The Clare People Archive

WHATEVER Steele’s Terrace can do, so too can St Flannan’s Terrace on the other side of the ‘Rhine’.

That’s message that will be delivered a public meeting that takes place this Tuesday night in the Temple Gate Hotel in Ennis as residents past and present prepare to mark the centenary of St Flannan’s Terrace.

Earlier this year current and former residents of Steele’s Terrace marked the centenary of the row of 30 houses that were built in 1912 with the publi- cation of a commemorative booklet.

Now, St Flannan’s residents are doing the same, with former St Flannan’s Terrace resident, Brian Dinan spearheading the drive to mark the centenary celebrations this autumn.

“Help us compile an illustrated booklet to mark the centenary year – the history of your house and where your family lived or where you live today,” Mr Dinan told The Clare People this week.

“Perhaps some former occupants and current occupants would get together to produce a commemorative booklet. We would like people who wish to help in this worthwhile project to come to the Temple Gate for the inaugural meeting that will launch the project,” he added.

The purpose of the meeting is to generate an interest in those with a St Flannan’s Terrace connection, urging them to come forward and contribute in whatever way they can.

“It is hoped to form a working committee to find ways of marking the 100 years. Celebrations will take the form of a social evening in October when an illustrated souvenir booklet containing memories and histories of past and present residents will be launched,” said Mr Dinan.

The foundation stone for St Flannan’s Terrace that comprises of 46 houses was laid at number 11 by the then sitting MP for East Clare, Willie Redmond, and the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Michael Fogarty.

“As many as 300 families may have lived on St Flannan’s Terrace,” revealed Mr Dinan.

“There are many memories locked away or scattered to the four winds, which deserve to be recorded and celebrated in recognition and respect of these past generations of wonderful people,” he added.

THE successful Clare rally navigator Gráinne McEnery remains in a critical but stable condition in a Dublin hospital more than a week after a rallying accident in Portlaoise.

The Ennis woman sustained serious head injuries when the car she was co-driving lost control on a turn during the sixth stage of the Heartlands Mini-Stages Rally on Sunday week last.

Her family and driving partner Mike Quinn have been keeping a bedside vigil since.

Clare Motor Club held a prayer service for Gráinne on Tuesday last, led by Fr Harry Bohan in the Auburn Lodge Hotel, Ennis.

Grainne, who is one of the most successful rally navigators in the country, secured the 2011 Top Part West Coast Rally Championship the first Clare person and woman to do so.

She has also won the Michael Farrell Memorial Trophy.

Gráinne, who works as service manager with O’Sullivan & Hansbury Motors in Ennis developed an interest in rallying from a young age as her dad Joe, a keen rally spectator and her brother Charlie, a championship-winning navigator brought her to various events around the country.

Gráinne has been competition with Kerry driver Mike Quinn since 2009 and immediately they were a successful team coming second overall in the West Coast Rally Championship and winning the Rally.ie National 2wd Drive Championship. They won numerous other rallies that year and in 2010 finished third overall in the West Coast Rally Championship.

IRELAND’S first ever mainland ferry commuter service will begin in Ballyvaughan this Monday, June 25, with the first official sailing of the Ballyvaughan Bay Hop.

The service will run a week-long trial service to coincide with the final of the Volvo Ocean Race in Galway, with plans to extend the service to a full-time commuter sailing if the demand exists.

Early indications are encouraging for the organisers, with a number of sailings already booked out. The service is designed to a business model which would see Clare commuters using the ferry to get to work in Galway City, with tourists making the return leg of the sailing.

“It is very exciting. We have been waiting a long time for this to happen so it is very exciting now,” said founder of the Ballyvaughan Bay Hop, Gwen Ryan.

“It will be running for a week but already we can see that the demand and the interest is there. People have been booking tickets already, especially coming from the Clare side. To date, we only have a few tickets booked from Galway across but the main target audience for this is tourists who may not even have arrived in Galway yet to book their tickets.

“We have heavy booking on the service from Clare over to Galway and a couple of sailings are already booked out.

“For instance, the Saturday sailing, over in the morning to the Volvo Ocean Race, and back again in the evening is already fully booked out.”

A number of tourist operators in Ballyvaughan are offering discounts to people who use the Ballyvaughan Bay Hop during the trial week in operation.

The “fast ferry” service will be operated by Rib West who are a fully licensed enclosed passenger rib provider.

