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A 21ST birthday celebration ended in tragedy as two friends lost their lives in a horrific road smash close to Kilmihil in the early hours of Sun- CEMA

Eoin Glynn (21) from Shanaway, Miltown Malbay and Shane Donnel- lan (17), from Kilmore, Knock, were OU UTSTOMA YG ateseMmUsComm Vc OMBEO MUON Ce OM D SAY were travelling veered out of con- trol. It hit a ditch, before crossing the road and plunged into a field close to Goldburn Bridge, on the main Ennis/ Kilrush road, shortly before 5am.

The other two occupants of the car – Enda O’Leary (24), from Kilmihil and Mike Morrissey (20), from Kil- murry McMahon – sustained injuries in the crash and were taken to hos- pital. Mr O’Leary sustained multiple fractures to his leg while Mr Morris- sey sustained serious internal inju- ries and was taken to Limerick Re- gional Hospital where his condition is described as serious.

The four had attended a friend’s 21st birthday party in Knock earlier that night and were understood to have been travelling from Kilmihil, in the direction of Knock, when trag- Ohana (ele

The young men had gone home to Kilmihil after the 21st party and de- cided to venture out again at a later stage. Gardai say none of the four

men — who were all in the front of the van — were wearing seatbelts. Shane Donnellan is survived by his parents, Tommy and Jenny and young brother Thomas. He was edu-

cated locally in Killimer and was working in Dublin.

Eoin Glynn is the only son of Michael and Una Glynn. He has three younger sisters, Tara, Lisa and

Deirdre. His parents returned home at the weekend after a short break overseas. The heartbreaking loss of young Eoin follows a recent serious illness suffered by a family member.

The scene of the crash was exam- ined by the forensic accident exam- iner and gardai are waiting his re- eke) ay

The van travelled a distance of 180 metres from where it went out of control, to the point where it stopped. Emergency services spent a consid- erable amount of time at the scene of the crash on Sunday morning and the road was closed for most of the day.

Superintendent Noel Clarke is ap- pealing for anyone who may have seen the black Volkswagen trans- porter van in the lead-up to the ac- cident to come forward.

“We are hoping that people will come forward, people who may have been travelling on that road between 4.45am and 4.50am,” he said.

Those who knew the two young men say they were well regarded and were hard workers.

Kilmurry McMahon parish priest Fr John Kelly said everybody’s thoughts were with the families of the young men.

“It is a very sad time for the fami- lies and for the entire community that these young men were killed in such an accident” he said.

PATRICK O’Dwyer drank a concoc- tion of alcohol at a party at his home just two days before he killed his sis- ter, the trial heard.

Marguerite organised a party at her parents’ house, just two nights before her death.

Patrick O’Dwyer told gardai that his sister initially invited a few friends to the house on the Saturday night, but up to 25 people attended, eight of whom stayed overnight.

He said that the party had been planned for a while. There was an assortment of drink at the house, he said.

The accused told gardai that he had four cans of cider, two cans of Red Bull with a full bottle of vodka, a mixture of shots in a pint glass, fol- lowed by other shots, all in the space of about an hour.

Asked by gardai was it normal for him to drink that amount of alcohol, he replied, “No.”

He said that some of his sister’s

friends smoked joints, but he didn’t take drugs.

He said that somebody wanted him to go to a birthday party. He passed out on the way there and fell and hit his head at around 10.30pm. He didn’t make it to the party.

One of his friends later gave out to him about his excessive drink- ing. His friend told him that when he goes out, he did so with the intention of getting drunk fast and not gradu- MUA

The accused said he told his friend

he was going to give up drink until Oi tetiaeerky

The day after the party — Sunday — Marguerite went to work in Lahinch. Patrick took paracetamol and later spoke to his parents on the phone.

Marguerite arrived home from work that evening. The accused was asked by gardai did she give out to him about his drinking and was told that she didn’t.

“She just told me she never saw me as bad. Everyone said that. I was mad with myself,” he said.

THE Deputy Mayor of Ennis has expressed his anger about the provi- sion of subsidised and free water to householders in Galway while local people have been paying for bottled water since a boil notice was intro- duced two years ago.

Councillor Brian Meaney (GP) be- lieves that the “political situation in Galway is what is driving the dif- ference in Government reaction be-

tween the two constituencies”.

