The Clare People Archive

THE chairman of the Shannon Air- port Authority (SAA), Pat Shanahan is expected to advance the case for an independent Shannon Aijrport when he appears before a high level Oireachtas Committee tomorrow.

Mr Shanahan’s appearance before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport on Wednesday follows on the SAA lodging with the DAA the 10-year business plan for an inde- pendent Shannon Airport.

Mr Shanahan resigned from his role as executive chairman of the SAA last October in protest at the failure of the DAA to inform the SAA of Aer Lingus proposals to transfer the Heathrow slots to Belfast.

Remaining as chairman, Mr Shana- han said that he would concentrate all his energies in securing autonomy for Shannon.

The State Airports Act 2004 envis- ages Shannon having full financial independence.

However, talks on a €36 million restructuring deal that went on for over 18 months were only complete last year involving the voluntary re- dundancy of 200 workers.

The restructuring plan allowed the SAA to formally lodge the business plan with the DAA last November.

The plan envisages Shannon’s €67 million debt being assumed by the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) and an injection of capital for a new US customs clearance facility and works to the airfield and other infra- Seg eCel ab cen

The business plan envisages just 20 per cent of the current level of US troop movements through the air- port.

Clare TD, Timmy Dooley (FF) is a member of the committee and said yesterday that he is looking forward to the SAA’s proposals being put for- ward in a very public way before the Loynabasblaneron

He said: “The critical focus will be on the business plan.”

A DUBLIN man who imported a haul of cannabis resin from Brus- sels, via Shannon airport, to pay off a drug debt has been jailed for four years.

Paul Hand (22), from Malahide in Dublin, admitted possession of drugs with a market value of €13,000 or more.

He was caught with cannabis resin, valued at €21,000, at Shannon air- port, on August 28, 2006.

Ennis Circuit Court heard yester- day that Hand had flown to Brussels on August 25 that year. On his return three days later, he was apprehended by Customs and when his suitcase was searched, the drugs were found.

The court heard that his own drug habit cost him up to €500 per week and he had imported the drugs to pay off a debt.

Hand’s barrister David Sutton, SC, said the accused had co-operated fully with gardai and had expressed remorse. He had since given up drugs, he said.

He pleaded guilty to the charge, which he said was at the lower end of the scale in terms of value.

He said it did seem to be a very “foolish enterprise” carried out for another individual and his client had

been naive.

Judge Carroll Moran said the im- portation of drugs was a serious mat- ter.

“Even though the value is small and the illicit drug is cannabis resin, which is not as poisonous as other substances, it’s still a Misuse of Drugs Offence,’ said the judge.

“You have to be living on another planet not to know that the legisla- ture expects and demands heavy sen- tences (for drugs offences),” he said.

The judge told Hand that investigat- ing Garda Michelle Holian had been fair to him and said “I hope you are appreciative of that.”

Noting that the accused was a pleasant individual, the judge said, “It is very difficult to send such a man to prison,’ and imposed a four- year term.

A l7-YEAR-OLD who refused to co-operate with the welfare services after being in court on 12 charges re- solved to follow instructions after a stint in custody.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was before Ennis

District Court on charges including stealing a car, theft of a generator and fraud.

Judge Joseph Mangan heard that the boy had been in custody since the be- ginning of November and read a re- port from the probation and welfare service which said he was not engag- ing with the after-care services.

But his solicitor, Marina Keane said the boy had been in custody since November 4 “and does not want to go back there. He knows now what he has to do and is willing to do a FAS course and co-operate with the Services.”

Judge Mangan said that the charges were of a Serious nature and he did

not want to see the accused go out of the hands of the court entirely.

He fined him €100 and disquali- fied him from driving for five years on the car theft charge.

On other charges he placed him on probation for two years and remand- ed him on bail on the two remaining charges to April 11.

A JUDGE said yesterday that ‘deal- ing in drugs is a pernicious activity’ and the State expects judges to 1m- pose tough sentences for drugs of- fences.

