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A WOMAN has claimed that she was only summonsed to court to face charges, after she made a complaint against a garda on a separate matter.

Mother-of-one Karen Hyland (35), of Dromard, Lahinch Road, Ennis, was before Ennis District Court, ac- cused of obstructing a garda, while she was out for her work Christmas party, at the Queen’s Hotel on December 19 Ee

Garda Denis Lavan told the court that Garda Cathal O’Sullivan arrested a woman shortly before 2am. The ac- cused, Karen Hyland, was attempting to pull the arrested woman – who was her friend – away from the garda and was trying to come between them.

“She said we weren’t taking her friend. They were her words…She was very wound up and aggressive towards Gda O’Sullivan and I. She refused to calm down,” said Gda Lavan.

Defending solicitor Stephen Nicho- las said the woman being arrested was very upset over a personal matter and his client was trying to help the situa- tion. He said she was a ‘calming influ- ence.’

Mr Nicholas said his client did not receive a summons until the follow- ing March, after she made a complaint about Gda Lavan at Ennis Garda Sta- tion, in relation to another matter.

The solicitor said to Gda Lavan, ‘The reason you are bringing this case is you are angry and annoyed. You bear something of a grudge against this defendant.” Gda Lavan denied this, saying he had six months to serve a Summons on an accused.

Karen Hyland told the court she drank a number of glasses of Guinness in a pub in town, before going to the Queen’s, where she drank a bottle of Bulmer’s. She said her friend was ‘very down in the dumps’ and was crying. She went out to comfort her. “I tried to explain to the guard that she was very upset, to leave her alone. I said I was bringing her home,” she said.

She denied pulling at one garda and denied shouting at another garda.

She said she was involved in a road traffic matter the following March, during which she met Gda Lavan. She told the court on that occasion, Gda Lavan said to her, “You assaulted a garda one night.” She said she replied, “T didn’t.” She then complained about Gda Lavan at Ennis Garda Station and after that she received a summons re- lating to the incident at the Queen’s.

A security employee at the Queen’s, Frank Rocke said Ms Hyland wasn’t highly excited or aggressive and wasn’t abusive to the gardai on the night in question.

Judge Joseph Mangan dismissed the Oe Neo

SOME 200 Macra na Feirme County Officers attend Leader- ship Training Weekend in Ennis last week and showing leader- ship in their community was high on their agenda. Speaking at the training weekend, which took place in the West County Hotel, Macra na Feirme national president Colm Markey said that too many people are adopting a ‘leave it to somebody else’ atti- tude when it came to getting in- volved in clubs or organisations UOMO elo) Dur-busreb

“While people are happy to enjoy the benefits provided by organisations, many are slow to take on positions of responsibil- ity,’ said Mr Markey. “Many vol- untary organisations have been depending on the same people to run them for years.

“The organisations themselves needed to do more to attract peo-

ple into voluntary positions of re- sponsibility,” he continued. “Most organisations have too many long-winded and boring meeting and that needs to change.”

The Clare branch of Macra re- sumed their activities last week- end with a host of activities. On Friday night the members spent an evening at the dogs at the Gal- way Greyhound Track and many were present for the training evening on Saturday evening.

Claire O’Callaghan of Kincora Macra and Mairéad Meehan, Joe Carrig and Pat Carrig (all from the Newmarket Macra) re- ceived Bank of Ireland leadership awards from Colm Markey at the banquet.

On September 23 the Clare Macra will holding the regional bowling competition at Funworld in Limerick. All clubs are asked to participate and contact Fiona Treacy on 061 926970 for more Cle NU hse

HUNDREDS of inoculation doses that can prevent bacterial meningi- tis are to be sent out to Clare doc- tors next month, following the trag- ic death of a County Louth toddler.

After media reports on the death of the two-year-old, anxious par- ents began turning up in droves at GPs’ surgeries only to find the doctors did not have supplies of the booster vaccine.

The little boy died while on holi- day abroad, several days after hav- ing been seen at Our Lady Of Lour-

des hospital in Drogheda.

He developed bacterial meningi- tis, despite having been vaccinated against it as an infant.

The child had been thought to have recovered from Haemophilis influenza group B (HiB) but de- veloped meningitis. Children are vaccinated against the potentially deadly disease as babies and given booster vaccinations later on.

The Department of Health has confirmed that supplies of a boost- er vaccine will be made available to Clare GPs over the coming month.

GPs usually have a limited supply of the vaccine, but not enough to cope on an on-going basis with the OCSTeee Neem e-UI orem ON AUST E-Te-VOIA YA

But the Department came in for serious criticism after it emerged that it threw responsibility for the €10 million funding needed for a vaccination campaign back to the Health Services Executive respon- sible for the Louth area.

