The Clare People Archive

PRESIDENT of Ireland Michael D Higgins praised the work of the people in West Clare who worked to prepare for the National Famine Commemoration.

Speaking after the event from Glynn’s Mills, he described the performances by the local people as “a very fine production by the people of Kilrush”.

He paid special tribute to the drama piece, which had brought a tear to his wife’s eye.

“Sabina’s training is in the theatre and she is a founding member of the Focus Theatre with Deirdre O’Connell, and she identifies very clearly with it. That was a very moving piece. The [piece] about the eviction scene and the starvation scene was also very realistic. It is just simply a fact,” he said.

The president had spent almost an hour meeting with local people, hav- ing his photograph taken and signing copies of the Commemoration booklet.

“It was a great pleasure to come down to Clare. Earlier I was over in Carrigoran in the parish of Newmarket where I spent a long time,” he told reporters, referring to his childhood home.

The President who received his primary and secondary school education in Clare was well informed of its famine history.

“Clare had a particularly bad time with the famine because the blight lasted into the sixth year, and that meant you were still losing people. I think the deaths in Kilrush in one 18-month period were about 1,400 or 1,500. I remember seeing it when I looked at the figures over in Ennistymon,” he said.

“At one stage the two work houses in Kilrush and Ennistymon, the number in the workhouse exceeded the number in the population. And then in five years Kilrush itself lost 50 per cent of its population, but obviously for those who survived who are related this is very, very important event in terms of collective memory,” he added refereeing to information supplied to him by the Kilrush and District Historical Society.

“And then there are those who left and some of those would have died on the way to North America. If they were heading for the Canadian ports they were probably at far greater risks.

“Really in a curious way, I made reference in my own speech, that the ‘London Times’ was often unsympathetic during the middle of the famine, but 20 years afterwards said how a great mistake had been made, because now the Irish were in the country that was one of the most powerful in the world, and they would never let people forget the famine and who was responsible for it,” said the president.

THE people of Kilrush did themselves, their county and the nation proud on Sunday as they led the National Famine Memorial Day Commemoration.

As many as 3,000 people braved the elements that reflected the mood of the time being commemorated, better than the time of year.

As dark grey clouds gathered overhead the Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht and chairman of the National Famine Commemoration Committee Jimmy Deenihan walked through Francis Street and on to the newly constructed stage, accompanied by military honours.

He told the people it was a “fitting tribute” to host the national commemoration in the town of Kilrush, a town that suffered most during the famine.

Then thousands of cameras and camera phones were sent into over drive as the man described by earlier speakers as a man “coming home”, President of Ireland Michael D Higgins, made his way through the wide street accompanied by his wife Sabina.

Overhead residents of Francis Street looked out of their upstairs windows, and from that premier vantage point saw military honours, the presidential salute and the inspection of Captain’s Guard of Honour, 1 Infantry Battalion, 1 Brigade take place below.

Despite the large crowd spanning in age from three to 93 and the howling winds sending a haunting whistle through the town, respect was shown at all times for the ceremony which took more than three hours.

The local community for its part of the ceremony, provided a poignant and appropriate mix of song, poetry, readings, music and drama.

PJ Murphy’s ‘West Clare Famine Song’ opened the platform for readings by Mayor of Kilrush Mairead O’Brien and Mayor of Clare Pat Daly from the ‘Illustrated London News’.

Dr Ciarán Ó Murchadha then read the poem ‘An Droch Shaol i gCill Ruis’, which was followed by a memorable performance by Crack’d Spoon Theatre Company.

Prayers for the victims of the Great Famine were led by leading members of the different churches, with those of all denominations and none answering “Amen” for the call for no more hunger and pain.

As Imam Sheikh Hussein Halawa finished the prayer service with some verses from the Koran, a large and unexpected wind blew up from the Marina causing the flag at half-mast to flap so hard it almost sounded like it was applauding the prayers.

