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FORMER ~ Lisdoonvarna parish priest, Brendan Kelly, was last week appointed as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Achonry.

Monsignor Kelly, who served as PP in Lisdoonvarna from 1996 to 2003, will succeed Bishop Thomas Flynn who has been in charge of the Mayo,

Sligo and Roscom- mon diocese for the last 30 years.

Speaking after the announcement _ the Bishop-elect said that he was happy to be in the diocese and had already been made to feel very welcome by the priests and all the people he has met.

He went on to say that he looked for- ward to working in the diocese and would concentrate his initial efforts on getting to know the priests with whom he would work and the people of the diocese.

Monsignor Kelly was born in Der- rybrien on the Clare/Galway border in May 1946. He was the second in a family of nine. He attended Craughwell National School before going on to St Mary’s College in Crea

When he finished secondary school he began his studies for the priest- hood in St Patrick’s College, May- nooth in 1964, where he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Divinity, and was ordained a priest in the diocese of Galway in June 1971. After his ordination he studied for his Higher Diploma in Education

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After serving a year as curate in Kinvara, he held a number of teaching posts, first in Colaiste Einde, and then in Our La- dy’s College in Gort until 1986 when he became president until 1995.

He received sab- batical leave in 1995 and served as chap- lain to the L’Arche community in Cul-

se-la-Motte in France.

Following his time in Lisdoonvarna he was appointed as parish priest for Spiddal in Galway where he served until he was announced as the Bish- op-elect for Achonry last week.

The Diocesce of Achonry consists of 23 separate parishes, with 39 priests and 47 Catholic churches. Ac- cording to the latest census figures the Diocese of Achonry consists of 35,224 Catholics.

THE Minister for Agriculture, Fish- eries and Food, Mary Coughlan said now is the time to pursue reducing the administrative burden on farm- ers. The EU Commission published its communication on preparation for the Health Check of the Common Agricultural Policy this week. Following the publication Minister

Coughlan said, “I anticipate detailed and intensive negotiations on the Health Check over the next twelve months or so.”

The Health Check of the CAP aris- es from planned reviews of the milk quota regime and the operation of the Single Payment Scheme.

Minister Coughlan said this was an ideal opportunity to pursue her ob- jective of reducing the administrative

burden on farmers by simplifying in a genuine and practical manner the requirements of Single Payment. She also recalled that Commission- er Fischer Boel has frequently stated that the Health Check is not intended to fundamentally change the CAP. “I strongly agree with this point,” she said. “I firmly believe that farm- ers need a period of policy stability to adapt to the new decoupled pay-

ments regime.”

The Minister announced that she would establish a consultative com- mittee to advise her on the health check. This group will work in par- UOC M A 100MM eComOrOyeeULe-1O Romeo nelt1OMr-0 Ee ready announced on dairy quotas.

It will include all the main industry stakeholders with an interest in the issues encompassed by the Health Check.

TWO elderly men living alone fell victim to a conman who called to their homes posing as a priest and demanded money in Bodyke and Broadford on Sunday afternoon.

The man, wearing a priest’s collar, called to the two homes, shortly after

2pm on Sunday, claiming he was the new priest in the area.

In the Bodyke home, he ordered his 73-year-old victim to change his trou- sers in order that he could take pos- session of his wallet, which were in the trousers he was wearing. He took the wallet which is believed to have contained at least €200 in cash.

An 85-year-old man was targeted in the Broadford area a short time later. The ‘priest’ told him he was “the last of the old priests” and also sought the man’s wallet. Gardai believe he didn’t succeed in taking hold of that man’s money.

Gardai believe the man is in his 40s and are appealing for anyone who

may have seen a blue Volvo car in the Bodyke or Broadford areas on Sun- day afternoon to come forward.

“This was a devious crime. These were two vulnerable people. We have received two reports from two men who live on their own. We are satis- fied the motive was monetary gain,” said a garda source.

THE TOURISM arm of Shannon Development suffered a 42 per cent drop in profits last year according to the most recent returns to the Com- panies Office.

Shannon Heritage’s profits dropped from €196,000 in 2005 to €113,000 last year.

