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A JUDGE said yesterday that ‘deal- ing in drugs is a pernicious activity’ and the State expects judges to 1m- pose tough sentences for drugs of- fences.

Judge Carroll Moran made the comment as he imposed a two-year jail term on an Ennis man, who ad- mitted possession of amphetamine and cannabis resin, for the purpose of sale or supply, at his home in En- nis in August 2002.

However the sentence imposed on Cathal Brohan (28), of 142 Hermit- age, Ennis, has been suspended for three years, on condition that he does not re-offend and co-operate with the Probation services.

Ennis Circuit Court heard that cannabis resin, valued at more than €5,500, was found, along with 90 ecstasy tablets, when gardai carried

out a search of the house. €2,200 cash was also seized in the

accused’s bedroom, which gardai believed was the proceeds of drug

dealing. Brohan denied this, saying it was money he had gathered to pay back a loan.

His barrister Pat Whyms said his client was “not a threat to society. He is a threat to himself. He needs to ad- dress his problems.”

Judge Carroll Moran noted that Brohan had stayed out of trouble since the offence, over five years ago.

“Dealing in drugs is a pernicious activity. The State expects judges to react and impose substantial sen- tences. It may well be that this ac- cused deserves a prison sentence,’ said the judge.

In suspending the jail term, he said he was “satisfied beyond reasonable doubt” the State’s suspicions about the money seized were correct.

TAKING inspiration from the worlds of classical and jazz music, the Jazzi- cal Quartet plays Danlann an Chlair on Thursday.

This is the second outing on stage for the recently formed four piece who also performed in the Ss Peter and Paul Cathedral during Christ- Tete

The band is comprised of Michael Hennessy on piano, drummer Danny Byrte, Deridre Frost on bass and flut- ist Tanja Fritschi.

They will be performing work by

renowned French jazz pianist Claude sXe)iunetee

A fusion of two apparently con- trasting styles of music Jazzical utilises motifs from classical piano repertoire as subjects for jazz inter- pretations for solo piano, chamber ensemble or jazz combo, and orches- tra. A true marriage of classical and jazz, it is designed to bridge the gap between classical and jazz music and its audiences while remaining true to both forms.

Michael Hennessy explained the kind of show audiences in the Dan- lann are in for.

He said “It is a classical jazz cross- over So the very music on the night will be all instrumental, very light, very easy listening. We have played together once before, 1n the cathedral on December 8, but we have been doing a lot of rehearsals”.

After the Ennis concert, the band hit the road for a show in Cork at the newly completed Cork School of Music. The school is the fist pur- pose building of its kind consists of specialist tuitional areas, rehearsal areas, live recording studios and lec- ture rooms.

A teacher in Colaiste Muire, Ennis

for over 25 years and vice principal there for six, Michael is currently pursuing a Master in Music from University College Cork.

He said “I took a year off to do the Masters down in Cork so it will be good to get the opportunity to down and play there.

The award winning Colaiste Muire Choir, led by Carmel Griffin, will provide support at Thursday’s con- cert in Ennis.

The band takes to the stage at 8pm with tickets €10 and €3 for students. The Jazzical Quartet plays the Cork School of Music on January 19.

THE outstanding work of local com- munity groups across the county was highlighted at the 2007 Community Environmental Awards ceremony in the Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis, on Monday evening when several awards were presented in competi- tions including Clare In Bloom, Best Public Seat, Power of One – Energy Efficiency for Clare, Keep Clare Clean and Pride of Place.

Ballynacally Development Asso- ciation was named overall winner of the Clare In Bloom competition achieving the highest marks for a second year in a row. The associa- tion scored highly for landscaping, range of planting, colour and overall impression.

Mayor of Clare Councillor Patricia McCarthy presented the Ballyna-

cally group with a cheque for €1500. As well as taking the overall award, Ballynacally was named winner in Category 3 population sector, beat- ing off competition from Labasheeda and Mountshannon.

