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THE backers of a new private mem- bers club for Ennis with a 24 hour chauffeur and concierge service say it will be “ultra exclusive” with a heavily vetted membership.

Earlier this year, Ennis-based build- er Jack McCarthy lodged plans with Ennis Town Council for a change of use at the former Central Buildings in Ennis Abbey Street car-park to a private members club. The newly renovated “Library” pub shares the location.

Last month, the council put the Mc- Carthy plan for the third floor of the

building on hold demanding addi- tional details on the plan.

Now, further information lodged with the plan architect Michael Leahy, on behalf of Mr McCarthy, has said that it is his client’s intention “to re-create a country club tranquil- lity within the confines of an urban SelB DOTS

Mr Leahy denied that alcohol would be sold at the venue:

“My client aims to promote an al- ternative to the perilous drinking ‘culture’. In-house pursuits are geared away from alcoholic consumption.”

He also denied that the club would be rented for parties stating, instead,

Wer-LmmUOCoMYoJOIRUD Rom S00 MOlommar-DIMEUOLB ele exclusive members only club with heavily vetted membership”.

He added that his client aimed to provide a private environment for the purpose of business and social net- Le) ee bee

“Tt will provide as a business out- post for the corporate traveller while providing an unthreatening environ- ment in which to socialise.

“The club will facilitate 24 hour teleconferencing, wi-fi and clerical Services; a 24 chauffeur and con- clerge service; chess backgammon and games area; humidor; heated smoking.”

Mr Leahy said that the proposal would be “a very select club which will not give rise to any noise or nui- Crh eeme

He said that the external appearance of the building would not change and therefore there would be no adverse effects to the area which is of special architectural and historical interest.

Mr McCarthy is part of McCarthy Brothers, which has built hundreds of houses in Clare in recent years. A private members club already exists in a building opposite Ennis Com- munity College.

A decision is due on the application JET mssbimeeleniaee

MINISTER for the Environemnt and Local Government John Gorm- ley (GP) has admitted that the new electoral boundaries in the county have put his own Green Party county councillor at a disadvantage. Speaking in Clare during the week the minister said, “I know on the

ground here in Clare my own coun- cillor Brian Meaney feels that his area has been cut in half. That is putting him at a disadvantage.

“Nevertheless I do know he is up to the challenge and he is recognised for his hard work on the ground, and I am sure that will be taken into ac- count by the voters when they come to vote in June,” he said.

The Green Party minister was re- acting to criticism of the new elec- toral boundaries proposed by the boundary commission.

The new boundaries have been crit- icised for their urban bias.

In Clare the division of the county town into Ennis East and Ennis West has been described as “ridiculous” by councillors.

The new division runs up O’Connell Street and many other major streets.

The minister said, however, that he would not interfere in the drawing of the boundary lines.

“This is an independent commis- sion and you just have to go back to the boundary redrawing for the general election where there was dis- appointment in some quarters,” he said.

“These are difficult for the politi- cians to deal with and I am sure the people in the area find it an incon- venience, but they have arrived at their conclusion independently, I am the minister, but I cannot interfere in those decisions nor would it be prop- er to do so,” he added.

“You tend to get mixed feedback generally even in my own party there are some councillors that are quiet glum and feel they have been disad- vantaged through the redrawing of boundaries and others have got an extra seat.

“It 1s very much a mixed bag,” he SrnGe

He said that the terms of reference for drawing up the boundaries did not change much from the last time they were drawn.

FORMER fire fighters, current fire fighters and their families gathered with the local community in Killaloe on Friday for the official opening of the new improved fire station.

“It is important that our fire-fight- ers have the best facilities,’ said Minister for the Environment and Local Government John Gormley as he opened the fire station with outgo- ing mayor of Clare Cllr Patricia Mc- Carthy (ind).

“It is of paramount importance that modern up to date facilities be pro- vided for the fire fighters who give so generously of their time to serve and protect the local community,” said

the minister.

He thanked the crew for their dedi- cation, and Cllr McCarthy paid trib- ute to their families who worry about their loved ones while they put their lives at risk for others.

Minister Gormley told those gath- ered for the opening ceremony that he was no stranger to Killaloe as he spent time there as a child on his family’s boat.

He congratulated the county coun- cil on developing a fire station wor- thy of the area.

“This modern facility will provide the necessary additional operational and training administration facilities required by modern dedicated fire Services,” he said.

