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A YOUNG man who suffered major teeth damage when he was kicked while on the ground has had to visit six consultants, a court has heard.

Owen Walsh was assaulted by Trevor McMahon, outside Sheil’s ga- rage, Gort Road, Ennis, in the early hours of August 25 last year.

McMahon (36) of Sandfield Centre, Ennis, has pleaded guilty to assault- ing Mr Walsh, causing him harm.

The case had previously been ad- journed to hear from the injured eva Ae

Mr Walsh’s mother Marian told Ennis District Court on Friday that her client has been to an orthodon- tist and five consultants, as a result of the damage to his teeth.

‘He got emergency treatment when

it happened. It’s going to cost a lot of money to get his teeth repaired,” she said.

Judge Joseph Mangan asked did her son intend to make a claim for eyeal ole y-leceyee

She replied, “He was hoping he would be compensated 1n some way, ’ but pointed out he had not engaged a solicitor.

The judge replied, “This court would like to assist you in the mat- ter of compensation but it would ap- pear you have taken no steps towards compensation. The defendant is also entitled to closure.”

He adjourned the case until next month and said, “Unless the injured party has taken some steps in the matter, I won’t concern myself any further with the matter of compen- sation.”

A GROUP of Scariff youngsters, concerned with the importance of human rights on a global scale are organising an arts festival in their area to celebrate One World Week.

Members of the Fishbowl Youth Club are no strangers to getting in- volved with international humanitar- lan causes.

Since its foundation in 2002, young people involved in the club have been working on different international youth projects.

“The members are a group of young people who are working to enhance their lives with challenges that mean something to them’, said Sophie Ehrenfeld, one of the festival organisers.

In recent years, Fishbowl members have participated in several interna- tional youth exchanges, as well as travelling to Mississippi to join in “The Giving Circle” which helped rebuild the destroyed area after hur- ricane Katrina.

One member went to Zambia and another helped in South Africa in an

Aids education programme.

The youngsters have also fund- raised themselves for the trips.

This year during the One World Week, November 19 to 25, club members are organising an arts fes- tival with the theme of human rights, power and justice.

They are being joined by five vol- unteers from different countries of the EU, funded by Leargas through the European “Youth in Action” pro- eramme.

The festival’s main aims are to bring local communities together by

using different forms of art.

“We are inviting local schools, youth clubs and young artists to work and think together about the topic,” said Sophie through use of photog- raphy, music, theatre, puppet shows, performances and short films.

“Although the festival will be or- ganised by youngsters, we would like to address the programmes to every age group, said Sophie.

, suggested that the loss of the Aer Lingus Heathrow service could open up the possibility of new connections to China, South East Asia and India.

Referring to reports that the Shan- non Airport Authority had identified potential cost savings on the Heath- row route that could be passed on to the airline to encourage it to keep the slots in Shannon, Mr Slattery said if this was true, there was a funda- mental lesson there for the airport authority.

‘Stable doors are best shut while the horse is still inside. Aer Lingus might not have given warning of its inten- tions towards Heathrow but the onus was equally on the airport authority to be vigilant rather than complacent towards its airline customer base. Its management of costs should be as ruthless as that of its current leading airline customer – Ryanair.

“*T don’t believe that the Government emerges with either credit or cred- ibility from the situation. It is diffi- cult to see how maintaining a neutral position on such an important com- mercial decision squares with retain- ing a 25 per cent so-called strategic shareholding in the company. But it

seems quite clear that Aer Lingus is not for turning and that the Govern- ment is not going to intervene.

“The loss of the Heathrow connec- tion is unquestionably bad news. But it does have the silver lining of oblig- ing us to take stock. Initially, the objective was a simple restoration of

the Heathrow slots. Now, equivalent connectivity to any nearby major hub that can offer a wide range of far reaching destinations in one further hop would be a successful outcome. Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam are the most obvious candidates along- side Heathrow.

“Already, we are witnessing a marked shift in the balance of glo- bal economic clout away from North America and Europe towards China, South East Asia and India. IBEC has called for more direct flights between Ireland and Asia and I don’t see why Shannon shouldn’t aspire to connect directly with Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bombay or Mumbai.

“There is no reason why the Mid- west can’t establish itself as the Euro- pean centre of excellence not just for people from this continent seeking to immerse themselves in the culture and ways of the large economies of Asia but also for their counterparts from China or India seeking to reach out and develop their understanding of how Europe works. Provided we have the confidence to believe in our own capacities, this region can be- come the premier European hub for commercial and intellectual inter- action and communication between Europe and Asia,” Mr Slattery con- cluded.

