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THEY are putting on their dancing shoes and literly battering the floors in the long village in preparation for this October Bank Holiday weekend.

The sounds of traditional music, song and dance can also be heard in Doonbeg as the village prepares to host the annual Willie Keane Memo- rial Weekend.

In its ninth year, the festival begins on Friday, October 24, with a tradi- tional music and singing session in Comerford’s Pub at 10pm.

The Brian Boru Céili Band will take to the stage in Igoe’s on the same night. Sessions continue throughout the weekend and the Bank Holiday

Monday.

A legendary dancer, Willie Keane had a style of battering that won him acclaim throughout Ireland and abroad. A member of the famed Mullagh Set, which won All-Ireland championships, Willie was featured on many RTE television programmes and toured America with Comhaltas Ceoltoiri. He shared his passion for set dancing by participating in set dances classes and taught battering at the Willie Clancy Summer School.

Willie was killed in a road accident in 1998. To commemorate him and pay tribute to the great gifts he pos- sessed and shared so generously, a committee was formed in Doonbeg and the first Willie Keane Memorial

Weekend was held in 2000.

In addition to the many pub ses- sions, two ceilthe will be held this year. The Abbey Céili Band will play for set dancers on Saturday, 25, at 10pm in Halla an Phobail and the Brian Boru Céili Band will play from 2.30 to 5pm on Sunday, 26 at the same venue. For the first time, a children’s céili will be held on Satur- day evening from 5 to 7pm.

Set dancing classes will also be held all day Saturday by Mary Clancy for adults (1lam to 4pm) and by Geral- dine Greene for children (1lam to Ipm). Suzanne Leahy will also lead a sean-nos dancing workshop on Sat- urday afternoon (2 to 4pm).

For those interested in singing, a

singing workshop will be conducted on Saturday from 4pm to 6pm in Comerford’s pub. The same venue hosts the ever-popular Sunday after- noon singing session.

The Memorial Mass at 10am on Sunday will commemorate Wil- lie through music and dancing. The Mass is followed by a Trad Break- fast, which is served at Tubridy’s with proceeds to benefit the Cherven orphans, Belarus.

The highlight of the weekend is the Traditional Concert on Sunday evening, which this year will feature The Fureys and Davey Arthur. Edel Fox, Cyril O’Donoghue and Jack Tal- ty will open the concert, which will Start at 8pm in Halla an Phobail.

IT seems the community that plays together stays together, as the com- munity spirit in Ballynacally has all hands on deck to build a new play area in the Fairgreen.

Plans have already been drawn up, planning permission secured and a 66,000 council grant ready to draw upon.

Ballynacally Development now has to fundraise for the play area, and have it completed before the Tidy Towns judging in June.

James Maher from the develop- ment group said work is due to begin

on the project in February. The play area 1s to be built into a portion of the Fairgreen.

“It is architecturally designed to blend in with the natural environ- ment including the trees. It will not be visible from the road,’ said Mr Maher.

“Tt will provide a play area for chil- dren and enhance the presentation of the Fairgreen from a tidy town’s per- spective,’ he said.

Mr Maher explained that one of the goals of this project was to ensure that it could not impact negatively on the character of the Fairgreen.

“We have some nice gentle play

equipment for under the trees, there is no bright garish play equipment,’ he said.

Some of the equipment chosen for the area also has an educational NEVO Cop

Parents and other adults are not forgotten in this project, as some out- door adult exercise equipment will also be included.

While using this equipment parents can keep a watchful eye on their chil- dren playing.

The planned play area is part of an ongoing major project in the village.

It is envisaged that a water area, wooden sculpture and sitting area

will also be provided on the Fair- ato te

“We are also setting up a heritage trail as part of the tidy towns,” said Mr Maher.

Paradise House, which was once owned by the Henn family, will also become part of this trail as will what is considered one of the last working forges in the country.

A QUARTER of a century of the John Fennel School of Dancing has produced thousands of new dancers, hundreds of medals and 26 shows sold out to national audiences.

