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SHANNON Airport and Aer Lingus will undoubtedly be on the lips of those who attend the 19th Annual National Tourism Conference, which takes place in Ennistymon’s Falls Hotel on November 23 and 24.

The Clare Tourist Council in con- junction with Clare County Council, have organised the conference which this year will have media darling and Ryanair Chief, Michael O’Leary, as it’s keynote speaker.

This year’s conference, which is entitled entitled “Tourism for Chang- ing Lifestyles’, will attract delegates from all over the island of Ireland including representatives of Failte Ireland, the Irish Hotels Federation,

Shannon Development, Shannon Heritage and the Clare Tourism Fo- rum.

“Mr O’Leary’s eagerly anticipat- ed keynote speech comes at a time when the west of Ireland faces losing its strategically important link with Heathrow, as a result of Aer Lingus recent decision to remove the service from Shannon,’ said former Mayor of Clare and Conference Chairper- son, Flan Garvey.

“The Ryanair Chief Executive’s decision to address the event shows that he is concerned about the move and the importance of maintaining permanent and quality connectivity with international hubs.

“During his talk, entitled “Options and Opportunities for Changing

Lifestyle’, Mr OLeary will refer to Ryanair’s commitment to develop- ing further business at Shannon. His speech also coincides with the launch of the airline’s new daily Shannon to Dublin service.”

Other major speakers to address the conference include Mary Owens, Failte Ireland’s Manager of Educa- tion Policy, who will discuss the role played by education and training in supporting the future development of Irish tourism, Joe Horan, Coun- ty Manager, South Dublin County Council and Marie Slattery, Sales and Marketing Manager, Shannon elute: txen

The conference sessions will be chaired by Alderman PJ McAvoy of Ballymena Borough Council, Alder-

man Frank Campbell of Balymoney Borough Council and Cllr Michael McCarey of Cavan County Council.

“Along with our co-organisers Clare County Council, we have wit- nessed some dramatic changes with- in the tourism sector over the past 19 years. Now, more than ever before, the industry has to reinvent itself if it is to sustain growth in the tourism sector,’ said Conference Secretary, Kathleen Cahill.

“Since our first conference in 1989 the sector has become more turbulent and increasingly price-conscious. Therefore, it 1s incumbent upon all individuals and organisations in- volved in tourism to get involved in the promotion of the entire sector all over the island of Ireland.”

CALLS were made last night for more parking spaces for disabled drivers, wider parking berths and bigger fines for able-bodied people who abuse the spaces.

Clir Pascal Fitzgerald (Lab), who asked for a full report on whether additional spaces will be made avail- able, said Clare was “the only county in which there are no markings in bays which allow space for people in wheelchairs to get out of their cars.

“Get a wheelchair and see if you

can get in and out of your car in the space available – you won’t.

“People park right up against cars parked in disabled spaces. We need bigger bays, more spaces and better markings,” he said.

Clir Martin Conway(FG) said he supported Cllr Fitzgerald. Those Spaces which were painted in light blue in Clare “fare easily distinguish- able. They should all be painted in that colour in future and we need to look at increasing fines for people who abuse those spaces”’.

Cllr Joe Arkins(FG) said that he

agreed that the spaces should be painted an obvious colour, but added that he was concerned that there were no penalities for people who abused disabled spaces in hotels and other private locations.

Council Director of Service, Tom Carey, told the meeting that the lo- cal authority was constantly revising the number of spaces which it could make available for parking for driv- ers and passengers with a disability.

The council has completed a coun- ty-wide audit on the whole area of the needs of people with disabilities and

accessibility of council properties and lands. He added that he would expect some funding to be made available of foot of the findings.

“We want to assure the members that everything that can be done will be done to ensure that people with disability can have access,” he said.

In a relation motion, Cllr Pat Mc- Mahon (FF) called on the authority that issues disabled parking permits to ensure “they are issued to people who have a genuine need for same.

“There are able-bodied people us- ing these permits,” he said.

THE achievements of — two Newmarket-on-Fergus people in ploughing circles has been recognised by their official organisation.

Sinead Corbett from Stonehall and Louis Quinn from Lemenagh were both recognised at the Clare Plough- ing Association function that was held at Carrygerry House on Friday aphca ale

Sinead gained national headlines

when she won an All-Ireland title in the National Ploughing Champion- ships in Tullamore earlier this year.