FOUR people who brought thou- sands of cigarettes home from their holidays have been fined in court.

Jean and Anthony Keogh, of Clounanna, Patrickswell, Limerick, appeared before Shannon District Court last week, arising out of an in- cident last December.

A Customs and Excise officer at Shannon airport told the court that Jean Keogh had more than 13,000 cigarettes, with Anthony Keogh had more than 12,000 cigarettes, on De- cember 13, 2006.

They had arrived in Shannon, from Malaga.

Jean Keogh told the court she was pleading guilty and said the ciga- rettes were for family.

The officer said he believed the

cigarettes were for resale as she told him it was her tenth trip to Spain that year and she is a non-smoker.

The customs officer said Anthony Keogh’s cigarettes “were not sourced in an official outlet in Spain’. He said that 800 cigarettes are allowed, per passenger.

Both were fined €500.

In a separate case, John and Mar- tina Reape, of Caladashan, Knock- more, Ballina, Mayo, were stopped after they arrived from Gran Canaria with more than 11,000 cigarettes, in October 2005.

Their solicitor said most of the cigarettes were a Spanish brand and that they had stocked up on cheap cigarettes. He said both accused were “very heavy smokers” and the cigarettes were not destined for sale. Both were fined €200.

TUAMGRANEY residents have mounted a campaign to stop eircom removing the last standing phone box in their village.

A small notice was recently posted in the box, which has stood at the centre of the village for years, in- forming locals that the box is soon tO go.

“Not everyone has a mobile phone. There are elderly people here who have never used a mobile and never

will,” said Tuamgraney Develop- ment Association Chairman, Dami- en Heaney.

“It’s also used by tourists in sum- mer and by some children. It’s good to have it there,’ he added.

Campaigners to keep the phone in the village point out that if someone runs out of credit, a phone call costs just a few cents while the minimum payment for credit is €10.

Tourists who regularly use the box in summer are happy to have the op- tion of paying directly for the call

rather than face huge roaming charg- es, said Damien.

“We have quite a few foreign stu- dents and it’s a very useful facility for them,” the Community Develop- ment Chairman added.

The development association has written to eircom asking why the phone needs to be removed and are awaiting response.

Meanwhile, locals have started a petition to keep the facility, which 1s available for signing in The Graney.

“The problem is that if you have a

facility like this, once it’s taken away you never get it back,’ said Damien.

“Tf it’s not broken, don’t fix it and if it’s working perfectly don’t take it away, he added.

has learnt that Air India is selling slots into Heath- row. A proposal has been put to the minister that at least one of these slots is purchased and the slot leased to Continental be returned to Aer Lingus when the lease is up in 2008.

Those proposing such a move ar- gue that as these slots are already in place there will be no drawn out set up process.

Meanwhile ACA, the action group comprising of key industry, tour- ism and community leaders in the Shannon and western region and set up in response to the announcement that Aer Lingus’s Shannon Heath- row slots were to move to Belfast, has lodged an application for slots at Heathrow.

The application has been made on behalf of the action group by Astrae- us Airlines, an established provider of chartered and scheduled services

throughout Europe, Africa, North America and Central Asia.

The authority responsible for slot allocation and schedule facilitation at all major airports in the UK – Air- port Co-Ordination Ltd has received the application, which seeks landing and take off slots at London Heath- row in line with the existing schedule of air services between the interna- tional hub and Shannon.

Mayor of Clare and Alliance mem- ber, Cllr Patricia McCarthy said the Alliance had taken it upon itself, its members and the people of the region to engage with Astraeus Airlines in seeking to ensure that the slots are

retained for Shannon into the future.

According to John Brassil, Chair- man of the Atlantic Connectivity Al- liance said the Alliance had formed a special limited company – Shan- non Air Link Ltd. – to enable man- agement contracts to be entered into with Astraeus should we be success- ful in securing the slots at Heathrow.

Capt John Mahon, Director of Flight Operations with Astraeus said, “We are an experienced airline with an expanding base and would be very happy to provide services on the Shannon-Heathrow route on be- half of the Atlantic Connectivity Al- liance. Our board has considered the issue and will work with the Atlantic Connectivity Alliance on progress- ing the proposal.

Based in Crawley in England, Astraeus operates scheduled and chartered flights for around 50 tour Operators specialising in serving destinations in Africa, Europe, and Canada. It also specialises in pro- viding operational capacity to com- panies, and has worked with Iceland Express, Air Asia, FlyBe and Ster- ling to commence or enhance their ol MIA

Its main bases are Manchester Air- port and London Gatwick Airport. Astraeus Ltd flies over 4,700 seats worldwide per week.

