Month: September 2013

POSTERS advertising a swingers nightclub have been described as “sleazy” and a “publicity stunt” by one of the organiser of the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival.

Marcus White – who operates the Hydro, the Imperial and the Burren Castle hotels in Lisdoonvarna – has hit out at the posters, which appeared in the village last week.

The posters advertise a Limerick venue called ‘i-kandie.ie’ and de- scribes the club as “Ireland’s only real swingers’ club venue”.

Mr White yesterday hit out the club – describing it as sleazy and not at all in line with the spirit of traditional matchmaking which takes place at the Lisdoonvarna festival.

“This is a traditional festival with roots going back hundreds of year and we don’t want to be associated with anything sleazy like that [the swingers club]. No one is Lisdoonvarna would tolerate that,” he said

“This is just a publicity stunt. Anything like that would tarnish the reputation of this festival. I can tell you for certain, no one up here would have anytime for the likes of that.”

The posters advertised weekly swingers parties at the venue at Eastway Business Park, Crossagalla in Limerick. It is understood that the club, which has been in business for more than five years, attracts in excess of 30 people for its club night.

The facilities is described as including a sauna, a tv lounge with movies and a reception area with an open fire where people can meet and chat. The club generally opens on a Satur- day night, with couples arriving at 12 noon and festivities continuing until 5am.

It is believed that the Limerick club deliberately targeted this year’s matchmaking festival in the hopes of drumming up some extra by enticing a portion of the traditional Lisdoonvarna crowd into partner swapping.

The Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival has been in operation for more than 150 year. The festival, which is overseen by local matchmaker Willie Daly, attracts thousands of people to North Clare each year.

Esther (Essie) FEELY (née Duggan)
, Parkview,Wexford and formerly Ennis, wife of the Late JimFeely. Reposing at Mackens Funeral Home, Distillery Road,Wexford, onTuesday from 5pmwith Memorial Service at 7pm. Ceremony onWednesday in St Joseph’s Church, Lifford, Ennis, at 12.30pm, followed by burial in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

John (Jack) O’BRIEN,
Ballyglass, Doora, Quin. Laid to rest in St Bricken’s Church grounds. May he rest in peace.

Patrick MORONEY,
Gortavrulla, Feakle. Peacefully. Laid to rest in Kilclaren Cemetery. Donations, if desired, to Raheen Hospice. May he rest in peace.

Teresa WILSON
, Kilkerrin, Labasheeda. Peacefully. Laid to rest in Killofin Cemetery. Donations, if desired, to the Alzheimer Society of Ireland. May she rest in peace.

Gerry WHYTE
, Springfield Drive,Templeogue, Miltown Malbay. Peacefully in the wonderful care of the staff at the Beacon Hospital. Laid to rest at Mount Jerome Crematorium. Donations if desired to St.Vincent de Paul. May he rest in peace.

Eithne KEAVENEY
, Ennis, Roscommon. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Andrew (Andy) HOGAN
, Carrigoran and late of Hermitage, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Brendan TWOMEY
,Adare, Knock. Formerly of Knock, Clare. In his 91st year. Laid to rest in Kilmurry McMahon cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Kevin MCKEE
, 25 Shannon Park, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. Donations, if desired, to Kilmaley Day Centre. May he rest in peace.

Brid WARREN (née Doolaghty)
, Cappalea North, Kilmaley. Peacefully at her residence, in the presence of her loving family. Laid to rest in Mount Temple Cemetery Kilmaley. Donations, is desired, to the Irish Kidney Association or the Irish Cancer Society. May she rest in peace.

John (Johnny) HOGAN
, Bronx, NewYork and Lislanahan, Kilkee. Suddenly in NewYork. Husband of the Late Noreen (Clancy), son of the Late Patrick &Teresa Hogan (Lislanahan, Kilkee) and brother of the Late PJ (London). Laid to rest in St John’s Church, Kingsbridge, NewYork on September 14. May he rest in peace.

