The Clare People Archive

VISITORS to the Cliffs of Moher when the new €31.5 million visitor centre becomes operational will pay on average around €7 to access all facilities at the site.

Defending the pricing structure in the first Cliffs of Moher newsletter, the council cite charges for other natural beauty spots, including the Grand Canyon, the Giant’s Causeway and the Great Barrier Reef.

The council is splitting charges to the Cliffs site into two areas: a “facilities” charge levied through parking charges and a separate charge for those who choose to access the interpretative centre.

Already plans by the council to charge coach operators €60 have come under fire. The council is currently in dialogue with the Irish Tour Operators Association (ITOA). Motorists are to be charged €8 to park their cars in the Cliffs’ car-park

Visitors will also be charged an additional €4 to access the visitor centre. Families of six will be charged €11.95 with lower charges than €4 applying for students, children and OAPs.

The council states: “The average cost of the facilities charge will amount to less than €3 per visitor. Some visitors will pay more and some less according to how they choose to travel. . .

“However, when a site attracts close to a million annual visitors, most of whom travel by car or coach, a range of facilities and services need to be provided.

“It is our intention to ensure that people living near the Cliffs of Moher can benefit from the new facilities. We are currently exploring ways to provide special arrangements for locals who use the Cliffs of Moher as an amenity for walking and family outings.

“It is reasonable and fair that the people who avail of these facilities are the ones who contribute towards their cost. . .

“This will serve to provide visitors with what they need to enjoy the site and to ensure that the site itself is protected from the negative effects of mass tourism. . .

“The Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience is a €31.5m not-for-profit investment by Clare County council to positively promote the tourism development of County Clare and to generate a wider benefit for the entire community. It will also help preserve our priceless natural heritage and provide those visitors that choose to visit the Cliffs of Moher with facilities that live up to Nature’s demands.

THE concept and content of Clare County Council’s new €31.5 million visitor centre has been revealed with the centre-piece being a computer generated image (CGI) exhibition allowing visitors to ‘swoop’ down along the cliff ledge.

The visitor centre is currently under construction, but the council has revealed that the dome is organised into four principal themed areas: ocean, rock, nature and man. A series of interactive and informational displays depicts aspects of these four themes and the interrelated connection with the Cliffs.

The centre-piece of the exhibition will be “The Ledge”, which is a virtual reality experience using state-ofthe-art CGI technology to surround visitors front, side and below, taking them on a journey only possible in a virtual world.

The council states: “Taking the point of view of one of the Cliffs’ many seabirds, visitors swoop along and around the cliff ledges before diving deep below the surface of the water from the viewpoint of a salmon swimming through the undersea kelp forest.

The centre will also contain an audiovisual experience entitled The Clare Journey, which will be shown in the main exhibition area.

According to the council: “This presentation will provide an aerial tour of the many natural and geological wonders that the county of Clare has to offer, whetting visitors’ appetites to see more of this historic and beautiful county.”

“Ocean” will depict how the Atlantic Ocean interacts with the Clare coastline, while the section dealing with rock will have on display a range of exhibits and displays exploring how the Cliffs themselves were formed millions of years ago. The nature section will allow visitors interact with the displays and learn about the interdependence of the ecological chain.

The section dealing with man is to deal with the rich folklore and legends surrounding the area and will include profiles of key local figures in history.

NEW benchmarks are being set for property prices in Ennis, with one bungalow fetching €715,000 at auction last week, a site with planning permission being sold for €2.45 million, and a family home on the Mill Road believed to have made €900,000 after being sold without going to auction.

The stunning prices could herald a property boom as Ennis becomes a desirable, commutable location for high-flyers who want to live outside cities, according to property sources.

The house in Cahercalla which sold last Friday for €715,000 on 0.4 of an acre will probably be felled by the wreckers’ ball, effectively putting the price of the site at €715,000.

The 1970’s bungalow is typical of the type of property which becomes available only rarely in the Cahercalla area, which is becoming an increasingly desirable address.

