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FOUL play has been ruled out in the case of two skeletons that were dis- covered buried in Quin last week.

Gardai had initially feared one of the remains might be that of a Bal- lykilty woman who disappeared 21 years ago.

An archaeological team alerted the Garda after they discovered two skeltons in a shallow grave while conducting a survey for the develop- ment of Quin community centre.

Further tests revealed the remains are more than a hundred years old

and may even date back to Medieval Wbeslone

The grim discovery was made be- hind the centre by the team work- ing under archaeologist Edel Ruttle of TVAS (ireland) Ltd, a Crusheen based archaeological consultancy ooyenh ey Nah Ye

TVAS director, Graham Hull, ex- plained that the company “is obliged to inform the gardai when remains are found in these circumstances”.

He added that osteoarchaeologist Mara ‘Tesorieri, who was onsite at the time, “was reasonably sure that these were antiquated remains but

the gardai had to be informed and a portion of jaw-bone was sent to the State Pathologist in Dublin for ex- ~Neeuper-lu (eye lae

An initial analysis by ‘Tesorieri “suggests that one of the skeletons is that of a female aged over 45. It may be associated with the neighbouring St Fineen’s church and we think that it’s possible the wall of the graveyard around the church may have been moved at some stage”.

Investigating gardai first had to eliminate suspicion that the remains could be those of Mary Guire, a local woman who left her work in Knap-

pogue castle in 1987 and was never Toros mbexe nO

“Once we were told that the remains were more than 100 years old, that would be the limit of garda involve- ment,” said Inspector Tom Kennedy.

Ger Buggy of the Quin community centre development committee, said that he is “very glad there was noth- ing untoward involved. The bodies have been covered over again.

“We had planned to put in a drive- way but a report has been sent to the Department of the Environment and we are waiting to see if any further action is necessary,’ he added.

DESPITE the rain, hail and winds
they danced, played and sang in Kil-
rush at the weekend as visitors and
locals made the most of the Eigse
Mrs Crotty.

The public houses and workshops
were a place of refuge and entertain-
ment, as the crowds forgot one of the
wettest Augusts on record with the
help of an accordion, tin whistle or
bodhran.

The Eigse Mrs Crotty Festival is in
its 13th year and the traditional mu-
sic festival has grown to incorporate
music, singing and dancing work-
shops, a Mrs Crotty memorial con-
cert, singing sessions, recitals and a
vibrant session trail.

The five-day festival would not be
possible without the hard work of the
local committee and the influence of
the talented Mrs Crotty.

Born Elizabeth Markham in 1885
near Cooraclare, Mrs Crotty, was the
youngest of the large Markham fam-
ily. By the time of her death in 1960

she had become recognised as one of
Ireland’s foremost exponents of the
concertina

She married Miko Crotty and to-
gether they established Crotty’s Pub-
lic House in the Square, Kilrush. It
was from this House of Music that
Elizabeth Crotty’s reputation qui-
etly grew. Ciaran MacMathtna’s
first excursion to rural Ireland in the
1950’s with RTE’s mobile unit was
to record the talented woman for the
aba MmODON Len

Mrs Crotty was described as a
gentle and unassuming woman and
a natural musician who enjoyed a
unique mastery of the concertina.

It was said that people would seek
out her company and sit quietly cap-
tivated as she played. According to
the official website “what she loved
most of all was teaching and encour-
aging young musicians”.

The spirit of this inspiring woman
was well and truly in Kilrush this
weekend as young people learnt
from talented musicians and singers
as part of the many workshops.

WHILE there’s no shortage of fes- tivals in Clare in summer, the lat- ter part of the year tends to have a CleVade me) msslotee

Which is why an imaginative east Clare couple have got together with some other creative people to stage a festival with family friendly events for the October bank holiday week- end in Killaloe.

Called An Féile Eile – The other festival – the weekend of events is being organised by Diane Daly and Boris Hunker of the Music in the Glenn music school.

“We named it because there is the Féile Brian Boru and the St Patrick’s

Day festival, but nothing at this time of year. And because it’s the Octo- ber, we won’t have any misplaced optimism that it could be sunny, so most of the events will be indoors’, said Boris.

The organisers hope that after this first festival, the event will grow and expand and for this year, they will concentrate on the musical aspect.

Most of the events are happening in the Kincora Hotel and on Friday, children from east Clare schools will come together for singing sessions and that night there will be a family event, with a gig by the band Hunka Burning Love followed by a disco.

On Saturday, there will be screen- ings of Laurel and Hardy’s early si-

lent movies and a quartet will play live to recreate the old silent movie cinema atmosphere.

