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A MAN who conned people into donating money for cancer research, under the pretence that he had suf- fered from cancer, has been jailed for eae lane leyeleelse

Arthur Boland (29), of 1A, No 46 Whitestrand Park, Galway, faced 30 charges relating to incidents in 11 different premises in Ennis and Ssixmilebridge between December |, 2007 and January 21, 2008.

The premises named on the charge Sheets included five bars, a hotel, an auctioneers, an insurance firm,

florists, a convenience store and a newsagents.

He admitted all 30 offences, but 11 of those were later struck out, after the judge noted that the euro symbol was absent from the charge sheets.

Boland admitted 18 charges of dishonestly, by deception, inducing people to contribute money with the intention of making gain for himself. The sums of money donated ranged between €2 and €20.

He also pleaded guilty to 12 charg- es of using a false instrument with the intention of inducing a person to accept it as genuine.

Garda Christopher Whyte told Ennis District Court on Friday that €945 was collected on the sponsor- ship cards, in the Ennis area. €81 of this could be traced back to those who donated.

Boland, he said, entered several premises in Ennis, where he pro- duced a letter stating that he was col- lecting money for cancer.

He stated that he had permission to collect the money and presented sponsorship cards for people to fill out. However the charity mentioned by Boland did not exist, said Gda Whyte.

‘There is a charitable organisation in Limerick, but it is not affiliated with any kind of cards, as it deals with corporate sponsorship,’ said the garda.

Garda Tracey Stanley, of Sixmileb- ridge, told the court that Boland told those who he sought money from in Sixmilebridge that he was a cancer sufferer himself.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that Boland had 37 previous convictions. These include deception offences in Mayo and Tipperary and theft in Sligo and Harristown.

Boland’s solicitor Tara Godfrey

said he was pleading guilty to all stb e ene

“His life is somewhat barren. His relationship with his partner is Strained because of this,” she said.

‘He is willing to look into what is motivating him in this,” she said.

Boland accepted that a prison term was “almost inevitable,’ she said.

She pointed out that the sums of money included on the charge sheets were relatively small – €81 in Ennis and €85 in Sixmilebridge.

Judge Joseph Mangan jailed him for eight months and fixed a bond in the event of an appeal.

THE first sod on a multi-million euro community project in Sixmilebridge will be turned within weeks.

The development of a playground will be the first part of an overall plan which will include a creche, daycare centre and a community hall.

The initiative, located on the Shan- non Road in Sixmilebridge, is organ- ised under the auspices of The Bridge Complex in Sixmilebridge.

Local funding, allied to financial

assistance from Clare County Coun- cil and Government funds, helped cover the costs of the initiative, which has been on the cards for a number of years.

While the playground will be con- structed within months, it will take some years before the final prong of this project is completed.

The Bridge Complex is currently based at the old courthouse building, but will move to the community hall, when it is completed.

PRO of the Bridge Complex Mare-

len Cadogan said while the wheel was 1n motion for some time, the ac- tual building work is poised to get underway within weeks.

‘People will actually be able to see the digger on the site, which is the start of the next phase,’ said Ms Ca- dogan.

€10,000 of the funds for the play- ground was raised in the local area, while the remainder was granted in funding. It will feature state-of-the art equipment and will be located on a secure Site.

When completed, the facility will be run by the local community and will be a huge asset for the people of Sixmilebridge, where the population has grown substantially.

The official website of the Bridge Complex, www.bridgecomplex.ie, will be launched by Fianna Fail TD Timmy Dooley, on Friday evening, in the old courthouse building, at oy oeee

“It will give people the chance to come and ask questions,’ said Ms Cadogan.

AER LINGUS flights could be erounded if union members go ahead with threats of industrial action at the end of the month.

The largest union at the airline, SIPTU, has said it will not rule out a fresh ballot for industrial action if management forces through cost cut- ting measures on February 24.

The craft group of unions at Aer Lingus announced it was withdraw- ing from what it described as the “charade” of talks with management, before SIPTU made its warning.