However, a major contributory fac- tor to the drop in profits and drop in attendances at its visitor attractions across the region was the closure of O’Brien’s Tower at the Cliffs of Mo- her in 2006 to facilitate the construc- tion of the new visitor centre.

The accounts show that 81,000 tourists visited O’Brien’s Tower in 2005 and the absence of these tour- ists last year resulted in the overall number of tourists visiting day-time attractions dropping from 512,000 in 2005 to 449,000 in 2006.

Overall numbers going to night

time attractions also showed a mar- ginal drop from 66,999 in 2005 to 65,168 last year.

The combined total for day-time and night-time attractions dropped from 625,615 in 2005 to 562,139 last year.

The profit last year of €113,000 put Shannon Heritage on a firmer finan- cial footing with accumulated profits now of €847,000.

The accounts show that the com- pany secured a gross profit last year of €8.9 million, however, Shannon Heritage’s “administration expens- es” increased from €7.9 million to €8.8 million. The company now has €1.353 million, while staff costs last year were €5.2 million employing 210.

In spite of the drop in profits, the statement accompanying the ac- counts states that Shannon Heritage “recorded one of its best results for

many years’.

A CLARE GP has expressed concern at the lack of knowledge regarding the pneumococcal vaccine. A TNS MRBI poll showed that just two per cent of people have been vaccinated against pneumococcal disease.

According to Dr Dermot Boyle, this is a very worrying Statistic given the serious side effects associated with the infection.

“The pneumococcal vaccine is free to all people aged 65 and over and to those at risk of contracting the dis- ease, including people with diabetes,

a weakened immune system or heart disease. I would encourage all those at risk and over 65 to speak to your GP about getting vaccinated against pneumococcal disease,” he said. While 77 per cent of Irish people believe that pneumococcal disease iS a more serious condition than the flu, only 11 per cent of respondents knew that a pneumococcal vaccine was available. This compared with 40 per cent who had been vaccinated against flu. However, between 1996 and 2006, more than 200 Irish peo- ple have died per year as a result of contracting pneumococcal disease.

The vaccine against pneumococ- cal disease is a single vaccination for most people.

The Immunisation Guidelines for Ireland recommend that all people over 65 years of age should be vac- cinated against both pneumococcal disease (pneumo bug) and the flu.

The survey carried out for Sanofi Pasteur MSD also showed that 29 per cent of respondents had heard of pneumococcal disease highlighting the need for increasing awareness levels. The research also demon- strated that confusion exists around the diseases that can be caused as a

result of pneumococcal infection.

If untreated, pneumococcal disease can lead to the development of pneu- monia, meningitis and septicaemia.

The research also revealed that low levels of people who were at risk of contracting pneumococcal disease had been vaccinated. A weakened im- mune system, heart disease and dia- betes are all conditions that can result in the person being more susceptible to pneumococcal disease. However, only 18 per cent with a weakened im- mune system, nine per cent of those with heart disease and 11 per cent with diabetes had been vaccinated.

PRESSURE is mounting of the De- partment of Communications, En- ergy and Natural Resources to cough up some of the estimated €10 mil- lion in funding needed for the devel- opment of Doolin Pier.

At yesterday’s meeting of the North Clare Area of Clare County Council, Cllr Martin Lafferty (Ind) tabled a motion demanding that the Govern- ment department not be “let off the hook” in relation to Doolin Pier.

Cllr Lafferty also accused former junior marine minister John Browne of misleading locals when, on vis- iting Doolin last year, he placed the blame for the delays with Clare County Council.

“The people of Doolin were an- noyed with Clare County Council for not putting in an application to the Department of the Marine for funding. Clare County Council put in loads of applications but they kept saying that the money wasn’t to come from the Department of the

Marine,” he said.

‘Then last year, just before the elec- tion, junior minister Browne came down and upset a lot of local people by saying that there was no proposal before his department on the pier and putting all the blame back on Clare County Council.

“I don’t think that the Department of the Marine should be left off the hook on this. They should give a cer- tain amount of funding towards this. Doolin is a commercial pier and is used by fishermen as well as by trav-

ellers to the Islands. If they don’t pay it then it will be the rate payers of Clare who will have to pay it.”

