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THE promise of a belated Lisdoonvarna pub crawl is bringing Oscar winning director Cynthia Wade, to North Clare this St Patrick’s Day where she will film one of the most original musical groups ever to form.

Wade, who won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2008 and was nominated for a second Oscar in 2012, is currently producing a documentary on groundbreaking American group, the Hutchins Consort.

The Hutchins Consort is the only group in the world who play violin octets – a collection of eight violintype instruments, which are each of a different size and produce a different sound.

Wade is currently working on a new documentary on the group and its founder, the late Carleen Hutchins who invented the instruments. The family of the band’s leader Joe McNally visited the Roadside Tavern in Lisdoonvarna two years ago and that prompted him to bring filming all the way to Ireland.

“When I heard of the group I sent an email to them them over in San Diego, saying that they had got me interested. The man I spoke to was Joe McNally and as luck would have it his whole family had been in the Roadhouse in Lisdoonvarna two years ago and Joe had missed the night,” said Peter Curtin of the Roadside Tavern,

“So when he decided to come over, he said it was make up for the pub crawl that he missed two years before. It’s a very exciting event. Where else in the west of Ireland would you get an Oscar winning director coming to film this incredible group on St Patrick’s Day.”

Footage from the Roadside Tavern will be used as part of Wade’s latest film, ‘Second Fiddle’, which tells the story of Carleen Hutchins. Wade has won festival accolades all over the world including at the Academy Awards, Primetime Emmys, Sundance Film Festival, Palm Springs, Aspen and the Hamptons, as well as film festival awards in Spain, Italy, Argentina and Belgium.

The Hutchins Consort will perform at the Roadside Tavern St Patrick’s Day, Monday March 17, from 2pm.

THE long lost remains of a British ship which sank off the Clare coast almost 120 years ago, were uncovered over the weekend in Liscannor Bay.

The ship, named the Elizabeth McLea, sank in rough seas in December of 1894 when its anchor became dislodged, causing it to drift in a heavy storm and run aground on rocks just off Lahinch beach.

The remains of the wooden hull of the ship, which have somehow survived in Liscannor Bay for the past 119 years were uncovered over the weekend. It is understood that a combination of the recent storms and high tides over the weekend, worked to uncover the remains of ship.

Heavy storms in January and February have transformed the layout of the beach at Lahinch – moving thousands of tonnes of sand and exposing large areas of rock.

The ship was spotted by local man Patrick O’Dwyer, who is a green keeper at the nearby Lahinch Golf Course.

“We were working away on the golf course and we noticed what looked like flags sticking up from the sand. If you look from the end of the Lahinch Promenade, the ship is located about 200 yards north and about 100 yards out to sea, so it isn’t far off from the main beach at all,” he said.

“We’re not sure how it became uncovered, but it must have something to do with the tides and the way that all the sand shifts and gets moved around.

“You can actually get relatively close to it. The sand becomes very shallow around the ship itself so you’d want to be careful because it might give away and that would be quite dangerous, but you can get relatively close to it.”

The ship sank on December 28, three days after Christmas Day 1894. The storm was so great that the crew were forced to climb the ships rigging to avoid being swept overboard by the storm. When the storm began to ease the crew were able to make it back to the deck before using ropes to winch there way into the water and finally ashore.

The Elizabeth McLea was in Liscannor Bay collecting a cargo of Doonagore Stone for transport back to Bristol. The Clare flag stone was a prize cargo in the 1800s and some is understood to have been used in both Buckingham Palace and the White House.

According to locals the ship has resurfaced in the past, but this is the first time that the Elizabeth McLea has been visible for at least a decade.

ST JOSEPH’S Secondary School Spanish Point is continuing the fight to raise funds for the county’s first second level education unit for students with Autism.

In its second year, the ‘Fight for Autism’ white-collar boxing competition has been organised again to raise funding to equip the specialised unit.

Last year € 20,000 was raised for the cause, with the organising committee hoping to reach the same fundraising milestone this year.

As many as 12 women and 20 men from all over west and north Clare have been training to get into the ring for this cause since January 1.

So popular is the event that the 700 tickets have already almost completely sold out, even though they only went on sale on Saturday morning.

