The Clare People Archive

A CHURCH and a primary school in North Clare were broken into last week as criminal activity in county reaches a new low.

Gardaí are investigating the theft of eleven laptop computers and a number of other pieces of electrical equipment from New Quay National School while Gardaí in Ennistymon are also investigating the theft of two collection boxes from Kilfenora Church.

The New Quay school break-in took place some time between 10pm last Wednesday night, March 6, and 9am on Thursday morning. The thieves gained access to the school’s computer room by forcing open a back window.

Gardaí are investigating after thousands of euro worth of equipment were stolen from a school in North Clare. Eleven Toshiba laptops were taken along with, a white camcorder, two Fuji digital cameras, a black Nikon camera and a small amount of cash. Clare’s Crime Prevention Officer, Joe Downey, has asked that anyone with information on the stolen equipment or those responsible are urged to contact Ennistymon Gardaí on 7072180.

Two black collection boxes were also stolen from the church in Kilfenora last week. The theft took place between 9am on Saturday, March 2, and 7pm that evening.

Clare Gardaí are also looking for information from the public on a number of burglaries which have taken place recently. Between 1pm on March 3 and noon on March 5 a house at Islandmore Farm in Flagmount was broken into with 17 brass rods taken.

A house in Tullyglass in Shannon was ransacked at some time between February 20 and February 26 while the occupants were away on holiday. Nothing was stolen from the house during this incident.

A burglary also took place in a house in Gort na Blath in Ennis at some time between 11.15am and 9.30pm on Friday, March 8. A small amount of money was taken. There was also a burglary in the Willowgrove in Ennis on the same day – at some time between 8.50am and 11.30pm. Anyone with information about any of these crimes is asked to contact their local Garda Station.

A CLARECASTLE man made international business headlines in America over the past week as his company was head hunted by billion dollar US corporations to supply logistics for them across Europe.

Gerry Kierce, who hails from Clarecastle, is a former student of St Flannan’s College and was part of the Clare minor hurling panel that captured the historic Munster minor title back in 1981.

His company, Euro Route Logistics, which he founded in Dublin in 2003 was just named as a partner to a number of high profile US companies on the back of their innovative research and methods which are delivering 23 per cent savings for their customers.

The news that Euro Route was being selected as logistics partners for a number of US companies was headline news with NBC, CBS and the Wall Street Journal in North America.

Gerry, who started working the freight business in Shannon back in 1981, now oversees a huge operation from his logistics centre in Blanchardstown which employs 18 staff and has an office space of some 75,000 sq ft.

This announcement from the US assures Euro Route Logistics place as a leading player in the competitive business of logistics and, according to Gerry Kierce, is the latest positive development for a company that prides itself on innovation at the cutting edge of the industry.

“We’ve never lost a customer through service and are dedicated to stay years ahead of our time. In fact, the more complex the company’s requirement the better.

“We’re proud to keep our staff long term and assist them to grow as the industry continues to develop and adapt.

“The pride I have for my native county reminds me of when we ran team logistics for a national team. You can’t beat the rush of being part of a well oiled machine that keeps a major organization on its feet,” Gerry told The Clare People this week.

THE establishment of a new neighbourhood watch scheme for the Hermitage area of Ennis will be discussed at a meeting in the town next Monday.

The meeting, which will be attended by crime prevention officer Sgt Joe Downey, will take place at the Junction, Cloughleigh Road, at 7pm.

All residents in the Hermitage area are invited to attend.

Local councillor Tony Mulqueen (FG) said the meeting is aimed at tapping into the strong sense of community spirit that exists in Hermitage. He said residents are taking a proactive approach to any issues around crime that might arise in the area.

He said, “There have been a couple of break ins in the area. Hermitage is not unique in that respect; there have been break ins at houses in other parts of the town as well. The one thing that does exist in the area is a strong community of friends and neighbours. Some of the families in Hermitage have been living in the area for 40 or 50 years so it makes it easier to set up a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme than say in an area where you have a lot of rented houses.”

