The Clare People Archive

A BANK account has been set up to support the families of the striking workers at the Cliffs of Moher Centre as industrial action enters its second week at the landmark tourism site.

The striking workers have refused any donation from the public up to this point but, due to a large number of collections being organised around the county, they have established an account to manage funds coming in.

Industrial action has been ongoing at the Cliffs of Moher since last Thursday. The row centres around pay and working condition for the SIPTU members who believe that they should have the same status as employees of Clare County Council. Cliffs of Moher Centre Ltd is a private company which is owned in full by Clare County Council.

“Nobody is a winner in a strike situation. We are doing a good job of keep morale up but I think it goes without saying that everyone would prefer to be back working as normal,” said local SIPTU rep Tony Kenny.

“We have had a lot of people asking where they can donate to the workers. We have been refusing this up until now but a number of collections have been held in different work places around the country and we have set up an account to deal with this.

“The workers are not being paid while they are on strike but instead they are given strike pay by the union – which is a very small payment. It is just enough to keep people going.”

Meanwhile, management at the Cliffs of Moher have denied that anyone has been charged improperly at the centre since strike action began.

As a long established public right of way exists at the Cliffs of Moher, a € 7 charge is applied to visitors who uses either the parking facilities of the interpretive centre. However, a number of bus divers have refused to pass the picket line and instead dropped tourists on the side of the road. These tourist were charged on entering the facility, even though they did not park on site.

A spokesperson from the local authority confirmed that a number of busses had decided not to use the parking facilities but the people in these buses were charged for viewing the exhibitions.

The spokesperson said that the council was “not aware of anybody who wished to exercise their right to use the public right of way and was charged for doing so”.

PARENTS have been urged to remain vigilant on Clare beaches and bathing areas this summer to avoid wasting lifeguards’ time

The call was made by the Head of Clare Civil Defence, Liam Griffin, who said it is very important that parents ensure children do not go missing, particularly when beaches are busy. Mr Griffin, who is also head of water safety with Clare County Council, said lifeguards should be focused on ensuring the safety of water users.

He said, “People going to the beach with children. I would urge all parents to be concious of their children’s location at all times on the beach.”

Mr Griffin added that when parents fail to keep a close eye on their children lifeguards’ time is often “wasted” looking for them. He said this is has an impact on lifeguard’s duties particularly at a time when beaches are busy and the “water is full of people”.

Mr Griffin has also urged members of the public to only swim at lifeguarded beaches and to be concious of flags that are used. The prescence of a red or yellow flag indicates that lifeguard is on duty at a beach.

A red flag means it is dangerous to swim, while the flying of two yellow flags on a beach means it is ony safe to swim between those two points, Mr Griffin explained.

“And absolutely under no circumstance should people swim after drinking alcohol. If a person has eaten, they should wait at least an hour before going in the water,” he added.

Lifeguards will be on duty everyday at 11 Clare locations from from 11am to 7pm, until the end of August. The bathing areas area – Bishop’s Quarter, Ballyvaughan; Fanore; Doolin; Lahinch; White Strand, Miltown Malbay; Spanish Point; Seafield, Quilty; White Strand, Doonbeg; Kilkee; Cappagh Pier, Kilrush and Ballycuggeran, Killaloe.

Mr Griffin said a review lifeguard cover will take place in August to determine the level of cover needed for September.

He said that emergency services had been involved in a number of rescues at Clare beaches since the summer began.

Mr Griffin also urged people to respect life rings located along rivers in Clare. He said that while the problem was “not as bad as of late”, it was still an issue in Ennis. He explained that that there had been “awful problems” with people throwing life rings into the River Fergus. He said that this tended to happen after night clubs closed on Friday and Saturday nights.

WORK ON A 22-unit housing development in Shannon which has raised concerns among locals is to resume this week, after a new contractor was appointed.

Clare County Council has entered into an agreement with Atlantic Developments Ltd. to complete the affordable homes at Glaisse na Rinne.

The scheme started in 2009 and came to a standstill in August 2010. The council terminated the contract with the original builders and the work has been at a standstill since then. The work is expected to be completed within 16 weeks.

While it is expected to assist in reducing housing waiting lists in Shannon, residents living in the nearby Cluain Airne estate say they want a number of issues clarified.

