The Clare People Archive

THE quality of teaching Construction and Wood Technology at St John Bosco Community College in Kildysart has been described as “very good” by Department of Education inspectors.

According to an evaluation carried out, effective learning takes place, while the subject plan represents a very good start on which to base further planning.

The report recommended that “further development of active methodologies should be used to further improve students’ learning”.

“Well structured lessons were conducted at an appropriate pace. Lesson content was presented very competently. Demonstrations of practical skills were of a high standard.

“However, more opportunities should be created for students to participate more actively in their learning. Well structured group work in theory lessons should be used to encourage more collaboration between students who should then be enabled to share with the whole class,” stated the report.

“Learning was effective. Students were interested and fully engaged in classroom activities showing appropriate levels of knowledge and understanding of the subjects. Students approached the subjects with enthusiasm and inquisitiveness and on occasion made contributions that indicated a high level of engagement,” it added.

It recommended that closer supervision should be provided for students who are allowed to use more hazardous machines such as the band saw.

Planning for the lessons observed was described as “very effective” and included the use of a wide range of resources including digital resources and ICT equipment.

“Good use was being made of the overhead projector, notably in a CS theory lesson. While this was effective, it is suggested that the transparencies in use could be scanned for use with the data projector to increase their flexibility as a resource,” added the inspectors.

FRENCH TEACHING lessons at St Anne’s Community College in Killaloe have been described as “well structured” by the Department of Education.

Inspectors visited the school and monitored the teaching of the subject, after which they made various recommendations.

According to the inspectors, the lessons are “well structured and paced” and instructions to students are clear.

There are three French teachers at the school.

It stated that there is a good atmosphere in classes, along with a good classroom management, with students “purposeful” in their work.

“However, in a small number of instances, more time could profitably be spent on preparation for an exercise before the students begin to work on it on their own.

“The modelling of answers or the use of a cloze-type exercise as a preliminary activity would provide support for students and would lead to a more successful learning experience.

“This is of particular importance when dealing with mixed-ability classes.

“Some students may need extra assistance from the teacher while the more able students could be encouraged to work independently by checking their answers against the relevant verb tables in the text book.

“Monitoring students’ progress through checking whether students found an exercise easy or difficult would also help in gauging the effectiveness of an activity,” stated the inspectors’ report, which was published last week.

“Where students are found to be having difficulty with a particular concept or with a key element such as numbers in French, this could form the basis for a concerted effort by all the teachers to address the issue over a period of days or weeks,” added the report.

A number of significant strengths were found during the evaluation. It found that there is a strong com- mitment to the provision of modern foreign languages in the school and the majority of students study a foreign language. The report also noted positively a mentoring scheme that is in place to assist new teachers and the target language is well used by the teachers for classroom communication and for teaching lesson content.

The teaching of grammar is a particular strength at the school, while there is a good emphasis on oral assessment in the senior cycle, according to the report.

A NEW report has described the standard of teaching and learning at Cranny National School as being of a very high standard. The whole school evaluation by the Inspector for the Department of Education and Skills focused on the quality of teaching and learning in English, Irish, mathematics and drama.

Published last week, the report found that, “Throughout the school, very effective differentiation strategies are used. Accordingly, lessons are very well matched to pupils’ levels of ability.”

Apart from the high standard of teaching, the report states, “A positive atmosphere pervades the school.

“Pupils are very well behaved and they engage in all activities diligently and with enthusiasm.”

According to the report, “The classrooms are well-maintained and provide stimulating and supportive learning environments. An abundance of helpful materials relating to many aspects of the curriculum is displayed.”

The report also makes a number of recommendations. It states, “The Board of Management is advised to assume a more pro-active role in school self-evaluation and in overseeing the quality of teaching and learning in the school and the standards achieved by pupils.”

The Board was also advised to compile and distribute and annual report on the operation of the school “as a means of enhancing communication with the general parent body”.

The report also recommends greater emphasis on drama.

According to the report, “The Board of Management of the school was given an opportunity to com ment on the findings and recommendations of the report; the board chose to accept the report without response.”

Cranny National School currently caters for 26 pupils and has two mainstream class teachers.

At the time of the evaluation, there were no pupils enrolled in first class or in fourth class.

The report stated, “The principal provides dedicated leadership to the school.

“She is committed to instigating improvements in teaching and learning through the use of a range of appropriate approaches and initiatives in each class.”

It continued, “She ensures that the school is well-resourced and that organisational and curriculum plans are implemented consistently.”