Her achievement was _particu- larly significant, given that she won a traditionally male-dominated oyeal oles ielOyee

The expertise in ploughing in the Corbett family goes back several decades. Sinead’s grandfather John Corbett won a similar competition in 1960, while her father Frank also scooped honours in 1997 and 2003.

“The Clare Ploughing Association is delighted with her success. It is a great achievement for a girl from a county like Clare, where tillage wouldn’t be a major farming activ- ity,’ said PRO of the association, PJ Raven

Louis Quinn, who is the cur- rent president of the Ploughing Association in the county, was also delighted to be honoured at the event.

He has been a member of the group

for more than 50 years and has put in Trojan work during that time to ensure the group has stayed together and been progressive in the local community.

Over the five decades of his involve- ment he has won numerous prizes in various competitions.

‘He is a very dedicated man. He spent a number of years in the UK, but has never lost his ties with the Clare Ploughing Association,” said Mr Ryan.

OVERALL crime in Clare has fallen by four per cent so far this year, while there has been a massive increase of 28 per cent in public order offences.

Figures relayed to members of Clare County Council by the head of the Clare Garda Division yesterday also revealed that drug detection had risen by 4.3 per cent.

The number of drink driving de- tections have also risen by 14.5 per cent, to 481, while 14 anti-social be- haviour orders (ASBQOs) have been served by gardai in Clare since the measure came into effect at the be-

ginning of the year.

So far this year, there have been 1,265 detections for public order which is up 28 per cent on the figure for the same period last year. Crime detection rates in Clare are 44 per Cone

Chief Supt Gerry Mahon said that criminals who travel from place to place are being targeted, in particular. ‘They come from Limerick, they come from Dublin, they come from Galway, they come from Eastern Europe. That’s the trend this year,” he said.

He said the spread of drugs is a live issue in Clare and is being closely as- sessed. ““That’s an issue we are look-

ing at closely. Crime and drugs are hand in hand. One causes the other,” he said.

He confirmed that CCTV will be installed on the streets of Ennis in April, while the initiative in Kilrush came into effect last year.

He also told councillors that addi- tional funding has been provided to fight organised crime under Opera- tion Anvil.

Additional resources have been pumped in to deal with road traffic accidents and the traffic corps has in- creased in personnel from 12 to 28.

A number of councillors expressed concern about the levels of Garda re-

sources, while others felt community policing was lacking in rural areas.

The drugs scourge was also men- tioned and Chief Supt Mahon reas- sured councillors that the newly ap- pointed detective inspector would address this issue as one of his first briefs.

Kevin Moynihan is the first garda ever to hold the rank of detective in- spector in Clare.

Responding to concerns raised by Clir Tony O’Brien (FF) about sparse Garda resources in Killaloe, the Garda chief said that an additional detective and five gardai had been appointed in that area.

TWELVE months after it was closed for €2 million of refurbishments, the Texaco filling station in Shannon has been re-opened for business.

Manager Darragh O’Connor closed the garage and convenience store in October 2006 with a view to over- Jer LUObeercap ie

Although a planning issue resulted in the work being put on hold for a number of months, it has been com- pleted and is now open for business.

The premises is part of the Sky- Court complex and Texaco have leased the site from the town centre management company.

The delay came about after Sky-

Court refused consent for the devel- opment. However, it later changed its position, meaning that the work could proceed.

The existing building was knocked to the ground and a totally new building put in its place. A Spar con- venience store has been built which is four times the size of the previ- ous shop. Upstairs there are offices, a canteen, staff toilets and a storage area. The new express shop sells a wide variety of foods, drinks and newspapers.

It incorporates a deli, smoothie bar, hot food counter and wine area, along with a sizeable general grocery section. There is also a car wash and car valeting business on the premis-

es, while coal and briquettes are also available.

The manager is delighted that the expansion has been completed.

“We are trying to create a one- stop shop in Shannon. We will be launching a range of takeaway evening meals and lunchtime menus. Our food goes from 7am to 7.30pm, which isn’t the usual run-of-the-mill deli,” he said.

The opening hours will be from 7am to llpm, seven days a week.

The O’Connor family have been in business in Shannon for 30 years. Darragh took over the running of the filling station from his parents 10 years ago.

“I felt that petrol stations were

closing down everywhere because the margins on petrol have disappeared. You have to make your money in the shop itself. It is all geared around convenience,” said O’Connor.

He is indebted to the people of Shannon, who have been loyal to his business and showed patience during the closure.

“Business has been absolutely fantastic. The goodwill from the lo- cals in Shannon has been wonderful so I say thanks to the people of the town for standing by me during the renovations,’ he said.

