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MORE interpretators are needed to help children and their parents adapt to life in Irish schools, accord- ing to the Teachers Union of Ireland Oued}

Bernie Ruane, Vice-President of the TUI, said the lack of interpreta- tors means misunderstandings and ill-discipline are inevitable.

‘“T read a lot in the papers that there

are always plenty of interpreters in our courts, but if we had a few more available for our schools, maybe we wouldn’t be seeing all these prob- lems in the court,” said Mrs Ruane. “Meetings between parents and teachers can be difficult and when there is a language barrier. Problems can arise and it can lead to ill disci- pline. There is no integration system for education in Ireland. There is no planning. It’s all very piece-meal.”

Mrs Ruane, a teacher at St Patrick’s Comprehensive College, Shannon, said parents are being let down by the government. “There are kids coming into a completely new environment and they are not providing them with anything. The resources to cope are not being provided to schools”.

Mrs Ruane said comments by made by Fine Gael Education spokesper- son Brian Hayes about segregating students were not helpful.

“We don’t support the idea of segre- gation, we would prefer to see more resources allocated for English tui- tion for smaller groups and individu- als. Doing it in a classroom environ- ment sometimes means that other students are being held back, because you are repeating lessons.”

Mrs Ruane also said “serious” health and safety issues were emerg- ing in woodwork rooms and science labs.

AS Doonbeg and Ennistymon filed onto the Miltown pitch on Saturday evening, Tommy Curtin had the lib- erty to sit back and take in the quar- ter-final meeting that would throw forward Liscannor’s opponents in Wem OONEIOITADE

Before that game began, though, Curtin said he was impressed with

Liscannor’s performance, particu- larly their application in seeing off the challenge of pre-match favourites Eire Og.

“We had a quick work there and were delighted with the victory,” he said. “Going into the game, to be honest, we had a few injury prob- lems. But to be fair to the lads, they really stuck at it over the hour.”

He also acknowledged the fact that

Liscannor weren’t given a real fight- ing chance beforehand, but said that was understandable.

“In fairness, it was always going to be a tough game. We were playing against a team that was in the county final these past two seasons and a team that won the championship two years ago.

‘So they’re a good side, a very good side, and we knew we’d have to play

some good football if we were going to come through it.

“We train with a very small panel and we have to believe that in every game, there’s always hope. We train that way and we play that way and we literally have to take every game as it comes.

“But as I said, the lads knuckled down. Our centre-forward was in- jured going into this and he’s a bright

prospect for the future and the lads got stuck in for him.

‘Eire Og would have been the firm favourites going into the game but our ball retention was very good to- day and we were hungry as well. But the game of football is so simple and that’s the way you have to play it.”

With that Tommy stood back to watch the second game unfold.

AN APPEAL by two cousins who were caught with stolen sawn-off shotguns in Kilrush last year is to be heard at the Court of Criminal Ap- peal in November.

James Kelly (27), of Leadmore, Kilrush, and Richard Kelly (21), of The Meadows, Watergrass Hill, Cork, were given sentences of four and five years respectively, at Ennis Circuit Court last November.

Both pleaded guilty to possession of stolen sawn-off shotguns, in Kil- rush, on April 8, 2007.

Both men have appealed the sever- ity of the sentences handed down. Those appeals will be heard on No- vember 24, at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Dublin.

At the sentencing hearing, the court

was told that gardai noticed activity on the monitor from CCTV cameras. Gardai saw the two accused go up the drive towards Cragg House in OTS

Richard Kelly was carrying two implements under the sleeve of his jacket.

The two went to a derelict building and came out again, each carrying a gun, which they wiped clean, before hiding the weapons in the flower bed to the back of the house. Gardai found the guns in a subsequent search.

In handing down sentence, Judge Michael White said he was taking into account the admissions and guilty pleas entered by both. How- ever he said there was a serious con- cern about the proliferation of weap- ons, of which the court took a very Serious view.

THE Mountshannon based Irish Steiner Kindergarten Association will host it’s annual national con- ference later this month. The theme of this years conference is Working With the Very Young and will take place on September 27 in Dunshane, County Kildare.

The keynote speaker for the con- ference will be Danish expert Helle Heckmann, who has been a teacher for more than 20 years. Heckmann founded the Nokken Kindergarten in Copenhagen and was also a founding

member of the Worldwide Initiative for the Early Childhood Care.

Currently she travels the world giv- ing lectures and workshops on the subject of Steiner education and will give two talks; entitled ‘Balancing the needs of Young and Olde Children in the Kindergarten’ and “Working with the very young child’.

The conference will also be ad- dressed by Ulrike Farnleitner, head of the Irish Steiner Kindergarten As- sociation, who will give the opening address and welcome to the confer- Neen

Principal of Raheen Wood National

School in east Clare, which has re- cently been granted official state recognition by the Department of Education and Science, Marguerite Devane will also play a role in the eK Neer

Marguerite is a member of the ISKA council and is the Irish rep- resentative on the International As- sociation Council. She will perform Cearca Friompa a Puppet Play in Irish for the council delegated.

Earlier this year Raheen Wood Na- tional School an Mol An Ojge Na- tional became the first two steiner national school in the country to be

granted official state recognition.

