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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.

ST JOSEPH’S had twin objectives in mind going into this game. Victory to secure their quarter-final spot was the primary aim but there was also the huge matter of revenge.

Large dollops of tiger balm may have been handed out beforehand, because they certainly had that strong scent of revenge in their nostrils.

It told in the 60 minutes of hurl- ing as St Joseph’s erased last year’s nightmare against Corofin with a very comfortable win which gave further credence to the gathering be- lief that their squad is of champion- ship winning material.

They were asked some _ serious questions by Corofin in the first half when they could only build up a two- point lead with the wind. Then an- other question was asked when Kil- lian Neylon’s goal levelled the game eight minutes into the second half.

Corofin could sense another victory but it was the spark that ignited St Joseph’s. In the final 20 minutes they outscored Corofin by 1-8 to 0-4 to throw down their biggest marker yet to other championship contenders.

Forget the win over Sixmilebridge – we now know how bad things are on the banks of the O’Garney – because this was much better. St Joseph’s combined a steely edge in the backs with an unerring ability to pick off

scores as a host of players stepped up to take responsibility.

Take Seanie McMahon – advancing years mean nothing when you have hands and stickwork as good as one of the greatest to play the game. He played second fiddle to an inspiring Darragh Clancy in the first half, but when he was moved to the corner in the second half he bagged 1-2 from play to win the game.

This was a real contest for three quarters of the hour. The first half

was a shoot-out between Conor Has- sett and Gerry Quinn as both bagged four points each from placed balls.

Quinn’s points gave Corofin a real foothold against the wind. St Joseph’s led O-5 to 0-4 after the first quarter, their points coming from three Has- sett frees and points from play by Seanie McMahon and the industri- ous Greg Lyons.

Points by Gerry Quinn and Kil- lian Neylon then put Corofin a point clear, but St Joseph’s closed out the

half strongly with points from Greg Lyons, Conor Hassett, Michael Mc- Namara and Ivor White to edge 0-9 to 0-7 ahead.

The opening exchanges of the sec- ond half were equally competitive. Ivor White, who had a fine game at midfield, opened the scoring with a point in the first minute, while Gerry Quinn and Michael McNamara trad- ed points by the fifth.

Then came Corofin’s highpoint in the 38th minute when Killian Ney- lon picked up a long free from Gerry Quinn and scrambed the sliotar to the net to level the game 1-8 to O-11.

It was put up to St Joseph’s but they responded in emphatic style – turning on the gas in the closing 20 minutes to win in style and with something to spare.

Seanie McMahon was the man, landing 1-2 in a seven-minute spell. The points came from play while the goal in the 47th minute came after he reacted quickest to a Conor Has- sett free that rebounded off the post, whipping the sliotar to the net from eA T MAE DECKS

St Joseph’s were 1-13 to 1-8 clear and never looked back. Six more points followed in the closing 12 min- utes – Hassett hit four of them while Ivor White and Damian Kennedy also pointed from play.

Corofin’s scores from Killian Neylon, Kevin Heagney and Gerry

Quinn were consolation ones only. Their championship challenge is floundering but they can still force a play-off if they beat Cratloe in their last game.

St Joseph’s, meanwhile, are among the championship favourites. A first county title since 2001 could be clos- er than people think.

LIMERICK ‘scumbags’ are not wel- come in Shannon – that is the stark warning delivered by local town councillors. Members of Shannon Town Council have opposed plans for a Regional Housing Strategy between Clare and Limerick, amid concerns it would result in undesir- able people from troubled areas such as Moyross and Southill moving to the town.

During a debate on the issue last week, Councillor Mike McKee (Ind) said, “We have had scumbags out from these areas, very nasty scum- bags that come out here because they see this as an open market.”

He said that a member of his fam- ily – and stressed it was not his son – was recently knocked unconscious, having been assaulted by “a member

involved in the feuding gangs”.

Councillors agreed that they would not oppose people moving to the town from Limerick, but would not accept criminal elements moving to SJetveveleee

Councillor Patricia McCarthy (Ind) said she was shocked and horrified to receive the circular about the strat- egy. Councillor Tony Mulcahy (FG) said that the regional housing policy proposal “struck me as a bit like the Heathrow bank holiday situation” last year.

