The Clare People Archive

BEEKEEPING seems an unlikely urban hobby but it is one that is thriv- ing in Ennis.

The Banner Beekeepers is a vo- lountary association with over 50 members in Clare with around half of these living in Ennis.

Now the association is looking to attract new members with a series of talks and workshops, the first of which takes place at the Teagasc Centre, Ennis on March 6.

The Banner Beekeepers provides a support network for those starting out in beekeeping plenty of advice can be found from more experienced

beekeepers.

The association is also holding a five-week evening course – An Intro- duction to Beekeeping, to be held at Teagasc on Thursday nights.

A number of activities, including lectures by well-known beekeepers, are being lined up for the year ahead. In May the association intends set- ting up a new bee apiary in Inagh.

The Irish Seedsavers Association, Scariff are also setting up a bee api- ary and have been granted permis- sion for its use by the Banner Bee- keepers during the summer

Aoife McGuiness of the Banner Beekeepers explained that Ennis represents an ideal environment for

beekeepers.

She said, “Anyone can learn to keep bees whether you live in the country or town. Clare is an excellent county for bees and honey production and no area more so than Ennis. Many people think that if you live in a town or city that it would be impossible to keep bees”

“There are numerous beekeepers that keep a hive or two in their back garden. As long as you acquire a nice docile strain, they will not bother ZT ONO) onal

‘There is also plenty of nectar for the bees to collect in the gardens of a town’.

She added that bee products have

many uses some of them medici- nal, “Honey is the most commonly known product of the honeybee, which is produced from the nectar of blossoms. Apart from tasting so good, it is a natural antiseptic, and is full of enzymes.”

“The honeybees produce many other useful products. Local honey is very beneficial to those who suffer from hayfever because of the local pollen content. Propolis is another by-product. It contains antiseptic properties and 1s said to have benefi- cial effects on sore throats”.

For more info enkene bannerbees@gmail.com or contact 087 6743030.

A MASSIVE community effort is underway in Ennis as preparations continue for St Patrick’s Day.

The showpiece of the day, the St Patrick’s Day Parade will commence at 11 am from the courthouse.

The parade in Ennis in recent years has attracted large crowds of onlook- ers and has grown in popularity as a community event. Stilt walkers will also be at the parade to entertain the onlookers with their own form of pe- destrianisation.

The theme of this year “event is cel-

ebration, providing participant with plenty of scope for imagination.

The traditional blessing of the shamrock will take place before 12.15 mass at the Ss Peter and Paul Cathedral.

The party continues after the pa- rade is ended, when in conjunction with celebrations taking place for Seachtain na Gaeilge, a massive street céili is planned for O’Connell Square.

Town Clerk Eddie Power explained the street entertainment will be a major feature of the day, before and after the parade itself.

He said, “I am delighted to an- nounce that Ennis Gospel Choir will perform in O’Connell Square before the parade from 10.20am to llam. The choir recently performed in Glor to much acclaim and have given per- formances in Cork, Killarney and Limerick. The choir will perform a variety of well known songs and will appeal to a wide audience”.

“We are also arranging a Street Session in Lifford before the parade commences. Traditional musicians from Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann will entertain the waiting crowds in advance of the parade. A stage will

be in place as was done prior to last year’s parade which raised the pro- file of the musicians while improving sound and vision for the onlookers present,” he said.

Power continued, “Ceoltoiri na Mainistreach, a new céili band from Ennis, were formed by a group of very talented musicians from the En- nis area.

‘They first came together for the Clare Fleadh and went from there to Munster and on to the All Ireland competition in Letterkenny. This promises to be enjoyable for all the family.”

told the story of a couple who ran into difficulty and their child was subsequently taken

from them.

The drama occurred at a mo- tel, where Philly Phillips (Hickey) W010 .

, came in the wake of calls for the farmers’ market to be reinstalled.

The market moved to SkyCourt, having been operational at Drum- geely for two years previously. Whilst in Drumgeely, it had fallen victim to the weather on several oc- casions and then moved to the new plaza at SkyCourt almost two years ago. However, it has since faded out.

Councillor Patricia McCarthy (In- dependent) said she is hopeful that the market can get back up and run- ning in Drumgeely “as a priority”.

“I’m just wondering can we resur-

rect it. It was good for Shannon. I’m hoping we can get it going again.