Elizabeth (Betty) GRIMES
, 18 Lee Park, Drumgeely, Shannon. Laid to rest in Illaunumanagh Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Michael O’GRADY
, Oatfield, Sixmilebridge. Former member of Clare and Limerick Fresian Breeders Association. Laid to rest in Doonass Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

John PENDER
, England, and formerly of Einagh, Monmore. Laid to rest in NewShanakyle Cemetery, Kilrush. May he rest in peace.

James (Jim) MCCARTHY
, Donadea, Naas/ Ballynacally. Formerly of Clonfurish, Ballynacally. Laid to rest in Kilcreast Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Margaret (Peg) O’DONNELL (née Al
len) , 11 Drumgeely Ave, Shannon. Late of Rosbrien, Limerick. Laid to rest in Lemanagh Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Martin CAHILL
, Cahermurphy, Kilmihil. Suddenly. Laid to rest in Kilmihil cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Claire KENNEDY
, Stone Park, Coolmeen. Peacefully. Laid to rest in Kilfidane Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

THE North Clare economy could be set for an annual boost of more than € 3 million if the Burren Farming for Conservation Project is rolled out across all of the regions 600 farmers.

Funding for the project, which currently totals € 1 million for 160 conservation farmers, is due for regeneration in 2015. The Burren made history at the weekend by becoming the first location in Ireland to win the European Diploma of Protected Ar- eas Award and it is thought that this award could prompt the full roll-out of the Burren Farming for Conservation Project across the Burren.

“This is awarded to areas of high environmental value that are also been managed to a very high standard. It is a very prestigious award, and this the first time that it has been received by any region in Ireland,” said Brendan Dunford of the Burren Farming for Conservation Project.

“A lot of people worked to get this award, everyone made a contribution. The awards are not as important as the work on the ground. If you get the work on the ground done properly then the awards will follow.

“The real significance of the award is probably for the future of conservation farming in the Burren. This is a real signal that what we are going here is working. It is delivering in a cost effective way for the tax payers; it is popular among the farmers and it is producing real environmental gains. We don’t want that to stop, in fact we want to increase it.

“This programme really should be rolled out right across the Burren and not just for the areas we are at the moment.”

Funding for the Burren Farming for Conservation Project comes from unspent Single Farm Payment finding, which is redistributed by the Department of Agriculture.

“This money goes to farmers who employ other people to help make quantifiable environmental improvements on their farm. They shop locally for equipment and supplies, so there is a huge recycling of that money,” continued Mr Dunford.

“The funding has a benefit to the North Clare economy which is far in excess of € 1 million.”

THE world’s most famous middle distance runner is waking up in North Clare this morning, and preparing for a leisurely jog around Ennistymon. World and Olympic 800 meter champion, David Rudisha, will today pay a visit to all three secondary schools in Ennistymon – starting in the vocational school, before taking on the big climb to the Ennistymon CBS and finally on to Scoil Mhuire. Rodesia and his wife Lizzy are the guests of Ennistymon couple Pat and Neilus O’Doherty, who have hosted a number of Olympic champions in Ennistymon over the years.

On August of 2010, Rudisha broke Wilson Kipketer’s 800 metre World Record and was also the first man to run under one minute and 41 second for the event. Indeed, so complete is the 23 year old’s domination of the event that h- has now ran the three quickest 800 metres ever recorded.

Rudisha is famously trained by Irish Christian brother Colm O’Connell. Brother O’Connell first arrived in the Rift valley from Cork in 1976 on a two-year placement to teach at a Catholic boarding school and over the last 30 he has helped establish kenya as the powerhouse of middle distance running. O’Connell first spotted 14-year-old David Rudisha in 2004, running the 200 metre sprint at a provincial schools race.

“He only came fifth, but I noticed he was a tall, elegant runner, and that he was focused, so I made a mental note to watch out for his progress,” he said.

“He had never run an 800m before so I wasn’t expecting anything. Then the surprise came.”

The young Rudisha ended up beating the then Kenyan national champion and record a time just eight second off a world record – in his first ever 800 metre race.

