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A THIRD level Regional Learning Centre is to be established at the Clare Museum in Ennis.

A consortium of four existing third level institutions – University of Lim- erick, Mary Immaculate College, Tralee Institute of Technology and Limerick Institute of Technology – will operate the centre.

It is expected courses will be deliv- ered in 2009. Tom Coughlan, Ennis Town Manager, made the announce- ment at yesterday’s meeting of Clare Soi Geniale

He said the consortium had commit- ted to the programme for three years and that its viability depended on lo- cal support. Information on courses will be available at the County Mu- seum in the coming weeks, said Mr Sree TEN

Fianna Fail councilor and Chair- man of the governing body of TIT, Flan Garvey, who was involved in negotiations with the consortium, Ned exer ne MN ATOM OLea/odO)oyeetNL

However some councilors said the use of Ennis, as a base by outside third level institutions would have

implications for the establishment of an independent learning centre in OE Ker

Fianna Fail councilor Tom Prendev- ile said, “There is a lot of talk about the re-introduction of third level fees, which in my view would be a retrograde step. Nonetheless there is evidence to suggest that the numbers going to third level are dropping. I would be fearful that our ultimate goal of establishing an IT in Ennis in the short and medium could not be attained. Hopefully it could be done in the long term. Ennis is perfectly geographically situated”.

Fianna Fail councilor PJ Kelly said the “more we go down this road, the more other institutions are making sure that an independent college can- not be established in Ennis”.

Green Party councilor Brian Meaney said it would not be possible for and independent third level cen- tre in Ennis until Ireland had more internationally recognized 3rd level institutions. “We should play to what is feasible and what is achievable’, he said.

IT may be a bad time for the econo- my but increases in oil and electricity prices have made it a golden age for the matchmaker, with scores flocking to Lisdoonvarna looking for someone to keep them warm this winter.

That is the opinion of legendary matchmaker Willie Daly, who is also on the look out for a farmer on the dole to take an American millionaire off his hands.

‘This year has been good so far, it’s only been getting warmed up really but all things are starting to get into

it’s stride,” he said.

“The matchmaking is going well. I think with the promise of a cold win- ter coming up everyone wants to be with someone. With electricity and oil prices getting higher it’s easier to have a nice partner to keep them warm for the winter. With the high costs of living, it’s better to have two people than one to help with the run- ning of a house.

“We still have a lot of foreign people taking part but not as many Americans as in other years. There is agood amount of German and Eng- lish people the whole time but some

of the English would be more there for the dancing and the craic as for the matchmaking itself.”

This weekend, Lisdoonvarna will play host to a rich oil baroness from America who is looking for an Irish farmer to take home to Texas with her.

“There is young woman coming from Texas who is an oil baroness. She is going to spend about five or six days in Lisdoonvarna starting this weekend. She has fallen in love with Ireland – she visited here when she was 11 and it has always stayed in her mind,’ continued Willie.

“She has become a little disillu- sioned by American men and wants to try her hand with an Irish man. She has been in contact with me di- Kore AYAE-NOLOMAUG DN MOL oMCCO) UNDONE O(osKommN BION] an older woman. Hopefully now we want to keep her in Clare and not let her off somewhere else. She is look- ing for a man who will give her a lot of time so I was thinking maybe of a nice small farmer from off in west Clare, maybe someone who is on the dole and would have time for her.”

For more on this years Match Mak- ing Festival check out www.match- makerireland.com

THE small Kilkenny parish of Danesfort will this month host the National Ploughing for the sixth time in it’s history. The countdown officially began last week for this year championships, which will take place from September 23 to 25.

This years championship will in- clude more than 900 trade stands, require more than 15 kilometres of trackway to be laid and feature a host of marquees and other infra- Name eneh cen

This years machinery exhibition promises to be bigger than ever with up to 15 tractors brands on show. The new Claas AXOS tractor range will be launched while Tanco will be launching three new products and

Hi-Spec will be showing the new XCEL 1250 spreader.

This year’s championships will play host to no less than 19 All Ire- land Ploughing finals over the course of the three days.

The Under-28 and Under-21 Cham- pions will be selected Tuesday while the Queen of the Plough and the Sen- ior Horse Champion will be selected Wednesday.

The Supreme Senior Conventional Champion selected over Wednes- day and Thursday, the Kverneland Reversible Champion selected from Thursday’s Reversible Test and these are just some of the finals taking je e-leror

The winner of the Supreme Conven- tional and the Kverneland Reversible will qualify to represent Ireland at

the World Ploughing Championships in Slovenia in 2009.

Wexford Ploughman Willie John Kehoe won a silver medal in the erassland competition at the World Contest in Austria recently and team mate John Whelan scooped fourth overall.

“We are delighted to be back in Kil- kenny on these magnificent farms of the Woodcock and Barry families,” said Managing Director of the NPA, Anna May McHugh at the official launch last week.