A performance of ‘Lone Shanakyle’ by local woman Assumpta Kennedy was followed by a reflection read by Aideen Henry of the Humanist Association of Ireland, and then the rain came in.

The crowd huddled together under umbrellas, hats and plastic ponchos, and no one complained.

A people renowned for whinging about the weather stayed still and silent, with the evidence surrounding them reminding them that things could and have been worse.

A commemorative dance piece by Banner Productions encouraged the rain to stop for a short while, as the people peeked out again to see local talent represent them on a national stage.

And then the president spoke. For 23 minutes he recalled the horrors West Clare had suffered in the Great Irish Famine, and reminded those present that their ancestors had lived and died in one of the three places worst affected by it.

“Today, we particularly remember the victims of this great tragedy in our history who hailed from Kilrush and its environs, and indeed from the province of Munster as a whole. Along with Connacht, Munster was severely impacted by An Gorta Mór. When the Famine ended, it had lost the greatest number of people of any province through death and emigration. A contributing factor to this outcome was that famine conditions were sustained throughout Munster for five years or more,” he said.

“Within Munster, the county of Clare was the most severely affected during the Famine and Kilrush shares the unhappy distinction of being one of the three areas worst hit by death, disease and evictions. In fact, it is estimated that Kilrush lost 50 per cent of its population between 1846 and 1851. It is very fitting therefore that we should gather today in Kilrush to honour the memory of its Famine victims. I wish to thank the people of Kilrush for so generously hosting us and for all the effort, care and imagination they have invested in this solemn national commemoration.

“Many of our Irish people died believing that their lives were of no value; that they counted for nothing. By our presence here today, we honour their lives, we remember their suffering and we grieve for them all,” he concluded.

The President then planted a tree and unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion.

The state commemoration took over from the community at approximately 4.30pm, and the crowd stood in silence for another half an hour.

During this time the Head Chaplin of the Defence Forces Monsignor Eoin Thynne led prayers followed by the piper’s lament.

The President then laid the rememberance wreath.

Afterwards 36 ambassadors from all over the world lay their own wreaths of remembrance.

A minute’s silence was observed as thousands of people continued to defy the blustering wind and rain.

The National Famine Commemoration in Kilrush then concluded with the national anthem as the national flag was raised to full mast.

BUSINESSES are to be consulted on plans to increase use of the River Fergus and turn Ennis into Ireland’s Venice.

Proposals for boat tours and horse drawn carriages were discussed at the May meeting of Ennis Town Council.

In a motion, Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said in order to capitalise on the popularity of the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival, Ennis must be promoted as Ireland’s premier romance town.

He called on the council to draft byelaws to permit and regulate horse drawn Jarveys in and around the town centre.

He also called for permits to allow for gandelow journeys on the River Fergus from Knox’s Bridge to Steele’s Rock.

The meeting heard that gandelows are boats traditional to the Shannon and Fergus estuary. Cllr Flynn told the meeting that the opening of the Wild Atlantic Way would create tourism opportunities for Ennis. However he warned that there was a danger Ennis could also be bypassed if tourists are not given enough reasons to visit the town.

Cllr Flynn said there are three gandelows in Clarecastle and that members of the Fergus Rowers club are interested in getting involved in the initiative.

Cllr Paul O’Shea (Lab) described the proposal as “innovative”.

Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Peter Considine (FF) welcomed the initiative, saying, “Anything we can do to enhance tourism in the town should be accepted.”

In response to Cllr Flynn’s motion, town clerk Leonard Cleary states, “Ennis Town Council will discuss this proposal with Promote Ennis to establish if the business community would be interested in investing in such a project. If the business community would be interested investing in such a project. If the project were feasible, Ennis Town Council could research byelaws based on best established practice in other towns.”

Town manager Ger Dollard said the council would first have to see “workable solutions” before byelaws could be drafted. Mr Dollard added, “It would be premature until we have some discussions as to how it would work.”

AMERICAN tourists were “horrified” at the poor standard of customer service they encountered at banks in Ennis, it has been claimed.

