The Clare People Archive

GARDAI in Shannon welcomed a delegation from Canada including a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to County Clare on Friday as part of a scheme to pro- mote a transatlantic literacy pro- eramme involving dozens of schools and libraries in Ireland and Canada.

Constable John T Kennedy of the RCMP, or Mounties as they are affectionately known, met with members of An Garda Siochana at Shannon and later with some of the participants of “The Reading Chal- lenge. Cst Kennedy was accompa- nied on his visit by Eric Stackhouse, Chief Librarian, Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library, New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.

The visit is the culmination of a link forged last year between Clare County Library, An Garda Siochana, Canadian Libraries, the Royal Cana- dian Mounted Police (RCMP) and 21 National Schools in Co Clare aimed at promoting reading among chil- Clone

‘The Reading Challenge’ forms part of the ‘Adopt-a-Library Literacy Program’, which was established ten years ago in northern New Bruns- wick by the RCMP. The police act as the ‘bridge’ between the commu- nity and the library, and in return the library develops programs and ac- tivities that directly impact literacy amongst children.

Explaining how the Challenge works, Patricia Fitzgerald, Assistant Librarian, Children’s Services, Clare

County Library said, “Gardai and public library staff visit participat- ing schools where they explain the importance and fun of reading to the children and encourage them to use their local library. Once a month, a designated teacher in each school counts the number of books read before registering the tally on ‘The Reading Challenge’ website.

The Reading Challenge began in late 2006 and has proven to be hugely successful. The participating National Schools are Tubber, Bur- rane, Clouna, Carrigaholt, Doonaha, Lackyle, Killaloe Boys National, En- nis Educate Together School, Coore, St. Senans National School Kilrush, Moy, Mullagh, Corofin, Flagmount, Crusheen, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Cratloe, Moyasta, Feakle, Doora and

Inagh.

At the end of the school year, the school that has read the most books overall will receive €2100 worth of books, sponsored by Scholastic pub- lishers. Clare County Library is also awarding the school who reads the most with €2000 worth of books.

County Librarian Noel Crowley said, ““We are delighted to have been able to partake in such an important and unique program. The Library Service looks forward to further developing the initiative in county Okan

WORK on the new playground in Sixmilebridge is due to get under- way within two months and a major fundraising drive will be launched locally next week.

Planning permission for the project was secured from Clare County Council five months ago. However the council did not grant permission for the area to be fenced off. The committee behind the project felt DOE NOON ECMAY’c-RN Rol O1UUDKCLO MEDI MEBOCCMN DOI) te ests of security, and appealed this condition to An Bord Pleanala.

This appeal was successful last week and now means that the eroup’s full plans will get the go-

ahead.

Funding, to the tune of €110,000, has been granted by Clare County Council and various Government agencies, while locals have also raised money for the project.

Now that the start of the work is in sight, a major fundraising drive is to get underway in the local area. A public meeting will take place at Teach Cuirte on Thursday, May 10, where the fundraising plan will be made public.

“Donations are more than welcome. We are looking to raise €14,000 to complete the construction and we will have to raise €3,000 to €4,000 every year to fund the insurance. Local businesses have been excel-

lent and we will now start a big ap- peal,’ said chairperson of the com- mittee Gwen Bowen.

“We will be moving forward from then. We would be hoping to start building within eight weeks,’ she added.

The boundary will consist of a two-metre high green-coated steel fence, at the site, which 1s located at Cappagh Lodge. To offset the visual impact of the proposed boundary treatment, the committee has been asked to submit a revised landscaping plan, indicating trees and shrubs, which are to be planted along the perimeter of the site.

In its ruling, An Bord Pleanala stated that the boundary was neces-

sary “in the interest of ensuring the facility 1s secure out-of-hours and does not present a threat in terms of damage or injuries to unsupervised users.”

“The playground will be located in the middle of a green space and will be surrounded by a cycle track. We have been on the road for a while. The hiccup was the planning condition, which we had to appeal. We have been ready to go since last Summer,’ said Ms Bowen.

When completed, the facility will be run by the local community and will be a huge asset for the people of Sixmilebridge, where the popu- lation has grown hugely in recent years.

A LITHUANIAN man who falsely imprisoned and threatened to kill a 40-year-old woman in Ennis has been jailed for three years.

Ennis Circuit Court heard yesterday that the attack was “unprovoked” and the woman was “in the wrong place at the wrong time”.

Arturas Kupriscenka (22), of Hol- land’s Place, Liscannor, also admit- ted assaulting the woman and steal- ing her handbag in the early hours of October 15 last year.

