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SCHOOL sports fans are a step clos- er to being able to play the games they love all year round, thanks to the support of local people in Scariff and the Clare VEC.

Scariff Community College has long enjoyed having two playing pitches for their sports periods, games and practice but the pitches have only been of use for a few weeks every year, because they are too wet to play on.

But recent fund-raising efforts with

a race night which raised €15,000 and a contribution of €10,000 for the VEC have enabled the school to call in the contractors and begin the process of draining one pitch.

“The first part of the drainage scheme is done, with the pipes down and the next step is to sand and level the pitch and re-plant it” said school principal Sean Daly.

“We decided to go for making one of the two pitches an all-weather pitch so that we can play year round. We have very active hurling and Camogie teams at the moment but

the long term plan is to have a run- ning track around the other pitch and maybe have a permanent long jump and facilities for other sports and ALO eN Col eee

To complete work on the current pitch, the school will be seeking help from the Munster Council of the GAA as well as running more fun- draisers.

Scariff residents are no strangers to raising money to help their chil- dren get a rounded education. The two pitches were bought with money raised locally in 1991 for the then

princely sum of €50,000.

The efforts at drainage won’t be wasted with numbers at the popular secondary school rising all the time. This year, there are 312 young people studying for their exams in compari- son to 264 last year.

THE dangers associated with swim- ming at unguarded beaches have been highlighted, in the wake of two dramatic rescues at Spanish Point over the past week.

Warnings have been issued this week after two young girls were res- cued from the waters last Thursday evening, while a 15-year-old boy was rescued after he got into difficulty while swimming, at the same spot on SLUeE NE

A passer-by grabbed a lifebelt and swam out to the boy who was strug- gling in the water. He was taken to the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick. His condition was ini- tially described as serious, but later SPO) DBI oreR

Clare’s Water Safety Officer Liam Griffin said this week that people need to be mindful that the seas are OPT To ROLE

‘When people go to the beach they have to be conscious of where they are. Spanish Point is a surf beach and there are dangerous currents and it

can be difficult to get out of them,” he said.

“If you are not sure of where you are, the advice is not to enter the water. Spanish Point is a dangerous beach. You have to be careful,’ he EHR

He also said that particular notice

should be taken by beach goers, as the beaches are not frequented by lifeguards during the winter. Lifeguards were on duty throughout the summer, but their season came to an end at the end of August. The busier beaches of Lahinch, Spanish Point, Fanore and Kilkee had a life-

guard facility available during the first weekend of September, but the service has now come to a halt for the rest of the year.

“The availability of suitable life- guards is an issue. We apply the high- est standards here in Clare in relation to lifeguards. Nobody has drowned at a guarded beach in Clare in living memory. Lifeguards are for the most part students and are gone back to college in September. At the moment we are planning for the 2009 season. When you are planning, you assume the busy times will be July and Au- gust,” said Mr Griffin.

He said that lifesaving equipment was essential in Sunday’s rescue and appealed to people to respect these. “I would appeal to people to respect that equipment and not vandalise it. There has been vandalism in the En- nis area quite a bit. A ring buoy and rope was used to good effect on Sun- day. Had it not been available, God knows what would have happened,’ added Mr Griffin.

THOUSANDS of Clare household- ers will be unable to adequately heat WeCoHb Mm SCO)OOCCAMAOUISIAY SUSI Koo MEAD OCOMRY OOO MELUN fer health problems as a result.

The Renewable Energy Skills Skillnet CRESS) has also predicted that Clare will struggle to achieve building efficiency ratings of 60 per cent within ten years, as envisaged by the EU and it will cost an esti- mated €1.308 billion for the county to achieve this target by 2018.

The industry-led group claims that the combination of shrinking pur-

chasing power, energy inefficient homes and forecasts of a cold win- ter will leave many Clare families unable to afford the recent and im- minent hikes in energy costs. A tank of home heating oil will cost house- holders an average of ©800 this win- ter, compared to €600 in 2007.

RESS has called on the Govern- ment and Clare Local Authorities to examine ways of alleviating the pressures on the elderly and low-in- come households to heat their homes during the coming months.