The vessel can hold just 10 people during each crossing, which makes early booking a priority.

The Ballyvaughan Bay Hop will run three return services each day between Monday and Friday, June 25 to 29. These services will depart the New Pier in Ballyvaughan at 7.45am, 12.30pm and 5.30pm, with the return sailings coming from Galway Harbour at 8.45am, 1.30pm and 6pm.

Three sailing will also take place on June 30, to coincide with the Volvo Ocean Race.

For more information on the service or to book tickets, visit www. ballyvaughanbayhop.com, email res erveyourseat@ballyvaughanbayhop. com or ring 086 8102090.

THE development of a maritime and angling centre at Doonbeg Pier may soon be back on the agenda as MEP Marian Harkins (IND) last week committed to finding funding for the project at European level.

More than half a million euro of funding had been allocated to the project in 2008, but this funding was never drawn down because of a difficulty in obtaining a foreshore license for the area.

The MEP, who visited the pier last week and met with representatives of the Doonbeg Fishermen’s Association, says the Doonbeg Pier is in bad need of development which could mean a major boost for the local fishing and tourism industry.

“It seems extraordinary that a project which was approved funding of € 525,000 in 2008 and is deemed strategically important by Clare County Council has not proceeded,” said the MEP.

“I will be doing whatever I can to bring a fresh focus on a project which will be of great benefit to the economy of West Clare.”

It is, as yet, unclear what “fresh focus” Ms Harkins will be able to bring to the project but some funding from the European authorities could possibly be used to kickstart the project.

Responding to Ms Harkins comment, Senior Engineer with Clare County Council, Tom Tiernan, said that the council did grant the development Part VIII planning permission more than four years ago.

“Clare County Council has never referred to Doonbeg Pier as a strategically important project, as claimed by Ms Harkin.

“However, Doonbeg Pier is zoned for maritime use in the West Clare Local Area Plan 2012-2018,” he said.

“The harbour area on Doonbeg Bay is reserved for the future development of the pier and land-based facilities to accommodate waterbased commercial activities, subject to compliance with all environmental considerations and legislation.

“Clare County Council approved development under the Part VIII at Doonbeg Pier in 2007. The proposal at the time also needed Foreshore Lease approval and this was also sought in 2007.

“Unfortunately, this was never approved and therefore the allocation referred to by Ms Harkin could not be availed of.”

During her visit to Clare last week, MEP Harkin was given an “extensive briefing” on the development.

She said that she would be investigating what sources of funds might be available for what she described as a “very justified project” utilising the uniquely safe and sheltered characteristics of Doonbeg Pier.

ENNIS’ traffic problems are set to be alleviated with the completion of the long-awaited inner relief road, the final phase of which is set to be completed this September.

Ennis Town Council has revealed that work on the completion of the road is set to commence in July, after the announcement that the local authority has signed a € 360,000 construction contract with Gildoc Limited.

The contract provides for the con- struction of 180 metres of single carriageway road, footpaths and services, including new traffic lights at Station Road and Clare Road.

The Ennis Inner Relief Road Section E contract, which will be delivered by Ennis-based Liam O’Doherty Building Contractor on behalf of Gildoc Limited, has a completion deadline for late September.

“I would like to compliment Ennis Town Council for delivering this project which many had feared would not go ahead due to the current fiscal constraints,” said outgo- ing Mayor of Ennis, Michael Guilfoyle.

“However, the necessary funding has been secured to ensure the delivery of what will be a very beneficial infrastructure project for Ennis Town Centre.

“It will complement similar road projects in recent years, including the section of the Inner Relief Road from Station Road to Francis Street and the Ennis Bypass, in further reducing traffic congestion in the Clare County capital.

“Once completed, the new road will link Station Road at Mad- den’s Furniture to Friar’s Walk, the Causeway, Clare Road at Cathedral Court,” explained Eamon O’Dea, Ennis Town Engineer.

“This section of the Inner Relief Road will improve traffic flow to the town centre for customers and visitors to Ennis, and will reduce traffic congestion in the Station Road and Upper O’Connell Street area of Ennis,” added Mayor Guilfoyle.

CLARE TD Michael McNamara has been elected to Labour’s Executive Board, copperfastening his position within the party.

The East Clare man joined the party shortly before the 2011 General Election, and was still considered somewhat of a new kid on the block by some of the longer serving members. However, last week he was elected by the parliamentary party to the national board.

