The Clare People Archive

NOT a single fine was imposed on people flouting Clare County Council’s new dogs ban over the summer months, it was confirmed yesterday.

The afternoon ban on dogs at beaches over the summer came to an end last Thursday and a council spokeswoman confirmed yesterday that, over the three months it was in place, not one fine was imposed on any individual with their dog on the beach.

She did confirm that one fine was imposed on an individual having his horse on Lahinch beach between 11am and 6pm each day.

She said, “The emphasis in the first year of the beach bye-laws was on awareness rather than enforcement. It was mainly tourists who would have been found with their dogs on the beach and, when they were told of the new law, they left the beach without any problem.”

The Council’s Director for the Environment, Ger Dollard, said, “In almost all cases where a breach of the bye-laws occurred, the matter was regularised when the individual involved was spoken to by council personnel.

“Where extreme circumstances required it, the council did resort to the fine issue. Generally the council is exceptionally pleased with the positive response of the public during the summer. There are areas for improvement, such as ensuring that the designated areas for surfing are fully adhered to, and we will be addressing these issues as part of the overall review.”

According to the bye-laws, those found on Clare’s beaches walking their dogs – even those on a lead – between 11am and 6pm – face onthe-spot fines of €125 and fines of €1,270 if cases go to court.

Member of the council’s Special Policy Committee (SPC) for the Environment, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said, “I welcomed the introduction and I hope that, next year, we will have the resources for the proper enforcement of the laws.”

One of the councillors opposed to the ban, Cllr Colm Wiley (FF) said, “The fact that not one fine was imposed shows that the new laws have not been enforced. The council have had no-one policing the ban on dogs and I was up in Lahinch six or seven times over the past three weeks and, on different days, I saw five, three and two dogs on the beach for upwards of half an hour at a time and no one approached the people concerned.”

THE principal of Scariff National School said yesterday that pupils have coped extremely well in their response to the death of 26-year-old circus performer, Vitaly Kharapavitski, last Monday night.

At the Royal Russian Circus performance last Monday, an audience of more than 300 people, with more than half young children, witnessed the Russian man dying instantly during a mid-air routine with his wife Sasha after a steel ball and metal cage collapsed on top of him.

Many of the 152 pupils that attend Scariff National School witnessed the tragedy and school principal, Martin Scanlan, said they coped extremely well and there was no serious need for the counselling services.

“I have three names of children that may avail of counselling, but I believe that it is unlikely that they will do so.”

In the aftermath of the tragedy, the HSE confirmed that its psychologist services have been made available to local primary schools as well as Scariff Community College.

A HSE spokeswoman said, “The Senior Clinical Psychologist has spoken to school principals and parish priest to outline the services which can be provided to the children if a need emerges. He has been in contact with the National Educational Psychology Service (NEPS), who will also be in a position to provide services if the need emerges.”

The father of two young children who witnessed last Monday night’s tragedy, Patrick Doyle, welcomed the services being made available by the HSE.

He said, “The kids might say ‘I’m okay’ to me, but at least with a counsellor, they may be more willing to talk about what happened.

“After it happened, I told my two children that ‘it’s a bad part of the act’ and left the tent…Everyone was stunned. There were kids crying leaving the tent and they were obviously traumatised.

“I never saw anything like it before. It was the suddenness of it. Everything came crashing down and I would say that the poor man died instantly from the impact. Everyone was in shock and I saw people coming out of the tent pure pale, with the blood drained from their faces.”

Local county councillor Joe Cooney said, “Scariff is a small rural parish and nothing like this has ever happened here. It is an awful tragedy and is very distressing for the children who witnessed the man’s death.”

THE show must go on for the 35 shocked staff of the Royal Russian Circus as they prepare for their first performance since the tragic death of their colleague in Scariff last week.

Vitaly Kharapavitski fell to his death as he performed the last trick in a comic air balloon act with his wife Sasha. More than 300 people, the majority of whom were children, witnessed the accident.

A spokesperson for the circus, Wayne Courtney, told The Clare People that performers risked their lives every time they stepped into the Big Top on show night.

The circus folk have not slept for nights as they have been coming to terms with the horrific death of the quiet and friendly performer, he added.

