The Clare People Archive

Wheelchair group launches calendar

KILRUSH is well known for its mar- itime heritage, traditional music and past association with St Senan and the Vandeleur landlord family.

Less publicised, is Kilrush Wood, located within a few hundred metres of the town centre. The wood, which also has a restored walled garden, is now regarded as one of the flagship tourist venture in Clare.

Woodland and town are linked historically and socially: the name Kilrush is derived from the Irish Cill Rois, meaning church of the wood or wooded peninsula.

The wood has a holy well named after the sixth century monk, St Senan, who founded the nearby mo- nastic settlement in Scattery Island. The influence of the Vandeleurs is still evident in both town and wood. They were largely responsible for the unique design of Kilrush, now listed as a heritage town.

The 175 ha wood formed part of the estate of the Vandeleurs, a Dutch family who established a seat in Kil- rush around 1687. Crofton Vandeleur was responsible for the design of the walled garden, surrounding park- lands and wood up to his death in 1795.

The family had been highly regard- ed up until the mid-nineteenth cen- tury, but their popularity waned due mainly to the harsh treatment meted out to some of their tenants during and after the Great Famine.

The West Clare Railway linked

Kilrush with the national rail net- work in 1892 but by then the rela- tionship between tenant and landlord had deteriorated further, especially when Hector Vandeleur – an absentee landlord – took charge of the estate. When the house – built in 1808 – was destroyed by fire in 1897, it effective- ly marked the beginning of the end of the Vandeleurs as major landlords in the area.

The Land Commission took pos- session of the estate in the 1920s and the woodland was taken over by the then Forestry Division and today is managed by Coillte.

The garden itself has been sensi- tively restored and redesigned. It has a variety of plants, trees and shrubs while the centre has a coffee and craft shop and hosts a permanent ex- hibition ‘Kilrush in Landlord Times’, a reminder of both sides of landlord-

ism. Despite the darker side of the Vandeleurs, the people of Kilrush have resisted the temptation to air- brush the name from their history.

Instead they have named the re- stored walled garden after the family and have retained the name in one of the town’s streets.

Like the planting and care of the woodland, it is a confident gesture that looks to the future while ac- knowledging the past without being consumed by it.

It is a gesture that is in tune with the words of T.S. Eliot: “Time present and time past /Are both perhaps present in time future, /And time fu- ture contained in time past.”

KILRUSH is a town that has been unnecessarily hard on itself.

It is a maritime town, with a herit- age that local history groups around the country can only dream about. It has a community spirit that 1s unique for an urban environment and its people have a sense of identity and belonging that is both welcoming TOO Ms Nu0F

Yet for so long the town has had a major concern over how the rest of the county and country perceives it.

It had – like many urban centres – its anti-social and crime problems, orchestrated by a small group that had for a while infected the psyche and self-belief of this charismatic town.

Many community and _ business leaders were critical that the town they loved was given negative public- ity on a daily basis and feared that all the good work was being ignored.

It became critical of the messen- gers, but failed to see the entire mes- SERSZoR

But of late, Kilrush has been win- ning significant battles in its cam- paign to become a centre of business to challenge the county town, while retaining its unique west Clare iden- WIAA

The town council began work on John Paul Estate, long before na- tional Government saw the merits in developing local authority estates

to include community facilities and tackle pockets of urban decay where criminal activities could fester.

The mothers and fathers of John Paul Estate will soon have a place to bring up their children in safety and happiness. These good people have for so long put up with unacceptable elements in their community but the Kilrush spirit has seen them fight to reclaim their homes and a decent quality of life for the next genera-

tion.

At the other end of the town, an- other chapter of the town’s story is unfolding at the Kilrush Creek Ma- unt

While a €50 million development may be delayed or altered because of the recession, there is no doubt that the people of Kilrush are determined to see such a development there some day in the not so distant future.

At the turn of this century when

the economy was just about to grow, Kilrush boasted a marina develop- ment that is impressive even by to- day’s standards, a development the people now plan to build upon.

Just a few hundred yards away, the Merchant Quay Development had brought a new lease of life to the rey aee

National and international retailers are also showing faith in the town with Super Valu, Tesco and now

Aldi jostling for position in the retail market.

