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STAFF at Aer Lingus in Shannon expect a wait of several tense weeks before they hear anything from man- agement on proposals to deal with the airline’s operating losses.

There has been no direct communi- cation with SIPTU, the union repre- senting the majority of airline staff at the Clare airport since the company announced losses of more than €22 pep NOBlOyee

Soaring fuel prices are being blamed for the losses in the first six

months of the year.

Chief Executive of Aer Lingus, Dermot Mannion, said the cost of fuel, coupled with slowing economic erowth and the weakness of the dol- lar and sterling will continue to af- fect the airline in the remaining six months of the year.

“Even with the reduction in fuel prices over the last few weeks, com- petitive pressure on fares and vol- umes will continue and we are at best expected to break even in the second half, delivering a loss for the full year,” he said.

Airport sources say that the air- line’s 400 staff were worried by the announcement of a “root and branch” review of the airline’s costs.

But SIPTU’s Tony Carroll said that the union is “not pre-empting” any management moves and does not ex- pect to hear anything in the immedi- ate future.

He said that staff have “stepped up to the plate on every occasion there has been a problem in the past. I don’t see what more they can do. It is the price of oil which is causing problems.”

Staff costs might seem an obvi- ous target for achieving savings but nationally, union leaders are saying their members need not be the ones to take the pain.

SIPTU Branch Organiser Teresa Hannick said that the union acknowl- edges the difficult trading conditions in the aviation sector due to rising fuel costs but the company in turn must acknowledge the tremendous contribution by staff to its continued viability.

“SIPTU members have already contributed savings worth €11 mil-

lion a year to the airline,” she said in response to the company’s half yearly results issued to the Stock Ex- change last week.

“We can currently assessing these results and any impact they may have on the airline.

“As we demonstrated earlier this year, making savings and improv- ing competitiveness can be achieved without pay cuts,” she said.

A spokesman for IMPACT, which represents 2,000 cabin crew and pi- lots said their members are “natural- ly worried” about job losses.

THERE were victory celebrations in Tulla last week as the young musi- cians who made their mark at the All Ireland Fleadh were feted.

In a parade through the streets, led by the Tulla Pipe Band, Aisling Hunt carried the Enna Doocey Shield which she won in the Accordion Class, ul2 group. Aisling Lyons won her second successive All-Ireland ul2 title in the harp and she proud- ly carried the Caesar Cup. Eimear Coughlan brought the Mayo Ireland Ltd cup for winning the All Ireland ul5 harp. Gearoid McNamara was second in the whistle ul2 competi- tion and Geard Coughlan was sec- ond in the ccompaniment and Harp VERE

After the celebration parade, the winners and Comhaltas members went to Minogues where a party got into full swing.

Tulla Comhaltas is now _ busy putting the final touches to prepa- rations for the Tulla Trad Festival, which will start on September

The classes will be led by some of the very best musicians. Topping the list is Liz Carroll the renowned fid- dle player based in the U.S. who is doing a fiddle workshop in the morn- ing and giving a masterclass in the afternoon. Flute player Catherine McEvoy is the tutor at the flute work- shop and masterclass.

Whistle students will be delighted to hear top whistle player Mary Ber- gin perform, while harp players will have well known harpist Kathleen

Loughnane.

Micheal O’Raghallaigh on concer- tina is back again this year and Ann Conroy-Burke and her husband Joe Burke are both master accordion- ists. Anne, who will be in charge of the accordion workshop and master class, will be joined by Joe at the ‘Masters in Town Concert’ on the Saturday night.

Among the extra workshops includ- ed this year are uileann pipes and percussion. Piper Mick O’Brien will be giving the uileann pipes classes.

Limerick born Tommy Hayes who came to fame when he became part of Stockton’s Wing is giving the per- cussion class. John Carty will take banjo.

Popular traditional singer, Nora Butler is doing the traditional sing-

ing class and Maire Ni Chéileachair will be teaching sean nos singing, while Aidan Vaughan from Miltown Malbay will be teaching steps for Sets.

Sean nos dancers will be able to see Seosamh O’Neachtain stepping out in the sean nos style from his native Connemara. Seosamh will be giving morning classes and evening master classes and like most of the master musicians will also be performing at the ‘Masters in Town Concert’.

Sr Eibhlin Ni Challanain and Caitlin Ni Mhaoldomnaigh. are the muinteoiri at the Comhra Gaeilge classes.

