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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.

AS part of European Shiatsu Week which runs until next Sunday, the East Clare Co-op in Scariff is host- ing a special local event for people to try out Shiatsu, a traditional form of Japanese massage.

According to the World Health Or- ganisation, Japanese people topped the world table for longevity with a life expectancy of 86 amongst the women and 79 amongst the men. Contributing to these statistics is the integral role played in society by Shi-

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There will be an opportunity for people to enjoy taster sessions of the massage that works with the energy pathways of the body to re-establish balance and was a favourite of Mu- hammad Ali and Marilyn Monroe.

Simply drop by the Co-Op in Scar- iff between 9am and 5pm and experi- ence the many health benefits of Shi- atsu for yourself at the hands of local practitioner Joseph Kennedy.

A major study conducted by the University of Leeds found that 85 per cent of shiatsu clients reported a sig-

nificant reduction in tension, stress and problems with muscles, joints or body structure, including back pain and posture. It has also been found to be effective in the treatment of a va- riety of asthma, insomnia, digestive problems, migraine, joint pain and is becoming an increasingly popular natural pain relief tool in labour. Often described as ‘acupuncture without needles’, Shiatsu is a tra- ditional hands-on therapy. With its origins in Traditional Chinese Med1- cine dating back 2,000 years, Shiatsu uses the same energy channels of the

body or “meridians” as those used in acupuncture.

Aimed at rebalancing the body’s energy system, the therapist uses fingers, thumbs, palms, elbows, forearms and feet to specific points (called tsubos). In addition they gently stretch and pull the client to stimulate their flow of energy (ki) and innate ability to heal.

Different to more conventional massage in that there is no oily kneading of muscles — Shiatsu clients lie in loose clothing on a padded mat or futon on the floor.

THIS only confirmed what most peo- ple already knew. That Cratloe are a real emerging force in Clare hurling and now that they have finally made the breakthrough, they won’t want to stop at just a quarter-final place.

Due to the restructuring of the championship last year, their 2006 senior B win was somewhat devalued but they thrived in the senior cham- pionship to come within a whisker of the quarter-finals at the first attempt.

Ultimately a final round defeat to Kilmaley halted their quarter-final hopes but after an encouraging Clare Cup campaign this year, only acham- pionship quarter-final place would be sufficient for their young side.

And so it came down to this game, a meeting of last year’s surprise pack- age against the heirs to their throne with nothing but a win sufficient for the north Clare side to remain in the championship.

With their lives on the line, Corofin finally produced the type of battling spirit that propelled them into last year’s quarter-final but although they troubled Cratloe for long periods, it wasn’t enough to knock the east Clare side off their focus.

As ever, Corofin’s backs and mid- field were solid, led by county senior Dara Clancy who had an outstand- ing hour at centre-back but too few of their forwards excelled and that, added to Cratloe’s all-round better balance was the reason the east Clare side emerged with the two valuable points.

Damian Browne, and a star turn from county minors Conor McGrath did the majority of the damage on the scoreboard, with a combined total of 1-10 from Cratloe’s 1-16 but they also had impressive displays from full-back Barry Duggan, who held Corofin’s main threat Kevin Heag- ney scoreless, and Michael Hawes at centre-back who swept up con- tinually around the back-line to keep Sei eloeme i onuemenmse-le.e

Cratloe couldn’t have had a better start either, as they sprinted into a O- 5 to 0-0 lead by the 13th minute with Damian Browne (3), Aidan Browne and Barry Gleeson all pointing for the Blues and at this stage, it ap- peared as if it would be a rout.

However, Corofin shuffled the pack and bringing Dara Clancy to centre- back in a switch with Gerry Quinn, the north Clare side finally settled. Five unanswered points followed, SIPUMSDITSMMALNO Moye: eom PKOeemPODELeCornAr-DI midfielder Dara Shannon which was added to by Killian Neylon (2) and Ollie O’Loughlin.

Now level, it was Cratloe’s turn to shake up their line-up as they pushed Damian Browne to centre-forward,

Martin “Ogie’ Murphy to the wing and Aidan Browne to midfield. It had the desired effect as Aidan Browne and Sean Collins both pointed in in- jury-time to give their side a 0-7 to Q-5 half-time advantage.

The second period started in see- saw fashion as the sides traded points four times in the first fifteen minutes. At this stage, Jonathan Reidy was as- signed to curb Clancy’s influence

but still, they couldn’t halt his domi- nance and finally, they introduced James Enright to do the job. If noth- ing else, Enright’s robust style did have an effect and from that, Cratloe gained a foothold on the game. Two Damian Browne points and one from Sean Collins pushed the leaders 0-14 to 0-9 in front by the 53rd minute and it seemed as if they would see out the win from here.

Still, Corofin are nothing if not bat- tlers and two minutes later, Kevin Heagney was held and Corofin were awarded a 21 yard free which Clancy smashed to the net to give Corofin re- newed hope at 0-14 to 1-9.