Dr Niall O’Cleirigh, spokesman for the Irish College of General Practitioners, said that a November date for the roll-out of the booster

vaccine is not soon enough.

“In the light of a child having died, it is not quick enough. Moves should have been made over the summer to have this programme in place,” he said.

A vaccine against the life-threat- ening strain of meningitis 1s includ- ed in the five-in-one immunisation given to all children.

But two months ago, the National Immunisation Advisory Commit- tee urgently recommended that all children under the age of four should be given a booster vaccine.

Of 50,000 children vaccinated since 1996, 38 have developed the disease, despite being vaccinated.

It is believed that there are 200,000 children in need of the booster shots nation-wide.

The Department of Health con- firmed that booster vaccines will be distributed next month and that further supplies will be available in Deore

The shot will be made available free at GPs surgeries and any par- ent who has concerns is urged to contact their family doctor imme- diately.

SHANNON Swimming and Lei- sure Centre looks set to make losses for the third year running, prompt- ing a centre director to call on the Government to match local author- ity funding for the facility.

Accounts filed to the companies office by the centre show that the facility has made losses in 2003 and 2004. Company director, Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind), confirmed that the centre is on course to make a loss again this year.

She said, “Government should match the €55,000 that the council contributed to the centre last year. This would allow us plan ahead. The Government talks a lot about the need for a healthy lifestyle, but it needs to back that up by support- ing centres such as the Shannon je.Nos 0 BUR VA

The accounts recently filed with the Companies Office show that to the end of October, 2004, the centre made a loss of €47,000 and this fol- lowed a loss of €33,000 sustained in 2003. At the end of October 2004, the centre had an accumulat- ed loss of €60,624. However, this is much smaller when compared to the €469,000 accumulated loss at Lahinch Seaworld.

Last year, the centre had a turno- ver of €461,000 with a wage bill of €243,000. Cllr McCarthy said this week, “The centre has been through several bad patches since it opened in 1973 and has closed down on a number of occasions.

She said, “By the mid-1980s, it was decided to treat the centre as a business and the leisure centre was added and opened by President Mary Robinson in 1994.”

Cllr McCarthy said that the earn- ings from the pool and leisure cen- tre supplemented each other.

“The centre provides a vital serv- ice and is essential for the com- munity, employing 11 full-time employees.

“We run a very tight ship and we stay sharp and focused. The centre is willing to try any activity once. For example, it has the only climb- ing wall in the region.

“The increasing cost of oil and heating 1s not making it easy, but the Board — whose work is volun- tary — are very diligent. I would like to see more people using the centre. The centre itself is a total non-profit facility.”

Cllr McCarthy said that, without the annual contribution from the County Council, the financial situ- ation would be worse. The centre last made a profit in 2002.

The high quality of childcare services in Clare laid the foundation for a new approach on the issue in the Mid-West, a confer- ence was told yesterday.

The National Care Plan- ning Project Conference (NCCP), hosted by the HSC was held in Limer-

ick yesterday to analyse the research undertaken by the NCCP. Following a pilot survey of Children in care in the Clare area the National Care Planning Project (NCCP) was estab- lished.

In 1999 the Mid-West- ern Health Board com- missioned the Children’s Research Centre in Trin-

ity College to under take a comprehensive review of the quality and range of services available to chil- dren care and their fami- Wy

Agnes Feely, who carried out the research praised the dedicated, innovative and committed work with chil- dren in Clare. Since then the good work carried out

in Clare has been extended to the entire Mid Western region as a pilot project which was supported by the Department of Health. The project highlighted the importance of evidence based decision making and ongoing evaluation in en- suring the delivery of child care services. It also developed assess-

ment and planning tools for social workers to en- sure that children’s needs are identified at an earlier stage.

Key note speakers at the event were Professor Robby Gilligan from Trin- ity College Dublin, Dr Tim Riley, CEO of two primary Care Trusts in the UK and Dr Valerie O’Brien, UCD.

THE Fianna Fail A4 stake first round heats at the Galway track on Thursday and Friday night created much interest for Banner owners. There 1s €1,/50 on offer to the winner and with four dogs qualifying from first round heats, most of the Clare entries are still standing.

Glengal Lad, owned by Joe Longe of Ballyea, was the only Clare dog to win a heat. This was in race eight on Friday night. Running from trap four he had a winning time of 29.56 seconds. It was another good night for the Longe family with White Tip Dream, owned by Joe’s brother Gerry, winning the bumper race after coming in as a reserve.