“The Government should ensure that vulnerable sections of the com-

munity are provided with as much assistance as possible. In particu- lar, it should look at increasing the winter fuel allowance, which oper- ates from September to April’, said Johnny Flynn, RESS Chairperson. Mr. Flynn, who is an environ- mentalist, engineer and Ennis town councillor said the Government and Sustainable Energy Ireland should expand the Greener Homes Scheme to include local authority rented ac- commodation units. Long-term ten- ants should be entitled to individual- ly apply for grants to improve energy efficiency and to incorporate renew-

able technologies in their homes.

“RESS urges all Clare local au- thorities to prepare contingency plans to help tenants meet high en- ergy costs particularly in the case of poorly heated social housing units’, he said.

RESS Project Leader, Dick Whelan said the introduction of environmen- tally sound construction methods and materials in the building of new homes was being undermined by the fact that approximately two thirds of Clare homes built before 1997 were poorly insulated and energy ineffi- cient and nowhere near meeting na-

tional energy efficiency targets.

RESS was set up in 2004 to provide training and support to plumbing and heating contractors and related trades and professionals involved in the design, specification, installation and maintenance of Renewable En- ergy Heating Systems.

The group will host the fourth Na- tional Renewable Energy Heating Conference in Bunratty, on Friday October 17 when speakers will in- clude Tom Parlon, Director General of the Construction Industry Federa- tion and Junior Environment Minis- ter Michael Kitt .

THE future viability of St Joseph’s Secondary School in Spanish Point is in serious jeopardy if the Depart- ment of Education doesn’t recom- mence funding to employ two part- time teachers at the school. According to the school principal, Mary Crawford, the school faces clo- sure if funding isn’t made available for the technical drawing, engineer- ing and art classes to be reinstated.. “The department has made an of- fer to fund the teachers for the exam classes in third and sixth year for this year. But as part of that offer they insist that we do not offer this sub- ject to new first year students com- ing into the school and that we look for no more concessions in future

years,’ said Mrs Crawford.

“What they are essentially doing is getting rid of those subjects from out school. This is completely not acceptable. We cannot run a rural school without these subjects; they are vital. At the moment more than a third of our first years take art which is probably more than take up techni- or Ne bee hapten

A technical drawing and metal work room, refitted by the Depart- ment of Education just two years ago, is sitting idle following the decision by the department. The state-of-the- art room was developed to the high- est standards in 2005 and 2006 after being granted more than €90,000 by the Department of Education. “These rooms have been totally idle while this is going on. It doesn’t make any

sense, it’s a total lack of joined up thinking,” continued Mrs Crawford.

“We were back at school when we heard that the last appeal had failed. All through the summer I have gone through the normal channels that I have gone through every other year.

“We were caught right at the very last minute with this. We want these two teachers to be reinstated and we need for these subjects to be taught from first year in the school.

“We are going to keep this fight go- ing in the media. That is part of the plan. We would then hope that our public representatives would bring their powers to bear on the situation. Other than that the board of manage- ment will have to consider out next step before we escalate any of out ac- tions on this issue.”

THE community of Whitegate was this week celebrating having 32 peo- ple trained in the use of a defibrilla- tor which could save lives.

But even while they were marking the marvellous response from local people in raising enough money to cover the cost of training, insurance, and equipment to house and secure the precious machine, the commu- nity was making plans which could mean they never have to use it.

Trained volunteers and supporters enjoyed a function last week to mark the fact that the money had been raised and cheques handed over.

“We want to make people heart

aware and promote a healthy life- style and that’s part of what we are using the money that we raised for”, said chairwoman of the defibrillator committee. Mary Cusack.

To that end, there will be a walk, blood pressure clinic and happy-heart nutrition advice session in Whitegate on October 5.

The machine itself was bought along with an identical machine for Mountshannon but initially, there were just two people in Whitegate who knew how to use it on a joint roster with Mountshannon.

“We wanted to go our own way and have as many people trained as a possible . We are linked into the Irish Heart Foundation, the gardai,

the ambulance service and the local GP, all the necessary services.”

Mary says the hardest thing was to “get the on-call part right. We have six people trained 1n a local company Molloys, we have people trained in the pub, the post office and the shop. If a call comes during the day then people will automatically know who is available to drop everything and answer it.”

As part of the awareness campaign, local schoolchildren were asked to draw a picture of their understanding of what a defibrillator does.

“They were marvellous – they all knew what it does and the drawings were fantastic’, said Mary.

On October 5, locals are invited

to come along to the clubhouse in Whitegate to have their blood-pres- sure tested and then to take part in a healthy 4 mile walk as part of World el tam (oe

A trained local nutritionist will also be on hand to give advice about foods that will keep hearts healthy.