It set up a nervous finish but Cratloe were spared their late jitters by their two minors Cathal McInerney and Conor McGrath who stood up to the plate in the final moments. First, sub-

stitute McInerney picked off a superb point from an acute angle in the right corner and only a minute later, Mc- Grath weaved his way through the Corofin defence to place the ball past goalkeeper John Williams to restore Cratloe’s six point advantage.

This was still some fight left in Corofin though and when a hurley was thrown at Gerry Quinn — now operating in the forward line — as he was about to shoot, Ger Hoey award- ed Corofin another 21 yard free.

Clancy again stepped up to take it but although this effort was just as powerful, goalkeeper Sean Hawes produced an outstanding full-length save to deny him.

There was still time for another point apiece but there was no deny- ing Cratloe this result and they held out for the crucial win. And they got an added bonus too as news filtered through of Tubber’s surprise defeat of St Joseph’s, a result that leaves both Doora/Barefield and Craltoe level at the top of the group, with only a toss of a coin to decide who tops the group.

THE Tourist Information Office at Killaloe has become the latest cas- ualty in the cuts which are seeing tourism attractions and facilities all over Clare shut up shop early.

The office on the bridge would nor- mally continue to provide services and information for visitors until the end of September, but it has been an- nounced that the facility will now close for the winter season much ear- lier than that.

It is the latest in a number of early closures, with Craggaunowen’s “The Living Past Experience’ closing several weeks earlier than normal and Bunratty Folk Park bringing in weekday winter opening times in September.

And this week, Killaloe councillor, Tony O’Brien (FF), called on Clare County Council to negotiate with Shannon Heritage to try to keep the tourism office open.

“This 1s a serious blow to people involved in tourism in east Clare,” he told a meeting of councillors for the Killaloe area.

‘We need the opening of that office extended, not curtailed.’

Smaller visitor numbers and a sea- son which is petering out early are the factors being blamed for the early AON Kee

Shannon Development’s Nandi O’Sullivan said that the move is “just good business sense. It’s a little bit quieter and there isn’t a need to open for an extra half hour. But the attrac-

tion will remain open at the week- end.”

Last month, when it was announced that Craggaunowen was to shut up shop early, a spokesman for Shannon Heritage said that a number of factors had affected the decision. “Easter came almost three weeks early this year so we had in fact opened that bit earlier. It is a challenging year gener- NO AA

To combat dwindling tourism num- bers, Shannon Development, in con- junction with the tourism and travel trade has been involved in a number of strategies to get more visitors into the region.

One plan has already seen 20,000 additional bed nightsbrought to the region. This involved negotiating working partnership arrangements with 15 travel operators in the US, including 13 tour operators sell- ing dedicated Ireland holiday pro- grammes in the US market.

The organisation is also working with Tourism Ireland and other tour- ism authorities on the €3 million Discover Ireland’s Wonderful West campaign.

Included in the campaign are US print, radio and online advertising with carriers.

IT costs some €20,000 to run Bun- ratty Search and Rescue annually and the service is heavily dependent on fundraising. The money raised for the group by gardai on Saturday will be put to good use.

Bunratty is one of seven water- based emergency services across the county to benefit from the 20th an- nual Garda Charity Cycle. Dozens of gardai will cycle the 130 kilometres trek starting in Ennis and finish- ing up in Twomilegate in Killaloe, throughout the day on Saturday.

The club recently spent more than €30,000 refurbishing the boathouse in Bunratty and it intends to put the money collected by the gardai to- wards the upkeep of the building. When the boathouse was built in 1998, the club had very little money at its disposal. Over the years, damp- ness came through, so the outside walls had to be realigned.

The only funding the club receives is 2,000 from Clare County Coun- cil every year. Aside from that, the club carries out its own fundraising.

“We have a lot of collection boxes in pubs in Limerick and Bunratty,

while families of people who have been recovered from the water ar- range functions and send us money. We also receive donations,’ said club treasurer Bob Potter.

While the regular income is low, the expenditure is high as much needs to be purchased to keep the club in existence. Money is spent on petrol, insurance, heating, lighting, phone bills, wetsuits, body bags, welling- tons, cradles, while the two boat’s engines have to be serviced on a reg- ular basis. Training programmes are essential and also cost money to run.

As treasurer since 1989, Mr Potter

knows at first hand the significance of ensuring there is enough money to keep the club running. “The club is always in the red because we plan ahead and watch the pennies,’ he Cr nCee

“Locally, the support is excellent,” he added.

CRATLOE and Sixmilebridge go back a long way, their hurling rivalry is immense, albeit that it has been somewhat lopsided in the “Bridge’s favour down the generations. Until now that is as the boys in Blue bask in the glory of beating their near neighbours.

“It’s been a long time coming,” commented one spectator in the Eire Og Grounds on Friday night after Cratloe had their own little play on the biblical story about David taking a catapult to Goliath.

That’s just what they did in coming from ten points adrift in the second half to bring Sixmilebridge’s hurling world crashing in around them. No wonder some Cratloe folk let them- selves go.

“There won’t be any cutting posts down now,” said one historian on site, going all the way back to more tempestuous times when in the dark of night some disgruntled hurling folk were accused of cutting down goalposts to make them look like soccer goals.