“They are being housed by the health board and they have rent sub- sidy. I say ‘No, no and no again.’ This is the greatest con job I’ve seen in my life. We cannot accept this and we are not accepting this,” said Cllr YIU er Teh

Labour councillor Tony McMahon said the proposal was an attempt to

“bring in a extension of the Limerick city borders by stealth. These people are going to corrupt where they go and need to be dealt with. We haven’t houses for our own.”

Labour’s Greg Duff said that while Limerick’s problem had to be solved, it was not acceptable that this would be achieved by moving it to Clare. “The people coming in have been creating mayhem. If it continues, it will break down local communities,” he said.

Fianna Fail’s Sean Hillery said it took a long time to solve issues with the travelling community in Shannon and likewise the problem in Limerick would take a considerable period of time to address. “It’s going to take a long number of years to resettle that and the only place that is going to be solved is in Limerick. Any other so- lution is going to fail. Bringing them

out here is not going to solve it,” he Cr HOe

However, the wording of the mo- tion, brought by Cllr Mulcahy – that the council have “no hand, act or part in any regional housing policy that would include the relocation of peo- ple from the Limerick city Regenera- tion project and in particular to Shan- non region – was “discriminatory”, according to Fianna Fail’s Geraldine Lambert. She said the motion should be re-worded to make reference to families causing trouble.

“I have a difficulty with the per- ception going out of here that we wouldn’t want ordinary decent peo- ple moving here,” she said.

The motion was carried after it was supported by six councillors, with three opposing it – Cllrs Duff, Hillery and Lambert – on the grounds of its Oy KON De

THE people of Shannon are being urged not to light bonfires this Hal- loween, after a number of unsavoury incidents occurred last year.

The advance call has come from Labour councillor Greg Duff, who said that a lot of negativity 1s associ- ated with bonfires.

Last year, members of Shannon Fire Brigade were at the receiving end of abuse as they attended to bon- fires at Halloween. They had timber

and eggs thrown at them at a bonfire at Rineanna, while they had bottles thrown at them at a bonfire in New- market-on-Fergus.

Councillor Duff is suggesting, in- stead, that residents’ groups centre their Halloween celebrations around JETOOD UN AOE NACE

This comes in the wake of hassle associated with fires in recent years and he doesn’t want this to happen Noe NUON UISEN( orb

“Last year, young children of eight or nine were transporting items

across the road to the fires and they looked like dumps as people used bonfires to get rid of all types of items, some of which were hazard- ous,’ said Cllr Duff.

He said that various residents groups in Shannon have organ- ised family fun days this year. “We should look at having some events that would take the focus away from having bonfires, around the time,” he SLU TegeZeR Kore

At a meeting of Shannon Town Council last week, he urged his fel-

low councillors to get behind his proposal.

“T think there’s an onus on us as politicians in the town to maybe not solve all the problems associated with Halloween, but to put together a community event,” said the Labour councillor.

‘‘T remember it as a happy event, but now it is an event for some people to Ker: Kom NOE RY O(oIO MAM NoMCT BLOB

Fianna Fail councillor Sean Hillery agreed and said he would support his colleague’s motion.

THERE has never been a better op- portunity for first-time buyers in Ennis to enter the property market. That’s the opinion of Michael Ley- den of Leyden Auctioneers.

There are now approximately 150 newly built houses for sale in Ennis and he says that if people don’t buy now there is every chance that they could again be priced out of the mar- ket.

‘First time buyers have everything going for them at the moment. They don’t have to pay stamp duty on new or second hand homes assuming they are going to be owner-occupiers, there is a €10,000 room rent allow- ance available and there has been a substantial increase in owner-occu- pier’s mortgage interest relief. With conditions as they are at present, first-time buyers should be much more active in the housing market.

“There are statistics coming from the financial institutions to say that they are receiving as many applica- tions as before, however, there is less of an uptake on these. They are get- ting approval for mortgages, but they are waiting and waiting and waiting

for something to happen. The prices are as low as they are going to go and now is the time to act,” said Leyden.

With the advancement of the Budget date there are two schools of thought among those involved in the prop- erty market. Some are of the opinion that they should rush in to buy now before the budget announcements, in case they cause a shake-up in the house market that would lead to a rise in prices. The other school is that potential buyers should wait until af- ter the Budget and reap the benefit of possible incentives that the Govern- ment may offer.

