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ON the weekend of June 30, Ennis will put on a major celebration of life, sport and people with events organised by Ennis Street Festival, Clare Community Games and the Tony Griffin Cycle.

On Saturday morning the Clare hurler and many cyclists will begin the final leg of his epic 7,000 mile

cycle from Canada in aid of cancer research and care from Dublin.

Saturday begins in Ennis with the finals of the Clare Community Games. The event will be preceded with a parade from Station Road in Ennis to the courthouse of the vari- ous areas taking part. It is fitting that Tony was once a competitor in the Community Games Final.

The Ennis Street Festival, which is

an annual event, will take place on Sunday, July 1, from 12pm until late.

A great day of music, dance, work- shops, story telling, magicians, pup- pets, art exhibitions, street entertain- ment, pub gigs and a gig rig in the upper market area between 2pm and 8pm will all take place.

Food will be for sale throughout the day at the market section in Market Place. Sunday will also mark the of-

ficial re-opening of Dan Murphy’s House with Irish music and danc- ing in memory of Johnny Patterson (1840-1889).

Music will continue throughout the evening in Ennis and with a welcome home event for Tony in the West County Hotel taking place later in the evening.

Tony and his group are due to ar- rive back into Ennis at about 4pm

and again everybody is invited to take part in a massive and colourful Siege on Ennis.

Further information on the weekend can be found at www.ennisstreetfes- tival.com and www.tonygriffinfoun- dation.com.

Further information on the Clare Community Games you can contact members of the committee on 087 TOPE

THE sustained protest by councillors against Clare County Council’s strict planning rules is having minimal 1m- pact on the council’s refusal rate for one-off homes.

New council figures show that in- dividuals were more likely to be suc- cessful in securing planning permis- sion in 2003 than last year despite continuing councillor complaints over the enforcement of planning MUN he

Planning continues to dominate the local authority’s monthly meetings, however, the council’s Director for Planning, Bernadette Kinsella, has revealed that the refusal rate for one off homes last year was 25 per cent compared to a 19 per cent refusal rate in 2003.

In response to a motion tabled by Cllr PJ Kelly CFF), Ms Kinsella re- vealed that in 200,6 204 out of 828 applications for one-off homes were Kod AUESLorOR

Along with the 25 per cent refused, a further 198 or 23 per cent were withdrawn giving an overall failure rate of 48 per cent.

In relation to statistics for one-off homes for 2003, Ms Kinsella said that of 917 applications for one-off homes, 176 or 19 per cent were re- fused. The statistics show that a

further 191 or 20 per cent were re- fused giving an overall total of 39 per cent.

Meanwhile the EU Commission could remove the non-local ban from the Clare County Development Plan.

The commission is expected to an- nounce within the month that many of the restrictions in Irish county CLAVe) Le) eyeatorelam ole Delcme-Dacms DUleseecU MUbOLe(on European law.

It finds that the provisions con- cerned are discriminatory, dispro- portionate and constitute restrictions on the free movement of capital and the freedom of establishment guar- anteed by the European treaties.

Leader of the Fianna Fail group at the council, Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) said: “I have highlighted the illegality of these rules a number of times at the council.”

Jim Connolly of the Irish Rural Dwellers Association said that the EU Commission’s move to scrap the “non-local” rule would “undoubted- ly result in a wave of compensation claims from those who have been denied their natural right to build a house”.

He said: “This will put into the halfpenny place any form of com- pensation claims against illegal gov- ernment Acts up until now because of the extent of the value of the assets that the people have been denied.

DUMPERS who foist their rubbish on others and dump their bin bags in beauty spots will be getting a taste of their own medicine if a local coun- cillor gets his way.

After another weekend in which bags and bundles of litter were dumped by the roadside in Meelick, an angry Councillor Cathal Crowe has threatened to trace the culprits and dump the rubbish back on their doorsteps.

‘“Meelick was once again scourged with litter dumping last weekend. Bags of litter and several bundles of loose litter were dropped at roadsides

in the Knockroe and Cappantymore areas of Meelick,’ the councillor nee

“The dumping of litter in this lo- cality has become a very serious and disgusting problem. At least once a week I am in contact with Clare County Council’s environmental pa- trol wardens regarding dump sites in the south east Clare area,’ he said.

Cllr Crowe said that he wants peo- ple to fight back by taking numbers of the cars dumpers and reporting aetoeee

“I would urge people to be vigilant of any vehicles pulling trailers or pick-up trucks driving suspiciously in the locality,’ he said.

And the councillor said he would personally go one step further. “I re- call hearing a story some years ago about a farmer who found an address whilst rummaging through bags of domestic waste dumped on his land. He brought the bags to this address and dropped them right at the front door. I am extremely fed up with the extent of dumping 1n our locality and I may well consider taking a similar approach in the future.”