“While it is great that we can get it finished, we are still unclear about the new legislation by Minister Willie Penrose that the affordable scheme is gone. When these 22 are finished as affordable, our problem is if the next phase goes ahead, will they be social? Do they still go ahead as affordable or do they have to reapply under social?” said the secretary of the Concerned Residents of Cluain Airne group, Nicole Murphy.

“Do they still go ahead or do they have to reapply under social? We were objecting completely to the houses from day one because of where they were built and if they were social houses we were objecting. We were promised it was going to be affordable,” said Ms Murphy.

“There may be a start date but what is the actual story on these houses?” she asked.

“We want to know if parking has been allocated for the residents of Cluain Airne as parking was promised. Also the last bit of the green area needs to be restored. We want it done as soon as possible. We want a guarantee. We don’t want social housing down there, not when affordable were agreed to,” she added.

Since the concerned residents group was set up in 2007, they repeatedly stated that they did not want the houses built in the area and argued that there was inadequate infrastructure in the area to cope with the new houses. Residents also expressed concerns over the closure of the right of way.

Meanwhile, Shannon councillor Patricia McCarthy (Independent), paid tribute to the existing residents of the area who she said “have had to endure living beside a development site and the consequent inconvenience for much longer than they had ever anticipated”.

Cllr McCarthy is one of a number of elected representatives in the town who raised the issue since the project came to a standstill last year.

A TEENAGE boy falsely imprisoned his mother and sister and assaulted his mother in their own home, a court has heard.

Counsel for the State, Stephen Coughlan told Ennis Circuit Court yesterday that gardaí were called to the accused’s home in Ennis at 10.30pm on July 29, 2009.

He said that the boy – who was then aged 15 – was being restrained by his mother in a bedroom of the house. Five knives were removed from the scene, which, he said the accused had discarded during the incident.

“The accused came into the bedroom of his mother while she and her daughter were getting ready for bed. He produced five knives and threatened to kill his mother and subjected his sister to urinate into a rubbish bin,” said Mr Coughlan.

Arising out of the incident, the boy’s mother sustained a laceration to her finger and received treatment in hospital.

He said that earlier that day, the mother had disapproved of her son visiting patients in the acute unit of a hospital and had also refused to al- low him to use the internet.

“He admitted threatening to kill his mother and intimidating his mother and sister and causing his sister to urinate in a rubbish bin and cutting his mother’s hand with a knife,” said Mr Coughlan.

He told the court that the boy did not have contact with his father for some years and had a “good relationship with his mother”.

The court heard that the boy’s mother and sister did not wish to give evidence.

Defence Counsel Pat Whyms said that the boy has since undertaken an intensive programme which included counselling. The facilitator of the programme he has engaged in told the court that the accused was admitted towards the end of 2009. “He would have presented quite a fragile young man, quite distressed in himself, quite guarded,” she said.

She said he has fully co-operated with the programme and contact has been rebuilt between the boy and his mother.

Judge Carroll Moran ordered that the boy committed to keeping the peace and be of good behaviour for a period of three years.

A BARRISTER yesterday told a court that a 22-year-old Kilrush man developed an addiction to heroin while in prison, having been drug-free prior to his admission.

The statement was made at Ennis Circuit Court, in the case of Eamon Hall (22), of Wood Road, Kilrush. He admitted burgling a house in Kilrush in May 2010 and a shop in the town in October 2010.

Garda Donal Corkery told Ennis Circuit Court yesterday that in the October incident, property and cash valued at more than € 10,000 was taken (including cigarettes, clothing and cash), while € 750 damage was caused to the premises.

The court heard the shop was ransacked.

In the other incident, two people were seen running away after a man heard noise in the bathroom of his home in the early hours of the morning. The other individual, a juvenile, has since been dealt with by the courts, the court was told.

The keys to the man’s premises were stolen from his home, which the defendant told gardaí he threw away. He told gardaí he was looking for money in the house.

The court heard at the time, Hall, who has more than 20 previous convictions, had a “chronic drug problem”.

His barrister Yvonne Quinn (instruct- ed by Eugene O’Kelly solicitor) said that he made “full and frank admissions” to gardaí. She said he had been drinking and was on drugs at the time.

