The Clare People Archive

and CIE, is designed to give pri- mary schools the opportunity to communicate their vision of their community and how it could be im- proved.

St. Enda’s project, which was completed by last years 5th and 6th class, looked at the development of the Lisdoonvarna around the Spa Wells.

The project traced the history of the Wells from the late 1700’s right up to the present day.

It examines how the town of Lisdoonvarna grew up around the Wells and how the guesthouses, ho- tels, schools and churches built up as the town expanded.

The project also researched the life of one of Lisdoonvarna’s oldest residents, ‘Biddy the Sulphur’ who used to jug out water at the sulphur wells for many years.

Indeed, a plaster cast of Biddy is in the school as a reminder to the children of a by-gone age.

An important element of the com- petition is looking to the future and in their project the pupils of St. En- da’s felt very excited by what has been planned to make the town an attractive tourist destination once eheee DOE

The children researched the project by interviewing their par- ents, grandparents and neighbours

and used the information to pro- duced the 35-page book.

The book also featured plenty of photographs from the past and the students also visited the Wells and all the sites mentioned in the

project.

A St. Enda’s teacher, Mrs Brigid Hehir, co-ordinated the project was delighted with the win and with the €3000 which was presented to the school last week.

Last years 6th class, who are now in Mary Immaculate Secondary school, returned to St. Enda’s to attend the presentation along with their principal Mr O’Loughlin and Se Erece heel mY Eee

A MAJOR new development project for the Burren region may be set to take off if unions can persuade the Minster for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Michael Martin to re- vise his new mandate for Shannon Development.

SIPTU and the NUJ are currently engaging with Department officials in a bid to overhaul the new man- date Minister Martin has handed Shannon Development.

Interestingly, one of the central planks of Shannon Development’s future plans as envisaged by SIPTU is a major development for the Bur- ren.

In a document lodged with the

Government prior to Minister Mar- tin making his decision, SIPTU state, “we will undertake a major new development project around the Burren.

“This major national asset is grossly underdeveloped and conse- quently underutilised for tourism.

“Before any consideration of in- vestment, marketing and develop- ment, we will bring together all of the development partners, particu- larly local groups, to develop and work to an agreed plan.

“We will concept, scope and de- liver a new future for the Burren, which sees it being easily accessible and remaining free from over devel- ej eetoele

“As local residents of the area

ourselves, we are particularly sensi- tive to underpinning normal project management considerations with care for the environment and local inclusiveness.”

The proposal by SIPTU follows the Minister for Labour Affairs and Clare TD,

Tony Killeen’s statement that Shannon Development should be the lead agency in drawing up a strategy to set out a proper access policy for the Burren.

Minister Killeen said that the policy should now be set in train to avoid scenarios such as tourists leaving the Burren with a negative experience never to return or tour- ists trampling farmers’ land and pulling up rare flowers.

No agency has grappled with the thorny issue of providing visitor fa- cilities for the Burren since the end- ing of the long-running Mullagh- more controversy in 2001.

On the prospects of the success of any new tourism product in the Burren, the Manager of the Burren Centre in Kilfenora, Paddy Maher said that the centre ‘is running fast to stay stand still this season.’

“It is getting harder to run the Lp LUKSTENToISR

‘We are happy with the numbers, which should be around the target of 33,000 to 35,000.

But the yields are down because the tourists are spending less and we have to work twice as hard for every Sale.”

AN ENNIS couple who received over €100,000 from a developer after with- drawing their objection to a €20 million housing development have blocked a proposal for a retail development on En- nis’s Francis Street.

Vincent and Ann Coffey of Clon Road, Ennis are lodging an appeal to An Bord Pleanala against a plan by Galvin Con- struction Ltd. to build the retail outlet.

Last month, Ennis Town Council granted planning permission for the pro- posal by Galvin Construction in spite of an objection lodged by the Coffeys who own property adjacent to the proposed development site.

In lodging their appeal against the Galvin application, they claimed that the proposal would “devalue our property by virtue of its proximity along the lat- eral boundary. It will result 1n overshad-

owing, loss of amenity and privacy.

The appeal states: “Our client’s are not opposed to the development of the site provided it’s carried out in an or- derly manner and in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable de- velopment of the area

“We would respectfully submit that this application should be refused pend- ing a more appropriate design solution for the site.