‘There is a lot of anger at the differ- ence in treating the water consumers in Clare and Galway. The water crisis has been on going in Galway for the last six weeks. Why wasn’t subsidised water made available to the consum- ers of the Ennis supply six weeks into the crisis that has existed here for the last two years?” he asked.

A cautionary boil notice, affecting around 30,000 people, has been in place for the past two years in En-

nis, Clarecastle, Crusheen, Barefield, Doora, Drumcliffe, Spancilhill and Group Water Schemes on the supply.

Vulnerable sectors of the commu- nity, including patients with weak immune systems, infants and pre- school children, have been advised to continue to boil tap water before eyetsieueeyelaceyee

Previous contaminations of the En- nis water supply occurred after heavy rain following significant spells of dry weather just like in Galway.

Councillor Meaney accused the Government of total indifference on the issue and warned that Ennis could soon be in a similar situation to Galway.

“Despite the installation of a filtra- tion system, the boil notice has been in operation in Ennis and the sur- rounding area for the past two years. Cryptosporidium is already in the water supply and it may only be a matter of time before levels surge and an outbreak occurs like that which is

now affecting Galway,” he said.

The councillor added, “Confidence in the Ennis water supply is low and bottled water is expensive. It seems that this problem is of little conse- quence to the Government, unless the problem becomes so bad that it may cost them votes.

“A lack of infrastructure and a fail- ure to update a dated water supply that leaks millions of litres of water a day, has led to the situation we find ourselves in today.”

SUNDAY’S road fatalities once again highlighted the number of road deaths occurring in the west Clare area. Tragically, the deaths of Eoin Glynn and Shane Donnellan bring to six the number of people killed in road ac- cidents in Clare since the start of the year. Four of the six deaths occurred on west Clare roads. Add this to the

fact that five of the county’s nine road casualties last year occurred in west Clare and the picture is particularly bleak. Nine road deaths in one area of the county over a 12-month period are far more than should be faced by local CLoyenvenlereple lee

The carnage is spread throughout the area. Communities in Lissycasey, Doonbeg, Kilrush, Kildysart, Killimer and Kilkee have mourned losses due to

road fatalities over the past 12 months.

Ironically, Sunday’s smash came al- most a year to the day since Sean Gal- lagher (71) was killed after he got out of his car at the Boree Log in Lissy- casey. That accident occurred on Mon- day, April 17, 2006.

A young Dublin man, Stephen O’Reilly (24), was killed in Kilkee in the early hours of January 29, while pensioner Tom Haugh (69) died as a

result of an accident in which his car was involved in a collision at Carrow- dotia, Killimer, on March 27.

The roads in west Clare are not alien to particularly harrowing cases of mul- tiple road fatalities. In October 2003, the community of Carrigaholt was forced to come to terms with the deaths of two young girls, Stacey Haugh (16) and Lorna O’Mahony (13). The girls died instantly when the car a young

Galway man was driving crashed into a wall, at Moyarta, on the road between Kilkee and Carrigaholt.

Tragedy on the double also struck in May 2005, when an accident in Quilty claimed the lives of Thomas Pender and David McCarthy (18). The car Mr Jo ele(o um eRO NU AAU OToam OUI Mrs Mats: 00 mm DOME HET e early hours of the morning. Mr Mc- Carthy, of Seafield, Quilty, was a front Seat passenger.

MARGUERITE O’Dwyer was ly- ing on the couch, smiling, when her brother approached her with a ham- mer and repeatedly attacked her.

Patrick O’Dwyer told gardai that the two were watching television on Monday evening, November 29, 2004, when he left the sitting room to go into the kitchen.

“At about 11.30pm, I just remem- bered going out to the kitchen. I took the hammer out of the press. Marguerite was lying on the couch. She was smiling at me. She thought I was messing. I would often be messing with her with a hurley and things. I swung the hammer and hit

her on the head five or six times. I hit her on the chest,” he told gardai. He said his sister wasn’t scream- ing. She was alive. He then got a knife from the kitchen and a Scis- sors from the bathroom and started jabbing her to the ribs and legs. At that stage she was on the ground.

He later went down town, before returning to the house and drinking a half can of beer. He went upstairs and stuck a blade into a vein on his left wrist and hit himself to the head a few times with a hammer.

He brought firelighters upstairs and considered setting fire to the house.