“Ennis is bucking the trend at the moment. Other towns of the same size are not in the same situation. Some of them have a large amount of houses for sale. Despite all the furore regarding over-supply of new homes in the Ennis property market, Leyden Auctioneers have established after research that there are approximately 150 new homes built and ready for sale in Ennis town and it’s environs.

“This is alarming considering that around 450 students sit the leaving certificate in Ennis each year, mi- grants and returned immigrants can account for up to another 200 people,

and it is estimated that the popula- tion of Ennis will increase to 36,000 people in 2014 from a current 28,700. Also if there is a rebound in the mar- ket it will take builders at least a year to catch up, therefore a shortage is already looming,” said Leyden.

This shortage is coming on the back of market conditions, but Ley- den warns that if the market doesn’t kick-start itself soon, there will be a serious shortfall between supply and demand.

Padraig Howard of Drumquin Con- struction is of the opinion that we are very close to this. “The builders have cut back the amount of projects they are involved in. The number of starts next year will be negligible. Homebond registrations are down by something in the region of 80 per cent this year. This is the lowest level of housing starts in County Clare since 1994. We are now talking in single figures.”

There are certain factors that are stopping the market from kicking back into life, and while stamp duty doesn’t affect first-time buyers, ac- cording to Leyden, it has the biggest effect on the market.

“I feel that the 7 per cent rate

of stamp duty on purchases over €125,000 is penal and crippling and should be revisited. My view would be that a 4 per cent band should be introduced between €125,000 and €750,000 and a 7.5 per cent band over €750,000. The middle market and investment market are suffering because of the current 7 per cent and 9 per cent rates.”

Both Leyden and Howard are ada- mant that neither the building trade nor the auctioneering trade want to see house prices rise to the levels that they were at 18 months ago.

“We need a stable market. Drum- quin Construction was selling three houses a week in 2006. Now we are selling one every two months. The demand is there, but buyers aren’t taking the plunge. A microcosm of this happened in 2002 when buyers stopped buying for 12 months,” said Howard.

“Tf there is a rebound in the market, it will take the building trade 12 to 18 months to catch up to demand. There is a lot of planning in the pipeline, but due to the effective embargo on planning by Clare County Council development can’t start. From the date that planning gets the go ahead,

it will take a year to a year and a half until they are ready for sale. Next year the market 1s going to be in lim- bo and it will be 2010 before we see any serious action,’ says Leyden.

Howard agrees with this statement saying, “If this happens you’re going to have increased demand, but with no supply.”

Nobody wants to see history repeat itself and despite issuing warnings about the future of the property mar- ket, the pair are upbeat about what is ELOVb OTM UL

“The economic outlook isn’t so bad. There will be lower interest rates, it is rumoured that the budget will provide serious incentives for buyers and it is hoped that the credit crunch will be receeding,” concluded averore

BUSINESSES in Parnell Street are considering a two-point plan aimed at addressing parking problems in the area.

The plan, drawn up at a recent meeting of representatives from the business community, the Office of Public Works and the Taxi Federa- tion involves the OPW purchasing 30 parking passes for the Market Street multi-storey car park for business permit holders in the Parnell Street area.

Businesses say trade in the area has been adversely affected by the loss of parking spaces resulting from work being carried out by the OPW on the Ennis flood relief scheme.

It also proposes, according to town engineer Tom ‘Tiernan, banning parking permit holders from parking in the Parnell Street area, with a view to making as much parking space as possible available for shoppers and customers. Mr Tiernan outlined the proposal at yesterday’s meeting of the Ennis electoral area where he also defended the decision to re-lo- cate the taxi rank from O’Connell Square to Parnell Street.

He said that during the public con- sultation process, Ennis Town Coun- cil received, “60 or 70 significant submissions and practically all of them supported the move. There has

been a significant improvement with 21 taxi spaces. The queuing system is as it should be, in one straight line. There were no objections to re-locat- ing, which is the first time in this type of process that that has happened.”

However, 1n a motion, Fianna Fail councillor and former Parnell Street resident, Pat Daly called for the council to consider re-locating the rank to other areas of the town.

He described re-locating the taxi rank as a “bad decision’, but conced- ed business owners in the area had made a mistake in not voicing their concerns earlier.

He said, “Business in the area is a disaster. Moving the taxi rank was a bad decision in the first place. One of the major causes is the loss of 30 parking spaces. It should have been re-located to another area, like Bank Place. It would make more sense. It can be a long walk up dark alleys from the Queens nightclub down to Parnell Street.”