“Its been a terrible summer for farmers with at least 25 per cent of the harvest still to be cut but as you can see the site is in excellent condi- tion despite recent weather and we are looking forward to what’s shap- ing up to be one of our best events

to date.”

Meanwhile, Concern will be cel- ebrating its 40th birthday at this year’s Ploughing Championships. Chief Executive, Tom Arnold, said the agency is using the ploughing ex- hibit to thank the thousands of farm families for their generous support over the past four decades.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is also returning to the National Ploughing Championships this year as part of its campaign to promote road safety.

This year, the RSA will be offering 40,000 free high visibility vests for children and adults, in association atbe

SUSl Se syle

They just work off a different script to every other team in Clare. Clare football history teaches us this, but still we’re ready to pen their obitu- ary every time they take to the field. The quills were dipped and ready for action at 3.15pm in St Michael’s Park in Kilmihil.

Half-time and with the Blues 1-6 to 0-4 down the end seemed nigh. The team that slugged it out with the best

of them in the Munster club cam- paigns in 2003 and ’05 had reached the end of the road.

Maybe the Cois Fharraige festival took it out of them, or maybe they were looking forward to next Sun- day’s Strand Races.

Meanwhile, heads were shaking on the terraces, too many cigarettes were being smoked and abuse was being hurled at the management team made up of Johnny Joy, Donal Hayes and Georgie Roche.

‘“W hat the f**** are ye doing,’ went

one anguished and angered cry when Noelie O’Shea was called ashore in seven minutes before half time. His replacement, Kieran ‘Chilli’ De- loughrey wasn’t listening and neither were Joy, Hayes and Roche.

Instead they were focusing on half-time — getting the team into the dressing room as quickly as possible and starting over.

“We were a shambles in the first half,” said Joy afterwards. “Shannon Gaels were all over us and were dic- tating the pace of the game and we

laid it on the line at half-time.

‘There were some harsh words spo- ken in the dressing room I can tell you and players came out and showed their pride in the second half.

‘We needed to do what we’ve been doing all year, that is fight hard for the ball and start working as a team together. The lads out on the field won that game with their heart and their desire. Everyone one of them — the lads that started and the fellas that came on. I knew they had it in Wetoee eae

THE County Manager has defended the Ennis water supply.

Speaking at yesterday’s meeting of Clare Council, Alec Fleming said the temporary filtration plant at Drum- cliffe, Ennis “produces an excellent quality of water”.

Mr Fleming said that since the sys- tem was introduced two years ago there has been a massive reduction in the risk from cryptosporidiosis.

Mr. Fleming also revealed that when the permanent treatment fa- cility comes on line in Ennis, the Council will be spending €1 million a year in providing clean drinking water to the citizens of Ennis.

However Green Party council- lor Brian Meaney has called for the council to stop using the temporary facility to filter Ennis water.

Cllr Meaney said reports by the En- vironmental Protection Agency have revealed that between 15 and 30 per cent of the water supply bypasses the filtration stage. He said that by opt- ing not to use the system, the council would be sending strong message to the Department of the Environment.

“It is apparent that the membrane filtration system hasn’t worked. Giv- en the strident economic conditions I don’t think we should be throwing bad money after bad money. If we say we don’t use it, it would send a clear message to the government. We are paying for something that isn’t working,’ added Cllr Meaney.

Mr Fleming said, “It 1s my job as County Manager to bring the risk down as far as I possibly could. We are working as best as we can”.

He said that expenditure on water in the year has been “considerable”.

AN Inagh based artist 1s to open her home and studio to the public in a unique new slant on the artistic exhi- bition. Ashley O’Neal, who has spent most of her career in New York, is this month inviting small groups into her home on the foot hills of Mount Callan to experience her work in a homely setting. She has transformed her home into Baunsheve Studios, and hopes to offer people a unique exhibition experience.

‘Throughout the month of Septem- ber, and possibly on from that, I am Opening up my studio to the public

by appointment. People can call me and arrange a time to come to the studio and see some of my work,” she said.

“When you go into a gallery people can sometimes be very intimated and besides that they don’t get the chance to meet the artist behind the work. I am offering people the chance to come in and chat about the work and what they see.

‘“[’m very open as an artist and I enjoy talking about what people are seeing and feeling when they look at my work.”

As a landscape painter, Ashley be- lieves that living in north Clare, on

the border of the Burren, has had a huge influence on her work.

“IT moved to Clare from New York City about two years ago now. I have set up a studio in Inagh and have spent the last while taking in the lo- cal lore and a lot of the landscape of the place,” continued Ashley.

‘For me it was amazing just to go out in the landscape, seeing as I am a landscape painter, after spending a lot of time in such an urban area. You can go to a place out here and find that no-one else is with you, it gives you a very individual and personal experience of your area.

