Tag Archives: McDonagh

CLARE County Council, CEO Pat Dowling has explained that the recent decision by the Supreme Court requiring members of the Traveller community to vacate a site in Ennis does not mean the case has relatively limited implications, and the matter has not been concluded. Two Ennis councillors Johnny Flynn and Clare Colleran Molloy, had motions before February’s meeting of Clare County Council seeking information. Responding to them, Mr Dowling read a statement on the matter, before saying that the case is still ongoing and appealing that further debate not take place in the circumstances. Mr Dowling said that he wanted to “give a very quick factual background” to the members. He said that there have been legal issues between the Council and the people involved in the case for some time. “As you know there is a history of litigation between the Council and Mr and Mrs McDonagh over the past five years. They initially sought to prevent the development …

THE Supreme Court has overturned a decision allowing Clare County Council to evict a Traveller family who have been living on lands in Ennis for several years. An injunction had been secured by the local authority from the High Court requiring Bernard and Helen McDonagh, and members of their family, to immediately vacate council-owned lands at Cahercallamore, Ennis. However, this week the family’s appeal against their eviction was upheld, with five Supreme Court justices ruling unanimously in favour of the McDonagh family. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has welcomed the ruling, describing it as significant. The mandatory injunction, granted in 2019, was to remain in place pending the outcome of the full hearing of the dispute. Seeking the injunction, the council claimed the McDonaghs were unlawfully occupying the site and had also breached the 2000 Planning and Development Act by the unauthorised development there of a roadway and courtyard. The injunction was upheld on appeal by the Court …

TWO people have been arrested following an incident at a funeral in Shannon on Sunday, while parish priest Fr Tom Ryan said lives could have been lost but for the intervention of the gardaí. Martin ‘Red Breast’ McDonagh died last Wednesday night and was reposing in Shannon on Sunday before his funeral, which took place in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo on Monday. It is understood that a row broke out close to Ss John and Paul Church, in which a number of people, associated with two separate families, were involved. No arrests were made in relation to this. Shortly afterwards, one vehicle rammed into another at traffic lights close to Aidan Park. Another vehicle, owned by a party not connected with the dispute, was also damaged. A vehicle was seized at the Old Lodge shortly afterwards and one person arrested. A second person was subsequently arrested. Speaking on Monday, Fr Ryan said, “The first thing I’d like to do is extend …

THERE was disappointment for Clare’s four national boxing finalists in the Boy 4, Youths 1 and 2 (14-16) age categories of the Irish Championships at the National Stadium in Dublin on Friday and Saturday last.