THE ICSA has joined in a protest against a requirement from Tesco that farmers should disclose detailed and sensitive information from their accounts, as part of the supermarket group’s new contract stipulation.

The protest, which involved farm- ing organisations that are part of the FFE umbrella (Fairness for Farm- ers in Europe), was held outside the Tesco group headquarters outside London last Tuesday.

According to ICSA president Mal- colm Thompson, “this new contract clause, which currently applies to British farmer milk suppliers to Tes- co UK, 1s the thin end of the wedge. ICSA is deeply concerned that this clause must be opposed before it be- comes the norm for all suppliers of farm produce to Tesco, not just in the UK but in Ireland as well.”

“T want to send a very clear signal to Tesco and other retailers that Irish farmers will not wear any such de- mands. It is absolutely unacceptable that Tesco should demand the disclo- sure of detailed information on costs and profitability from a farmer’s accounts to any third party agency. The clear implication is that Tesco is looking for justification to squeeze

farmer margins even more. Such in- formation is a private matter for farm families and is commercially sensi- tive.

“I don’t see Tesco offering open

and transparent information on how much margin they are making on farm products such as milk, beef or lamb. But we do know that the farm- er’s share of the final retail price has

dropped substantially over the past 25 years and this is the primary reason why so many farmers are no longer able to make a fair living. For ex- ample, in the case of beef, Irish farm-

ers were obtaining over 75 per cent of the final retail price in 1973, the figure now is about one-third. This indicates clearly that farmers’ mar- gins have been squeezed to the point of no return and this trend coincides with the increasing dominance of the retail trade across Europe by a hand- ful of very dominant multinationals.

‘There is no need for Tesco or any other retailer to obtain such sensi- tive information from individual farmers. If Tesco want a handle on farming profitability, they can eas- ily get overall industry figures from sources such as the Teagasc National Farm Survey which will demonstrate the tight margins that farmers oper- ate on. In the case of beef and lamb, farmers are actually losing money on production and are using their Single Farm Payment to survive. This is not sustainable.

“ICSA will not stand for such inva- sive clauses in contracts and we are determined that this approach will not be allowed to be mainstreamed into Irish retailing. Today is the first step in our declaration of opposition to this,’ he concluded.

THE nursing home operator headed up by Shannon Airport Authority Chairman Pat Shanahan increased the size of its business by almost one third and returned to profit last year.

According to recent returns to the Companies Office, Mowlam Health- care increased its turnover from €14.2 million to €18 million.

The country’s largest nursing home operator — which is to open a new nursing home and retirement village in Ennis and Kilrush shortly — re- turned a pre-tax profit of €680,000 .

This followed losses of €387,000 in 2006 and €335,462 in 2005. Last year’s profit allowed the company re- duce accumulated losses from €1.29 million to €678,000.

Mowlaw Healthcare operates 12 nursing homes providing long-term, convalescent and respite care for the elderly throughout Ireland. The new retirement villages in Kilrush and Ennis are set to create 100 new jobs.

During 2006, Mr Shanahan in- creased his shareholding in Mowlam from 22.5 per cent to 33.3 per cent and last year he resigned his post as executive chairman of the Shannon Airport Authority.

This was in protest over the fail- ure of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) to inform him and the SAA

of Aer Lingus plans to end the Shan- non-Heathrow route.

Two years ago, Mowlam Health- care secured €100 million funding to increase the number of homes in its ownership to 20, with more than 1,000 beds in total.

In 2005, the company employed 430 and this increased to 525 last year with staff costs amounting to €10.6 million. Directors’ aggregate emolu- ments were last year £100,000.

Pairc na Coille retirement village is located in Drumbiggle, Ennis and has 27 houses, 35 apartments and a 60 bed nursing home. Riverwood re- tirement village, located in Kilrush consists of 15 houses, 16 apartments and a 46 bed nursing home.

Mr Shanahan, who formerly worked as Vice President of the US owned Tellabs in the Shannon Free Zone said, “We are really proud of the standard of all our homes and re- tirement villages, and Riverwood is no exception.

“It is located in beautifully land- scaped grounds, designed with the residents’ enjoyment, security, and CLOyenieneu lose Ceromm un mpeenenlen

“We are committed to enhancing the quality of life for all our resi- dents, and deliver high-quality care which is focused on those who live in Riverwood and in our other homes throughout the country.”

AS THE Scariff based Every Mo- ment Counts Youth Group (EMC) heads into its third year, a special plea is being made for helpers and youth leaders.