Judge Carroll Moran made the comment as he imposed a two-year jail term on an Ennis man, who ad- mitted possession of amphetamine and cannabis resin, for the purpose of sale or supply, at his home in En- nis in August 2002.

However the sentence imposed on Cathal Brohan (28), of 142 Hermit- age, Ennis, has been suspended for three years, on condition that he does not re-offend and co-operate with the Probation services.

Ennis Circuit Court heard that cannabis resin, valued at more than €5,500, was found, along with 90 ecstasy tablets, when gardai carried

out a search of the house. €2,200 cash was also seized in the

accused’s bedroom, which gardai believed was the proceeds of drug

dealing. Brohan denied this, saying it was money he had gathered to pay back a loan.

His barrister Pat Whyms said his client was “not a threat to society. He is a threat to himself. He needs to ad- dress his problems.”

Judge Carroll Moran noted that Brohan had stayed out of trouble since the offence, over five years ago.

“Dealing in drugs is a pernicious activity. The State expects judges to react and impose substantial sen- tences. It may well be that this ac- cused deserves a prison sentence,’ said the judge.

In suspending the jail term, he said he was “satisfied beyond reasonable doubt” the State’s suspicions about the money seized were correct.

AN undercover garda bought ecstacy tablets at an Ennis nightclub, as sev- eral premises were targeted as part of a planned operation.

Ennis Circuit Court heard yes- terday that a female garda bought eight ecstacy tablets for €70 at Mae Kearney’s, Lifford, Ennis, in March 2006.

She bought the tablets from an un-

named individual. That individual was later seen interacting with Dub- lin man Patrick Anderson.

Anderson (41), with an address of 72 Springdale Road, Raheny, Dub- lin 5, was arrested and charged with possession of ecstacy for sale or sup- ply. He pleaded guilty to the charge.

Garda Stephen Hession told the court that following a briefing, a number of premises were under ob- servation by gardai, in March 2006.

One of those was Mae Kearney’s, Lifford, Ennis and several undercov- er gardai visited the premises on the night in question.

He said that the undercover garda who bought the drugs used a ‘marked’ €50. This note was later found on the accused.

He was arrested and 36-and-a-half white tablets were found on him. Analysis concluded that these were ecstacy tablets.

The court heard Anderson had been suffering from a “very serious addi- tion” at the time and travelled to En- nis for a rave which had been organ- ised at Mae Kearney’s. His barrister Mark Nicholas said the accused is now drug-free.

Judge Carroll Moran imposed a two-year jail term and suspended it on condition that he not commit any criminal offence and not take or deal any illicit drugs in the next two

A MAN who was suffering from de- lusions and believed he was being fol- lowed stole two cars and tried to take another, in three different towns, all in the space of a few hours.

Timmy Casey (30), of 3 Clonlong, Southill, Limerick, stole cars in Shannon and Ennistymon, and tried to take another in Lahinch, on May 29, 2006.

Ennis Circuit Court heard yester- day that Casey, who has 59 previous convictions, stole an Audi from the forecourt of a garage in Shannon, at 9.30am.

He had called to Shannon and

Roxboro garda stations that morn- ing and said he felt he was being fol- lowed in what was described in court as “a cry for help.”

He drove from Shannon to Corofin, Where he attempted to buy petrol. The alarm was raised after a petrol attendant in Corofin became suspi- cious when Casey was unable to find the petrol tank in the car.

He then drove to Ennistymon where he ran out of petrol and parked up that car.

He then stole another car in En- nistymon, where he told the owner he had a gun and demanded the keys.

That car was later seen speeding around Lahinch and Ennistymon.

“It was weaving in and out of traf- fic. There were school children on the road at the time,’ said Gda Alan Keane.

Shortly after 12 noon, he crashed that car into a BMW at Dough, La- hinch, where he tried to take another car and assaulted its owner.

He tried to pull the driver, a mid- dle-aged woman, out of the car, but she managed to hold on to her keys. He was arrested as he sat in the driv- er’s seat of that car.

Garda Keane said that he was “very incoherent and didn’t know what he was saying, at the time.

