The public were given an opportunity to present their views on the vision for Ennis in 2020. Arising from this consultation process the opinions of over 300 people were accessed and a report entitled “Ennis 2020 People, Place, Potential – Report on Community Visioning Exercise was compiled. The information compiled in this research will be used to facilitate the formulation of a strategy for the development of Ennis as a Hub under the Spatial Strategy
On Monday’s Morning Focus Dr Chris McInerney of the Department of Politics and Public Administration at the University of Limerick joined John Cooke in studio to discuss a meeting that took place last Wednesday
The first section of the meeting was to fulfil the promise to feedback from the first set of community visioning exercises which we are doing via the website and associated materials (These were prepared by UL students) The main elements of the feedback include the report, an e-learning package which aims to make the findings more widely available, an e-newsletter and a comic aimed at younger people
The second part of the meeting was designed to mark the beginnings of a more detailed second phase to ‘drill down’ into some of the themes emerging from the initial discussions – Chris will discuss the outcomes of the meeting
See www.Ennis2020.ie
Have your say on Clare FM’s latest online poll on this website:
Now that the New 7 Wonders have been chosen- What’s County Clare’s Best Natural Wonder?
• The Burren
• Loop Head Peninsula
• The Cliffs of Moher
• Lough Derg
• The Ailwee and Doolin Caves
A fresh appeal for information has been launched into the murder of Ennistymon woman Emer O’Loughlin six years ago.
The 23 year old’s remains were discovered in a burnt out caravan in Ballybornagh in Tubber on the 8th of April 2005.
Gardai are looking to speak with 44 year old John Griffen, who they feel has information that could help them with their enquiry.
On 8th April, 2005 the charred remains of the body of Emer O’Loughlin were found in a burned out mobile home which was located in an isolated area close to Kinvara Co. Galway. Emer was 23 years of age when she died.
Emer’s death was treated as suspicious from the outset. Unfortunately, a post mortem examination then carried out on her charred remains did not indicate a cause of death. However because of advances made in forensic pathology and anthropology Emer’s body was exhumed in May 2010 and a fresh post mortem carried out. As a result Gardai are now satisfied that Emer was Murdered and met her death in a sudden and violent manner prior to the fire occurring.
As a result of the investigations that have been carried out both in 2005 and since the exhumation of Emer’s body Gardai believe that John Griffin who is originally from the Mervue area of Galway City and owned the mobile home where Emer’s remains were found, may have information that will assist in the investigation of Emer’s death and are most anxious to speak to him.
Therefore, Gardai are appealing to anyone who knows of John Griffin’s whereabouts or has any other information which may be helpful, to contact them in complete confidence. They will also assure anyone who has information that their anonymity will be guaranteed if they so wish.
Superintendent Pat Murray of Gort Garda Station spoke with John – he urged anyone with information to contact Crimestoppers on 1800 25 00 25. Any information will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.
John O’Loughlin, Emer’s Father also had a word with John on behalf of Emer’s family.
Sergeant Joe Downey, Crime Prevention Officer with Clare Garda Division was in studio for this week’s Garda Focus where he appealed to the Clare public for information on crimes committed in the past seven days. Contact Ennis Garda Station on 065 68 48100.
Today, 45 graduates formally enter the world of aviation today at an Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) graduation ceremony in Limerick. The 26 air traffic controllers and 19 radio officers will each play a vital part in securing the safe transit of aircraft through Irish controlled airspace
The air traffic controllers are based at Dublin or Shannon where their role is to safely control air traffic through Irish airspace
Shannon controllers are responsible for approximately 85 per cent of all air traffic which transits between Europe and North America. Jimmy O’Loughlin, a newly qualified Radio Officer Irish Aviation Authority from Shannon had a word with John
He has qualified as a radio officer and will be based at our high frequency (HF) radio communications centre at Ballygirreen, just outside Newmarket-on-Fergus
The training was approximately 15months and involved a mix of theory and on-the-job-training. As a radio officer, Jimmy’s job is to communicate with aircraft as they fly between Europe and North America
He relays messages between the pilots and the air traffic controllers who, for the airspace for which he is responsible, are based in Prestwick in Scotland
The skies over the north Atlantic are very busy
Approximately 1200 aircraft transit over the North Atlantic every 24 hours, all of which are in radio communication with the radio officer at Ballygirreen.
A West Cork born film director whose father fought with Tom Barry and the Flying Columns as a teenager and whose mother actively defied her family because of her republican sympathies is the author of In Their Dreams of Fire – the book is a dramatic fictional re-imagining of the Irish War of Independence and Civil War. Maurice 0’Callaghan spoke with John about the book, the Launch that was hosted by Michael D Higgins in October and the fact that HBO are due to make an 12 part series based on the book for the 1916 Centenary.
John Murphy, Clare branch Chairman of Birdwatch Ireland joined John to answer your bird and wildlife queries.
If you have a story, comment or query for the Morning Focus team email [email protected] or drop us a line at Clare FM, Francis Street, Ennis, County Clare.