Independent councillor Tommy Brennan said agreement over the move had been reached with the Taxi Federation. “There are plans to up- grade O’Connell Square. We need it as a centerpiece for the town,’ said the councillor. Mr Tiernan said he would consider reducing the size of the taxi rank, but added that all alter- native ideas and suggestions for sites had been exhausted.

A COMMUNITY grants scheme, which has existed in Shannon for several years, may have to be aban- doned if a breach of ethics is found to have taken place.

Under the scheme, several commu- nity groups are granted funding eve- ry year towards the running of their organisations and 16 groups have ap- plied for funding this year.

However, earlier this year an issue arose after the Shannon town man- ager Ger Dollard recommended that €50,000 be provided towards a ma- jor development of the town’s leisure centre. This was to be from money set aside for community initiatives.

While he said he was satisfied that the recommendation was lawful and proper, it was met with criticism by another group in the town and the

matter was then referred to the coun- cil’s ethics officer.

While Shannon Town Council be- lieves there was no breach of ethics, no decision will be taken on the dis- tribution of this year’s community grants, until after a ruling is made on the issue. The matter has been re- ferred by the council to the Depart- ment of the Environment. Their law- yers are currently looking at it and are expected to revert to the council within weeks.

If the ruling is that there was no breach of ethics, the grants are likely to be distributed during the autumn. However, if it rules that there was a breach, the community grants scheme may have to be abandoned entirely.

At a meeting of Shannon Town Council last week, town manager Ger Dollard said that in the wake of

the issue arising earlier this year, ad- vice was sought.

As aresult of this, it was ascertained that under ethics legislation relating to the Code of Conduct for council- lors, ‘interests’ were described as family, close friends or business as- sociates of those applying for fund- ing, aS well as those arising to a position of responsibility in a club, society or other organisation. “It is wide ranging,’ said Mr Dollard.

He said that of the 16 applicants for funding this year, some of the members of the town council were involved in the groups.

id LY OlbN OMmore) pO OR-DOTXomB BME eLOLUUNTOID lors weren’t involved in community initiatives,’ said Mr Dollard.

Councillors will decide who will re- ceive the funding, under the project, but Mr Dollard recommended that the decision be deferred temporarily

until further advice is obtained.

“It may well be the community grants scheme cannot be operated as was, in the future,” said the manger.

The 16 groups that applied for funding this year were Clare Haven, Shannon Musical Society, Gleann an Oir Residents Association, Shannon Graveyard Maintenance Committee, Wolfe Tones Camogie Club, Shan- non region Talking Paper, Shannon Senior Citizens Club, Rineanna Ra- dio Ltd, Shannon Town United AFC, Shannon Meteors Trampoline Club, Shannon Olympic AFC, Clare Fed- eration of People with Special Needs, Cronan Park Environmental Group, Duchas na Sionna and two schemes under the remit of the Shannon Fam- ily Resource Centre.

The successful projects must be erant-aided and show a clear com- munity focus.

ENNIS Players are on the lookout for new members as they prepare to thread the boards once more.

The players are hosting an open night on Old Ground hotel on Thurs- day September 11, 1n a bid to unearth new and exciting talents. The open night provides an ideal opportunity for people to get to know what is in- volved in acting, producing, lighting, sound and all other activities that are required to get a show on stage.

Members are currently immersed in the process of selecting new plays

for its annual Supper Theatre series. Readings will be held at the open night. Away from acting, the Ennis players are also hoping that they can attract new members to assist with production duties and the logistics of taking a production on the road.

The Supper Theatre takes place in the Old Ground Hotel in November. It consists of three one-act plays, staged over three nights. The series has been running at the same venue for 22 years and has proven endur- ingly popular with local crowds.

The past number of years has been a roller-coaster ride for Ennis Play-

ers, having represented Ireland at the International Festival of Drama in Monaco with Geraldine Greene’s production of The Dandy Dolls and represented the Amateur drama movement on the Abbey stage with John Finn’s production of Kathleen Ni Houlihan. The group have en- joyed many successes in these fes- tivals qualifying for the All-Ireland finals in the past three years.