The Fight for Autism will take place in the Armada Hotel, Spanish Point, on Sunday evening next.

The boxers parade will begin at 6.30pm, with six women’s fights and 10 men’s fights then scheduled to take place.

Deputy principal at St Joseph’s Secondary School, Spanish Point, Paul Reidy paid particular tribute to Ennis Boxing Club.

“We have to say a huge thanks to the club, without them this would not be possible,” he said of the boxing club that provided training and facilities to train to the 32 participants.

A PROSTITUTION survivor and former drug addict will address a group of teenagers, women and the general public as part of a joint initiative by students at Coláiste Muire, Ennis and Clare’s Women’s Network.

Mia de Faoite will make the address on Friday next from 7.30pm to 9pm in the Temple Gate Hotel.

The Dublin woman, who is a survivor of prostitution and drug addiction, is an activist for the Turn off the Red Light Campaign.

Through public lectures, television and radio interviews and the theatre she has highlighted the dangers intrinsic to prostitution.

Transition year students at the Ennis school have already begun researching the taboo subject of prostitution and discussing the issue that is often overlooked by society.

As part of Young Social Innovators 2014, the students are endeavouring to raise awareness, open up discussion around sexual exploitation and debate the criminalisation of demand for paid sexual services.

They have completed a project of their findings and will present it to the audience on the night also. There will then be an opportunity for further discussion with refreshments served.

The Clare Women’s Network, an or- ganisation that is a community based and seeks to ensure a safe society in which all women are valued, included and experience equality of opportunity all levels of life, have also been instrumental in the school’s project and Ms de Faoite’s visit to Ennis.

Mia is currently a second year student at The National University of Ireland, Maynooth where she is reading Philosophy and Sociology. This event is open to all and is free to attend.

A TOURISM venture, which is expected to increase the number of visitors to Clare this year, was launched on Thursday in Dublin, much to the annoyance of some West of Ireland tourism bodies.

The Government chose to launch the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s first long distance touring route along the West coast, in the East.

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring promised visi- tors the “journey of a lifetime” as he officially launched 2,500-kilometre route.

Fáilte Ireland is investing € 10 million during 2014 in the route which stretches from the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal to Kinsale in County Cork, and incorporate west and north Clare.

Minister Ring said, “It’s the world’s longest touring route through some of Ireland’s most beautiful places, and is already proving a hit in our key overseas markets like Britain, the US, France and Germany.

“It has massive potential to bring more visitors and more jobs to rural communities right along the western seaboard.

“That’s why we will soon be promoting it even further a field in places like Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.”

The minister has also said that while the Government has invested in the promotion of the venture it would not be providing specific finances to repair any damage along the route due to recent storms.

Clare County Council has to date paid out € 1 million in repairs along the Clare part of the tourism route.

Director of Services with Clare County Council Ger Dollard told The Clare People , “Responsibility for roads rests with the council but we are dependent on funding from Government.

“We see the Wild Atlantic Way as a major tourism project for County Clare with huge economic and tourism potential.

“We are obviously anxious that the overall product is presented to the highest standard possible.”

AS MANY as 420 women and children, who were victims of domestic abuse, or an average of three families every week, were turned away by Clare’s women’s refuge centre last year as there was no room to house them.

A total of 148 women and 272 children had to be relocated in other counties or housed with friends, as the service struggles under monetary cuts and a growing need.

While there are no official Garda or CSO figures to record the number of domestic crimes in the county, Clare Haven has come in contact with 466 families affected by domestic abuse last year alone, with many other families understood to be suffering in silence.

Clare Haven, which is working to capacity, is forced to assess the safety of the families presenting at the service and often times work with refuges in Limerick and Galway to find a place for those in immediate danger to stay.

Each year since 2008, more and more of the Government funding for the service has been cut, with the service now very reliant on charity fundraisers.

In his address to the Joint Oireachtais Committee overseeing legislation on domestic abuse, Clare Senator Tony Mulcahy (FG) said it is his belief that an immediate barring order should be issued to the instiga- tor of the abuse banning him or her from the family home.

“We need to take the criminal out of the house and then we would solve a lot of the housing problems,” he said.