The tragic Belarusian joined the circus last April with his wife of just one year. The couple were making plans to take a year out to have a baby but, instead, on Sunday, Sasha along with grief-stricken family members, buried 26-year-old Vitaly in Minsk.

Back in Ennis, the late performer’s colleagues were setting up in the Showgrounds in Ennis and researching their acts in an attempt to overcome the trauma of the previous week.

“I would hate people to think that we didn’t care,” said General Manager and spokesperson for the circus, Mr Courtney, “But we have so many staff and we have all the animals to feed and care for.”

“It is the same as a factory or shop or any other business, you have to open up again.”

The Royal Russian Circus postponed the weekend shows scheduled for Ennis and are now preparing to open the Ennis performance on Thursday.

“The last few days have been like coming out of a haze. Nobody could sleep,” said Mr. Courtney.

“This is the first time they (circus staff) have experienced something like this. It has never happened in the living memory of any of the people here.”

“In my recollection, there have been broken bones but no fatalities.

“This is amazing when you take into account the number of dangerous acts.”

Mr Courtney said had the young performer fallen three or four seconds later he “would have been out of the position” and probably got away with a few broken bones.

The circus spokesperson said while no one was talking about their fears for the next performance, he was sure that the accident is playing on the minds of the other trapeze artists.

RESIDENTS of the Summerhill area in Ennis say they have been made “prisoners in their own homes” by the use of an open area at the rear of Charlie Stewart’s pub in nearby Parnell Street, as a dining area and beer garden.

Ennis Town Council has issued an enforcement notice requesting Charlie Stewarts, “to cease unauthorised use of the beer garden”.

In response to the pub failing to comply with the notice, the council has instituted legal proceedings against the pub.

The council acted after a strong objection from local residents, James and Mary McMahon, who were supported by neighbours in the Summerhill area.

The residents praised “Ennis Town council and An Bord Pleanala for their wise, consistent and far-sighted planning decisions.”

“We regret to say however that to date, they have been completely and utterly ignored and disregarded by the owners of this premises.

“The owners developed the site by fencing off a beer garden, erecting outdoor furniture to facilitate drinking and continued to use the fire exit as access for drinking and smoking.

“In acting such a manner, they have shown nothing but contempt for the planning process and procedures and have inflicted sheer hell on us, their nearest neighbours.

We have endured excessive noise from a large number of drinkers, shouting, foul language by day and night, all facilitated by use of the fire escape door.

“On weekdays, we have to endure daylong drinking sessions and a large-scale outdoor smoking area.

“In the Summertime, our back gardens are currently ‘out of bounds’. We cannot enjoy a bit of sun or fresh air without being subjected to the patrons of Charlie Stewarts.”

They say a decision to grant retention to Charlie Stewart’s planning application “would be to perpetuate this absolute torture on us on a permanent basis.

“We are prisoners in our homes, we are deprived of the proper use and enjoyment of our back gardens.”

Last month, Ennis Town Council refused planning permission to Cyril Cusack, Tony Enright, Kieran Gleeson and Gerry Collins to retain the daytime use of a yard, to the rear of Parnell Street.

The four have now appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanala stating, “the proposed development consists simply of a small area of yard, which had been utilised during the good weather for external dining.

“It is confirmed, however, that this is not being used at night times for public bar use or beer garden use.”

THERE is a crisis in Clare’s rural schools.

That’s according to Chairman of Rural Resettlement Ireland Jim Connolly who claims that many schools in Clare and across the country are in danger of closing due to population decline and bad planning practices.

“Planning refusals that the RRI have received from Clare County Council have put schools in danger,” he said.

The outspoken Kilbaha man said that families were being refused planning permission by Clare County Council, just as Rural Resettlement Ireland had been.

He said he has been approached by a number of schools in the county who are struggling to keep their doors open to the community they represent, as pupil numbers rapidly decline.

Mr Connolly pointed to the success story in Tullycrine National School, where RRI secured planning permission for four houses.

“We expect to have four new families in Tullycrine for next year,” he said.

Two junior infants joined the west Clare school already this month as well as one other student. That brings to 14 the current pupil population.

