Author: admin

SOME of Clare’s leading business lights were in New Quay last week for a meeting of the Clare branch of Network Ireland.

The meeting, which allows local businesswomen to network and trade ideas, was hosted by Brid Fahy of Linnalla Ice Cream. Linnalla will be celebrating it’s third year in opera- tion in north Clare later this month, and to mark the celebrations it will be hosting its third annual free ice- cream day.

“We started making ice-cream here in July of 2006 so we are nearly three years there now. We decided to diversify from the farming. We still milk cows, most of the milk goes to the creamery but we keep some of it here for the ice-cream,” said Brid.

“We started off with about five fla- vours and now we are up to about 25. We use real fresh milk and cream and that is the basic ingredient – without them we would have nothing.”

The ice-cream is 100 per cent home made using milk from the Fahy’s own cows and local fruit and berries as flavouring whenever possible.

The ice-cream 1s available from the Linnalla shop in New Quay as well as being on a number of local restau- rant and hotel menus.

Recently Linnalla have also reached an agreement to be distribut- ed throughout the western seaboard with Keane’s Distributors in Ennis.

This year free ice-cream day in support of the Jack and Jill Founda- tion and takes place on June 14.

“When we started planning it last year the Burma Cyclone was af-

ter happening so we decided that it would be a very worthy cause. We contacted Trocaire who gave us a lot of information and on the day we had more than 1,000 people here and raised more than €2,000,”’ continued Brid.

“This year we will have some ab- seiling with the help of the Burren Outdoor Education Centre. Down here we had a ‘digging for gold com- petition’ for younger kids who can dig in our sandpit for some gold nug- gets and whoever finds a nugget gets a free tub of ice-cream.

“We will have donkey rides and other water games, milking the cow, bouncy castles – it’s all about having some fun. And having some free ice- cream of course.”

To learn more about Linnalla check out www.linnalla.com.

THIS east Clare derby failed to reach the heights one would have expect- ed and experienced had this been a straight knockout contest.

However, the pros and cons of the whole round robin system are for an- other day – this day was about Scar- iff’s three goals that simply tore the life out of O’Callaghan’s Mills’ spir- ited, but largely limited endeavours.

The first two came inside the open- ing 15 minutes and were as soft as the 2009 championship is likely to see, while the third 17 minutes into the second half finally killed off the Mills challenge.

Those goals hang over what was otherwise a tepid enough champi- onship affair that was punctuated far too often by Seanie McMahon’s whistle.

Rules are rules and very much part of the game, but at what price to the spectacle? In short, this 60 minutes was so stop-start in nature that a good game was rendered impossible.

It didn’t bother Scariff though – they got off to a flier thanks to Kenny McNamara’s goal inside 45 seconds and never really looked back.

The goal came via a long Barry Mc- Namara free that Damian O’Connell failed to control in the Mills goal, a failure that allowed Kenny McNa- mara scramble the sliotar over the

an sTen

The Mills never really recovered from this setback, while their task was made more mountainous in the 15th minute when Ross Horan’s 50-metre free against the breeze that hadn’t enough on it to clear the crossbar for a point was allowed drop tamely into the net on O’Connell’s near post.

This was the real hammer blow to the Mills’ challenge, especially after they had battled back from the open- ing goal to trail by only 1-4 to 0-4

prior to Horan’s strike.

Three Alan Duggan frees and a fine point from play by Adrian Flaherty had given them a real foothold only for them to surrender the initiative with that second soft goal.

When Jim Minogue added a point in the 17th minute to give Scariff a seven-point lead things suddenly looked very bleak for the Mills, but they rallied once more before half- time thanks to three more Alan Dug- gan frees and a brilliant solo effort from Patrick Donnellan to leave

themselves only 2-6 to O-8 in ar- rears.

With the wind to come the Mills certainly had a cause, especially when points by Alan Duggan and Adrian Flaherty inside five minutes of the re-start reduced the margin to two points.

It was a case of game on again, but it was also a real case of Scariff’s full-forward Kenny McNamara step- ping up to put in a virtuoso second half performance that helped Scariff nail the two points long before the finish of the hour.

It was McNamara who setttled Scar- iff nerves in the 40th minute with a fine point from play. His brother Bar- ry landed two long range frees by the 46th minute, while Patrick Moroney crowned his impressive contribution of 1-2 from play when he goaled in Noma OO

His points came in the first half – the goal came after he ghosted forward from the half-forward line to field a crossfield ball from Alfie Rodgers on the edge of the square and slam the sliotar to the net from 13 metres.

