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WHILE conventional large-scale tourism is enduring a difficult period throughout the county, the evolution of eco-tourism in Clare is providing some hope for the future.

A number of organisations, pre- dominantly based in the Burren region, have begun to evolve a new system of tourism based on offering a small scale and uniquely personal experience of holidaying in Clare.

One such organisation is the Bur- ren Farmers Ecological Co-operative who have begun a series of farmer- led guided Burren walks this year.

“There is untold potential in eco- tourism in the Burren. A lot of peo-

ple have been involved in eco-tour- ism for more than 20 years but just WTEAYos OM OXees OOO U UROL SB LLUOT-T MOET D (OM \CEC: airi O Conchuir of the Burren Farm- ers Ecological Co-operative.

“It’s about a different type of tour- ism. What people are looking for is a real experience with real people. Things like the farmers led walks in the Burren where they can interact on a one-to-one basis with farmers and have a cultural, archaeological or agricultural tour of the real Bur- ren. It’s the kind of experience that you can’t get anywhere else.”

The walks represent the beginning for the co-operative, with plans al- ready in place for the creation of au- thentic live-in Burren farm holidays

and farmhouse self-catering units.

“We are looking to moving into farm based accommodation. Real farmhouse accommodation where people can come and actually get a genuine experience of the Burren,” continued Ruairi.

“That can also be expanded into working holidays where people will actually pay to live on a Burren farm and work – either doing farm work or conservation work in the Burren. It happens in a number of places al- ready but we have a much greater po- tential for it in the Burren.”

Another organisation to explore the possibilities of eco-tourism is Heart of the Burren guided tours. The com- pany has this year begun hosting a

twice weekly guided walk and plans are already afoot to increase this service dramatically in 2009.

“The market has vast potential in it. The demand for guided walks is something that is growing and I think will continue to grow. Clare is uniquely placed to take advantage of this – there is a huge range of activity based holidays on offer in the county at the moment,’ said Tony Kirby of Je ( 1U0eRo) MORO) O0uce

“*T think it is even starting to be rec- ognised by the tourist authorities that the demand for tourism is changing. Shannon Development now promote the walking trails on their website – we are able to compete with the very best of these attractions both nation-

ally and internationally.

‘The forecast for the future is that mass tourism may not be able to ex- pand any further, it may even decline. But the smaller scale tourism, the eco-tourism, still has vast expansion to do. Mass tourism has probably re- alised most of it’s potential now at this stage where as eco-tourism still has huge potential to realise.

‘“Tl’m very pleased with the season to date. It’s been a challenging year across most of the tourism sector and I guess I’ve just been lucky to get go- ing with this when I did. I can see this as something that can benefit the whole community. It will benefit the visitors centres, the transport and ac- commodation providers. The lot.”

TULLA and Feakle are both host- ing traditional festivals this year and both promise to be musical treats.

The second Tulla Trad Festival kicks off on September 12. World- famous fiddle player, Liz Carroll will be peforming. Other household names in the world of traditional mu- sic include Micheal O’Raghallaigh, Matt Moloy, Catherine McEvoy, Kathleen Loughnane, Mary Bergin, John Carty and Arty McGlynn

All set dancers can start getting the shoes ready for the ceilis where they can dance to the Four Courts on the Friday night at Minogues, Tulla Ceili

Band will be playing for the Ceili- Mor on Saturday 13th at the Second- ary School and Andrew MacNamara on Sunday night. Nora Butler and Maire Ni Cheallachair will be sing- ing at the Powerhouse on Saturday night while Robbie McMahon will be Teach OI on Sunday afternoon.

The Feakle Festival will be offi- cially opened Wednesday, August 6 and the opening will be a platform to honour local flute player Paddy O’Donogue.

A well-respected musician and composer Paddy recently released a CD of his music with his son Cyril.

Eurovision winner Emear Quinn will perform with a string quartet in

Kilclaren Church on Thursday. This is the first time the beautiful church has been used as a festival venue.

Friday night’s concert in St. Mary’s Church in Feakle features Frankie Gavin and Roisin Elsafty for the first time.

TG4 Musician of the Year and local legend Martin Hayes together with Dennis Cahill will top the evening.

The gala concert on Saturday night in the Community Hall will be a lively mix with new and up coming traditional artists with Mayo band Céide, Tulla favourite Andrew Mc- Namara and Rob Stein and many more.

