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, by Martin Luther Stites He pleaded “not guilty” at the out- set, after the charge of murder was put to him and also indicated his guilty plea to six other charges. Each day, as he was led in to the courtroom, the book protruded from his pocket. That book remained on the bench in front of him during the were During the majority of the evidence in the case, Kelly looked straight ahead. On the third day of the trial, he turned to the left and gave his full attention as videotapes showing his

interviews by gardai were played to elem LUD MYA

As his barrister Brendan Grehan asked the jury to return a verdict of guilty of manslaughter and not mur- der, he looked straight ahead at him.

He also gazed at the trial judge, Mr Justice Paul Carney, as he presented the charge to the jury and recapped the evidence, occasionally rubbing his face with his hand.

He listened intently throughout the trial and did not show any facial expressions as prosecuting counsel Tom O’Connell described the killing as “meticulously planned, ruthlessly executed and followed by a cover- eee Kelly also showed no major ex- pression of emotion as conflicting evidence of his mental state were presented to the jury. The prosecu-

tion argued that he was not suffering from a mental disorder when he mur- dered his victim, while the defence argued he was and that this dimin- ished his responsibility.

Kelly’s lack of visible emotion throughout the trial continued as the verdict was read out.

As Kelly murdered his victim, his dress sense resembled that of a young man, notably the presence of a baseball cap. One witness who saw him standing near Liam Moloney’s taxi immediately prior to the killing told gardai she believed he was in his BOs

His demeanour during the trial, dressed in a suit, shirt and tie, were more akin to a man in his 50s.

In the body of the courtroom, the family of Liam Moloney sat togeth- er.

Liam’s brothers Fintan and Derry, three of his sons — David, Peter and Shane — and his former wife Eileen listened to the horrific details of how he met his death. Each family mem- ber attended part of the trial, while Fintan, who delivered a harrowing victim impact statement at the end of the trial, did not miss a minute of the evidence.

Fintan and Derry sat behind the media and could have been mistaken for journalists, such was their regular note-taking throughout the trial.

Each morning, the Moloney fam- ily converged outside Courtroom Number One in the Round Hall of the Four Courts. They supported each other, in contrast to the accused who cut a sad, lonely figure, with no family support in evidence.

THE artistic imagination of 11 young children in Shannon has been recognised by the local Duchas na Sionna branch.

The group organised an art com- petition for primary schools, in con- junction with Seachtain na Gaeilge. 11 of the entrants were lucky to be chosen as the winners and were pre- sented with €20 book tokens, at a function at the Sean Lemass library in Shannon last week.

The theme of the competition was ‘logainmneacha’, (placenames) and the children were given the oppor-

tunity to describe their view of this topic, in art-form.

Greg Duff, who is involved with Duchas na Sionna, said the subject was particularly suitable in Shan- LO) eF

“Shannon would be unique, with the placenames. All of the new pla- cenames are up around Shannon, as Gaeilge. There would be a link to some history going back and we are trying to get the children to go back in history,” said Mr Duff.

Another member of Duchas na Sionna, Labhras O Donnghaile said the Irish language was the main idea behind the decision to run the

competition.

“It was all to do with the language and seanfhocail. The standard was excellent,” said Mr O Donnghaile.

Four schools were represented among the winners. St Tola’s win- ners were Rystis Chihunovas and Eric Mac Mathuna. The Gaelscoil’s winners were Hannah Nic Taidhg and Michelle Nic Amhlai. Ben- jamin O Maolchaithaigh and Lisa Ni Ailpin represented St Senan’s. St Conaire’s had five winners. They were Iskra Marvoka, Prionsias O Maol Dhomhnaigh, Frederika Ve- salenakova, Janella Leedasico and Aichah Ahmed.

Duchas na Sionna was set up a year and a half ago. It is a commu- nity-based local heritage commit- tee, made up of representatives of eroups such as The Shannon Ar- chaeological and Historical Soci- ety, Birdwatch Ireland, The County Clare Biodiversity Group and Club na Sionna, among others.

Since its establishment, members of Duchas na Sionna have carried out a major survey of archaeolog!- cal and historical sites in the area of Shannon town and its environs. This project is continuing and will take some time to bring to full frui- tion.

CLARE farmers have nothing to fear from the Green Party in Gov- ernment. This was the message from Green Party leader, Trevor Sargent, who was in Clare on Thursday meet- ing Clare farming leaders.