EVERY house in Ennis will be contacted by the Ennis Evangelical Church over the next week as they attempt to revive religious faith in the county town and bring Clare people back to God.

More than 10,000 postcard style messages will be delivered in Ennis in the coming days inviting people to re-engage with God. The postcards, which have been dubbed the “Ask Campaign”, invite Ennis people to devise one question which they would like God to answer.

The Ennis Evangelical Church are hoping to collect the questions and answer as many of them as they can – using the bible to gain the answers. A spokesperson from the church told The Clare People yesterday that the campaign has not been organised to convert people to the evangelical church – but was instead organised to encourage people to speak to God.

“The aim is to deliver the message to every single residential property in Ennis. Our aim is to try and let people know that they can have a relationship with God,” said Philip Pain of the Ennis Evangelical Church.

“We are relational beings and we were made that way. He wants us to have a relationship with him so I think it is quite reasonable for us to ask him questions. I think he wants us to come to him with our hopes and concerns.

“We would also like to understand the concerns of the people here in Ennis, where our church is based. It is all very well being spiritual but it has to be real as well. We want to understand the issues that are on people’s hearts.”

The church has already received a number of responses from people and will soon begin to answer these questions through their website. The Ennis Evangelical Church stressed they did not instigate the “Ask Campaign” as a means of recruiting people into their church.

“We really don’t care where people go to church and do their worship. The important thing is that they get to know the living God and are saved for eternal life. Whether they choose to come to church with us on a Sunday morning or attend one of our bible studies classes is not the issue, the issue is that souls are saved for the lord and his glory,” continued Mr Pain.

A NORTH Clare councillor has challenged Clare County Council to release all cor respondence with has taken place between the local authority and the National Roads Authority (NRA) in relation to Blake’s Corner in Ennistymon.

Lahinch councillor Bill Slatter y (FG) yesterday submitted a motion concerning the procedure used for de-listing buildings in Clare. Councillors are prohibited from submit- ting motion on local issues, but Cllr Slattery used his motion on de-listing to bring up the controversial buildings at Blake’s Corner – which are both listed structures.

A joint plan between Clare County Council and the NRA to develop the junction has been stalled for a number of years because no funding is available to complete an Envi ronmental Impact Statement (EIS) – even though the local authority has already invested a sizable about of money to purchase the buildings.

Councillor Slattery was ruled as being out-of-order when he raised the issue of Blake’s Corner but argued that he only raised it because the council has not responded to requests for information made at the Ennistymon area meetings, where local issues can be raised.

“This is no longer a North Clare issue, it is a Clare issue, it is a national issue. Why did the council, for some reason, spent the money [on buying the buildings at Blake’s Corner] without having them checked out and having them de- listed? ” he asked.

“We have brought this up for the past two years at the local area meeting and we are getting no responses from the council and no response from the NRA. We want to know what is going on with this development.”

Cllr Slattery was suppor ted by fellow North Clare councillor Michael Kelly (FF).

“The difficulty is huge. We are putting huge investment into tourism and this is being stifled. This is going on for more than 20 year, it has been discussed and analysed out of existance,” he said.

County Engineer Tom Tiernan said he would provide Cllr Slattery with the information he asked for if it was in his possession and of it was appropriate to do so.

“At the end of the day the primary interest is to resolve the traffic problem at that junction. We are doing everything we can to move this forward. The next step is to forward a planning application to an mBord Pleanála and get an EIS completed,” he said.

THERE will be no big screen put up for public viewing of the All-Ireland hurling final replay on September 28.

A crowd of between 1, 500 and 3,000 people watched the drawn match between Clare and Cork on September 8 on a big screen in the Abbey Street car park.

The screen was erected at a cost of € 8,000 to Ennis Town Council.

However in a statement last week, town manager Gerard Dollard the timing of the replay for an evening throw-in on a Saturday evening presented “a different set of circumstances”.