Garda Trevor Sheehan said the woman was walking towards Sand- field Place when the accused pulled up alongside her in his car. He jumped out of the car, grabbed her and forced her into the car. He then locked the door and drove off at speed in the di- rection of Galway.

He hit her with the back of his hand. He drove as far as Ballyalla and beat her to the face and body. He tried to rip her clothes off, but she fought back. He put his hand up to her mouth and threatened to kill her.

‘He told her to shut up or he would

kill her. She was terrified. She put up a huge struggle,” he said.

Kupriscenka eventually opened the door of the car and threw her out and she managed to make her way to a house in Ballyalla and raise the rUPDeOee

Kupriscenka was arrested shortly afterwards on suspicion of drink driving at a Garda checkpoint.

The court was told that the victim suffered extensive bruising and spent four days in hospital. She continues to suffer emotionally.

Defence Counsel John Edwards,

SC, said his client was not charged with abduction and was denying that he had dragged her in to the car.

‘His contention was she had sought a lift from him and he had given her a lift,’ said Mr Edwards.

He said that Kupriscenka, who has lived in Ireland for almost two years, had a difficult upbringing in his na- OAM COUNT RA

He said he had drank six pints and four double vodkas and he could not remember a lot of what happened that night. Kupriscenka apologised in court.

Judge Carroll Moran said the case was “disturbing”.

‘There was no reason for the ac- cused to attack this lady. He didn’t know her and she didn’t know him. I haven’t been given any explanation as to why he did this. . . Clearly this is worrying because this sort of thing could happen again,” he said.

He said he was obliged to accept that the accused gave the woman a lift, rather than drag her into the car.

He imposed a four year jail term and suspended one year because he had pleaded guilty.

PARENTS and pre-school young- sters are being invited to make new friends at the resurrected Parent and Toddler meetings in Scariff.

The group has started up again af- ter a year’s gap 1n the childcare room behind Brian and Jo’s café on the main street.

A few parents and their tots began meeting last week and there’s room

for lots more, says co-ordinator with the East Clare Community Support eroup, Jo Baker.

“We can accommodate up to twelve parents and if there’s more demand than this, then we’ll start up a second eroup,’ she said.

The fun meetings give parents a chance to chat and relax while the younger participants can play and enjoy each other’s company as well.

Shortly, the group will be enjoying

arts and crafts classes and story-tell- ing sessions.

“Parents can enjoy activities with their young children and it’s a friend- ly, sociable environemnt,” said Jo.

The meetings are free to anyone with a child up to school age and they are held on Wednesday mornings be- tween 10am and |2pm.

The group is just one of a number of activities organised under the aus- pices of the East Clare Community

Support organisation at Derg House in Scariff.

Currently, there is a tyranoing pro- gramme for people with disability in train and a diploma course in Com- munity development practice, which is under NUI Galway.

The support group runs various academic and community-oriented courses through the year as well as facilitating community groups and networking organisations.

THIS week sees the culmination of a long road strew with paperwork for a north east Clare group and their little Od tNaxone

Minister Brian Lenihan will be the VIP on Friday at the official opening of the Lough Graney Kids Corner community creche, childcare and af- ter-schools facility.

The facility was purpose built after sucessfully securing a building grant of €1 million and a further €94,000 for equipment.

“We started several years back in the national school, where we had a playschool in a spare room,” said Kathleen McNamara, Secretary of the childcare committee.

“We applied for and got a staffing erant, which meant we were able to expand to pre-school and after school care. That grant was a major cog in the wheel. It gave us the opening to keep going forward.”

What followed was “a mountain of paperwork”, said Kathleen. “We had forms everywhere. It was never ending but when you see the benefit to the community today, it was well worth it.”

Now the facility operates out of a state-of-the art purpose built home at the back of the school, with fifty children being catered for.

The structure is child-friendly, tim- ber framed with underfloor heating and wood floors for little feet.

“We don’t just sit around keeping an eye on them. We are very activ- ity oriented. While we do homework with the children, we also have peo- ple come in to do activities like gym- nastics and crafts. We do a cookery class for children which is very pop- ular. There are lots of things like that that parents just don’t get time to do with the children anymore.”

And the youngsters are not the only ones who benefit from the new build- ing. There are regular community classes in the activity room such as (0yeeF

“When older people come here for a class, they get to mix with the chil- dren,” said Kathleen.

The staff even offer a summer camp and a birthday party facility, where children can celebrate their big day without parents having the hassel of having to bring gangs of children to their homes or drive their own miles to a party.

Built by a local builder, to a design

by architect, Peter Sheils, the child- care centre will soon have it’s own website and open days are planned for new parents and their children. Welcoming the official opening, lo-

cal councillor Pat Hayes said the fa- cility is “a really valuable part of the infrastructure of the area and a re- source for the entire north east Clare area. We can be justifiably proud to

have an important facility like this”.