School Principal Mary Lynch said she was delighted with this year’s additional pupils as it secured the second teacher for at least two more years.

Meanwhile Baltard National School close to the White Strand in Doonbeg had just one new pupil joining this year.

The local community is anxious that the one teacher school remains open.

The board of management said it was hopping that houses being built by RRI would produce young families, otherwise the school was in danger of closing.

The board maintains that smaller schools are a huge advantage to both mainstream and special needs children as it allows one on one tuition.

It also allows the teacher give special attention to a child who may need special help with a specific subject.

The small school received the prestigious DEIS (Delivering Equality of opportunity in Schools) award last year, one of only 100 rural schools ever to do so.

Meanwhile as some schools campaign about over crowding RRI continues to relocate young families into rural areas in danger of having their school closed.

“Nobody can be forced to send their children to any particular school. All we can do is introduce families to different schools after that it is a parental decision,” said Mr Connolly.

RRI helped to relocated nine families already this year.

“You either develop of die,” warned the RRI chairman. “And you can’t develop without people.”

A YOUNG man is fighting for his life

in hospital with serious head injuries

after a weekend brawl in Kildysart. Vincent Hehir (32), a father-of-five, was attacked as he socialised on Sunday night. The incident has left the small rural community in deep shock.

Gardaí say he sustained a number of blows in a fracas involving up to five men. One of the blows knocked him to the ground and he hit his head. He was then kicked to the body.

Mr Hehir, a native of Glencanane, Kildysart, moved to London a number of years ago where he has managed a bar.

He was home visiting his family in Kildysart over the weekend.

Gardaí received a call after 11pm on Sunday and discovered Mr Hehir lying on the footpath in an unconscious state on Main Street, having sustained serious head injuries.

He was removed to Ennis General Hospital and was taken from there to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick, where he underwent a CATscan. He was taken back to hospital in Ennis yesterday (Monday) morning, where his condition was described last night as critical.

Vincent’s wife Mairead flew in from the UK at lunchtime yesterday, to be by his hospital bedside as he remained on life support in the intensive care unit.

An incident room has been set up at Kilrush Garda Station. Detectives and members of the Clare Scenes of Crime Unit attended the scene yesterday.

Gardaí have spoken to a number of people who were in the young man’s company in various pubs in the hours leading up to the assault and are still keen to speak to others.

“We have not established the full extent of his injuries . . . A number of witnesses have come forward,” said Clare Chief Superintendent Liam Quinn.

“There was a bit of a brawl. We are appealing to anybody who can assist us to contact Kilrush Garda Station,” he added.

EVIDENCE of Clare’s growing multiculturalism emerged this week when English was found to be the minority language among one class of junior infants.

Such was the influx of non-national children beginning their education at the Holy Family Junior School that English was no longer the first language in one class leading to the class being re-structured.

School principal Sr Betty O’Riordan declined to comment but confirmed the school was in discussion with the Department of Education.

The Department said it was aware that many children now enrolling in schools did not have english as a first language.

“The latest figures indicate there are over 22,000 newcomers pupils in primary schools and over 12,000 in post primary schools. However the Department would not have any information on enrolment patterns emerging in individual schools around the country in 2006/07”

Under Department of Education guidelines non-Irish children are placed in age appropriate classes, unless their standard of English language is deemed to be so low as to prevent them from successfully following the curriculum of their peer group. In such cases, school authorities may place them in classes one level/year below.

It is recommended that such placements are monitored closely with a view to bringing children into class with their peers as their level of English language improves.

ONE of Shannon’s longest operating companies and biggest employers, Molex Ireland Ltd sustained a loss of €3.3 million last year, according to the most recent accounts to the Companies Ofce.

The loss is partly attributable to restructuring costs of €1 million.

During 2005, the numbers involved in production at Molex dropped from 497 to 433 at the end of June last year.

In all, there are 536 people employed at the plant making it one of the biggest employers in Clare. In 2005, the company spent €25.5 million on staff costs.

The accounts show that the USowned company enjoyed a turnover of €119 million in 2005, down €2 million from 2004.

The company’s gross prot increased from €12.4 million in 2004 to €13.6 million last year.