Cllr Crowe said that while the council’s staff are doing “Trojan work” to keep on top of the litter problem, the reality is that many of the people who dump are undeterred y litter fines.

“It might be time for some of them to get a taste of their own medicine,” he said.

The councillor had recently to call in the local authority’s environment department because of the number of cars being abandoned and burned out at the side of the road in Meelick and Parteen.

After contacting the local authority with a complaint that the cars were being left in situ for too long, he was told that the regulations require that a vehicle be left for a number of days to give the owner a chance to recover 1

Only after that can the cars be tak- en away, the councillor was told.

‘HE has to spend the rest of his life knowing that he killed his little sis- ter.” The words of a grieving mother who has lost her youngest daughter at the hands of her only son.

Claire O’Dwyer held her nerve as she took the stand in court yesterday to speak about the effect the death of her young and carefree daughter had on her and her family.

She had earlier wiped away the tears as the court heard details of how young Marguerite had been brutally killed in the sitting room of

their family home.

In November 2004 Claire and her husband Paddy had left the country to go on a short holiday to Spain, content in the knowledge that ‘Pa’ and ‘Mags’ were caring for each oth- er at home, like “two peas in a pod.”

Their joy at having a relaxed break away together came to an abrupt end laced with agony — their only son had killed their youngest daughter.

Patrick O’ Dwyer killed his sister as she lay on the couch of their family home, smiling up at him. Marguerite thought he was messing but he was gripped. Gripped, he claimed, by the

presence of a mental disorder. Throughout the six-day trial in April, O’Dwyer showed no emo- tion and his impassive demeanour continued yesterday as sentence was passed. Earlier, as he waited for the judge to appear in court he smiled and laughed with his family and le- gal team. He later hugged his parents and sister Louise prior to being led away to continue serving his jail sen- tence. He had buried his face in his hands as details of the horrendous killing were recounted to the court. As the six-year term was imposed yesterday, O’Dwyer looked ahead.

Moments later when the court rose he held his mother’s hand.

Claire and Paddy O’Dwyer return to a very different home from that which they left two-and-a-half years ago to go on holiday. They went away believing that their three children would greet them with open arms on their return. Sadly, their home is now a quieter place. A daughter deceased, a son in Wheatfield prison where he will mark his 22nd birthday in a fort- night’s time.

Life will never be the same in the O’Dwyer home at Shrohill, Ennisty- mon.

Down through the years Mary Im- maculate Secondary School in Lis- doonvarna has proved to be a hotbed of talent when it comes to volleyball and they’re branching out right now and getting their transition year stu-

dents involved in coaching the ac- tion.

A number of trophies have come to the school since the start of the 1980s and this year the transition year stu- dents were began coaching primary school students in their own area.

The programme was run by the

Volleyball Association of Ireland in conjunction with the Irish Sports Council and Women in Sport and was open to transition year girls only. Last November eleven girls from the Lisdoonvarna school participated in a training day followed by further training in January.

In February they began coaching in two primary schools, Lisdoonvarna and Kilshanny and when the training was complete they took on two fur- ther schools, Fanore and Kilfenora. In total about 90 primary school pu- pils received coaching.

The culmination of this initiative 1s

a volleyball blitz organised by these coaches for all students who had tak- en part in the coaching. This blitz is completely organised by the transi- tion year coaches and went ahead on Friday at the Ennistymon Commu- nity Centre where a huge amount of talent was on show from all schools.

RECENTLY published CSO figures show the average population density in Clare is 32 people per square kilo- metre, with Dublin City having over 4,300 people per square kilometre. And, according to Western Devel- opment Commission CEO Gillian Buckley, this could be one of the rea- sons why over 8,000 people a month, or nearly 100,000 a year, are logging on to the www.lookwest.ie website.

Ms. Buckley, who was speaking at the launch of the WDC’s latest Look- West.ie campaign, aimed at attract- ing people to relocate to the coun- try’s Western Region, also pointed out that according to the census over 4,000 people have moved to Clare over the past four years.

‘There has been a lot of talk recent- ly about lifestyle issues and there’s no doubt that it is the hot topic. Our message is simple — the western re- gion offers relocators an excellent work/life balance,’ she said.

“Nearly everyone living in the re- gion has family and friends who have moved away. By encouraging them

to consider moving back to avail of the opportunities here, everyone can help to further develop the region

and Clare. That’s one of the reasons why LookWest.ie advertising will also target local media — to prompt

local people to persuade friends and family to consider moving back. “And interest 1s not just coming

from Dublin. Our analysis of the website traffic shows that, though the bulk of inquiries are coming from Ireland, there’s interest from as far away as Australia. Website visits from the US are particularly high, which may be due to the WDC’s participation in a Fas employment exhibition that was held in New York late last year. Many of those who attended the US event had no con- nection with Ireland but yet were at- tracted by the lifestyle that the west of Ireland had to offer.”