All this from a 19-year-old who 25 years ago cycled throughout the west Clare peninsula teaching dancing in small schools.

Now children from all over Clare come to the Cooraclare Community Centre to practice for sell out shows and extra performances to celebrate the school’s silver anniversary, as the west Clare phenomena that is Hell for Leather.

Founder John Fennell maintains the success of the venture is down to hard work, support of parents and the dedication of the children.

The Cooraclare man learned to dance from the couple he credits with bringing step dancing to west Clare – Eugene and Pat Phillips.

“Everything that has branched off since 1s a protégé of them,” he said.

From a family of eight his mother was determined to get half of the family dancing and John hasn’t stopped since.

As he reached the senior classes with the Phillips, John began teach- ing the junior dancers.

From there he began preparing dancers for competition in his own Ce) b iter

At just 19 he was invited to teach step dancing in some small west Clare schools.

“*T often left at half eight in the morn- ing and cycled to Kilbaha to do aclass and then on to Doonaha. I would cy- cle to Doonbeg for an evening class and then on to Cooraclare for an older class. The legs would be nearly gone of me,’ he smiled, and well he should, as it was through dancing he first met his wife.

From these early classes, teaching Irish dancing and step dancing, he

successfully saw his pupils win 38 Munster titles, 35 All-Irelands and six internationals.

Despite this success he believed the future was not in figure dancing and pulled all dancers from competition to concentrate on set dancing.

He was told this would not work but the Cooraclare man thought dif- Keone

“Then I began to think why pick eight dancers and put them into an All-Ireland and leave the others. Pri- mary kids were also leaving dancing when they left school so I thought I’d organise classes for teens.

“Each area then had a class, and I choreographed a piece for each area. For a joke I got them all together in Cooraclare so they could all dance.”

It was at that show that Pat Lineen pointed out to John he had “the mak- ings of a good show”. So with two new pieces added, Hell for Leather was launched in Glor in September Aves

Of the 193 dancers to take to the stage that fateful night, 17 remain with John today.

“They are all teaching with me and passing on the trade to the begin- ners,” he said.

This core group are also instru- mental in getting the new Hell for Leather show to Glor on October 29 and 30, and ready again for a special OS iekientenee es

This time around it is 176 five to 13 year olds that will entertain audi- Neen

“It not only keeps them fit but they also have 170 friends they wouldn’t otherwise have. They have learned how to dress themselves, how to get ready for a show, how to hang up their uniforms, respect for others and punctuality,” said John of his newest stars.

PARENTS in- Knockerra have warned the council that lives will be lost 1f the speed limit outside the lo- cal national school is not reduced.

Three years after the parents as- sociation in St Senan’s National School, Knockerra, first started to lobby Clare County Council to ob- tain a temporary speed limit restric- tion, parents are maintaining nothing has been done.

‘A reduced speed limit just during certain times, is not a lot to ask,” said one parent.

As far back as 2005 the senior staff officer in transport and infrastructure at Clare County Council responded, ‘A 50 kilometres per hour speed lim- it in this location would be contrary to the general advice contained in the Department of Transport guide- lines for speed limits and, in practice would be unenforceable.”

In May 2006, the local Garda su- perintendent said he would have no objection to reducing the speed limit in Knockerra village from 80 km/ph to 50 km/ph. The senior engineer in Clare County Council responded to the parents association saying, “It is

likely that such a special speed limit will be introduced in the vicinity of Knockerra School and this will op- erate for appropriate periods during school hours.”

It states “the introduction of speed limits in most such areas, unless they can be strictly enforced is not alone pointless but brings the whole speed limit process into disrepute.”

There are now flashing lights on both approaches to the school but no road markings. “This is a very sorry state of affairs; the gardai are behind the initiative, but the county coun- cil seemingly don’t care. Schools in

other parts of the county have been successful in having the speed limits reduced. In Knockerra, the ball was started three years ago. Does it take a fatality for the council to wake up and see that indecision is putting a generation in danger?” an angry par- nlm (6

This road is used by traffic going to the Killimer ferry and Money- point Generating Station. It has also become a rat run for people who try to shave five minutes off their jour- ney time. Trucks and lorries also pass as parents bring their children to school.

