Month: June 2008

WITH all attention being diverted to WTO and Lisbon, a new outbreak of the highly pathogenic H7 version of bird flu in the UK went almost unno- ticed in farming circles this week.

Despite a number of near misses, the Republic remains a bird flu free zone and Minister for Agriculture, Brendan Smith, took a number of measures on Thursday to attempt to insure that this remains the case.

Smith confirmed all notifications from the Department of Environ- ment, Food and Rural Affairs (DE- FRA) that Oxfordshire outbreak does involve the deadly H7 strain of the virus.

As a consequence, the required EU movement restrictions on poultry and poultry products had been put in place by DEFRA and a ban had been imposed on bird gatherings and shows in the control zone around the outbreak premises.

The minister confirmed that, as a precautionary measure and along with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland (DARD), his department was placing a ban on the participation of birds from the control zone in Ox- fordshire at bird shows and gather- ings in Ireland.

In addition, a ban was put in place on pigeon racing to Ireland from part of England or involving pigeons that

were in the control zone from last Wednesday.

“This is a further example of the application of an all-island approach to the threat of the introduction of avian ‘flu to the island of Ireland,” he said.

“The ornithological advice avail- able is that as we are currently at the high point of the breeding season, the risk of spread of avian flu by move- ment of migratory wild birds from Britain remains very low.

“My officials would continue to keep the situation and the existing contingency arrangements under on- going review.

“I would urge flock owners to con- tinue to take the measures that are

outlined in the biosecurity Informa- tion booklet that was recently circu- lated to them.”

The booklet, entitled Avian Influ- enza Control Measures, contained the clinical signs of the disease and any suspicions should be reported to the contact numbers listed.

In America, meanwhile, testing of more than 16,000 migratory birds between May 2006 and March 2007 showed no evidence of the H5N1 bird flu virus.

Information released last Thursday showed that the birds studied were infected with virtually every other known strain of influenza, other than the highly pathogenic and potentially deadly HSN] virus.

AFTER months of posturing and talking a good game, the IFA did what most presumed they would eventually do on Tuesday by pledging their support to the Lisbon Treaty.

After playing politics right up to the June 3 deadline, IFA President Pad- raig Walshe pulled off a major coup by forcing Taoiseach Brian Cowen to go public on his intention to veto a WTO deal that would be considered bad for Irish farmer.

The week started with the ICMSA claiming to have received “ironclad assurances” from Cowen on world trade and throwing their lot behind

the Yes campaign.

The news was warmly welcomed by Clare TD and Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Tony Killeen. “This deal is in the best in- terests of Irish farmers and the wider agri-food sector,’ he said.

‘Membership of the EU has being undeniably good for Irish farmers over the past 35 years. Ratifying the Lisbon Reform Treaty would dem- onstrate Ireland’s consistent com- mitment to a strong and effective European Union and would help us to secure the support of key EU part- ners and to build strategic alliances on major issues to this country and, not least, to Irish farmers.”

Fellow Clare TD Timmy Dooley (FF) echoed Killeen’s comments

“I fully welcome the decision of the Irish Farmers Association who have called for a Yes vote for the EU Lisbon Reform Treaty,” said Dooley who is the vice chair of the Joint O1- reachtas Committee for European Affairs. “I believe that it is always in the best interests of Irish agriculture that we address issues of concern to our farmers from a negotiating posi- tion of strength and not from a nego- tiating position of weakness.”

Reacting to the news, Libertas Ex- ecutive Director Naoise Nunn said that the news was disappointing, but totally to be expected.

On Thursday the ICSA voted by a majority of 59 per cent to 41 per cent in favour of recommending a yes vote.

Meanwhile, the bridge building ahead of the WTO continued apace this week with Agriculture minister Brendan Smith meeting to discuss matters with Polish Secretary of State, Andrzej Dycha.

“It is clear that both member states have a shared sense of disquiet about some of the proposals currently on the table and that we are determined to make all efforts to ensure that the outcome of the negotiations does not undermine the future of the CAP,” said Minister Smith.

THIS Saturday the women of Gort will rekindle a flame first lit more than 60 years ago. At 3pm the door of the new ICA hall will be thrown open and the public will be invited in to help open the guild’s newly refur- bished building and mark 60 years of the organisation in the area.

The two-story building is the end product of decades of effort. In 1948, two members of the guild approached the local bank looking for a small loan to purchase a rundown cottage on Boland’s Lane. £49 was all it’s cost, but the guild put forward their only employed members for fear they

would be turned down.

‘In those days times were very hard and they had to put in a lot of hard work to pay off the money,” said guild president Nell Giblin.

WON DA Lor UC Mm EIN o) mm NOL SO OME NO Toy Van per: R ote aged to get a second building but over the years they fell into a very bad state. We decided that the only thing to do was to knock and rebuild. So we had to spend six years looking for the deeds to the property before we started building, and now the whole thing has been completed.”

