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Tag Archives: Tom Ryan

Calling time on drinking at Ennis cathedral

ENNIS parish priest Fr Tom Ryan has often had to mop up urine and worse in Ss Peter and Paul’s Cathedral after the mess left by people who frequented the building to smoke and drink alcohol. Fr Ryan, who became parish priest in his home town last July, has now adopted a “zero tolerance” to anybody “hanging around the cathedral or its grounds”. “When I was appointed parish priest, I soon became aware of a small number of homeless people with addiction problems who frequented both the grounds of the cathedral and the cathedral itself. Their presence was a cause of concern for many parishioners, especially the elderly who come both to the adoration chapel and the cathedral to pray each day. “I also witnessed people in the cathedral, smoking, drinking alcohol and urinating in public. I often had to clean up and mop up after them….you can imagine. This type of behaviour is not acceptable in a consecrated building,” …

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Serious incidents in Shannon

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 …

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Crematorium plans back on table at Shannon

THE prospect of a crematorium being built in Shannon is back on the agenda again, after a number of years of silence on the issue. Some years ago, former Clare county councillors Tony McMahon and the late Sean Hillery proposed the development of a crematorium at Illaunmanagh. Nothing has been heard about it for some time but at the very end of this week’s meeting of Shannon electoral area councillors, town manager Bernadette Kinsella said while the original parties are not involved, another party is now interested in proceeding and it will be proposed that the lands in question be disposed of. Ms Kinsella also said the third party is in the process of applying for an extension of planning permission. Attending the meeting, Councillor Gerry Flynn, who had opposed the development, restated his opposition to it. After originally getting the green light from Clare county planners, the decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanála and in 2009 it granted …

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