Speaking in Ennis, Deputy Sar- gent said that Greens in Government would be good for farming and rural communities with CAP and GATT reforms creating a real danger of massive job losses in the future.

‘This happened under the watch of those parties that demonise Green Party policy clearly without actually reading it,’ said Cllr Brian Meaney,

the Green Party General Election candidate in Clare.

“Finding a convenient scapegoat for the present and previous govern- ment parties’ failures detracts atten- tion from their own failings.”

The Greens have placed emphasis on the importance of enhancing the flexibility and diversity of agricul- ture and sustaining the family farm and the importance of safeguard- ing the land for future generations and encouraging young people into evweeperee

SU tom Orcctorme- toilet Meese MO KealeNe ise farming by creating opportunities for fuel crops, green waste manage- ment and a new local focus on food

supply.

The Green Party claim that they will lobby for changes in the World Trade Organisation to protect do- mestic agriculture from being under- cut by imports that are not subject to the same quality, health and envi- ronmental standards and streamline the payment of money under grant schemes so that farmers do not have to pay all the costs up front before being refunded 40 per cent by the Department of Agriculture at a later stage, which often necessitates ex- pensive bridging loans.

They have also listed creating re- search strategies to maximise the economic value of agricultural pro-

duce through value-added food prod- ucts as well as the promotion of a clean green image of Ireland abroad, creating a ‘green Ireland’ brand for food products.

They have also given a commit- ment to fund the Irish Seed Savers Association in Scariff, ensure Ire- land becomes a GM-free zone and ban farming of cloned animals, pro- vide more direct sale from farmer to consumer through farmers’ mar- kets, require planning authorities to designate “market spaces’ within all towns, reduce the dependence on chemical inputs by the majority of farmers and support sustainable farming by favouring small farms.

HE REACHED into a brown Dunnes Stores bag and considered what he was going to do. His hand touched a hatchet, he pulled it out of the bag and swung his plan into action. There was no going back and within min- utes Liam Moloney would lie dead, having been butchered by a man he thought he knew.

Anthony Kelly told gardai that a plan to kill Liam Moloney a week earlier did not materialise. However, there was going to be no hesitation on February 11, 2005.

He swung the axe and inflicted 17 blows on his victim’s head, before slashing his throat with a_ knife, at Port House, close to Ruan.

Kelly said there were voices in his head which directed him to kill the WEG ene Melu ioe

“IT could feel this thing building up inside me. I never felt like this before in my life. I felt possessed, I think is the word. Looking back, it was something like it,” he said.

Uncontrollable feelings of anger and rage had built up inside him

over the previous weeks. He believed Liam Moloney was racist. Kelly was married to a woman from Paraguay and he said he took exception to some comments made by Mr Molo- ney. However this assertion about racism was disputed in evidence by two former colleagues of the former Aer Lingus employee.

Kelly told gardai that he believed his victim stored cash in his apart- ment in Ennis. Mr Moloney had re- tired from Aer Lingus in Shannon in January 2002 and had received a severance package of €71,000.

Immediately after the killing, Kelly went to Mr Moloney’s apartment and stole between €500 and €600. He then drove to Shannon and picked up a teenage boy – as arranged – and drove to his home in Waterville, Kerry. The following day he got the unsuspecting young boy to assist him to destroy the evidence.

RESIDENTS in Shannon are be- ing asked to get involved in a major clean-up of the town.

The local Tidy Towns committee has just put together a plan for the year and is optimistic that everybody will play a role in keeping the town Ore

Its members are particularly ap- pealing for people to take control of the litter problem, which has cost the town vital points in the national Tidy Towns competition in recent years.

Adjudication for the Tidy Towns competition will take place twice during the summer and hopes are high that Shannon will improve on last year’s success.

Chairperson of the Tidy Towns committee Tess Barry said every person in the town has an important role to play.

“We are asking the residents to clean their own areas. The residents associations are wonderful and they get behind the Tidy Towns. Every- body has a role to play,” she said.

‘However, we have a big litter problem. We are trying to address it at the moment. We are very wor- ried about the cans and bottles being thrown around the park areas. Peo- ple are littering indiscriminately. It is quite bad. If people would just put them into bags and pick them up, we would be delighted with that,” she Cr HTOR

She said that the committee is de-

lighted to hear that additional money has been made available for the up- keep of footpaths, along with the provision of lighting in the town, this year.

The imminent opening of the re- cycling plant – in Smithstown – this summer is also being welcomed.