The work was made possible thanks to grants from CLAR, Galway Rural Development and Galway County Council. In addition to this the guild

have raised more than €60,000 to date to meet the shortfall.

With a first rate facility now in place the ICA would like to open the building to the wider community.

“We have a mothers and toddlers group in here at the moment and it is a lovely space for them. The mu- sic school, Coole Music, also use this space sometimes as does the parade committee,” said guild PRO Anne Burke.

“We would love for more things like that to take place in here. We re- ally see this as a valuable community resource. It’s not just for the ICA, we are the holding body but other groups can get a benefit from it too.”

To coincide with the launch a book to commemorate 60 years of the guild is also being launched. The book features memories from the lo- cal ICA throughout the decades and is available locally at a cost of €10.

The official opening of the new hall will take place this Saturday June 14, at 3pm. All are welcome.

PAINTBRUSHES at the ready, the second annual Outdoor Landscape Painting Competition will be held on Saturday July 19 in Lisdoonvarna.

Encouraged by the success of last year’s historic event, the Burren Painting Centre has decided to em- bark on the second year of the out- door landscape painting competi- tion.

The competition aims to attract amateur artists from the four corners of Ireland to paint the scenery of Lis- doonvarna and the Burren.

The sponsorship from local busi- nesses has doubled from the first

year with €6,000 going to the prizes and events. The overall winner will receive a cash prize of €500 in addi- tion to a 3 day painting course break at the Burren Painting Centre in Lis- eKereyenienu eter

The first event in 2007 was an un- tried and untested excursion into the unknown. However, 30 artists ap- peared, painted and won prizes. A fun day was had by all. This year the competition will be the core of an art weekend, with other events offering an attractive 3 days for people inter- SAI KexO OME NO Coer- Du BSE

An oil painting demonstration by Fergal Flanagan will be held in the newly renovated town hall in Lis-

doonvarna in the early evening of Friday July 18.

Flanagan is an established well known oil painter from Wicklow and should prove an interesting speaker. This will be followed by the official opening of an art exhibition, curated by local artist Doreen Drennan.

The exhibits will include selected works from seven local professional artists that paint in The Burren area.

On Saturday July 19 the competi- tors will open with registration in Lisdoonvarna National School hall. Competitors will be asked to choose to paint in one of three different cat- egories, oils or acrylics, watercolour, or mixed media.

They will then be given three loca- tions to choose from and a map to help them on their way. At the end OMAN AToMOE-NiANelca am SU MKcIRUDU IEA SINOMNOLSIDN pieces of finished work.

The following morning the two judges Rosemary Carr and Charles Harper will set about the scrutiny of the work. During that Sunday morning Frank Sanford will conduct a drawing workshop at the Burren Painting Centre. This will be fol- lowed by the prize giving lunch.

Entry forms and details of the com- petition are available from Chris O’ Neill, The Burren Painting Centre, Lisdoonvarna, info@burrenpainting centre.com or phone 065-7074208.

FARMERS in the heart of the Bur- ren are inching ever closer to taking possession of their heritage and in the process, offering a totally unique tourist product.

Members of the Burren Farmers Eco-Tourism Co-op have already begun hosting a limited amount of farmer led guided heritage tours and the business is set to expand through- out this Summer and into next year.

The philosophy of the co-op is to bring local farmers into the very centre of the tourism product in the Burren. Small groups are taken on tours to some of the real hidden gems of the Burren with local farmers as their guides.

Key to this approach is creating a form of tourism that works with the natural environment and the concept of Leave No Trace.

“What we had here last weekend was the first ever training programme specifically geared for farmers – and all the farmers who took part were members of the Burren Farmers Eco- Tourism Co-op,’ said Ruairi O Con- chuir of the co-op.

‘The farmers were being trained as trainers in the concepts of Leave No Trace. This is about leaving no im- pact on the area where we visit.

“It’s about ideas like walking on du- rable surfaces to minimise erosion, to being careful about how we light fires if we are camping. But it’s about things like not blocking farmers ac-

cess with huge busses or camping in places where you won’t be disturbing the locals.”

A number of themed tours are be- ing designed focussing on local cul- ture, archaeology flora and fauna and interpreting the Burren landscape.

“Farmers have a huge knowledge of their own land. No-one knows it better. The farmers might not always know the Latin names for all of the flora, let’s say, but they have a much deeper, more interesting knowledge. They know the importance of the flora, how they were used in olden times for cures and things like that,” continued Ruairi.

‘Besides the tours there is a de- mand for authentic Burren holiday accommodation in the Burren and

also working farm holidays. Believe it or not there is a demand for people to come here and do traditional farm work.”