NORTH Tipperary County Council have secured a number of undertak- ings from protesters who had been maintaining a blockade close to a house allocated to a ten member family from the travelling commu- nity, the High Court heard yesterday.

The High Court was told that un- dertakings had been given by a group of residents from the town of Ballina that they would not intimidate or as-

sault Council employees or the fam- ily, nor would they interfere with the access to or trespass on the house.

On Monday Mr Justice Paul Gilli- gan, after being informed of the un- dertakings, agreed to adjourn gener- ally injunction proceedings against a number of residents from Cullenagh, Ballina, County Tipperary, from con- tinuing with a blockade of the house fesse u ieee

The protest began early last month when residents discovered that a

house at Cullenagh had been ac- quired by the Council for the purpose of housing the O’Reilly family.

Last week the Council was granted permission by the High Court to no- tify those individuals involved in the blockade of their intention to seek an injunction aimed at restraining the protesters from interfering and tres- passing on the property.

Mr David Kennedy SC for the Council told the court the situation had become very inflamed. He said

glue had been placed in the house’s locks, the electricity had been cut off and the council employees attending the property were in fear of being in- timidated by those maintaining the blockade.

The O’Reilly family consists of the parents and their eight children, some of whom had special needs and were currently residing in a mobile home on the side of the road with no toilet facilities and no electricity.

The family are from the locality

and have been on the housing list since 2000.

Since the dispute began last Sep- tember a number of residents had en- tered the council’s offices in Nenagh and verbally abused people there resulting in the gardai being called. The residents had been outside the house at Cullenagh since September Rees

The council intends to have the family move into the house as soon as possible.

COMMENTS that the methods used to allocate local authority housing are skewed in favour of immigrants do not necessarily paint a “true pic- ture of things’, according to one En- nis councillor.

Councillor Taiwo Matthew (Ind) claimed yesterday that many of the homes allocated to new families in Ennis had already been refused by others on the waiting list.

He said he had full confidence in the manner in which Ennis Town Council allocated housing.

He said “The executive has criteria they follow when they are giving out houses irrespective of whether they are migrants or not, in accordance with the provisions laid out”.

‘Most of the houses that are allo- cated are give to immigrants who are EU citizens and they are taken

up because they have already been rejected by indigenous people who have said that they don’t want to live WN Kon

“Saying that they are all given to immigrants and that people from Ennis are being rejected 1s not neces- sarily a true picture of things. It’s the same as saying immigrants are com- ing into Ennis and taking all the jobs and that is not true. My take is that I trust the council executive to abide by the procedures set down”’.

Cllr Matthew was commenting on issues raised at last Monday’s meet- ing of Ennis Town Councillor where some councillors expressed concern over issues relating to local authority housing lists.

Cllr Frankie Neylon said that he was aware of cases where people who had been on the housing list for a number of years had been passed over in favour of others who had

been on it a relatively short period OMB bb ater

He called for a review of the pro- cedures used to allocate housing and claimed, that, in some instances, 1m- migrants received preferential treat- ment.

Nigerian born Cllr Matthew said Ennis is now a multicultural com- munity where it was very easy for certain phrases or terminology to be mis-interpreted as meaning some- thing else.

‘Tam on the council and I don’t rep- resent one particular community or group of people. In my work I try to represent all the people of Ennis”… … | would be very careful of being misinterpreted, or miusunderstood, because people can accuse of saying things you didn’t mean,” added Cllr Matthew.

THIS summer’s surprise upturn in tourism levels has had little or no ef- fect on Clare, according to the Irish Hotel federation. Last week the Cen- tral Statistics Office (CSO) released figures showing a one per cent in- crease in overall tourist numbers for the three months leading up to Sep- Kone lolol

The local branch of the Irish Ho- tel Federation has attacked these figures, calling them inaccurate and misleading.