An agreement was reached last week to co-fund the development of Doolin Pier between Clare County Council and the Department of Com- munity, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs This arrangement would see Clare County Council pay some €2.5 mil- lion towards the development.

Cllr Martin Conway (FG) raised fears that parking charges could be used as a means of recouping the

€2.5 million.

“IT would hope that that €2.5 mil- lion is unconditional and that we won’t see car parking charges and the like put in as a means of recoup- ing that money,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cllr Richard Nagle (FF), welcomed the news that the new lifeguard facilities in Lahinch would be in place before the begin- ning of the 2008 Summer season but said that he was disappointed that the rest of the promenade masterplan had fallen behind schedule.

A SHORT summer holiday in Lahi- nch ended in tragedy for a 19-year- old Dublin man who drowned in the early hours of the morning after a night out.

Joseph ‘Joey’ Wall from Clontarf lost his life during the August bank holiday weekend last year, Ennis Coroner’s Court heard last week.

A day-long search followed his dis- appearance at around 4am on Mon- day, August 6. His body was located at the seashore less than 24 hours Fitoe

Joey’s friend, Tom Verling, said that a group of friends went back to their

bed and breakfast accommodation after a night out. He said that Joey went to the bed and breakfast and asked some friends to go for a swim. Tom and another friend agreed and they went down to the water.

“Joey started running and taking off his clothes. We started to run af- ter him,’ he recalled.

They followed Joey into the water, trying to catch up with him. They lost sight of him and called out his ue BaNToR

“Joey never replied,’ recalled Mr Verling.

Another friend, Sean Rooney, said Joey invited him to go swimming at around 4am. Sean initially declined,

but then agreed and they headed for the beach.

“Joey was taking off all his clothes as he went down the steps,’ he re- called.

He said he called him and waited in the water for some time, until the lifeguards told him to get out of the water.

The inquest heard that John Logan was out walking along the seashore at around 7.15pm on the Bank Holiday Monday. He noticed a male’s body in the water, face down. Doolin Rescue retrieved the body a short time later.

Garda John Cleary of Lahinch told the inquest that after the alarm was raised, the search for Mr Wall con-

tinued throughout the Bank Holiday Monday. The beach in Lahinch was deserted that day, apart from the search party, he said.

Pathologist Dr Peter Fawl carried out an autopsy on Mr Wall’s body on August 7 last. Death, he said, was due to asphyxia, secondary to drowning.

Coroner Isobel O’Dea said _ that, based on the evidence she had heard, the appropriate verdict was one of misadventure.

‘That unfortunately sums up the sad circumstances concerning Joseph’s death. It was a bank holiday week- end and there were a lot of people in Lahinch. It was a very sad and tragic end to the weekend,” she added.

ENNIS General Hospital Develop- ment Committee are preparing to elect a new committee although it is not yet known if chairman Peadar McNamara is to step down.

The long-serving member of the committee said he was fighting an internal battle and had not yet decid- ed if he would be vacating the chair.

The committee, which campaigns for the retention of 24-hour accident and emergency services at Ennis General Hospital and the reopening of the mammography unit, will hold

its annual general meeting on Mon- day, January 28.

Mr McNamara said that the meet- ing, which will be held in the Auburn Lodge, is open to the public.

“We are inviting all organisations to send a delegation and we hope to elect anew committee,” he said.

The group set up a sub-commit- tee – Clare Cancer Concern – earlier this year when it emerged that En- nis General Hospital was to lose its mammography unit.

At the end of September, the hospital committee organised a rally through the streets of Ennis protesting against

the threat to the acute hospital’s 24- hour accident and emergency service. Less than 5,000 people gathered in the square in Ennis on that Saturday afternoon in support.

Groups such as Clare People With Disabilities, Ennis Active Retire- ment, SIPTU, Shannon Aer Lingus Workers, Kildysart Agricultural Show, District Day Care Centre Clarecastle, Birth Choice Clare, Clare Sinn Fein, the INO, The Lions Club and members of Clare’s locals authorities took part in the March.