Talks are in progress to build a new community building to house the many voluntary and semi-state or- ganisations supporting the town.

Thousands of visitors visit the area every year to see the spectacular Vandeleur Walled Gardens, Scattery Island and the Marina.

The Yacht Club has gone from strength to strength in the town, and now attracts regattas to the west Clare coast. The club has also brought in- ternational acclaim to the town with the successes of “Chieftain” and the “Spirit of Kilrush”’.

Festivals such as Eigse Mrs Crotty have attracted music lovers from all over the world, and as other Irish towns failed to attract civil servants under the Government’s decentrali- sation project, Kilrush secured more than 50 jobs in the new Revenue Of- fices.

A new hotel is badly needed in Kil- rush, but even that is at hand with L and M Keating committing itself to such a project.

From its town council to its cham- ber of commerce; from its volunteer groups to its sporting organisation, there is an openess dealing with dai- ly issues that gets things done.

In an era when political bodies and groups fear speaking their minds, in Kilrush there is an honesty of opin- ion that you may not always agree with but will always respect.

ENNIS Town Council should use money secured from development levies to develop the Post Office Field.

That was the view of Fine Gael councillor Johnny Flynn who broad- ly welcomed the proposals outlined in the draft concept plan.

“Significant planning and develop- ment levies have been got by both Clare County Council and Ennis Town Council over the last number of years,” said Cllr Flynn.

He added, “This project is ideally suitable to utilise the amenity recrea- tion portion of unused levies. If the plan is acceptable to all it could be developed in stages subject to fund- ito

Cllr Flynn, however said he was unhappy that a proposal to develop a library was included in the concept plan.

“The library building should be removed from the plan and the pro- posed amenity improvements should be put on public display in order to get the public’s views,’ said Cllr hare

He added “If the library building or any building is built at the Bind- on Street end of the field, important views from Parnell Street car park to Bindon Street and back from Bind- on Street to the river would be lost. These views were deemed important in environmental studies carried out by Brady, Shipman and Martin, in a consultants report to the Council in the 1980s.”

Previous reports and studies have proposed retaining the Post Office Field as an open space in the centre of Ennis accessible to the public.

A total of 21 submissions were re- ceived by Ennis Town Council fol- lowing a public consultation process in 2005 to determine the most appro- priate way to develop the field.

Nine submissions supported allow- ing public access to the field with a

futher three submission also high- lighting the benefits of making the area more accessible. Three submis- sions objected to developing direct public access to the field.

A report prepared by the Town Engineer Tom Tiernan in June 2005 concluded that following the public consultation process “it would be in- appropriate to consider building de- velopment”. He went onto state that

“the Post Office Field should thus be a natural amenity facility to be ap- preciated by the people of Ennis and visitors alike”.

A concept plan for the Ennis Town Centre drawn up in 2004 stated that “the River Fergus and adjacent Post Office Field form the greatest natural assets of Ennis town centre”’.

Post Office Field is people’s park

THREE east Clare fire-fighters were among a group who were honoured for their long and heroic service last week.

At the sixth National Long Service Awards ceremony, held at the Red Cow Moran Hotel in Dublin, 20-year service awards were presented to Joe Moloney (retired Sub Officer), Dav- id Culloo (Sub Officer) and Martin Tuohy (Station Officer) of Scarriff Fire Brigade. Meanwhile, Kilrush Station Officer Martin Cahill re-

ceived a Long Service Award for 30 years of service to Clare County Fire and Rescue Service.

Congratulating the recipients, Min- ister of State and Clare T.D. Tony Killeen said, “the awards are a ges- ture of the appreciation of the people of Clare for the magnificent work these fire service personnel have done throughout their careers, which has helped all of us feel safer in our homes.”

“Significantly, the ceremony is also the State’s way of expressing its grat- itude for the huge contribution they

have made towards the security of its citizens,” he added.

Mr Killeen – who is a former Min- ister of State, with special responsi- bility for the fire service – praised the commitment and professionalism of the long serving fire fighters

“The service indicative of the high- ly experienced personnel employed by Clare County Fire and Rescue Service.”