“Tt’s won’t be a formal sort of thing, with someone standing on a stage giving a lecture. She’s just going to give a talk and any one who wants to ask questions 1s welcome to do that. People can do the clinic the walk and the talk or any one of the three that they want. We want to promote heart health and hopefully, we’ll never get a call for the defibrillator’, said Mary.

HURLING 1s alive and well and be- ing played in the sprawling parish that takes in Barefield, Roslevan and Doora.

That was the defiant message deliv- ered by St Joseph’s manager Kevin Kennedy after his side rolled back the years to when they were the most feared club in Ireland and brought an abrupt halt to Inagh/Kilnamona’s fairytale debut season.

St Joseph’s, who won the last of their five county titles in 2001, served notice to all remaining contenders to Tulla’s throne that they really mean business in 2008.

“Lately the club has done well in another code,” said Kennedy in a nod to the historic success of the footballers in bringing a first ever Under 21 ‘A’ title to the club. “We’ll support the other code. People were saying that hurling was finished in the parish. Hurling will never die in Barefield.”

Not on this display as they gave Inagh/Kilnamona a five-point start before dismantling them with their best knockout display since beating Sixmulebridge in the 2001 final.

“They were favourites coming in and are a good side. We’ve made fair progress over the past two years – it’s been a two year job. We won the Clare Cup last year and are in the semi-final of the champion- ship so that’s progress again,” said Kennedy.

Progress seems too soft a word to explain away Clonlara progress in

2008 – fresh from the intermediate ranks they are now on the cusp of a first county final appearance since 1919 thanks to their 1-13 to 2-9 win over a Colin Lynch-less Kilmaley.

“It’s huge for us,” said manager Jim Gully. “There’ll be only four teams in the semi-final and we’re one of them. We don’t have a wish or pref- erence for any team. We only wish the match was next week. We have a good team and winning the Under 21 A title after the intermediate last year has been a huge impetus for us. It’s great to be where we are.”

Newmarket-on-Fergus are also there after their nail-biting late late show against Cratloe. They came from four points adrift early in the second half to win by the minimum margin.

‘“Workrate and a good panel of players – that’s what did it for us in the end,’ said manager Diarmuid O’Leary. “The goal in the first half gave us areal lift. Cratloe are a good team and nobody gives them the credit that they deserve. They a good side and it took us everything to get over them.”

The final quarter-final will be played this coming weekend between Clarecastle and Crusheen. The Mag- pies ended Clooney-Quin’s hopes for 2008 when winning their play-off game in Shannon on Sunday evening by 1-17 to 1-14.

SUSUS) eam sce liernemmOvmReol(cleye-I(ermen St. Michael’s Community College, Kilmihil last Friday as staff and stu- dents marked the 7Oth anniversary of the establishment of second level education in Kilmihil in 1938. Among the attendance was local man Francie O’ Leary who was one

of the many workers who gave of their labour voluntarily in 1938 to help build the school.

As School Principal Helena Keane recalled in her speech, the building of the original Vocational School in 1938 was a unique partnership be- tween Clare VEC and the local com- munity, with the VEC paying for the materials, and all of the labour be-

ing provided voluntarily by the local community.

She praised the people of that ear- lier generation for the tremendous gift they passed on to the thousands of students who have come and gone since then. A presentation was made to Mr. O’Leary by his grand- daughter and current St. Michael’s student, Emma Duggan as a sign of

the school’s gratitude to the people of 1938.

Ms Keane also payed tribute to the principals, staff and students who had ensured the school’s great repu- tation. Particular acknowledgement was given to student Roisin Nolan, who was one of only eleven students in the country to receive 11 A’s in her recent Junior Certificate results.

A number of leaving Certificate students, Eimear Pilkington, Louise O’Grady and Eileen Kelly also read essays recounting their many expe- riences of school life and the tre- mendous impact of education at St. Michael’s had on their lives.

Ms. Keane thanked the organising committe of Martin Moloney, Claire Edwards and Rita Murphy for their work in arranging the event.

Clare VEC chief executive George O’ Callaghan praised the pupils and staff for their tremendous work in making St. Michael’s “one of the finest schools in the county and the country”, and reiterrated Clare VEC’s commitment to continuing to strive for the further development of the school’s facilities. He also congratu- lated those involved in the design of the school’s new website, School PRO Martin Moloney and Sarah Ca- hill, which was offically launched on the day. The website may be found at www.kilmihilcc.com

Following lively music from the School Ceili Band and its brush dancers, 150 green and gold balloons were released to mark the anniversa- ry. Mr. O’Callaghan then unvielled a plaque to commemorate 70 years of second level education in the area.