“The issues of concerns that arise are, it impacts on our client’s property value and affects future development propos- als for the site and it will interfere with the enjoyment and current use of the garden and will result in difficulties with the construction, excavation and consol- idation of foundations on a site that has already been filled.”

A decision is due on the appeal in Feb- UIA

Last year, it emerged that the Coffeys

withdrew their objection against a €20 million housing scheme at the Quin Rd, Doora by Luxury Homes (Galway) Ltd., after the company paid them £85,000 (€107,930) and gave them two free sites.

A letter to the Board from the Coffeys stated that at no time did they approach the developers with the intention of se- curing payment of money, gifts, con- sideration of other inducement by any person.

However, the Coffeys successfully blocked a subsequent application by the same developers in June 2004 to build a new €10 million development on zoned lands in Ennis after their appeal to An Bord Pleanala on the application was upheld.

In August, Luxury Homes (Galway) Ltd lodged new plans with the coun- cil for 108 two-bedroom apartments at Doora, Ennis and the Coffeys lodged a fresh objection against the proposal.

A CONSTRUCTION company has been fined for failing to dispose of waste in a proper manner, on the site of a housing es- tate in Ennis.

Callanan Walsh developers, of Mill House, Mill Street, Galway, faced two summonses arising out of an inspection at Shanballa on the Lahinch Road, on August 15, 2005.

Solicitor Mairéad Doyle, for Clare County Council, said a number of complaints were made, stating that burning was taking place on the site.

A council engineer visited the site in Au- gust and noticed a pile of mixed soil, wood, clay and plastic, which hadn’t been segregat- ed. Ms Doyle said plastic and cardboard was scattered around the site.

The engineer attended the site again in Oc- tober and was satisfied that steps were being taken. There was no evidence of burning and

there was no sign of any waste scattered on the site.

Defending solicitor William Cahir said his clients acquired the site and said sections of houses were licensed to independent devel- opers.

He said Callanan Walsh accepted they held overall responsibility for the site but that li- censees who build independently on the site weren’t taking responsibility for the accumu- lation of waste on the site.

“There were instances of third parties bringing waste on to the site,’ said Mr Ca- hir.

He said his clients have spent €5,000 car- rying out work on the site and have put inde- pendent procedures in place.

Ms Doyle replied, “They are the registered owners of the property and the buck stops with them. The matter has been going on since June 2004.”

Judge Joseph Mangan imposed a fine of

€250 on each summons and ordered the defendants to pay €887 council costs and €500 legal costs.

Meanwhile, in the last two years Clare County Council has gone after 758 develop- ers for leaving a mess behind them. But just ten of these were developers of housing es- tates. The local authority issued 314 warning letters, 202 enforcement notices and brought legal proceedings in 42 cases.

The figures were made public by Cllr Pas- chal Fitzgerald (Lab) who said the actions taken fell short of what was needed by peo- ple who were living with the legacy of build- ers’ shoddiness.

“Tm not at all happy with this level of en- Koceonnonle

“Day in and day out, I get people calling me to tell me what a dreadful condition their CI RMKoer Dasa E

“We need more staff working on enforce- Tne toy nn

CONCERN has been expressed over a Clare County Council move to rezone an estimated 300 acres of land for commercial development on the outskirts of Ennis that contains EU pro- tected habitats.

In adopting the Ennis and Environs Devel- opment Plan, the Council along with Ennis Town Council rezoned land in the Doora area for commercial development that generated massive windfalls for the owners of the lands in question.

However, the lands which are subject of the rezonings are designated as areas of ecologi-

cal constraint in the published Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the €190 million Ennis by-pass.

The lands contain protected fen and the Marsh Fritillary and the Frog bit plants that are also protected species.

Asked if the Council had all the facts in re- lation to the lands when they were rezoned, the Council’s Director for Planning, Mr Liam Conneally said, “at the time of the adoption of zoning in the Ennis and Environs Development Plan, the information available to the Planning Authorities was relied upon to determine the appropriate zoning of land. At all stages of making the plan, Duchas were informed.

“All land constitutes some type of habitat and the importance of that habitat at a lo- cal, regional, or national level is only known where sufficient survey and analysis has taken place. The National Fen Survey carried out by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in 2001 did not make a detailed assessment of the Doora area and any information concern- ing any potential habitat value that existed was therefore not available.