In early January, the airline and

SIPTU had reached agreement in principal on how savings of €10 mil- lion could be achieved. The airline says the cuts are vital to its future. But no progress has been made since WeoOe

At the weekend the airline’s deputy chief executive, Niall Walsh, wrote to the union to tell them that cost cuts must be implemented by February 24 at the latest, with all negotiations concluded by February 22.

He said that the “urgency to agree, implement and realise the savings is more and more pressing” amid “weakening economic conditions and continued high fuel costs”.

A SIPTU spokeswoman, Teresa Hancock, said that her union wants the airline to adopt alternatives to reducing take-home pay and annual Eee sl ala espa orn nce

“SIPTU will not accept the com- pany unilaterally implementing any change to current terms and condi- tions. Should this occur, it will be viewed as a provocative act.”

Meanwhile, the craft group of un- ions has withdrawn from talks with management, claiming that Aer Lin- gus has withheld a pay settlement which was agreed as part of the na- tional wage agreement since Octo- ber.

“This whole episode of talks has been a charade” said Brian Gormley of the Unite trade union and chair- man of the craft workers’ group.

A spokesman for the company de- nied that any action by the 180 craft workers would result in grounding of NbKele NA

But while such action would cause some disruption, the bigger threat would be from the 1,800 members of SIPTU who could bring flights to a halt if they downed tools.

Aer Lingus has told the craft unions eroup that it will implement cost sav- ing initiatives in their areas from February 25 unless talks resume.

ANY chance of making it out of Di- vision 4 rests on this game. Clare, simply, have to win and while the wider picture says that promotion isn’t a necessity this year, a positive result at the weekend is essential if interest levels are to be retained. An- ybody from a county outside of Clare may find it strange, but history has told us that Clare footballers leave a shaky football panel faster than rats SEN oare Sb ON Gb rears) oul Oy

But maybe that attitude is slowly evaporating and if so, then that’s more positive than any top two fin- ish in the league. Under Frank Do- herty, there has been application and dedication and while the results went right in the McGrath Cup, they haven’t followed suit in the league.

Clare were dealt two openers that tested their mettle. They failed both challenges. Should they go down against Antrim on Saturday, then the league is over and the backdoor TImsy ele

But Clare have already secured one advantage. Back in the bad old days of Clare football, the players felt al-

ienated by the board — and we’re not talking of a Cork breakdown here. Multiply that by ten. Simple things were overlooked. Player’s basic ex- penses were cast aside. They paid for their own boots. There was no water in the showers.

If the Cork boys were faced with those obstacles, they’d probably have followed the younger O’Halpins en masse to Australia long ago.

Anyway, the current crop don’t have those worries to occupy their heads. This week, the board made sure the Antrim game goes ahead on Saturday. Antrim made some moves to have it played on Sunday, giving their players the Saturday to make the journey. They don’t have that benefit now.

It might be a logistical advantage, but it’s an advantage all the same and Clare have to capitalise on that. Last week we said that Barry Grogan had to be curtailed if Clare were to stand a chance. He scored O-8 on Satur- day and cut Clare to ribbons. This week, we say Paddy Cunningham is the man to smother. He impressed when he came on against Wicklow in Aughrim and scored 1-3 in the sec- ond half — a game that Antrim won, signalling their potential — and he controlled the attack at the weekend when Kilkenny were hammered by

Antrim.

From a Clare perspective, the re- turned Ger Quinlan provides some needed physical presence in midfield but without the suspended Niall Con- sidine, the half-back line lacks some forward penetration.

Against Antrim, it mightn’t be such a bad thing. Clare will have to tight- en up defensively and for once, stand up and be counted.

AN EAST Clare-based multina- tional firm is to put in place a series of measures to ensure the continued conservation of a local bat commu- nity living near a wind turbine to be erected on its property.

Last year, Clare Coun- ty Council deferred planning approval to Ol- ympus Diagnostica for a wind turbine due in part to the need for a device to keep bats away from the structure.

The company, which is based between O’Callaghan’s Mills and ‘Tulla, lodged the plans for the turbine to source 40 to 50 per cent of its electricity needs from alterna- tive energy.

