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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.

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.

THERE was at least one wag in Hen- nessy Memorial Park on Sunday — wag in the sense of the dictionary meaning of the word that is (he or she who gossips about something as opposed to wives or girlfriends).

This wag spoke about the Kilmihil backroom team for 2008. He was ob- viously in Michael Cusacks’ corner because when leaving the ground after the ballgame was over he re- marked: “look at them, they’re like the League of Nations with who they have over them”.

Of course, it’s not the first time that the term has been used in Clare — they said it about the famous Ennis

Faughs team of the 1940s and ‘50s; they even said it about the last Lis- cannor team to win a senior champi- onship in 1940.

And, it’s true that the Kilmihil backroom team takes in a few differ- ent counties. Manager Mick Darby is an Offaly man; trainer/coach Dave Loughman is Cork; his sidekick John Hickey is Kerry.

Tommy Lyons, not to be con- fused with the Mayoman of Offaly and Dublin renown is Moneypoint man like Darby. That leaves local man Michael Keating – the veteran of many a battle for Kilmihil. You know where the disgruntled Michael Cusack’s man got his League of Na- tions from though.

It was very harsh though — Darby is as much Kilmihil as Rhode in Of- faly. Anyway, it’s the players out on the field that won this county final on the day, not the coalition of far-flung football minds off it.

Darby said as much as everyone around him started to celebrate. ““We started training on January 8. We have ten months done at this stage. All credit to the players. They put a fantastic effort in all year. This 1s their they day, they have been abso- lutely brilliant.

“They bonded hugely. They were going to stay working together for each other as a unit. They weren’t go- ing to lie down.

“The big thing that wins final is

character and I think the players showed a lot of that out there today,” he added.

Sure, it was too close for comfort near the end as Cusack’s ate into Kilmihil’s four-point lead, but ac- cording to Darby it was never going to be any other way.

“There was very little in it. It was very close. It was a dour battle and a battle all the way. The football was heavy going — there was nothing free, nothing easy given and we were just lucky to come out of it in the end.

“Cusack’s don’t give up. I said it during the week. They battled with 14 men against Clondegad. We knew this was never going to be over until the last whistle. They were going to

be fighting right to the end.”

And, what of the future, after an intermediate title was brought to the parish for the first time since Caher- murphy won the title 50 years ago. Senior for 2009; back to where eve- ryone in Kilmihil feels they belong.

‘I hope they set a standard for our club for the future,” said Darby. “To even have a chance of success that’s the standard that has to be main- tained and nothing less will do. Be- fore today we were trying to hammer home to them that in the last two years we’ve been together for about five and a half months in total. That’s a huge effort and it was worth every bit of it to win. This is a day these lads will never forget.”

A BALLOT of workers at Aer Lingus which would mandate their union, SIPTU, to take industrial action over plans to outsource jobs is expected to take at least two weeks.

As 280 workers at Shannon con- template their future, the union is sending ballot papers to each and every member in a bid to get a large

turn-out and a strong mandate for ac- tion.

Unions SIPTU and IMPACT have both pledged to fight the plan which would see the axing and outsourcing of 1,500 jobs nationwide.

Meanwhile, preliminary contact on the plan is believed to have been made between Aer Lingus manage- ment and SIPTU but both sides have agreed on a media black-out on any

talks for the present.

It’s expected that union members will overwhelmingly mandate their representatives to declare industrial action if talks fail to reach a resolu- tion on the plan which aims to save the company €74 million.

Management wants the bulk of that saving – €50 million – to come from a reduction in staff costs.

SIPTU’s Tony Carroll said that a

written agreement exists between the company and the unions barring all outsourcing until after 2010. The detail of this agreement is now being examined, he said.

“It was agreed in 2006 as part of the charter of fundamental rights for workers in Aer Lingus at the time of the privatisation,’ he said.

Meanwhile, IMPACT spokeswom- an, Christina Carney said that the

proposals are not acceptable. “Not for the first time, Aer Lingus have turned to their workers and asked them to carry the burden. But at this time, the company have set out proposals which could see Irish jobs shipped to the US during a period of ACTS (Oe

‘To export jobs during a recession is unacceptable and we will fight any attempt to do that.”

INCREASED numbers of burgla- ries in a rural part of north Clare has prompted the community alert scheme to increase its profile locally.

The community alert programme in the Turlough/Belharbour/Newquay area was set up 20 years ago. Over the years it had lost its impetus but it

regrouped almost 10 years ago.

There is significant concern that elderly people living alone are being targeted by travelling criminals who prey on them and take their money and any valuables they own. Con- men also call to their hopes, under the pretence that they are carrying out work, but their only interest is robbing them.

Secretary of the group, Margaret Healy said the increased number of break-ins prompted the scheme to 1n- crease its profile in the local area.

“There was a lot of break-ins; peo- ple going around to elderly people. It started from there. We have it both ways – burglaries and conmen call- ing,” she said.

“Everyone in the community has

wised up a lot. If a strange car is seen, the local guards will be called. It is a full community-based thing,’ said Ms Healy.

The nearest town to Turlough – which has been hit over the summer – is Gort and that is 15 miles away, while Ennistymon is 18 miles away. Given their rural location, it 1s cru- cial that residents are in regular con- tact, with a particular focus on those UaiauetcareDleyatee

“There are a lot of elderly people living in the area. It is gone to the stage you are not safe living on your own. It is seriously important to keep an eye out on your neighbours. Eve- rybody needs to be alert. The guards have no power unless the people in the village help out,” said Ms Healy.

The community alert meetings take place regularly, where issues of con- cern in the locality are discussed.

‘People can’t be as trustworthy as they were one time. All we can do is thrash out what we know. There is no solution,’ she added.