There will be workshops for young- sters to compose scores for films. “These are designed for any child aged six to 12 to take part. They don’t have to be able to play a musi- cal instrument,” said Boris.

The Music in the Glen school is this year starting a choir and small orchestra and the children who have enrolled will perform in St Flannan’s OTM LONNCE RY

Monday is the shadow puppet thea- tre workshop where kids will have fun learning how to create shadow puppets and then write and perform a shadow puppet play.

There will also be a day of visual arts in collaboration with the Art- farm facility.

“We want to give our own classes something to work for and to start up a festival that will have something for children and parents as well,’ said Boris.

Boris and Diane are now work- ing on a grand finale for the three day festival, details of which will be available shortly.

“There will be a very nominal charge for the workshops and people can equire now and booking will be available shortly’, said Boris.

Full; details of the September mu- sic classes are available by emailing musicintheglen @ftml.net

will be released on the label this week, but the label has already has a measure of suc- oe It released an EP for Lanzarote based ska band Seven Stars Riot Squad (SSRS) earlier this year which broke into the official Canary Island record charts top 10. Indeed the label was created on the

Spanish island where Meteor Prize winning Gallagher had been play- ing since the break-up of the Revs.

Mr Logue was unavailable for comment yesterday but Gallagher said he was looking forward to the album release.

“T was playing a few gigs in pubs out there when I met Alan. He came up to me after a gig and asked about the original songs. We ended up chatting for ages about it and he said he’d like to get involved in some way, said Gallagher.

“It was as simple as that really. I found myself there six months later as the co-owner of a small indie record label about to release my own album.

“T think it’s very much a team project. I obviously value Alan’s Opinion – he was the one who gave me that lift in confidence after the

Revs by saying that he wanted to get involved in my music, which nobody had said to me in awhile.”

The former Revs front man plays the Burren College of Art in Bal- lyvaughan this Thursday as part of the album launch tour. Despite it be- ing early days for the label there has already been discussion of releasing old atosmr-lolebeehe

“I respect him a lot. He told me that he didn’t know anything about chords but he really liked the songs. So it was great to get that kind of perspective from him. The great thing is that he knows that if the musicians are happy creatively then everything ticks away nicely,” con- tinued Rory.

For more on G

AS Clare hurling All-Star and Wa- terford senior hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald prepares to take on Kil- kenny in the All-Ireland Senior Hurl- ing Final, he also faces some strong opposition on the home front.

The Sixmilebridge man has the unanimous support of the Deise in his role as hurling manager, but back in Newmarket-on-Fergus his ambt- tions to become a successful hotelier have met with planning objections.

The two-time All-Ireland winning goalkeeper has applied to Clare County Council to demolish his pub- lic house the Bellsfort Inn in New- market-on-Fergus and replace it with a 23 bedroom, boutique hotel.

Seamus and Ann Ryan, who live beside the well-known public house, have objected to the proposed re-de- velopment of the site for a series of

reasons and submitted that “these reasons present sufficient grounds for the planning authority to refuse the application for the redevelopment of the site.”

The couple lodged an objection to the proposal on August 1, claiming that the site is “extremely compro- mised in its area to cater for the level of treatment required for the pro- posed development.”

The Ryans also believe that there will be a loss of amenity by reason of noise and odour.

The submission to Clare County Council also stated that any propos- als to address difficulties with storm water management are speculative.

“It is anticipated that the traffic generated from the development will significantly increase traffic move- ment and manoeuvres at this section of the R472,” the statement said.

As well as issues about the defini-

tion of the boundary walls on the plans the submission also referred to issues about significant reduction in light to the Ryan’s home result- ing from the proposal, and invasion of privacy as a result of the develop- ment of half the ring fort both par- WCET DESe

“Nothing in the development pro- posal indicates that the development makes any contribution to the lo- cal area, or presents a demonstrable need for this type of development in the area. The Shannon area is cur- rently well served with food and ac- commodation facilities.

“We earnestly request the planning authority to refuse permission for the proposed development, taking ac- count of our concerns regarding the overdevelopment of this site, which will give rise to serious negative im- pact on the local environment,’ the 13-page submission concluded.

ACCOMMODATION is the main expense of college life and is the student’s (and typically the par- ents’) main financial worry. In recent times, there has been a huge change in the student rental market. Today, students throughout Ireland are find- ing an adequate supply of available accommodation, static rental prices and higher quality properties.

Student accommodation around the country has come on in leaps and bounds over the past number of years, with students now getting a fairer deal. Gone are the days when students were happy to live in sub- standard dwellings.