Indeed the Clare schools are two of only four Steiner primary school currently operating in the island of Ireland. Other school are located in Gormanstown in County Kildare and Holywood in County Down.

The Irish Steiner Kindergarten As- sociation is the representative body of Steiner Early Childhood Carers and Educators in Ireland and was founded in 1992.

The association was formed out of a common wish to support and learn from other and will continue to de- velop in that spirit.

THE Department of Education is analysing the structures in place at Ennis Community College for teach- ing new students for whom English is a second language.

Department officials visited the school in May as part of nationwide research project to see how it is adapting to the influx of internation- al students. The school caters for 430 students, 78 of which are foreign.

That number has jumped from just two in 2000. Patricia Murray, teacher of English as an Additional Language (EAL) co-ordinator at Ennis Com-

munity College, said the experience has been rewarding for both students and teachers.

“We presently have 78, the growth has been rapid and has required ad- justments on behalf of the teachers and other staff.”

She added “However, the influx of EAL students has contributed to the diverse culture in the school; given the opportunity to ‘learn’ from each other about different countries, cul- tures, languages and systems in our ever shrinking world. Teaching stu- dents with little or no English has proven challenging for the teaching staff, but has given great rewards in

terms of achievement”.

The resource department in the school give extra tuition to EAL stu- dents and support teachers in their subject areas, in many classes team teaching has been incorporated to help the students.

‘““We are very proud of the diversity of cultures that exist in our school community,” said Mrs Murray

“In recognition of this our students painted and framed their national flags. The flags were placed on the wall facing the main entrance the school.”

A multicultural evening orgainsed each year by students and teachers

is another method aimed at bridging the language gap.

“All in all, the whole school has benefited in terms of fostering, un- derstanding and appreciation of all the varied cultures that now make up the Ireland of the future,’ said Mrs Mylene ears

A lack of English does at times re- strict older students capabilities par- ticularly where technical subjects are eeieouiee

School principal Matt Power said, “There is a language barrier when it comes to taking exams in subjects like woodwork and technical draw- ing. Many would definitely do bet- ter if they had better understanding of English. That would only apply to students who are later entrants into the school system. It’s not an 1s- sue with students in first year.’ The breakdown of countries represented at Ennis Community College is as follows;

Nigeria (9); Kenya (1); South Af- rica; (5) ;Ghana (5); Czech Repub- lic (3 ); Poland (10); Slovakia (10); UK (2); Germany (3); Lithuania (6); Brazil (7); China (1); Philippines (2) Zimbabwe (1); Macedonia (1); Rus- sia (1).

TOMMY ‘Tubridy is more accus- tomed to big days than any man involved with the Doonbeg senior team. He goes back all the way to the 1972 minor county final win with Clohanes, while in his playing days in the black and white he won seven county championships.

Now, he’s one game away from guiding the Magpies back to the big

day for the first time in seven years — the longest ever gap in the long village between county final appear- ances since they started blazing their trail in the storied final win over En- nis Faughs in ’55.

However, Tubridy has known his share of disappointments too and was taking nothing for granted at the end of their facile enough 2-11 to 1-5 quarter-final win over Ennistymon. Instead, he sounded a somewhat pes-

simistic note.

“It was a good win, but I was dis- appointed with the performance overall. We have to up it if we’re to progress to the final. That’s how I feel about it,” he said.

‘“Ennistymon put it up to us at vari- ous stages of the game and I’d have to say that I’m disappointed with the performances of some of the players. The goals were vital for us and at the end of the day they were the differ-

ence for us. We have a few injuries and hopefully they’ll be cleared up before the semi-final.”

Liscannor await in that semi-final — a team that was dismantled by the Magpies in their final group game by Ce Leone noen

It suggests easy pickings in the penultimate round, but Tubridy is taking nothing for granted. It’s no wonder as Doonbeg have lost their last three semi-finals — to Eire Og in

2004 and ’06 and St Senan’s Kilkee heey

“We had a big win over them the last day. They conceded a few soft goals but that won’t happen the next day. It is really up for grabs and that’s the way we’re looking at it.

“We’re getting ready for a tough one. Playing Liscannor is always a tough game for Doonbeg but we’ll be up for it.”

A lot done, but more to do.

FIVE people arrested in connection with the death of Richard ‘Happy’ Kelly, whose body was found in Clare last year, were subsequently released from garda custody.

The five were arrested last Tues- day in Limerick in connection with the abduction and murder of the 17- year-old. His body was discovered in Lough Brigid, close to O’Callaghan’s Mills, in November 2007. His body had been weighed down by blocks.

He was last seen alive in April 2006.

The five arrested – four men and a woman, aged between 20 and 36 – were detained at Ennis, Killaloe and Shannon garda stations.

Three were released on Wednesday and the remaining two the following day.

A file is being prepared for the Di- rector of Public Prosecutions.

These were the first arrests in the investigation which is being led by gardai in the Killaloe district.

