The Clare People Archive

MORE than 300 homes in Clare were burgled last year, which is on a par with the figure for 2004.

The homes of three out of every 1,000 people living in the county were raided last year, which is a decrease on four homes out of every 1,000, back in 2002. While east Clare was plagued by a spate of burglaries towards the end of last year, gardaí say breakins were not confined to any one area.

According to the Crime Prevention Officer in Clare, Sgt Gerry Barry, 45 per cent of all burglaries happen by forcing doors or windows open, while the remainder occur after intruders gain access through open windows or doors.

“In the majority of cases, cash or jewellery is stolen, while small electrical items, including mini disc players, are taken,” said Sgt Barry. “A number of firearms are being stolen. You should have a firearms cabinet to secure property.”

A lot of burglaries take place during the day when people are at work.

“People must be more security conscious. A lot of gangs are travelling around by day and they can spot places where they target. There have been a lot of burglaries in east Clare lately, but it is happening all over the place. Three per 1,000 of the population might sound a lot but it is not massive. However, a lot can be avoided. If you have an alarm system, make sure it is turned on,” he said.

The Crime Prevention Officer is warning people to take necessary steps, in an effort to keep burglars away from their premises or homes.

“You shouldn’t keep cash in the home. Expensive jewellery should be photographed and keep a copy of the picture. Burglars watch out for signs like milk not being taken in and keys being left on flower pots, or on the porch.

“If you leave your curtains drawn, it is known that no-one is at home. If people see the curtains are open and no lights are on, they know that no-one is at home,” he said.

Tools contained in garden sheds should be locked up, as all too often they are used to break into homes.

“Power tools are a favourite and they should be marked properly. They are used to commit crime, both here and elsewhere,” said Sgt Barry.

THE Peace Camp at Shannon, which was set up over the weekend, passed off without incident.

Peace campaigners gathered to mark the third anniversary of the Camp, which was set up to protest at US military planes being allowed to refuel at Shannon. The gathering came as pressure on the Government from opposition deputies and anti-war groups mounted, to order searches of US-Government chartered planes, to check they were not carrying prisoners bound for torture.

Joe Sheehan of Na Cosantoirí Síochána, the group which organised Saturday’s evening vigil, said that it was important to mark the third anniversary of the camp being set up.

“Before we were doing this sort of work, the government used to say that there was nothing happening at Shannon. Then, when they were confronted with the evidence, they had to say that there were some troops coming through and that they carried some arms. Then they had to admit that military cargo flights were coming through. Now you have Condoleezza Rice giving the Irish government so-called assurances that extraordinary rendition is not taking place here,” Sheehan said.

The vigil was held on the approach road to the airport and organisers screened Margaretta Darcy’s award winning film, Big Plane Small Axe, documenting the trials of Mary Kelly, who attacked a US cargo plane in the airfield at Shannon in February 2003.

The group also planted a tree in remembrance of one of the founding peace campers, Emma O’Carroll who passed away recently.

AS THE Council of Europe supports calls for greater transparency on the US use of Shannon Airport, peace activists have hit out at the government’s failure to carry out an investigation on the matter.

The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights Alvaro GilRobles said he supports calls by the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) for greater transparency on the use of Shannon, and the possible transportation of prisoners through.

The IHRC has, in the past, said the government had a positive obligation to ensure prisoners were not being illegally transported.

Peace activist Ed Horgan said he supports calls for investigations to be carried out. Mr Horgan, along with other peace activists, have met with the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs, and have detailed reports to the Minister for Justice, the Council of Europe, the UN Commission for Human Rights and the European Parliament.

“We have outlined that Ireland is in breach of the UN Convention on Torture. We are pleased the matter is getting attention, but it is belated and it has taken three years, during which many people have been tortured,” said Mr Horgan.

He said however the increased number of troops passing through Shannon – more than 330,000 during last year – is, in some respects, more important than the torture issue.

“Virtually all of the troops going to the Middle East are going through Shannon. That is inexplicable. Ireland was a neutral country. Other European countries have said ‘no.’ The number of troops passing through Shannon is doubling each year,” he added.

Meanwhile Fianna Fáil MEP Eoin Ryan’s criticism of the US for its lack of transparency over the use of Shannon has been described as his party colleague Clare Deputy Tony Killeen as “interesting”.

“It isn’t clear to me on what basis he doubts the veracity of Condoleeza Rice’s undertakings to Dermot Ahern,” said the Junior Minister.

“I have always said if people have evidence of prisoners being transported through the airport, they should come forward. I certainly don’t have the resources to check out these flights. The down side of it is the day you decide to do such checks, you are effectively calling a friendly government a liar,” added Deputy Killeen.

Commenting on the increased number of troops passing through Shannon, he said, “I’m not so sure how the numbers impact on the principal. If you are opposed to troops passing through, surely you are as much opposed to 1,000 as 100,000.”

