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THE big winner in Shannon losing its ‘stop-over’ status to the United States is Dublin Airport according to the lat- est figures where Shannon has lost 10 per cent of the market share of trans- atlantic traffic.

Confirming the gloomy predictions that Dublin would profit at the expense of Shannon in an Open Skies environ- ment, figures for the first six months show that Dublin Airport increased its transatlantic traffic by a whopping 36 per cent or 206,000 to 820,000.

Full Open Skies was introduced at the end of March and figures provided by the Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) from January to June show that the numbers of the transatlantic routes has dropped from 325,438 in 2007 to 262,858 — a drop of 19 per cent.

The figures show that Dublin has in- creased its market share of the trans- atlantic market from 65 per cent to 75 per cent in the first six months of this year while Shannon has seen a corol- lary decline going down from 35 per cent to 25 per cent.

The advent of Open Skies however has seen an overall increase of 8.8 per cent in the transatlantic market and the SAA will be looking to increase its market share in the upcoming years having predicted an initial drop in transatlantic traffic.

The figures showing the DAA prof- iting from Open Skies continues a pattern of other State-owned airports taking advantage of Shannon’s diffi- culties.

The decision by Aer Lingus to end its London Heathrow route from last January has resulted in a drop of 16 per cent or 57,000 for the first six months on London routes on last year’s figure.

However, the main beneficiaries to Shannon losing the Heathrow route the Cork Airport Authority (CAA) which has enjoyed a 13.5 per cent increase on its London Heathrow service, going from 224,669 for the first six months of last year to 255,000 from January to June this year.

In its traffic figures, the DAA also announced that passenger through- put at Dublin Airport exceeded 11.3 million for the first six months of the Merle

Fine Gael TD, Joe Carey said yes- terday that the figures are a huge con- cern. “The transatlantic market has been very good to the local economy over the years. It is disappointing that the Government didn’t invest in the €53 million economic and tourism plan. That would have resulted in a huge amount of marketing, but instead of the €53 million, all that was re- ceived was €3 million for the west of Ireland,” he said.

LAHINCH lifeboat co-ordinator Tomsie O’Sullivan has denied that his volunteers were hampered in their efforts to rescue drowning vic- tim, Fiona Ring at the Clare resort last Tuesday.

The 39-year-old mother, who was a native of Broadford, died after get-

ting into difficulty while surfing with her husband and nine-year old son. Mr O’Sullivan said he was aware of widespread rumours that some- one had left equipment blocking the boathouse doors and the slipway. ‘That is not the case. Our biggest problem was to keep onlookers away from the slipway and to keep the way clear of cars for the boat to get

through.”

He agreed however that three peo- ple were enlisted to help lift the se- curity barrier protecting equipment and materials being used in the con- struction of the lifeguard station.

“The barrier didn’t obstruct us but to make it safer for the Doolin boat, we moved the barrier by sliding it over a couple of feet,” he said.

He got the call-out from Valentia at 9.30pm but was first asked by them to go to the beach to establish if the emergency was genuine.

“Doolin rescue had already been alerted and were on stand-by to launch once we had established it was a genuine call,” he said.

A NORTH Clare business has just won two “food Oscars” for it’s selec- tion of smoked salmon. Birgitta Hed- in-Curtin of the Burren Smokehouse in Lisdoonvarna, returned from Lon- don last week with two gold prizes from the prestigious Great Taste Award 2008.

The awards, which are known as the “food Oscars” were presented to the smokehouse for its Hot Smoked Irish Organic Salmon with Honey and Dill and Superior Farmed Smoked Irish Salmon products.

“We are delighted with this award. Winning a Great Taste Award rec- ognizes the craft and dedication that goes into making superb food and drink,” said Birgitta.

“We only use the finest of salmon from the west coast of Ireland. When you start with a quality product all you have to do is to enhance it with our slow oak smoking and low salt content.

“The honey, lemon and dill mari- nade is very complimentary to the organic salmon adding a fresh herb and natural zangy flavours.”

Besides the recognition of your

peers, winning a Great Taste Award is recognised as one of the most powerful tools to help grow business in the speciality food sector.

In just three weeks last September, the excitement created by the 2007 results increased sales to the tune of €640,000 in 524 guild members’ stores.

Founded in 1989, the Burren Smokehouse is a family business run in Lisdoonvarna by Peter and Bir- gitta Curtin.