A special festival three concert

ticket price of €60 is available for these concerts. Bookings can be made to info@feaklefestival.ie or by calling 087 9678020.

The workshops continue to be very popular and attendance has increased yearly.

Besides the regular classes this year’s Festival sees the introduction of four new workshops, for whis- tle, beginner’s concertina, sean nds dancing and a one-day workshop in traditional song writing.

Full details of the festival pro- gramme, which also features ceilis, music and singing sessions, are on the festival web site, www.feak lefes- Ae oe

THE newly established Miultown Malbay Farmers’ Market is looking for a new venue.

The market, which began in June, is having trouble sustaining operations in it’s current location and 1s appeal- ing for any local group of business

people who may have a suitable loca- tion to get in contact.

“We are operating in the Miltown Business Centre at the moment and we are having a lot of problems with itin terms of accessibility,’ said mar- ket secretary Kate Harrin.

“The market is going well and we are really appealing to anyone who

might have a suitable venue to let us know.

“If there was any suitable outdoor space, possibly with access to elec- tricity, it would be ideal.”

The market takes place on Friday evenings and has created a lot of lo- cal interest despite the difficulty in finding a suitable location.

THE trial heard details of treatment received by three patients, at the East Clinic in Killaloe. While six patients were listed on the 25 charges, there was insufficient evidence to pro- ceed with three of those, Josephine Durkan, Mary O’Connor and Karen Kurvink.

Relatives of John Sheridan, John James Gallagher and Conor O’Sullivan gave evidence during the lengthy trial. Six of the 17 charges that went to the jury related to John Sheridan, four related to John James Gallagher and seven related to Conor O’Sullivan.

Mr Sheridan, from Kells, County Kilkenny, died from cancer in No- vember 2002. He had several tu- mours on his liver and had colon can- cer. His wife Margaret told the trial that Dr Carmody told him he was “a strong man. He said he could benefit from the treatment and he would be able to help him.”

She said her husband was delighted and it gave him hope.

Mr Sheridan’s brother-in-law Mar- tin Smith said that at a meeting with Mr Carmody and his colleague Dr William Porter, at the East Clinic, on October 16, 2001, Mr Carmody briefly touched him on the elbow and said, “We’ll cure John’s cancer.”

He said that Dr Carmody and Dr Porter were “speaking off the same hymn sheet on the PDT treatment.

They believed in the treatment. They said they would cure him (John) and despite all my scepticism, they were doctors. You invest trust in doctors and I believed them too.

“John was facing death and this was his last hope and he believed that the treatment would cure him,’ said Mr Smith.

John James Gallagher’s widow Bernadette told the court she felt cheated by the doctors at the Kil- laloe clinic where her husband had received PDT.

Mr Gallagher had cancer of the liv- er and died in September 2002. He underwent PDT at the clinic in Feb

ruary of that year. Bernadette Gal- lagher said that Mr Carmody told her and her husband he was opposed to chemotherapy as it was “barbaric.”

Instead, he recommended PDT, which, he said, was suitable for all types of cancer and would destroy her husband’s cancer. They paid €14,000 for the treatment.

She said Mr Carmody told her hus- band the treatment was ‘just like magic’ and they thought it was too good to be true. Mrs Gallagher said that Paschal Carmody told her hus- band it was his mission in life to find a cure for cancer.

She said that their son Tecwen, now 23, asked Dr Carmody would he keep his dad’s cancer at bay. She said he replied, “We’re not alone going to be able to hold it at bay, we’re going to destroy it. Aren’t we Bill? (to Dr

Porter)’

Conor O’Sullivan died from cancer on November 13, 2002, just weeks before he turned 16.

His mother Christina told the trial that Paschal Carmody promised

that he would cure his cancer or “at worst” keep him alive.

In 2001, ewings sarcoma was iden- tified and Conor underwent chemo- therapy. At that stage he was given a 50-50 chance. He was later given

just six months to live, after a scan in May 2002 showed that his tumor had returned.

The O’Sullivans visited the East Clinic and she said that Paschal Car- mody said PDT would work a treat on Conor’s type of cancer.

‘He said the doctors up in Dublin don’t know the good work we do down here,’ she said.

She said Dr Carmody told them that Dr William Porter would do the treatment.