FIVE people – including two moth- ers – have appeared in court, charged in connection with a long-running ‘volatile’ traveller feud in Ennis.

Four of the five were arrested after a row broke out as parents brought children to school in Cloughleigh, last Friday morning. The fifth was arrested at Ennis courthouse later Were ee hVA

As allegations that members of one family awaited the other family out- side Ennis courthouse last Friday, security was tight as several gardai were deployed to the scene.

Before the court were Anne (43), Christopher (22) and Jim (18) Mon- gans, of Shalee Drive, Ennis, and Margaret (44) and Mary (20) Molloy, of Gordon Drive, all charged with engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour, at Cloughleigh Road, Ennis, last Friday morning.

Christopher Mongans is also ac-

cused of damaging Mary Molloy’s car.

The court heard from gardai that the charges arose from a ‘tense’ and ‘volatile’ feud between the two Dee e Sloe

“This is part of a feuding incident between the Molloys and the Mon- gans. It is ongoing, sporadic, over the past couple of years. Over the past 24 hours, it has escalated into violence occurring between both sides,” said Inspector Tom Kennedy, RON eUlan ites

He said it “boiled over” when par- ents were bringing their children to school that morning and resulted in one woman, Anne Mongans being taken to hospital with a head injury.

He appealed to Judge Joseph Man- gan to remand the accused in custo- dy, “to diffuse what is going on and to curtail them from fighting”.

“Outside the court, some of these parties are waiting for others. I have to be fearful. What happened this

morning could be a lot more seri- Ole

“It is escalating from damaging property to physical assaults. Insult- ing and degrading language is now escalating into physical contact and fighting,’ he added.

“I don’t think it’s in the capacity of any of the parties to hold their feel- ings in accordance with conditions set down,’ said Inspector Kennedy.

Solicitor for the Mongans, Tara Godfrey said, “There is a generali- sation made that if some members of each family are put 1n prison, this won’t continue. It will.”

The Molloys’ solicitor William Cahir said his clients were “not the ageressors” of the incident.

The case was adjourned for a number of hours. At 6pm, the judge asked had anything changed.

Mr Cahir said he had had a full consultation with his clients.

“Margaret Molloy is a mother of 11 and has never come to the atten-

tion of the court before. Her daugh- ter Mary never came to the attention of the court before. They are willing to abide by a curfew and any un- dertaking the court would impose,’ said Mr Cahir.

Ms Godfrey said she would concur with Mr Cahir.

She said, in the past, mediators were involved and she suggested that these people be contacted, in an effort to see if this option was open.

However Sergeant Paul Slattery then brought it to the court’s atten- tion that efforts had been made to get both parties together, during the day.

“I brought representatives of both parties together outside to try to come to some agreement. After that, I heard Anne Mongans engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour with a member of the op- posing family,” said Set Slattery.

“I was forced to intervene, to pre-

vent it escalating. There doesn’t seem to be any gra by either side to bury the hatchet,” he said.

Ms Godfrey said her client made an allegation about something that had been said, but that complaint had not been dealt with.

“It was a very serious threat, an immediate threat. The person that issued the threat is not before the court at the moment,” she said.

She said there was “resentment” if things said to her client were being ignored by the State.

“My client was provoked. There was a reason for her reaction,” she said.

Judge Joseph Mangan said it was “unusual” that the State would ask to remand people on public order charges in custody.

He remanded all five in custody, with consent to bail, to appear in court again later this week. They were ordered to keep away from each other and abide by curfews.

THE LACK of facilities for teenagers and older children in the Westbury and Shannon Banks area of Clare is getting youngsters into trouble, a lo- oF: ere) Une Ces US lOvum ery eT seee

Cllr Pascal Fitzgerald is to table a motion for the county council that land be set aside for the building of community centres, sports fields and other facilities which would get young people off the streets.

He is also going to press the local authority to take a unit in the new Westbury centre to open library fa- cilities.

“Parents and teenagers themselves

have come to me saying there’s nothing for them to do. There are no community centres where they could start a youth club, no library facilities where they can access free Internet or borrow books and not enough playing fields or sports facili- ties. They end up hanging around the streets, getting involved in anti-so- cial behaviour,’ Cllr Fitzgerald said.

While progress has been made towards getting playgrounds in the Parteen and Meelick areas and Cor- bally United and the various GAA clubs cater for those interested in GAA and soccer, there are no other sports facilities.