Category | was won by Kilrush Tidy Towns Committee, who fin- ished ahead of Bridgetown and Shannon. Tuamgraney Development Association was named the winner of Category 2, with Kilmihil Tidy Towns and Quin Development As- sociation achieving second and third je Elen

Categories are based on population size with a first, second and third prize in each category of <€1100, €550 and €300 respectively. A Special Endeavour Award went to Bridgetown for the overall ap- pearance of the village, which was a blaze of colour during the adjudicat- ing period with the displays on the approach roads excelling. The Mayor’s Environmental Award, as well as a cheque for €1,000, was presented to Mountshannon. Spe- cial Merit Awards were presented to community groups in Bodyke De- velopment Association, Feakle Tidy Village Committee, Scariff Commu- nity Council, Obair Newmarket on Fergus, Kildysart Tidy Towns, Car- rigaholt Tidy Towns, Ballyvaughan Tidy Towns, Lisdoonvarna Com- munity Council, Ruan Tidy Village, St Mary's Community Development Lissycasey and Kilmurry McMahon Community Group. For the second consecutive year Ballyea claimed the Best Public Seat Award, which acknowledges com- munities for tasteful public seats that encourage people to take a few mo- ments repose in pleasant surround- ing. Ballyea finished ahead of Bal- lynacally and Decomade Lissycasey. A newly introduced art competition themed Power of One - Energy Ef- ficiency for Clare attracted an enor- mous number of entries from both primary and secondary schools. First prize was awarded to Jennifer Ly- ons, St Joseph’s Secondary School, Spanish Point, with Edel Curtin, St Joseph’s Secondary School, Span- ish Point second and Abby Koomans O’Reilly, Scariff Community College third. The primary school categories were won by Cillian Fennell, Ennis National School, Paraic O’Gorman, Kilmihil National School, Caolann O'Dwyer, Scoil losaf Naofa, Moy, Lahinch, second Class, Clarecas- tle National School, Laura Brassil, Dangan National School and Cai- triona O’Gorman, Kilmihil National Nye tere) Winners in the Keep Clare Clean competition included Louise Hill Ballynacally/Lissycasey; Eoin Mc- Namara, Ruan Toonagh; Liam Kelly, Cratloe; and Grace Kearney, Cratloe. The competition is organised with support from Clare County Council and runs in conjunction with Clare Community Games. The ceremony included an inaugu- ral presentation to local participants in the All-Ireland Pride of Place competition run with Co-Operation Ireland in conjunction with local au- thorities north and south of the bor- der. Clare County Council and Co- Operation Ireland honoured the lo- cal contribution that the Michael Cusack Centre in Carron, Kilmihil Community Development Ltd and the RAPID Community Pitch-In at Cloughleigh made in 2007.

A l7-YEAR-OLD who refused to co-operate with the welfare services after being in court on 12 charges re- solved to follow instructions after a stint in custody.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was before Ennis

District Court on charges including stealing a car, theft of a generator and fraud.

Judge Joseph Mangan heard that the boy had been in custody since the be- ginning of November and read a re- port from the probation and welfare service which said he was not engag- ing with the after-care services.

But his solicitor, Marina Keane said the boy had been in custody since November 4 “and does not want to go back there. He knows now what he has to do and is willing to do a FAS course and co-operate with the Services.”

Judge Mangan said that the charges were of a Serious nature and he did

not want to see the accused go out of the hands of the court entirely.

He fined him €100 and disquali- fied him from driving for five years on the car theft charge.

On other charges he placed him on probation for two years and remand- ed him on bail on the two remaining charges to April 11.

GREATER representation will be given to skateboarding and rugby on the re-structured Ennis sports facili- ties committee.

The committee, established in 2003 to facilitate communication and dis- cussion on the development of sport- ing facilities in Ennis, is to be ex- tended from nine to 11 members.

This comes after concerns were raised about the effectiveness of the committee.

Currently the committee is com- prised of three elected representa- tives from Ennis Town Council, three elected members of Clare County Council and a representative from the GAA, athletics and soccer.

However with the development of a new skate park and the increased use of Lees Road by underage and

senior sections of Ennis rugby club, the Council is seeking greater input from both groups.

A report prepared by Ennis Town Council proposed that ‘the number of sporting bodies representatives be increased and that each body be asked to confirm their existing rep- resentative or to nominate a repre- sentative to the Committee’.

A vacancy, created when a repre- sentative from Clare County Council was elected to the Dail in 2005, will also be filled.

A proposal to create an extra po- sition for schoolboy’s/girls soccer on the committee was rejected at the January meeting of Ennis Town Council.

Speaking at that meeting Fianna Fail councillor Joe Reidy said greater commitment was needed from sport- ing bodies.

He said, “It’s not up to us its up to individual sporting bodies. The peo- ple that are chosen have to speak up for themselves. The sports we are looking to hear from are skateboard- ing and rugby”.