The existing station was built back in the late 1960s and according to the council’s records it cost £11,308.

Apart from maintenance there had been very litthe work carried out in the station until now.

The new facilities were provided for at a cost of €597,000 for the ex- tension and upgrading of Killaloe Fire Station.

The upgraded facilities include reconfiguring the appliance bay to include a 4WD vehicle, new drying room facilities, watchroom, lecture room, male and female facilities, breathing apparatus maintenance room, resurfacing of the drill yard, security fencing, boundary wall, au- tomatic gate and general refurbish-

ment and decorating works.

“The Killaloe station has seen its work load increase over the years to a point where it now deals with an average of 93 call outs per annum.

“This fire station will continue the tradition of providing a first class service to the town and the hinter- land with skilled fire service per- sonnel who are able to respond to a variety of instances from domestic fires and bog fires to road traffic ac- cidents,” said the minister.

The Killaloe fire officers and ten retained crew provide cover for 170 square kilometres in east Clare and north Tipperary and a dedicated service to approximately 8,000 peo- ple.

VULNERABLE groups in Shannon will be given special attention by the newly-appointed community devel- opment worker in the town.

Regina Steward has just taken up the post at the Shannon Family Re- source Centre.

Looking ahead to her new job, she said she would focus on improving the lives of lone parents and new- comers to the town.

“It is a great opportunity to work with the community in Shannon. It iS a very proactive community,” said the French native, who moved to Ire- land 32 years ago.

“IT see my job as being a catalyst in the community, to bring people

together, to explore what needs are there and consult with the people. We will see what we can do to achieve that,’ she added.

“IT will work with disadvantaged groups. My work is with individuals and groups, more so groups, target groups including lone parents and the new community, to keep it flow- bites

“We will look at what we can do to- gether to improve the well-being and lifestyles of those who feel isolated,” she added.

“We will try to organise activities and also look at the social aspect of it and ask questions like if someone wants to go back to work how can we Support them and help them access courses that can suit their needs?”

she said.

She said that improving literacy would be one focus and she planned to start computer classes at the re- source centre.

Ms Steward will slot in alongside the co-ordinator of the centre, Marie Rowland, who took up her post ear- lier this year.

Ms Rowland’s main aims are the promotion of equality and inclusion and she is keen to see the develop- ment of relationships with the local community.

“T will work alongside Marie and identify how we can design courses. We will work with people all the time,” said Ms Steward.

Her plans will be geared towards integration and she is firmly focused

on ensuring everybody’s needs are addressed, where possible.

“We don’t want to segregate peo- ple. If a lone parent comes to us and says she wants to do a course, we Say, ‘Why not’. We have to go along with ideas. We are flexible,” she pointed out.

Ms Steward is encouraging the people of Shannon to get in touch with her at the family resource cen- tre, phone 061 707600.

“We are open to ideas, if anyone wants to discuss anything with us,’ she said.

THE newly-opened Atlantic Air Ven- ture in Shannon is to run its first ever aviation Summer camps this month. After more than two years of plan- ning, the facility recently opened in Smithstown. It currently houses an aviation education centre and one flight simulator. It 1s poised to ac- quire a second flight simulator later this year, while plans are also on the

cards for the construction of a mu- seum on site.

The initiative is the brainchild of Ballycally resident Eddie Ryan, a former aircraft electronics engineer, who mooted the project several years ago.

Project development director Jane McGill is delighted with its success since its opening and 1s anticipating a bright future ahead for the facility.

She is particularly enthusiastic

about the learning lab, where chil- dren learn all about aeroplanes.

“We are going to expand and will have the second simulator, a Boeing 737, coming from Canada later this year. The museum is on the long fin- ger as we just don’t have the space at the moment,’ she said.

Summer camps have been organ- ised and will get underway next week, running weekly until the end Ola Uercaelie

The camps are open to eight to 12-year-olds from 10am to lpm and those over 12 can enroll for the after- noon sessions, from 2pm to 5pm. The cost is €75 per person for a week.

“The children will be able to use the flight simulators. We will have spe- cialised simulators built for them,” said Ms McGill.

However the facility is not merely confined to children, as it is also open to adults.

“?M GOING to give politics back to the community”. That’s the vow of the newly-elected mayor of Shannon, Councillor Gerry Flynn (Ind).

Mr Flynn (54) assumed the new role last week, after serving on the town council for the past nine years. He has also been a county councillor for the past four years.