It was a procession from there on – in the closing ten minutes Kenny McNamara turned the screw with three great points from play, while Ross Horan chipped in with a couple of frees.

O’Callaghan’s Mills did raise a rip- ple of applause from their support-

ers in the 58th minute when Declan Donovan goaled, but it was nothing more than a consolation score as Scariff cruised to a very comfortable eight-point win.

Scariff can now look forward to a bye in the second round, while O’Callaghan’s Mills have a crunch tie against fellow first round losers Tulla.

The evolution of Clooney/Quin con- tinued on Friday evening, adding a new ruthless streak to their rapidly erowing arsenal to open the new campaign with a comprehensive vic- re ays

Learning from past mistakes has been a feature of Clooney/Quin’s de- velopment this year and with the ex- pected fire and brimstone from Smith O’Briens, who had lofty notions of their own this year, Clooney/Quin played this tie to perfection, soaking up the early pressure before gaining a decisive stranglehold on the game that they would never relinquish.

Granted, there was a large ele- ment of fortune to the two late first half goals that essentially turned this tie on it’s head and broke Smith O’Brien’s spirit but as Clooney/Quin learned the hard way last year, you make your own luck at this level and it’s just about grasping those op- portunities when they present them- selves.

All that was in sharp contrast to Smith O’Brien’s who seem to have learned very little from their two full seasons at the top level. The same old failings were evident and ship- ping their biggest defeat at this level couldn’t have come at a worse time for their confidence.

Peel back the skin of the thirteen

point winning margin and you will find that the game fundamentally hinged on the ten minute period before half-time. After a slow start, Clooney/Quin led by O-7 to 0-4 on the 20 minute mark but could have been pegged back when Shane O’Brien earned Smith O’Brien’s a penalty.

However, Liam Walsh’s 23rd minute effort was saved by a combination of Cillian Duggan and crossbar and while that setback wasn’t detrimen- tal, it was magnified soon afterwards as two injury time gifts of goals left them trailing by nine points at the usr e

They came in almost identical fash- ion, stemming from Cillian Duggan long frees, the first of which appeared to travel straight to the net while the latter got the deftest of flicks from Cathal Egan.

Half time couldn’t come soon enough for Smith O’Brien’s but if those goals signalled the beginning of the end, Martin Duggan’s 34th minute goal may as well have had the Grim Reaper operating the umpire’s green flag as it totally sucked the life out of the Killaloe side’s challenge. With only Seamus Gleeson, Liam Walsh and John Cusack willing to stand up, Smith O’Brien’s heads be- gan to drop and to compound mat- ters, they also found goalkeeper Ca- thal Hannon in defiant mood.

Clooney/Quin had no such lead- ership issues with Cillian Duggan, Enda Harrison, Fergal Lynch, and the unplayable Martin Duggan who had an impressive haul of 1-7 to his name, controlling matters.

It meant that they eased up to vic- tory, one which will give them a huge boost ahead of their long break until round three while on the flip side, nothing but a win against Corofin in round two will be good enough to save Smith O’Brien’s season.

A LANDOWNER along the route of the €200 million Ennis by-pass received more than €4 million from Clare County Council for 12.5 acres of land.

The landowner is one of nine mil- lionaires created out of the compul- sory purchase of land along the 21 kilometre route.

A second landowner received €3/7m for 9.25 acres and the most expensive land along the route was a two acres plot that sold for €1.8mil- lion.

In all, landowners along the route Shared in a €37 million bonanza, according to figures obtained from Clare County Council through the Freedom of Information Act. The purchases were completed during the property boom when the price of land remained high.

A fourth landowner received €2.1m for 16 acres while a fifth received €1.5m for 20.5 acres.

Others to receive more than €lm include one landowner who received €1.5m for 11 acres; another who got €1.1m for 21.5 acres and one other received €1 million for 7.5 acres.

A ninth ‘millionaire’ received €1.2m for 16.25 acres and 3.7 acres of severed land. Three other land- owners received over €900,000, while a further five got in excess of ml OOK OOF

17 landowners received between

€250,000 and €500,000. Thir- teen landowners received between €200,000 and €250,000, while a further 26 landowners received be- tween €100,000 and €200,000.

The by-pass removed 20,000 vehi- cles from Ennis each day and work is continuing on the next phase of the Atlantic Corridor with the by-pass- ing of Gort and Crusheen.

The firm who constructed the En- nis by-pass, GAMA Construction told the Labour Court last year that the company’s loss on the scheme could be as much as €45m.

