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THE East Clare Community Co- op, which has been largely closed for some time for improvements and building work, is making great strides towards being up and running again.

Located behind Brian and Joe’s Café, the co-op has been the home of a myriad activities from learning boat building and getting involved in a community garden project to expe- riencing Shiatsu, taking singing les- sons and learning yoga.

The co-op closed temporarily in January so that disability access

could be installed throughout the building. However, it soon became apparent that more work was needed than had been budgeted for.

Work was needed to bring the build- ing up to health and safety standards, including a complete rewiring of the building and a fire alarm system. AI- though the refurbishment was grant- aided, the co-op ran into a number of snags along the way to unveiling the new and improved facility.

‘There were a number of things to sort out and it has taken a bit longer that anyone had originally thought but the various elements are com- ing together now and we’re moving

ahead”, a spokeswoman for the co-op said.

The Community Co-op, has been the launching pad for many initia- tives locally including the Raheen Wood School, the Grainey whole- food store, East Clare Telecottage and the Clare Women’s Network.

The co-op has also been at various times home to youth club activities, the Citizens’ Information Service, the Centre for Environmental Training and Living (CELT) the Letts Trading system, where people exchange work and skills as an alternative to cash, the Dandelion Puppet Theatre Com- pany, and Brian and Joe’s Café, sup-

ported by the Brothers of Charity.

When the co-op reopens, it will be ready to roll out four new part-time Pobail-funded jobs for a gardener, caretaker, administrator and cleaner.

A number of activities are still go- ing ahead in the co-op. Last week a group came together under the aus- pices of the Brothers of Charity to build a currach.

The community garden project is also underway each Wesdnesday be- tween | and 3pm.

New gardeners are welcome, and children are particularly welcome to come and experince the fun of plant- ing and growing.

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.

THERE were calls last night for Clare County Council to fully sup- port Aer Lingus staff at Shannon ~ bu ola

The issue was raised during the monthly meeting of the council when councillor John Crowe asked that the members write to the Minster for Transport demanding that he ensure there would be no further reduction of transatlantic services from Shan- noe

“A lot has happened at Shannon

since I tabled this motion and none of it for the good of this region,’ he said, referring to the Aer Lingus plan to outsource most of the positions at the airport.

“There are 280 jobs to be lost there and these jobs cannot be lost to Shan- non’, he said and asked “where are the 22 airlines the minister said were waiting on the runways to come to Shannon under Open Skies? If there is any further decline in transatlan- tic services at Shannon, it will the death-knell,”’ he said.

Cllr Pascal Fitzgerald (Labour) said

that the “council as a body must sup- port workers at Aer Lingus. Only for Ryanair, there would be nothing left at Shannon. There are families who grew up in Shannon who are looking at leaving their homes.”

Cllr Brian Meaney said that it was the first time that the council had had an opportunity “to discuss what is a near fatal blow to Shannon Airport. This chamber needs to send a strong signal to the relevant departments and to the management of Aer Lingus in relation to the proposals on outsourc- ing. We have to deal with the pos-

sible consequences of so many jobs being lost. We have to look at this in terms of contingency plans.” Meanwhile, Deputy Pat Breen (FG) told a Dail debate on the situ- ation that, “the Aer Lingus workers at Shannon are the sacrificial lambs who are bearing the brunt of the Government’s failure to act last year to secure the Shannon to Heathrow service. Shannon bore the brunt of the crisis arising from the attacks in New York on September 11. Every time Aer Lingus gets ‘flu, unfortu- nately Shannon appears to get pneu-

monia.”

Minister of State, Tony Kileen(FF) saidhehasmadecontact with Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan and Min- ister for Transport Noel Dempsey re- garding the airline’s cost cutting plan. “Meanwhile, I have referred to Ms Mary Coughlan TD, Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in relation to the Aer Lingus workers’ future job pros- pects. I have also asked Minister for Labour Affairs Billy Kelleher TD to ensure that all of the worker’s statu- tory entitlements are delivered on.”

CONCERNS have been raised about the proposed format of a joint polic- ing committee for Ennis.

According to the Department of Justice, the committees, proposed for 114 local authority areas, are being established to provide a forum for Gardai, local authorities, Oireacthas members, and community interests to meet and address issues related to crime locally and to make recom- mendations.

However, at last week’s meeting of

Ennis Town Council, councilors dis- missed the 19-person structure of the committee as unworkable.

Accepting that the committee al- lowed for broad representation of different stakeholders, Mayor of Ennis Peter Considine (FF) said it was unlikely, given the size of the committee, that consensus could be achieved on crime related matters.

Councilor Tom Glynn (FF) echoed these concerns saying “you couldn’t get a whole lot done with a commit- tee of 19 people”.

Councillor Joe Reidy (FF) said,

“the last thing we need is more meet- ings and more talking shops. At the end of the say we have to know what effect it will have for the general pub- lic.