“The Development Plan is constantly moni- tored and reviewed and where necessary vari- ations to the Development Plan will be carried out. The body now responsible for the protec- tion of nationally important habitats is the

National Parks and Wildlife Service and any recommendations made by them regarding the conservation of key habitats will be taken into PTO)

However, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said, “‘it doesn’t appear that due consideration was giv- en to the lands being areas of ecological con- straint and questions still have to be answered concerning the rezoning.

“The uncertainty over the issue would not have arisen if the new Strategic Environmen- tal Assessment Directive was in place at that time, which would have investigated in a much more comprehensive way the presence of these protected habitats in the lands in question.”

A SPOKESPERSON for a West Clare nursing home has claimed that at least one of the cases of the MRSA super bug reported there, was contracted when a resident underwent surgery at Ennis General Hospital.

Secretary of the Board of Directors for Kil- rush District Hospital, John Hehir said that at least one of the two residents with the poten- tially fatal antibiotic resistant bug, picked it up in the Mid Western Regional Hospital Ennis.

Mr Hehir said that it was the policy of the nursing home to refuse any patient suffering from MRSA, and home staff questioned po- tential residents before accepting them. The patients diagnosed with MRSA are being treated for the virus.

Strict hygiene procedures are also being en- forced at the 54-bed Kilrush hospital.

The hospital was one of two Clare nursing homes that were reported to have MRSA this week. The inspectors report into Cahercalla Community Hospital, Ennis showed that two patients were also suffering from the highly contagious virus.

When contacted by

AN EAST Clare pub, subjected to a complaint about the noise levels emanating from it, has been granted its licence, subject to conditions.

78-year-old Theresa Holahan of Main Street, Kilkishen, had objected to the transfer of the licence of Gleeson’s public house, next door to where she lives.

She told the District Court she could not cope with the noise and was afraid to go to bed at night. She claimed that if the licence was granted the “racket” would continue.

The publican in question told the court last month that he would be willing to encourage customers to use the front of the premises for smoking and to raise the eaves on the smoking shed at the back, to help drown out noise.

Judge Joseph Mangan granted the licence at Ennis District Court last Friday, subject to Ley sTen lB Ceyetse

These include that gardai would receive two hours notice of music on the premises; that noise would not exceed 90 decibels over eight hours; 93 decibels over four hours; 96 decibels over two hours and 110 decibels in any event.

He ordered that the noise levels outside the boundary of the premises be limited to 37 dec- ibels between 7pm and 7am and 55 decibels eo AW oro MeL-Dee mr TITO MA O)00F

Noise limiters should be attached to music equipment and should, in the event of breach- es, cut-off of music and amplification of five minutes.

Hearing protection should be made avail- able and worn by employees and ear protec- tion should be provided for customers if they require it.

Judge Mangan ordered that notices announc- ing damage potential of noise and availability of protection would be posted on the premis- A

CLARE owners got some of the big prize money on offer at the Galway track on last Friday night.

The card was a benefit in aid of Fi- anna Fail. Race four was an A] contest over 550 yards. Here ‘Inagh Hero’ took the honours for popular supporter of the game Michael McGuane of Inagh.

Earlier in the night ‘Barntick Classic’ owned by Mrs Mary Reidy of Clarecas- tle had got Clare owners off to a good start winning race two in a time of 29.02, running from trap six.

Race eleven was the final of the A2 Stake which was ran over the past number of weeks.

‘Hilltop Droopy’ owned by Jerimiah Lernihan collected his prize money of €940 and sent the Clare Supporters home counting their winnings. The trip of 700 yards is proving to be no bother

to Pat O’Connors “Loclar Johnny’, the Milltown owner also collected on Fri- CPN aebrcanle

‘Roll over Sally’ recorded the fastest time of the night at 28.99 seconds on Saturday night. The dog continues to improve for owner Alphonsus Tubridy of Mullagh. Ennis owner Frank Shee- han is now considering expanding his kennels with ‘Joint Cottage’ again on the mark also on Saturday night.

Other Clare winners this past week at Galway were ‘Cricket Player’ for Janet Downes of Killaloe. “Tullagower Dream’ for Sean Crowley of Kilrush, ‘Chapter Box’ for Tom Flannagan of Ennistymon, “Clounlaheen Boss’ for Anne McGuire of Mullagh.

‘Student Pass’ booked his ticket in the semi-final of the Cashman Irish Laurels with a very good run of 28.43 to win a quarter final heat at Curraheen Park on SE TAUDKOrNABONTca NMR

Trainer Owen McKenna is sure to have the dog in top form for West Clare owners Vincent Meaney and Cathal O’Doherty in next Saturday night’s out- ing.