Cormac O’Sullivan of DNG O’Sullivan Hurley, who handled the Cahercalla sale, said that the area was one of a number seeing increasing demand and corresponding increases in prices.

He said that the price, “sets a new benchmark. It is in the middle of the town and Ennis is becoming an increasingly attractive prospect for people who want the more relaxed lifestyle of living outside cities. The town is commutable for Limerick and Galway and the by-pass is going to be a major boost. The trend is being set for up-market developments and that’s not surprising when you consider that Lahinch is 20 minutes away, we have excellent shopping facilities and we’re surrounded by championship golf courses.”

O’Sullivan said that other mature areas which were coming into heavy demand included Ballyalla and Ballybeg and the rising values here were being reflected in other parts of the town.

“Currently, a two-bedroom semidetached house in Steele’s Terrace is on sale for €322,000,” he said.

The 3.08 acres site in Clarecastle which fetched €2.45 million last week was sold to a Galway-based developer, KC Developments.

Paddy Dermody, who handled the sale for Sherry Fitzgerald, said that the sale had a number of unique features which helped boost the price.

“There is full planning permission for 33 residential units on the site and it does not include any social or affordable housing.”

Meanwhile, the firm involved in the sale before auction of a house on Mill Road last week were remaining tight-lipped about the price but it is believed that the property changed hands for in the region of €900,000.

THE MAYOR and the council’s director of services are to go to the US to try to raise sponsorship to make up the cash shortfall for the new Cliffs of Moher project.

But while the contingent got the support of elected members at yesterday’s county council meeting, a number of councillors expressed their opposition to what was described as a “begging bowl” mission.

Cllr Madeleine Taylor-Quinn said that, while she was sure that the deputation would “do a very fine job, I think it is regrettable that we have to resort to this to secure funding for the project.”

The Fine Gael general election candidiate said that, considering the Ryder Cup was “just one event, which will last a week in one place in Ireland and is getting €8.8 million, I think we should go back to Tourism Minister John O’Donohue and ask for additional funding.”

The Cliffs Visitor Experience project is set to cost more than €3 million in excess of the €31.5 million originally envisaged.

To make up the shortfall, a delegation has been formed for a 10-day trip to New York, Chicago, and Phoenix in Arizona for meetings with potential sponsors.

Director of Services, Ger Dollard, told the meeting that the council is convinced that opportunities will arise to attract funding to the project and that suitable mechanisms exist to acknowledge such funding.”

He said that by following up contacts made on the St Patrick’s Day visit, “considerable progress” had been made. One large organisation seems set to contribute to the project, while funding has been secured to fit out the first aid room.

A schedule of visits is planned for the October visit. On the agenda are presentations to key members of the business community in New York, meetings with Irish-American business leaders, a meeting with the Clare Association in Chicago and meetings in Arizona to finalise arrangements for the first aid room, which are being paid for to honour a deceased relative of the donors.

CLARE lost a link with the nation’s celebrated past this weekend, with the death of one of the county’s oldest men, Clonlara native Lieutenant Colonel Sean Clancy, at the age of 105.

The centenarian, who stood with Michael Collins in Dublin Castle when the seat of British power was handed over to the Free State, celebrated his huge birthday in July.

Lt Col Clancy died in Dublin on Sunday, having made his final trip home to Clonlara last month.

Following the War of Independence, Sean Clancy attested for the National Army on May 22, 1922. He was commissioned as a lieutenant in 1923. He came under the command of the late Charles Haughey’s father, Johnny, as a member of the Fifth Battalion (infantry). Later he developed a friendship with the former Taoiseach’s brother, Fr Eoghan Haughey.

In 1922, he was present at the handover of Dublin Castle and just a few months later, marched in the State funeral of the assassinated Commander-in-Chief, General Collins.

Sean was a life-long Fine Gael supporter. A friend of the former Clare TD Frank Taylor (RIP), he continued the friendship with the late deputy’s daughter, General Election Candidate, Cllr Madeleine Taylor-Quinn, who described the retired soldier as an “intelligent and interesting conversationalist”.