The group from Phoenix, Arizona, which is twinned with Ennis, visited the town in March for the St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Ennis councillor Mary Howard (FG), a member of the Ennis / Phoenix Twinning Board, said some of the group, that included students from St Mary’s Catholic School, had problems trying to convert $100 bills to euros.

She told the May meeting of Ennis Town Council that one bank refused the change $100 bills because no one in the group had an account.

She said the students were told they “couldn’t take over the bank” and that they were “disrupting customers”. Cllr Howard says the tourists were dealt with in an “incourteous manner”. She said the group were “shocked” at their alleged treatment.

Cllr Howard added, “This is the year of the Gathering. It was horrifying.” She told the meeting incidents like this “create a bad impression” of Ennis.

She raised the issue in a motion discussed at the council meeting. Cllr Howard called on the council to request, “The Minister for Finance investigate the issue regarding $100 because financial institutions are refusing to accept same. This is causing difficulties for our tourism sector and causing embarrassment to tourists in the year of the Gathering.”

Cllr Howard said she raised the matter at the meeting because the group were guests of Ennis Town Council.

Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Peter Considine (FF) told the meeting that banks have become “unwelcome and a nuisance” to customers. He said this was not the fault of frontline staff but decisions taken by senior management in the banking sector.

He added, “This happening was a serious embarrassment to the town.”

Deputy Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) said, “We shouldn’t just write to the Minister but to the Taoiseach, not only for tourists but for local people. It’s a disgrace.”

Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) said the group should have demanded to see the manager. He said he is always treated in a courteous manner by staff in banks.

In a separate motion passed at the meeting, Cllr Paul O’Shea called on the council “to ensure that banking executives will include Ennis in the provision of ATM machines that dispense € 10 notes, so as to facilitate those on social welfare and on low incomes.”

THE cream of schoolboys’ soccer in Ennis will take on some of Europe’s best at tournament in Germany later this year.

A team representing Ennis will travel to the German city of Langenfeld to take part in a soccer tournament, from September 6 to 8. Details of the trip were outlined at the May meeting of Ennis Town Council.

Accommodation and food costs for the 20-strong group will be covered by the tournament’s hosts.

Ennis Town Council is proposing to make a contribution of € 3,000 to travel costs. Soccer clubs in Ennis are also being asked to make a contribution.

Town clerk Leonard Cleary explained, “A group of 20 from Ennis consisting of 15 under 13 schoolboys and four mentors/coaches and one manager will represent Ennis at the sports (soccer) initiative in September 2013 in Langenfeld. The u13 schoolboys’ coaches/mentors will be representative of each of the four soccer clubs in Ennis. One of the mentors/coaches will be the FAI Development Officer for Clare, Denis Hynes. The tournament will involve up to three matches that will be held on September 7 to 8. Other teams confirmed to date for the tournament include Montale (Italy), Senlis (France) and Langendfeld (Germany) with other teams anticipated to confirm shortly.”

He continued, “Langenfeld, the organisers of the Sports Exchange Initiative have confirmed that the cost of accommodation and food from September 5 to 9, will be covered by them. Ennis Town Council proposes to make a contribution towards the travel costs of the group of € 3,000. The four soccer clubs will cover the cost of jerseys, tracksuits, gear etc. through direct contributions and fundraising activities.”

Mr Cleary states the visit to Germany will be beneficial to the players and may result in a similar tournament being held in Ennis in the future.

Relations between Ennis and Langenfeld have been developing over the past three years strengthening links in the areas of culture and youth affairs. A delegation from Ennis Town Council visited Langenfeld in late 2010, while a group of students from Ennis also attended an International Youth Conference in the West German city. The Mayor of Langenfeld, Frank Schneider, led a delegation from Germany to Ennis for the recent St Patrick’s Day parade following on from the establishment of links between Ennis and the German town, which lies between Düsseldorf and Cologne.