“TI just don’t want it to die. It worked well in Drumgeely. It is a good idea if we get it going again. People want it back,” she said.

In a statement, management for SkyCourt said, “The farmers mar- ket at SkyCourt was initiated on the town square in May 2006. Widely advertised and promoted, it proved popular and successful for the first two months. However, it became ap-

parent that the number of producers available was no longer sufficient to provide a diverse range of foods for Shannon customers.

“The number of farmers markets throughout the country has grown without a corresponding increase in the numbers of producers. SkyCourt remains very supportive of the farm- ers market concept and is willing to have discussions with any parties in- terested in relaunching the Shannon market,” said the statement.

A PRIMARY school in Shannon has reduced its litter by a massive 80 per cent, as part of an environmentally- friendly initiative which has been undertaken over the past year.

St Aidan’s school is preparing for its very first application for a green flag and these plans are currently reaching their final stages.

Under the initiative, which is run by An Taisce, schools can apply for green flags every two years. The scheme is a reflection of a school’s efforts towards keeping the environ- ment clean.

A new composter has been pur- chased for St Aidan’s, while packag-

ing has also been reduced over the past year.

“We have cut down on packaging on lunches and the children take all their rubbish home in their lunch boxes,” said co-ordinator Brenda OE Te co

The school has put an end to the use of paper towels and the students bring in face cloths instead.

“We have cut down the litter that goes to the landfill by 80 per cent and we have also cut down on recy- cling by 80 per cent in the past year,” added Ms Clarke.

“We used to have 16 to 18 refuse sacks and two huge bins and now we have just two sacks,” she added.

As part of the school’s initiative,

an environmentally-friendly day was organised last Friday, February 29.

According to Ms Clarke, the school adopted the theme ‘Extra Day, Extra Green’, for Friday, which was the ex- tra day for the leap year.

“All the children were encouraged to bring in their lunches in reusable containers and the only snacks were fruit,” she said.

“We are trying to make the chil- dren aware of the amount of lit- ter that is caused by packaging and more aware of the use of paper in the school,’ she added.

An added incentive is a fun compe- tition run by the teachers every week. The children with the least amount of packaging get prizes at the end of

the week!

So why is the school now applying for the green flag, for the first time?

“We had looked at it for the past few years, because we were recycling pa- per and cardboard. It had been in the backs of our minds for a while, but needed the support of everybody in the school,’ she said.

The full backing has been given by the 14 teachers and 280 students and hopes are high that the flag can now rom-lesbeA (ore b

has learnt that the most up-to-date results of tests on the Ennis water sample show traces of the parasite cryptosporid- Lebeee Town Engineer Tom Tiernan has told the paper that the results re- ceived by the local authority as late as yesterday are no cause for public oleae “It was a very, very low level and well below the level necessary to re- vise the notice issued about it,’ he STH (em The local authority in conjunction with the HSE issued a reminder to

the 30,000 water consumers in the Ennis area on Friday to continue to observe a partial boil notice, after three children were reported to be suffering from the disease Crypt- osporidiosis.

Cryptosporidiosis 1S a parasitic disease affecting the intestines of mammals that is caused by Crypt- osporidium.

According to a Clare County Council spokesperson, “the partial boil notice was put in place because the supply is considered to be at risk and is designed to protect children under five, persons whose immune system might be compromised and visitors to Ennis.”

The partial notice has been ongo- ing since May 2005 when five chil- dren fell ill with Cryptosporidiosis.

Mr Tiernan said that there was no proof at the time to link the water supply to the children.

When asked why the boil notice re- mains if the water 1s clear Mr Tiern- an said the supply is “more vulner- able’ because there is a temporary water treatment plant in place until the new plant is completed in 12 months time.

‘There is nothing in the water. It is precautionary,’ he said.

The town engineer assured the public that the reminder was a precautionary response to the con-

firmed cases of cryptosporidium, and there is little or no evidence to suggest that the illnesses are as a re- sult of the water.

According to the engineer the wa- ter 1s tested up to four times a week for the cryptosporidium parasite. It cannot be tested on an ongoing basis every day as it takes several days for the results to be determined.

Mr Tiernan admitted that the re- sults of last Thursday’s sample, which was received by the council yesterday, showed traces of the par- asite however.