“He was a man of high recognition and was held in high esteem by military personnel and by the Fine Gael party. After retiring from the party, he was of huge assisstance to Fine Gael leaders James Dillon and the former Taoiseach Liam Cosgrove,” she said, extending her sympathies to his family, including his nephew Michael Clancy in Clonlara.

Mourning the loss of the retired soldier, Fine Gael TD Pat Breen said it was a privilege to have made his acquaintance in recent years.

“He kept up with affairs, both nationally and in his native county, to the last. He was alert to the end and even knew who won the All-Ireland on Sunday,” he said.

The old soldier lived out his days in Newtown Park nursing home in Blackrock, Dublin. Lt Col Clancy was the oldest surviving person receiving a Military Service Pension for Service Rendered in the War of Independence, under the Military Service Pension Act 1924.

He was predeceased by his wife, Agnes Creagh from Castlebar, and is survived by his five children.

His remains will arrive at Donnybrook Church this evening at 7pm for requiem mass at 10am on Wednesday, followed by burial at Deansgrange Cemetery, Dublin.

THE Ennis couple who received over €100,000 after withdrawing their objection to a housing development have failed in their attempt to prevent Clare County Council re-routing a road near their lands.

Earlier this year, the council announced its intention to re-route a planned road that would facilitate road-users accessing the Quin Road Business Park off the Ennis by-pass.

However, a number of local residents with property adjacent to the route voiced their opposition. They included Vincent and Anne Coffey, Clonroad, who in 2004 received over €100,000 and two free sites from Luxury Homes (Galway) Ltd after withdrawing their objection to a €20 million development at Doora.

Details of the payment emerged in a planning appeals report which stated that at no time did the Coffeys approach the developers with the intention of securing payment, gifts or other inducements.

Now, the County Manager’s report, summarising their views on the rerouting of the road, states that “the proposed route is in the Fergus flood plain and development will interfere with existing draining and encourage additional landfilling which will adversely impact on their land and that the proposal would be detrimental to flora and fauna habitats in the area”.

In response, the planner’s report recommended no change to the road. and stated that measures would be put in place to deal with the natural drainage of the area and ensure that adjoining lands are not at risk from flooding.”

Other to make a submission included locals Gerry and Breda Woods, who claimed no provision had been made for road linkages to lands to the west of the proposed route.

However, the planners have recommended no change and have pointed out that by re-routing the southern section of the road through the land zoned commercial, the earlier completion of this section will be facilitated and zoned lands opened up for development. At the council’s September meeting, councillors ratified the new route.

PLANS have been lodged with Clare County Council to construct a roadlink to the Ennis by-pass that would open almost 60 acres of land for commercial development on the outskirts of Ennis.

The move by Michael Lynch Ltd is the latest by developers in the scramble to exploit the commercial opportunities provided by the opening of lands by the €190 million by-pass.

Already, plans for two large-scale retail parks have been lodged. One of the options put forward for the lands near Clareabbey by Michael Lynch Ltd is for the development of a 42,000-capacity stadium.

The proposed development of a 1.5km-long single-carriageway is to connect the Clonroadmore industrial estate, where the headquarters of Michael Lynch Ltd is based, and the western relief route of the Ennis by-pass.

The road will open up lands for development at Clonroadmore, where the company propose to develop the stadium along with 8,000 sq metres, a 70-bed hotel, 650 sq metres of offices, 1,200 sq metres of a conference facility, 240 houses, 1,000 sq metres of gym, an all-weather pitch, a three to four acre public park around Clareabbey and park-and-ride facilities along with a train stop.

The second option put forward for the land is the development of 400 residential units, 25,000 sq metres of retail warehousing, a three to four acre public park around Clareabbey, park-and-ride facilities and a train stop.

The company states that the road will unlock development lands and will facilitate the orderly and controlled development of land in close proximity to the urban core of Ennis.

The proposed link road is to be located 30 metres from the national monument, the Clareabbey.

However, the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) states that the site of the proposed route is “outside the area of highest archaeological potential”.

The EIS does acknowledge that “it is possible that archaeological deposits may be present within Area 2”.