2008 has seen student rental prices staying static for much of the coun- try. It was expected by many in the lettings market that prices would increase this year. However, analy- sis by www.collegecribs.ie, the Irish online student accommodation da- tabase, rent prices have largely re- mained static for another year.

These static rental prices are large- ly down to the recent downturn in the property market and the increase in the supply of rental accommodation. The continued increase of on-cam- pus and ‘Section 50’ (purpose-built, tax-designated student accommoda- tion complexes) accommodation and

the increasing number of properties coming into the rental market in- stead of being sold, has provided for a ‘renter’s market’; allowing students a greater choice in accommodation for the college term.

Dublin still is the most expensive city for students to live in, followed by Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. Research by www.col- legecribs.1e shows that the average price for students in Dublin is be- tween €90 to €120 per week, with city centre and south Dublin being the more expensive areas. Students living in the north of the capital will look forward to paying less. A stu- dent living in Cork will expect to pay between €80 and €90 per week. Students in Galway can anticipate paying between ©70 and €85, while University of Limerick students will be looking to hand over between ©65 and €80 per week, with the students of WIT expecting to pay the same.

Today’s student are more likely to look for more up-market accommo- dation – a departure from what the traditional student once looked for. As a result, landlords are having to update and improve their accommo- dation in order to attract and retain students. Broadband, microwaves, washing machines and dryers are all being demanded by the student of PAU eree

64-YEARS-OLD this year and still going strong, the Scariff annual ag- ricultural show will be cause for another great family day out on Sep- tember 6.

The landmark event is being held in the showgrounds again this year. A spokeswoman for the show commit- tee said that “most of our success is down to the support and encourage- ment we receive from our sponsors and the local support of people who come on the day.”

There are loads more activities planned this year, with bouncy cas- tles, a funfair and some new trade stands along with all the old relia- bles.

The show committee is “proud to have the local vintage display at our show again this year and you might be lucky to be crowned Queen of the Plough, a competition kindly spon- sored by Michael Ryan of Scariff”, the spokeswoman said.

One of the most popular events is the dog show, with lots of novelty classes as well as the usual variety

classes. The Indoor section has also got some new classes for adults and children – so it’s time to paint that picture, bake that cake, pick those flowers, or knit that scarf.

The horse classes will include mare and foal, young horses, jumping, show hunter and working hunter, pony classes – with new classes this year – side saddle, donkey and sheep sections. The ISA and Scariff Show All-Ireland Filly Championship will be held at 3pm.

There is also a new and added fun race at our show this year, The Don-

key Derby.

Show judges will be on the look out for the best dressed lady, best dressed child and fancy dressed child as well as the bonniest baby.

The night would not be complete without the show dance, which is held in Craic n’ Back at Rodgers in Scarf.

Any entrants should contact Joanne Allen, County, Scariff 061 921687 or entry@scariffshow.com Entries ler TeUDbelom wa Neeca ti mezee

The website www.scariffshow.com has all the details.

ONCE more, the focus of the county and country’s handballers is firmly set on this year’s big alley competi- tions. As it stands, the 2008 Munster 60×30 Championships have already kicked off and Clare are vying for honours in a number of grades.

The big alley game is the original, traditional form of handball in which Clare tasted so much success down through the years and the recent past has seen a resurgence in big-alley in- terest and playing numbers.

Clare has always had a great tradi- tion in big alley handball, particular- ly the Tuamgraney club, which has produced many All-Ireland winners in the past. Incidentally, Tuamgraney is the only 60×30 alley currently in use in Clare and so is the main cen- tre of handball action for the whole county.

At adult level this year, Clare will be represented at Minor Singles and Doubles (Niall Malone, Diarmaid Nash), Under 21 Singles and Doubles (Cathal Hannon, Shane Hayes), Jun- ior B Singles (Fergal Coughlan) and

Doubles (Fergal Coughlan, Shane Walsh), Junior A Singles (Declan Frawley and Seamus Lawlor) and Doubles (Darragh Kirby/Seamus Lawlor and Declan Frawley/Liam

Frawley), Silver Masters ‘A’ Singles (John Cawley) and Doubles (Mike Kelly, ‘Charlie’ Coughlan) and Dia- mond Masters ‘A’ Doubles (Jimmy Walsh, PJ Counihan). Diarmaid Nash

and Niall Malone kicked off Clare’s 2008 interest with their Minor Sin- gles first round games against Lim- erick opposition but unfortunately were defeated by Seamus O’Carroll

and CJ Fatzpatrick respectively.

The Tuamgraney pair joined forces and faced the same opposition in the Minor Doubles, where the Limerick duo again had the upper hand.