The secretary of the community alert group in the area Fergal Lang- ley said there is huge concern that the burglaries are occurring during the daytime and criminals are watching their targets.

SUCCESS is being savoured by Tuamgraney-based company, Wil- de Irish Chocolates. Judges at the SHOP EXPO 2008 in the RDS went just wild about Wilde and presented them with a Commendation Award for their Artisan Chocolate Bar range in the Best Confectionery Product of the Show category.

Patricia Farrell from Wilde’s said it was “a wonderful boost to get an award for making great tasting chocolates, but it’s also thrilling to be commended by such a prestig- ious and influential judging panel as

presided over the SHOP 08 competi- ntoyn a

She said she wanted to express thanks “to Clare County Enterprise Board who’s support was crucial to our participation in the event”.

SHOP has become Ireland’s an- nual retail food, and drink event and the Product of the Show Awards are renowned for showcasing the lat- est and most innovative products in the Irish food industry. The judging panel are experts in their field and in- clude senior buyers from Tesco and Musgraves. Judging this year took place over several weeks in London, Hampshire and at the Guild head-

quarters in Wincanton. Irish entries were judged over three days in Bel- el

Wilde Irish Chocolates won the commendation for their artisan range of seven different milk, dark and white chocolate bars.

This is not the only award that the east Clare company has won this year. Wilde Irish achieved a Great Taste Gold, “the Oscars of Fine Food” for their Toasted Almond and Orange Dark Chocolate Artisan Bar. They have also again been recom- mended by the Bridgestone Guide and since this year are members of Good Food Ireland.

Wilde Irish Chocolates have been making chocolates in Tuamgraney since 1997. They have won many awards for their chocolate since then and their chocolate bars, gift collec- tions and chocolate treats are availa- ble from the factory shop, their farm- ers market stalls at Killaloe, Nenagh and Limerick and from selected out- lets in Clare and the mid-west

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.

WHATEVER Kilmurry Ibrickane can do with the big ball, Newmar- ket-on-Fergus can do with the small ball.

That was the message announced to the hurling world in Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon as the storied Blues rolled back the years to when they were the most feared combina- tion in Clare hurling to reach only their second county final in 27 years with a sparkling display every bit as good as what the men from the bar- ony of Ibrickane produced against Kilkee.

Newmarket were beaten two years ago in the final by neighbours Wolfe Tones, but now the title is theirs to plunder. This was the general con- sensus of supporters leaving head- quarters after the weekend’s semi-fi- nal programme.

While Clonlara and Crusheen played out a draw in a game that only really touched the heights of qual- ity fare in a hectic finish, the Blues turned in a command performance in beating St Joseph’s Doora-Bare- field by 1-20 to 3-7.

A seven-point differential, but truth told,this was a hammering as a very disappointing St Joseph’s side only made the final scoreline look respect- able when they closed out the game with goals in the 58th and 62nd min- utes of a very one-sided encounter.

“It’s great to be in a final,” said Newmarket-on-Fergus manager D1- armuid O’ Leary afterwards. O’ Leary, who assumed the management reins at Newmarket last year after a string

of under 21 successes, is now on the cusp of delivering a senior title to the most decorated club in Clare for the first time in nearly three decades.

Newmarket won the last of their 22 titles in 1981, but O’Leary, mind- ful of the club’s failure to deliver in the 2006 final and the quarter-final against Tulla last year was taking nothing for granted.

‘“There’s no medals for today,” he warned as the reflected on his side’s best display of they year.

Meanwhile, Newmarket will have to wait until next Saturday to know who their county final opponents will be, after Crusheen and Clonlara drew 1-10 apiece in Saturday’s open- ing semi-final.

“We’re still in it,’ said Crusheen manager Stephen Cunningham after his side came from five points adrift in the closing eight minutes to win another day out.

“With three minutes to go we should have gone on and won, but we let it slip,’ said Cunningham’s coun- terpart Jim Gully. “But when they got the goal we showed great character to come back to get the equaliser.”

If Newmarket play Crusheen in the final it will be a repeat of the 1974 decider, which the Blues won on a scoreline of 1-6 to 2-2.

A Clonlara/Newmarket final would be their first final match-up since the East Clare final of 1936 that doubled as a county semi-final.

The Blues won that day.

THE increased availability of co- caine and heroin across Clare is a major concern for gardai tackling the spread of drugs.

Gardai have voiced the concerns in the wake of what they describe as a significant seizure of heroin in Ennis last week. More than €5,000 worth of the drug was seized during the search of an apartment, as part of a major garda operation last Wednes- day night.

A 28-year-old man was questioned and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions, who will decide if charges are to be brought.

Two weeks ago, a kilo of cannabis was seized during the search of a car on the outskirts of Ennis. It was part of an operation that also involved the search of a house in Ennis.

Gardai say that the availability of significant quantities of heroin in- dicate that there 1s a demand for it in Clare and they have pledged to

tackle this. The numbers of seizures of drugs in the county has increased significantly over the past few years. This is due to an increase in detec- tion rates, allied to the increased de- mand for drugs.

Gardai are concerned that the in- creased use of drugs is connected to violent incidents and crime such as eluted tN lone

“T am concerned about that. One would have to be concerned when people get addicted to drugs. They are desperate for money,” said Supt

John Scanlan.

Although cannabis remains the most popular drug in the county, gardai have noticed that cocaine, heroin and ecstacy are freely avail- able.

“It gets publicity on the back of a prominent death, but it is a continu- ous thing. Cannabis still tends to be the drug of choice. The problem with cannabis is that young people thing it is not addictive. This myth that can- nabis isn’t harmful has been blown out of the water,’ he added.