Tag Archives: shannon

SHANNON Aerospace saw a boost in profitability in 2013, according to newly-filed accounts. The profit recorded for the year was €1,119,000, which was more than nine times the 2012 figure. The company was involved in a serious dispute with workers over pensions earlier this year, with industrial action almost resulting. Regarding the pension scheme, the accounts state, “The company operates a contributory defined benefit pension scheme. At the end of 2013, the net pension deficit calculated by the scheme’s actuary had decreased to €15.69 million (2012: €17.79 million). The company has maintained its contribution rate at 13.3% of pensionable salary, up to a salary cap of €50,000. Since the year-end, the company have ceased contributions to the defined benefit pension plan and will replace it with a defined contribution benefit plan for its employees. Management are currently in negotiations with the company’s workforce regarding the structure of this new scheme.” The accounts state that the number of workers at Shannon …

AN Asian family living in Shannon’s Cúl na Gréine housing estate claim they are victims of racism, having been verbally abused, assaulted and having had their house egged many times over several years. They have blasted Clare County Council claiming they have failed to respond to numerous complaints and that the racism has come from the local authority, as well as those behind the direct abuse. One family member said that assurances they were given when they arrived have not been honoured and that incidents of racism were ignored by the local authority. “We are here for seven or eight years, since this estate was built. We were the first tenants here and when we signed the lease, we were given an assurance that if there was any anti-social behaviour, the people involved would be evicted. It was in the terms and conditions. We thought it sounded good, we were naïve, we didn’t know that council estates could be like …

SHORTLY after being released from Shannon Garda station this afternoon, TDs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly relaxed with drinks in a local hotel. Both had been detained and later released without charge after climbing the perimeter fence at Shannon, attempting to make their way to two US military planes at the airport. Clare Daly’s upper lip was still bleeding heavily around two hours after she cut it when falling, as she sought to clear the airport fence.  “I flipped over in my panic! And I fell on top of him (Wallace). I cut me hands as well. I was probably afraid of falling back so I fell forward. It could be worse, it’s nothing to the slaughter of other people.” While they had fallen foul of the authorities, Ms Daly was complimentary of all those she had dealt with at Shannon. “In fairness they seemed to cop it fairly quick. All of the staff and the airport police and fire service …

INTEREST in hotting up about the proposed development of competing crematoriums in Clarecastle and Shannon, which will be the subject of two separate yet inter-linked proposals at next Monday’s Clare County Council meeting. The two largest parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, and at least one independent, will have to unite to support a material contravention, which would facilitate the development of the Clarecastle crematorium. Anything less than 21 votes in favour of the proposed material contravention of the Ennis and Environs Development Plan would constitute a major setback to Fenloe Properties’ plans to construct a crematorium unit, memorial gardens, and cemetery at Kildysart Road, Ballaghfadda, Ennis. It is expected that Fianna Fáil will propose and support the Fenloe Properties development en bloc, which totals 12 votes. Fine Gael has yet to decide on its party position and is due to meet to consider these two proposals over the weekend or on Monday. A meeting of the new technical group …

Homes and businesses in Clare are set to benefit as a result of a joint ESB and Vodafone venture to upgrade broadband facilities across the country. The  €450 million investment will benefit 50 towns, among them Ennis and Shannon. ESB and Vodafone are to invest €450 million in building a 100%  fibre-to-the-building broadband network offering speeds from 200 Mbps to 1000 Mbps, propelling Ireland into the ranks of the world’s fastest broadband countries. Ireland will also become the first country in Europe to utilise existing electricity infrastructure on a nationwide basis to deploy fibre directly into homes and businesses, initially reaching 500,000 premises in 50 towns.

Two anti-war protestors have been found guilty of interfering with the proper use of Shannon Airport by going onto the main runway last September. Margaretta Darcy aged 80 of 10 St Brigid’s Place, Woodquay, Galway and Niall Farrell aged 60 of Ballynacloghy, Maree, County Galway pleaded not guilty to a single charge of interfering with the proper use of Shannon Airport on September 1, 2013 contrary to the Air Navigation Transport Act 1950. The trial opened at Ennis District Court before Judge Patrick Durcan on Tuesday where evidence was heard from Independent Deputy Clare Daly TD, Irish Times security analyst Tom Clonan, Nobel Peace Prize winner Mairéad Maguire, University of Limerick lecturer John Lannon, peace activist Ed Horgan, airport police officers, Shannon airport officials and gardaí. During the hearing evidence was given that the two defendants were found to be on the main runway of Shannon Airport on the date in question, wearing orange boiler suits and carrying placards stating …

PUPILS from St Tola’s Primary Schools in Shannon and Tubber National School in The Burren learned about Kenyan tribal life from a  Maasai warrior this wek. For four years school-to-school connections have been established through the Becomeafriend.net project between Irish schools and traditional Maasai schools in Kenya. The children and teachers have been sharing information about their lives, culture, wildlife, health, creativity and passtimes with primary schools and on Tuesday Timothy Ole Mosiany visited the  two Clare schools to give pupils a first hand account of life in his tribe. During the visit to Shannon and Tubber, he talked with pupils from junior and senior cycles, who found out more about life back in Kenya and how it compares with their own. Timothy said, “I’ve had a wonderful experiences in all the schools here, the children are so bright and so welcoming.” The children treated Timothy to wonderful singing and dancing and he taught them how to do the world …

The combined American Airlines and US Airways airline has this Monday launched its first service at Shannon Airport following the airlines’ merger last year with the recommencement of the seasonal summer service to Philadelphia Airport. The service, which runs until September 2, returns after its successful launch for the 2013 summer season under the US Airways flag. The route will complement additional US services from Shannon to Boston, Chicago, Newark and JFK New York Airports this summer. Philadelphia is also significant addition to the summer season schedule at Shannon as it is one of the merged airline’s leading hub airports, offering connections to well over 100 destinations across 25 countries, including the US, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Passengers flying from Shannon also have the benefit of availing of US Customs and Border Protection preclearance, avoiding delays on arrival in the US. Shannon in 2009 became the first airport outside North America to secure US preclearance services.