The report states that pupils “approach their learning with diligence”.

LIKE a hare that escaped the greyhounds is how Judge Joseph Mangan has this week described his retirement.

In his first interview since his retirement, the 66-year-old told The Clare People that his “initial feeling is like the hare that has got to escape before the grounds come. I am relieved to get to the finish line before I got the sack.”

“I’ve been on the bench for 27 years. It’s a long time to spend at it. I think I have worked very hard. I have had enough. I’m of retirement age. I could have retired last year if I wanted to. The job isn’t getting any easier. The volume of work has increased enormously,” he said.

“I’d feel very cheated if I didn’t get to enjoy a few years of retirement,” he said.

He said that he gave informal notice of his intention to retire at the end of July but the President of the District Court asked him to reconsider and defer his final decision until September.

“I did so and I gave formal notice of retirement in the first or second week of September,” he said.

During his time as a District Court Judge, he has always aimed to remain objective and remain detached, something that was not always possible. “The judge’s mind is a clinical mind… By and large you don’t bring it home with you and the same ap- plies to prejudices. You don’t bring it on to the bench with you. When you are on the bench you are more concerned with implementing the law in a just way, if you can, than you are about implementing an agenda. It’s not the function of a judge to be a crusader,” he said.

“Maybe it’s selfish of me but I was always more concerned about whether I had done the job properly than I was about the sadness of the story.

“You just couldn’t survive in this game if you reacted to every sad story the same as some sentimental person who always brings a handkerchief to the cinema.

“There was one young man I knew who came before me for quite a serious charge. It was not going to be dealt with in the District Court so there was no reason for me to disqualify myself from the case. I had met him when he was a child. He was one of the most mannerly little kids I met.

“When he came before me I found that hard to take. Most people who came before me were for a speeding summons or a bald tyre. They are not hanging offences. There is no problem about that,” he said.

After travelling the country as a moveable judge for more than 17 years, he was appointed to District Number 12 – which covers Clare and parts of Galway – in 2001. He has seen plenty of changes over the years.

“My coming here [to Ennis] coin- cided with the take-off of the Celtic Tiger. Whatever changes I saw it is difficult to discern whether they were caused by the advent of the Celtic Tiger or whether they were specific to this district. Certainly public order cases increased in the district around that time. I think the answer is probably a combination of both [the introduction of the Public Order Act and the Celtic Tiger],” he said.

“I think there has been a very noticeable decline in public order cases in the last three to four years, pre- sumably because a lot of young people have left the country. In relation to drugs, the drugs squad locally are very alert to what’s going on. One thing that has to be a cause for great concern is that when people had a lot of money the tendency was to use softer and safer drugs. Now that money is scarce, we are seeing more of the harder drugs,” he said.

He has seen the family law courts becoming busier in recent years, but said, “Just because the volume of family law cases has increased in the courts, doesn’t mean there has been an exacerbation in family law problems. There were always family law problems but in the past there was greater tendency for people to suffer in silence.”

Over the years, he has had to disqualify himself from hearing cases, due to his acquaintance with defendants.

“That was very simple. In a parking court I would have no problem dealing with my grandmother because she would be one of 50 people who are all dealt with in a similar way. In a family court if you have the slightest acquaintance with a person you don’t touch the case.

“Other cases are in between. Sometimes I would disqualify myself. Sometimes I would deal with the case,” he said.

“What no judge appreciates is being ambushed in court, observing a defendant in court flanked by one or two mutual acquaintances lest that the judge might not know who the defendant was, the acquaintances often being pillars of the community,” he added.

“There are occasions when somebody will try to bully the court. Sometimes fire must be met with fire,” he said.

Throughout his career, several of his rulings have been overturned by a higher court. “It’s just another person’s opinion.

“That person is entitled to his or her opinion as I am entitled to mine. I have my day’s work to do. If there is an appeal, the case becomes somebody else’s problem,” he said.

“I never worried about giving decisions in criminal cases. If I had a doubt I would dismiss the case. The law states you must have a reasonable doubt. I have to confess I never quite knew the difference between a doubt and a reasonable doubt,” he said.

“I never worried unduly about wronging the State in a criminal matter because the price we pay for a half civilized legal system is that 1,000 guilty men must walk free to ensure that we don’t convict the innocent man.

“Even with the system we have, innocent people still get convicted,” he said.

“Wronging an individual is another matter and that troubles me as I’m sure it troubles all my colleagues. One would especially want to get it right in a family case. It’s not always easy,” he added.