“He came around from the side of his desk and went around to Conor and put his arm on his shoulder and said, Conor I’ll cure your cancer and at worst if I don’t cure your cancer, Pll at least keep you alive,” she said.

“We felt as if the weight of the world was lifted off our shoulders. We were on cloud nine,’ she said. Conor underwent the treatment on July 29 of that year, but died in No- vember.

However, in court, Mr Carmody de- nied the allegations and insisted that he never promised any of his patients he would cure them of cancer.

‘“T never use the word ‘cure’ in any care, with any patient,’ he told the ete

His barrister Pat Marrinan SC, told the jury in his closing speech, “Pas- chal Carmody didn’t kill these pa- tients, cancer did.”

BRITISH anglers, who were once one of the mainstays of the year- round tourism business in Clare, have become a disappearing species.

In years past, happy fishermen and women from the UK and further afield could be seen on the shores of Clare’s many lakes and rivers sport- ing tight lines in every season.

TJ O’Brien of TJ’s Angling in Balli- na/Killaloe says this 1s the worst of his 15 years in business.

“Visiting anglers have all but disap- peared. It was common in years past that a group of anglers would come from a week or a couple of weeks as mates on a fishing holiday and come back again later in the year for a fam- ily holiday. Now, if they come at all, we re seeing them come for a couple of days fishing and they go elsewhere

for the family holiday”.

With his business heavily reliant on visiting anglers, TJ has been anxious to find out what has prompted the Keren labuee

“We’ve asked those who have re- turned and a lot of them say access has become a problem. The loss of the Heathrow slot has certainly ex- acerbated things. They also say that things here have become very expen- sive and that is a factor, along with exchange rate changes.”

Rita Boner has been running a bed and breakfast business in Killaloe for the past 30 years and she is also seeing her quietest summer.

“There is no angling business any more. In the last four or five years, we’ve seen fewer and fewer anglers, and this year I can count the numbers on the fingers of one hand. I have one gentleman who comes every few

weeks and stays for a couple of days, but my doors would have closed a long time ago if I was relying on the angling business.”

She believes a combination of factors are keeping anglers away. ‘“There’s currency rates, and air fares are so cheap that people are just go- ing to the sun,” she said.

Aside from those UK anglers who used to come to Clare via Heathrow, Rita does not think she has lost fur- ther business because of the cessa- tion of the route.

“T wouldn’t normally have gotten a lot of business through Heathrow, but things are desperately quiet general- ly. We should be full – it’s the second week of July but we’re not.”

TO coincide with the celebration of the ancient festival of Lughnasadh, the Mountshannon-based Mogh Roith Historical Re-enactment Soci- ety are taking visitors to Craggauno- wen several steps back in time.

The ancient Festival of Lughnasadh honoured the Celtic God Lugh and celebrates the arrival of the harvest season.

On August 3 and 4 there will be displays demonstrating various apsects of Ireland’s history and herit- age from different time periods, with

showcase events such as a Brehon Law Trial and a hand-to-hand com- bat demonstration.

There will be a Bronze Age dem- onstration at the fulacht fia featuring re-enactors in Bronze Age costume, demonstrating and discussing as- pects of Bronze Age technology and lifestyle.

The Iron Age display will be at the Crannog, and will cover the La Tene period of Irish archaeology, when Celtic art, religion and language first entered the country.

As well as a range of weapons and tools, there will be costumed re-en-

actors demonstrating period musical instruments, stone-carving, cooking, weaving and dyeing.

Described as Ireland’s Golden Age, the Early Christian period display will demonstrate a range of aspects of life from 8th century Ireland, in- cluding ancient hurling and board- games, textile production, bread making, weapons and manuscript illustration

The medieval display at the castle will showcase Ireland’s medieval pe- riod, and feature demonstrations of tapestry, spinning and embroidery, and will offer the braver visitors a

chance to explore the weapons and armour of the Anglo-Norman and native Gaelic warriors and soldiers who once inhabited Craggaunowen or TS Aer

The time-travel goes on each day from llam to 5pm.

PRESSURE continues to mount on Ennis Town Council to solve parking difficulties caused by ongoing con- struction work in the Parnell Street car park.

Traders and taxi drivers operating in the area say that the reduction in car-parking space brought about as a result of the works is contributing to a gradual but noticeable decline in business activity.