The club has gone from strength to strength, getting involved in all kinds of entertaining and develop- mental activities but unless parents, aunts, uncles and other adults vol- unteer some time this year, the club could be in trouble.

Said Youth Leader Tracey Doyle, “we’re bound by health and safety regulations as well as insurance and child protection laws. We have to

have one adult for every ten young people. We currently have 42 mem- bers in the club and just three lead- ers. We’ve been lucky in that not all the members turn up together every night but if we are to have any new members this year then the club has to have more adult supervision.”

The club members have been in- volved in schemes such as “Drums not Drugs” , where they learned hand-drumming and eventually per- formed in Croke Park.

A spin off of the club, “Youth Ex- press” in which youngsters learned how to express ideas through art and crafts was set up. The young mem- bers even organised their own youth

music festival this year.

The new youth club year starts on Thursday September 11 and goes on each Thursday between from 7pm- 9pm at Youthreach, Scarriff next to library.

“If parents don’t come along on September 11 to register as helpers, then we simply won’t be able to take in any new members”, said Tracey. Clare Youth Service will train new leaders and the commitment in- volved does not include having to or- ganise outings or paperwork “but it would be great if people would come along, get involved with the activities at club level and come with us to help on outings. We particularly need

people who might be able to bring some activity for young lads. A cou- ple of men would be very welcome’, said ‘Tracey.

Annual membership costs ©25 and includes insurance for all activities.

Weekly admission is ©2 per per- ete

All parents of members are re- quired to come on registration night and sign up to a volunteer rota.

“If enough parents sign up they will only be required to volunteer once every six to eight weeks”, said Tracey. Volunteers can come along in Thursday week or contact the club by email at emcyouthgroup@hotmaiul. com.

that the election process be- ing used “does not allow for adequate communication on a countywide ba- sis between various and community groups that make up the voluntary community pillar in county Clare.” Three members from the public and community groups will make up part of the board, but the selection of these three members is by invitation of nominees rather than using the voluntary and public umbrella group. He also questioned the potential geo- graphic balance in the system used. Clare Community Forum was set up by the Department of Local

Government to represent the com- munity-voluntary pillar, and today represents approximately 500 groups on a number of state and semi-state bodies.

“This was set up by the Government but another hand of the Government is choosing to ignore it,” he said.

“If it was set up as acommunity and voluntary pillar to be part of all bod- ies, why is it not there for all bodies? Why is one body choosing to ignore it?” asked Mr Cahill.

“And why is it being allowed to?”

CLDC has meanwhile reminded community and voluntary groups around the county that the deadline is approaching for receipt of nomina- tions and voter registration forms for electing three community and volun- tary Directors to the Board.

“A good deal of interest has already been shown by the community and voluntary sector in the election,” a statement said.

Monday, September 8, at noon is the deadline for receipt of nomina- tion and registration forms. Groups who have an interest in rural devel- opment, social inclusion, the envi- ronment, culture and community development are being encouraged to get their forms in on time and get involved in the election.

Ballot papers will be sent out by post to registered groups after Sep- 00 aoe

THE deadline is fast approaching for receipt of nominations and voter registration forms for the election of three community and voluntary di- rectors to the board of the newly es- tablished Clare Local Development Company (CLDC).

CLDC is the new countywide organ- isation which will run the LEADER and Local Development Social Inclu- sion programmes in Clare as well as

the Rural Social Scheme, the Clare Wood Energy Project and a range of other local projects. A good deal of interest has already been shown by the community and voluntary sector in the election.

Monday, September 8, at noon is the deadline for receipt of nomina- tion and registration forms. Groups who have an interest in rural devel- opment, social inclusion, the envi- ronment, culture and community development are being encouraged

to get their forms in on time and get involved in the election.

It is essential for groups to real- ise that even if they do not wish to nominate a candidate, they must complete a voter registration form as only groups who are registered to vote will be able to decide who gets elected to the new board.

Ballot papers will be sent out by post to registered groups after Sep- tember 8 and forms are on www.trd. ie Of Www.eirl.org websites.

GALLAGHERS in Kilkishen is not know for silence on a lively Saturday or Sunday night but last weekend, a bit of hush was required – at least for a while – in the bar.

The popular pub has become home to the Sixmilebridge Folk Club and the club got together some of it’s core players on Sunday to record the ses- sion for posterity.

Furthermore club members who joined in have a chance to become recording stars.