“The overall CSO figures include a huge element of people travelling into the country for things that are nothing really to do with tourism. The amount of pure tourism in these figures is actually very small. These figures don’t tell us anything about the true value of real tourism that is coming into the country,’ said a County Clare spokesperson for the Irish Hotel Federation.

“Tf you look at the figures on hotel stays for example, they say that the American market in the west is down almost 15 per cent year on year. We also know that the British market is down at least seven per cent and the European market is down about three per cent.”

Indeed, according to the latest of- ficial Tourism Industry Barometer Figures, more than 80 per cent of representative in the Shannon region reported a downturn in numbers seeking accommodation this year.

This places the Shannon region as the worst performing geographic area, with only 51 per cent in the North West Region reporting a downturn in numbers.

‘We also know on the latest barom- eter survey that the Shannon region has been the hardest hit in Ireland this year. There is no doubt that this is linked to the Open Skies and the loss of the Heathrow link. There 1s no-one in the west who will be re- lying on the CSO figure to tell them about tourism in the west,’ contin- ued the spokesperson.

‘A tourist, according to this report, is anyone who has left their place of origin for less than a day, for any purpose. It could be business trips, it could even be US troops in Shan- non who stay overnight, people can be counted on this if they are going shopping in Dublin or going to a show. This survey is not a reflection on the tourism numbers at all.”

NINE sports clubs from Clare have submitted applications for this year’s Texaco Sportstars Bursaries. The clubs, whose names are not revealed, are amongst a record 422 clubs from all of the 32 counties to enter the event.

Highest entry came from Dublin

(90) followed by Cork (45) and An- trim (41). Other high entries came from Down (29), Galway (27), Lim- erick (18), Kerry (16), Wicklow (12), Kildare, Wexford and Armagh (10 each). Of the total, 23 percent of ap- plications came from clubs in North- ern Ireland with all of the six coun- ties represented.

Some 51 sporting disciplines were

represented amongst the applica- tions received. Soccer clubs made up the largest number (72) followed by GAA (54), basketball (32), hockey and swimming (29 each), athletics (24), rugby (20), special needs and boxing (13 each), rowing and sailing (12 each) and camogie (10). Of the remainder, American football, ice hockey, diving, volleyball and canoe-

ing were amongst the minority sports represented.

Now in its second year, over €120,000 has been set aside for the scheme from which a total of 25 sports clubs stand to benefit – 20 from the Republic of Ireland and five from Northern Ireland. Open to sports clubs of all kind, bursaries will be distributed to clubs in the Republic

of Ireland in amounts of €5,000 each and to clubs in Northern Ireland in amounts of Stg£3,500 each.

AUG Rsanetsap Rel ba ces td bMRU EAC Co MAU NARUTO der the chairmanship of former RTE sports producer, Michael O’Carroll. Winners will be announced and pre- sented with their awards at a ceremo- ny to be held in Dublin on Wednes- day, October 29.

A MAJOR sports and coaching sem- inar will take place in the new con- ference facilities at Thomond Park on Thursday 23rd October. Kilkenny Hurling Manager, Brian Cody and Munster Rugby coach, Tony McGa- han will be among the high profile line up of speakers for the second an- nual Mid West Coaching and Team Performance Conference.

The seminar 1s aimed at everyone interested in the sports development of young people such as coaches, trainers and parents. The event is organised through the BDO Simp- son Xavier Get BACk Challenge in association with the Mid West Local Sports Partnerships.

The first running of the event was a sell out last year and this year has attracted a very high profile panel of experts to discuss advances in coach- ing, motivation and nutrition.

In addition to Brian Cody and Tony McGahan other speakers will in- clude Professor Niall Moyna, Head of School of Health and Human Per- formance in DCU and Sharon Ma- digan, Performance Nutritionist for the Olympic Council of Ireland. The event will be chaired by the Univer- sity of Limerick’s Director of Sport, David Mahedy. A panel discussion will take place with all speakers following their individual presenta- tions.