Town Clerk Eddie Power told the meeting that pilot schemes had al- ready been launched in Ballinasloe, Naas and Galway City and that the committee presented an opportunity to examine the reasons for anti-social behaviour and social disorder.

“I think they want to avoid as much as possible is it becoming another talking shop,” added Mr Power.

CUlr Johnny Flynn (FG) said that any measure which looks at “ad- dressing the anti-social behaviour in this town deserves to be given as good a run as possible”’.

Cllr Tommy Brennan called for meetings to be arranged with partici- pants from the pilot schemes before any decision is taken on the matter.

‘We should look for a meeting with the delegation from Naas. I’d like to go behind the scenes and see what is happening on the ground with this thing. Then you’ll get the right re- sponse.”

BOYS AND girls between the ages of six and 12 are being afforded the opportunity to play rugby in Tulla, thanks to the newest club in the area.

The East Clare Eagles rugby club was set up a year ago and since its inception it has gone from strength to strength. Currently there are 70 members signed up with the club, which caters for youths in Tulla, along with Clooney, O’Callaghans Mills, Broadford, Feakle and Quin. One of the main attributes of the club is that it 1s open to both boys and girls, with girls accounting for 30 per cent of its members.

The club’s reputation was consid-

erably enhanced as it got the oppor- tunity to play at half-time between Munster and Glasgow, during the opening of Thomond Park in Limer- ick last Saturday week.

“Prior to setting up the club, we used to play in Community Games competitions. We couldn’t get any competitive games so we decided to set up a club, affiliated to the IRFU. We did that in October 2007,’ said club chairman Daragh Molloy.

“Setting up the club enabled us to include children aged six and up- wards,” he added.

Since the club was formed, it has joined the Limerick league and has also taken part in several blitzes in- volving teams such as Kilrush, Mil- town Malbay, Shannon and Ennis.

The Eagles have also hosted many blitzes.

Along with Mr Molloy, the others responsible for running the club are John Noonan, Edmund Jennings, Ro- nan O’Reilly and Kevin Slattery.

Given that the players are so young, the assistance of the local primary school has been essential in ensuring the club is a success.

“Brian Torpey at the local primary school has been of great assistance, as have the people of Tulla. Our hon- orary president John Noonan has been the driving force in setting up the club,” said Mr Molloy.

“This is a great achievement for a village in east Clare that 1s predomi- nantly a hurling area. Now we have a rugby club that is thriving. There was

a great need and a desire to set up the club,” he added.

The green and white Eagles jerseys are poised to become a force to be reckoned with in rugby circles in Clare over the coming years. In or- der that this be achieved, the club is appealing for volunteers to help out with coaching the teams.

Anyone interested in lending a hand should contact Daragh Molloy on 087 4102510 or John Noonan on 087 2843253.

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.”

NOT many selectors can claim to have been involved in team that have won county championships at minor, junior ‘B’, intermediate and senior. John Hickey is one of the few, if not the only one. The Kerryman, who has been long since domiciled in Ennis has all these successes to his footballing CV. Indeed, Sunday’s intermediate success means that the

only titles of note outstanding are the under 21 and junior ‘A’ titles. And, he came close to the junior ‘A’ in ’96 when the Townies were beaten in the county final by St Senan’s, Kilkee. aU Umea mm eee mer: ttm ata e Eire Og — he guided the minors to back-to-back titles in 1992 and 93, the junior ‘B’ team to championship glory in ’95, while he won the senior championship in 2000.

That senior title was achieved in

tandem with Dave Loughman (who led Clarecastle to intermediate suc- cess in 1998), while Kilmihil’s Noel Normoyle was a selector. Eight years on he greeted this latest success with the same enthusiasm as all the other wins, even if he was keen to heap praise on others.

“I was only tagging on. It was Dave and Mick who did all the work,’ he said. “Really I was only tagging on with this team,” he added.

Shrewd judges will tell you oth- erwise — Hickey was a vital cog in Kilmihil’s 2008 machine, patrolling the line, knocking heads with Dave Loughman, Mick Darby and com- pany as Kilmihil tried desperately to break free of Michael Cusacks’ dogged challenge.

“It was a great game to be involved in,’ he reflected, “because anytime you get into a final and win is great. This game was in the balance up un-

til the last kick of the game. Michael Cusack’s battled very hard and we knew they would. But we battled as well and it was a great team per- formance. It takes 15 to 18 players, it could have been 20, to win any final. There was a circle there of about 26 to 28 players. They won it.” John Hickey played his part too.

BUSINESS representatives in Shan- non and Ennis have expressed seri- ous concern for the staff at Aer Lin- gus who may lose their jobs and for the fall-out that this would cause in the region.

The President of Shannon Cham- ber of Commerce, Ian Barrett has warned that any further dilution of Aer Lingus services from Shannon could have dire consequences for trade and business activity in the re- gion.