“The latest advertising campaign is also aimed at a national and interna- tional audience. The campaign posi- tions the region and Clare as an at- tractive location to live, work and set up a business. Investment in infra- structure in the region is continuing. Recently, the Ennis bypass has been opened and this should open the way for the next phase of the county’s de- velopment,” Ms Buckley added.

AFTER years of careful preparation and research, the Burren Beef and Lamb Producers Group (BBLPG) and BurrenLife are now ready to take orders for Ireland’s first ever batch of conservation-grade lamb.

The lamb, which is produced and slaughtered using old-fashioned methods, offers a limited number of local restaurants and butchers, as well as members of the public, the chance to sample the flavour of true Burren lamb.

The second and most important el- ement of this lamb is that each of the 15 farmers taking part in the BBLPG

farms using methods that are fully organic and help to maintain the eco- logical integrity of the Burren.

“We are aware that there is a huge interest in the lamb from the general public, people who are cooking at home and have an interest in qual- ity food. We are very confident that there is a marker there for that,” said Ruairi O Conchuir of BurrenLife.

“We are working with an organi- cally-certified, owner-operated abat- toir in Peterswell, who is also a craft butcher. Only the very highest qual- ity of lamb is getting in there. He is hanging that in the traditional, which gets the best taste and the tenderest meat and preserves all of the nutri-

ent value.

“It is then cut in accordance with how the restaurant want it or, if it’s a member of the public, exactly in the way that they want it and it is in- dividually labeled, vacuum-packed and boxed.”

The BBLPG are now taking orders from members of the public for Bur- ren lamb with a live-weight varying from 38kg to 44 Kg, for an initial marketing period, half lambs are be- ing sold for €70 and full lambs for €125.

BurrenLife farmer and BBLPG chairperson, Mr Thomas Holmes, has welcomed the initiative by stat- ing the commitment of the group is

“to our members and stakeholders who are working to develop long- term relationships with quality-con- scious consumers and customers via farmers markets, craft butchers and quality restaurants.”

Each *Life’ farmer has signed up to a code of practice and pledge which ensures that their farms are operated to the very highest standards, both in terms of the quality of the animals produced and the environmentally friendly manner in which they are produced. Further information and order forms can be had from the Burren Producers Group, Old School House in Carron at 065 7089000 or e-mail burrenproducers @eircom.net

IRONY is lost on the ill. Joe Carey, Clare’s youngest deputy, sits up in his hospital bed in Ennis on Monday morning and takes another phone call. The mobile has been buzz- ing away these past few hours and a sharp dose of chicken pox isn’t an adequate excuse to turn his back to the world.

Last Tuesday, he woke with a hint of pain and it stole up on him through- out the day.

By evening, he was feeding himself with medicine and creams but neither seemed to work and, on Friday, his doctor referred him to Ennis General Hospital.

By now, he knows those three words like he knows his own breathing rhythms. And this week he knows a little more — the nuances of hospital life and the internal ward workings that can only be garnered from ac- tual experience.

One of the last motions Carey put forward as a Clare councillor was re- lated to the hospital. He looked for the protected status on the current building to be lifted and it received unanimous backing.

When he lands in Dublin on Thurs- day, for his first sitting as a Clare deputy, he reckons it won’t be too long until he brings the issue to the national stage.

He’s now recognised around Clare as the fresh-faced new deputy who could change the future of health services in Clare. Those photographs of him in a hospital bed surrounded by a bevvy of nurses and that one of him in a hard hat and a sledgeham- mer have struck their own chords.

In its own strange, gothic way, this

little stint in hospital completes the cycle. Provides the last ounce of background.

But by Thursday and the debut in the Dail, he should have regained most of his strength.

“In an ideal world, I’d be flying fit for the first day, but Il be going on a lot on adrenaline anyway, so it

shouldn’t be a problem. I’m looking forward to it and I’m planning to drive up on Thursday morning.” He’ll take the hopes of the county with him. Carey campaigned vigor- ously on the hospital issue and, over the course of his term in Dublin, he hopes to secure some concrete plans. Others who climbed that health bull

during their campaign were bucked off shortly after. Carey knows as much and is set to hit the ground uUbauenberee

A review of the Ennis and Environs plan is set to be completed in the coming months and he’s planning to make contact with councillors in a bid to prove that re-zoning the present site would create a potential cash cow for a new hospital.

“T’ve been saying it for a while but I really believe a greenfield site is the best way forward. I plan to push this all the way when I get to Dublin. If the hospital is re-zoned for houses, then we’re talking about a piece of eround that would increase dramati- cally in value. This would self-fi- nance a greenfield site. Then we’d have the space to develop and expand into a modern hospital with great ac- cess. That’s the target.”