AFTER SITTING on the bench at Ennis District Court for more than 10 years, Judge Joseph Mangan’s final day in court was filled with good wishes, with a bit of luck for the very last defendant who came before him.

The judge’s farewell speeches were timed for 2.30pm but ran a little late as the final cases were being heard. As the courtroom began to fill up with wellwishers – mainly members of the legal profession, the probation service, current and former colleagues and gardaí – after lunchtime, Judge Mangan quipped, “I see a lot of familiar faces in the court. I think I may have to disqualify myself from a lot of it.”

Moments later, he let the last defendant before him off the hook. It was a road traffic matter and the judge told the accused, “You are the equivalent of the one millionth purchaser of the Volkswagen Beetle. Go and sin no more.”

Earlier in the day, during one of the judge’s last cases to hear, a solicitor suggested a lenient penalty for his client, given the occasion.

During a hearing into a public order charge, solicitor Stephen Nicholas suggested that his client be given the chance to contribute to the court poor box “given the day that’s in it”. Judge Mangan replied, “I thought you were going to say given the day that’s in it, a contribution to myself.”

He agreed to the request and dismissed the charge under the Probation Act on condition that € 100 be paid to the poor box and this was done immediately.

IN HIS FINAL speech on the bench at Ennis District Court, Judge Joseph Mangan asked for forgiveness of anyone he wronged or anyone who suffered as a result of his actions over the years.

After telling listeners twice that he was overwhelmed by the tributes, he said that he was seeking “forgiveness to anyone I may have wronged or anyone who suffered through any mistake I made during my time on the bench. I appreciate that forgiveness might not be readily forthcoming but that’s not to stop me seeking it”.

“I’m overwhelmed by these plaudits. I’m at a loss to know what I’ve done to deserve them,” he said, as he prepared to bid farewell to a career as District Court Judge.

The career spanned almost 30 years; 17 and a half of which were spent travelling around the country, before he was appointed to his native Clare in 2001.

During that time, he came across people from all walks of life and, in his farewell speech, he didn’t forget any of those. From court clerks, to gardaí, to prison service staff, to the caretakers of Ennis Courthouse to solicitors, to probation service staff, to traffic wardens, to the media – there were words for everyone.

He had a particular word of praise for retired caretaker of Ennis Court- house, Ned Monahan, and said he was “particularly pleased” to see Ned in attendance in the packed courtroom. He also had high praise for Ned’s successor, Seamus Mullane, who is the current caretaker.

He said he had “nothing but the best of memories” of gardaí who served in the Clare district and paid special tribute to those who prosecuted courts in front of him. “You never see an inspector at a photo call but when things go wrong they are the ones who get the flak,” he said.

He said that the State Solicitor for Clare, Martin Linnane, adopted a “passionate and common sense way” in dealing with prosecutions, “never seeking a pound of flesh”. He said that solicitors in Clare have adopted a “standard of advocacy that is second to none in this country”. He said he was particularly flattered that eight judges turned up to wish him well and said that recently retired Judge Michael Patwell had been a huge support to him over the years.

In reference to Judge Eamon O’Brien, who has sat at Ennis Court on occasions in recent years, Judge Mangan said, “You could be seeing more of Eamon in the future. I don’t know what the odds are but I think they are better than Dana!”

He said that the Clare District was unique in that there have only ever been four judges appointed – Judges Dermot Gleeson, Gordon Hurley, Al O’Dea and himself.

He described the court clerks as the “unsung heroes” of this court, who, “do all the donkey work” and like garda inspectors rarely appear in front of the cameras but pick up the pieces when things go wrong. He paid tribute to his wife Susan and four children for their support over the years.

Thanking all who attended for the occasion, he stood up for the last time at 4.05pm on Friday. Showing emotion and trembling and with a pile of retirement cards in his hand, he rose for the last time and walked quietly to the judge’s chambers. It was the end of a memorable career on the bench.

RETIRED Judge Joseph Mangan’s reputation is “bordering on the legendary”, is a “rare intellect”, with a “mind like an encyclopedia”.

As warm tributes were paid to the District Court Judge, who sat in court in Ennis for the last time on Friday, his love of literature, general knowledge, foreign languages and Gaelic games were remembered.

The 66-year-old, who is from Kilmihil, announced on Thursday that he was going to retire the following day, after a 27-year career as a judge. Despite the short notice, colleagues from across the country travelled to Ennis Courthouse for his farewell on Friday afternoon.

