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Tiondladh Foram Oige an Chlair

THE number of Clare people who have sought help from the Govern- ment to help pay their mortgage in- terest this year has almost doubled on the numbers seeking assistance last year.

Statistics provided by the Minister for Social Welfare, Mary Hanafin show that 152 people have sought

supplementary welfare allowances for mortgage interest in Clare so far this year.

Highlighting the difficulty more families are experiencing in repaying their mortgages, the figures show the 152 people seeking help compares to 78 last year; 65 in 2006; 56 in 2005 and 51 in 2004.

Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) yes- terday called on the Government to

provide additional help to people having difficulty paying back their mortgages.

“It’s frightening what’s going on and this is only the beginning with people losing their jobs. The great- est fear people have is losing their homes. The Government has to show leadership and we all have to pull together in this. The taxpayer has already provided a guarantee to the

banks and they should not engage in any repossessions.”

“You can’t have banks coming along and repossessing homes and selling them in a depressed housing market at a fraction of the value. That is to the benefit of no one. The people who bought these homes couldn’t qualify for social or affordable housing. It is not their fault that they had to pur- chase these homes at inflated prices

— they had no choice.

“Enough profiteering has gone on. We had it with the price of houses and we had it with the price of land. It is time to say stop’, Cllr McCarthy declared.

The supplementary welfare al- lowance scheme, administered by the HSE, provides for a weekly or monthly supplement to be paid in re- spect of mortgage interest.

FIVE students who returned to edu- cation in St. John Bosco Community College, Kildysart, have been award- ed Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) awards in business studies, computer applications and special needs assist- ant training.

The college offers the business studies course certified by the Fur- ther Education and Training Awards Council of Ireland (FETAC). Re- cipients of certificates were Patricia Kelly, Kildysart; Mary McMahon, Ballyea; Stephanie McNamara, Lis- sycasey; Karina Mescal, Cooraclare, and Lorna Wallace, Cranny.

The course is co-ordinated by Betty Culligan and her co-tutors are Marie O’Callaghan, Mona Garry and Mairéad Doohan.

FETAC is the statutory body set up in 2001 to create opportunities for all learners in further education to have their achievements recognised nationally and internationally.

Marion Coughlan Flynn, col- lege principal, said it was a huge achievement on everyone’s part. Being awarded a FETAC certificate indicated that one had reached the precise standard. She complimented the students on their hard work and co-operation despite also having responsibilities at home. She also thanked the four teachers for their commitment and dedication to the Fe) acter

The graduating students would be worthy ambassadors for the Kildysart

course in years to come, and she en- couraged them to encourage others to take on a PLC experience, since they themselves had enjoyed and benefited so much from one.

FETAC representative Donal Grif- fin presented the certificates and sug- gested that the mature students might consider as one option the setting up small business. Big business often started from small initiative. There was also the option of taking up modules in other FETAC opportuni- ties for further study and training.

FETAC awards were a relatively new element in Irish education and gave a framework to people to start back on a ladder and afforded step- ping stones to progress through education. It was a huge and very positive change for all involved and contrasted greatly with previous times when no way back into educa- tion was possible if one stopped at a particular point. He was delighted that the college had become involved in that change.

He also complimented the four teachers who managed and pro- gressed the course and said he hoped the students would have found an ap- petite for further learning, whether in St. John Bosco College or elsewhere, to build on what they had achieved.

Buyers look to Internet for cars

AFTER much delay, this highly an- ticipated decider is finally down for decision this weekend. Newmarket and Kilmaley were both finished their group stages before the com- mencement of the championship but due to the involvement of girls on county teams, both Under 18 and Junior and then Kilmaley’s run of great results and the decision to play the Under 18 club championship, the league has waited until what is near- ly Christmas week to see the final I eNierem

Ironically, it is a repeat of the pair- ing which lined out against each oth-

er in the senior championship final, where Kilmaley emerged victorious. Kilmaley have since won the Mun- ster Junior Club final while losing the All-Ireland final and last week- end, the county U18 final as well. They will be hoping to win the dou- ble and have in doing so chose not to leave this final go until next year as they have a number of girls from the Under 18 panel in the senior team. It is yet to be seen whether or not they will have Claire McMahon available to them. Claire broke her wrist on the evening of the All-Ireland club final and has had it in cast since then. If missing she will be a big loss to the county champions.

Newmarket will be out to avenge that county final defeat and had a

narrow win over Kilnamona in the league semi-final where it took the game to extra time. They were also surprisingly beaten in the UI8A semi-final by eventual winners Sixmulebridge and they will not want to let the year go without adding to the UI4A title that was won in the parish during the year.

This should be a tight contest but with the recent run of games that Kilmaley have had if Claire Mc- Mahon is fit, they may just add the League title to the championship. A League title that they won just short of this time last season, and will not want to relinquish.