KINVARA could be on the verge of a major property boom over the next five years, as plans to construct a new sewage scheme in the town is expected to be given the green light over the next few weeks.

The sewage scheme could open the way for a number of new housing developments to take place in the town where property is already in high demand.

The announcement follows years of campaigning for a scheme in the south Galway area, where a reported 70,000 gallons of effluent is being dumped into the bay on a daily basis.

The project, with an estimated cost of several millions of euro, should get the go-ahead this month.

However, it may take as long as three years after the construction of the sewage system for the pollution problems to be rectified in Kinvara.

The local community council have campaigned for the scheme for years, amid fears that pubs and restaurants there were losing customers because of the smell from the raw effluent being dumped into the bay.

Meanwhile, Clare TD Pat Breen (FG) has hit out at the government over the speed at which sewerage schemes in the county are being processed.

Speaking in the Dail before the Christmas break up, he slammed the government inaction on the schemes.

“The delay in the completion of a number of sewage schemes in County Clare, among them the Scariff, Feakle, Quilty-Mullagh, Labasheeda, Cooraclare and Carrigaholt schemes, is part of a trend in rural Ireland where development grinds to a halt, home builders are put in limbo and everything remains at a planning stage because of the failure by the government to install a sense of urgency in such projects,” he said.

Deputy Breen went on to criticise the speed at which projects which are currently under construction in the county are making. According to Deputy Breen there are ten projects, including one in Ennis town, which are currently behind schedule.

EIGHT locally-based Clare voluntary and community organizations have received funding as part of a €3.68 million nationwide grants programme from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Almost €60,000 worth of funds was allocated to Clare organizations with the Clare Federation for the Mentally Handicapped topping the funding list with a €20,000 grant.

The Ennis based Congress Information and Opportunity Centre also received significant funding as they were allocated two separate grants amounting to more than €17,000.

Other organizations to receive funding include Iniscealtra Community Development (€7,282), the Leon Committee (€5,525), the Alfa Project-Active Learning for Adults (€5,247), the Kilnamona Community Centre Development Committee (€3,576), the South West Clare Community Radio (€3,600) and the Clare Women’s Network (€1,530)

Speaking at the announcement of the grants the Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Noel Ahern welcomed the funding.

The €3.68 million of funding will go to 355 community and voluntary organizations across the country, bringing the total funding under this year’s programme to €5.88 million.

A MID-WEST unit for disturbed children, which cost the tax-payer €10 million, has catered for just three children since it opened it 2003.

Coovagh House in Limerick closed just three months after it opened and remains shut. Severe staffing difficulties have been blamed for the continued closure.

The unit – which was purpose built to cater for children who are disturbed and require intensive attention – opened behind schedule in September 2003. Initially, it was recommended that the unit would need 38 staff for five children and this was later to be reduced to 22.

The centre now has a staff of 32 but it needs 46. The unit cost €5.1 million to build and another €5 million in wage bills, running costs and security costs, according to figures drawn up by opposition health spokesman, Richard Bruton.

“Millions in taxpayers money is being wasted while children in need of urgent special care are instead being placed in private residential units costing the State up to €10,000 per week,” Deputy Bruton said.

In a reply to queries from the opposition spokesman, the Health Services Executive said Coovagh House would re-open once the staffing quota had reached 46, including the appointment of a senior clinical psychologist and the appointment of a management advisory committee.

At the time, the HSE said it envisaged that the unit would open for referrals in December, but this was dependant on additional staff being recruited and the unit being certified by the Irish Social Services inspectorate.

SHANNON rolled out the welcome mat for half of the Chilean refugees who fled to this country in the wake of the military coup which ousted the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende in 1973.

According to records released as part of the opening of the State Archives, 99 of a total of 25,000 people forced to flee the country came to Ireland and about half of these settled in Shannon.

Garret Fitzgerald, then Minister for Foreign Affairs, informed the Dail on February 20, 1974 that the refugees would be admitted to Ireland. The remainder of the refugees who came here went to Galway, where the Committee for Chilean Refugees had hired the Continental Hotel in Salthill.

Bairbre Ni Giollarnath of the Refugees committee wrote to Dr Fitzgerald at the time, outlining how a whole football team had been taken from their homes and disappeared.

And according to the archives from the same year, Clare residents were concerned that the purchaser of Mutton Island could have been a front for the CIA as a secret military base.

In fact, the island was purchased by a Mrs Husty, who then transferred it into the name of her family company, The Vancouver and Delaware Corporation of Washington.

EDDIE Murphy is a funny man – not Eddie Murphy the comedian, but Eddie Murphy the hurling man. Being a Kerry hurling man he’d want to have a sense of humour.