He explained, “The logistics associated with the replay are significantly more complex than a Sunday afternoon showing. The revised ticket prices for the replay at Croke Park should make it more accessible to families with the reduced price for all tickets, including juvenile tickets at € 10. The cost and weather factors must also be taken into consideration. The council was delighted to stage such a family-friendly occasion last Sunday but due to cost, logistical and weather factors does not plan to repeat a similar open-air event for the senior replay.”

Local community activist Dermot Hayes is calling on the council to re-consider the decision. He said, “The big screen does not have to be in Abby Street car park. It could easily be in the Fair Green and remain erected until the home coming on Sunday. Our elected councilors should support the citizen, hurlers and fans.

We have seen many dark days in Clare in the last few years. The hurlers of both under 21 and senior have brought us great joy and excitement. It unites us as citizens of county and it brought so many families and friends together. A gathering in Ennis would bring to life a real passion that could be captured on film and used world wide in promotion.

The council has confirmed that a joint homecoming for the Clare senior squad and the All-Ireland winning under 21 panel will take place at Tim Smythe Park (Fair Green) on Sunday, September 29.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of one of Clare’s biggest GAA clubs has written to the President of the GAA requesting that a portion of the gate receipts from the replayed All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final between Cork and Clare on September 28 be allocated towards the respective county holiday funds. Pat Daly, who is Chairman of Éire Óg GAA Club, Inis, and is a former Mayor of Clare, said the players had trained nine months of the year to provide the people of Ireland with one of the most memorable sporting displays ever seen at Croke Park and should be rewarded for their efforts.

The sitting member of Clare County Council has suggested that funds of € 200,000 and € 100,000 respectively be provided to the All Ireland Hurling Championship winning and losing sides.

FUNDING cutbacks has forced Clare Youth Services to close two popular youth cafés in Ennis, it has emerged.

The cafés, which are located in Ennis town centre, were both drug and alcohol free areas. One of the buildings has closed completely, while the youth services have been forced to reduce the opening hours of another facility for young people.

Speaking at a meeting to discuss issues around alcohol misuse, Clare Youth Services CEO, Margaret Slattery said the Government must invest more money in preventative services.

She said the service had suffered a 40 per cent cut in funding over the past three years, a situation that forced the closure of alcohol-free facilities for young people in Ennis.

Ms Slattery said three groups have approached the service appealing for the cafés to be re-opened.

“It would cost around € 14,000 to re-open the cafés but we just don’t have the resources,” explained Ms Slattery.

Retired consultant psychiatrist, Dr Moosajee Bhamjee told the meeting there is a chronic lack of treatment programmes for young people in Ireland with alcohol and substance misuse problems.

He said, “We have all these young people on Saturday night and Sunday morning having all these problems but where do you go for your detox.

Dr Bhamjee continued, “How do you get detox? The GPs will put you on a detox programme but that’s only for certain selected people. The psychiatry hospitals don’t do it anymore. The Department of Health has no policy on treatment programmes. The mental health commission doesn’t see alcohol and drug abuse as their responsibility. So who is responsible to help these people? I know we have Bushypark and other places but first you have to detox the person and there is nowhere to go.”

Former Labour party councillor and now Independent councillor Paul O’Shea described as a “dis- grace” the lack of treatment centres for young people in Ireland.

Cllr O’Shea said the situation with alcohol abuse has grown so bad in Ireland that the HSE should consider using separate Accident and Emergency units for people presenting with drink related problems.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) called for the off-trade sale of alcohol to be priced out of the market. He said pubs, restaurants and other businesses are being forced to deal with the effects of high volumes of alcohol consumed before 10pm.

LAHINCH will be the hub of the Irish hip-hop world next weekend for a festival that brings the best local and national talent to the Banner County. Senses is a three-day event that runs from September 27 to 29 at venues in the seaside town.

Organisers say the event aims to promote the existing youth culture within Lahinch and examine how interaction with new media and art forms can help promote a modern local arts environment.

Senses kicks off in Flannagan’s Bar on Friday night with a show by Community Scratch collective, Deviant, Mikey Fingerz and Ennis DJ / Producer MyNameIsJohn.