Clare’s next fixtures see Newmar- ket’s Seamus Lawlor (Junior Singles) in action tonight (Tuesday) in Cashel at 8pm against Tipperary opposition while this Thursday, both Cathal Hannon and Shane Hayes travel to Ballyporeen for their respective U- 21 Singles Ist round games against Waterford opposition at 8pm.

Clare will also be well represented this year at adult Ladies level and in the different underage grades (Boys & Girls) and hopes are high that Munster and All-Ireland titles can be won in Saffron and Blue in *O08.

Trials were held in Tuamgraney last week to select juvenile county play- ers at all ages from under 12 to under 17 and Clare’s first games will be at Munster semi-final stage on Septem- ber 5 at a Limerick venue.

THE prospect of exploiting a huge gas and oil reserve off the Clare coast moved a step closer this week with the news that Providence Resources has brought in a new partner to work on the Spanish Point field.

This brings the project to it’s next stage of development and it now looks likely that commercial drilling will begin at the site in the next two years.

Providence Resources, which is fronted by Tony O’Reilly Jnr, last week signed a staged farm-out agree- ment with Chrysaor Holdings, which will carry out a 3-D seismic apprais- al work programme of the Spanish Point Field in return for an initial 30 per cent interest in the gas and oil.

The Spanish Point Field is located some 200 kilometres off the Clare

coast in an area known as the Porcu- pine Basin. Providence also owns the exploration right for it’s sister field, known as the Burren, also located in the Porcupine Basin.

Independent studies of the Spanish Point field show recoverable volumes of gas ranging from between 293 and 527 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBOE). Even the lowest estimate from the field would be enough to fill Ireland’s entire demand for natural gas for decades.

Chrysaor is a privately owned ex- ploration and production company backed by the commodities invest- ment team of Barclays Capital and Natural Gas Partners.

According to details released by Providence last week, Chrysaor has the option to earn up to a maximum 70 per cent interest in the event that two wells are subsequently drilled on

Spanish Point.

Depending on the results of the 3-D seismic programme, Chrysaor may then undertake to finance the drilling of up to two appraisal wells where it will commit not less than 60 per cent cost share.

This proposed farm-out deal be- tween Providence and Chrysaor is subject to the approval of the Irish Government.

Tony O’Reilly Jnr, chief executive of Providence, said the agreement was significant, especially from a shareholder’s perspective as it was a very cost-effective way of advancing a project.

“Having carried out the necessary pre-development work, it is very ex- citing that the partnership has now been able to partner with Chrysaor to advance this large project to the next exciting stage,” he said last week.

IT may not be his most prestigious ever nomination, but former Taoi- seach Bertie Ahern (FF) was last week announced as the Chairper- son of the 10th Annual Macra/FBD Young Farmer of the Year Judging Sroyeaveesimteron

Making the announcement last Thursday, a representative from the young farmers organisation said that he was both happy and proud that the former Taoiseach had taken up the position.

This years competition, which will take place in the Newpark Hotel in Kilkenny on September 2, aims to recognise and reward the top young

farmers in the country.

The event is run annually by Macra na Feirme in partnership with the IFA and sponsored by FBD Insur- ance.

County rounds of the competition are currently taking place and 29 farmers will make it through to the final where they will be judged ac- cording to a number of criteria in- cluding farm business initiative and innovation, levels of farm efficiency and enterprise quality, farm safety and environmental protection aware- ness, as well as agricultural knowl- edge and community involvement.

The identity of the Clare represent- ative 1s expected to be know in the coming weeks.

The overall winner will be revealed at a special awards ceremony in the Newpark Hotel on September 2nd. The top prize is a specially com- missioned sculpture by Irish-based artist Joy Ledin, a travel bursary worth €2,500 and €1,000 spending money.

Second prize is a travel bursary of €1,000 plus €500 spending money, while third prize is a travel bursary of €500 plus €250 spending money.

Meanwhile, Macra na _ Feirme’s FBD Farmskills competition has been moved to the Gurteen Agricul- tural College, County Tipperary on SE TAUD KC rN AaNOESA I azo

Therefore the six teams represent- ing Clodagh in North Tipperary,

Clonakilty in Carbery, Callen in Kil- kenny, Ballycoog in Wicklow, Kin- negad in Westmeath and Moynalty in Meath, will now do battle in Gurteen for the title of National Farmskills Champions 2008.

The deadline to get forms in for county officer training is tomorrow, August 20. The training will consist of a weekend ’s activities in Killarney on August 29 to 31.

Club officer training is being held on the weekend of September 13 and club secretaries need to have these forms back to Clare Daven- port in national office by Septem- ber 3 if you have any queries please contact Clare on Ol 426 8910 or cdavenport@macra.ie.