A HUGELY popular music project which has run in the east Clare area for the past eight years is resuming WOT Were) @

‘Music World’ is hosted by Scariff Community College and is open to the wider community in east Clare. Seven teachers tutor a variety of in- struments including piano, fiddle, guitar, accordion, traditional flute, tin whistle, keyboard and classical voice training.

The classes are run each evening and are open to young music enthusi- asts right through to adults.

While the classes have always at- tracted much interest, the develop- ment of a new state-of-the-art music

room at the school last year signifi- cantly increased interest in music in the east Clare area, and more than 100 people are poised to attend this year’s classes.

The room is fully equipped with a range of musical instruments, in- cluding drums, electric guitars, and a piano, while a specially designed stage gives students the opportunity to exhibit their talents.

According to John O’Brien, who is a music teacher at the school, there is a huge demand for music classes in the wider community, while the new state-of-the-art music room also helps examination students.

“Up to 50 per cent of the Leaving Certificate (music) can be for per- formance,’ said Mr O’Brien.

The new room is a hive of activity throughout the year. A talent show was launched in the school last year and much of the activities for this also takes place in the room. The East Clare Musical Society helped to fund the room and also use it, ensuring that the entire community benefits.

“Not only is it a classroom, it is also a community room. It is a great facility for the school and goes way beyond the classroom,’ said Mr O’Brien.

While much of the music curricu- lum is focused on theory, the advan- tage of the special music room is that students who are keen to progress in playing music are afforded a good opportunity to do so.

“A lot of younger children, aged six and upwards, who aren’t in the school, come and attend lessons.

‘There is a huge interest 1n music. It is fabulous. Setting up the talent competition last year was a big thing. That will take place again this year,’ added Mr O’Brien.

The classes are resuming this week and there are still a number of places available. Further information is available on phone 061 921083.

has learned.

This is despite a number of ground- breaking developments made in the provision of integrated education in Gort over the past decade and the ad- mission by the Minister for Integra- tion Conor Lenihan, earlier this year that the village was a blueprint for successful integration in Ireland.

Founder of the Gort Brazilian As- sociation, Frank Murray has said that the best method for integrating

children is in one class, despite calls from Fine Gael last month for chil- dren to be segregated.

“The best method is to keep the kids together. The schools here in Gort have had no guidance on this issue and have had to figure it out themselves. There were no guide- lines in place here when the Brazil- lans started coming here ten years ago or more, so the teachers here de- veloped a groundbreaking system of their own,” said Mr Murray.

‘After the argument on segregation and apartheid a few weeks ago that cause such a storm, the government response was that research was being carried out on the issue. But I con- tacted all of the schools in Gort, be-

cause they are cutting edge in terms of integration policy, and no one had come near them.

“You have to wonder about the money that is being spent on this re- search and how effective it is going to be if they don’t consult the main players involved in integration in Ire- land.”

According to the Gort Brazilian Association, if a scenario 1s handled incorrectly it can actually lead to an increase 1n racism instead of integra- nln

“It can sometimes cause conflict with local parents if they fell that their kids are being held back, espe- cially in secondary school. That is a situation which can cause friction in

the community and can lead to rac- ism,’ continued Mr Murray.

“Tt is an awful strain on the teach- ers, they are the forgotten people in this situation. We had thought that the numbers of migrant children at- tending the primary schools here would go down this year because of the economic situation but they have been overwhelming.

‘That was a surprise, it shows how difficult it is to be on top of this situ- ation which is changing all the time. Because of this it’s a bigger shame that the people doing these surveys do not see fit to contact the teachers in Gort who have made some great innovations over the last ten years.”

KILKEE Strand Races are not just a nod to local history, but an insight into the future of horse racing in Ire- land.

What started out as a duel over a woman almost 130 years ago is now the event where world-renowned jockeys learn the trade.

On Sunday next these traditional races will take place as usual across the Kilkee dunes from 2pm.

The eight races, four ponies and four horses, will begin at the upper side of the beach.

The race is part of the Kerry and Cork circuit and was particularly popular from the 1930s to the 1950s.

In later years the races have become the breaking ground for a number of top jockeys.

“Itis the perfect training ground for young lads to get some race ridding experience,’ said committee member Pat Russell.

Last year top apprentice flat jockey Danny Mullins won three races.

Charlie Swan, Tommy Carberry, Norman Wilson, Alan O Keeffe, Jack Doyle and Wayne Lardan are just some of the famous jockeys that started their career in Kilkee.

For spectators the sight of the hors- es racing through the sand is a rare experience.

“It is unique for spectatiors as it is a natural amphitheatre looking down from the strandline,’ said Mr Rus- sell

The course is also distinctive as it is

determined by the tide, which means the organising committee have no choice but to hold the event on All- Ireland Sunday.

“T rang the GAA but they wouldn’t move the match,” laughed Mr Rus- sell.

The people of west Clare will have their sights firmly on the local inter-

est, which will be the McGrath fam- ily from Kilkee, who have a number OM eurewe-lerbeee

The event also has an impact on the local economy with local businesses paying out for sponsorship and the bookies hoping not to be paying out too much on the strand that day.

With the long-term weather fore-

cast promising good weather, organ- isers are hoping to see up to 2,000 people at the races.

Presentation of prizes will take places in the Stella Marris Hotel.