Other Clare winners on Friday night were Drinking Solid for Sean Allen of Shannon, Cricket Player for Janet Downes of Killaloe and Knappogue Risk for Martin McDermott of Kilrush.

Race nine on Thursday night’s card was heat two of the Buster A5 stake worth €1,900 to the winner. Baby Leyton, owned by Bertie and Mary O’Doherty of Clarecastle booked his place in the next round winning here in a time of 29.09 seconds.

Tiermana Hill, owned by Noel Mo- roney and Pat O’Connor of Ennis, took second spot. Inagh Hero, owned by Michael McGuane of Inagh was also a winner in this stake recording a time of 29.02 seconds. Race four on Thursday

night was won by Tullagower Dream owned by Sean Crowley of kilrush. Carhue Kewell, woned by Ann Carey of Kilrush got Clare owners off the mark on Saturday night winning race one in a time of 29.92 seconds. Ennisman Frankie Sheehan continued his good run with Joint Cottage winning race ten in a time of 29.35 seconds.

Loclar Johnny, owned by Pat O’Connor of Miltown Malbay, went to traps for the final of the Irish Cam- bridgeshire Open 700 yards at Limerick on Saturday having recorded the fastest winning time in the semi-finals.

On Monday night hopes high that the West clare dog could win here, however he was out of luck on this occassion.

Thousands of Clare farmers and ploughing enthusiasts are on their way to Mogeely in County Cork today (Tuesday) for the opening of the National Ploughing Cham- pionships. The championships, which will be officially opened by President Mary McAleese, will see some 300 ploughmen and plough- women take part over the three days of competition.

Interestingly, Tuamgraney aid worker Fiona McLysaght will be at the championships helping to promote the work of Concern in Africa. An African village will be recreated at the Cork venue with each of its four huts showcasing an aspect of the work done by the charity agency.

“Over the years, the people of rural Ireland have shown excep- tional generosity to our organisa- tion, with the IFA for example, giving €100,000 to Concern and other agencies after the Tsunami,” said Ms McLysaght who was most recently stationed in Liberia. In all there will be 700 stands at the championships. These stands will represent every aspect of farming life from the serious work of the farming organisations like the IFA and Teagasc to more unusual ven- eb Keny

No less than 14 stands will be occupied by third level institutions showing how the role of education is becoming more important in the

modern farming world. Six stands will deal with health issues includ- ing the Pfizer stand which will of- fer free cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose checks.

For the motor enthusiast the will

be 13 stands, each containing dif- ferent ranges of tractor models on show. And for those farmers keen on capitalising on the natural beau- ty of the of the Irish countryside, there we be 17 stands occupied by representatives of the tourist

industry. Of course it wont be all seriousness at the championships and Ireland most famous gaelgoir, Hector O’hEochagain will be at the ‘Go Racing’ marquee looming to raise a smile.

WHAT do Seanie McMahon, Stephen McNamara and Colin Lynch have in common? Not a ten marker when eve- ry hurling aficionado knows that they are All-Ireland men.

The ten-marker is that they are all All-Ireland men who went to Rice Col- lege in Ennis, but who never played Dr Harty Cup hurling with the renowned Christian Brothers academy.

All because, during their school days top flight Harty hurling ceased to be in the school hugging the Fergus River in Ennis. Indeed, it ceased to be there for 30 years, a three-decade gap that will be bridged this Wednesday when the school once again toes the Harty hurl- ing line against Kilmallock.

The last Dr. Harty Cup game the CBS played was in 1975 when they went down heavily to a Pat Horgan inspired North Monastery from Cork. The Mon went on to win the title — the CBS went down to the lesser grades of colleges hurling.

Now, their re-emergence as a top flight hurling school will re-kindle memories of a great association with the blue riband of colleges hurling in the province. That association reached its zenith on a March day in ’62 when the CBS boys crossed the Fergus wa- ters to Cusack Park and slayed mighty St. Flannan’s by 4-2 to 2-7 in the fi- ee

St. Flannan’s are still mighty as last

season’s 21st Harty Cup success and subsequent Croke Cup triumph proved. They open the defence of their titles against once mighty North Monastery and nothing other than a big win will be expected from the James O’Connor and Con Woods coached side.

Completing the triumvirate of Clare schools contesting the Harty Cup are St. Caimin’s from Shannon. And, if Rice College’s return to the top flight after a 30-year hiatus is noteworthy, the same can be said of St. Caimin’s.

This will be their maiden voyage, a journey first undertaken by a Shan- non school in the late eighties when St. Patrick’s Comprehensive were new kids on the Dr. Harty block.

