A true cautionary tale - and believable - only in America !

A lawyer purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars, then insured them against all risks,

among other things - fire.

Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of these great cigars, the lawyer filed a claim against

the insurance company.

In his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost ‘ in a series of small fires.’

The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason, that the man had consumed the cigars in

the normal fashion.

The lawyer sued and won !

Delivering the ruling, the judge agreed with the Insurance Company that the claim was frivolous..

The judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy from the Company, in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be unacceptable ‘fire’ and was obligated to pay the claim.

Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process, the Insurance Company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000 to the lawyer for his loss of the cigarsthat perished in the ‘ fires ‘.

After the lawyer cashed the cheque, the Insurance Company had him arrested on 24 counts of arson !

With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used against him, the lawyer was

convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine.

This true story won First Place in last year’s Criminal Lawyers Award Contest.

Inisheer to go green.

Paddy Crowe of the Inisheer Co-Op has been on RTE television to tell us about plans for Inisheer to become energy independent from the Mainland. Inisheer like the other Aran Islands presents many possibilities for alternative energies.

It is hoped that the need to import oil from the mainland will in time become unneccessary.

Many houses already have wind generators and more are on the way.

Aran Islands Information

New Harbour on Inishmaan

At a cost of nearly €14m the new harbour on Inishmaan has been completed. thousands of Island made x shaped concrete blocks were used. This new harbour and breakwater will improve ferry access to Inishmaan and with the impending completion of the harbour on Inishmore and developments on Inisheer the Aran Islands harbour developments show a huge commitment by government to Island development. Minister O Cuiv is certainly deserving of credit and must be enjoying his regular openings and announcements. With a population of only 200 or so Inishmaan is the least populated of the 3 Aran Islands. This excellent improvement to the infrastructure can only help future tourism and commercial developement.

Health Services on the Aran Islands are to be improved.

Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív has announced a grant of €607,000 for a new health unit on Inis Oírr.(Inisheer)

With the continued supension of the Aran Direct service from Rossaveal to The Aran Islands comes the news that Aran Islands Fast Ferries who did not operate from Doolin this season seem to have an uncertain future. Attempts by this correspondent to contact the owners have proved unsuccessful, so it is not possible at this time to know if they will operate next season. You will remember that they fought a long legal battle in Doolin and it is thought that this action drained their funds.

www.aranisland.info

High Speed Broadband gets closer to to the Aran Islands. Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht affairs Eamon O Cuiv announces new 300mb broadband connection for the Galway Gaeltacht.The service will be part funded by Udaras na gaeltachta.

Visit the Aran Islands Information Site.

It has been widely reported tha Aran Direct have suspended their Ferry service until March 2009. Reasons cited were spiralling costs and lack of grant funding. This leave aran islands ferries as the sole provider of essential services to the 3 Aran islands from Rossaveal in County Galway.
Visit Aran Islands

Michael is in bits, Dolly has not appeared. There is a rumoured sighting now on the mainland near Doolin. A new search will be started in the morning.

Visit the Aran Islands Site

When Michael came back tonight from working on the aran islands ferry he discovered that his pet sheep(Dolly) had vanished. Now we all know how attached he is to that sheep so we can only hope she turns up before he gets back from the pub later.

Aran Direct have suspended their ferry service to the aran islands. No public statement has issued from the company but it is thought that diesel cost is a major factor.It is believed that the company will resume service next March. More details as they become available.