SIXMILEBRIDGE has gone inter- national – in the shape of a balloon. A helium balloon which was released GLUT N Toa NACoMM DUE ToM MEK COONMmmCIUIOONDELoIA festival made its way to Italy, while another flew all the way to France, much to the amusement of the organ- isers.

The balloons were among a batch of 500 released into the air during the festival on July 20. Each balloon had

a plastic label attached, with direc- tions to return it to the local Bridge Complex.

While one balloon made its way to Scotland two years ago, no one could have envisaged that any balloon would make its way as far afield as France or Italy this year.

‘About four days after the race we got one back from France. We couldn’t believe it came all the way back from France, then last week another came back from Italy,” explained one of the

festival organisers, Vicky Ward.

“Tt was just so exciting that it went to Italy. In fact the man who sent it back found it the day after the race. We were really excited that it went to Scotland two years ago and now this,” she laughed.

However the identity of the person who bought the balloon at the festi- val for €5 – and who stands to win a Smyth’s toyshop voucher, along with a place in the history of Sixmilebri- dge, no doubt – will not be revealed

until the deadline for the return of the balloons on September 1.

“We are leaving it until September | and we will then look at what balloon went furthest and whoever owns it is the winner. If one went to Italy, there might be another,’ said Ms Ward, with optimism.

This was the third balloon race in Sixmilebridge and given the excite- ment of this year’s event, it undoubt- edly will continue to be a significant part of the festival in the future.

THE west Clare village of Carriga- holt was in shock yesterday as news spread that a local teenager was the latest victim of the county’s roads.

Just weeks before she was due to receive her Leaving Certificate re- sults, Tace Gould-Duff died when the car she was driving collided with another vehicle in Dough, Kilkee.

The 19-year-old St Joseph’s second- ary school student was on a break from her job in Hayes Supermarket Kilkee when tragedy struck at 4.15 pm on Sunday afternoon.

It is believed that Tace, who moved to Carrigaholt from England with her family a number of years ago, died instantly. The occupants of the other car – a husband and wife -were removed to the Mid Western Re- gional Hospital Ennis with injuries

described “as not life threatening”. Shocked locals, yesterday paid tribute to the well-respected young woman they described as “popular”, and “a girl with a great personality”. Mayor of Clare Madeleine Taylor Quinn said the sympathy of the com- munity was with Tace’s family. “Tt is an unnecessary loss of a life that had a huge potential,” she said. Her grieving parents Kate and Sean were in England on holiday at the time of the tragedy and were due back in the country yesterday after- noon. She is also survived by her two brothers, Davis and Brennan. Friends of the Carrigaholt girl were being contacted yesterday and of- fered assistance and counselling. Gardai are still investigating the circumstances that led to the fatal accident.

SINEAD Garvey is a woman on a mission. Her mission, and she has decided to accept it, 1s to find herself some grain in County Clare.

As climate instability and the glo- bal switch to bio-fuels continues to drive food costs through the roof, the Inagh woman is attempting a world first: to create a banquet for 300 peo- ple featuring food grown exclusively btm Oat buss

A simple task you might think but, as Sinéad has discovered, one with many unseen challenges. While the county is undoubtedly self sufficient in beef and milk, there is precious little tillage and, so far at least, no wheat or grain to make any flour or py usreXOe

“The first problem that we came across was that there was no sugar – but we were able to find some Clare produced honey so that will work Okay. The next thing that we discov- ered was that there is no oil. There isn’t a bit of oil anywhere in the county so we will have to use butter for everything instead,” she said.

“The whole thing started to be like a bit of a treasure hunt. I have been scratching my head, along with the chef, trying to figure out what we would be missing – the one we couldn’t get away from is bread. Clare has a load of excellent bak- ers, but there is just no one growing wheat that we can use.

“We are really struggling on the bread issue and if anyone out there knows of any we would love to hear from them. Bread is our staple – we have bread with everything. So we are still looking and you never know, we might just find enough grain to make some bread.

“They must have grown bread in Clare not so long ago. There must have been mills in Miltown Malbay and in lots of other places I’m sure – so there must have been something erown locally.”

With the growth of family gardens and home farmers markets in recent years, Sinéad has already lined up a number of Clare producers willing to supply the food.