As part of consultation for the EIS, An Taisce’s Heritage Officer, Ian Lumley stated that the “proximity of the proposed route to the ruin of the medieval Clareabbey and its impact on the physical and landscape is seriously problematic”.

Meanwhile, Green Party Councillor Brian Meaney said the abbey has been isolated and hidden away for years and he is doubtful that the road will “alter the integrity of the abbey.”

He believes the road will improve access to the historic site and reduce anti-social behaviour on the grounds.

A decision is due on the application later this year.

IN A BLACK weekend on the county’s roads, an Ennis cyclist died tragically on Saturday night, while a rally driver is fighting for his life.

Rally driver Thomas White (37), from Ballagh, County Limerick, is understood to have lost control of his Toyota Starlet coming into a bend during stage five of the Clare Stages Rally, at Ayle, near Feakle, at around 2pm on Sunday.

The car smashed head on into a tree. Mr White’s co-driver escaped without injury.

Mr White, who is married with a 16-month-old child, was last night in a ‘critical’ condition in hospital in Limerick.

A spokesman for the rally organisers said they were “satisfied the safety plan was in place and working properly.”

A 60-year-old man became the eighth person to die on the county’s roads this year.

John Fitzgibbon, from Knockanoura, Tulla Road, Ennis, was walking across the road near St Joseph’s Hospital at Lifford Road with his bicycle, when he was struck by a taxi, at around 9pm on Saturday. He died instantly and the taxi driver did not sustain any injuries.

Mr Fitzgibbon, who was unmarried and lived with his sister Philomena, will be laid to rest today.

Originally from Ennis, he was one of a family of 10 and worked for many years as a farmer.

“He was an absolute gentleman. If you wanted help with anything, all you had to do was ask him. He was an honest decent fella,” said his neighbour and friend, Seán McMahon.

Only a few witnesses to the fatal accident have come forward and gardaí are seeking assistance.

“We need to know where exactly he was, what position on the road. Someone would have seen him prior to the accident,” said Inspector Kevin Moynihan.

“It was a sad, tragic weekend. A life has been lost. This brings us up to the same number of deaths as last year in the Clare Garda Division,” he added.

A CONTENTIOUS plan by Parteen National School to construct a Portakabin has been put on hold by Clare County Council after opposition from local residents.

Earlier this year, the school lodged plans for a Portakabin to accommodate the growing number of schoolchildren attending. However, the plan has run into opposition from local residents who claim that the Portakabin is located in green space that forms part of a private housing estate in the area.

In her objection, Donna O’Donovan has told the council, “The land they are asking to use is not the school’s land. My understanding is that it belongs to the residents of Fieldbrook. The school has plenty of room on its own land on which to erect a Portakabin.”

Officials say they also have concerns about the proximity of the proposed development to adjacent residents. A decision is due on the application before the end of the year.

THE town of Ennis was described as an “educational black-spot” yesterday by a school principal as it emerged that up to 25 children are without a school in the town due to lack of space.

Making the charge, school principal of the Ennis Educate Together school, Sean Ó Comfhaola revealed that in the past week he has had to turn away between 20 and 25 children searching for a school in the Ennis area.

“This is an emergency situation. They are mostly foreign children and are not just junior infants, but kids looking for school places in first, second and third class. A few of the children have been back to us a second time after not finding a place elsewhere in Ennis,” he said.

Mr Ó Comfhaola said, “One of the toughest things I have ever had to do as principal was in the past week where a young Brazilian girl and her mother came looking for a place for the girl.

“The mother had no English, so it was up to the daughter to ask for a place in first or second class and I had to say ‘no, sorry we’re completely full’. She said that she had been around to every school and getting no place. I couldn’t tell the mother where to go, there is nowhere where they can register and as a result, we don’t know what has become of these people.

“The parents from eastern Europe come from a system that is quite organised and they can’t understand why there wouldn’t be schooling for their children,” he said.

Commenting on the situation, Fine Gael TD, Pat Breen said, “Everyone has a right to be educated and to be facilitated with a proper education, so it saddens me to hear that there are children going without one.”