She told the court that her client was jailed in 2009 and while in prison he developed an addiction to heroin.

“Prior to going to prison he was drug free. When he was released he was a heroin addict,” she said.

Gda Corkery replied, “He became addicted to heroin in the past two years.”

However, he added that he was not aware of where the addiction was born.

Ms Quinn added, “Drink and an addiction to drugs were the sole motivation behind these crimes. . .

“The sole motivation was a desire to obtain money to feed his drug addiction and his alcohol addiction. He realises they are the root of his difficulties.”

She said that her client’s life began to “spiral out of control” when his addiction developed, but added that he is now drug free, having undergone counselling.

Judge Carroll Moran said he accepted that the offences were committed to feed an addiction and that the accused is now off drugs.

He added, “He pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. Without his admissions there would not be any case against him as a matter of probability.”

He imposed a three-year jail sentence suspended for four years and bound him to the peace.

A CASE alleging VAT fraud relating to amounts totalling € 1.55 million has been adjourned in the circuit court.

Derek Floyd (36), of 21 Lower Main Street, Tulla, is facing 41 charges, on dates between March 2001 and January 2004.

He is facing 14 charges of failing to remit bi-monthly VAT returns; 12 charges of claiming VAT repayments which he was not entitled to; 11 charges of making false tax returns and four charges of making incorrect VAT returns.

At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Judge Carroll Moran said that an extra judge would be brought in to hear the case, which is expected to last for at least three weeks.

However, he said that in advance of this being organised, “we have to be certain that the case is in a position to proceed next term”.

Defence Counsel Pat Whyms said that documents were sought and this were only received last Friday.

“I’m not saying we are not in a position to go on, but we just received this material,” he said.

The judge adjourned the case until September, while the court will be told when then case is likely to proceed.

AN EAST Clare woman has spent the last month going door to door around thousands of houses in the east Clare area, looking for her dearest friend her 13-year-old dog, Punch.

Carmel Gooney has spent hundreds of hours over the past four weeks travelling along roads and across country looking for the missing Pomeranian, who has had prayers said for him and even a candle lit in his name in Knock.

Punch, who has a heart condition and is partially blind, is of great sentimental value to Carmel’s family, having been nursed back to health by Carmel’s late mother when he was just a puppy.

“His eyesight isn’t the best and he is on heart medication. He is of fierce sentimental value. My own mother died about four years and, when Punch was a puppy, he was in a traffic accident and lost all of the power in his legs. Myself and my mother taught him how to walk again. So there is a great connection there to my mother. Now that he is gone and she is gone, it is very lonesome, to be honest,” said Carmel.

“He went missing around June 17. He went missing from my house in Scariff on June 16 and was found by a local woman. Unfortunately, she didn’t realise that he was lost so she let him go. So the last sighting was on June 17.

“He wouldn’t normally roam anywhere but if a neighbouring dog was out for a walk he might follow them. But his eyesight isn’t great so he could find himself somewhere and not be able to find his way home.”

One bright side of Carmel’s monthlong search for Punch is the support that she has received from the local people.

“I’ve been covering as much ground as I can. I’ve covered Scariff, Mountshannon, one side of Woodford, around Feakle, Killanena and Caher. We also have people looking out for us through the animal welfare groups,” continued.

“I’ve met people who have been looking for him, people who I have never met before in my life. I have found one thing out, though, the good will of people is amazing. People have been ringing up and saying prayers. One woman even lit a candle for him in Knock. The good will of the people has been something else.”

Punch is orange with a small white spot on his chest – similar looking to a small fox. Anyone who comes across Punch is asked to contact Carmel on 086 2699317.

PRESIDENTIAL hopeful Michael D Higgins will be back on home soil next month for this year’s Merriman Summer School.

Higgins was one of a host of new speakers announced for this year’s event, which is expected to generate some fireworks in Lisdoonvarna with a number of very topical issues up for discussion.

Besides the focus brought to the events by the Presidential Election, a number of speakers have been added to the programme who have had, and continue to have, an intimate connection to the upcoming Children’s Rights Referendum.

The Summer School will be opened by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald (FG).