He added, “It also gives the Guards a means of liaising with the community on issues that arise. There hasn’t been any serious escalation of crime. Instead of reacting its about taking steps before it gets out of control.” Cllr Mulqueen said all resident are welcome to attend.

Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) welcomed the scheme, saying it had been a success in the Turnpike.

IF A large lump of whale vomit found on the beach at Lahinch is authenticated by whale experts, the seaside town could end up attracting a whole new type of tourist.

Because if there is whale vomit on “them thar beaches”, it could be worth more than gold dust to those who find it, as Alan Davey from Ennis is hoping.

The 38-year-old found what he believes is the rare whale ambergris on the beach while getting a surfing lesson from his friend, Brian Miller from Cratloe.

The Ennis man became aware of the value of the waste product of the sperm whale’s digestive system when one found in the UK recently made headlines after it was sold for £100,000 sterling. It is estimated that the 20cm-diameter ambergris found by Alan could make between € 10,000 and € 50,000.

Ambergris is used mostly in highend perfumes, and its rarity adds to its value. Since discovering the “floating gold”, so-called because it can float for years in the sea before being discovered, Alan and Brian have been making national headlines and taking to the national airwaves.

In order to protect their potential loot, they have now left it with a mutual friend for safekeeping until an expert can confirm whether or not it is the coveted whale bile.

The potentially precious substance is securely wrapped in a cotton bag as directed by Alan’s online research.

The Jersey native has said that while he is trying not to get too excited about the possible value of his find, the money will come in handy.

He has also promised to split any profits with his friend and surf teacher Brian.

TOMMY Hayes has been at the forefront of traditional lrish music for more than three decades, and now the popular percussionist is leading the way in music therapy.

The founding member of Stockton’s Wing is not only working in the field of music therapy but he is also a special guest lecturer at the MA Music Therapy Programme in the Irish World Academy University of Limerick.

This is the first programme of its kind in Ireland and the only degree in the country leading to a professional qualification in music therapy.

Now the Clare composer and musician is working almost full time as a music therapist in carious settings including medical and educational.

He works as a freelance music therapist with a number of clients on a private basis and has extensive experience of working in the areas of autism, mental health, physical disability and adolescence and has a particular interest in guided imagery and music practice.

Tommy also supervises trainee therapists in the Limerick and Clare areas.

He qualified as a

music therapist in

2002 having com

pleted the MA Mu

sic Therapy pro

gramme.

Qualified music

therapists use the

unique character

istics of music in

musical interaction

to support people

who have additional

needs because of

medical, psychologi

cal, physical or emo

tional issues.

The course requires

a high level of music

skill on entry.

Experience in paid or volunteer work with people who have a disability or experience some sort of social disadvantage/exclusion is required.

A NORTH Clare cheese producer claims that they have been placed “under the microscope” by the authorities because they continue to use non-pasteurised milk in their cheese.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) issued a warning last Friday that E.coli had been found in a block of Kilshanny Cheese. Traces of E.coli O157 were found to be present in a block of Gouda Herb Cheese produced by the company.

A spokesperson from the North Clare company told The Clare People yesterday that Kilshanny Cheese has been targeted because they refuse to use pasteurised cheese.

“We are under the microscope all the time.

“They want us to use pasteurised milk and they are making it as difficult as possible for us to continue to operate. I am still eating the cheese, I know many of our customers are still eating the cheese and they are fine.

“Cheese was made without being pasteurised for hundreds and hundreds of years. I have been operating here for 30 years and I have never once had an issue,” said a spokesperson for Kilshanny Cheese.

“The milk is all sourced from my neighbour who runs a fantastic operation.

“I can literally push the tank over to collect the milk so there are no food miles or anything like that.

“I was producing cheese here for 10 years before I saw anybody [inspectors]. Now they are here every month.”