Minister Killeen also offer effusive praised the Fire Services Council, which hosts the awards ceremony each year.

“The council, through its central training programme, continues to provide command and control train- ing for all officer ranks and specialist training in responding to road traffic accidents, hazardous materials inci- dents and command and control for ship fire-fighting while in port.

“The council also provides appro- priate courses in fire safety engineer- ing for suitably qualified fire service personnel. This suite of training courses supplements the training provided locally within fire authori- ties’, he said.

MEMBERS are this month celebrat- ing the 10th anniversary of the Can- tare Chamber Choir.

Formed by a group of friends who shared a love of singing, the Ennis based choral group have been regu- lar performers at numerous charity and community based events in the last decade.

The choir took its name from the Italian expression ‘Cantare’ which means ‘a love to sing’.

“That’s exactly what we are all about,’ explained choir director Geraldine Bradley, “Everyone in the group had a real love of singing. We’ve really enjoyed performing over the past ten years.”

That love of singing is reflected in the wide range of songs that can be heard at the group’s weekly rehears-

als in the St Peter and Paul Cathe- dral, Ennis.

“We sing anything really, from ren- aissance music right up to modern stuff,’ said Geraldine.

If you’ve attended a fundraiser in Ennis anytime in the last decade, then chances are that you’ve seen a performance by Cantare.

From supporting organisations like the Samaritans and Clare Haven to opening the Ennis Book Club Festi- val, the choir has always been keen to Support community themed events.

“We are very much a community based choir. We only enter the odd competition. Our main focus has al- ways been on supporting community based events,’ said Geraldine.

She added, “Last year we _ per- formed at the Christmas concert for the Samaritans. We’ve done the Mental Health Association concert,

which was in October. We were part of the 50th anniversary celebrations for the Poor Clares and we performed in the Cathedral when Cardinal Sean Brady was in Ennis”.

The big date on the calendar this year for the 14 members of Cantare is December 14, when, along with the Ennis Cathedral Choir and the Colaiste Muire Choir, the group will perform in the Cathedral at a special mass for Clare Haven.

Cantare also enjoy close links with the other groups and musicians in Ennis’s musical community.

“There are a lot of choirs in Ennis and I think that shows how much of an interest there is in music. We’ve performed with a lot of instrumen- talists and young talented musicians. Albert Hogan played with us. Fiona Walsh from the Ennis Gospel Choir has helped us out. Michael Hennessy

and his piano group have played with us. It’s a community effort,’ said Geraldine.

Cantare have performed at events outside Clare, in Enniscorthy and Limerick and Geraldine is hopeful that the group will get the opportu- nity to do so again.

After Christmas, the next big con- cert for Cantare takes place in March. “We normally break for the summer, with people going away and all that,” explained Geraldine.

And, as Geradine was keen to stress, new members are always wel- fey salen

MENINGITIS B remains the most common strain of the virus in Clare, despite the almost complete eradica- tion of Meningitis C thanks to vac- CHT IBCeyEF

While welcoming the news that there has been no cases of Meningi- tis C in the county since 2002, the Meningitis Trust said people must remain vigilant when it comes to the other bacterial form of the disease – Meningococcal B more commonly called meningitis B.

As many as 19 cases of the strain were reported in the mid west in 2006, with almost 150 cases notified from 1999 to 2006. There have been no deaths from this strain of menin- gitis in the mid west since 2003 when three patients died.

According to Geraldine Mills from the Meningitis Trust there have been more than 200 cases of Meningococ- cal disease notified since 1999 in the mid west region, including Clare Die e-rC Me blyoe-lae

Of those who survive meningitis, it is estimated that 15 to 20 per cent

can be left with mild to severe after- effects, including deafness, epilepsy, and behavioural problems amongst others. Where septicaemia has oc- curred, scarring and amputation can also be an after-effect.

Meningitis can strike in an in- Stant, but the effects can last a life- time according to the Trust. People are asked to be on the look out for early symptoms which can easily be mistaken for those of flu and include fever, headache, stiff neck, dislike of bright light, drowsiness, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, confusion and in some, but not all cases, a rash. Symptoms can appear in any order and some may not appear at all.