Also added to this year’s programme is former minister, Mary O’Rourke (FF), who played a role in the development of the Children’s Rights Referendum, as well as Fintan O’Toole, Joseph Dunne and Maria Corbett.

“I think when you look at the Cloyne Report and all the issues that have been in the media for the last number of days, then you do realise the importance of the topic,” said local organiser Marian O’Callaghan.

“Mary O’Rourke, who was very involved in the commission which looked for rights for children, will chair a heavyweight group in a discussion on the whole topic, so it should be very interesting stuff.

“Overall, though, this year’s programme will have the usual great mix that you would expect from the Merriman and, speaking as a Lisdoonvarna person, I am very happy to have it back here again this year.”

The director of this year’s Summer School is Professor Nóirín Hayes,who is a highly regarded expert in early childhood education and children’s rights and will attempt to address issues relating to Irish childhood, past and present, and consider a vision for the future.

“I think most of the topics are very timely.

“We often finish the festival with a general talk or chat and Michael D will taking time out from the campaign trail to do that this year,” continued Marian.

This year’s Summer School, which is on the topic of ‘Changing Irish Childhoods’, will take place in Lisdoonvarna from Wednesday. August 17 to Sunday. August 21.

For more information, visit www. merriman.ie.

THE PEOPLE of Shannon are being afforded the opportunity to build their own boat, which in time is expected to be involved in regattas.

The Shannon Traditional Boat Building Club was set up a couple of years ago, and facilitated the building of a fishing currach in September 2009.

The interest was such that the club has now decided to build another boat – in the SkyCourt shopping centre.

The club has started building the boat and meets every Thursday evening for 12 weeks at a vacant unit in SkyCourt to continue with the work. The base has been built during the past four weeks and further touches will be added over the next eight weeks until it is completed.

Greg Duff is one of those involved in the committee. “It’s about holding on to the old skills and traditions,” he said. “There has been a lot of interest, including from people who are out of work or retired. They are different ages, mostly people in their 40s and 50s,” said Mr Duff.

The adult education committee in Shannon provides a tutor who assists with building the boat. The tutor, Steve Morris, who hails from New Zealand, has experience in this area, having worked on an old turf boat in Querrin.

“The long-term thing would be we want to build a few currachs and get the younger people to get involved in the regattas around the coast,” said Mr Duff. “We gave the last one to the West Clare Currach Club. This one will be kept by ourselves to use. We are right on the estuary. We would love to have small little sailing boats and have a sailing club in the future,” he said. Members of the public are welcome to turn up for any of the weekly sessions every Thursday from 6.30pm to 9pm. “There is good interest. It is a new club and a club that is something different in this time of recession with loads of people off work,” he said.

GARDAÍ across the county are appealing for the public’s assistance in an effort to solve a string of burglaries and thefts over the past week.

Homes in Ennis, Shannon, Sixmilebridge and Flagmount were broken into, while people had property stolen in incidents in Sixmilebridge, Ogonelloe, Quin and Scariff.

A chainsaw, LCD television and Honda generator were stolen during a break-in to a house in Drummin, Flagmount, during the day last Thursday.

In Ennis, a house on the Gort Road was ransacked and damage was caused to it when intruders made their way in between Thursday night and Saturday morning.

In another incident, a garage on the Limerick Road in Sixmilebridge was broken into when a front door was forced open, between 1am and 9am last Monday. A box of CDs was stolen from the home.

Cash from a handbag was taken from a house in Cronan Park, Shan- non, in the early hours of last Tuesday, after a door was forced open.

Gardaí are investigating an incident in which a car had a corrosive substance poured over it while it was parked in the grounds of Ennis Tennis Club on the Mill Road in the town between 2am and 12 noon on Wednesday.

A range of tools were stolen from outside a house under construction in Ogonelloe overnight on Thursday. These included a Topcon laser level, an angle grinder, rotary drill and kango hammer.

In other incidents, a landcruiser jeep was stolen from outside a field in Moyriesk, Quin, last Wednesday morning; a trailer was stolen from Drumgeely Hill in Shannon last Tuesday; scaffolding planks were taken from a site at Ballyroe, Sixmilebridge, while a quad bike was stolen from Moynoe, Scariff, at around 7pm on Friday evening.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Ennis Garda Station on 065 6848100 or any Garda station in the county.