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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.

FLOODING may have postponed the visit of two of the biggest names in Irish soccer to Clare this week but one World Cup hero 1s expected to be in the county on Friday.

Football Association of Ireland (FAT) chief John Delaney along with the Technical Director Packie Bon- ner were due to attend a workshop in Ennis tomorrow to launch Clare’s hosting of the 2011 FAI Annual Gen- eral Meeting.

However in an email last night Clare District Soccer League secre- tary, Oliver Fitzpatrick, stated that the event has been postponed due to bad weather.

The occasion would have marked one of the first public appearances

for Delaney since the FAI’s request to have the controversial World Cup play-off between Ireland and France replayed was knocked back by FIFA.

One man on his way to Clare is Ray Houghton. The hero of Giants stad1- um in 1994 will at the Clare Inn to officially launch the new website of Ennis Town football club.

Houghton will also present players with the club’s new jersey. The man who famously ‘put the ball in the English net’ visited Ennis last year.

“IT just think its great in counties like Clare; so many youngsters are given the opportunity to play soccer, which wouldn’t have been the case quite a few years ago. It’s changed dramatically”, he said at the time.

VARIOTAS SPECIALS

RETAIL Ireland, the IBEC group that represents the retail sector, has called on all local authorities to cut commercial rates when voting on the matter later this month.

Retail Ireland has written to the Chairperson of every local author- ity as well as all City and County Managers to ask for a reduction of 20 per cent. In addition, the group has written to An Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD, Enda Kenny TD, Leader of Fine Gael, and to Eamon Gilmore TD, Leader of the Labour Party, to request that their councillors support such a move.

Retail Ireland Director Torlach Denihan, said, “Over the last year 30,000 retail jobs have been lost and the sector is struggling to avoid fur- ther redundancies over the coming months. Local authorities must play their part in the retail sector’s efforts to regain lost competitiveness and safeguard employment. As can be seen from the Consumer Price Index released last Thursday, retailers have cut prices aggressively over the last year.

“Over the last decade local authori- ties have been able to fund many projects through development levies and commercial rates paid by the re- tail sector. They now need to act re- sponsibly and help the sector retain

employment in view of the threat posed by the collapse in sales, aggra- vated by cross- border shopping.

‘Since 2000 the annual rate on valuation has increased by a cumu- lative 57 per cent nationally. Last year some local authorities took the incredible decision to increase the annual rate on valuation (Clare 3.8 per cent, South Dublin 3.63 per cent, Fingal 3.5 per cent, Wexford 3.5 per cent and Dublin City 3.35 per cent) despite the fact that the retail sector was in crisis. We are particularly dis- turbed that a revaluation exercise in South Dublin and Fingal is further aggravating the problem, resulting in some retailers facing increases of up to 50 per cent.”

A BUILDER who demolished a house without planning permission has been told he has “blatant disre- gard for court orders”.

The comment from a judge was made in the case of Patrick Costello, who has been convicted of failing to comply with an enforcement notice.

In court last July, Mr Costello, of Shannon Road, Sixmiulebridge, said he was in debt to the tune of more than ©3.6 million.

Last December, Mr Costello was fined €1,500 and ordered to pay €1,800 in expenses for an offence under the Planning and Develop- ment Act, after a court heard he de- molished a house without planning

permission at Main Street, Sixmile- bridge, in 2006.

Ann Colleran, an enforcement officer in Clare County Council’s planning section, told Ennis District Court on Friday that Mr Costello was convicted of failing to comply with an enforcement notice, in De- cember 2008.

“There has been non-compliance with that order,’ she said.

She said that the council had re- quested Mr Costello to reconstruct the house he had demolished with- out planning permission.

Ms Colleran said that an inspec- tion was carried out on February 19 last and the works had not been car- ried out on that occasion.

She explained that when the house

was demolished, damage had been caused to the adjacent house.

Defending solicitor Jenny Fitzgib- bon said she was not calling any witnesses. Judge Leo Malone said the matter was proven.

Rachel Dobson, solicitor for Clare County Council, said the maximum fine open to the court was €508 per day, which amounted to €135,128.

Ms Fitzgibbon said her client is currently not working and is living off donations from his parents.

“He has no savings. Everything that they have is tied up at the mo- ment,’ she said.

The judge said that the demolition occurred in 2006, which is almost four years ago. “There were birds showing in the attic of the property

next door. It’s really serious,’ said the judge.

Ms Fitzgibbon pointed out that she has only been on record for her cli- ent since June of this year.

“I should really impose a prison sentence on your client for his bla- tant disregard of court orders,” said the judge and imposed a fine of €2,000, giving him two months to pay. He also ordered him to pay €2,500 in costs. A bond was fixed in the event of an appeal.

Meanwhile, the judge also refused to extend time for an appeal of the case from December last year. In making the application, Ms Fitzgib- bon said Mr Costello was not rep- resented when the case came before the court 11 months ago.

“He was unwell and left the court. We appreciate our application is out of time. I’m asking that the appeal be dealt with,” said Ms Fitzgibbon.

However, Ms Dobson said that ap- plication would be opposed.

“This came before you almost a year ago. He left the court,’ said Ms Dobson.

She said that a notice of appeal was not filed until July of this year, after another summons was issued.

Ms Fitzgibbon said her client ap- preciated that. She said he has re- ceived medical attention and “has a lot of medical conditions.”

However, the judge refused to extend time to appeal and said Mr Costello could appeal that to the cir- LED Lmerel bya

TOP energy experts at the TOP Ideal Home Show in the RDS in Dublin proved that going green re- ally doesn’t cost the earth for Clare households by highlighting the mas- sive savings to be made by becoming more energy efficient in the home.