THE Rally Ireland marshal recruit- ment drive was officially launched recently. With less than six weeks before the World Rally Champion- ship 2009 begins, more than 3,000 marshalls and volunteers will be enrolled to Rally Ireland. The event takes place from January 29th — Feb- ruary Ist 2009 and replaces Rally Monte Carlo as the opening round.

Speaking at the launch, Event D1- rector, John Naylor said: “The mar- shals and volunteers of Rally Ireland are vital to the success of our event. Their time and effort led to Rally Ireland 2007 being ranked as one of the best rallies in the Championship. For 2009 we want to raise our game again to be the best.”

Chief marshal, Paul Goodman and his team have already been busy con- tacting all motor around the country: “If people want to marshal at Rally Ireland 2009 they have two options. Firstly, if they are a member of a mo-

tor club they should contact the mar- shal coordinator in their club. Or secondly, if they are not a member of a motor club, they should contact their regional coordinators who will direct them to their nearest motor club.

“We have had a lot of interest in marshalling at Rally Ireland but there is still a need for more people.”

Anyone who marshals at the WRC’s opening event in January will receive a copy of the event programme, a Rally Ireland beanie hat and free en- try to the Service Park, a lunch pack and a hot meal following the running of the stage.

Paul Goodman will be assisted by Regional Coordinators. Each coord1- nator has been assigned a geographi- cal area, which includes the motor clubs in that region.

Clare motor club member Gerry O’Brien from Crusheen is the region- al coordinator for the South West which also includes the Clare area.

Gerry has been an active member

of the Clare Motor Club for many years. Acting as marshal coordina- tor, he has played an active role in re- cruiting marshals from many of his neighbouring clubs in the south west for the past number of years for the Clare Stages Rally. Gerry also acted as chairman of the club for a couple of years.

Gerry also worked as Marshal Co- ordinator for the South West region for Rally Ireland in 2007.

The Clare Motor Club have also launched their recruitment drive for marshals for Rally Ireland and any- body interested in getting involved should contact Gerry O’Brien (086- 2766267), club pro Dermot Kelleher, or club chairman Joe Baker.

CLARE players will be in the van- guard of the Limerick Garda’s chal- lenge for All-Ireland honours on Wednesday evening when they take on Donegal County Council in the national inter-firms decider.

And, the Clare involvement with the Limerick Garda team is both on and off the field, with Dominic Cur- tin from Kilmihil the key member of the backroom team, while there are nine Clare players on the panel.

The Clare players are: Joe Hayes (Lissycasey), Michael O’Shea (St Senan’s, Kilkee), Shane Hickey (Kil- murry Ibrickane), Keith King (Kil- murry Ibrickane), Evan Talty (Kil- murry I[brickane), Derek Deloughery (St Senan’s, Kilkee), Niall Donovan (O’Callaghan’s Mills), Noel Nash (O’Callaghan’s Mills) and Barry O’Donnell (Crusheen).

Limerick Garda contested the final unsuccessfully two years ago, but

back in 1999 won the competition out when amalgamating with Clare Garda. Nine years on an amalga- mation of a different kind — Clare provide the biggest single county representation on the panel — has helped bring Limerick to the cusp of national glory.

“Two years ago we were unlucky in the final,’ says Dominic Curtin, “‘los-

ing out by only a point to Armagh GAA Coaches. We’re hopeful this year that we can go one better and beat Donegal in the final.

‘“We’ve had a great run to get to the final, beating Analog in the Limerick final, before having three matches in the Munster Championship. We beat Clare Garda in the first round, then Merck Sharp and Dohme in the sec- ond round and Citco in the Munster final. We then beat Seamus Byrne Electrical of Carlow in the All-Ire- land semi-final by 1-13 to 1-8.

Four current county senior play- ers are on the Limerick panel. They are: Joe Hayes and Michael O’Shea of Clare, Kevin Mulryan and Niall Fitzgerald of Carlow, while the side is captained by Brian Kinsella from Carlow. The final has a start time of 6pm and will be played under lights at Sligo Institute of Technology.

BORD na nOg Iomiint is poised to have a greater role and say in the ad- ministration and operation of GAA matters in the county — that’s if the comments to the annual general meeting of the underage board made by Clare County Board secretary Pat Fitzgerald are to be believed.

This commitment was given to Bord na nOg delegates by Fitzgerald as he mounted a charm offensive on the top table of the board in the hope that the chairman Sean O’Halloran and secretary Rosaleen Monahan would row back from stepping down from their positions.

“They get very little recognition for what they do — you have people working at underage level three, four and five nights a week and they get no recognition. We do not give enough recognition for the contri- bution that is made by people who look after underage in the clubs and at Bord na nOg,” went Fitzgerald’s opening salvo.

“We are in an era of change and we’ve got to change. I started as sec- retary of Bord na nOg in 1983 and at that time I felt that we were basi- cally a fixtures committee. Twenty five years later they still have that

0) 0 a (Oren

‘“T think it’s time to reflect where we are going. If nothing else I would ap- peal to you the delegates to ask peo- ple on the top table, who are suggest- ing that they want to move, to remain with it and to effect the change that is needed and required in the future. I make that appeal to you the dele- gates. I think it would be a reflection on everybody if the expertise and the ability that they have and that they’ve built up over the years is allowed to go without using it.