The outspoken councillor said he was thrilled to take up his new role.

“I’m excited. It’s fantastic. I’m very pleased more than anything that I got unanimous backing from my fellow councillors,” he said.

‘“T see the role for me as mayor to facilitate debate. I will try to do my best to be fair and impartial. I am go- ing to meet the community and make myself available to the community in

Shannon,” said Cllr Flynn, who is a full-time public representative.

The Miltown Malbay native moved to Shannon over 30 years ago, hav- ing spent two years in London and a period in Limerick. The lure of a good job and decent home attracted himself and his wife Phil (nee Col- lins, from the Burren) to Shannon and they never left. The couple have two daughters, Irene (26) and Jac- queline (24).

‘Shannon has been good to us. You feel the sense of achievement. Little do you think when you come into a town that you will achieve so much,” said the former Fine Gael councillor.

Issues such as the local airport, the development of the town centre in Shannon, estate management and the provision of services for the elderly will be among his priorities over the

next 12 months, while he will also be preparing to mount his challenge to retain his seat on both the county council and town council.

“If I have my health I am to run again for both. Pll put my best foot forward next year,” he said.

“Tt is an exciting time for the town, with the development of the master plan. However the fact that our air- port is suffering 1s worrying, while funding has dried up for the elderly. We are now refusing housing aid for the elderly. I am big into that. My own mother spent several years in a wheelchair before she died,’ he pointed out.

“We need to tighten up on estate management. Joint policing will be rolled out to all local authorities in Ireland. It will mean local elected representatives will enter into a part-

nership with gardai and we need that,’ he said.

Given the developments relating to Shannon Airport in recent years, Cllr Flynn is acutely aware of the importance of its future, to the local area. He firmly believes that Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports should not have been split up.

“Treland is too small an island to have three airports competing with each other. I think it’s not good news for Shannon (the split). I fear the fu- ture will be privatisation of Shannon Airport and that could spell trouble for all of us,” he said.

THE Shannon Musical Society has once again achieved national recog- nition, through two Association of Irish Musical Society (AIMS) awards in Killarney last week.

The awards were for their most re- cent production of “Seussical”’.

Aodan Fox won best comedian for his role as “Cat in the Hat’. Aodan 1s no stranger to the AIMS stage, hav-

ing taken this award twice before.

Dave Halliday received runner-up for best house management. Dave has been part of the front of house team for many years and has been front of house manager for the last two.

Shannon Musical Society has re- ceived this award several times in the past.

As the society’s members celebrate the prestigious accolades, prepara- tions are underway for next season’s

production “All Shook up” which will take to the stage next February.

This Broadway musical is written by Joe Di Pietro and is based on the music by Elvis Presley.

For the fourth consecutive year, the society has retained the services of Oliver Hurley as director and chore- Oyaeese

The committee for the coming year has been elected as follows: Dara Gough (chairperson), Kevin He-

hir (vice-chairperson), Maria Kelly (secretary), Richard Stapleton (treas- urer), Deirdre McNelis (patrons and sponsors) Mary O’Loughlin (PRO), Siobhan Linton (membership) and David Halliday.

Anyone interested in joining the Shannon Musical Society should browse through the website on www. shannonmusical.com or telephone Siobhan on 086 2142554 for details on membership.

THREE decades of laughter, local happenings and community spirit are captured in the latest event to be hosted at the X-PO project in GTi eyey’7

“An Udder View” is an exhibition with a difference – a collection of community photographs spanning 28 years taken by Kilnaboy native Peter Ree. The photos mix the old and the new, people and places, and track the very heart of the small community and how it has evolved since 1980.

‘“T’ve been taking photographs since I was a child. I don’t leave the door in the morning without the camera with me,” said Peter.

“This exhibition is nothing to do

with photography really. It’s about getting people together and com- municating, about getting people to meet and chat the way they used to do in the post office long ago.”

From the vantage point of his truck, Peter has taken more than 50,000 pictures. These were sorted, dated and 1,000 were chosen to be part of the exhibition. Of these photos, 150 were chosen to be in a special slide- show projected in the X-PO.

“There are pictures in there you can’t get back again. Things change – people hair, fashion, their appear- ance – you can’t stage pictures like these again. The beauty of being in the truck is that you get to see a lot of things that people might not oth- erwise see,’ continued Peter.