The turbine will be 200 feet high, which is half the size of the industry norm. As the company will consume all the energy from the wind-turbine, there is no need for a grid connec- tion. The company pointed out that the site for the turbine was not with- in any recognised flight path of the Whooper Swan and the Greenland White Fronted Goose.

As part of the project, Olympus Diagnostica is planning to place an ultrasonic “scarer” that will provide

a signal to all bat species likely to encounter the motors.

A comprehensive bat survey of the area has found a “significant” number of Lesser Horsehoe Bats who use a local stables as a night roost. Accord- ing to the survey, between five and

20 Lesser Horseshoe bats use this roost each night before returning to the main roost.

The company is pro- posing to provide 20 bat boxes to provide roosts away from the Zone of potential im- pact and to use the ul- trasconic “‘scarer”’ on a trial basis. With these elements in place, the wind-turbine should have no impact on the

local bat population.

The bat survey found that the area around the turbine site was “the only location where no bat activity was recorded”.

The turbine is facing opposition from a local family. In their objec- tion, Mr and Mrs JP Murphy and family state that the proposal is “in- considerate to the local landscape and setting of Rosslara Lake and its woodland surroundings.”

NEWQUAY native John Kerin has been promoted to the rank as Garda Chief Superintendent.

He was among a number of Super- intendents included on a list for pro- motion, announced last week. The promotion is not likely to take effect until later this year, when a number of vacancies are due to arise across the country.

He is currently Superintendent at Henry Street Garda Station in Lim- erick, having been transferred there from Ennis last March.

He had been based in Ennis since UithatomA COL 07

He had spent over six years at En- nis, having previously been based at Henry Street, between 1994 and Av ereh

During his career to date, he has been involved in many high-profiled investigations in Limerick, not least

the killing of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe. He was killed during an at- tempted raid on a post office delivery van in Adare, Limerick, in 1996.

Mr Kerin was detective inspector at

Henry Street at the time and headed up the McCabe investigation. He had been a uniformed inspector for two years at the time, but was on his first day as detective inspector on the date of the Garda McCabe killing.

Supt Kerin joined the force in 1978 and spent his first eight years in Mal- low where he was promoted to ser- geant. After a further seven years as detective sergeant in Clonmel, he moved to Limerick.

He has also worked in a new post at the Garda College in Templem- ore, where he co-ordinated specialist training courses in criminal investi- gation.

Policing is poised to continue in the Kerin family for many years to come – his daughter Emma passed out at Templemore almost two years ago. She is currently stationed in Galway.

EAST Clare people who are wonder- ing whether their carbon footprint is a neat size four or a massive size 12 can now find out.

A special ‘Carbon Clinic’ in Killa- loe can even tell people who are not in the ecological know how to reduce their footprint and save money into the bargain.

Energy management expert, Vin- cent Carragher, who hosts the clinic at the Family Resource Centre says he has been asked advice on every- thing from saving on the heating bills to how to future-proof new homes.

“People can be conscious of the need to reduce their carbon footprint,

but they may not know or be just too busy to research how to do that. If they come to the clinic, I can work out what size that footprint is, based on things like car usage or how well a home is insulated. Or sometimes, people just want to know if there is a grant for things like solar panels and who is a good supplier for them. If someone is building a new home and wants advice about conserving energy, I can talk to them about bet- ter insulation. Any of these issues that people want to know about, I’m qualified to talk to them.”

The clinic is becoming busier as time goes on, with the price of oil soaring and as a result, the price of fuel for home heating and motoring.

‘Fuel is so expensive now that it’s being measured by the milligram. By reducing their fuel consump- tion, householders can save money as well. We try to give them the best advice we can in whatever situation they are in and with whatever their issues are.”

There are advice leaflets available during the week from the centre and Vincent is available on Friday after- noons but will also try to accommo- date queries outside that.

Vincent, who studied biochemis- try and carried out a study of how a community in Ballina was able to reduce it’s carbon footprint and save money, believes that at a time “when more and more environmental scien-

tists are talking about Irelands three- planet lifestyle it is becoming imper- ative that people are introduced to principles of sustainability through the educational system from an early age, and that these principles are reg- ularly reinforced and built upon.”