Deputy McNamara will be only one of two TDs to serve the party at this level but he will not be the only Clare man, as Seamus Ryan is also a member of the Executive Board.

“It’s always a great honour to be chosen by one’s peers to represent them, whether they be the citizens of Clare or one’s colleagues in the Parliamentary party. I was delighted to be proposed by Senator Ivana Bacik and seconded by Arthur Spring TD,” said Deputy McNamara.

He fought off competition from Dublin’s Kevin Humphreys TD for the position in an election among the parliamentary party members.

The Clare TD noted that the vote was taken on the day that a controversial report, which suggested that a high proportion of Irish people with young children would be better off on the dole than in employment, was being discussed.

“To me, this is the one of the major issues we have to resolve. Many of our voters who are low-paid workers are stretched to their limit and ques- tion why they are working. There are others, who I met canvassing for last year’s elections and the referendum, who are on the dole and want to work. There are a small few who are on the dole and working.”

He said he now looks forward to getting involved in the party’s policy sub committee.

THE Kiawah Resort Associates group remains “fully committed” to its exclusive five-star Doonbeg golf course resort, despite fears this week that legal action in America could spark a fire-sale of its assets.

The golf course, which was designed by two-time British Open winner Greg Norman and officially opened in 2002, is part of an overall development built at a cost of nearly € 30 million by the South Carolinabased Kiawah Resort Associates group.

However, the company’s minority shareholders have filed a lawsuit claiming that Charles ‘Buddy’ Darby – the majority owner of the firm – has been “siphoning off” and “misappropriating” income and assets for the benefit of himself and his family.

The minority owners – who include members of Mr Darby’s extended family – want a Carolina court to order that both Doonbeg and a resort on the paradise Caribbean island of St Kitts be sold off and the proceeds distributed amongst all the beneficial owners.

In a lengthy complaint just filed in a Charleston court, minority owners of Kiawah Resort Associates have made a number of allegations.

They claim Mr Darby has engaged in a “systematic, unremitting course of conduct” over a number of years to exclude minority partners from the business and affairs of the Kiawah operation.

They say they’ve been denied access to corporate information and that Mr Darby has attempted to “freeze them out”.

Mr Darby, court documents say, secured majority control of the Kiawah business in 1997. The minority partners allege that he has effectively operated the business as his own.

“There is no board of directors to oversee Buddy Darby’s total dominion” of the Kiawah business, they’ve told the court. They say he has also “unilaterally directed profits” from Kiawah businesses to himself and other businesses that have links to his own immediate family.

“Personally, I am disappointed that this action has been taken,” said Mr Darby.

“I would have hoped that the matters could have been resolved out of court and that is still my wish.”

Mr Darby said that the Kiawah group remains “fully committed” to Doonbeg and its “continuing success now and in the future”.

The Kiwah group has accumulated losses of € 48 million, but the company has a target of turning a profit at the Doonbeg resort by 2014.

In 2008, the group valued the Doonbeg links at € 17 million and buildings at € 14 million. Th e e a rly o u t lo o k fo r n e xt we e k is fo r m o re c lo u d s, o c c a sio n a l ra in a n d n o re a l su n n y d a ys ye t .

ALMOST 100 acres of council land adjacent to Ballyalla Lake, opposite Drumcliffe graveyard, is to go under the hammer on Friday.

The sale of the old dog pound site is dependent on numerous factors, not least the wishes of the council members once the deal is done.

Senior Executive Officer, Corporate Services Michael McNamara told last night’s meeting of Clare County Council that the land may not even sell if it does not reach the sale reserve. Council members can also veto the sale going through, as it must return to them for verification once the deal is done.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) warned that he and his Ennis colleagues would campaign to prevent the sale if a periphery around the lake was not retained in public ownership.

“I am very against the sale of any land adjoining any lake. You will not have my support or Ennis Town Council colleagues’ support to sell it and we will vigorously canvas the councillors here to reject it,” he said.

“I think it is clear that the protection of the area around the lake is important to note or it won’t be supported when it comes back here (council chamber),” said Mayor of Clare, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF).

Previously in the meeting, Mr McNamara confirmed that some of the land was adjacent to the lake. He added that the council was retaining a substantial amount of land at the opposite side of the lake.