The figures also show the fees con- sultants and professionals received for their work with Jacobs Engineer-

ing Ltd totalled €6.7 million. Ennis auctioneering firm, Paddy Browne & Co which negotiated with the hun- dreds of landowners along the route on behalf of the council received €1.33 million.

Council solicitors, Michael Houli- han & Co received €1.2 million.

Coffey Construction Ltd received €787,311, while Crusheen-based ar- chaeological firm, TVAS Ireland Ltd received €721,797 for the extensive digs along the route.

A FORMER businesswoman is fighting blindness with the help of the people of north Clare.

Aine Mahoney, who is_ severely visually impaired, has organised a 10-kilometre walk from Lahinch to Ennistymon in aid of the research and counselling charity.

Well aware of the difficulty of those facing blindness the 27-year-old hopes to raise much-needed funds for the charity Fighting Blindness.

The ambitious young woman had taken over Cascades Cafe in Ennisty- mon during the summer of 2005. She was healthy and happy, with no eye- sight difficulties.

At the beginning of 2006 she de- cided to put her own stamp on the café and closed for renovations.

Shortly after she lost almost all of her sight, despite medical interven- tion, including laser treatment. Ms O’ Mahoney even believed that some of the treatment added to her sight difficulties.

She has never lost hope of a cure being found for her condition, and in the meantime is determined to love TUK KOM seem ALONE

Despite being almost completely

blind, the brave young woman has now got her life back on track, and is working hard with the charity in a bid to help others.

Fighting Blindness funds world- leading research into cures and treat- ments for blindness.

It also provides a unique profes- sional counselling service for people with visual impairments and their families.

Providing such services requires a lot of support from the public, in- cluding financial support.

Ms O’Mahoney is hoping to raise as much money as possible for the charity this June bank holiday week- NF

The 10-kilometre walk will take place on June 1, from the Lahinch car park on the Liscannor Road.

Those taking part in the summer walk will enjoy the scenic route of the by roads from Lahinch to En- nistymon and back again.

Registration for the walk will take place on the day at 12pm and costs just €10. The walk will begin at aeye0F

CELEBRATIONS have begun to take place all over Clare to mark the 125th anniversary of the GAA. Nowhere are these celebration more fitting than in Carron, birthplace of Michael Cusack. Last Sunday Michael Cusack’s GAA club held a community fun day for all the local children at their newly developed

clubhouse in the heart of the Burren.

Major changes have taken place at the club over the last number of years as, led by former club chairperson Christina Glynn, the club has over- seen a major redevelopment of the clubs facilities and the introduction of a state of the art flood-lighting AYA K 008

The clubhouse and grounds are lo- cated not far from the birthplace of

Carron’s most famous son, Michael Cusack.

has learned that a team of runners will carry a flame from the birthplace of Michael Cu- sack in Carron to the birthplace of the GAA in Thurles for the Munster hurling final on July 12.

The torch will be handed to the Munster GAA chairman Jimmy O’Gorman on the pitch before the senior decider. O’Gorman will then light torches for all the heads of the

GAA in the province who will bring back the flame of Cusack back to their own county.

“In association with the Munster Council and the Clare GAA board we have planned the relay torch run- ning from the Michael Cusack Cen- tre to Thurles for Munster Final day. This would be symbolic of Cusack’s own journey to Thurles to found the GAA,” said Martin O’Loghlen of the Michael Cusacks Centre.

“The torch will then be taken from Thurles to all the counties in Mun- ster, again symbolic of the idea of the GAA spreading out from Thurles and the impact of Michael Cusack.”

The Cusack Centre was developed by Michael Cusack Development

Company, a not-for-profit voluntary group formed in November 2003 to restore Michael Cusack’s cottage which had fallen into disrepair.

“We feel passionate about the con- nection between the GAA, Carron and Michael Cusack. We feel that it is important to remember his legacy to the country, not just the foundation of the GAA but his entire legacy,” continued Martin.

‘We have a number of events com- ing up in the next few weeks to mark the 125th anniversary celebrations. We are trying to encourage as many people as possible into the centre during the anniversary so we are providing a special offer for all GAA clubs over the summer months.

“We are working closely with Clare GAA and the Munster Council and on June 20 we will also have a number of activities up at the centre as a special commemoration.”

The special offer will see all GAA clubs being offered a special reduced admission fee of €3 for adults and €2 for children between six and 16 years throughout the summer.

EFFORTS by Kilrush Town Coun- cil to buy out of a contract that has already flushed away €305,185.58 of the council’s money, has been blocked by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

This month’s meeting of the town council was told that central Govern- ment refused to allow it get a loan to buy itself out of the contract for the public Superloo.