Local MCs Bubba J and God Knows will hold a beatbox showcase at the T-Shirt shop on Saturday, September 28. Some of the county’s brightest young DJs and beatboxers will per- form at the open-air event.

Clare filmmaker and photographer, James Skerritt will curate screenings of short films on Saturday, September 28, at Flannagan’s Bar.

James is a well known as a local surf photographer, having worked on a large number of local film projects and directed 2012’s surf-comedy ‘The Element’.

James will be curating a screening of a number of short surf films from around the country, highlighting the creative talents of young Irish surfers and also the dramatic scenery unique to the coastline around Ireland.

The festival concludes on Sunday, September 29, with a special trad special by the people behind hit Limerick club night, ‘A Love Supreme’. The event takes place at the Nineteenth from 3pm to 8pm.

The Love Supreme team will be inviting renowned Clare flautist Conor Crimmins, along with a host of other local talent, to join them on the day for a very special trad performance. Also spinning on the day is one of Ireland’s finest producers and DJs, T-Woc from Dublin’s Alphabet Set collective.

Senses Festival Lahinch is supported by the Clare Arts Office, The Claremont, Flanagans Bar, The Nineteenth, Danny Macs, The Celtic T-shirt Shop. For further information log onto sensesfestivallahinch.wordpress.com and check out the Facebook page.

CLARE County Council has abandoned a policy which has, in the past, seen one per cent of the money invested on major infrastructure projects being used for public arts works at the locations of the project.

It emerged at yesterday’s September meeting of Clare County Council that the local authority is employing a new strategy, which allows the council to pool the one per cent “arts money” associated with major infrastructure. The money is then used to fund arts projects in the general area of a major infrastructure projects rather than a single visual arts project at the location.

This change of policy came to light following a motion put forward by Cllr Christy Curtin (Ind). While commending the work of county Arts Officer, Siobhan Mulcahy, Cllr Curtin said there was an “omission” concerning the € 17 million sewage schemes for Quilty, Mullagh, Feakle and Scariff.

These schemes, which were completed in 2011, should have resulted in € 170,000 in arts projects.

“There has been an omission in the answer. I am alluding to the schemes completed in 2011 in Quilty, Mullagh, Feakle and Scariff. I am concerned as to what has been done to mark the scheme in the east and west of the county,” he said.

Responding to Cllr Curtin, director of Services Bernadette Kinsella said that “rather than advocate the one percent for arts, it is the council policy to pool the funds for a more strategic use”. She also indicated that “significant” projects would be forwarded in the east and west of the county next year.

It is not clear if this one per cent funding from infrastructure projects will be used to fund projects that, in the past, would have been funded from other sources.

Overall Arts Council finding for Clare has fallen dramatically over the last five years.

AN INTERNATIONAL run in memory of two young Clare people has raised € 28,000 for two local charities.

The Hurley-Hoey Memorial Run/ Walk and Jog took place on March 9 this year in Doora-Barefield, while simultaneous events under the Hurley-Hoey banner were held in Sydney, Melbourne, London, Dubai, Capetown, New York, Madrid and Buenos Aires.

The event was organised in memory of Eilish Hurley, who died from cancer aged just 30 years old, and Ger Hoey, who died suddenly while out running aged just 40 years.

The proceeds from the event went to two organisations – St Anne’s School in Ennis, which provides education to pupils who have special educational needs and the Children’s Ark Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick.

Each charity received € 14,000 each.

Eilish’s sister Fiona is a nurse on the children’s ward.

“As a children’s nurse working in the Ark, I nominated this unit as I could see first-hand how the money raised could be used to make the lives of parents and children a little easier in particular the parents of children with oncology or life life-limiting conditions who spend prolonged periods in hospital,” said Ms Hurley.

“The event was an enormous success with in excess of 2,000 people registering and taking part,” she added.

“Much of the success of the event was attributed to the excellent organisation and dedication of a committee chaired by Lorcan Hassett. I would like to thank to all those who supported the event and thus contributed to its success.”