The judge, who was appointed to the bench in 1983, has been the presiding judge in Clare since July 2001. During that time, he has sat at Ennis District Court, along with the courts across the county and in Gort, Athenry and Kinvara in Galway. He was one of the country’s longest-serving judges.

Among those in attendance included eight judges, many of who had worked closely with Judge Mangan over the years. They were Judges Tom O’Donnell, Gerard Haughton, Aeneas McCarthy, Gerard Furlong, David Riordan, Michael Patwell (retired), Eamon O’Brien and Tim Lucey.

Judge O’Donnell, who sat in Limerick for several years prior to his appointment as Circuit Judge earlier this year, referred to Judge Mangan as a “wonderful colleague and good friend”. He recalled how when he was appointed a judge, “he marked my card and told me what to do and how to behave”.

“His reputation is bordering on the legendary,” said Judge O’Donnell.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy, who sits in Ennis District Court on occasions, said Judge Mangan is “certainly a rare intellect” with a wide variety of knowledge. He said he always has a “constructive contribution to make”. “He is extremely interesting to have a pint with and is great company,” he said.

Judge Michael Patwell recalled looking at Judge Mangan “with fear and trepidation” when he was practising as a solicitor, but that he later became his “unofficial mentor” when he was appointed a judge in 1990.

He said that Judge Mangan has a “mind like an encyclopedia” and quipped that if anyone is ever on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, the ideal friend to phone is Joseph Mangan.

“It’s amazing what the man knows and the languages he can try his hand at,” he said.

County Registrar Pat Wallace told the judge that his day in the sunset has come and said, “You always maintained your independence and free spirit”.

Solicitor Brian McMahon, on behalf of the legal profession, said he was always treated with the “utmost courtesy” by the judge. “Being a judge now in the District Court is very trying and testing. You have handled all of that without fear or favour,” he said.

State Solicitor for Clare, Martin Linnane, noted that the judge was strict in his application of the 42-day rule for completion of Books of Evidence, adding, “I thought you could have at least given us 42 days’ notice!”

“You have shown great patience to many solicitors who go on at length,” he told the judge.

Chief Superintendent John Kerin said the role of the District Court Judge is “complex and difficult” and said that in the face of an increasing workload, the judge treated everyone fairly, “regardless of their standing or background in society”.

Owen Ryan of the Probation Service in Clare and Bill Hamill of the HSE, also paid tribute to the judge, as did the President of the Clare Law Association, Mairead Doyle and Brendan McDonald of the Courts Service.

Mr McDonald said that Judge Mangan had “seen more change than any judge in the country”.

Chief Court Clerk in Ennis, Josephine Tone said she and her staff would be sorry to see the judge retire.

“He never let himself be compromised or influenced. He was always impartial and fair. He had a social con- science, showed sensitivity and was caring for those with addictions or on the margins of society,” she said. He said that the judge always thought long and hard before distributing the proceeds of the court poor box to various organisations every year “for the betterment of the people of Clare”.

“He was always available for courts at any hour of the day or night,” she said. Ms Tone also paid tribute to his wife Susan who she said was always “pleasant and hospitable” to court clerks who called to the house in the course of their work.

DETAILS of proposed new flood defences for housing estates near the Watery Road in Ennis have been outlined in a report by Ennis Town Council.

The proposed development comprises of an embankment along the eastern side of the River Fergus between the southwestern edge of Willow Park housing estate and the western perimeter of Westbourne. The embankment is to be constructed on the existing flood plain, which is located between the river and the Watery Road.

The works also comprise a pumping station and an area of ground that will be excavated to form a retention pond for temporary floodwaters.

The Willow Park residents association (2) and David Casey made submissions on the proposed development.

The report states, “David Casey (12/8/11) – raises concerns that the proposed development will result in flood waters been directed to Cusack Road / Victoria Court side of the river and that as such the said development should be refused; Willow Park residents association (9/9/11) – wishes to object to the proposed development on the grounds that it will leave Willow Park vulnerable to increased water levels during flood events.”

The planning report, prepared by Executive Planner, Andrew Hersey, responded to concerns raised by residents of Willow Park and Elm Park that the development will result in an increased chance of flooding to the estates. Referring to reports compiled by area engineers, Mr Hersey writes, “It is stated in these reports that the floor levels of dwellings in Willow Park exceed that of the proposed embankment.”