The re-opening of the business has seen staff numbers increase from 12 to 20 and Mr O’Connor said he was delighted with this.

DEMANDS were made last night that the Taoiseach, the Minister for Transport and Aer Lingus CEO, Der- mot Mannion come to Clare and ex- plain themselves before a full meet- ing of the county council. Councillor Madeleine Taylor Quinn (FG) made the demand at last night’s meeting of the local authority, in a motion before the council in which

she also urged the council to express its “grave concern relating to Gov- ernment inaction on the proposed withdrawal by Aer Lingus of the Shannon/Heathrow routes next Janu- ary” and to abhor “the Government’s lack of understanding or apprecia- tion of the negative fallout this will have on County Clare and the west of Ireland.

“I’m absolutely confounded by the Government’s inaction – they are act-

ing with total arrogance…members of this council must demand an im- mediate meeting,’ she said.

Cllr Tony Mulcachy (FG) support- ed his party colleague. He said that Clare’s TD’s “should at least have abstained in the Dail vote’, on Aer Lingus.

Cllr Michael Kelly (FF) said there were “so many people fighting to stop Shannon becoming a backwater air- port, and they are getting no help”.

Cllr Pascal Fitzgerald (Lab) praised the mayor and Director of Services, Ger Dollard for their efforts to re- verse the Aer Lingus decision.

‘The Government must know that people are not going to forget this one in four years time because jobs are being lost,” he said.

And Cllr Gerry Flynn (Ind) ap- pealed to Mayor Patricia McCarthy not to “let the fight peter out. There was atime when the grassroots of F1- anna Fail would be listened to but not any more”’.

Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) said that having met with both the Taoiseach and the minister, “I don’t believe there is a simplistic solution. I think the Public Service Order is the only real alter- native at the moment”.

Mayor McCarthy said that she wanted to assure the councillors “that the fight 1s not going out under any circumstances”.

She told the meeting that the pos- sibility of a legal challenge was still being investigated but “once we go down that road, we will not be able to debate the issue at all”.

The meeting passed both motions.

A second motion on the Shannon/ Heathrow slots loss from Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) and Cllr Richard Nagle (FF) was amended slightly to call on the Government to provide the necessary finances for Shannon to actively press for the acquisition of slots to Heathrow.

COUNCIL planners have moved to halt a “rezoning frenzy” in the great- er Ennis area as developers try to re- verse the property market slide.

With builders and investors seek- ing to rezone 1,720 acres around En- nis to residential, commercial and industrial use, County Manager Alec Fleming has backed the planners’ decision to refuse the vast majority of the applications and leave current Zzonings as they are.

As part of the process for finalis- ing a new Ennis development plan, council planners held a series of workshops with local councillors

and after a lot of heated debate, only 100 acres will be rezoned for hous- ing — well short of the 1,247 acres sought by developers.

Not even the Diocese of Killaloe was immune from the clampdown with a blunt refusal being given to an application to have eight acres of prime development land at Bishop Willie Walsh’s Ennis residence re- zoned for mixed-use development.

A second submission from the Di- ocesan Trust seeking the rezoning of a site on Station Road to town centre zoning was also rejected. This prime site incorporates the Old Burren Cin- ema, the Maria Assumpta Hall and the Scout Hall as well as some open

space in front of Ennis Cathedral.

The double refusal came despite the fact that only last month the diocese donated a prime 15-acre develop- ment site valued at over €10 million for the town’s elderly community at Cahercalla in one of the most sought after areas of the town.

The father of former Ennis mayor, Cllr Joe Reidy (FF) also failed to secure a financial windfall when planners rejected an application to have 22 acres zoned to the east of the Clarecastle/Lissane Road. Last year, Damien Reidy stood to make €16 million after councillors rezoned 770 acres outside Clarecastle village.

And while the planners recom-

mended that consideration should be given to the possible rezoning of Cusack Park for mixed use as an ex- tension of the town centre, they con- cluded that as the proposal was not supported by the elected members, Cusack Park should remain as is.

Also ruled out was a rezoning of the Eire Og GAA grounds from club chairman, Patrick Fitzpatrick, who proposed a swap with the Ennis Na- tional School. However, a letter was subsequently received from the club president, stating that the proposal had not been approved by the execu- tive committee and the council rec- ommended that no change be made to the zoning of Eire Og.

THE kindness of children attending St Senan’s primary school in Shan- non will ensure that others who are less well off than them will have a more enjoyable Christmas.