Mr McNamara is now hoping that the organisations will attend the

meeting along with the members of the public. “We hope to set up a new and revitalised committee,” he said.

When asked if he himself would be stepping down having served as chairman for a number of years he answered, “I am saying nothing.” In the meantime, he said he would con- tinue with the campaign.

Since the protest march, Mr Mc- Namara said that the group have met with Independent TD Finian Mc- Grath and the health spokespersons from the opposition benches. The eroup have also prepared a document for TDs outlining their plight.

EAST Clare politicians have called for a special meeting of their area council and want representatives from the National Parks And Wild- life service to attend.

Elected representatives say they are not comforted by the information provided at a meeting in Tulla on the proposal to include large tracts of land in the Slieve Aughty range in the Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for the endangered Hen Harrier.

The wildlife service held an infor- mation session in TJulla on Friday for people who are likely to be af- fected by the decision to make Slieve Aughty an SPA.

But local councillor, Pat Hayes(FF) who is himself a landowner in the area, said that the meeting raised as many concerns as it answered.

“It appears now that landowners will not be paid for all their land be- ing made a protection area, only for those bits of it that are mountainey and scrub. The Hen Harrier doesn’t distinguish between grassland and oul one

Cllr Hayes said he is concerned about the effect which the SPA’s may have on planning and selling sites in the future.

He is also concerned that it may af-

fect applications currently before the local authority for windfarms in the en aXes

“We’re told that it won’t affect planning yet every application which is made on the land covered by the SPA will have to be referred to the national wildlife service’, said Cllr SEM exy

“It seems that all of the national stakeholders have signed up to this, farming organisations, Coillte, for- estry Services.

‘“They’ve all singed up to it except the real stakeholders – the landown- ers”, Cllr Hayes said.

He added that he wants to see pay- ments made on all lands covered the protection order and not just tracts of those lands.

Earlier in the week, councillors at- tending a meeting of the Scariff area committee of Clare County Council asked their offices to find a date for a special meeting to discuss the is- sue and for representatives of the wildlife service to be invited to that meeting.

In information supplied to mem- bers of the Scariff area committee, the wildlife service said that ac- tivities such as turf cutting, existing farming or forestry activities, con- struction of private houses or farm infrastructure.

ONE of Clare’s largest credit unions has said it proposes to pay its mem- bers the same dividend they earned last year, despite predictions of slashed earnings on shares.

The ACCA (Association of Char- tered Certified Accountants) is advis- ing credit union members to expect a lower dividend and loan interest re- bate this year.

Aidan Clifford, Advisory Services Manager, ACCA Ireland, said, ““The current trend is for credit unions to be under-lent and over-invested and because investments yield a lower return than loan interest, the surplus

available for distribution in many credit unions will be lower this year.”

He added, “A number of credit un- ions have also been hit with invest- ment losses from perpetual bonds and other bonds and a generally un- derperforming stock market, adding to the downward pressure on divi- dends.”

All credit unions in Ireland have a September 30 year-end and will traditionally hold their AGM in De- cember to allow a dividend and loan rebate to be paid prior to Christmas.

Credit unions take deposits from members, lend the funds to other members and the balance of un-lent

funds are invested. The target for credit unions is to lend out €7/0 of every €100 deposited and invest the balance.

Few credit unions achieve this, with €50 being more normal and in some cases as low as €20 in every €100 being lent. Investments typi- cally yield a much lower return than interest on loans and this year invest- ment income has been hit by falling markets and losses on some unusual investment products such as “per- petual bonds”.

The Registrar of Credit Unions has barred credit unions from investing in some of these more exotic prod- ucts in the future. Mr Clifford con-

cluded, “Some credit unions are so heavily invested and so under-lent that they risk being described as dysfunc- tional savings clubs.”

But Paddy McNamara, acting man- ager of Derg Credit Union, said that the board will be proposing paying a two per cent dividend when the AGM is held in December.

‘“That’s the same rate as last year and the year before.” he said, adding that that is ““a much better rate than the or- dinary bank deposit account, which would typically pay much less on an active account. Credit union members have full access to their funds, pro- vided they are not being used to guar- antee loans and a better rate.”