“When I started, the first thing I needed to do was find was a chef. I met a friend of mine from Shannon, who has been a chef for more than 20 years down in Kinsale. His name 1s Jim O’Brien and he said he would do

it. At the moment he is helping out at an organic farm so he is getting a feel for every aspect of the local pro- duce,’ continued Sinéad.

“A lot of farmers markets have sprouted up all over the country and people are beginning to recognise the benefits of growing our food locally. It’s becoming a real social WebNeTSar R/S) 0B

‘People are coming out to the mar- kets, buying their food, and having a good chat with people. That beats walking around a big supermarket in silence as far as I am concerned. It’s a real social occasion for the people who come to the market.

“It is expensive, there is no denying that. People are getting more aware of local food but there are still a lot of people, who have a lot of kids, and

they just can’t afford to do it. The thing is that the more people who decide to buy locally, the cheaper it will get.

‘Peoples tastes are changing. I re- member when I was selling goat’s cheese in the market ten years ago you could tell that eight out of every 10 people wouldn’t like the taste of it. But now everyone likes goats cheese – it’s become a lot more normal for people.”

The Clare Banquet will take place in the Falls Hotel in Ennistymon on September 19. The banquet, which will strictly use only products grown in Clare, is a fundraising event for the Asral Charity, an Irish-based or- ganisation that works poor people in Mongolia.

“I was trying to think of a new idea,

something that would be that bit dif- ferent. Originally I had thought that we could run some sort of Clare har- vest – something with food only from the county. I heard that the average meal travels 23,000 miles before it lands on our plate. I started talking to people about the idea and people really seem to like it,” she said.

‘Everyone who works for the char- ity is a volunteer, so every penny that the charity gets goes directly to the people who need it. It’s a very for- wards thinking charity. We have set up a number of craft businesses over in Mongolia so the local people can make and sell their own garments. A lot of these garments will be on dis- play on the night so people can get a feel for what they do.”

The Clare Banquet will feature mu-

sical entertainment from the legen- dary Tommy People among others.

Potential food suppliers are asked to contact Sinéad on 085 7607037 as soon as possible. Tickets, at a cost of €50, are available from Sinéad, the Falls Hotel on 065 7071004 and Un- glert’s Bakery in Ennistymon.

CHILDREN in the Shannon area have been engrossed in their work at the town’s library over the past few weeks.

Staff at the Sean Lemass library have put together a varied pro- gramme of events, specifically geared towards children. It includes workshops and special events given by guest presenters, as well as the regular arts and crafts and storytime sessions every week.

The art workshop was particularly entertaining as Brendan Gordon helped the youngsters to make a pa- per maché tree, by pasting strips of newspapers over a skeleton of wood and chicken wire. This was left to dry for a week and the enthusiastic youngsters then finished the work- shop by painting and decorating the nKcton

While the past few weeks have been very busy, there is still plenty to look forward to over the coming weeks, in advance of the schools re-opening.

Children aged between eight and 16 will be invited to take part in the Playstation 3 competition. Playsta- tion and Penguin books have linked up to promote the games console as a device whose sole function is not only to play games, but to watch movies, upload and listen to music, access the internet and upload, store and browse through photographs. “The competition is aimed at eight to 16-year-olds, who are asked to take a digital photograph which cap- tures an image they feel best repre-

sents their favourite Artemis Fowl book,” said Marie Clohessy of the Sean Lemass library.

The Playstation team will visit Shannon library on August 15, be- tween 10am and 5pm, to upload the entries that children are asked to bring along, stored on their digital or Naas eek

A SENIOR inspector with An Bord Pleanala has endorsed Clare County Council’s policy of refusing to allow new houses built in seaside resorts be used as holiday homes.

Last year, Patricia Stackepoole secured planning permission to con- struct 26 homes in the north Clare resort of Lahinch. However, one of the conditions attached stated that the homes be used as the permanent place of residency.

In the planning appeal lodged on behalf of Ms Stackpoole, it stated that in Lahinch, where a large pro- portion of development is driven by tourism, it 1s considered reasonable that a proportion of any proposed residential development would be used in a manner other than conven- tional “permanent” residences.

The appeal states, “Such uses would include the use of dwellings as retirement homes, second homes or investment properties.”

The appeal went on to state that the condition “represents an artificial restriction on the housing market in Lahinch which relies on externally driven demand to support the local tourism economy.’