As many as 99 families were homed by Clare Haven last year, including 184 children, while there was no room for 148 more families.

A further 219 women are being supported by Clare Haven’s outreach service in their own homes. Some of these women are still with their partners.

Clare Haven caters for women and children only, while male victims of domestic abuse are asked to contact the national organisation AMEN.

Despite the pressures on the Clare women’s refuge, ensuring the safety of the women and their families is paramount according to Clare Haven manager Denise Dunne.

“When someone rings us up, or through outreach as well, the first thing we do is assess the safety of them and their children. If it is something like they are high priority and they absolutely need refuge we would try to see if there are spaces in one of the other refuges such as Adapt in Limerick or Waterside in Galway. We work very, very closely with them. If the woman goes to Adapt or to Waterside when a room does become available we would take her back to Clare,” she said.

“If it is a thing she can stay with family members or friends and it is safe for her to do so, again we will say ring back in as day or two and we will see if we have a room available then.

“But part of the problem with the refuge been full all of the time it is very hard to move women on now. There is huge thresholds for rent allowance,” the manager explained.

“Also there are regulations around the housing list that is making it difficult for women to get on the housing list as well, and finance is huge as well,” she said.

“It is becoming very, very hard for us to keep the services running with the continuing cuts to funding as well. We were cut by 2.5 per cent by the Family Agency this year and that has been consistent with since 2008.”

In 2012 SAFE Ireland, the umbrella group for organisations that help victims of domestic violence, recorded that 8,449 women and 3,606 children received direct one-to-one services from specialist domestic violence support services in Ireland. In addition, in this same year domestic violence services answered 50,077 helpline calls across the country.

PUBLICANS in Ennistymon may soon be shutting their toilet doors to non-paying members of the public as frustration over the last of public toilets in the town reaches break point.

Clare County Council say that although it recognises the need for public toilets in the town – which caters for hundreds of thousands of tourists over the summer season – it does not currently have finances available to provide them.

While local publicans say they will continue to provide services for the public for the time being, many premises face significant water and electricity charges, all of which are being added to by tourists using their facilities.

“My toilets are at the back of the bar and I have people, young and old, coming through the bar every day to use them. It is unfair, and more then that it’s not good for the town. It is not encouraging anyone to stop and spend money in Ennistymon,” said Linda Youdell of Daly’s Bar.

“I have water charges here that are phenomenal. It costs money, I have to pay my council rates and other expenses. Here we are in 2014 and we cant even offer a basic facility to tourists.”

According to Joan Tierney of Cooley’s House in Ennistymon, some members of the public are rude to staff when they use their toilets for free. “I think that it is a absolute disgrace. In the summer time especially we get people walking in off the street every day. It doesn’t look good for the town,” she said.

“Water chargers are high and while I would never want to refuse someone access to the toilet, some people act as if it is their right [to use the toilet]. I know it sounds petty but people flush the toilet, the use the soap and the hand drier and it all costs money.”

The matter was raised at this months North Clare Area meeting of Clare County Council by local Cllr Bill Slattery (FG).

“The publicans are getting fed up of people coming into their premises and using it as a toilet. The cost of water is going up and it can be expensive in 10 or 20 people come in off the bus, use the facilities and then leave without paying for anything,” he said.

Public toilets were closed in Ennistymon more than 10 years ago because they were not wheelchair friendly. Local publicans approached Clare County Council in the past, offering to provide toilet facilities to the public in return for a contribution to running costs.

This proposal was turned down by the local authority.

DONALD Trump (Snr) is due to play his first game of golf on his newlyowned golf links – Doonbeg – within the month.

Representative from the Trump Organisation are to sign the final contract later today (Tuesday) in Doonbeg, for the Greg Norman-designed golf course which is reported to have cost them € 15 million.

Executive Vice President Eric Trump said he was excited to be signing the final papers, but it would appear he is not as excited as his billionaire father about his latest acquisition. Mr Trump asks about the course and its development at least five times a day.

“He will be very excited to play it. He will be very excited to get out here and obviously we speak no less than five times a day, and he is always asking how it is, he couldn’t be more excited,” said Eric.

