Census 2012: Councillors refute North Clare population increase

CSO figures showing an increasing population in one of Clare’s most scenic areas have been refuted by local councillors. Liscannor to the Cliffs of Moher, via Hags Head, saw the biggest surge in population in North Clare between 2006 and 2011.
The population has grown by nearly one third, according to the latest CSO figures. Liscannor saw its population jump to 374 from 282, an increase of 32.6% or 92 people. According to Census 2011, neighbouring Ballysteen had a population of 363, a rise of 31.1% or 86 people from the 2006 figure of 277.
Liscannor also saw a building boom during the five years up to last year with more vacant houses than occupied ones. According to Census 2011, the area had a unit vacancy rate of 56.2%, the third highest in the county. Its housing stock stood at 356 last year and 200 of these homes were deemed vacant.
More than half the housing units in Ballysteen (52%) were vacant, with 168 of the 323 homes in the area lying empty.
One local area councillor says the figures are hard to believe.
“There is no way I could accept that there has been a 30% increase in population in Liscannor and I don’t think anyone else living in this area could either,” said Councillor Richard Nagle.
“There are two contrasting statistics. On the one hand there are a huge number of vacant houses and on the other the population has increased by 30%. The numbers attending the national schools would not reflect a 30% increase in population,” he added.
According to Councillor Nagle, the increase in population may be down to young people staying in the area during the Celtic Tiger and working in the building industry.
“I think if the census was done today, it would show a dramatic decline because quite a number of young people from the Liscannor, Lahinch and Ennistymon areas have been forced to emigrate, either temporarily or permanently, particularly over the last year, because of the collapse in the construction industry and the lack of other employment opportunities,” Councillor Nagle concluded.
His constituency colleague, Lahinch-based Bill Slattery, agrees.
“There has been a lot of emigration from the Liscannor-Moher area in the last year or so. During the boom the locals couldn’t afford to buy land in the area, which resulted in a lot of holiday homes being built. now the houses built by speculators are empty and the young people are gone,” he said.
Crusheen has seen one of the highest percentage growths in population in the county over the last decade, exploding by 66.3% since 2002. Its population rose to 865 last year, a change of more than 66.3% in 10 years, up 345 people.
“The reason that the population of Crusheen has dramatically increased is because of its proximity to Ennis and Limerick. People saw it as an attractive place to buy a home with the result that it has become a satellite town of Ennis. With the development of the bypass and improved road network in both directions, it made it more convenient for people to get to work in Ennis, Galway and Limerick,” Councillor Nagle commented.
“Many areas of North Clare are facing depopulation due to emigration but this increase will mean that Crusheen has a reasonable chance that its population will not suffer the same rate of decrease as the rest of the electoral area,” he added.
The districts of Carran, Oughtmama, Rathborney, Mountelva, Lisdoonvarna, Smithstown, Lurraga, Cloghaun, Derreen, Kilshanny and Killilagh saw population drop by between 0.8% and 12%.
Men outnumber women in the electoral districts of Gleninagh, Smithstown, Ballagh and Magherareagh where numbers make up more than 54% of the population. They constitute more than 52% of the population in Noughaval/Castletown, Muckanagh, Boston, Clooney, Dysert and Moy.
In Ballyvaskin, Ennistymon, Ballysteen, Cloughaun, Abbey, Crusheen, Kilnamona, Ballyea and Rath, men account for more than half the population.
Lisdoonvarna, home of the renowned bachelor festival, boasts a female population of 54.1% while the Drumcreehy electoral area, which incorporates Ballyvaughan, has a female population of 54.8%.