Last year the public toilet in the square cost the council €38,325, with an income of just €1,250.

This year the Superloo is to flush another €39,806 down the drain with an estimated income of €1,300. This will see the council losing €38,500 again this year.

The town council are bound to the contract until August 23, 2019. To remove itself from the contract, the council would have to give 12 months’ notice and pay a penalty of 25 per cent of the cost per year re- maining on the contract as well as the cost of having it removed.

Kilrush town clerk, John Corry told the members of the council on Wednesday, “The dilemma this council has is the cost of buying out Web ISe

“We have to remain in budget for the year. We are looking at budget- ing the €120,000 (buy out) for the

next year which would be a huge increase in the annual rate of valua- tion,’ he warned.

“We got a loan for Henry Street, why can’t we get a loan?” asked Cllr Deirdre Culligan (Ind).

“We have approached the depart- ment about a loan and they said no way, said Mr Corry.

‘The rent we are paying for the next three years would pay that (the loan) off with no rate increase,’ argued Cllr Marian McMahon Jones (FG).

“We all agree it is crazy, but we cannot raise the loan. Can I ask you to go back to the company?” said the mayor, Cllr Liam O’Looney.

Town manager Bernadette Kinsella told the councillors that their options were restricted.

“You either borrow, which there 1s a limit on nationally, or you look at the levies. You also need to consider what other facility do you plan to provide given Kilrush is a heritage town.”

Cllr Culligan pointed out that the council is not required to provide such facilities.

“If the Government is tying our hands and insisting we waste money, it’s no wonder the country is in the state it is in. If they are letting us squander money on a toilet and won’t let us buy ourselves out,” she said.

Cllr McMahon Jones asked for the costing of a small building for a to1- Colm Kom orom chek, armel oy

HOW soon work will begin on the second phase of the rejuvenation project in John Paul Estate depends on funding being available from Hse NM OCovourveeroele

Kilrush Town Council prepared a detailed project brief in October 2008 in respect of a continuation of Remedial Works at the council es- tate.

This brief specifically identified proposed works in terms of specific je atone

It was then submitted to the De- partment of Environment, Heritage and Local Government on Novem- ber 12 last seeking funding under the Remedial Works Programme 2009-2011.

The department requested clarifi-

cation on some points on the sub- mission in late February 2009 and these were immediately responded to by the council.

An inspector from the Department of the Environment then inspected the estate and the proposed works in April 2009.

He suggested some amendments to be made to the council’s brief. These amendments are being final- ised.

“The feedback which I have re- ceived from the DoEHLG is that they would be very positively dis- posed to the continued remedaia- tion of the estate and that it 1s next in line in a group of projects to be approved subject to funding being available,’ Town Clerk John Corry told this month’s meeting of the town council.

CLARE’S only candidate in the Eu- ropean Election Michael McNamara has called for all counties to be al- lowed elect its own local mayor.

The Independent candidate, who believes an overhaul of local govern- ment is long over due has asked can those in the provinces not be trusted to elect the heads of their local gov- Simone ate ome

“While the announcement of a di- rectly elected mayor for Dublin 1s positive for Dublin, one has to won- der why it wasn’t extended beyond the pale, where it is most needed in light of the centralisation of power in this country’, he said. “It does not change the fact that on June 5 coun- cillors will be elected in Clare.” Yet, all executive power is in the hands of the County Manager who is ap- pointed from Dublin. Is this local democracy?” he asked.

Con (onmsslomanunleUbelcans(OUse-DUMBDOMNele counties local authorities, difficult decisions will have to be made in the months and years after the upcoming election. Indeed they are already be- ing made as we see from news from the Roads Section. There decisions must be made by democratically elected representatives who have to answer to the electorate for their de- C1Sions.”’

“There is general agreement on the need for greater accountability in government but at the moment it remains just a slogan to glibly throw out. Accountability has to begin somewhere. All politics is local, the say. So it has to begin locally,’ he Sr nLe

“In the time spent campaigning throughout the constituency, since my late entry to the race, one issue has stood out in the vast and var- ied constituency. That is a sense of increasing alienation from govern- ment, including local government, by citizens and community groups. This growing chasm is very worrying and needs to be bridged,” he added.

‘Perhaps, the answer is less local government with greater power and a more regional approach. I think that the people of Clare feel a strong affinity with Munster. Indeed the re- cent Clare FM poll where the major- ity felt that the voters of Clare are not adequately represented in being part of the North and West European Par- liament Constituency is noteworthy in this regard.”