Speaking at the launch of the semi- nar, BDO Simpson Xavier Managing Partner, Brian McGann explained “the event is part of BDO Get BACk Challenge programme to raise funds to increase participation in sport among children in addition to our commitment to contributing funds to Hospice cancer care in the Mid West. One of the elements of the BDO Get BACk Challenge is help in the area of coach education across all codes throughout the region. The event is organised based on a one to ten

principle. We felt if we could com- municate to 500 coaches and they passed some nugget of information to ten children then the effect of the seminar would be to benefit SOOO bi Coleone

He added “after three years of run- ning the BDO Get BACk Challenge we will have contributed a total of €500,000 to fund Hospice cancer care throughout the Mid West, in- cluding Cahercalla Hospice, and

various programmes for children in sporting disadvantaged areas. This year we were privileged to be joined by three time Tour de France win- ner Greg LeMond in our fundrais- ing efforts demonstrating the role sport plays in contributing to such Cr Nona

The event will be hosted in the new Thomond Park conference facility which has a capacity of 500 peo- ple. John Sweeney, Coordinator of

Clare Sports Partnership explained ‘Thomond Park will be a fitting ven- ue to host some of the leading coach- ing experts in Ireland for the second hosting of this event. We are delight- ed to welcome the managers of the current Heineken European Cup and All Ireland Hurling champions in ad- dition to the nutritional adviser to the successful Irish boxers at the Olym- pics. Professor Niall Moyna was one of the most talked about speakers at

our event last year with his hugely thought provoking presentation on attitudes to children in sport.

John Sweeney added “we under- took a review of last years event and identified the key information gaps that existed for coaches in the Mid West. With the support of the BDO Get BACk Challenge we are now in a position to provide a sustained programme of coach education and access to the leading thinkers in the areas of coaching, nutrition, sports motivation and team development. The region has never had access to such a high calibre of speakers and anyone with some level of interest in sport or coaching will benefit from AAO NOD N Toa

All proceeds from the event go to the BDO Get BACk Challenge sport- ing disadvantaged fund administered by the Local Sports Partnership. The event is organised in association with a range of event partners that include AIB, Bank of Ireland, Bloxham Stockbrokers, GECAS, Doonbeg Golf Club, Hegarty Metals, Kemmy Business School UL, Leahy & Part- ners Solicitors, Limerick Southside & Northside Regeneration Agency and Sweeney McGann Solicitors.

The event is strictly admission by pre booked ticket only. Bookings can be made through the Thomond Park box office on 061 421100. Tickets are on sale at €20 each or clubs can avail of the special club offer of six tickets for a €100.

Registration starts at 7pm with the first speaker at 7.30pm sharp. Last year’s event was a complete sell out so early booking 1s advisable.

SATURDAY night’s Galway Card was an all sponsored gala fundrais- ing event in aid of the Clare Hurlers Support Group and all credit to the organisers on a most professionally presented programme of events.

One of the highlights of the night was the appearance of Irish Derby and and Champion Stakes hero Shel- bourne Aston who paraded prior to the feature event which was the Lev- el Pitch and Sleepwell Ltd AO graded apy

In this race the PJ Fahy-owned popular veteren Tyrur Lee (Brett Lee-Tyrur Dee) went to traps a warm order and he didn’t dissappoint as he stayed on dourley to defeat Swinford Mylo(T4) by a length and three parts in 31.43. The winner was headed to the opening bend by All Heart but he saved valuable ground by railing tightly and he set sail for home turn- ing down the back. Racing around the home turn Swinford Mylo began to close slightly but Tyrur Lee would not be denied as he won has first race as a father as he sired a litter of nine whelped by Tyrur Lisa the previous day.

In the A2 graded ninth contest the Johnny Maher of Kilmaley owned Clonfeigh Nikita showed great de- termination as she landed her fourth career success by three lengths over the always prominent Jackie Legs in 29.04. The winner was only a length down on Jackie Legs at the

Opening corner despite missing the break slightly. Racing past halfway the daughter of Honcho Classic and Clonmore Nikita launched her chal- lenge on the inside. Hitting the front rounding the third bend she stayed on gamely on the run home for vic- reas

There was a right touch landed in the A4 graded sixth contest over 525 yards as the Pat Curtin trained Spot The Man (Yeah Man-Own Clas- sic) who was backed from 6/4 to 2/5 came home five lengths clear of Clas- sical Moment (T3) in 29.02.