While he was sober, he was “defi- nitely under the influence of drugs”

and was “suffering from delusions,” said the garda.

Casey’s barrister said the incident “verged on a rampage on the roads.” She said her client could offer €3,000 in compensation.

Judge Carroll Moran accepted the money and directed that it goes to one of the victims.

“What would concern me now is that there would be any repetition of Wek

“It is important that he keep taking his medication, but how do you po- lice that,” said the judge.

He imposed a two-year jail term, suspended on condition that he co- operate with his doctors.

A DEFENDANT who has been in custody for more than four months pleaded with a judge not to send him to Dundrum mental institution in Dublin.

David Mulcaire, 31 St Senan’s Road, Ennis, told the Ennis District

court that he would “never be able to get on outside again if I went there. I’d never be served in a shop or a pub. No one would want anything to do with me. It would ruin my name.” Judge Joseph Mangan had suggest- ed sending Mulcaire to Dundrum af- ter reading an assessment of him. Previously the court had heard that

Mulcaire, who is facing charges of theft, suffered a serious brain trauma in 1999, when he was hit in the head with a concrete block.

Two psychiatrists gave conflicting evidence on that occasion on whether or not the accused was fit to plead.

He has been in custody since his ar- rest more than four months ago.

‘Surely the whole thrust of what we are trying to do here is to take this man out of the criminal justice sys- tem and get him into the psychiatric system?” Judge Mangan said.

He remanded Mulcaire to Clover- hill prison for two weeks to be as- sessed by a psychiatrist from Dun- drum mental institution.

AFTER an almost flawless start, Clare now await the winners of Thursday’s preliminary round be- tween LIT and Cork. UL provided sturdy resistence on Sunday but the real test of this young Clare side will come this Sunday when they face far more experienced opposition in the form of either Fitzgibbon Cup hold- ers LIT or perennial superpowers Cork.

The current strike involving the Cork footballers and hurlers means that the Cork County Board is con- sidering fielding an Under 21 side in Thursday’s rescheduled fixture but

this will only happen if the proposal is agreed to by the striking players and manager Gerald McCarthy. It’s a perilous situation for the Rebels who are unwilling to send an alternative senior side in case it enflames the sit- uation further. However, the county board equally does not want to give a walkover either for the first time in their history.

This situation can only benefit LIT who are currently the Fitzgibbon and Higher Division 1 League holders. Managed by Davy Fitzgerald, assist- ed by Cyril Farrell, LIT are on a rich vein of form as they prepare for this year’s Fitzgibbon Cup campaign. Drawn in a potentially tough group

with UL and WIT, the Waterford Crystal competition provides ample competitive preparation for that tour- nament and therefore, LIT will be keen to progress. They have exited at the quarter-final stage for the last two years but with confidence high in the camp, they will be optimistic of go- ing a lot further this year.

Aside from Davy Fitzgerald’s in- volvement, there are also several Clare connections on the playing side. Enda Collins (Killanena), Gary O’Connell (Wolfe Tones), Jona- thon Clancy (Clarecastle), James McInerney (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Bernard Gaffney (Newmarket-on- Fergus) and Blaine Earley (Tubber)

have all featured prominently for the college this year while they also can call on Ivor White (St Josephs Doo- ra/Barefield), Conor Tierney (Kilna- mona), Eamon Glynn (Kilnamona) and Andrew Fahy (Whitegate). All will want to make an impression on the new Clare management team if they can overcome the Rebels on Thursday. Add in Galway stars Joe Canning and Niall Healy and on pa- per at least, they should prove to be a very tricky obstacle to the Banner’s advancement.

Whoever emerges from the re- scheduled fixture will be worthy opponents but Clare side will be de- termined to remain in the competi-

tion with coveted league places up for grabs for their first round game against Galway on February 10.

WHAT a difference a year makes. This time last year, Tony Consid- ine began his tenure in earnest with a three point victory over UCC but that day events off the field proved to be just as important than those on it as before the game a number of non-players including sponsor Pat O’Donnell were asked to leave the dressing room. In hindsight, it was a storm in a tea cup but it did prove to be the beginning of the end of an ar- duous and controversial reign for the Cratloe man.