RESIDENTS of an estate on Lough Derg are to take legal advice today on whether they can appeal a judge’s decision to uphold the rights of a family of Travellers to move into a house bought for them by the local authority.

The family at the centre of the row have spoken for the first time of their distress over some locals’ reaction.

Residents of Cullinagh at Ballina have mounted a_ round-the-clock protest outside the house since Tip- perary County Council bought it to accommodate a family of ten Travel- lers at a cost of €465,000.

The O’Reilly family have been living in the lakeside town for nine years in a number of caravans, a short distance from the property.

Last night, Tony O’Malley, solici- tor for the O’Reilly family said the family are “very upset. They have been under a lot of pressure because of this. They are a family which has lived here peacefully for more than ten years. They have helped with community events, their children are going to school in the area. All they want to do is to continue to live peacefully in the community into which they have become integrat- ed.”

The residents were due to take le- gal advice on an appeal last night, but were instead meeting to discuss a development yesterday afternoon in which housing staff from the council arrived escorted by gardai to enter the house.

“They had a lock smith with them and I think they changed the locks,” said Paddy Collins, spokesman for the protesting residents.

Last week, High Court Judge Mr Peter Justice Charleton ruled against the residents application for an in- junction to stop the local authority entering into a tenancy agreement with the family for the house on the grounds that members of the Travel- ler community have the same rights to be housed as anyone else.

The locals are objecting to the house being bought for the family because, they say, the council went outside it’s normal procedures to make the purchase.

“They are supposed to keep with- in a certain budget and they didn’t. This is taxpayers’ money. They are supposed to keep within the social housing scheme to house people but they went right outside of that in this case’, said Mr Collins.

“We would be raising the same objections no matter who this house was bought for,’ he added.

THERE was a major boost this week for two health service providers in east Clare with the announcement that they are getting combined fund- ing of ©700,000.

The Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Health Service Executive (HSE) have grant- ed funds totalling €140k and ©560k to An Ghrianan in Bridgetown and Scariff Health Centre respectively.

The funds allocated to An Ghri- anan, at Brookside Lodge, Bridget- own, O’Brien’s Bridge, will be used to provide and install play equipment and a safe ground surface, as well as to give the grounds a thorough makeover.

Meanwhile, the money that has been allocated for Scariff Health Centre will be used to provide a new extension, rewiring, roof repairs, re- furbishment of grounds and a clini- oN Koleyeemy sls emi Ke): txon

Welcoming the announcement of the grants, Minister of State Tony Killeen said he was confident that the new round of funding for health projects would make a significant contribution towards the health and wellbeing of the CLAR communities in O’Briens Bridge and Scariff.

The Junior Agriculture Minister said, “The two projects that will re- ceive funding through the new HSE CLAR Programme are important to each of the local communities

involved and support the Govern- ment’s commitment to improving the quality of life in rural areas.

“The programme is an excellent example of effective cross-depart- mental and cross agency co-opera- tion that will help improve health services in rural areas.”

Minister Killeen said that the funds would help to develop, refurbish and improve health centres and facilities in each of the local communities in- volved.

PART time council workers – all women – who have been told they can no longer have the advantage of working flexi-time have taken a case against the local authority.

The 21 members of IMPACT work- ing for Clare County Council have initiated legal proceedings, through the Rights Commissioner service, on the grounds of discrimination against part-time staff as full-time staff are still allowed to avail of flexi-time.

IMPACT has initiated proceedings on behalf of the affected workers, under legislation introduced to en- sure that part-time and full-time em- ployees are treated equally.

The county council maintains that managers are finding it impossible

to roster to ensure coverage with the large numbers of part-time staff em- ployed.

IMPACT assistant general secre- tary Andy Pike said that, “all our affected members are women who need the ability to work flexibly in order to take their children to school, care for elderly relatives, or meet other family commitments”.

He added that by removing flex1- time entitlements for part-time workers, “the council could prevent the public from accessing services during key periods of the day. Many services, accessible to the public from 9am and later in the day, had been provided by part-time employ- ees who were able to come to work early and stay later under the terms of the scheme.”