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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

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‘“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”.

CLARE GAA clubs are set to avail of over €300,000 under Munster Council club development grants, it has been announced by the provin- cial ruling body.

The announcement of the alloca- tion for the council’s 2008 budget shows that Clare clubs lodged a total of 47 applications to the provincial council, just one short of Kerry who lodged the most applications.

However, Cork clubs received the highest grants with a total of €574,944 allocated.

The council’s budget in this area arises from 40% of it’s gate receipts throughout 2008 and the council allocates grants up to an approved maximum in various categories.

These include field purchase, dress- ing rooms, floodlighting, pitch drain- age, stands, embankments, dug-outs, First Aid accommodation, Medical Room, car park facilities, score- board, netting, boundary and playing pitch fencing, purchase of mowers, hurling walls and pitch sanding.

Under the scheme, school grounds also benefit while in addition to the club funding, €484,570 was allocat- ed to ongoing major county ground developments.

“Comhairle na Mumhan acknowl- edges this wonderful work that is being undertaken by clubs with the approval of 40% of gate receipts for club development while a further 15% of the gross gate receipts is returned in ground rents to the grounds that hosted games this year,” a spokes- person for the council told The Clare People.

“This means that overall Com- hairle na Mumhan gives back 55% of its total gate revenue for develop- ment work.”

According to the latest figures, in the last five years the council has committed almost €9 million to De- velopment Grants in the province. Central Council has committed €2.6 million to clubs in the Munster in ad- dition to this, in the same period.

Bellamy riles green Meaney

AFTER weeks of honing perform- ances, songs and dance routines, the East Clare Musical Society are ready to delight audiences with their latest production. “Some Like It Hot”.

After two years of highly success- ful shows, with ‘God Bless Archie Dean’ and ‘Oaklahoma” the talented troupe is back.

Some Like It Hot, based on the screenplay by Billy Wilder tells the story of two struggling musicians, Joe and Jerry, in 1920’s Chicago. Lady Luck isn’t on their side and when they witness the “Valentine Massacre” involving Spats and his Gang their fate 1s sealed ,unless they get out of town fast. They rush to join a band, however, they have to use all their talents to fit in with “Sweet Sue and her Society Syncopaters” as they head for sunny Miami.

Thinking they’ve landed in heaven, Joe and Jerry soon realise that hiding out at the beach isn’t going to be easy, especially with the irresistible Sugar around. Things just go from bad to worse with hilarious results!

This heartwarming comedy guar- antees to have audiences in stitches.

Jerry 1s played by Shay O’Neill, Joe is played by Paul Conroy, Sugar is played by Sandra O’Farrell, along with a cast of over 30 from East Orie

Tickets are priced at €15 for adults and €8 for under 18’s and are avail- able from Roger’s Centra, Scar- iff, _McKeogh’s Londis, Ballina, MV ‘Touhy’s, Coose, or they can be booked by phoning Doreen on 087 PAN Se leree

The show runs at Scariff Commu- nity Hall from December 11 to 14.

Robin has, in previous years organ- ised fairs in The West County and Buratty, but this was the first time he had something going literally on his doorstep.

The lovely thing about shopping for antiques is that “whether some- one has a tenner to spend or twenty thousand, there’s always something affordable.” said Robin.

And with more than a dozen deal- ers putting out their stalls, there was plenty of fun for bargain hunters and treasure-spotters.

Lovers of contemporary Irish art had a treat at specialist, Louis Walshe of “Treasures’ stall, where there were originals on offer with prices starting at €400. Irish art dealer, Robert De- lahunty was also on hand and with a stall full of “fabulous and fantastical clocks” timepiece dealer, Michael Cunnane kept business ticking over nicely.

For the princely entrance fee of €3.50 bargain hunters were wafted along with steaming mugs of mulled wine and the delights of all things ancient and venerable.

Describing the event as “small but exclusive,’ Robin said it was “nice to have something close to home for people to browse, or buy Christmas presents or add to their collections.”

It was a small event in terms of the Luxury Collection fair in October in the K Club, where the glitteratti gathered to see Boodles diamonds, a €20 million collection of jewels from Sotheby’s or the full range of classic Bentley’s and Harley David- sons.

But good things come in small par- cels and there were plenty of small parcels carried away from the Lake- side that will be treasured as much as any sparkler when they are opened on Christmas morning.

PEDESTRIANISATION of the main shopping streets, Sunday shopping and late night opening are some of the measures being introduced next week in an effort to boost Christmas shopping in Ennis.

The town centre will be traffic free on Saturday 13, Saturday 20, Sunday 21 and Wednesday, December 24 from llam to 6pm.

The main retail outlets will be open for Sunday shopping on December 14, 21 and 28 while there will be late opening on Thursday 18, Friday 19, Monday 22 and Tuesday, December 23. Shops will reopen after Christ- mas on Saturday, December 27.

Ennis Town Council and Ennis Chamber are encouraging custom- ers to park n’shop on the pedestri- anised days by parking in the town

centre public car parks and walking to the car-free areas of Abbey Street, O’Connell Square and O’Connell Nisteem

On pedestrianised days, access can be gained from Francis Street by turning right onto Lower Abbey Street and into Abbey Street car park – making it easy for traffic to circle the town centre to get to any destina- tion.

In addition to the town car parks, the Holy Family School and Ennis National School will be opening their car parks at a cost of €3 per day.

Details of the availability of park- ing and access for traffic on pedes- trianised days are outlined in the at- tached map.

A FUND of €250,000 is being set aside for members of Clare County Council who fail to get re-elected in next June’s local elections.

A number of long-serving council- lors are in line for a ‘golden hand- shake’ of around €35,000 if they don’t get re-elected next year.

The bumper pay-off is revealed in the council’s draft budget for 2009 where County Manager, Alec Flem- ing has provided the €250,000 fund of ‘retirement gratuities’ for council- Keyace

The fund puts an additional finan- cial burden on the council at a time when it is letting temporary staff go, cutting back on community grants and increasing rates on businesses throughout Clare.

Councilllors such as Cllr Christy Curtin (Ind) and Cllr PJ Kelly CFF) with more than 20 years experience could receive around €35,000 each if they are not re-elected in next June’s local elections.

The two — who will be scrapping for one of the six seats in the down- sized Kilrush electoral area — said they have no aspiration to avail of the pay-off next year.

The membership of the council has a high attrition rate and in the 2004 local elections, ten of the 32 council- lors didn’t make a return.

Cllr PJ Kelly said: “The casualty rate has been high each time since I was elected. When I was first elected in 1974, there were 13 casualties. The manager must not be expecting a good number of us back.”

Cllr Curtin said that the fund “‘is

miniscule when set against the coun- cil budget of €118 million”.

Former Clare mayor, Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) said the Council 1s obliged to make provision for the payments.

Cllr PJ Kelly said: “I didn’t become a councillor in 1974 for the expenses. The only expense then was £5.22 a month. The gratuity payments have been paid agreed by the minister and I’m sure that no councillor has retire- ment is mind who is going for elec- tion next year.”

Cllr Christy Curtin (Ind) said the payments are “recognition for long service from long serving mem- bers. It will be the people in the final analysis who will judge if council- lors are worth it. With the local elec- tions coming up, everything is up for analysis.”