He said that the sample showed minute levels of the parasite and “was way below concern levels”.

ENNIS residents with low immune systems have been warned to boil the water as three young children from the town were diagnosed with Crypt- osporidiosis late last week.

One of the three, who are all under five years old, was taken to hospital suffering from what has been de- scribed by the Health Service Execu- tive as a serious disease.

The HSE issued a statement say- ing that whilst no link has been es- tablished between the illness and the local water supply, caution is being ANGMAR oLe B

No other explanation for the cause of the illness had been offered at

time of print last evening.

The health service has contacted GPs and other health service provid- ers to make them aware of the need to investigate symptoms of gastro- enteritis and to report any suspected cases of the illness. Creches in the area are also being advised about the need for vigilance.

There are between 60 and 70 cases of Cryptosporidiosis confirmed in the mid west area every year, which includes Clare, Limerick and Tipper- ary.

The vast majority of cases occur in springtime and early summer. It can also be associated with outbreaks of PO KOLS ICSU LBL

Cryptosporidium are tiny parasites

that are mainly found in the faeces of infected animals or humans. Hu- mans are infected when they ingest contaminated food or water, or touch contaminated objects and then touch their mouth before washing their Ja DaLeKAN od 0B

In a special leaflet issued by the HSE west warning people of the ill- ness, it outlined the unpleasant symp- toms as diarrhoea, tummy pains and headaches.

The most common way is for the Cryptosporidium cysts to be passed from one person to another by direct contact. This is more likely if the source person has diarrhoea.

Thorough hand washing and dry- ing are the most important factors in

preventing this spread. Towels must not be shared.

Farm visits, or animals brought into school classrooms, may be a source of infection for children. Thorough hand washing reduces this risk.

Water in streams and lakes close to where animals graze maybe contam- inated with Cryptosporidium cysts.

“Very rarely contamination of wa- ter supplies can lead to outbreaks of infection,’ the HSE said.

The incubation period – time be- tween being infected and becoming unwell – is about two weeks. The ill- ness may last for a couple of weeks.

In people with weakened immune system, Cryptosporidiosis can be a serious and long-lasting infection.

A DISPUTE between a solicitor and his former client over fees for circuit court proceedings were aired in the district court last week.

Solicitor John Rynne, of Abbey Street, Ennis, took the case at Ennis District Court (civil) against Denise Dalton, arising out of previous cir- cuit court proceedings, in which he represented her.

Mr Rynne claimed that Ms Dalton owed him €5,743.50, but she claimed that was ‘excessive’ and that they had agreed orally on a €4,200 fee.

Last week’s case arose from a cir- cuit court matter last year. In that case, Denise Dalton (45), of Sonas,

Shanaway Road, Ennis, took a case against an Ennis hair salon, arising out of a perm that went wrong, on May 26, 2003.

She said she suffered itching to her scalp, on the night of the visit to the ar Demnr-D(0)0F

The following day, her hair started to fall out and she noticed a smell coming from her scalp. That case was settled in the circuit court in February 2007.

Ms Dalton’s barrister told Ennis District Court last Thursday that his chent was “taking substantial issue with the figure’ Mr Rynne claimed he was owed.

He said that the fee of €4,200 had been agreed, on February 1, 2007

and his client was willing to pay that amount.

“You said you would charge no more than three times what the bar- rister would cost. His costs were €1,050, so the total came to €4,020,” said the barrister. Mr Rynne denied Wen ke

Ms Dalton, who is currently a trainee barrister, told the court that Mr Rynne told her the fees would not exceed €5,000, in a conversation on February 1, 2007.

“The bill was excessive. It was in breach of our oral agreement,” she SrHTOR

Mr Rynne told the court that Ms Dalton “got as good a settlement as she could have got on the day, which

we still stand over. I did a job for her and I’m entitled to my costs for it.

“She’s perhaps confused, given the stress of the day (in the circuit court). I still remain unpaid, as is the bar- rister in the case,” he added.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy said, “I am satisfied an oral agreement did come into existence between the plaintiff and defendant, to the effect the plain- tiff would receive three times that of a barrister’s fee, or a maximum of €5,000. I’m satisfied that agreement formed a binding legal contract be- tween the plaintiff and defendant,” he said.

He awarded a decree of €4,200 to Mr Rynne, but awarded costs to Ms Dalton.