He said he did not realise the sig- nificance of what he had done until

the following day when he touched his sister and her head was cold. He then went to Ennistymon garda sta- BLOyEE

He said he originally got the ham- mer to hit himself as he felt he had made “a fool” out of himself the previous Saturday night, by drink- ing excessively.

The court heard that when the ac- cused arrived at Ennistymon garda station on the afternoon of Novem- ber 30, he showed a garda a cut to his head and mark to his wrist. The garda noted that he had a mark on his nose.

Garda Alan Keane went to O’Dwyer’s home, where he found the young woman’s body in the sit-

ting room.

He said there was a considerable amount of blood on the floor and the woman was lying down, face up.

A white blanket covered her legs and there was no sign of a pulse.

Under cross-examination by the accused’s barrister, Patrick Gage- by, SC, the garda admitted that the scene was “shocking”.

Sergeant Brian Howard told the tri- al that, after the accused arrived at the local garda station, gardai were concerned about his health. He was taken to Ennis General Hospital.

A senior psychiatrist assessed him and concluded he “had not psychiat- ric problems and was not a danger to himself”.

HIKING boots are being dusted off all over the county in preparation for two highest profile walking events of the place in north Clare over the Lovee nesta eE hace

First up is the fifth Annual Dun- leavy Walk which takes place in Doolin on Sunday April 15, while just seven days later walkers from the Burren Chernobyl Project have their fundraiser in Liscannor.

Work is ongoing in six Ukrainian hospitals where children and adults effected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster receive life changing help from the Ennistymon based project.

New initiatives this year include a

programme allowing effected chil- dren to leave the orphanages and re- turn home while another sees groups of trained physiotherapists travel to help the children regain some physi- cal mobility.

“At the moment we have 300 chil- dren in Gorodishche and we are feeding them with yoghurt and fruits. They never get out so it is important for them to get the vitamins,’ said Carmel Mescall of the Burren Cher- nobyl] Project.

“It cost €1,000 to buy nappies for the children each month. The money raised helps to organise volunteers to travel from Ireland and help. There is also the Special Olympics Summer Camp who are a group of physios

trained at the time of the Special Ol- ympics in Ireland.

“They go over and work with the children and help them with their mobility. It’s really great that some- thing good like the Special Olympics can go on producing another good thing like this.”

Besides the work at Gorodishche, the Burren Chernobyl Project also helps 200 children at Cherven, 500 adults at Cylb, 300 adults at Tarasik1, 300 adults at Cosovo and 400 adults at Yazouk1.

“In the future we are looking at running workshops for special needs children and their families,’ contin- ued Carmel. “We feel the way for- ward is to get the children back into

their own homes and give them day care support.

‘They can get the support and en- couragement of their families while the parents can still work during the CP haat

For more information on sponsor- ship cards contact 7071130.

Meanwhile, The Dunleavy Spon- sored walk will take to the road this weekend in Doolin. The walk will begin at lpm this Sunday, April 15, at the Russell Community Centre in Doolin.

Walkers can choose from walks of three or five miles and refreshment and entertainment will be available for all participants at the centre after Woe

ENNISTYMON will play host to a very special musical event next week as America’s foremost high school orchestra pay an historic visit to north Clare to perform a one-off concert.

Muinnesota’s Moorhead High School will offer young and old the unique chance to experience the very best of classical and contemporary music when it’s 50 piece wind ensemble takes to the stage at the Falls Hotel next Monday, April 16.

This is one of only two Irish con- certs for the touring orchestra,

with all proceeds going to Ennisty- mon’s Mol an Oige Steiner Primary School.

“A few months ago I was contacted by a person from Hibernia Ireland organisation who had heard about the school and wanted to help. She mentioned that the ensemble were coming and offered them to play in Ennistymon free of charge,” said Roisin Garvey of Mol an Oige.

“Tt will be really great for young people to be able to come along and experience this concert. Adults get to go and see concerts all the time and this is organised to take place at seven to allow young people to come

along.

“We have contacted all the national schools in the area and hopefully as lot of children will come along. It would be a real thrill for them to see this live music, especially when it is being played by other young people. It is a real coup to get them here, be- sides Ennistymon they are only play- ing in Dublin.

“Fundraising is so important for the future of the school. At the moment it is paying three full time teachers without any support for the Depart- ment of Education. We began last year with 11 students and now it is up to 41. The school caters for everyone,

we have children in every class and are fully compliant with the new pri- mary school curriculum. The wind ensemble has toured and competed in music festivals all over the United States, Canada and attended music schools throughout Austria and Ger- many. The ensemble will perform under the direction of Douglas C Engstrom who has been Musical Di- rected at Moorhead since 1976.