Last week each farmers received their Leave No Trace certification and qualified as LNT trainers.

The farmers were joined on the course by interested locals people such as a teachers from the Outdoor Education Centre in Bellharbour. For more information on the guided tours contact burrenecotours@gmail.com.

PREPARATIONS are well un- derway for the 2008 Ennistymon Family Festival which kicks off on Thursday, July 17. This year’s show, which runs until July 20, will see an expanded range of activities with a wider variety of activities and events for all ages.

“The festival has been a traditional thing here for a long time but petered out for some reason. Then about four years ago myself, Marie Daly, Wil- lie Daly and Pat Tierney said let’s try again,’ said Marian Cliff of the Ennistymon Family Festival Com-

mittee.

“We have managed to get a lot more people involved this year and we have been filling up the days. The whole idea of the festival is that it 1s supposed to be good craic. The guys will take things like the tug of war and the races very seriously, but at the end of the day, it will be all good fun.”

This year’s festival will include workshops for children, a fun fun, baking competition, a youth art com- petition, a primary school disco, a tug of war contest, stretcher race, barman’s race, donkey derby and the Joe Burke Memorial 7-a-side Soccer

tournament.

This year’s festival will also include Clare’s first ever baby-rave.

“We heard of one that was held up in Dublin. It’s for moms and dads and babies from O up to 4 years old. It’s literally a rave for babies. They come in and everyone gets to dance and have some fun,” continued Mar- ian.

‘The music is always a big part of it. Paddy Mulcahy from Lahinch has once again organised a great line-up of music. The line-up is still being completed but so far Paddy has put together a great line-up. We will also be staging a new band competition

on the Saturday of the festival.

‘There is still time for people to get involved if they have events in mind. People should just give me a buzz if they have something that they think would be a good addition. This year we are also getting local business to sponsor events. So far Cathleen’s Laundrette have said they will spon- sor the soccer competition while Unglert’s Bakery and Conway’s have also come up trumps with great sponsorship.”

Anyone interested in getting in- volved or sponsoring an event should contact Marian on (086) 8782617.

A STATE-OF-THE-ART playschool and after school facility is to open in Hurler’s Cross in September.

Catering for children in the local areas of Hurler’s Cross, Ballycasey, Bunratty and Shannon, MHurler’s Cross Playschool will be run by local resident, Ann Marie Griffin Morris- eas

She has worked in Baby Bops play- school in Limerick for a number of years, having previously worked in Roches Stores department store in Limerick city for 15 years.

Over the past few years, she has completed the FETAC Level 5 in childcare and FETAC Level 6 in school age childcare.

The mother-of-two has built on to her family home, to incorporate the new business.

“It’s an extension on to my own house. There is huge open space and plenty of parking. We are located within a three minute drive of Clon- money National School,” she said.

She felt there was a need for a new playschool, given the increasing pop- ulation in the area in recent years.

“Three new housing estates have gone in since I moved out here eight years ago. The area has been expand- ing rapidly,” she said.

Although born in Limerick, Ann Marie has strong links with Clare. She has many close relations in the county, including Clare senior hurler Tony Griffin who 1s her first cousin.

Numbers attending the after school facility will be limited to 10, while the playschool can cater for 20.

“Tt will take a couple of years to get to that capacity. I’m hoping to have seven or eight in the playschool for the first year or two,” she said.

The facilities available at the new school include hard and soft outdoor areas, toilets, sand and water play areas. There will be an array of edu- cational toys which will enhance the

development of the young children.

The school is part-funded by the National Development Plan.

It will open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 12.30pm. After school care will also be provided, with drop-off and collection from Clonmoney Na- tional School.

For bookings or queries regarding

the playschool or after school facility contact Ann Marie on 061 360555.

A SIXMILEBRIDGE man_ who braved a mixture of weather condi- tions and ran an ultra marathon for charity has raised almost €6,500.

Pat O’Keeffe undertook the mam- moth task of running the 39.3 mile ultra marathon in Connemara, in an effort to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House at Crumlin Chil- dren’s Hospital, in April.

Pat, who lives 1n Quin and works in the army, based in Limerick, was de- lighted with his time of seven hours, 10 minutes and 12 seconds. He was equally pleased with the €6,483.61 that he raised for his efforts.

He was keen to run as much of the race as he could and managed to run virtually all of it.

“T ran most of it,’ he laughed. “There were about three miles of very high climbs at the end that I walked.

“T enjoyed it. I wasn’t as sore as I thought I would be. About 110 of us did the ultra and we had our own lit- tle group,” he said.

He faced a mixture of elements during the race, with snow, wind, rain and a bit of sun all featuring on STM Or RA

“To get to the finish was great. The last mile was brilliant, but the weath- er was cat. For the first mile we had snow, then there was wind for a lot of

it and a bit of rain, followed by love- ly sun, then wind and then another shower of snow,” he recalled.