The discussion on the sale of the land followed a joint motion pro- posed by councillors Johnny Flynn (FG), Tony Mulqueen (FG) and Pat Daly (FF) who suggested that any proceeds from the sale of the 96 acres at Drumcliffe would be ringfensed for the general Ennis area for the provision of sport and community facilities.

County Manager Tom Coughlan told the members that any money received would have to be put into the general council fund and used for the entire county.

He said the councillors had prioritised the building of sports facilities in Killaloe and Kilrush.

“You prioritised that as Ennis has Lee Road, that East and West Clare need similar.”

Clare County Council has already allocated € 300,000 to Ennis Town Council for the all weather pitch at Lee’s Road.

“Proceeds from sales over recent years have been used to fund the provision of assets such as the area depots at Shannon, Kirush, Bodyke and also at the area offices provided at Scrariff and Ennistymon,” said Mr McNamara.

CONSTRUCTION work on the controversial Clare section of the Limerick Northern Distributor Road will not begin until 2025 at the earliest, according to Clare County Council’s leading Engineer.

Senior Council engineer, Tom Tiernan said yesterday that the road – which has prompted local protests in the Parteen, Ardnacrusha and Clonlara areas – was now an aspirational project and something that will affect the “next generation” of residents in the south east Clare area.

“This is not a road for the present. If this was on the table four or five years ago, it may well have materialised very quickly. There was a different definition of ‘future’. We would have to be very optimistic to see that this road would be accommodating traffic in 10 years. That would be extremely optimistic,” said Mr Tiernan.

“We have to hope that this economic situation will turn around but it seems very clear that this [road] will not be done for the foreseeable future. But we have to plan for it. If we don’t plan for it, then other areas of the country will be ahead of us when things do turn around.

“This is a very substantial scheme, which should have positive spin-offs for the region as well. But really we are talking about the next generation and not the current one.”

Local Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) also raised concern over the pubic consultation process for the development, saying that the ESB were allowed to consult on the project on an ongoing basis while the public were only allowed two “insensitive” chances to have their opinion heard.

“The playing pitch was unequal at times. Talks with the ESB were ongoing where as Joe Soap in the public was given just two chances to have their say, and they were very insensitive times where they had to go into a hotel in front of all of their neighbours to say their piece,” said Cllr Crowe.

According to Tom Tiernan, the ESB were spoken to on an ongoing basis because of the “serious consequence” that the road could have for their operations.

“People are upset, it is impossible to develop a road scheme of this nature without upsetting some people,” he said.

“We have to consult with people, we have to be as fair as possible in how we deal with people. Once a route is selected, once funding begins to materialised for the purchase of property, we have to realise that people are being disenfranchised by this scheme.”

THE fact that the Roche Ireland plant in Clarecastle has an incinerator is being held up as the trump card that can save the company from being closed as part of a global restructuring plan being put in place by the company’s cor porate headquar ters in Basel in Switzerland.

Permission in principal for an incinerator at the Clarecastle operation was granted by Clare County Council in early 1996, but was later the subject of the first ever Envi ronmental Protection Agency Oral Hearing before the Roche was granted a licence for the incineration facility in December of that year.

Sixteen years on and with the incineration facility firmly in place, there are hopes among the staff that this could be “the deciding factor” in persuading the Roche Group to retain its Clarecastle operation.

Despite controversies such as incineration and the odour problem that dogged the Clarecastle area in the early years of the plant, Syntex/ Roche’s reputation as a flagship employer in the county has been cemented over many years.

This was flagged from its earliest days of production in 1977, when it employed 180 people and had a wage bill of £750, 000, while within four years numbers employed at the plant had grown to nearly 300 as the company embarked on a £7. 5m investment.

Thanks to the production of the naproxen drug, Syntex had an initial turnover of £10m, a figure that trebled in the early ’80s as employment soared and an expansion of facilities allowed for a four-cycle seven-day week operation.

In 1994 the Clarecastle company became part of the Pharmaceutical Division of the Roche Group as it acquired the Syntex Cor poration in a $5.3bn worldwide takeover that resulted in it being re-branded as Roche Ireland from 1996.

Employees at the Clarecastle plant come from a wide range of disciplines and include chemists, engineers, manufacturing and laboratory technicians, craft-workers, accountants and IT specialists.

There are four automated manufacturing plants on site with room for further expansion, with the company priding itself of being “a manufacturing centre of excellence for the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients destined for conversion to medicines in dosage form at other Roche facilities throughout the world”.