St. Pat’s famously reached the final in 1989, only to go down by 0-9 to 0-5 to St. Flannan’s in what was only the second all-Clare final in the 90 year history of the competition.

In recent years, St. Caimin’s have amalgamated with St. Pat’s for Harty Cup purposes — this year they are go- ing it alone and face Ballingarry in Nenagh.

THE possibility of Shannon library being developed as a theatre and arts centre — at a cost of up to €5 million — has again been raised and hopes are high that the project will get the go-ahead within the next few years.

Town officials and elected rep- resentatives will, over the com- ing months, view a new facility in Selva lcm senCemm im seceUlt-D am KOM ser-l motte visaged for Shannon.

Fine Gael Cllr Tony Mulcahy says there is a strong belief that Shannon needs a facility like this.

“The possibility of a theatre being developed as part of the town cen- tre was proposed a few years ago but this fell by the wayside. There is a belief that the library could be developed into a 250-seater theatre,

while retaining the library at the same time,’ said Cllr Mulcahy.

“T believe it will happen but it will be long-term and we need to put down the parameters now, regard- ing how we can move forward on this,’ he added.

He says groups including the mu- sical society and drama group could avail of the theatre, while various meetings could take place there, along with bingo, dancing and various other events. Some funding would be provided by the Depart- ment of Arts, Clare County Council and local community groups.

Chairman of the Shannon Musical Society, Derek Barrett believes the idea to visit the facility in Thurles is a positive development.

“We are delighted this is back in the public domain again and it is

one thing that would bring the town together. Various groups, societies and community groups would ben- efit from this. It wouldn’t be just a theatre, but it would be a multi-use venue,” said Mr Barrett.

He said a theatre as 1s proposed is a place where children would aspire to perform in, while various music and comedy events could also be staged, spanning a 52-week pro- eramme every year.

“This could be a cinema, theatre and cultural centre. None of these would survive individually, rather they would, together, be a multi- purpose unit. None would be viable on their own,” he said.

He added that Shannon Musical Society will celebrate its 30th anni- versary in February 2008 and “we would hope to be in the theatre by

eto

Shannon Chamber of Commerce is welcoming any development on the creation of a theatre in the town.

“While we are very conscious of both the initial costs and ongoing expenses of running such a facility, I believe the current developers in the town should contribute funding towards such a venture. They have gained considerable tax incentives and savings to-date,” said Chamber CEO Triona McInerney.

“In recent times, there has been an explosion of commercial and residential developments. It is cru- cial that social and cultural outlets are components of this growth, to ensure that a balanced approach to community development is achieved,” added Ms McInerney.

THE security company operated by convicted Ennis man, Kevin Cooper has received almost €100,000 from Ennis Town Council for carrying out security- related activities over the past five years.

Mr Cooper recently received a three-month jail term after being convicted of assault and Ennis Town May- or, Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) confirmed that the coun- cillors and officials would discuss the arrangement entered into with Mr Cooper’s company, if his appeal against his conviction fails.

Two other Council members, Donal O’Bearra (GP) and Johnny Flynn (FG) also stated this week that the Council engaging the services of Mr Cooper’s com- pany must be discussed if Mr Cooper’s appeal is un- SECC AUN

At a recent special sitting of Ennis District Court, Mr Cooper (43) of Loughville, Ennis received a three month jail for assault. Mr Cooper is currently on bail pending an appeal of the conviction to Ennis Circuit Court, which is due to sit next month.

Along with carrying out security work for Ennis Town Council, Mr Cooper’s company, Avalon Securi- ty Services provides security for a number of licensed premises across Ennis.

Clare County Council this week confirmed that Mr Cooper’s company has not been engaged by the Coun- cil for a number of years, however a company oper- ated by Mr Cooper, Ennis Security Services, was paid €175,000 by the County Council in 2000.

Ennis Town Clerk, Eddie Power confirmed this week that the company of which Mr Cooper is a director,

Avalon Security Ltd has been paid a total of €85,970 in respect of years 2001-2005.

Asked would the council now be reviewing its con- tract with Mr Cooper’s company in the light of the convictions, Mr Power said that the council had no further comment to make.

The recent district court sitting was also told that Mr Cooper had two previous convictions for assault, though the most recent was 15 years ago. The court was told that he was fined €63 at Tulla District Court in 1990 and fined €63 at Kilkee District Court in 1986.

Prior to sentencing Mr Cooper, Judge Mangan asked was it correct that Mr Cooper had two previous convictions for assault and was still the director of a security company which supervises doormen. Inspec- tor Tom Kennedy replied that this was the case. “Ill make no further comment,’ responded the judge.

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