Carole Nealon, General Manager of the Trust, said “With Winter upon us, it is all the more important to err on the side of caution, be aware of the signs and symptoms of meningi- tis, and seek medical attention as a matter of urgency if you suspect the Chere ional

The Meningitis Trust has a special 24 Hour nurse-led helpline that peo- ple can ring with any concerns. The number is 1800 523 196.

POLES and other non-nationals who came to Clare with great hopes of the Celtic Tiger are heading home.

While many are leaving because they find it difficult to get jobs, re- ports are emerging of non-nationals being let go out of turn while Irish employees are being kept.

Orla Ni Eili of the Immigrant Sup- port Centre in Ennis says that she has heard reports of foreign nationals be-

ing let go in this way.

“These are not formal complaints, but we have heard about it. A number of foreign nationals working in the country have said they were let go despite the fact that there were Irish people employed after them.”

Ms Ni Eili said she has been trying to get people to tell her which em- ployers are using this practice “but I haven’t been able to find out. I im- agine it’s because people feel quite powerless in these situations”.

The claims come as Mayor of Clare, Madeleine Taylor Quinn stresses that “people must be treated equally, re- gardless of their nationality”’.

She was addressing last week’s Polish Independence Day celebra- tions in Kilrush. The recession, she said, “is areal test of our society; how genuine we are in difficult times”.

At the height of the building boom, there were 2,000 Polish people living in Kilrush and surrounding areas, the Mayor said, but she added that figure

has since dwindled. Ms Ni Eli has anoticed a big rise in the number of foreign nationals eager to repatriate.

“A lot have gone and others are planning to go after Christmas. I think it’s the case that immigra- tion to Ireland was a chain process, where people who came here and found work was plentiful told their friends and family at home. Now that scenario 1s working in the opposite way, she said.

Lithuanian state agencies targeted

fellow citizens working in Ireland with jobs fairs in Dublin and Mona- ghan at the weekend.

The events were being hosted by the by the Lithuanian Ministry of Social Security and Labour under the title ‘Saddle Up Your Horses’.

“With the Irish jobs market shrink- ing, many Lithuanians are consider- ing the option of returning home. Three thousand job vacancies were on offer,” a spokesman for the event said.

MEETINGS are taking place this week between SIPTU officials and union members in Aer Lingus after a proposed agreement was hammered out between the sides at the Labour Relations Commission.

An alternative proposal to outsourc- ing has been developed between SIP- TU and Aer Lingus management in talks held under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission. SIP- TU will be consulting with members in advance of any ballot on the new proposals.

The aim is to complete the process before December 4.

There will be no industrial action

or strike action commenced during the process, but if SIPTU members reject the proposal the union man- date remains live and can be acti- vated if the company proceeds with eo) EL Rolen ner baton

Both sides are remaining cautious about revealing any details of the alternative to the management out- sourcing proposal outside union and company circles, but it’s understood that the LRC recommendations af- ter extensive talks will depend on expectations that many staff will choose to accept voluntary severance packages.

The agreement also presumes that a number will leave the company and return under new pay and cond1-

tions.

Staff who stay on current terms of employment will keep their current pay scales, entitlements, overtime rates, annual holidays and shift al- eee

Based on a review of the operation in Shannon, payroll savings will in- clude an overall 35 per cent reduction in staff with staff being employed on new terms and conditions.

A Shannon Handling Unit will be set up to allocate duties in the cargo and ground handling operation and staff will be required to work flex- ibly.

A pay pause will also be in place until July 2010.

The alternative plan will have to be

given approval by the members be- fore the full threat of a strike action, Jobe] OMOrO LEN (CM ODLMNU elem vel UR inett-MOE-RVoll period, can be ruled out.

Meanwhile, there have been sug- gestions that the company may be looking at returning the Heathrow service to Shannon.

Company chairman, Colm Bar- rington, said in a letter to Clare County Council that if the airline can get its cost base right at Shannon and generate sufficient passenger num- bers “we will be prepared to consider PNOMVanepes toa

Recent figures from Belfast show that passenger numbers on the route are falling behind what they had at Shannon by 27 per cent.