Representatives of both parties say it never happened, but there are those who swear it’s true after the fall-out of an intermediate semi-final be- tween the clubs in 1970 when Sixmi- lebridge won by a couple of points only to lose it afterwards to an objec- tion after that they had a number of soccer player in their ranks.

All that history welled up in Crat- loe folk finally burst free as they cut

down Sixmiulebridge for the first time ever at senior championship level.

This was for ’95 when the ‘Bridge beat them by over a point a man in the county semi-final; for 90 when a last minute goal deprived them of the intermediate title.

The victory was the big story of the weekend, even if it wasn’t the only story. Newmarket-on-Fergus fired a warning shot in the direction of every other club in Clare thanks to their demolition job on county cham- pions Tulla; St Joseph’s Doora-Bare- field, Inagh/Kilnamona and Kilma- ley booked their quarter-final spots; Crusheen made it four wins from four outings.

But it was hard to get away from the “Bridge — the most storied club in Clare hurling since Mikey Whyte got that point in the ’77 final in Dr Daly Park — who suffered their third championship defeat on the bounce.

It has never happened before, but then again strange things have hap- pened in the Canon Hamilton race thus far. Tubber beating the ‘Bridge; Clarecastle hanging on for dear life; Tulla being beaten by 21 points by a rampant Newmarket-on-Fergus; Inagh/Kilnamona taking to the soft ground of the championship for the first time like veterans….

For sure, there’ll be plenty more twists and turns before the race is fi- nally finished.

on

think it’s much better to engage.” After councillors opposed a pro- posal to participate in such a strategy, Mr Fleming, who 1s a director on the Limerick Regeneration Board, said, ‘There are several different strands to it. A lot has to do with upgrading

housing,” he said.

“The issues that are causing con- cern relate to social housing for peo- ple in the various areas of Limerick, specifically the small number of peo- ple associated with criminal activity. That effectively is the big worry,’ said Mr Fleming.

He said that people on the move can avail of houses under three different schemes – through purchasing them, through benefit from the Health Serv- ice Executive (HSE) or through so- cial housing. He confirmed that Lim- erick corporation bought 17 houses in Clare to provide social housing.

He said some houses in Shannon

were allocated through the HSE, which was an alternative scheme.

“T have advised the councillors we should engage in a regional housing strategy so we can have an input. My recommendation will be to engage so that each council will have responsi- bility for social housing in their own areas,” said Mr Fleming.

At last Tuesday’s meeting of Shan- non Town Council, Independent councillor Patricia McCarthy said Mr Fleming was living in “cloud cuckoo land. He has not sold it to me and he has not sold it to the general public.” Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG) said the manager wouldn’t have to take

phone calls in the early hours of the morning as he had, over the August bank holiday weekend. “Who will take complaints in the early hours of the morning as I had to at 1.40am on bank holiday weekend about a gouri- er who had moved in? There wasn’t a social worker to be found,’ he said.

However Mr Fleming said he did not take the comments personally. “T don’t take it as personal criticism. People have concerns and I totally understand. A lot of the fears may not come to pass. We should try and see if we can get protocols in place and control as much as possible,” said Mr Fleming.

IT STARTED with the disappear- ance of four duck shooters who went missing on the River Fergus in 1981 and has never since looked back.

That fateful day was devastating in many ways, but in one way marked the birth of an invaluable asset — Bunratty Search and Rescue.

That search in 1981 was the first of its kind in the Bunratty area and was followed by several other searches in the years that followed. Then, eight years later, in 1989, a committee was formed and the group was formally Set up.

Two boats and a wide array of equipment were purchased, while a

small boathouse was built.

Over time, the club has grown con- siderably and currently there are 27 members.

Bunratty Search and Rescue not only provides an invaluable service to the local community, but it is of immense assistance to the families of so many people who go missing in the waters.

Its members row in and help fami- lies facing unimaginable trauma when someone goes missing in the Limerick and Clare areas.

The average search lasts for 45 days, during which up to eight personnel are in the boats twice every single day. The shortest search undertaken by Bunratty was 15 days, while the

longest was 83, all done voluntarily by the members. Since 1989, the club has carried out searches for almost 60 bodies, the vast majority of which have been found.

Reflecting on the activities during the summer, club treasurer Bob Pot- ter said, “This year has been relative- ly quiet. I remember in 1997 there were seven bodies in a period of six months. That was the busiest we ever ee laa

Given the frequency of bodies in the water, locals felt it was essential that the service was set up in 1989. “We would hear of somebody go- ing missing and boatmen would get together and walk the banks and we would borrow boats, but we couldn’t

keep borrowing boats. We had to get funding to buy the boats. We start- ed fundraising and it took off from there,” he explained.

The bodies are recovered amidst harrowing circumstances, but occa- sionally the searches result in joy as people are rescued from the water.

The volunteers work on a rota basis and they range in age from mid-twen- ties to 70. Every single search is car- ried out with immense enthusiasm.

‘Each time a boat goes out, it takes between two and_ two-and-a-half hours. That’s a lot of time, given that it takes an average of 45 days to finda body. In winter time, they (the volun- teers) come in here and they are blue with the cold,’ added Mr Potter.