However, the company’s administration costs – which includes the restructuring charge – jumped from €11 million in 2004 to €16 million last year.

As a result, the company’s prot of €982,000 in 2004 turned into a loss of €3.37 million last year.

The director’s report accompanying the company accounts, states: “The directors are pleased with the performance of the company during the year and expect protability to be maintained in the future.”

The directors did not propose a dividend during 2005.

However, the accounts show that the company has considerable accumulated prots of €49 million.

The numbers employed in sales and marketing continues to rise with 21 employed in the sector in 2005 compared to the 2003 gure of six.

The numbers employed in administration remains at 81.

The accounts also show that there is a net decit in the company’s pension scheme of €4.5 million.

Molex Ireland Ltd. was established in 1971 at Shannon as the company’s rst European facility.

In 1982, a 50 per cent share was taken in Smithstown Light Engineering, also at Shannon, which is engaged in the design and manufacture of precision tooling, including moulds and dies.

The present Shannon facility was acquired in 1985, and was extended to its current 20,000 m2 area in 1997, following a IR£20 million investment programme.

CLARE County Council continues to have concerns over the scale of the planned €70 million retirement village at Carnelly House and has requested the developers to scale back its plans.

Last December, €70 million plans were announced by the Dublin-based Master Group to transform the 18th century house near Clarecastle into a retirement village.

The project involves the constriction of 120 homes of various sizes, 35 apartments and a 64-bed retirement home in a scheme that will accommodate 300 residents.

Already, the promoters of Ireland’s rst full-scale retirement village have conrmed that they are to spend €120,000 on ensuring the welfare of 30 tiny bats on the site in a bid to meet the conservation requirements at the site, which is regarded as a nationally important maternity roost for the rare and protected Lesser Horseshoe Bat.

But the council says that it continues to have some concerns in relation to a number of issues.

These include waste water treatment, the scale of the proposal on Carnelly House, the provision of a potable water supply, the loss of mature trees and habitat and details pertaining to restoration of the historic structures.

In relation to its concerns over the scale of the development, the council stated that it is considered that the proposal for 152 residential units is excessive and would greatly impact on the rural parkland setting of Carnelly House and its associated outbuildings, thereby contravening the policy of the Ennis and Environs Plan 2003.

The council has also asked the developers to submit revised plans as the scheme referred to is a retirement village and the build elements don’t reect the typography of Irish village structure.

CLARE farmers John and Martina Keating scored a magnificent double at last week’s Tullamore Show when their animals won both the prestigious Supreme Champion Saler Cow and the best Irish Bred Saler Champion Heifer of the show.

The Keating’s winning cow, Riquita, saw off stiff competition from 25 animals, each of which qualified from regional competitions and were of the highest of quality. Riquita has a long history with the show having claimed second place in last year’s event and third the year before.

“I am absolutely delighted with the win,” said Mr Keating, from Kilnaboy. “The Salers are new breeds for Clare and have just been starting to make an impact over the last ten years or so.

“A lot of Charlet and Belgian Blue breeders are using them because of their calfing ability. They are ideally suited for wintering in the Burren.”

The Keatings hail from Ballymackeogh Lodge in Kilnaboy, and have a long association with breeding quality animals.

“There is an awful lot of hard work involved in producing a champion animal,” continued Mr Keating. “We have worked very hard for this over the last 8 years because the quality is awful good.”

Aside from Riquita’s success, her daughter Elzy was also a big winner in Tullamore taking home the first ever award for Irish Bred Saler Champion Heifer.

“To win Tullamore is the ultimate – it’s the highest level you can reach with an animal in Ireland,” said David Clarke of the Tullamore.

“There were more than 50,000 people in Tullamore for the one day show so if you do well there you know you are good.

“The animal was second last year and fourth the year before, so it shows you that a lot of work has gone into it over the years.”

The Tullamore Show is Ireland’s foremost agricultural event and the supreme champion from each category qualifies for a Pan European Show.

“You don’t go to Tullamore unless you are the very best – it really sorts the men from the boys,” continued Mr Clarke.

“It is the highest prize that you can get in Ireland so it a great honour. She is number one in Ireland and her daughter is the number one heifer.”