Figures put forward be representa- tives of the Parnell Street Trader’s association at the July meeting of Ennis Town Council suggested that as many as 13 businesses have closed in recent months.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) commenced work on the upper section of the Ennis Flood Relief Scheme two months ago.

The main works include the con- struction of new river walls and three dedicated surface water pumping stations at Island car park, Parnell Street car park and Mill Road

Brendan Rochford owner of Roch- ford’s pharmacy located on Parnell Street, said the loss of 26 parking spaces is having a major impact on the area.

He said, “The work that is being done is needed and 1s definitely wel- come but there is no doubt that it has created definate obstacles for busi- eas

“If the Council were able to provide alternative areas for parking within the town for staff then that would free up quite a lot of space for cus- events) ace

John Dillane, owner of Banner Motor Factors said, ““We are not the town planners. The responsibility

for solving ongoing problems with parking in Ennis should not lie solely 21 eb eae

He added, “I know they are talk- ing about freeing up the top level of car park in Dunnes, but how is that meant to help customers who are shopping in Parnell Street?”

Taxi driver Martin White said that further meetings are being sought with the council.

Council officials recently ruled out the prospect of temporarily relocat- ing the taxi rank in Parnell street to another site in Ennis.

The council has however agreed to open 30 parking spaces in Waterpark house on Saturdays.

Meanwhile, planning restrictions mean it is unlikely that the former site of Western Garages on the Mill road would be made available for parking.

FORMER Killaloe-based doctor, Paschal Carmody, has been acquit- ted of 14 charges of deception and false pretences, at the end of a five- week trial at Ennis Circuit Court.

Mr Carmody (60), of Ballycugga- ran, Killaloe, had pleaded not guilty to 25 charges, relating to six cancer patients and their relatives, between September 2001 and October 2002.

He had denied obtaining money by falsely pretending that he would cure six terminally ill cancer pa- tients through photodynamic therapy (Cae

At the end of six-and-a-half hours deliberations last Thursday evening, the jury of eight men and three

women found him not guilty of six charges and returned verdicts of dis- agreement on 11 charges. Trial Judge Rory McCabe had directed the jury to find Mr Carmody not guilty on eight other charges.

The judge discharged the jury at the end of the trial, which had heard from 64 witnesses; 49 for the pros- ecution and 15 for the defence, over 20 days.

Judge McCabe adjourned the case relating to the 11 charges in which disagreements were recorded until September 29 next, at Ennis Circuit Court. The matter will go back to the office of the Director of Public Pros- ecutions, who will decide whether a retrial on the 11 charges – which relate to more than €30,000 in pay-

ments – will take place at a later date.

During its deliberations, the 11- person jury sought clarifications on a number of issues. They asked who ordered the photosensitising drug for John James Gallagher, if William Porter was not a licensed practitioner at the time and also asked where it was stored.

In response to these queries, the judge told them, “There is no evi- dence as to where the photosensitiser was stored… There is no evidence as to who ordered the drug.”

The jury also noted that letters be- tween Dr Carmody’s wife and Dr Porter had not been included among the exhibits and asked could they be read out.

Judge McCabe told them, “We de- cided the letters wouldn’t be exhibits for legal reasons. Disregard them.”

The jury retired shortly after lunch on Wednesday. After hearing that it had not reached unanimous decisions by 6.20pm that evening, the judge sent them to a hotel for the night.

The deliberations resumed on Thursday morning, when the jury sought to watch a video of the East Clinic. Just before lunchtime on Thursday, the jury indicated that it would not be in a position to agree on everything and asked the judge would a majority verdict be accept- re

Judge McCabe addressed that issue immediately after lunch and asked the jury had it reached unanimous

decisions in relation to any counts. The foreman indicated that it had, on some of the counts and the judge then gave the jury the option of a 10:1 ma- jority verdict on the other charges.

Over two hours later, at 4.45pm, the jury was told it was open to them to disagree, where there was no pros- pect of reaching a decision. The jury delivered its verdicts on all counts at 5.20pm.

The verdicts brought tears for the families of John Sheridan, John James Gallagher and Conor O’Sullivan, while a supporter of Pas- chal Carmody clapped at the back of the tense courtroom. Asked did he wish to comment as he left Ennis courthouse an hour later, Mr Carmo- dy simply replied, “No thank you.”