After Christmas the Players will be producing a three-act play, which they will perform in front of local au- diences. There are then plans to tour the show o the festival circuit around

Tee NiXer

A tour such as this requires a large number of people to get involved so the group extend and invitation to any persons with a wish to get involved in amateur drama to come along to their open night, where a good time is guaranteed. New members are particularly welcome.

who will present a programme on Exceptional Leadership at New- town Castle, Ballyvaughan from Thursday, 18 to Sunday, September 21. The insight into what the common denominator is between an Obama, a Churchill or a crack business team-

leader, will be given on a programme run under the auspices of The Bur- ren Leadership Forum (www.burren- leadershipforum.1ie).

The forum was established in 2006 in Newtown Castle, Ballyvaughan and it’s founders say that the “Bur- ren’s special natural environment with its rich botanical and archaeo- logical heritage provides an inspiring timeless space for learning, reflec- tion and debate and on the themes of leadership, creativity, purpose and effectiveness.

“In the liberating environment of the Burren and in the intimate set- ting of Newtown Castle, innovative and transformative leadership learn- ing can safely be undertaken.”

EQ is made up of two factors: in- trapersonal intelligence, or the abil- ity to know and accept oneself and to become self-managing and self-

motivating, and interpersonal intel- ligence, or the ability to interact ef- fectively with other people.

“The most powerful and insight- ful tool available to help develop an individual’s EQ,” claims Dr Lapid- Bogda, “is the Enneagram – an an- cient psychological and _ spiritual development system which is now rapidly gaining acceptance in the Fortune 500 companies as well serv- ice organisations, non-profits and Eas ntu selene

Dr Lapid-Bogda has consulted with many of these firms for more than 30 years as an organisation development (OD) expert.

The doctor has married under stand- ing of the ancient system with con- temporary organisational practice. “This synthesis gives unparalleled insights for self-mastery combined with powerful leadership develop-

ment practices tailored to specific leadership styles,” she said.

And to prove that leadership skills do not mean that a person cannot be creative, the programme will hear from Martin Salzwedel who, as well as being a concert level cellist, is an internationally respected Enneagram teacher and business consultant who specialises in integrating the insights of the Enneagram with the creation of high performance teams and ex- ecutive development.

Further information on ‘Excep- tional Leadership – What Makes and Exceptional Leader?’ can be had by contacting the Burren Leader- ship Forum, Newtown Castle Bally- vaughan on 065 7083 949/086 8049 432. Alternatively you can email info@burrenleadershipforum.ie or visit the website at www.burrenlead- SucvepNO)KOM besa loe

TEE off time 1s approaching for com- petitors taking part in a golf classic organsied to honour one man’s 1m- portant contribution to sport in En- he

The tournament, organised by Lif- ford AFC, takes place at Ennis golf club on Sepetmber 27. Those tak- ing to the course in two weeks will be competing for the Frank Flaherty Memorial Cup. The late Frank Fla- herty was a member of the Lifford club and a passionate follower of sport. A generous and committed clubman, Mr Flaherty was primarily

involved with the Ennis club’s hugely successful ladies soccer team. He also served as president of the Clare Ladies Soccer League.

But Mr Flaherty’s contribution to sport in Ennis extended beyond his associations with any particular club oy erere oe

Mr Flaherty was one of the found- ing members of the Ennis Sports Development Committee, a group of local people whose work and cam- paigning resulted in the development of the Lees Road sports facility.

Ferdie O’Donoghue, Chairman of Lifford AFC, said Mr Flaherty made a massive contribution to promoting

sport in Ennis and that the club were keen to honour his memory. “Frank was involved with Lifford for a long time, mainly with the ladies teams. He and everyone else on the sports committee did tremendous work get- ting Less Road of the ground. I don’t know where we’d be in Ennis if we didn’t have it”.

“Frank was a great person and a great supporter of all sports. He was a pure gentleman. We are delighted and proud to be able to keep his memory alive. We decided to name the cup in Frank’s honour, to honour everything he did for Lifford and for everything he did for sport in En-

nae

Tee off times for the Frank Flaher- ty Memorial cup will be decided by timetable on a first some first served basis. Ferdie is advising anyone in- terested in taking part to register early so as to avoid delays. He’s also hoping that his club’s junior team can maintain it’s winning start to the season. “We’ve made a good start alright, buts its early days. There’s a good bunch of lads there at the mo- ment and we have a great pitch in Cassidy Park, so hopefully we can keep it going”.

For further information and enquir- ies contact Ferdie at 086 3289041