DISABLED people in Clare are preparing to wage war on the Government in an effort to protect themselves from “the big squeeze” which many believe is coming their way this year.

A public meeting will take place in Ennis on Friday, May 24, and disability activists are hoping to send out the message to government that disabled people living in rural areas will not be swept under the carpet.

According to co-organiser Anne Marie Flanaghan, many disable people in Clare have in the past been too scared to stand up to the Government – for fear of being given even deeper cuts.

“We are seen as a quite group in society who can be easily targetted. There are disabled people in a position to speak out, so that is why it is important for everyone who can and the family of friends of disabled people – to speak out now,” she said.

“There are a lot of disabled people in Clare who are scared. People are on the very fringes of society already and they are afraid that if we speak out that we be cut even more – that is a horrible siuation to be in.”

Clare disabled people have seen a cuts to their Personal Assistant Services and are currently bracing themselves for cuts to the Mobility Allowance and the Motorised Transport Grant.

Meeting co-organiser Dermot Hayes believes that the time has come for disabled Clare people to take the fight to the Government.

“For people to live independently you need to be able to get out and about. Disabled people are not living in any kind of luxury; we are just about surviving,” said organiser Dermot Hayes.

“There is a feeling that there is a big squeeze coming down the road for disabled people. There are sneaky cuts, and you don’t realise how much of an impact they have until they are gone.”

The public meeting will take place on Friday, May 24, at the West County Hotel in Ennis. All people with disabilities, their families, friends and interested citizens are asked to attend.

THERE have been calls for public walkways to be developed along the River Fergus while work is underway on a major flood defence project in the town.

Work on the estimated € 7.1 million project from Bank Place Bridge to Doora Bridge has already commenced at locations around Ennis town centre.

It is anticipated that the works will take approximately 18 months to complete and will lead to the protection of 849 residential and 425 nonresidential properties on completion.

Defences including enhanced river walls, pumping stations and new drainage systems are included in the project, which is aimed at protecting Ennis against a 100-year flood event. Among the feature of the project is the installation of a pumping station in the park in front of Ennis Courthouse.

The issue of walkways was raised at yesterday’s meeting of councillors in the Ennis East electoral area.

In a motion, Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) stated that, subject to agreement with residents and landowners, walking and cycling paths could be put in place along the bank of the River Fergus.

He said this could be done in conjunction with the current flood protection works from Bank Place to Doora Bridge.

He added, “If this path was constructed it could ultimately be continued down to Clarecastle, linking the village with Ennis.”

Cllr Flynn told the meeting that the planned car park development near Cusack Park could create an opportunity for a river walk in the area.

Senior executive engineer Eamon O’Dea stated that the provision of walkways on the river embankments would be separate project from the Lower Fergus Certified Drainage Scheme.

He continued, “The new embankments will have a wider embankment crown than the previous embankment. Environmental assessments, consultation with landowners / residents adjacent to the embankments, risk assessments formal public consultation process and funding stream will be required for this project.”

Mayor of Clare, Cllr Pat Daly (FF), and Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) both welcomed the proposal. Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) said the Gardaí may not permit a public walkway so close to the Garda station.

Cllr Flynn also requested that regular meetings be held by the Contractor Wills Brothers Ltd with public businesses and residents affected by works.

In reply, Eamon O’Dea stated that the OPW Lower Fergus Certified Drainage contract provides for a community liaison person for the OPW and the contractor.

He continues, “The community liason persons have been in contact with householders and businesses. They recently met with businesses in the Newbridge Road and Abbey Street car park and further meetings are being arranged with residents and businesses.”

Council officials have also met with the contractor.

AN AREA of Ennis should be pedestrainised to prevent traffic “choking” the town centre, a meeting has heard.

Cllr James Breen (Ind) raised the matter in a motion submitted to yesterday’s meeting of councillors in the Ennis West electoral area.

He called for the “street from the Friary car park to Abbey Street to be pedestrianised on a permanent basis.”