‘There’s nowhere for teenagers to

go to play a game of pool or have a place to meet off the streets. The council is giving permission after permission to build housing estates but they are not putting aside land for community centres or playing fields. This is what is needed and what I will be pushing for.”

Cllr Fitzgerald said he also wants more funding and easier access to grants for community centres and leisure activities.

Cllr Fitzgerald said that he will also be asking the council to look at taking the last remaining empty unit in Westbury for a library. “There is no proper access to library facilities here,’ he said.

While he wants to see younger teenagers off the streets and out of trouble, the Labour councillor also wants to stop older teenagers from drinking in public.

“Tl be talking to the gardai and the county council about enforcing the by-laws on drinking in public places.

These people are over 18 and legal- ly allowed to buy drink but they’re drinking in public and causing trou- ble. They should be warned the first time they’re caught doing it and fined the second time. It’s intimidating for a lot of people to see groups of youths drunk. At best it’s a nuisance, causing noise and litter.”

AER Lingus is flying in the face of commercial logic, according to the Atlantic Connectivity Alliance (ACA).

The Alliance has claimed in its re- port on the commercial analysis of the removal of the Heathrow slots from Shannon to Heathrow shows a complete absence of any business ecle(eyeted e

The ACA’s findings show that Bel- fast-Heathrow passenger traffic has dropped alarmingly in recent years.

The ACA compiled its report fol- lowing its analysis of the Interde- partmental Report into the Shannon- Heathrow issue.

Statistics show that the region on

this island with by far the greatest fall-off in traffic on Heathrow routes is the Belfast region, where passen- ger traffic has dropped by 43 per cent in the years 2000 to 2006.

During the same period traffic vol- umes in Shannon grew by 6.3 per cent while Dublin dropped by 10.9 per cent and Cork increased by 9.0 percent.

In 2000, more than 1.6 million people were flying from Belfast to Heathrow. That has now decreased to 425,516.

In the same period, the Shannon passenger figures grew from 303,937 Kee Pelee

The ACA, in its analysis, found that Belfast share of total Ireland-Heath- row traffic has fallen from 28.5 per

cent in 2000 to 19.5 per cent in 2006. At the same time, the Shannon share of Heathrow traffic grew from 7.4 per cent to 9.5 per cent.

“How then can the (Interdepart- mental) report possibly determine that the Belfast-Heathrow option could constitute a valuable commer- cial opportunity and that Shannon- Heathrow is underperforming?” the ACA report asks.

“It may be the case that there are Opportunities to develop commer- cially viable routes from Belfast Al- dergrove (16 miles outside Belfast) for Aer Lingus but Heathrow is not one of them given that the city is already served in this market by a strong incumbent carrier (BMI with eight daily Belfast City Airport serv-

ices to and from Heathrow).”

The report also points out that there is already an established carrier (BMI) on the route operating from Belfast City Airport, which is more attractive for higher yielding busi- ness travellers.

“Aer Lingus will be offering an in- ferior product to the incumbent car- rier with half the number of daily flights from an airport that is less convenient than the alternative locat- ed closer to the city centre,” the ACA report said.

“Furthermore, to replace its lost traffic on Shannon-Heathrow (320,000 passengers), Aer Lingus will have to capture almost half of the current Belfast-Heathrow market with an inferior product offering.”

that the programme for the west “is nearly there.”

The doors in the Galway and Cork Breastcheck clinic will be opening soon, she said, with a lot of the 100 jobs already filled.

Although recruitment is ongoing a unit manager and a clinic director has been appointed to Galway and Cork. There will be 50 staff per unit.

Breastcheck was not able to con- firm when the first Clare woman would be screened. The screening schedule will be announced one month in advance for the following three months.

The Breastcheck unit for the west will be based in the University Hos- pital Galway, which will accommo- date both the base for the west and the existing symptomatic breast dis- ease service in UHG.

In addition to its base in Galway, Breastcheck will have three mobile screening vehicles covering coun- ties Clare, Tipperary North, Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal.

Almost 58,000 women in this re- gion, aged between 50 to 64 years, will avail of this service on a two- year cycle.

Health experts expect a 70 per cent up take in Clare, with more rural than urban women taking part in the screening.

Approximately five per cent of the women screened will require further assessment and approximately one per cent will require surgery.

Breastcheck screening commenced on a phased basis in 2000 and now covers the East, North East, South East and Midlands.

In March 2005 the Minister for Health Mary Harney gave Breastch-

eck the go ahead for a €25 million programme to extend breast screen- ing to the rest of the country.

Clare Country Councillor and council representative on the HSE forum Brian Meaney (GP) told