He showed it off one Saturday morning a decade or so ago when John Meyler called a training session for the Kerry senior hurlers on Banna Strand. Very lonely Banna Strand as it turned out. Only two players showed.

“When Roger Casement landed here there was nobody to meet him. At least we had two,” quipped assistant manager Eddie.

Anthony Daly is a good man for a quote, but he had no need to dip into his reservoir on New Year’s Day. Instead, he nearly had his Clare hurlers dipping into icy Atlantic waters as they showed for training in Spanish Point.

Armada galleons may have floundered on the rocks off Spanish Point, but it’s from where the good hurling ship Clare set sail for 2006. A good ship that hopes to have a mighty wind in its sails in a year to September.

That’s why legends like the Lohans, Seanie Mac, Colin Lynch, Davy Fitz and Niall Gilligan togged out for another new year. In with the new on Spanish Point strand – starting out on their slog to September.

Same as it ever was for All-Ireland men who look to the future rather than dwell on past glories. So it was exactly 20 years previously when three famous footballers gathered on Banna Strand.

Lonely Banna Strand – but Mickey Sheehy, Ger Power and Seanie Walsh only needed each other for company. Mickey and Ger had seven All-Irelands, Seanie had six. Wanting one more brought them to Banna on New Year’s Day. QED Kerry won the All-Ireland in ’86.

Wanting one more like Mickey, Ger and Seanie before them, brought the Lohans, Seanie Mac et al out on New Year’s Day. It also brought out those players who have won nothing.

If they win their All-Ireland like Mickey, Ger and Seanie did 20 years ago, they’ll talk about their New Year’s Day on Spanish Point.

The slog of stamina training on the strand. Chariots of Fire stuff.

How sweet it would be for the good ship Clare.

THE tourism industry in north Clare has received a boost with An Bord Pleanala giving the go-ahead for a hotel and holiday homes in the coastal village of Ballyvaughan.

In the face of stiff opposition from locals, Megcourt Development Ltd has secured planning permission for a prime-quay site overlooking Ballyvaughan Bay, 100 metres north of Monks pub. The development is to include a hotel and wellness centre, conference centre and 22 holiday homes.

The inspector in the case had recommended that the board refuse permission for the holiday homes, but this was overuled.

Clare County Council had granted planning permission for the scheme earlier this year.

However, Brendan & Katherine O’Donoghue, Lisnanard, Ballyvaughan, owners of lands immediately to the west of the site, and the Ballyvaughan Development Association appealed to An Bord Pleanala.

They claimed that the proposal is premature pending upgrading of the sewerage treatment system; that the holiday homes are out of character with existing development and that there has been an over-developed in Ballyvaughan of tax-incentive-led holiday homes where there are currently more holiday homes than permanent homes in the village.

The appellants were supported by An Taisce who pointed to the visual impact of the proposal and that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) should be lodged with the proposal.

Five years ago, Megcourt was refused planning for a hotel on the same site by the appeals board, due to the inadequate public water and public sewage system in the area.

The inspector in the present case concluded that the proposal “will not result in the destruction of the species and that the extent of development proposed is a generally modest intrusion into the significantly greater Burren landscape. Overall, I am satisfied that the hotel and wellness centre is of appropriate scale for the site, does not detract from the character of the existing buildings along this road, and will contribute, in urban design terms, to the quality of the built environment.”

However, in relation to the holiday homes, the Inspector recommended refusal, stating that they would have an unacceptable visual impact upon the scenic amenities and character of this coastal area.

In deciding to grant permission, the appeals board ruled that the entire proposal “would not seriously injure the amenities of the area, would not be prejudicial to public health, and would be acceptable in terms of traffic safety”.

SINCE we featured the work of Clare-born nun, Sr Ethel Normoyle in our last edition, support for her work with the township people of South Africa has been steadily increasing.

“There have been a lot of calls and it’s great that people are showing an interest and want to help Sr Normoyle,” said Ennis fundraiser Olive Halpin.

Lissycasey nun, Sr Ethel Normoyle has been working in the shanty towns of Port Elizabeth for 20 years. At her Missionvale centre, Sr Normoyle provides food, clothes and primary and education for families who kive in shacks made out of waste wood and sometimes nothing more durable that tin and cardboard.

Clarecastle woman, Olive Halpin, has just returned from a month living in the township, where she saw the Clare nun’s work first hand.

“A family is given a loaf of bread and something else each day. Without Sr Ethel, many of them wouldn’t even have that,” said Olive.

AIDS has laid waste the population of the township and now Sr Normoyle hopes to build a hospice where people with the virus can die with dignity.

The cost of the building project is in the region of €200,000 and Sr Ethel hopes to bring out two Irish medical volunteers who will train South African volunteers.

Anyone who would like to donate any amount to the Missionvale project can contact Olive at 087-6994599.