Detached properties, the most frequent home type across County Clare, have the potential to be much more energy efficient and owners of this housing category could knock more than €1,000 of their home heating bills. With over 22,000 such property types in the county, Clare households could be missing out on substantial savings.

While detached properties offer the greatest saving potential, ‘greener’ energy behaviour can also offer sig- nificant reward for other home types,

such as one or two bed apartment cir- ca 750 sq foot – €742; 2 bedroom ter- raced house circa 950 sq foot – €898; 3 bedroom semi detached house cir- ca 1,250 sq foot – £1,070

TOP Tips reflecting the company’s mantra, ‘going green doesn’t cost the earth’ were given to visitors at the TOP Ideal Home Show this year and expert staff were on hand at the TOP Biodome to suggest specific recom- mendations on how people can make some small inexpensive changes and save up to €1,180 per year, depend- ing on their house type. TOP is high- lighting to the people of Clare that they are literally burning money by not making their homes more energy efficient, as well as the environmen- tal implications.

TOP is Ireland’s leading fuel im- porter and distributor and this is the second year the company has been

the title sponsor of the Ideal Home Show.

Speaking at the opening of the TOP Ideal Home Exhibition, Gener- al Manager of TOP, Gerard Boylan, said, “Changing people’s attitude to going green is hard but the environ- mental experts at the TOP biodome will be making it clear in financial terms, that being environmentally Savvy is a sensible choice.”

Mr. Boylan continued, “Unfortu- nately, having a home that is energy efficient has always been viewed as the expensive option but we’re trying to educate people that the opposite is true by showing the actual savings they could be making. We’re trying to put the savings in perspective for people – going green in 2010 could be the difference between going on holiday and not. It’s that simple,’ he concluded.

A 13-MONTH jail term has been imposed on a Kilrush man who as- saulted two gardai in separate inci- OLAS

Martin Burke (27), of St Senan’s Terrace, Kilrush, admitted assault- ing Sergeant Lavin; assaulting Garda Greg Gander; and criminal damage, arising out of various inci- eae

Garda Conor Flaherty told Kilrush District Court that the accused was arrested for public order offences on O’Curry Street, Kilkee, on Novem-

ber 30, 2008.

He was taken to the garda station. Handcuffs were removed from him at the public office.

He said that Burke refused to stand up to be searched. He was then re- strained and handcuffed and brought to a cell.

Gda Flaherty said that Burke was very abusive to gardai.

He became very violent and punched Sgt Lavin on the left shoul- Cloe

Defending solicitor | Eugene O’Kelly said his client was “so drunk he was unable to sign his own

name”.

‘He didn’t know what he was do- ing.

“No intention to assault Sgt Lavin had formed in his mind. He was completely out of it.”, Mr O’kelly explained

Garda Greg Gander told the court that the accused was highly abusive at Market Square, Kilrush, on June BEEN e

He was taken to the garda station, where he punched the garda to the stone

Garda Keith Hughes told the court that Burke broke windows on Crot-

ty’s pub and Central Sports in Kil- rush on March 27 last.

The total cost of the damage amounted to €2,250.

Mr O’Kelly, referring to that inci- dent, said his client told gardai, “My head isn’t right. I need to get help.”

Mr O’Kelly said that Burke’s grandmother had just died and he was very troubled as a result.

“He had no reason in the world for breaking these windows. It was some cry for help.

“Mr Burke needs help. He’s unfor- tunately far too regular a visitor to this court,’ he said.

Mr O’Kelly said his client would be willing to move out of Kilrush.

“He 1S sincere when he 1s sober, but unfortunately when he is drunk, matters get the better of him,’ he STH em

The court heard that Burke has 56 previous convictions.

One of those was for arson, for which a three-year sentence was imposed at Ennis Circuit Court in 2006.

Judge Joseph Mangan imposed sentences totalling 13 months and fixed a bond in the event of an ap- peal.

A CLARE businessman, who along with his partners is paying ©20,000 in interest on a planned retail park in Shannon, has made a last ditch at- tempt to save the development.

Last month, Clare County Council refused planning permission to Sean Halpin and Greenband Investments for the neighbourood component of a €60m retail park planned for Smith- stown in Shannon.

Mr Halpin confirmed that he and his business partners purchased the 17.5 acre site zoned for commercial development for €8 million in 2005 and have since paid ©2 million in interest.

Confirming that interest payments are costing ©20,000 per month, Mr Halpin said, “The interest is some- where north of €2 million. This is not some cosy arrangement with the bank where we have interest rolled up.”

In all, Mr Halpin estimates that the exposure to date is €10.5m.

Now, in a last ditch bid to save the development, they have lodged an ap- peal with An Bord Pleanala against the council’s decision to refuse plan- ning to the neighbourhood compo- nent of the scheme.

The council stated that the centre would have an adverse impact on the vitality and viability of Shannon town and contravene Department of the Environment retail guidelines

relating to the location of neighbour- hood centres.

The Greenband development was due to create 250 direct jobs, 200 in- direct jobs and 180 jobs during the construction phase.

In their appeal, the developers “se- riously contest the reason for refusal of the neighbourhood centre of the proposed scheme.

‘The proposed development would in fact not detract from the town cen- tre but serve the remainder of the proposed development and immedi- ate surrounding areas.

“The reasons for refusal cited by the council do not accord with the retail planning guidelines, which specifically recognises the local role

neighbourhood centre’s play in the retail hierarchy.”

However, the plan faces outright rejection, with the McAllen family lodging an appeal against the coun- cil decision to grant planning to any aspect of the development.

The local family state that their health and safety is of paramount importance and “any detrimental environmental impacts in the area, that put our health and safety under threat, will be subject to full legal ac- tion on our behalf.”

‘There 1s an over-intensification of commercial use on the site; loss of privacy and the design is of poor ar- chitectural quality.”

A decision is due in 2010.