Given that he has suffered severe back pain over the past four years, his achievement was all the more impressive. Pat ran his first marathon in Dublin in 1988 and has ran three others since then.

Last summer, he and a group of colleagues took to the bicycles and cycled from Shannon to Limerick, raising €5,000 in the process, also for Crumlin Children’s Hospital.

The fundraising was dedicated to a young Limerick girl, Sophie Mulc- ahy, who underwent several heart operations at the Crumlin hospital. While she was in hospital, her par- ents stayed at the Ronald McDonald House, which provides a supportive environment for families. Sophie’s father Liam works alongside Pat in the army.

And he doesn’t intend to rest on his laurels in the future. Pat has already pledged to take part in next year’s ultra marathon challenge in Conne- nerb eee

“I’ve entered for next year. I entered a week afterwards. I did it for char- ity this year. Next year, Ill do it for myself and hope to better my time,” he enthused.

His task would not have been pos- sible without the help of his family, friends and work colleagues, along

with everybody who donated money towards the fund.

“It’s amazing the amount of good- will that is out there. I stood outside the pharmacy at Dunnes Stores one Saturday and collected €892 that day alone, despite the fact there was another collection taking place the

same day. It was amazing,” he said.

AS the primary school summer hol1- days loom close, bookings are cur- rently being taken for a variety of summer camps in the Shannon area.

One of the main camps this sum- mer is being run by the local youth office. The office has provided sum- mer activities for children, aged be- tween nine and 13, for more than 30

years.

This year, five days of summer camp have been planned and will go ahead between July 1 and 5, at the Respond Community Building, R1- neanna View.

The camp is offered to young peo- ple in Shannon and the surrounding areas of Cratloe, Sixmilebridge and Newmarket-on-Fergus.

The summer camp activities on of-

fer will include arts and crafts, inflat- able fun day, storytelling, quizzes, bowling, quasar, soccer, swimming, day trips to Lahinch Seaworld and Ailwee Cave. It also offers young volunteers aged 17 and over from the area a chance to train and become a leader for the duration of the camp.

The camp costs €65 for the five days, while family rates are also available on request.

Applications will be accepted un- til Friday, June 27. Two registration days will take place, between 4pm and 7pm, this Thursday and Friday (June 12 and 13).

Local businesses EI Electronics and Schwarz Pharma will sponsor the summer camp this year.

For further information on the camp or to obtain booking forms, phone 061 364318.

A GROUP of enterprising youngsters from Sixmilebridge have launched their very own fundraising drive to raise money for a project that will benefit themselves.

Last September, a group of teenag- ers, aided by parents and the local Bridge Complex, set up The Teen Cafe in the village. Geared for those aged between 12 and 17 years, the café opens every Friday evening at the courthouse.

Entertainment provided at the café is varied and includes games and quizzes, while the children run their very own shop every week.

While the group of up to 30 young- sters who meet weekly enjoy the café, they decided they wanted additional

facilities, such as a soccer table and karaoke machine.

They felt that they needed to put to- gether an initiative to raise money for equipment for the café and compiled a fundraising plan.

“They decided to do some fund- raising themselves and came up with the idea of a sponsored walk from Sixmulebridge to Shannon town cen- tre,” said one of the supervisors of the café, Richard Cahill.

They undertook the walk last Friday and in the process raised money for the new equipment. When the final figures are totted, they are hopeful that €700 will have been collected.

Mr Cahill said that the young chil- dren will appreciate the equipment they will buy from the proceeds, as they have worked hard to raise the

funds.

“You can give a group of kids any- thing they want, but will they ap- preciate it? If they earn it as a team, there is a sense of ownership. They have been exceptionally enthusias- tic,” he added.

‘The response has been very good. The children have been knocking on doors with sponsorship cards and have been generously received as they went around,’ said Mr Cahill.

He said that the children looked forward to attending the café every week.

“They are left to their own devices. It is not a specific club. It’s a drop- in hang out kind of thing,” said Mr rT TUE

Aoife Cadogan is one of the young girls who help to run the shop at the

café. The 14-year-old enjoys taking part, but has found the fundraising a tough challenge.

‘“T help out with the shop a lot. It’s a great place to hang out. The fundrais- ing has been difficult, because some people in the village are foreign, it is really hard to explain to them about it,” she said.

Niall Cahill (13) and his young brother Ronan (11) were pleased with their fundraising efforts, as it helped them to get to know people in their locality.

“It’s great fun, because we met some people we didn’t know in the ‘Bridge,’ said Niall, while his brother said, “The fundraising was brilliant. I really enjoyed going around to the houses.” A politician in the making, perhaps.