Mayor of Ennis Tommy Brennan said previous committee meetings had been poorly attended.

Committee chairman and _ inde- pendent councillor Frankie Neylon said, “I would suggest five represent- atives from five different sports. We already have one from soccer, GAA and athletics. We have a particular problem with communication on the committee. We need to hear from the people, like those in rugby and soc- cer, who are frequent users of Lees Road. Its better to have people like that, rather than six councillors sit- ting around a table”.

Fianna Fail councillor Tom Glynn

expressed concern that an en-larged committee could prove less effec- tive.

He said, “I would have some con- cerns. Do we need to extend com- mittee? What you find sometimes with large committees is that it can take longer to get things done. Would it make the whole process more un- wieldy?”’

According to the report “The com- mittee has an important promotional role to play in highlighting the nature of the facilities available amongst sporting clubs and associations. The committee can further promote ad- ditional facilities as these become available for use’.

CLARE firms interested in exploring innova- tion aS a means of becoming more competi- tive are urged to take a closer look at the new Design Shannon Skillnet programme, which tees off this spring. The two year programme, which will run concurrently in Ennis and Lim- erick, is funded by member companies and the Training Networks Programme, an initiative of Skillnets Ltd, which is funded from the Na- tional Training Fund through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

“Design Shannon Skillnet represents a great opportunity for established manufacturing and service businesses — small and large — to ben- efit from the insight of leading national and in- ternational experts in the areas of design and innovation, and from the experiences of the other member firms in the network. The addi-

tion of more customised, one-on-one training to the new programme will further enhance the tangible benefits for each, individual company participating,’ said Laura Maye, Network Man- ager, Design Shannon Skillnet.

As a participant of the Design Shannon Skill- net programme, which recently finished, Frank Whelan, Sales Manager of Ennistymon-based Data Display, summarised how Data Display had benefited from the programme: “At a com- pany level, it has helped us to see and seize new ways of doing business. On a personal level, it has given me the skills to enhance my selling techniques, and to reap the ensuing benefits. Overall, worthwhile and value for money.”

For further information/registration, con- tact Design Shannon Skillnet at 065 6895282 (www.designshannon.ie).

A DUBLIN man who imported a haul of cannabis resin from Brus- sels, via Shannon airport, to pay off a drug debt has been jailed for four years.

Paul Hand (22), from Malahide in Dublin, admitted possession of drugs with a market value of €13,000 or more.

He was caught with cannabis resin, valued at €21,000, at Shannon air- port, on August 28, 2006.

Ennis Circuit Court heard yester- day that Hand had flown to Brussels on August 25 that year. On his return three days later, he was apprehended by Customs and when his suitcase was searched, the drugs were found.

The court heard that his own drug habit cost him up to €500 per week and he had imported the drugs to pay off a debt.

Hand’s barrister David Sutton, SC, said the accused had co-operated fully with gardai and had expressed remorse. He had since given up drugs, he said.

He pleaded guilty to the charge, which he said was at the lower end of the scale in terms of value.

He said it did seem to be a very “foolish enterprise” carried out for another individual and his client had

been naive.

Judge Carroll Moran said the im- portation of drugs was a serious mat- ter.

“Even though the value is small and the illicit drug is cannabis resin, which is not as poisonous as other substances, it’s still a Misuse of Drugs Offence,’ said the judge.

“You have to be living on another planet not to know that the legisla- ture expects and demands heavy sen- tences (for drugs offences),” he said.

The judge told Hand that investigat- ing Garda Michelle Holian had been fair to him and said “I hope you are appreciative of that.”

Noting that the accused was a pleasant individual, the judge said, “It is very difficult to send such a man to prison,’ and imposed a four- year term.

THE JESUIT COMMUNITY has been saddened by the passing of a much loved Ennis colleague.

Phillip O’Keefe spent most of his life as an SJ in Africa and came home just weeks before his recent olor hdee

He worked with his community in Mazabuca in South Africa, returning to Ennis to see his family every three to four years.

He was a student in Clongowes Wood before entering the Society in

1963 at the age of 17.

He studied Philosophy and Theol- ogy in Milltown Park, and was or- dained in 1975. Though Fr Phillip entered the Irish Jesuits, he subse- quently transferred to the Zambian province.

He worked at Maamba Catholic Church, Maamba and also St. Mary’s Parish, Monze.