The report continues, “In this respect the proposed development will not result in an increased chance that this estate will flood during severe weather events. With respect of Elm Park, I note the report from the area engineer on file which states that flooding occurred to Elm Park as a consequence of localised flooding from the road which resulted as a consequence of a blocked storm drain specifically during the flooding event of November 2009 and not as a result of flooding from the river. Works will be carried out on said drain so that this will not happen in the future and that the council are seeking funding with regard to the same.”

The report states that the proposed embankment will be on par with the level of dwellings in Elm Park. “In this case the embankment would have to significantly breach during severe weather conditions so as to cause flooding.”

Mr Hersey recommended that the development proceed having regard to a number of conditions.

THE exploits of an Ennis man who was considered to be one of the most flamboyant figures of 19th century politics are set to be exposed to the present and future generations thanks to the University of Chicago.

In what is considered to be boon to historians of 19th century Ireland, the library at the university is now giving free on-line access to thousands of documents relating to Charles James Patrick Mahon – better known as The O’Gorman Mahon, who hailed from Newpark House in Roslevan.

The O’Gorman Mahon, who lived from 1800 to 1891 was a key figure in Ireland and internationally, first coming to prominence when, along with Tom Steele, nominating Daniel O’Connell to stand for parliament in Ennis in 1828 – an election that paved the way for Catholic Emancipation the following year.

Some of Mahon’s numerous correspondents include: Ellen Courtenay, Daniel O’Connell, Ferdinand de Lesseps, Lord Palmerston, Ann Choquet, John Adams-Acton, Henry Cardinal Manning, Captain William O’Shea, Lord Francis Conyngham, Charles Stewart Parnell, William Gladstone, John Redmond, James O’Kelly, T.P. O’Connor, and G.O. Trevelyan.

“Perhaps the most noteworthy segment of the correspondence is the group of nine letters from Charles Stewart Parnell, dated from 1880 to 1888, including three written from Kilmainham Prison,” a spokesperson for Chicago University has revealed.

“In addition, there are three drafts of letters from Mahon to Parnell, including one of a reply to a telegram sent by Parnell. It was written after the O’Shea divorce proceedings had been completed and Parnell was attempting to reassert his authority in the party,” the spokesperson added.

Mahon was elected M.P. for Clare in 1830, while 49 years later he was also returned as an M.P. and again in 1885 as the parliamentary career in the county spanned nearly 60 years.

However, he earned a worldwide reputation as a career solider. The Czar of Russia appointed him lieutenant in his international bodyguard, a position above many of his generals. He held the rank of captain or general under most of the flags of Europe and colonel in the French army under Napoleon III. In the 1860s, he was a general on the side of the Uruguayan government in their civil war and fought in the American civil war on the side of the North.

CONCERNS over burglaries and the theft of scrap metal and home heating oil will be on the agenda when the Joint Policing Committee meets in Shannon later this month.

One of the JPC meetings is held in public every year and the next Shannon meeting, on Monday, October 24 (Oakwood Arms Hotel), at 8pm, is open to the public.

Those with queries on crime prevention and general policing are invited to attend the meeting and submit any questions in advance of the event. It will give members of the public the chance to make their views known or ask questions of members of the committee which includes gardaí, local councillors and community representatives.

The chairman of the Shannon JPC, Councillor Tony McMahon, said that home security is an issue for homeowners in the town. However, he said that overall, residents are generally happy with the crime levels in the town.

“In Shannon, we don’t have a whole lot of issues. Security has been a concern. There have been a number of break-ins. There are concerns in some areas. Heating oil and scrap metal seem to be the focus of a lot of attention. People need to be alert and aware of that. Overall, though, policing is working quite well in Shannon.

“There is always a concern about drugs but when we look at the figures presented at each meeting the gardaí seem to be in control,” said Mr McMahon.

“Public order is not a huge factor,” he added.

He said that a number of local disputes, which have led to concern in some parts of the town “wouldn’t reflect on the overall situation in the town”.

“In general, the crime levels are as good as can be expected in a town of its population,” he said.

“We would like to see more gardaí on the beat but there are a number of gardaí on bikes which is good,” he added.

A number of local schools including community alert, neighbourhood watch and business watch schemes have been set up in Shannon and surrounding areas over the past few years. These have been credited with preventing some crime in the area.

“They seem to be working very well. The two community gardaí there are to be commended,” said Mr McMahon.

He is urging people to attend the public meeting. “It is essential that people attend public meetings. It’s a forum giving people the opportunity to express their concerns,” he said.

Those interested in submitting queries should do so to the Shannon Town Clerk Liam O’Connor: email shannontclerk@eircom.net or phone 061 362319 by 5pm on Friday.