“He is the one that came across this property. We have all so many friends who have played this prop- erty and who are members here, so he is truly, truly excited.”

While an exact figure is not yet available on how much will be further invested in the property, Eric Trump who is in Doonbeg today for the signing of the contract said it would be in the millions.

“We will spend what ever is needed to make it the best,” he said, stating that any work and labour will be provided locally.

“Just about everything will be local. If you just look at the operational team that we have already on the ground it is phenomenal. The number one hotel in Europe, you don’t just get that award by not having the best, and the team is incredible and Joe Russell is incredible. It is his team, and they are true professionals. Quiet frankly not always do you walk into a property that has such an amazing team. We plan on making very few changes in that regard. And in terms of labour as we move in to executing our plans it will all be local,” he told The Clare People .

He said the company has already received some permission from Clare County Council to carry out coastal erosion works and will continue to work with the council in that regard.

The whole process taking Doonbeg Lodge and Golf Links to Trump International Golf Links, Ireland has been completed in record time.

“It has been exceptionally quick. I think to be able to effectively find, go hard and then close on a deal like this in two and a half weeks is certainly unheard of, and it is how we like to work. We like to move very quickly. We have that ability as a private company and when we find something we like and we find something we love and something that has this kind of potential, we hop on it very quickly and we get it done,” said Mr Trump.

BURREN film ‘Songs for Amy’ will be given it’s full Irish big-screen premiere in Dublin on May 1.

The film, which was both written and produced by Burren based writer Fiona Graham, was premiered in Los Angeles in 2012, but Irish audiences will now finally get the chance to see it on the big screen.

The film was recorded in the Kinvara area in 2011, and features a number of local actors and musicians including Jim McKee from Belharbour and Ultan Conlon from Kinvara. The film features a number of well know stars including Sean Maguire, Lorna Anderson and Patrick Bergin – who plays an older musician in the film.

It has already won a number of awards on the international film festival circuit, including the Jury Award for for Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking at the Newport Beach Film Festival in California.

Following the Dublin premiere on May 1, ‘Songs for Amy’ will open in selected IMC Cinemas from May 2. It is not yet clear if the film will be shown in cinemas in Ennis, Limerick or Galway.

Burren based Sonny and Skye Productions, which produced the film, have also just joined forced with Los Angeles based company Traverse Media, in a effort to help ‘Songs for Amy’ get a widespread screening in America.

They have launched a crowd-funding campaign to help support the promotion of the film. The Indiegogo campaign asks members of the public to pledge support for the film in return for t-shirts, location tours and even meeting the cast.

“We are truly excited to be bringing American audiences ‘Songs for Amy’. It’s got all of the elements that make for a great movie, and we expect film fans everywhere will fall in love with this movie like we did,” said Jason Tyrrell, acquisitions director at Traverse.

NO DECISION on the construction of a new multi-million fish farm off the Clare coast will be made until August of this year at the earliest.

Speaking in the Dáil last week, the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney (FG), said that a final decision on granting a fish farm license is six months away and could even be delayed further because of the large number of submission made my members of the public in relation to the farm.

The proposed twin fish farm, which are proposed for adjacent sites eight kilometres off the Fanore and Doolin coasts, have already created a large amount of controversy with local anglers, fishermen and environmentalist coming out against the proposal.

According to Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), the Government agency who have applied for the license, the fish farms could create hundreds of jobs in the North Clare economy.

The other state fisheries agency, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) have come out against the proposed fish farm, saying it will damage local sea fisheries. There has been an ongoing war of words between the two organisation since the farms were first proposed in October of 2012, with each side providing contrary scientific studies on the potential effects of the farms, and the impact on sea lice numbers in wild salmon in particular.

Calls have been made in recent weeks for Minister Coveney to step back from the license decision, with many anti-fish farm campaigners ac- cusing him of being biased in favour of the development.

“There is always a strict separation between my Ministerial role as decision maker in respect of aquaculture licence applications and my Ministerial duty to promote the sustainable development of the industry. This separation of duties is strictly observed,” he said in the Dáil last week.

“The fullest consideration is being given to all submissions received as part of the statutory and public consultation stages of the process.”