Ian Barrett said that business had already suffered from the withdraw- al of the Shannon Heathrow service.

Barrett, who also works for Shan- non based company Avocent, said “we have noticed a significant reduc- tion in the amount of business travel and the number of Chief Executives coming through Shannon since the end of the Heathrow service’.

“We would be hoping that there would be no further reduction in services. Reports that transatlantic services are at risk are worrying. A development like that could possibly have a significant adverse affect on Foreign Direct Investment”.

“We would be hoping that Aer Lin- gus would be planning on maintain- ing or increasing their services from Shannon”, the chamber president added.

Barrett said that developments such as the new CityJet route from Shan- non to Paris were welcome, but that Heathrow remained the “centre of fey svaleel mars Aare

“If you’re in business then Hea- throw remained the main hub. The Paris route has been a positive devel- opment.”

Ennis Chamber of Commerce CEO, Rita McInerney, said that the Cham- ber “is very dissapointed with what is going on in terms of the staff who

have given so much to the company and because Shannon is bearing the brunt of these cuts.”

She added that it is “very worrying from a business prospective what is to happen to the transatlantic serv- ice.

It is so vital to the international businesses based here. The air- port has been left with such a skel- eton staff and so little back-up that if something goes wrong a service could be cancelled and that could lead to it being withdrawn down the line. The airport is doing sterling work trying to get new routes and services into Shannon and they don’t jaCeXox MMOD Ecer-T ROO TOM ODO bl omie

has learned that garda management have pledged to put additional garda resources in place in an effort to tackle the prob- lem and clamp down on travelling om enebett vice Conmen, posing as businessmen, are pushing their way into people’s

homes and getting their hands on THON oA

They are especially targeting eld- erly men or women living alone in rural areas in the Turlough/Belhar- bour/Newquay area.

In one incident, an elderly man was robbed of thousands of euro after a man pretending to be a television re- pair man called to his home.

A Dublin man in his 40s was ar- rested and questioned in connection with this incident. A file has been sent to the DPP.

In another incident, a man in his 60s was struck twice by a conman who called to his house and demand-

ed money from him. He claimed he was a medical doctor.

That matter is actively being inves- tigated. No-one has been arrested in connection with that incident.

Ennistymon Superintendent Gabri- el O’Gara is warning that conmen are travelling around the area. He said while the problem “is not rampant”, there have been worrying incidents in recent weeks.

“It is very isolated up there. No doubt about it, it is because of the ge- ographic location. They are looking for isolated places. They are picking their targets. We are trying to get more patrols up there,” he said.

“If anybody is calling around pre- tending to be a doctor or health of- ficial, don’t let them pass the front door until they show identification. Do not entertain any of these peo- ple,” said Supt O’Gara.

He is encouraging people living in rural areas to engage in community alert programmes.

“Report anything suspicious. If you are unsure about someone, pick up the phone and ring your local garda,” he said.

Gardai in north Clare are also in- vestigating a spate of thefts from cars and break-ins to holiday homes in the Ballyvaughan area in recent weeks.

WHILE most people are pushing Christmas to the back of the agenda, a Tulla woman is already thinking toys and wrapping paper for children who may receive just one gift in the entire year and that gift will be from east Clare.

Jackie Vaughan has been a volun- teer with the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal for the last five years and she’s urging people of east Clare to put in a massive effort to send more shoeboxes than ever this year to children who have nothing.

“It’s such a personal thing. People pack boxes with lovely things for an individual child. Many of these chil- dren have nothing. They are cold and hungry, they may be orphans, this gift of love is more often than not the only Christmas present they will get,’ said Jackie.

This is the tenth year of the appeal itself and last year in east Clare, gen- erous souls wrapped scores of boxes for children in far-flung places from Africa to Eastern Europe.

Operation Christmas Child is a project organised under the auspices of the Samaritan’s Purse organisa-

tion but no child of any ethnic back- ground or religious persuasion 1s ever CALE Core w

The aim is to fill a shoebox with a cuddly teddy or toy, sweets other than chocolate, crayons, colouring books, and a something small to wear, like gloves, a scarf or hat.

Each box is filled for a boy or girl with a specific age-group in mind.

Jackie particularly hopes that the 10-14 year olds will get lots of boxes from east Clare this year.

“It’s a group that don’t get as many boxes as the other age groups and it’s also important to remember that a

lot of the two to four year olds are orphans, living in institutions where there aren’t a lot of staff so there’s a need to be extra careful about not putting in toys that have small piec- es that children might put in their mouths,’ said Jackie.

Jackie added that anyone who doesn’t have time or who has dif- ficulty putting a box together and wrapping it can make a donation.

Jackie will arrange collection of the boxes from factories and schools. Call her on 065 6835715 for leaflets which include full details of what can be included in the box.