In his assessment, the board in- spector stated, “I agree that normally a condition such as imposed on the

associated development at Cois Tra should be sufficient, but it appears that the condition has not been com- plied with to any great extent.”

The inspector went on, “It is also clear from the appeal that it is desired that a proportion of the development should be available to be used in a manner other than conventional “permanent” residences, and _ that the appellant considers it reasonable for a house in the development to be used for holiday accommodation.

“In the circumstances where the Local Area Plan recognises that La- hinch has experienced a development imbalance, whereby housing for the permanent resident population has been limited, the Board may consid- er that this condition should not be omitted from any planning permis- sion for this development.”

In spite of Ms Stackpoole appeal- ing a number of conditions relating to the decision, the Board Inspector recommended that she be refused planning permission outright.

He said, “Having regard to the fact that a major part of this site was to be used for the provision of public Open space in the recently developed adjoining housing estate at Cois Tra the proposed development would not be in accord with the Clare County Development Plan 2005 or the North Clare Local Area Plan 2005.”

FOR the first time ever the Kildysart Show and the Kildysart Festival teamed up for the August bank hol1- day weekend celebrations in the west Clare village.

Members of the Kidysart Show even entered the popular festival pa- rade, combining the themes of both edger aN isT-LBCO) thse

Drawing from the festival theme of the “1960s” the show committee entered a float depicting protesting farmers from the era on a march in Dublin.

Even the late Charlie Haughey was represented by a highly disguised po- litican.

Rumours circulated that the man behind the mask of the controver- sial Taoiseach was a local Fine Gael councillor, as Fianna Fail councillor PJ Kelly was ruled out when he was welcomed to the village by the im- personator.

Locals were also celebrating big wins at the ever popular show on SE TMUD KOE NA

Vincent O’Callaghan from Lissey- casey secured an impressive hat trick when his horses took home the titles

of Champion Young Horse, Reserve Champion and Champion of Lunging – a competition for three-year-olds. Despite the numerous entries from around the country it was Kildysart man Tom Casey that won the coveted two-year-old All Ireland Filly Cham- ey Cover eny oy

Seamus Waffer from Wicklow came second in the competition, which was one of the biggest of the day, while the third place prize returned to Kildysart and Jimmy Casey.

Champion bakers on the day were Kildysart ladies Lucy Finn and Phi- lomena O’Shea.

PLANS are underway to establish a walking trail in the Shannon and Bunratty areas.

It has been suggested that the trail will be in the shape of a loop, tak- ing in Shannon and Bunratty and also linking up with the Mid-Clare Walkway.

A public meeting took place in Shannon a number of weeks ago, during which a high level of inter- est in the proposal was expressed. Locals felt that it would be a huge boost to the Shannon area, while it would also play a significant role in promoting the town on national and

international levels.

It was suggested that a plan for the initiative would be drawn up and that is now underway.

The proposal is the brainchild of the managing director of the Oak- wood Arms Hotel in Shannon, Victor O’Sullivan. He said if the plan gets the go-ahead, it would be the first of its kind in this geographical area.

“It would be the first one for Shan- non. It is something that is badly needed and would make good use of the Shannon estuary banks. A lot of the walk is there already. I was hop- ing to create a full extensive loop,’ said Mr O’Sullivan.

“It would be a great opportunity for

tourism,” he said.

What has been suggested is a 10 kilometre trek, which would appeal to both local residents and tourists alike.

A route would have to be mapped out, while the issue of crossing the R471 would also have to be ad- dressed, prior to any final decision being made.

Cyril Killeen, who is the walks of- ficer for Clare, said the proposal is currently being considered.

“We are assessing the facilities for developing a walking trail in Shan- non and surrounding areas. We are looking at developing a loop in the town and out to Bunratty and up to

link with the mid-Clare way and Newmarket-on-Fergus,’ said Mr Killeen.

“It can happen. It will take time. If you are crossing into private land, it can take a long time, depending on how easy you get access,” said the PN eme Noe

He said that the possibility of set- ting up walkways in other parts of the county, including west Clare, the Burren and Ennis, has also been mooted.

“We are trying to get walks all over the county,’ added Mr Killeen.

It is hoped that Shannon Develop- ment or Failte Ireland could play some role in funding the project.