The Lawrence Meaney of Kilrush owned winner though had a little luck on his side at the opening bend where he collided with the runner up and Hard Shoulder (T4) but he managed to come off best after the loluteayey

Once he set sail for home down the back the money was always leaving the layers satchels as she strode home alone and land the touch in style and the Derby winning trainer was not finished yet as the Meaney clan were again this time it was Michael and Claire Meaney owned Ban Diamond completed a double for the kennel in the concluding A3 graded 525.

In this race Ban Diamond (Smok- ing Ban-Droopys Diamond) made just about all to defeat Ballaghboy Cool (T6) by three parts of a length in 29.11. The pair were both away well with the blue jacketed Ban Diamond railing tightly around the opening two bend s to lead by four

lengths passing halfway. Despite running wide all along the back straight though Ballaghboy Cool re- ally began to motor from the home turn but the line just came in time for Ban Diamond.

The fourth contest was an A5 grad- ed 525 and as the field raced to the Opening corner Zoies Joy (T6) led the way from Ler Nadal (T3) with Clune Hincho (T4) in third place. Rounding the second bend the John Fitzgerald of Kilrush owned Ler Nadal moved a clear second on the inside of Zoies Joy before sweeping to the front approaching the penulti- mate corner and the son of Barnane Bill and Black Shaw strode clear to defeat Cooldarragha (T2) by 5&1/2 lengths in 29.50.

The sixth was an A5 graded 525 in which the trap two runner Mine Magic showed fine early pace to lead by three lengths at the opening bend as the *’jolly’’ Montpelier (T6) found herself only fourth after a tardy Start.

Racing down the back Mine Magic led by four lengths from the Mrs Stella Flanagan of Ennisymon owned Dromoher Ferm who hails from a strong staying litter and the daughter of Spiral Nikita and Mythical Crack- er came wide up the straight to get up for a half length victory in 29.28.

The opening contest for A9 graders over the 525 yard trip resulted in a dead heat between the pace setting Mine Ruby (Tl) owned by Frank Browne of Quin and the Master John

McDonagh owned favourite Tyrone Sally (T2). Mine Ruby was smartly away and led to halfway from Ferry- side Snowey (T6) with Tyriorn Sally in third place. Still three length in front turning for home Mine Ruby tied up close home as Tyrorn Sally got up to share the spoils.

In the second contest for A7 grad- ed dogs the Jerry Maloney of Doo- ra owned Ballaghboy Crash (T6) showed a huge improvement in form as he made all the running to de- feat the reserve Easter Cottage (T5) by five and three quarter lengths in 29.44 to get off the mark at the third attempt.

The winner a son of Crash and Sues Beauty was away well as he outpaced the favourite Finnigans Local (T3) to the opening bend . Clear passing halfway he was never in any danger of defeat as Easter Cottage got the better of the battle for second spot.

The A3 graded third contest the Frank Casey of Newmarket on Fer- gus owned Stonehall Pride a son of Droopys Woods and O,Garney Mist came home nine lengths clear of his rivals in a time of 29.51.

The winner trailed the pace setting Mine Cash (T3) racing to the open- ing bend but with the benefit of the inside line he hit the front turning down the back. As Stonehall Pride straightened up to run down the back the was plenty of bunching behind which allow the leader a virtual solo from halfway.

On a great night for the Banner

County one of the most popular owners from the county tasted suc- cess in the A3 graded tenth contest when the PJ O’Halloran of Kilrush owned Scattery Vier1 (Droopys Vi- eri-Cranky Criss) came a second time to lead close home for a half length success over Kilscan Teddy (T3) in 29.50.

The winner led on the run up before he was joined and passed by Glen- gar Joe(T4) turning down the back. Rounding the third bend the leader checked slightly and this allowed Scattery Vieri to challenge again off the home turn and he stuck his neck out gamely up the straight to land the prize.