According to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, the bacteria was found in a batch of cheese which was produced in September of last year and which has been sold by retailers in Clare and in Limerick Milk Market. Kilshanny Farmhouse Cheese has been ordered by the Department of Agriculture to withhold placing any further batches on the market and the FSAI has warned consumers not to eat the implicated cheese due to the possible presence of E.coli

Tests continue to be carried out on the entire stock of Kilshanny Cheese and a company spokesperson hopes that the cheese will be back on the market again soon.

THREE well-known Ennis landmarks will be illuminated in green light during St Patrick’s Week, Ennis Town Council has confirmed.

St Flannan’s College, the Daniel O’Connell monument and Ennis Courthouse will be joining the Pyramids of Giza, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Sydney Opera House, and dozens of other landmarks and iconic sites around the world as part of Tourism Ireland’s annual ‘global greening’ initiative.

According to Ger Dollard, Ennis Town Manager, “Clare Local Authorities are delighted to able to support Tourism Ireland’s annual ‘global greening’ initiative, particularly during the year of the Gathering and as a tourism promotional tool to attract visitors to Ireland and particularly through Shannon International Airport.”

Meanwhile, St Patrick’s Day 2013 in Ennis promises to be a major cel- ebration this year with large crowds expected on the streets of the county capital.

The centrepiece of the day’s festivities will be the annual parade, the theme of which is ‘Ennis – A Musical Town’. The parade commences at 11am and will proceed through Club Bridge, Abbey Street, O’Connell Square, O’Connell Street, Barrack Street and terminating in the Market.

The Mayor of Ennis will lead the parade in a horse-drawn carriage, which will be followed by 50 groups representing the many aspects of life in Ennis and County Clare. This year’s parade will also feature the 50-strong St Mary’s Catholic School Marching Band from Phoenix who are travelling to the Clare County capital as part of the 25th anniversary celebration of Ennis’ twinning relationship with the Arizona state capital.

The Mayor of Langenfeld, Frank Schneider, will lead a delegation from Germany to Ennis following on from the establishment of links between Ennis and the German town, which lies between Düsseldorf and Cologne.

Special traffic management arrangements will be in place involving road/street closures, restricted access to the parade route and traffic diversions. Gardaí will be on point duty on the day. The co-operation of the public is requested and vehicle owners are asked to observe the road/street closures which will be in place from 8am to 2.30pm.

TRIBUTES have been paid to the late Seamus Mullane, a man warmly recalled yesterday as the “friendly face” of the Court Services in Clare.

Circuit Court judge, Judge Carroll Moran led the tributes to the married father of four and caretaker of Ennis courthouse, who died suddenly on Sunday.

Mr Mullane (49) from Corofin died of natural causes after being out with friends for a cycle on Sunday afternoon.

He previously worked with Aer Lingus and was appointed to the Courts Service in August 2008.

At Ennis Circuit Court on Monday, Judge Moran said, “We’re all in the most profound state of shock at Seamus’s passing. It is completely unexpected. He was very obliging to anyone he met here and he did his work in the most efficient manner.”

On behalf of the Courts Service, Josephine Tone said, “Seamus was a wonderful person. We are all completely devastated by his loss. He was a true friend and colleague.”

In a statement on behalf of the courts service, Ms Tone added, “As Service officer, Seamus was the face of the Courts Service in Ennis. He was well known to all who visited the Courthouse and a role model for all civil servants who deal with the public. He was pleasant, courteous and helpful to all. Ennis Courthouse is a busy and at times a stressful place to visit but Seamus’s friendly face at the public counter put people at ease.”

On behalf of the Clare Law Association, solicitor John Casey said, “It was a privilege to say that Seamus was a friend of mine. I was with him yesterday (Sunday) cycling back from Kilshanny to Ennistymon.” He said, “He did his job and did it well but Seamus’s interest in life was his wife Brid and his four daughters.”