AN ARGUMENT between three young boys over football ended up in court after the mothers of two children were charged with offences arising from the incident.

Mary Tubridy, of 9 Cluain Lia, Shannon, was charged with assault- ing Carol O’Kane of 22 Cluain Lia, Shannon while Mrs O’Kane faced a public order charge, on October 1, 2006.

Mary ‘Tubridy’s son James (12), told Ennis District Court he had been playing with his friend Jason Hoban close to the home of another boy, Matthew O’Kane. He said that Math- ew O’Kane came over and asked if he could play soccer with them.

James Tubridy then said that Math- ew O’Kane’s mother, Carol, “came out and caught me by the throat and said ‘what did you call my son?’”

The court heard that soon after the three boys had met, Mathew O’ Kane ran home and told his mother that James Tubridy had called him a “t***i no bastard”.

Following the confrontation be- tween Carol O’Kane and James

Tubridy, the court was told that James went home and told his par- ents that Mrs O’Kane had called him a “f***ing bastard and a bul- ly”. A short time later, Mrs Tubridy challenged Mrs O’Kane about the incident. It was during a verbal al- tercation between the two that Mrs

Tubridy was alleged to have assault- ed Mrs O’Kane by striking her in the rede

In her evidence, Mrs O’Kane ad- mitted that she confronted James Tu- bridy and reprimanded him for using language at her son but denied that she grabbed him by the throat.

Carol O’ Kane told the court, “I was sitting on the fence and she came right up to me with her fist clenched. There was an argument between us. She went to punch me in the face but I turned my head and she hit me in the neck.”

Judge Aeneas McCarthy acquitted Ms O’Kane. “In the case of Carol O’Kane, she did say she raised her finger and her voice was raised at this young man but I don’t think her behaviour reached the threshold high enough to convict her under the Pub- lic Order Act,” he said.

“In the case of Mary Tubridy, I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that she did assault Carol O’Kane. She admitted to the guards in her statement that she hit her about the face. I will mark it proved but will adjourn the matter for a period of six months and if there is no trouble in the meantime, I will apply the Proba- tion Act,’ Judge McCarthy said.

“These are neighbours and apply- ing penalties would only aggravate the situation,” he added.

DISTRICT court sittings in Kildysart and Corofin have become a thing of the past, while court hearings will not take place in Ennistymon for at least 18 months.

The Courts Service has decided to move Kildysart cases to Ennis and Kilrush, while Corofin cases will be heard in Ennis and Ennistymon, on a permanent basis.

The Ennistymon court hearings, which have taken place in the Teach Ceol for several years, will now move

to Kilrush.

The Courts Service has stressed that the Ennistymon move is only a temporary measure as it is close to reaching a decision on a new venue for the town’s court hearings.

The decision, announced last week, came in the wake of District Judge Joseph Mangan repeatedly voicing his concerns about the poor condi- tions of the Teach Ceol in Ennisty- mon and the Corofin venue.

The Teach Ceol building was cold and accoustics were poor. Over the past three years, personnel from the

Courts Service have made attempts to find a more suitable permanent venue in the town, but this hasn’t suc- ceeded. It 1s expected that a new ven- ue will be opened within 18 months.

While legal sources expressed satis- faction that the venue in Ennistymon is to be replaced, they did express hope that the decision to move the monthly sittings to Kilrush would be a short-term one.

The regional manager of the Courts Service, Brendan McDonald, said the plan is for a courthouse to be opened in Ennistymon.

“The judge has had enough of the cold and the poor accoustics. It is no longer suitable,’ he said.

He said the decision to move the Ennistymon cases to Kilrush and not Ennis was because Ennis was “very full with High Court and Central Criminal Court sittings.”

The Kildysart and Corofin sittings took place in the local community halls, which were not suitable for court hearings, according to the Courts Service.

“There were only 53 cases heard in Kildysart last year, while in Corofin

the conditions were appalling, with no consultation areas and no judge’s area,’ said Mr McDonald.

Kildysart Councillor Oliver Garry (FG) said locals fear the removal of the courthouse may be just another part of local services being eroded.

“The only thing I’d get worried about is everything is closing in rural areas. There is always concern about these things,” he said.

Lahinch Community Council chair- man Donogh O’Loghlin said the poor conditions in Ennistymon were ‘an insult to our courts system”.