde told the court that he had received a call about a “possible suicide” at the Cliffs of Moher on June 24.

After meeting with rescue services and contacting a local priest, Garda Forde stated that the man was pro- nounced dead at the Doolin Rescue Soins

A post-mortem report prepared by pathologist Dr Elizabeth Mulcahy found that death was due to multiple traumatic injuries consistent with a fall from a height.

County Coroner Isobel O’Dea told the court that the cause of death was multiple injuries consistent with a fall from a height.

Ms O’Dea expressed her sympathy to the man’s family and his “wide circle of friends” and also praised the work done by the Doolin branch of the Irish Coast Guard.

Inspector Michael Gallagher ex- tended his sympathy to the man’s family, adding that the deceased was “well known and will be sadly missed”’.

DOONBEG, the five star golf resort in West Clare, has been selected as the European Golf Resort of the Year for its “exceptional contribution to the world of golf travel’. The prestigious award was made by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (LAGTO) whose more than 300 golf tour operators cast votes for this an- nual award. Doonbeg’s sister proper- ty on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, won the North American Golf Resort of the Year Award. The awards were presented at the [AGTO awards gala dinner which was held in Malaga last night (19 November 2009).

Previous winners of the European Golf Resort of the Year include Turnberry (Scotland), Druid’s Glen (Ireland), Praia D’El Rey (Portugal), Dona Filipa & San Lorenzo (Por- tugal) and Carton House (Ireland). The awards scheme was inaugurated by IAGTO in 2000.

[AGTO’s 300+ golf tour operators, representing 49 different countries, cast their votes prior to the awards dinner. Each operator was asked to nominate what they consider to be the best performing golf resorts of the year enjoyed by their golf trav- elling clients. There are over 1,000 golf resorts in the USA alone and an estimated 2,000 in total worldwide. The golf resort in each of the three- categories — Europe, North America and the Rest of the World — with the

most number of votes receives the 2010 Golf Resort of the Year acco- lades.

Operators were asked to consider the resorts under the following cri- teria: Customer satisfaction, quality of golf course/s and accommodation, value for money, accessibility to tee times, speed of communication and quality of service of the golf resort sales, marketing, reservation, admin- istration and management staff

Speaking of the award Mr Joe Rus- sell, general manager, Doonbeg, said that they were delighted to win such a prestigious award. “We rely on the Golf Tour Operators to provide us

with a great deal of business and the award is acknowledgement that we are providing the kind of service that they and their clients require. In ac- cepting the award I do so on behalf of all of the staff at Doonbeg. We pride ourselves on our attention to detail and the service we give and I believe this award is an endorsement of both.”

Doonbeg, in County Clare Ireland, is a luxury resort destination featur- ing five star accommodations, a Greg Norman-designed championship links golf course, restaurants, pubs and a state-of-the-art spa. Overlook- ing the Atlantic Ocean on the mag-

nificent crescent-shaped Doughmore Bay, Doonbeg allows for whole-own- ership cottages and suites as well as a private residence club managed by Timbers Resorts, the word’s leading creator of deeded property interests. For all other inquiries, contact Mike Touhill, Doonbeg Director of Pub- lic Relations, 843 768-6529, Mike _ Touhill@KiawahIsland.com.

THE managing director of a north Clare-based electronic display man- ufacturer said yesterday that the company is aiming for break-even this year after sustaining its worst ever year last year.

Paul Neville of Data Display Hold- ings Ltd was commenting after com- pany filings showed that it incurred a pre-tax loss of €898,000 to the end of December last year. This com- pared to a pre-tax loss of €69,094 in 2007.

Established in 1980, the Irish- owned company is based in Ennisty- mon and employed 167 at the end of December last.

The company includes the New York Subway, the London Un- derground and the French SNCF amongst its customers, with 92 per cent of its products exported.

Revenues last year dropped 27 per cent from €19 million to €13 mil- lion with Mr Neville conceding, “It was probably our worst year ever.”

He said, “This year is much bet- ter and I believe that we have turned things around and we are heading for usr Gao te

“We were affected earlier by the re- cession, but we are hoping to recover a lot quicker.”

He said that the sales this year are up 10 per cent on 2008 revenues.

“We are leaner now, but we haven’t let anyone go. That is some achieve- ment ina very difficult environment,” he added.

Mr Neville said that the order book looks reasonable for 2010.

“The environment is still very chal- lenging. That is what you are dealt with and you get on with it.”

Mr Neville explained that the com- pany has grown organically since etree

Data Display paid dividends of €35,600 to its shareholders last year.

The directors’ report attached to the accounts state, “In common with the economic climate in general, the group experienced a drop in turnover as some significant customer projects were delayed in 2008. The directors anticipate a return to profitability in PAU Oia

The company had an operating loss of €761,696 compared to €113,543 the previous year.

The accounts show that at the end of December last, accumulated prof- its stood at €2.49 million while shareholder funds amounted to €6.7 million.