‘Most of my work starts as realistic

landscape painting but by doing the painting itself it can actually move into the abstract. I find that people can tend to come back to paintings after they have seen it with new ideas about it.

““T really want this to be a casual en- vironment where people can come a have a one-on-one with the artist, to meet the real deal.”

People interested in having a look at some of Ashley’s work should con- tact O85 1437131 or check out www. ashleyoneal.com for more details.

WITH the poor weather showing no signs of clearing, The Department of Agriculture last week offered some relief to Clare farmers by lifting some of the restrictions on early up- land grazing in the Burren.

Clare TD and Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Tony Killeen, confirmed on Thursday that the de- partment has sanctioned a once off lifting of the restriction placed on REPS 2 and 3 farmers from grazing animals in upland areas of the Bur- ren before October 1.

The north Clare TD confirmed that the decision had been taken in light

of the impact of animals grazing on lowland areas that have been ad- versely affected by record-breaking rainfall this year.

Minister Killeen said that partici- pation in REPS 2 and 3 is guided by traditional farming practices where- by animals are moved from lowland areas to upland grasslands during Aurea

“This year, however, we have wit- nessed extremely wet weather con- ditions, which have made the move- ment and grazing of cattle in lowland areas extremely difficult for farm- eI ae OLomnsy-b (Om

“T am delighted to confirm that the Department has agreed to lift the October Ist restriction on condition

that individual farmers notify the lo- cal Department of Agriculture office of their intention to move animals.

“The approval of once off early ac- cess to the firmer winterage lands in upland areas of the Burren will be of benefit to farmers, the environment and animal welfare.”

Minister of State Killeen pointed out that the Department’s decision comes just three weeks after Minis- ter Brendan Smith announced a six- week extension of the REPS slurry- spreading deadline.

Meanwhile, Clare Fine Gael TD, Joe Carey last week called on the Minister for Agriculture to extend the scheme for investment aid for Farm Waste Management. This

scheme has involved the building of slatted houses in order to comply with EU directives.

Over recent months, extreme weath- er conditions have hampered severe- ly building work. “Summer 2008 has been one of the worst on record for rainfall in Ireland. Records show it was the wettest August for 170 years with between 14 and 21 wet days during the month,” he said.

“There is no doubt that farmers have had a very difficult summer, with tillage farming, in particular, badly hit. We need to ensure that the farming community is given every assistance dealing with the weather conditions and the difficulties the ex- treme weather present.”

IN the great story of sporting come- backs, this one will rank with the best. For the first time in just short of four decades, a Clare dog won the Irish derby but it was the manner in which the title was captured that will stay in the mind.

On the final bend Shelbourne As- ton was still in fifth place but in the final stage, managed a huge rally to see him first across the post. But it took some time for official confirma- tion to come through.

Standing behind the rails and peer- ing into the crowd was part-owned and trainer and Mullagh native Pat Grae

“When the dog crossed the line I thought we’d won but Ian Fortune [RTE greyhound reporter] was be- side me with an earpiece waiting to hear the official result. I kept looking in at the crowd saying to myself, ‘For God’s sake, will somebody put me out of my misery here and tell me if we ve definitely won.

“After a few minutes the announce- ment came through on the loud- speaker but I missed it, my mind had gone blank. So I turned to Ian and asked him what had happened. He said, “Pat, you’ve just won the derby.’ And you know what? I’ never forget those words.”

With that confirmation, Curtin

had reason to celebrate. This was only the third time a greyhound had completed the Champion Stakes and Derby double but the thing is, Curtin isn’t finished there.

Right now, he’s contemplating go- ing for the English St Leger at Wim- bledon, which begins next month.

‘No other dog has ever done the Irish Derby and the St Leger back-to- back and that’s something I’d love to do. And the Leger is over 660 yards which would suit the dog down to the ground.

“But we’ve still to make up our minds on what exactly we’re going to do. Over the past two days, there’s been a lot of interest from Australia and the United States, but we haven’t made any decision yet.”

Part-owners Noel Hehir from In- agh and Mullagh’s Margaret Mont- gomerie will sit down and discuss the situation with Curtin over the next week or two, but for now, it’s ap- propriate to bask in the glow of the DTS d eA ett e

Word had gone out that Curtin had heavily backed the dog at long odds and on Monday, he confirmed that he will take in roughly €500,000 on wagers as well as his share of the €175,000 prize money.

“He started off at 33/1 and I never thought he should be as long as that in the first place. The bookies thought he needed a longer trip, which in

fairness, he might have done but I was always confident he was going to do it.

“T actually backed him at that price for the Champion Stakes as we;; and ended up getting ©250,000 from that and then, when it came to the Derby, 33/1 was always going to get my at- tention.