The Gerry Burke bred ‘Deerfield Mover’ maintains his interest in the classic for owner Bryan Dalton of U.S.A after finishing second in his heat. The greyhound owners and breeders had their annual fundraising night at Lim- erick on Saturday night last.

Clare’s only winner on the night was ‘Janesville Ruby’ in race 5 clocking 39.50 in this 700 yards stake final for owner William O’Drsicoll of Fanore.

Leona Ryan of Ennis had a nice change of luck with her dog ‘Justify Lad’ winning race 2 at the same venue on Thursday night.

‘Slick Jimmy’ came in as a reserve also on Thursday night to win race 5 for Tom Gallagher of Cooraclare.

this week, Ward expressed his satisfaction at the balance that currently ex- ists in the squad.

‘We probably played better earlier on than we have done lately but we will be hoping for an improvement on Sunday. There is a good few young players coming through at the moment and we are delighted with that, along with hav- ing the older experienced lads like the Sheedys and those lads.”

Clarecastle will hold some advantage over the Shannon side going into Sunday’s clash given that they have had an extra week to prepare. Clarecastle overcame a battling per-

formance from Newmarket a week ago while Wolfe Tones turned in an assured perform- ance to brush aside the challenge of Barefield. Ward agrees that Wolfe Tones enter the game

as slight favourites, a tag which he believes is justified, but one which his side won’t be over- awed by.

“When you are hurling you can never have

enough time off. There is never an ideal time for a match. We are delighted to have the extra week. It has been a long year and we have been out since the beginning of March, so we are glad to be coming up to the county final so we are delighted it is now rather than later on.

“They (Wolfe Tones) are the favourites. I saw the game at the weekend and they are very good and the favourites – that’s the way it should be. We are going there to compete so after the match we will know who is the best team”

According to Ward preparations have gone smoothly with the only real injury concern be- ing Danny Scanlon who is expected to recover fully from a concussion sustained in the semi- nue

‘Preparations have been going fairly well. We came back in the middle of the week so the training has been going fine we have been fairly happy with it. We have trained on sched- ule and will train tonight and again on Wednes- day night and that will be the end of it. Danny Scanlon was out after the Newmarket match – he is expected to come back tonight and other than that we have what I would call normal wear and tear.”

A FATHER-OF-FOUR with 90 previous con- victions, who faced the reactivation of a sus- pended five-year sentence, was jailed for four years yesterday at Ennis Circuit Court.

Michael James McDonagh (32) of 23, Bal- lycaseymore, Shannon, appeared before Judge Carroll Moran to appeal a District Court rul- ing, which resulted in him being sentenced to 12 months in jail for making unlawful threats against three individuals, including his wife, in Shannon last January.

McDonagh also appealed the severity of two other sentences, totalling four months, for

public order offences, to which he had pleaded guilty.

Earlier this year, McDonagh was convicted of threatening to kill his wife Kathleen McDon- agh and their neighbour Breda Smith.

The court heard that, on January 3 last, the accused was heard saying to his wife Kathleen outside their home, “I will do you, and Breda as well.”

Mr McDonagh’s legal team argued however that the phrase “I will do you” could not be taken as a genuine threat to kill or cause seri- O)erSmar-usee

Judge Moran ruled that there was not enough evidence to sustain the convictions for making

unlawful threats and allowed the appeal.

The court was told since the five-year sentence was suspended in May 2003, Mr McDonagh has been convicted of eight separate offences in Ennis, Shannon, Arklow, Roscrea and Athlone including road traffic and public order offences and breach of an exclusion order.

“The five years sentence was suspended on the basis that the accused behave himself. There are six separate incidents under appeal here today.

“Looking around, I would not be surprised if the entire constabulary from Shannon Garda Station is in this courtroom,’ Judge Moran said before making his ruling.

The judge allowed the appeals in relation to four charges.

But he affirmed the District Court rulings in several others for which Mr McDonagh was sentenced to a total of 12 months in prison.

He ordered the reactivation of a five-year sen- tence, which he reduced to four, previously 1m- posed on McDonagh following his conviction for the larceny of €20,000.

He backdated that sentence to February last and ordered the 12-month sentence to run con- currently with it.

McDonagh had to be restrained by gardai af- ter he resisted attempts to be handcuffed and was led away to begin his sentence.