Clara to focus on fire service in St Patrick's Day parade

The theme of this year's St Patrick's Day parade in Clara is the local fire brigade. To mark the event the parade will be preceeded by a mini-parade of vintage fire engines. These will include models from the 50s and 60s as well as the old fire brigade handcarts from Goodbody's factory. A recording of the old fire siren will also be played on the day. A presentation will be made to the current Clara fire crew as well as presentations to surviving former members to show the community's appreciation of their work. Over the years seven different men were in charge of Clara fire station. These men, or representatives of their family, are being invited to cut a tape to launch the mini-parade. It's difficult to pin down the exact starting date for Clara fire service. However it's believed that the service first stems from the fire Brigade act of 1940 which suggested that each county council would look after the need to deal with outbreaks of fire in its community. To this end, it is understood that the first fire station was build in the early to mid 1940s. This building still stands beside the current fire station which was built in 1956. The first fire engine was a handcart, which was dragged through the town by the firemen. If the fire was a long distance away from the fire station a local car owner or hackney man would be asked to use their vehicle to tow the handcart. After some years the Clara fire brigade got their first motorised engine, a land rover jeep. This was replaced by a larger engine in the 70s. This engine was known as a 'Green Goddess', A war-time fire engine imported from the UK. The Goddess was replaced by a bedford which served the town until a brand new 'Dodge' fire engine arrived in 1986, following a long campaign by the then station officer Sean T O'Brien. The 'Dodge' served in Clara until 2005 when it was replaced by a Leyland which had been imported from Lancashire. Clara is now served by an up-to-date mercedes fire engine which carries all the latest fire-fighting and rescue equipment. Initially to call the Clara fire brigade a person would have to go to the fire station and press a button on the wall. This would activate the fire siren. The fire siren was a World War 2 air raid siren. On a clear day it could be heard for miles around. On hearing the siren the firemen would dash to the station and get details of the fire. With the introduction of phones people had a choice. They could go to the station and press the button or could ring the then station officer Joe McKeon who lived beside the station. Joe, his wife Mag, or one of his family, would take the details and then pop next door to ring the siren. In later years phones were also installed at the houses of sub-officers and drivers. If the station officer was not available these people, or members of their family, would take the details and then drive to the station to ring the siren. Night bells were introduced in the early 70s. During the day the fire siren would be used or at night the bells which were installed in the fireman's bedroom would be set off to alert firemen to a fire. In more recent years the firemen have been alerted to fire calls by their beeper. This is a pager which each crew member carries with them at all times. In case of a fire the caller must call 999 and ask for Clara fire brigade. This is answered at a control room in Newbridge. The controller will take details of the emergency and will push a button to set off the pagers of Clara fire brigade. The fire crew will rush to the station. On their arrival they will receive details of the fire on a printer in the office. The brigade is usually leaving the fire station within three or four minutes of the emergency call being made. Clara fire brigade attends an average of 100 emergency calls each year. These include house fires, chimney fires, road accidents, bog fires and special services. The current fire crew is: Nigel Tobella, station officer; Sean Taylor, sub officer; Brian Preston, driver; Martin Buckley, firefighter; John Lane, firefighter; Wesley Coyne, firefighter; John Meehan, firefighter and Michael Gavin, firefighter. Names from the past include Joe McKeon, Sean T O'Brien, Noel O'Brien, Pat Kenny, Jim Kenny, Thomas(Catch)Feehan, Joe Touhey, Mikey White, Liam Handy, John Keegan, Jim McKeon, Noel Dunican <jack Cowen, Edward Heaton, Martin O'Brien, Jody Rabbitte, Tommy Weir, Thomas Fleming, Dan Quinn, Jack Gunning, Aidan O'Brien, Vincent Heaton, Martin(Gurky) O'Brien, Tommy Berry, Hubert Rochfort. Henry Cowen, Mikey O'Connor, Larry Clear, Joe Feery , Jimmy Doyle and Jude Feehan. Anyone with any fire brigade photographs or memorabilia is asked to contact Bertie McMahon. Anyone wishing to enter the main parade can also contact Bertie on 086 1638088.