“The residents are eagerly await- ing this. Hopefully we will have the sculpture at the town centre rounda- bout shortly. It will compliment the area,’ said Ms Barry.

Shannon Town Council has in- creased the resources for cleaning the town. Under a FAS scheme, a cleaner was available for 15 hours last year and this has been doubled to 30 hours this year.

“She is doing a wonderful job,”

said Ms Barry.

Staff at McDonald’s restaurant also helped out with a clean-up last Neto) ©

Owner of McDonald’s, Kieran Mc- Dermott said he takes every opportu- nity to support the local community.

‘When we were approached by the Tidy Towns committee for support, we were delighted to assist and came up with a novel approach of provid- ing staff and expertise, rather than money. We paid our staff members to assist in the weeding and prepara- tion of flower beds around Shannon. The feedback from the Tidy Towns committee has been so positive that we have decided to expand the initia- tive for 2008 and also to make this an annual event,” said Mr McDermott.

KILRUSH estates are to get new stone-carved placename plaques where there are developments with- out name plaques.

The news was delivered to a meet- ing of Kilrush Town Council last week by marketing and development officer, Siobhan Garvey as part of her report on activities to improve the en- virons of the town. The stones would compliment the many activities and hard work being undertaken by the Tidy Towns supporters, she said.

Among the steps which the town council would be taking to support the Tidy Towns efforts this year was continued support of the town clean- up, which takes place this year on May 26, from 10am to noon. The town council will provide gloves, bags and skips for the effort.

“This year, we’re going for gold in the tidy towns,” said Ms Garvey.

The town council, in co-operation with the Tidy Towns committee and the chamber of commerce, 1s also producing a 10-step guide to con- serving this summer.

THE Annual Financial Statement for Clare County Council for 2006 shows a positive operating result of om ceueeELetF

The report shows that the result, taken together with the reduction of corporate loan repayments of €0.9 million, reduced the cumulative rev- enue deficit of the council to €2.9 million.

The reduction of the corporate loan is an accounting adjustment required to reflect the principal repaid on the loan since it was drawn down in late 2003.

The council had additional income of €7.2 million which arose primari- ly from the roads and infrastructure area where additional allocations of €4.5 million were received in the year.

Income received from planning applications came in €0.7 million

above budget.

Income from the council’s waste management facility was down €0.75 million as compared to figures anticipated at the council’s half-year report for 2006.

Fire certificate income contributed an additional €0.2 million and water and waste water connection fees con- tributed €0.5 million.

In addition to these figures, €47.9 million was received in respect of rates local government fund and LOTT AIA Yael t-Nuexer

Expenditure on roads was €5.9 mil- lion above the budgeted level. This can be explained due to increased Central Management Charge alloca- tion of €0.5 million and increased county road maintenance of €0.55 million. Expenditure on the water services programme was greater than budget by €0.4 million. This was driven mainly by additional expendi- ture on operational and maintenance

of water and waste water plants and networks.

Development incentives and con- trol expenditure was €0.9 million above budget. Increased numbers of planning applications is reflected in additional income of €0.7 million and also in additional operating ex- penditure of €0.2 million.

In 2006, the gross value of the council’s fixed assets increased by €150.5 million. This related prima- rily to an increase in local authority water and wastewater assets arising from the 2004 takeover of Shannon Town services from Shannon Devel- opment.

The balance sheet also includes an increase in local authority housing stock, Beechpark machinery yard and plant acquisitions. Road projects accounted for 50 per cent of expendi- ture on capital projects, with €6/7 million spent in 2006. The major el- ement in this was the Ennis bypass.

THE Baha’ faith in Shannon is con- tinuing to grow and this was recog- nised in a major conference which NFR K See NO AYA Oo (O DOM BOoM COWIE

More than 50 participants visited Shannon for the conference, which was a reflection of the increasing popularity of this faith in the area.

A local assembly was initially set up in the town 15 years ago and the inter- est continues to grow. Its membership represents people of varying ages.

Membership of the group comes about through word of mouth, as ad- vertising is not allowed. One of the

main rules is that alcohol is not al- lowed to Baha’1 members. Members must also abide by a fast between the hours of sunrise and sunset, during 19 days in March.

Member of the group in Shannon, Patricia Fallon-Barry said the meet- ing point for Baha’1 members is in peoples’ homes, rather than a church. A group consists of at least nine mem- bers, over the age of 21.