“T believe it is necessary to change to bring Bord na nOg forward. Eve- ryone knows in business that if you’re not able to increase your business you’re going backwards. We haven’t been doing that and everybody in every club knows that.

“T would ask you at the top table to remain with it and to look at the possibility at bringing about change. The expertise and the experience that you have built up cannot be lost — it would be a capital sin to let it go and be lost. You have the ability and that would be lost to the association if you move on,” added Fitzgerald.

COUNTY Board secretary Pat Fit- zgerald has put it up to the clubs of the county to decide on the next move in relation to Cusack Park.

It was the clubs that 12 months ago voted overwhelmingly for the sell- ing of Cusack Park for development and building a new stadium on the outskirts of Ennis — now in light of planning permission setbacks they’re being asked whether it would be pru- dent to revert to the original 2003 blueprint for the redevelopment of Cusack Park.

This question on whether the county board, with the mandate of the clubs, should finally abandon all hopes of cashing in on the potential development value of the nine-acre Cusack Park site in Ennis, will be formally put before delegates to this Thursday’s convention in the Auburn Lodge Hotel.

“The decision that now faces the clubs is where to next,” Pat Fitzger- ald has said in his first annual report to a Clare GAA Convention as full- time secretary. “Cusack Park is in a dilapidated condition, badly in need of a facelift. Do we retrieve the plans proposed by former county chair- man, Fr Michael McNamara and in- vest substantial resources, anything up to €10 million, in upgrading Cu- sack Park or do we bide our time and try with a renewed bid in a few years

to relocate to a new greenfield site? I would welcome the views of the clubs on this.”

Fitzgerald’s move to hand the con-

troversial Cusack Park subject back to the clubs comes only two weeks after former county board vice- chairman, Michael Lee, claimed that

the clubs wanted the existing Cusack Park site to be redeveloped in the first place.

“Five years ago we had the man-

date of the clubs,” said Lee, “‘and that mandate was to redevelop Cusack Park and try and get ten acres close to Ennis to develop a state of the art facility for training, not a farm of land in Tulla as they have now.

“T, as chairman of the fundrais- ing committee, with county board chairman Fr Michael McNamara had secured charitable status for the development that would allow tax re- lief in relation to subscription for the development. We had a financial pro- gramme in place. We were hoping to get €750,000 in lottery funding and Munster Council and Central Coun- cil grants to slot in the project. If I had been elected chairman it would have been finished a long time ago. We were financially set up to do the job and had the mandate to do it, but that mandate was changed. A mis- take was made.

“It is still an ideal venue and can be for the next 20 years. Then the next generation can look into where they want to go with Cusack Park,’ Lee told

TWO Clare clubs are determined to take the fight to retain the Interpro- vincial hurling and football competti- tions on the GAA calendar to Central Council level, even though full-time secretary Pat Fitzgerald claims that the series now “faces a doomsday Nero tte CO ee

The commitment of both the St Joseph’s Miltown and Crusheen clubs to the Interprovincials — formerly known as the Railway Cups — that date from 1927 will be brought to the floor of Thursday’s annual conven- tion in the Auburn Lodge.

Both have tabled motions in a bid to give another strand to the long-run- ning Clare campaign to safeguard the competition and ensure that it forms an integral part of the annual GAA calendar.

Former GAA presidential candidate Noel Walsh from Miltown has been a Interpro loyalist for many years — championing the competition at local, provincial and national level — while Martin Donnelly from Co- oraclare has pumped over €500,000 into sponsoring it over the last five years.

The St Joseph’s Miltown motion reads: “That incoming Uachtaran appoint a Task Force to recommend and advice to aid the promotion and advancement of the Interprovincial Hurling and Football Champion- ethene

The Crusheen motion reads: “That the Railway Cups Interprovincial Hurling/Football competitions be retained and in particular hurling, where there is no international com- petition for players to express them- selves.

The competition to be played over

one weekend with the All-Ireland hurling and footballers winners host- ing the competition with financial Support from sponsors and Croke Park. This competition could be played early in the year before the start of all National Leagues if pos- sible.”

However, county board secretary Pat Fitzgerald paints a bleak picture on the future of the competition. ‘For the past few years I have con-

sistently expressed my reservations and questioned the commitment of Croke Park to the Martin Donnelly Interprovincial Championships.

“Is the end nigh? Reflecting on the Interprovincials over the past few years, one cannot but arrive at the conclusion that there is apathy in many quarters to the continuation of the series.

‘They appear to be on a stay of ex- ecution. It’s 1s difficult to see Martin

Donnelly continue to bankroll the much-maligned competition when the level of cooperation isn’t what it should be.

‘To me it seems there is an indiffer- ent attitude within the GAA hierar- chy towards the interpros and as long as that remains the former Railway Cup faces a doomsday scenario”.