Vincent believes that the “bottom- up” method of cutting emission, in which individuals keep watch on their own carbon footprints is the best.

Anyone who would like to talk to Vincent can reach him through the centre on O61 374741 and there’s more information available at www. ul.ie/lowcarbonfutures.

THE late Dr Brendan O’Regan’s work and commitment to regional development and cross-cultural ex- changes have been second to none and have won him numerous acco- lades including the ‘Commander of the British Empire’ (CBE) award for his contribution to peace.

In 1984 he was voted “Clareman of the Year” and in 1995 he was made “Freeman of the City of Limerick”.

In 2000 Dr O’Regan was awarded the “Peace Dove” by Co-operation Ireland in recognition of his contri- bution to promoting understanding and respect between the people of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Dr O’Regan has also received nu- merous doctorates from Academic Institutions around Ireland. In 1978, he was conferred Doctor of Laws by the National University of Ire- land with a particular mention of

his “originality, courage and innova- tion”.

In 1999, Dr O’Regan was awarded a Doctorate of Laws by the Queen’s University of Belfast for “his achievements as a peacemaker and as an industrial visionary’, while the University of Limerick recently hon- oured him for his work with the Irish Peace Institute and the development of the Shannon region.

Last year, An ‘Taoiseach Bertie Ahern launched a Clare County Council exhibition celebrating Dr O’Regan’s life which went on dis- play at the deValera library in En- nis and the Sean Lemass library in Shannon.

It’s believed that the €40 million price tag was put on the hotel last week in a deal which sees Brian Brennan of Brennan Hotels become the new owner of the Dublin Hotel.

Brennan Hotels has four properties in Tipperary, Kilkenny, Meath and Wicklow.

The Lynch family bought the land- mark property in 2003 for €11 mil- lion. They went ahead with a mas-

sive redevelopment which saw room numbers almost double to 270, with the addition of a swimming pool and spa facilities. The redevelopment is believed to have cost €30 million.

In a statement, Lynch Hotels said that it will now focus on operating its properties in the west of Ireland. These include the upmarket Breaffy House hotel near Castlebar in Mayo and the West County Hotel in Ennis.

After the deal, Brian Brennan said “our business focus is commercial and leisure and the Green Isle is ide- ally suited to our expanding needs and requirements and is an ideal ac- companiment to our business mod- el.”

AN AMBITIOUS plan to establish the mid-west as a region of excel- lence and expertise in the area of en- ergy efficiency will be unveiled later WT Le1e).e

Junior Environment and Energy Minister Tony Killeen will launch Ireland’s first Regional Climate Change Strategy at the Mid West Re- gional Authority’s (MWRA) annual

conference in Adare on Friday.

And the importance to the region was highlighted by Authority Ca- thaoirleach Lilly Wallace who urged every individual in the mid-west to CCM doles bum oy Nu mB OMusxO LUCID OrcamNalomKorealO) IM dependence on fossil fuels as well as reducing carbon emissions by five tonnes per person.

“The economic and environmen- tal costs of doing nothing are far too great. Carbon costs alone for the

mid-west are calculated to be €62.2 million by 2010, and €94.5 million by 2020,” she said.

Explaining the reason behind the Adare conference, MWRA _ Direc- tor Liam Conneally said the author- ity decided to produce a strategy designed to enhance the mid-west’s energy, environmental and _ eco- nomic sustainability in response to increased concern about climate change and the Government’s recent

carbon budget.

Mr Conneally said that the ‘Mid West Climate Change Strategy’ had been developed as a working docu- ment ensuring the sustainability of the region’s energy needs, while playing a substantial role in support- ing the Government in achieving Ire- land’s Kyoto commitments.

He said the mid-west was well placed to exploit its substantial re- newable energy resources of wind,

wave, wood and energy crops.

“Much is already being done to establish the mid-west as a centre of excellence for the development and delivery of renewable energy technologies, and energy efficient buildings. The future development of this region as a region of excellence and expertise in the energy area will bring opportunities for communities, entrepreneurs and third-level gradu- ates,” he added.