Mr Casey said, “As a person to work for, he was brilliant and he was a true friend and, personally, I will miss him very, very much.”

On behalf of the Clare Bar Association, Michael Collins BL said, “Those of us who have the privilege to work at this courthouse are enriched by the manner in which Seamus carried out his duties.”

On behalf of the State solicitor’s office, solicitor Ashling Casey described Seamus “as a pure gentleman who never, ever allowed me to carry files into court. He would always come out to the car and carry my files”.

Patrick Wallace, County Registrar and Returning Officer, paid tribute to Seamus for his extensive work in the preparation for Elections and referenda.

THE waiting for Doolin residents, local surfers and Clare County Council will be over later today as An Bord Pleanála are set to announce whether the planned new pier for Doolin can go ahead.

A final decision on the development was expected to be announced yesterday, but no nothing was announced by the planning authority. Indeed, this is the fourth promised deadline that An Bord Pleanála have missed so far in 2013 and locals are becoming anxious at the time taken to come to a final decision.

“People are waiting for this decision to be made so their can get on with their lives. Whatever the decision turns out to be, people have been left in limbo,” said ferry operator Eugene Garrihy.

“We were given a date of January 2 [for a decision], then it was February 18. Then it was supposed to be last Friday and then today. I was on the phone to Clare County Council a few minutes ago and there won’t be a decision today.

“There is a lot of frustration locally with the amount of time that this is taking. People just want to get on with their lives.”

The development of a new pier in Doolin had looked set to go ahead two years ago after Clare County Council granted Part 8 planning permission for the development. This decision was challenged by a number of surfing organisation, including the Lahinch based West Coast Surf Club, who believe the damage a famous surfing wave in Doolin.

They applied to An Bord Pleanála to force Clare County Council to complete an Environmental Impact Statement for the project before giving it the green light.

THE HSE West outlined in its Regional Service Plan for 2013, how it will cut waiting times, increase patients’ safety and provide even more services within a budget cut by € 24.46 million.

Authors of the blueprint for the health services in the region, which includes County Clare, admit that its success depends on a lot of “assumptions”.

The services for the rest of this year must be delivered within a € 1.2 billion budget and within the overall employment control limit of 15,750.

This means staffing levels must be cut by 653 people, or four per cent.

Hospital budgets have received a 10 per cent increase, however there are still what the HSE describe as “serious cost containment measures” required, as the increased budget is less than the outturn costs of the hospitals in 2012.

The € 238.344 million 2013 hospitals budget is an increase of 10 per cent on 2012. However, despite this increase, there remains a substantial financial challenge of € 21.759 million for the year. A financial plan, comprising a variety of cost containment initiatives, is in place to deliver breakeven, according to the HSE.

Ann Doherty, CEO Midwest Region Hospitals Group, said “National cost containment initiatives including legislation to increase income from private patients, in addition to general income maximisation, staffing efficiencies, procurement and stock controls, and HSE funding for oncology drugs are all part of the breakeven plan.”

She admitted, however, “This plan is based on a number of assumptions and like all assumptions there are risks that these assumptions may not be realised, e.g. if our assumptions on income are not realised or demand growth is required to maintain our targets, we will then have to find other measures to address this shortfall,” she warned.

“There is a degree of uncertainty at this point regarding our work force as we do not have good visibility on the impacts of the proposed schemes aimed at reducing headcount and the impacts these will have on our services and financial plan. This will be monitored closely so that remedial action can be taken quickly if required.”

Likewise a further € 3.558 million in non-acute services in the mid west must be saved, which is not accounted for in detail in the plan.

It is predicted that the required expenditure in this area for 2013 is € 308.785 million with an available budget of € 305.227 million equating to approximately 1.15 per cent of a pressure on cost against budget.

“This is on the clear assumption that the costs will be maintained at the quarter three 2012 levels or appropriate alternative adjustments will be made where those costs increase,” the HSE stated.