Tickets, at a cost of €12 are avail- able from The Falls Hotel, Unglerts Bakery, Sergeant Pepper’s Sandwich Bar and Custy’s Music Shop in Ennis or call 086 1043528 for more infor- mation.

THE Doonbeg Drama Group has made it to the finals of the All-Ire- land Drama competition.

The group will take to the boards on Monday next, April 16, in New Ross for the final showdown. Their performance of ‘Atta’ Boy Mr Syng’ has already earned them numerous plaudits.

The group has competed in five fes- tivals in Doonbeg, Charleville, Ross- more, Scariff and Claregalway, with one win, three second placings and one third placing.

Mark May took best actor and Ann Marie Doyle best actress at two fes- tivals. Mary J Egan was best actress at another. Mort McInerney got best producer at two festivals while the production also picked up awards for best presentation, best lighting, best sound and most entertaining play.

Remaining cast members, Rita McInerney and Declan Hayes were nominated at festivals in the best supporting actress and actor catego- ries.

“Everyone is very excited about getting to the finals and we will be putting everything into the show,” a spokesman for the drama group Sr HOn

Audiences in Clare will have an- other chance to see the performance this week when it is staged in Doon- beg hall on Thursday night. Doors open at 7.30pm and curtain up is at 8.30pm. There will be tickets at the door.

The festival, which is run under the auspices of the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland, is one of the pre- mier events of its kind in Europe. 1953, it is one of the most enduring festivals in Ireland and is a major cultural event.

A KILLALOE-BASED – architect looks set to join the general election race in Clare to highlight shortcom- ings in the planning system.

Garry Miley said yesterday: “The time has come I believe, to make a stand. The planning system at the moment is not democratic.”

Some of the faults that Mr Miley pointed out were long delays, inaccu- rate recording of issues discussed at pre-planning consultations, planning applications being invalidated for trivial reasons and inconsistencies in eleLortSloyem eared enerce

In his online blog, Mr Miley said that he was approached by a Dublin based group, including an independ- ent councillor and some of his col-

leagues, that wondered “if I might be interested in running for Dail Eire- ann on a ‘planning’ ticket in the up- coming election”.

Mr Miley said that Clare was an obvious place to run because it was a “four seat constituency with no star performers”.

“It’s my experience that the average people of Clare are more motivated by planning matters than anywhere else in the country, which means there’s a ready-made market for the message,” he said.

He added that it was “doable” to gain a Clare seat because Fine Gael had gained a seat in the last election with just 4,500 first preference votes and some transfers.

“The quota in Clare is, I think, around ten thousand but Fine Gael

managed to pick up their single seat in the last election with only 4,500 first preference votes and a bunch of transfers.

“Now, I can think of at least 4,500 people living in County Clare with a grievance about the planning system. Some decent transfers is all 1t would take.

“Manageable, I think, if you con- sider all the architects, engineers, planners (in private practice) build- ers, homeowners and developers across the county who’d easily pro- vide a match for the big party organi- See B (OD eon

Mr Miley said that he hoped some- one would run on the planning issue.

“If push does come to shove and no one else comes forward I will stand.”

A MAN who bought replicas of ri- fles in a toyshop in Ennis has been convicted of two charges, relating to their possession.

John Hehir (28), of Davit Terrace, Cloughleigh, Ennis, pleaded guilty to two offences, arising out of an in- cident on May 4 last year.

Garda Michelle Holian told Ennis District Court that she received con- fidential information that the accused was in possession of unlicenced air rifles, air guns and ammunition.

She obtained a warrant and went to his house. She found two air rifles, two air handguns and two different types of ammunition.

“They are replicas of rifles. They

are air rifles and are illegal under the Firearms Act. Mr Hehir told me he purchased them in a shop in town,” Sr HCO MO elommee- KOE: B

The accused told the garda he would go to Dromore Woods with friends and would shoot at static tar- gets, like drink cans.

Defending solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client fully co-operated with ee KOrNE

She said he bought the items in a toy shop and that he used the guns for sport.

“Technically, it is illegal but my cli- ent didn’t mean any harm by it,” she SrHKOE

Judge Joseph Mangan imposed a fine of €100. He refused a request to apply the Probation Act.