THE line-up for this year’s Inishceal- tra Festival of the Arts is all but final- ised and it will provide entertainment for every taste and promises to attract hoards of visitors and business into the village.

Music, drama, poetry, film and even performance food are all on the bill this year for the festival, which kicks off on May 25 and runs until June 4 in the lakeside town.

One of the most novel evenings in the festival will be provided by the

Performance Dinner, which will be staged on May 29 in Liam’s Restau- rant in the village.

This will be a musical and theatri- cal performance by local artists and gardeners who will entertain their audience with the live preparation of a three-course meal. The audience is invited to bring an appetite.

International award-winning Irish group, Zrazy are the main line-up for Staurday, May 26, while fans of harp music will have a treat on Sun- day when the “Time of O’Carolan” concert will be held in St Caimen’s

church, starring harpist, Janey Har- bison.

May 30 is devoted to a poetry evening an on May 31, the local na- tional school is hosting a convention of European teachers.

There will be an art exhibition in the Aistear and the Fishbowl Youth Club will be presenting their short films.

There’s comedy with ‘Snatch Com- edy’ from Cork on June | and Kiul- dare poet, Mary O’Donnell will host a writers’ workshop on June 2.

A mini ‘eco-village’ is being set up in the Aistear and there will be fun

events, including a puppet show and lessons in making shadow puppets and kites.

Singing sessions trad and folk ses- sions, sean-nos dancing, adult art classes and even a festival walk are all on the programme.

One of the highlights of the event will be the outdoor concert and evening spectacular at the harbour, with Holy Island and the lake as a backdrop on Sunday, June 3.

The Lismorahaun singers and Daghda Dance are among the stars of these events.

A BOYKE girl who is afraid of fly- ing and heights has conquered both by jumping out of an airplane for a good cause.

18-year old Lorraine Lynch and three friends decided to take on the challenge of a 10,000 foot parachute drop to help the childrens’ charity, UNICEF.

And in doing so, the plucky psy- chology student raised €600 for the oon

“We saw leaflets for the jump one day and we decided we’d go for it,” said Lorraine, who made the drop along with three of her fellow stu- dents at Sligo college.

“IT wanted to do something for the charity and people were very sup- portive in helping me with sponsor- ship,” she said.

Jacko’s Pub in Scariff and publican Eamon Moloney helped by putting sponsorship cards out for Lorraine and her friends and family rallied round also.

Customers and _ colleagues at Shaney Macs shop, where Lorraine works, also helped out.

When the day came, she travelled to the aptly named Airfield parachute centre where she was teamed up with an experienced jump-buddy and then taken 10,000 feet aloft.

“I did get nervous just beforehand. When we were at one thousand feet,

I thought ‘this is it — this 1s as high as we have to go’. Then they told me we were climbing another 9,000 feet. My heart skipped a few beats all right.”

At the zenith of the flight, Lorraine said, she “didn’t have time to think about it — you’re at the door of the plane and the next thing you’re out. When we were up there, it was very peaceful above the clouds”.

After 30 seconds of free-fall at 120 mph, the parachute opened and Lor- raine had a leisurely seven minutes of floating towards the ground with a chance to enjoy the view.

“The people who jump with you and the photographers who jump at the same time are just amazing. The man who jumped with me has made

more than 3,000 jumps,” said Lor- een b alee

Describing the jump as “a really amazing experience’, newly initi- ated adrenalin junkie, Lorraine, says she now plans to do another charity jump, this time from the highest alti- tude available to non-qualified jump- ace

‘“l’m going to the States for the sum- mer and in San Diego, they have the highest jump in the world at 13,000 so myself and a friend are planning to do that one. I can’t wait to do it eee 0

A CLARECASTLE woman its seek- ing damages from the State and the Garda Commissioner over her al- leged false imprisonment at Ennis Garda Station five years ago.

The woman is also seeking dam- ages in respect of a Garda making an “unfounded” complaint to the Mid- Western Health Board over the care she provided for her then four year old daughter who was also detained at the station.

The woman’s partner was stopped at a Garda road checkpoint in Clare in August 2002. The woman and her daughter were also in the car.

The partner admits that he turned

his car in the direction of Limerick before he was stopped by a Garda patrol vehicle. The man _ refused to give the garda his address. The Garda found that the tax disc and the insurance disc were apparently out of date. The partner was physically restrained, arrested and brought to Ennis Garda Station.

The woman and her daughter were brought to Ennis Garda Station in a separate Garda vehicle. The man was processed at the station and then placed in a cell, while the woman and her daughter were placed in another room. Legal documents allege that although the woman wasn’t arrested, she was detained at Ennis Garda Sta- tion for a number of hours.