A year on and Mike McNamara and his new management team have learned the lessons of their predeces- sors. It may have been the same result in the same venue but it was a much more satisfying win for the county as a fresh, young Clare side recorded a four point win over UL. The result was always going to be important but not as crucial as the performance. Despite the poor weather, it was a jo- vial Mike McNamara who addressed the waiting media to evaluate Clare’s first competitive game of the year.

“It’s always nice to win but I sup- pose the manner of the victory was

probably more pleasing. To know that some of the younger players have what is required even in Janu- ary 1S very pleasing and the fact that UL put up the challenge they did, made it a nice game.”

In addition to a confident, hungry performance, Clare scored 20 points over the hour, an impressive tally on any day but especially so against such a talented side as UL, something that McNamara also noted.

“Well, you have to be talking about a 20 point tally if you want to win matches in the league and further down the road in the championship. Twenty points in an hour is a good tally but we have a lot of work to do, of that there is no doubt. If we could pick real pluses from today, it was that nearly all of the new boys were the fellas who performed well on the day.

“By this time next year, they won’t be new boys anymore so they will have to take a step forward now but we will be using the competition for that purpose.

“Again we have quite a large panel so it’s important that fellas are allowed a chance

to show what they have before we have to reduce the panel. It is vital that newer members get experience which will benefit them a year or two down the road.”

While McNamara was obviously impressed with Clare’s display, he was also quick to praise UL who put up such a strong challenge over the tolune

In particular, the two Clare players who represented their college over county as part of the competition MUN she

“The college players are the stars of the teams, you only have to look at the line-out of UL today to see that they are starstudded. Everyone in their own right will play a part in their own county including our own few out there today who were promi- patos 01d

With that a wry smile broke out on his face as he quipped: “So eve- rything about it was pleasing and I suppose the fact that we can get away without controversy was pleasing as well.”

HIS first steps as an inter-county manager and though Clare didn’t ex- actly take a scalp at Miltown, Frank Doherty and his players walked away under a heavy sky with a victory. Job done and the importance of the win is noticeable.

After more than two months on the training fields of Clare, defeat against UCC could have dented morale and

stifled early season progression and Doherty recognises the importance of a healthy start.

“I think it was clear to everyone that we tried to play football when- ever we had the chance,’ he says. “I thought for the first outing of the year, the lads did reasonably well. I knew we were physical enough and we had the fitness work done, but you never know how lads are going to perform. The first 20 minutes we were well on

top and had four or five points of a lead built up and then lads kind of slipped into the comfort zone.

“They sat back and coasted for the rest of the half and that gave UCC the chance to get back into the game.”

If there was any lingering fear that Clare might be turned over in the second-half, it slowly became obvi- ous that Clare’s grip on the game wouldn’t slip. Again, Doherty drew confidence from this.

“We tagged on three points in the second-half and UCC only got one, SO we were well on top. We didn’t give them much opportunity to cre- ate anything from play but the second half was tough going. The pitch cut up, it was difficult to hop the ball.

“UCC will have high aspirations for the Sigerson Cup and they’ve a lot of work done themselves. That’s why I felt we needed to have a couple of months training to compete with the colleges. In ways, it’s easier for students to train compared to inter- county players. The Clare lads have jobs to hold down and training to go to and the physical demands are tougher.

“IT know from my own time with NUIG that colleges have a lot of training done before Christmas and in fairness to Clare, the lads bat- tled hard and the work paid off. Our forwards ran hard and closed their backs down well. Fitness wasn’t an issue for us.”

David Russell, who watched the game from the terrace, hasn’t been part of the Clare set-up to date this season and Doherty is asked what the situation is with the Kilkee player.

“T’ve nothing to add really. I haven’t made any contact with David Russell and I’ve always said that the panel hasn’t been finalised. The door is open for everybody in Clare. If some- body plays well in the club league or wherever, we’ll give them an oppor- aUb av AA