Cllr Breen claimed that most cars turning onto Abbey Street travel though the town centre before leaving Ennis without stopping.

He said the number of cars travelling through the centre of Ennis is causing major traffic congestion. He said, “We are choking our town with traffic needlessly.”

In reply, senior executive engineer Eamon O’Dea stated that the pedestrainisation of this section of Francis Street could not be considered on its own.

He stated, “This section of the road is closed by Gardaí for short periods of time at weekends in the interest of public safety. Ennis Town Council would have to evaluate the adjustments to the road network and traditional traffic flows in the town. This would require consideration of alternating the Francis Street car park layout to provide a turning area at the end of a cul de sac or provision of an exit into Friar’s Walk car park. This section of Francis Street is used during pedestrianisation of Abbey Street to turn traffic out onto Lower Abbey Street.”

Mr O’Dea told the meeting that some businesspeople in Ennis would say there are advantages to allowing traffic through the town centre. He explained that visitors to the town might come back after passing through.

Town manager and director of services Ger Dollard said pedestrianisation of Ennis is a “difficult issue”. He said the exit from Francis Street is important for traffic flow in Ennis. He added, “There is a long way to go before we can achieve a solution.”

Mr O’Dea said the council may consider signage around Tescos advising shoppers of alternate routes to exit Ennis.

Cllr Tony Mulqueen (FG) said the council could consider reversing traffic flow in Ennis. He told the meeting that the original Ennis Development Plan contained a proposal for cars to travel from O’Connell Street down Abbey Street.

CLARE County Council will formally ask Clare’s six Oireachtas members to jointly propose a motion that would strengthen the local authority’s powers to move on illegal encampments.

The motion, which was put forward by Cllr Richard Nagle (FF) was aimed specifically at rural seaside towns during the summer months. According to Cllr Nagle, members of the Travelling community are consistently taking up residence in public areas in seaside towns – even though they have already been provided with accommodation elsewhere.

“We are now is a situation where we are not talking about just transient visitors, we are talking about people who have accommodation and choose to park in public areas,” said Cllr Nagle (FF).

“We were told that when we provided accommodation in these [local authority Traveller accommodation] sites that this chaos would come to an end. The people were given guarantees, promises were made and they have not been kept.

“It is difficult to wind down about this issue; we are being told that we are essentially helpless. There don’t seem to be any regulations that will help us deal with this properly. I don’t know how we can be so proactive with some people, who will face the full rigour of the law for their indiscretions, but it doesn’t seem to apply to everyone.

“There seems to be no law at all in connection to this. It is a pity when the Traveller accommodation scheme was being discussed that people were not told that this would be the situation. I find this situation totally frustrating. I think we need to write to other councils about this, we need to put pressure on our Oireachtas members to put in a private members motion. This is putting an intolerable strain on local communities and it cannot be continue. This is very very frustrating.”

According to the council’s director of services, Bernadette Kinsella, Clare County Council have previ- ously made attempts to strengthen the legislation, but without success.

“In 2010 we made a submission [on this subject] to the department asking for a review of the provisions and strengthen the legislation. We do take action as soon as we hear about these illegal encampments but it does take time. We can only do that in regard to the existing provisions,” she said.

“After the submission this was also raised with Oireachtas members but we haven’t as yet been given any indication that this legislation will be strengthened.”

IRELAND’S oldest matchmaking festival is going pink this September with a gay and lesbian weekend being added to the month-long Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival.

This year’s matchmaking festival will begin with The Outing – a lesbian and gay weekend involving concerts, matchmaking and other events, all hosted by drag-queen Panti.

The event is the brainchild of local hotelier Marcus White who has contracted the organiser of the Dublin Pride Festival, Eddie McGuinness, to manage the event. According to McGuinness, the event will the biggest gay and lesbian matchmaking event ever to take place, anywhere in the world. It is not as yet clear if Ireland’s last matchmaker, local man Willie Daly, will be directly involved in the gay and lesbian festival.