‘The reaction of the locals has been brilliant. ’’ve seen families coming back three nights in a row to give themselves time to look through the albums properly and slowly. Some people have gotten emotional about it, walked out of the room shaking their head. But the next night then they’re back for more. They are look- ing at their own lives and the lives of their family and friends down the years.”

“An Udder View” is the final exhi- bition in the X-PO project. Project organiser Deirdre O’Mahony is hopeful that the revival of the former post office as community space will continue long after the project itself.

“The local people have reacted so brilliantly to this project,’ said Deir-

dre.

‘The time that people have to talk to each other, just passing time with your neighbours is not the same as it once was. The places where you can do that has diminished. The question is how can we hold on to the won- derful community that we have in Kilnaboy and places like it all over the country.”

An Udder View continues at the X- PO until July 13.

FINAL preparations are being made for this year’s Burren Leadership Fo- rum which takes place at the Burren College of Art in Ballyvaughan this weekend.

This year’s forum is entitled Ena- bling Leadership to Flourish Within Organisations and will feature some of the most distinguished minds in the leadership field including Dr Simon Western, Lynne Sedgemore OBE, John Housego, Zoe van Zwanenberg and Dr Ehat Aram.

“This year we are taking an inno- vative approach to leadership for-

mation, which is a new term in the Whole areas of leadership develop- ment,” said organiser Barry Walsh.

“It’s really about creating a cul- ture in an organisation which allows appropriate leaders to develop for the needs of that organisation. The premise of all of this is that leader ship can be formed. It’s about work- ing with people in their own situa- tions and helping to bring about the qualities that are necessary for that person.

“So it’s not about creating leaders at the front, it’s about having differ- ent types of leaders at all levels of an organisation. If you have a business

or organisation that is formed in this way than you are really going to fir- ing on all cylinders.”

The forum itself focuses on devel- oping leadership in many different types of organisations from private businesses to the voluntary organisa- tions and public services.

“It is focused on organisations as well as businesses. Some of the speakers work in the public sector, especially with the health service in the UK. But we also have a lot of speakers from the private sector, so there 1s a good mix,” continued Bru MA

“This year we will cater for a very

small group of about 50 people. We purposely wanted an intimate group. The forum is very action-orientated and there will be a lot of experiential work done. We are going to operate in small groups with lot of workshops for small numbers and then come to- gether for bigger lectures with the whole group.

‘There are still a few places avail- able so if people do want to get in- volved they should get in contact as soon as possible.”

For more information or to book a place contact the Burren Leadership Forum on 065 7083949 or check out www.burrenleadershipforum.ie

AS WE speak, a young Clare tra- ditional musician is mixing it with the very best in the world at the Blas Summer School in Limerick. Six- teen-year-old Ballyvaughan student Caoimhe Greene has spent the last 10 days playing with and learning from some of musical idols.

After spending her transition year work experience at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick Caoimhe was hooked. Finding no scholarships easily available, she set about taking matters into her own hands.

“After the work experience [| start-

ed making up a Blas music biogra- phy and sent it out to a few different places, just to see what would hap- pen. One of the organisations that I sent it to was Clare County Council and they got back to me and said that even though they don’t usually spon- sor scholarships, they would make an exception for me,’ said Caoimhe.

“We have a master-class each morn- ing with one of the lecturers. There are so many brilliant teachers down here. Then we have lectures before a lunchtime concert with some of the teachers. Then there are more classes and lesson in the evening.”

This year’s Blas features some of Ireland’s foremost musician includ-

ing Donal Lunny, Mairtin O’Connor, Steve Cooney, Iarla O Lionaird, Mar- tin Hayes and Dennis Cahill.

“Tt’s really amazing. Take today for example. I just had a two hour one- on-one lesson with Steve Cooney. Something like that is just unbeliev- able. A private lesson with Steve Cooney and he’s off to Glastonbury on Friday. You couldn’t dream it up,” continues Caoimhe.

“T love to get into music as a Ca- reer. If you look at the people who are here then it would have to be your aim to try and emulate what they are doing. I like trad and classical but I’d love to get into some jazzy music and different things like that.”

Some 70 students from all over the world are taking part in this years festival. Besides a large Irish con- tingent, students have travelled from Israel, Columbia, Finland, Russia, France, the UK and America to learn from Ireland’s best.

Caoimhe will continue her mu- sic lessons and concerts at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance until the Blas Summer School come to aclose later this week.