“Arising from the foregoing, the woman was improperly and unlaw- fully detained and falsely imprisoned by the Gardai.”

The affidavit lodged by the woman notes that the State denies that the woman was unlawfully arrested.

Two months later, the woman was contacted by a social worker from the Health Board, setting out that gardai had made contact with the health board outlining concerns they had regarding the woman’s care of her daughter.

In October, the Health Board in- terviewed members of the partner’s family, the woman’s doctor and teachers in her daughter’s school. They interviewed the woman and her

partner on a number of occasions.

The woman subsequently found out that the Garda who made the com- plaint was the Garda who stopped the car driven by her partner the pre- vious August.

The woman claims that the allega- tion made by the Garda was mali- cious and without foundation. She also claims that the allegation was an abuse of position.

The woman is seeking damages for the alleged breach of constitutional rights, damages for abuse or misuse of public position and damages for defamation.

The case is due to come before the civil sittings of Ennis Circuit Court today (Tuesday).

THE €36 million deal to restructure Shannon Airport looks set to be rati- fied with over 180 workers express- ing an interest in exiting the Shannon Airport Authority (SAA).

An airport source said that around 182 were exiting with still a small number to make up their mind.

Prior to the package being put on offer, the Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) stated that 200 voluntary re- dundancies were needed in order for the Shannon deal to be viable.

While the SAA might not reach the 200 target, it is believed that the high number will be enough for the deal

to go through.

However, workers retiring at the airport are understood to be angry that their cut-price travel will be lost. Traditionally, workers at the SAA have been entitled to concession travel with Aer Lingus.

The Labour Relations Commission (LRC) agreement delivered to both sides in March makes no mention of the concession travel for people who retire.

It is understood that the matter is being referred back to the LRC for clarification.

“The encouraging take-up of the severance package is a tribute to the unions that have obtained an excel-

lent outcome for the workers who wish to avail of the package and those who will remain directly em- ployed by the Airport Authority.

Itis also a clear indication of LRC’s productive and professional input to the facilitation process,’ said junior Minister Tony Killeen.

‘In many of these cases, issues arise which may not have been foreseen or PUNE DBRSoxOn

“I am confident that the process is sufficiently robust to resolve any outstanding issues in a fashion fa- vourable to all parties involved.”

As part of the deal with the air- port’s 550 workers, the SAA is to exit completely from catering. In the

new revamped Shannon airport, in- ternational retail and catering organ- isation, HMS Host has secured the contract to operate five retail outlets at Shannon and they are expected to become operational this coming summer.

It is believed that the rates offered by the two catering firms that will provide ground catering and in-flight catering have disappointed workers.

Those workers with 24 years expe- rience or more who opt to leave the SAA will receive over €100,000, while the 350 who do remain are to receive a payment of €16,000.

The deal is expected to save the SAA €10 million per annum.

GARDAI are entitled to protection from the courts, according to a judge who spoke out after hearing that a garda was kicked to the ground in Kilkee. Judge Carroll Moran was speaking at Ennis Circuit Court yes- terday in the case of two men who as- saulted a garda.

Daniel Lyons (24), of Carrigaholt, pleaded guilty, while Thomas Shee- han (20), of Luislahahan, Kilkee, pleaded not guilty, but was found guilty by a jury in March.

Sergeant John Ryan told the court that there was a disturbance at Strand Line, Kilkee, on August 22, 2004. Garda John Reidy found himself on the ground, where he was kicked and punched.

He said that Mr Lyons punched Garda Reidy into the face, while Mr Sheehan then kicked the garda a couple of times. Mr Lyons’ barrister Mark Nicholas said the incident was “quite frightening for gardai”. He said his client saw his brother was being arrested and tried to intervene.

Mr Sheehan’s barrister Pat Whyms

said his client had a very good job as a sales executive. His employer told the court he was “certainly surprised” to hear of the young man’s involvement in the incident.

Judge Carroll Moran said, “This is a serious case where Garda Reidy was kicked when he was on the ground.

“Members of An Garda Siochana are entitled to expect some protection from the courts. Fortunately their job is not always dangerous but it some- times is. Society expects that they be given some protection,” said the piece reren

“It is pretty cowardly to kick some- one on the ground,” he said. He said the “disgraceful offence” should mer- it jail, but accepted both accused had kept out of trouble since the incident. ‘Punishment can take many forms. It would do more harm than good to im- pose a custodial sentence.”

He imposed a two-year jail term on Sheehan, substituted with 240 hours community service. He adjourned the case for two months, to ascertain if he would be found suitable for the work. He also adjourned sentencing Mr Ly- ons until then.