Between them, the 105 pupils of the school have assembled 115 boxes for the Christmas shoebox appeal.

The project was led by their teacher Eileen Conlon and they were assisted

by their parents, grandparents and childminders.

The shoebox appeal is hugely pop- ular throughout the country and has been a great success at St Senan’s school over the past five years.

School secretary Jackie Dooley said the eager children were encour- aged to get involved after a visit by one of the national organisers of the shoebox appeal.

“Every year we collect more than

100 boxes. A woman came in to talk to us and said they were in need of boxes for children aged between 11 and 14. That got people interested and the young children put their boxes together,’ said Dooley.

“They put them together at home and brought them in. It was a big thing for them to do and they were excited and enthusiastic about it,” she added.

The pupils of St Senan’s are actively

encouraged to raise money for char- ity every year and are now preparing for their Christmas carol singing in SkyCourt, which will raise funds for various charitable organisations.

Their fundraising efforts are con- tinuous. Once the Christmas carol singing is over, the enthusiastic youths will start preparing for their Easter fundraiser.

“It is one thing after the next,” said Dooley.

THERE was music in the air on Sat- urday night when one of the finest and most passionate musicians ever to grace a session in Clare had hisa cheivements of 80 years recognised.

The Ennis Trad Festival Graddam Award, sponsered by The Clare People, was presented to Stephan ‘Sonny’ Murphy at a gathering of friends, family and fellow musi- Eke

Among the guests at Cois na hAbhna were a whole generation of

Ennis musicians who came to play and to pay tribute to the great con- certina player and the influence he had on their musical development.

Among the now celebrated musi- cians who owe much to Sonny as a mentor were the Hanrahans, Paul Roche — who is married to Sonnny’s daughter, Helen — John and Seamus McMahon, John Rynne and Eamon and Geraldine Cotter.

On the night, the 87-year old was presented with a pewter statuette by John Rynne and The Clare People’s Joe O’Muircheartaigh, while Kieran

Hnrahan of RTE’s Ceili House was the presenter.

The great man himself treated the gathering to a musical performance as did his daughter Helen and his son, Kevin.

Robbie McMahon of Spancill Hill fame was in strong voice on the night.

A native of Kilmihill, Sonny has been playing music sunce he was a small child and has been mentor to countless young musicians over the years, particularly the members of Stockton’s Wing.

THE trial of a Kilrush man and two Limerick men accused of the murder of a Limerick bouncer is due to con- clude this week at the Central Crim1- nal Court sitting at Cloverhill. Anthony Kelly (50), of Cragg House, Kilrush, along with Gary Campion (24), Pineview Gardens, Moyross, Limerick and Desmond Dundon (23) from Ballinacurra We- ston, Limerick all plead not guilty to murdering Brian Fitzgerald in Lim-

erick in the early hours of November 29, 2002. The trial entered its fifth Veto) Gao KK OLDE

In his closing speech to the jury yes- terday, Sean Gillane BL, prosecut- ing, told the jury of twelve men that there is a central truth in this case. “A core truth that is unchallenged and unchallengeable;” that James Martin Cahill, the chief prosecution witness, had shot and killed Mr Fitzgerald.

He said that there was enough truth in Cahill’s evidence to see what facts connected to that truth.

He urged the jury not to discount Cahill’s evidence because they were repulsed by him. During his evidence, Cahill admitted to being involved in up to seven other mur- ders and also abusing children and animals including a baby and a dog. He also claimed to have fantasised about sex with a horse and with his mother.

Michael O’Higgins SC, defending Anthony Kelly, told the jury that Ca- hill simply couldn’t have travelled to Mr Kelly in Kilrush to pick up a gun

to use in the murder and be shown how to use it. The times did not add up and the account “fell at the fist hurdle.” Mr O’ Higgins will finish his closing speech today before Mr Jus- tice Peter Charleton and the jury.

Conor Devally SC, defending Mr Campion, said Cahill was a “danger- ous, dangerous” witness who sought to please anyone in power or who had control over his life.

He had changed his story to make himself fascinating to gardai, to psy- chologists and to erase people he had

previously said had taken part in the murder.

“He has a baby face, he is quiet, he is lowering himself, abasing himself; look how bad I am, I must be telling the truth. He has pleased the gardai, he has pleased psychologists, he has pleased who knows who else.”

Roger Sweetman SC, defending Desmond Dundon, told the jury that Cahill’s evidence had been so full of contradictions it would be impossi- ble to decide which version of events was correct.