“T took him at 33/1 and as he pro- eressed, he moved into 20/1, 14/1, 10/1 and I got him at all those prices as well. But as I said, I was confi- dent all along. I trained him to win the Derby and I saved him and saved him for that and for nothing else.”

Curtin — who first Shelbourne As- ton race in Galway against his own dog, Cal Diamond — pursued his then-owner Brian King relentlessly to part ways with the dog. “I just knew there was something special about this dog. I saw him for the first time in December and finally per- suaded Brian King to sell him to me a few months later.”

He now joins the prestigious list of Derby winning trainers, which includes his cousin Tom Doherty whose dog Eoin Pride was the last Clare winner of the Derby in 1969.

PHONE in hand, the Abbess of the Poor Clare Monastery in Ennis, Sr Bernadine stood ready to be made aware of any changes to the Presi- dent’s schedule.

Inside the monastery, everything sparkled for the return visit of an old friend, who this time would be mak- ing a short visit in an official capac- ity to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Poor Clare’s in Ennis.

At llam the helicopter flew over the monastery and minutes later the state car drove into the grounds – there had been no change to plans.

When the President emerged from the car, Sr Bernadine and Sr Gabriel greeted her at the door.

The chatty women had welcomed the gardai, presidential security and the press with open arms, but for the President and her husband there was a special and familiar welcome.

While most present greeted the spe- cial guest as her excellence or Mrs McAleese the sisters in the enclosed order greeted her as Mary, and she in turn called each nun by name.

The President of Ireland has been a private visitor to the monastery in Francis Street for the past 11 years, and just weeks before had visited the

monastery for one of her retreats.

Now she was back to help celebrate the sister’s Golden Jubilee in Ennis.

In what were familiar surrounds to Ireland’s first citizen she prayed with her friends, the dozen sisters in the order, and the seven friars from the neighbouring friary.

Reading the scripture and singing along with the Poor Clare sisters dur- ing the psalm the President fitted in with ease.

In a jovial celebration the presi- dent’s husband Dr Martin McAleese joked at the tea party after, “I would like to thank you personally because you don’t know the great craic I

have when she goes on retreat every year.”

President McAleese had nothing but praise for the women of the or- der. “You are great custodians of the tradition in Clare, great friends, great sisters.

‘I know from times down here how many times the phone rings, how many times the bell goes,” she said.

“You can’t take the burden of sor- row from them but you can go on the journey of life with them and that matters so much – the courage, the faith, the hope. Your prayers give them the little bit of energy to keep looking forward to tomorrow,

keep hoping for tomorrow. That is SO important, just bringing the joy of Clare, the joy of Christ into their lives,’ she added.

In the visitor’s book the President inscribed, “Congratulations on 50 years of prayerful, loving care of so many people whose sorrows you shared, whose joys you enhanced. God bless this lovely community as it sets out into the deep of the rest of the 50 years.”

For the neighbouring Franciscan order, yesterday was also a day of celebration as two new members were preparing to join the Frnacis- can order.

AFTER last year’s stroll through the Burren guided by the wonderful voices of the Lismourahaun Choir, this years Burren Ramble is going to let the land do the talking for itself.

This year’s ramble, which is the main annual fundraising event for the local RNLI, will take place in s1- lence. The theme of this year’s walk is ‘Peace and Contentment’ and or- ganisers are hoping that the families and loved ones of those affected by tragedy at sea will come and take Ova mON MO NomAVo Ole

“The idea is for people to come along and make a few bob for the lifeboats – but more than that we

are hoping that this year the ramble will be a more spiritual event. The theme of our walk this year is peace and contentment, and we are giving a chance to people who have lost someone to quietly walk and have a listen to the rivers,’ said organiser Joe Queally.

“At this time of the year there are more rivers coming up every day and there is great peace in all the sounds of the Burren. We hope that this place might just give people one minutes peace away from their darkness. If it does that then the whole thing has ee M OUP OLUaeNE Con

“In the RNLI, our first mission is to save lives, but our second mission is to try and bring some comfort to

people when a loved one has been lost. A recovery isn’t a joyful event, but it can bring great comfort to the family of the person who 1s lost, and that is very important.”

The walk begins at Fanore Church and will take in some of the Burren’s most spectacular scenery.

“We will be going up by the Cahir River and every step you take you will hear a different sound if you lis- ten for it. We will be starting regis- tration from St Patrick’s Church at 12 pm, and we are asking people while they are waiting for the walk to take off to sit in silence and listen to the river,’ continued Joe.

“The walk will start at lpm and we hope that this year’s walk will be

in silence. As we go into the moun- tain, as the wind starts to blow, every breeze will bring a different sound. As we get up around 800 feet over Galway Bay it will be the experience of a lifetime.”

The Burren Ramble takes place this Sunday, September 21. More in- formation or sponsorship cards are available from Joe on 087 6260301. All walkers are welcome, with or without sponsorship cards.