“It’s our tenth anniversary and we re hoping to put together a double

CD from the best of the sessions last Sunday and tracks donated by artists who have performed at our Winter Music Weekends,’ said Brendan Walsh, club chairman.

The club has grown to having al- most 300 people on the mailing list for events such as the Winter Music weekend and regular concert nights are frequently sell-outs with up to 70 people showing up.

“Our regular club nights, which are starting back in Galaghers on Sep- tember 20 and we usually get a good crowd for those. There are about 250 people who give us great support and during the Winter Weekend,

nearly 3,000 people turn up for the various concerts and sessions’, said Brendan.

The recording in Gallagher’s was expertly done by Pat Costello, whose job it now is to take it away for edit- ing.

It will be a tough job to pick tracks for the CD, said Brendan “but we’re not going to make any promises about what will be included – the fairest thing is just to see what turned out best”.

The CD will be ready for launch, Brendan hopes, in early December, before the Winter Music Weekend and proceeds will go towards help-

ing to meet the club’s expenses.

The club will meet for sessions eve- ry Sunday night at Gallaghers from September 20, starting at 7pm to al- low younger musicians to take part. Musicians, singers and listeners are all welcome.

AVENUE served notice to all other teams in the division that they’ll be a real force to be reckoned with this term, while Corofin Harps learned in this baptism of fire that nothing will come easy in the top flight.

It was as one-sided as the scoreline suggests, with the Avenue killing this game off and collecting the three points on offer thanks to a blistering first half in which they bagged a hat- trick of goals.

And it was their deadly duo up front in the persons of Barry Nugent and Mikey Mahony who did the damage in both halves, bagging a brace of goals each to give newly promoted Corofin a very inauspicious debut in the premier division.

And, in getting off to a perfect start, Avenue, who last won the league ti- tle back in 2004, played some of the stylish football they seem to have had a patent on in Clare over the past 25 years.

Corofin on this day had no answers and were fighting a losing battle from as early as the eight minute when Ave- neue hit the front. The breakthrough goal came from a Set-piece — a corner being headed home by Barry Nugent to get Avenue off to a flier.

Nugent doubled his and Avenue’s tally by the 20th minute — his sec- ond coming at the end of beautiful move in which Avenue showed the full breath of the footballing pow- ers. It started on the left side of mid- field — the ball was then transferred infield and out to the right flank to the elusive Mikey Mahony, who gave an inch perfect centre to Nugent and

he slammed to the net. Any hope of | Brendan Rochford got on the end of

a Corofin recovery was killed off before the half-time whistle when

a cross from the right to head in at the far post. It got worse for Corofin

in the second half — this time it was Mikey Mahony, the main provider of goals in the first half, who turned

poacher.

Mahony, who was top scorer in last year’s league bagged his side’s fourth in the 62nd minute, while he rounded off his morning’s work six minutes from time when he showed a clear pair of heels to the Corofin defence and then slotted the ball home from ten yards.

Corofin’s only cheer came when Gavin Dinan finally pierced the stonewall Avenue defence to score what was a mere consolation goal 20 minutes into the half. That brought the game back to 4-1, but a couple of missed after Dinan’s strike ended the slim hopes they had of a miraculous recovery.

Then enter the game’s marquee players Mikey Mahoney to put four between them at the end.

ENNIS Fashion Week organisers are calling on all businesses that have an interest in getting more visitors and shoppers to Ennis to become involved in the second annual Ennis SAN (ONM Los) e

The fashion extravaganza takes place this year from Saturday, Octo- ber 18, to Saturday, October 25. The initiative was devised by Promote Ennis, which is a public/private part- nership, to promote Ennis through- out Ireland and further a field.

“The event promises to be a big draw again this year, with a fam- ily orientated fashion show, in- Store events, health and motivation evening, movie night, and the style and glamour awards.

“Businesses will also have an op-

portunity to be profiled in the Ennis Fashion Week brochure as well as on a new website on fashion and beauty in Ennis which will highlight what they have to offer on an ongoing basis,” a spokeswoman for Promote Syavavicmcy-b(ee

Each participating business will have the opportunity to nominate the person they think most epitomises style and glamour for them.

The nominees in turn will be invit- ed to attend the gala awards night on Friday, October 24, which last year saw celebrity stylist Lisa Fitzpatrick as one of the judges.

Participating businesses will re- ceive a free ticket to the style and glamour awards night.

Applications are available at Ennis Chamber, 54 O’Connell Street, 065 684 2988.