A SPEND of €5.5 million has been put up this year to tempt tourists into the Shannon region and the West of Ireland, before counting money spent by Failte Ireland on attracting visi- tors.

The Discover Ireland’s Wonderful West US campaign has been funded to the tune of €3 million while Shan- non Development have more than doubled their promotional budget, bringing their spend to ©2.5 million this year.

In a statement on the crisis in the tourism trade in the wake of the Heathrow slots going and the imple-

mentation of Open Skies, Shannon Development chairman, John Brassil said that it has to be recognised that this is a difficult tourism year.

“Recognising that, Shannon De- velopment, in conjunction with the tourism and travel industry, is imple- menting a number of actions to se- cure tourism business for the Shan- non Region.”

In the UK market he said, the de- velopment company is “working with Ryanair and the Irish Hotels Federa- tion on a €500,000 tourism adver- tising campaign. In addition to this we also undertook a €200,000 UK TV ad campaign in May this year in partnership with Shannon Airport

and Tourism Ireland which reached a UK audience of over 20 million. We are also working with the Irish Ho- tels Federation to put a major push on selling Shannon Region based short break holidays through the short breaks website www.shortbreaksire- land.ie, and we are working closely with our colleagues in Failte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and airlines to sup- port direct air access routes into the uss) 0F

He added that Shannon Develop- ment has signed agreements with a number of airlines and tourism op- erators to drive additional bed nights to the Shannon region.

“One of these campaigns has al-

ready resulted in 20,000 additional bednights from the US this year. In addition to this, Shannon Develop- ment is working with Tourism Ire- land in association with other tour- ism authorities along Ireland’s west coast on the ‘Discover Ireland’s Wonderful West’ campaign, a ©3 million marketing campaign in the US designed to boost business to the Shannon Airport catchment area post-Open Skies.

Among the initiatives already un- derway as part of this campaign are; US print, radio and online advertis- ing with carriers, tour operators and industry partners, special promo- tions,” said Brassil.

FORMER hostage and East Belfast born author, Brian Keenan will be the official guest of honour at the opening of the Scariff Harbour Fes- tival on Friday evening, August | at 6.30pm at Scariff Marina.

His presence affirms the festival’s now well-established links with Northern Ireland and its essential focus to forge new cross border re- lationships at cultural, political and community levels.

Mike Rodgers, chairman of Scariff Harbour Festival Committee, said that Brian Keenan’s visit to Scariff 1s “indicative of the festival’s commit- ment to fostering on-going relation- ships with all aspects of Northern

Ireland life.”

He added, “For the past five years our guests of honour have come from the north as have the many acts in- cluded in its line-up of events.”

On Saturday, August 2 at 3pm at Scariff Library, Brian will read from his soon to be published memoir with the working title of ‘Il tell me Ma’.

From bungie bulls to bouncy cas- tles, from lazer zone to hotshot foot- ball, from circus shows to puppet acts, Scariff GAA Park will see the biggest ever Family Fun Day on Sat- urday as part of the festival.

According to Karena O’Brien, one of the organisers of the fun day and member of the Harbour Festival Committee, “The GAA field will literally come alive with a line-up

of activities and entertainment on a scale never seen before in Scariff, suitable for children of all ages and set to exceed the amazing success of last year’s event.”

Mayo-based fun company, Toons & Balloons returns to Scariff this year to deliver the festival’s dream children’s event with fun, frolics and safety a high priority for everybody involved.

In addition to the bouncing castles and inflatable games, an exciting fun-packed interactive laser game arena will be set up in an 1,000 sq.ft self-contained covered space.

Another new dimension is a fast- moving competitive pony race called the Pony Hop.

The amazing Franzini Brothers,

who describe themselves as devil- ishly handsome west Kerry Italians, will perform their spectacular antics with a 40 minute interactive circus skills show “Deathwish’. which com- bines magic, mayhem, and high wire tomfoolery.

These heroes of the Irish circus scene will carry out death-defying stunts and spectactular magic giving a hugely comic edge to their whole joLeruCe)want-ni(eon

There will be an air of magic on children’s day not just with the Franzini Brothers but also with the Dog and String Theatre Company, who will bring along hand puppets, shadow puppets and life size figures to delight youngsters and young at heart.