His most recent appointment was as Superior and parish priest of Na- kambala Catholic Church, Parish of St Paul, Mazabuka, Zambia.

He was a keen golfer and wrote

little religious instructional books for the African children he worked wel80

At his funeral, Mass in Milltown Park, ex Jesuit Provincial, Fr Colm Brophy, paid tribute to Fr Phillip and his faith. He said that Fr Phillip, normally a shy man who didn’t like the limelight, “is awe-struck today, lying here listening to us, with what- ever ears death has, to find himself the root and centre of an enormous number of conversations of people who knew him. People in Zambia who admired and respected him,

people in Zambia who loved him.

Friends who are no longer in Zam- bia, many who are here. His cher- ished Jesuit family and his treasured own flesh and blood”.

He added that Fr Phillip was “very honest with himself” and had a “wry sense of humour which didn’t desert him, even at the end.

Fr Philip passed away peacefull in St. Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin aged 62.

He is survived by his brothers, Dan Rory, William and David and his twin sister, Molly.

THERE are now almost double the number of holiday homes in Kilkee to homes used in the resort on a per- manent basis.

In statistics cited by Clare County Council in refusing to allow a por- tion of 64 new homes be used as holiday homes, the local authority points out that there are now just un- der 1,000 holiday homes in the west Clare seaside resort.

According to figures secured from the Central Statistics Office (CSO),

there are now 996 holiday homes in Kilkee representing 83 per cent more homes that the 544 permanent holiday homes in Kilkee.

The council points out that 67 per cent of homes in Kilkee are unoc- cupied. Last year, Keelgrove Con- struction secured planning permis- sion for 64 homes in the resort.

However, the council inserted a condition that the homes be used only for permanent occupation in response to the high percentage of holiday homes already in Kilkee.

In response, Keelgrove lodged a

fresh application seeking to modify the planning permission so that a percentage of the homes can be used as holiday homes.

Consultants for Keelgrove Con- struction Ltd argued that the clause insisting that the homes be for per- manent occupancy is not supported in the West Clare Local Area Plan.

The consultants argue that if the council applies the permanent oc- cupancy clause to all future housing in Kilkee, “then the plan is failing to provide for a key sector of the housing and tourism market and

this could adversely impact on the economy of the town”.

The developers argue that “in the interest of fairness and equality, only a percentage of the residen- tial units within the development should be restricted to permanent occupancy — similar to the concept of providing social and affordable jaLO)UESS EO Toa

However, in the planner’s report, the council cited an An Bord Pleana- la inspector’s report on a previous application for holiday homes.

The report stated that “having

visited Kilkee on June 2, albeit mid-week, it was starkly evident the extent of holiday home develop- ment present in the town and on its fringes and its underutilisation”.

The council planner recommended “that this development proposal be refused as it would further contrib- ute to the loss of community, lack of housing choice for permanent residents in Kilkee and lead to an unsustainable demand for all year round services and would therefore materially contravene an objective in a local area plan for the area.”

THE chairman of the Shannon Air- port Authority (SAA), Pat Shanahan is expected to advance the case for an independent Shannon Aijrport when he appears before a high level Oireachtas Committee tomorrow.

Mr Shanahan’s appearance before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport on Wednesday follows on the SAA lodging with the DAA the 10-year business plan for an inde- pendent Shannon Airport.

Mr Shanahan resigned from his role as executive chairman of the SAA last October in protest at the failure of the DAA to inform the SAA of Aer Lingus proposals to transfer the Heathrow slots to Belfast.

Remaining as chairman, Mr Shana- han said that he would concentrate all his energies in securing autonomy for Shannon.

The State Airports Act 2004 envis- ages Shannon having full financial independence.

However, talks on a €36 million restructuring deal that went on for over 18 months were only complete last year involving the voluntary re- dundancy of 200 workers.

The restructuring plan allowed the SAA to formally lodge the business plan with the DAA last November.

The plan envisages Shannon’s €67 million debt being assumed by the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) and an injection of capital for a new US customs clearance facility and works to the airfield and other infra- Seg eCel ab cen

The business plan envisages just 20 per cent of the current level of US troop movements through the air- port.

Clare TD, Timmy Dooley (FF) is a member of the committee and said yesterday that he is looking forward to the SAA’s proposals being put for- ward in a very public way before the Loynabasblaneron

He said: “The critical focus will be on the business plan.”