‘We meet 1n each other’s homes and there is a feast every 19 days. We dis- cuss community and social aspects at the local assembly meetings. We have no clergy. Everybody is expected to do everything,” she said.

‘“Baha’l is a new religion, just 150 years old. It is centred around the be- lief that all of the religions are one, with one God,” she said.

Ms Fallon-Barry has been a mem- ber of the Baha’1 group for several years.

SoM orl BLA 0Oe powering and great for “‘self-develop- jneto ela

‘“Baha’l was founded by Bahaullah in Iran in 1844. He would claim to have fulfilment of all previous mes- sengers, she said.

Along with being involved with the Shannon group, she also helps to or- ganise childrens’ classes and study

circles in Ennis.

“We cannot advertise. It is through word of mouth. One of the basic prin- cipals is independent investigation of truth,” she said.

“IT became Baha’i when I was 18 and living in Athlone. It was a public meeting. I read a book and | haven’t looked back since. I can’t imagine be- ing without it,” she added.

‘Worldwide, more and more people are interested in this. It is one thing to become committed to your own religion. It is another to join another religion,’ she said.

“The study circles are a very good educational thing,’ she said.

THE NEW Government policy of going for construction contracts that heap all risk of price over-runs onto the contracting company is going to elbow out medium and small build- ing firms and cost the taxpayer more in the long run, it has been claimed.

President of the Construction In- dustry Federation (CIF), Hank Foga- rty stated that the new public sector construction contracts would push up the price of building public infra- structure in Clare and damage small and medium contracting companies throughout the county.

The CIF president further criticised Government for ignoring the indus- try view on the changes and for aban- doning the principle of partnership that was the hallmark of successful construction contracts throughout the rest of the world.

Fogarty was speaking at a CIF In- ternational Conference titled “New Directions in Construction Procure- ment: International Best Practice’, held in the Davenport Hotel last week.

“In Ireland, a country in a unique period of infrastructure catch-up and one whose long-term sustainable

economic development depends on ST e-Ne BLOr-LBUNTSM sD. GR IBUNTSA-H OCG Moy pas) Uca DAMN ITE frastructure bottlenecks, it is critical that we get the contracting relation- ship right. This is particularly so as we embark on a new and ambitious National Development Plan that will run to 2013. However, any independ- ent examination of the new contracts will show that Government has got it wrong,’ he said.

The CIF president said that the principles of risk recognition, risk sharing and risk management and, more importantly, the principle of partnership had been abandoned by Government in favour of the princi- ple of risk transfer at any cost.

The experience elsewhere is that this type of contract simply leads to confrontation and conflict. He added that the adoption of such a model meant that smaller and medium com- panies, of which there are many in Clare, couldn’t compete for Govern- ment contracts.

‘The industry has asked Govern- ment on a number of occasions to look at the alternatives.

“Unfortunately, this had not been done and the negative consequences will become apparent over the com- ing years,” Mr Fogarty said.

ALLOWING a dangerously defec- tive lorry on the road when it wasn’t road worthy was an “accident wait- ing to happen”, according to a judge.

Patrick Buggy (53), a haulier from Kyle, Stradbally, Laois, was convict- ed of a number of offences, after one of his drivers was stopped at Killula, Newmarket-on-Fergus, on Novem- ber 2 last.

He was convicted of being the owner of a dangerously defective vehicle, of having recording equip- ment which was not functioning cor- rectly and having an unlicensed semi oem

The court was told that two tyres on the tractor unit were completely worn and the diesel tank was not properly in place.

Garda John Ryan told the court that the tachograph was inspected and showed the vehicle had been driven at 120 kilometres per hour, when the maximum speed for this vehicle should have been 90kph.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy said the vehicle presented a huge danger on the road, driven at high speed with no threads and the diesel tank was not properly secured.

“To send a truck out on the road with those defects beggars belief that a reasonable person could do that. It’s an accident waiting to happen. This was a dangerously defective truck, driven at high speed. It could have caused a major accident and killed people,’ he added.

“There is carnage on the roads. If there was an accident, I don’t know what could have happened. This ve- hicle wasn’t road worthy. It was so unroadworthy the garda impounded it. I wouldn’t be doing my duty if I didn’t disqualify him,” said the judge.

He imposed fines totalling €2,250 and disqualified Mr Buggy from driving for six months. He fixed re- cognisances in the event of an ap- peal. He issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the driver, who 1s from Lithuania.