From his hospital bed on Monday, he could see that bullseye down the line. In his dream world, a housing estate would occupy the space where his head rests. Five years to make it happen. The clock starts ticking on Thursday.

HEINZ has discovered a new and exciting 58th variety. This new fla- vour comes in the shape of promis- ing Dublin artist Orla Walsh, whose latest sole exhibition, “The Ketchup Collection’, is currently on show at Lahinch’s Kenny Gallery.

Walsh’s pop-art still-life collec- tion proudly features the deep crim- son Heinz ketchup bottle in a range which is both striking and instantly recognizable.

Her work examines a range of old and new objects, with food the com- mon thread that joins the collec- tion. She strives to capture the very essence of her subject matter while always treating it with great warmth

and humour.

Indeed, Orla’s unique work could very easily have never made it as far as Lahinch. During one of her early exhibitions in Dublin, a representa- tive of Heinz approached her, stating that she was in breach of copyright and should take down the exhibition.

After studying the quality of the work, however, the employee changed his mind and returned later in the week to purchase six pieces. Indeed, four of Walsh’s pieces now hang in the boardroom of the HJ Heinz Company in Pittsburgh.

Kenny’s is Clare’s oldest art gallery and hosts a wide variety of exhibi- tions all-year round.

The exhibition was opened by May- or of Clare, Flan Garvey, last week-

end and will run until June 23. A representative selection of the work is available to view on www.lahin- chartgallery.com or by calling 065 OLOrdKeterer

Meanwhile, down the road in En- nistymon Courthouse Gallery, more than 50 artists from all over the county have contributed to the Art on the Wall exhibition. The exhibition, which opened last Thursday and runs until June 16, features one work from a wide range of local, national and international talent.

“Tt really is a very interesting exhi- bition. We are talking about 50 artists who have each submitted one piece of work for this exhibition,’ said Catherine Comber of the gallery.

“Essentially, one of our exhibitors

postponed an exhibition, leaving us with two free weeks in the calendar. We put out the call for pieces of work and had a fantastic response.

“We will have work from renowned artists like Fionnuala Graham, Der- mot Tuohy and Sarah Foust to more local artists and a number of com- pletely amateur artists.

“We have pieces on show ranging in price from €2,000 to €100.”

CONFIDENCE in politics can be a dangerous thing, very dangerous. Tanaistes, ministers and party lead- ers can lose their seats — Michael McDowell was all three but was still rejected at the polls.

This volatility, or at the very least awareness of it, is why Tony Killeen and others refused to be drawn on their cabinet credentials in the run up to the election to the 30th Dail.

“IT was looking to retain my seat first off,’ says Deputy Killeen. “All that could be done up to now was get elected. I’ve done that.”

Success makes him open up more — free to talk of his ambition. Two and a half years a junior minister in the Department of Labour. Now he wants more, a message he hopes wins the ear of Bertie Ahern if he’s elected Taoiseach for a third term.

“lm happy with what I have achieved during that time. There are elements of it that I would like to have the opportunity to advance further. There are other jobs that I would love the challenge of doing.

“At this stage when we don’t know what parties will form the govern- ment, it’s difficult to know what posi- tions the Taoiseach will be in a posi- tion to offer. Three seats would have guaranteed a full ministerial post for Clare.

“I’m not hung at all on the honour of being a senior minister but I do be-

lieve that the benefits for the county of having someone at the Government meeting every Tuesday morning and hearing at first hand the plans of their

colleagues is highly significant.

“IT have no doubt that it is the big- gest political advantage to any coun- ty or constituency to have someone

in those meetings and party to deci- sion-making. I would like to have a position — I would relish the chal- lenge. If I’m offered a position I will

be more than happy to take it.”

And, being at the top table is how Killeen reckons his wish list for the lifetime of the 30th Dail can best be served. The old chestnuts of Ennis’ hospital and Shannon Airport — the rocks on which many election cam- paigns have been built.

“IT suffered electorally on the Shan- non Airport issue because I told the truth — that Open Skies was inevita- ble and that the state airline model wasn’t sustainable and that part pri- vatisation was inevitable.

“I’m happy that the package of measures that Martin Cullen has been putting in place is the right way to go. That’s only a part of it. The re- mainder of the job is for the airport management and marketing people on one level, but also for the hotel federation people to play a proactive role in doing a co-operative market- ing venture with the airport and the tourism wing of Shannon Develop- ment. I have no doubt but that the government will be forthcoming with the kind of finance that has been mentioned for Shannon Airport.”

Tony Killeen would love to be sit- ting beside Minister Cullen at the cabinet table when he makes the funding announcement for Shannon.