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GORT’S samba revolution could soon be coming to end according to a new survey being completed at NUI, CFE Ls

According to preliminary results of the research, which is being car- ried out by Brian McGrath of the Department of Political Science and Sociology at the University, the Bra- Zilian community 1s coming under increasing pressure as a result of the downturn in the economy and the construction industry in particular.

Speaking at the 35th Annual Con- ference of the Sociological Associa- tion of Ireland, which took place in Galway last week, Mr McGrath ex- pressed his fear that many of Gort’s Brazilian inhabitants may be forced to leave the village.

The survey, which was undertaken directly with the Brazilian commu- nity, revealed that a large amount of the local Brazilian community were working without documentation in a labour black market. Much of this work was undertaken in the local construction industry.

The survey also revealed that this informal employment agreement be-

tween employers and the Brazilians has, in the past, lead to exploitation. According to the research many Bra- Zilians work in an ‘informal econo- my’ on the basis of trust.

A number of Brazilians _inter- viewed said that while family net- works make it easier to settle in the town, although a dominant majority from Goias in south Brazil ‘closed’ the area to other people.

It says that the Brazilian commu- nity fear for their long terms employ- ment prospects in the town and that they may be forced to move on if the situation worsens.

The full results of Mr McGrath’s research, which is being supported by the Child and Family Research Centre in NUI, Galway, should be released by the end of this year.

More than 40 per cent of the resi- dents of Gort are now believed to be non-Irish, with an estimated 83 per cent of these hailing from Brazilian.

The Brazilians originally came to work in the meat processing plants in Covey soKom selon ey NMKeUo Nevin mesleon| higher than in similar plants in Bra- Zil. Fears have been growing for the local Brazilian since the announced closure of the factory.

DETAILS of the up-coming county fleadh, which will be held in Tulla were unveiled to a huge crowd of musicians and guests at the fleadh launch last week.

Toes were tapping as performers gave everyone gathered in the court- house a sneak preview of the talent that would be on display in more than 80 competitions and concerts.

A gala concert on the gig-rig on Sunday, June 22 will feature both the Tulla and the Kilfenora Céili Bands and there are concerts planned for the courthouse as well as informal sessions in the village all weekend.

It is 5O years since Tulla hosted its last county fleadh and plans have

been laid to make the event from June 18 to 22 unforgettable.

Amongst those present for the launch were Liam Cleary of Liam Cleary Motors, Ennis and Damien Siggins of Roche (Ireland) Limited who were representing the main Sponsors.

Breda McNamara, Chairperson of Tulla comhaltas welcomed everyone and introduced the various speakers including Pat Brosnan, Chairman of Clare County Board of Comhaltas, Joe O’Connor, Comhaltas Reachtaire and Tom Conheady the fleadh chair- yretenee

Pat Brosnan accepted presentation of the cups which will be awarded as prizes. These were the Leamy Cup, the Kitty Leyden Cup, the Molo-

ney Cup, the Jack Murphy Cup, the Maureen O’Connell Cup, the Pat O’ Halloran Cup and the Andy Mac- namara Shield.

Joe O’Connor told the gathering that he was “delighted to be back in Tulla again. Last year, they celebrat- ed 50 years of comhaltas in Tulla and if that was anything to go by, we can look forward to a fantastic fleadh.”

Tom Conheady thanked the spon- sors. “We are very grateful to them. Without them, we couldn’t provide the programmes we will be provid- ing in June and again in September for the trad festival.”

After speeches and presentations, the gathering was treated to per- formances from the Tulla Under 15 Céili Band, Sorchadha Costelloe the

current under 12 fiddle All Ireland Champion, Andrew MacNamara on accordion and Mark Donellan on fid- oR

Concertina player Kate McNamara who is to launch her first CD at the fleadh, played along with her brother Gearoid, sister Amy and Michael Landers.

Also on stage were Seamus Buglar on accordion, Paddy O’Donoghue on flute and Pat Mullins on fiddle accompanied by Joan Culloo on pi- ano, Vincent Griffin, Mary Corry and John Lyons accompanied by his daughter Aisling on harp.

There was also music performed at the event by the Trad for Teens group and songs from Robbie and Sean McMahon.

HOW to explain away Munster’s enduring appeal!

Does it go back to the All-Blacks game 30 years ago? All to do with the one million plus who claim to have been in Thomond that famous Tuesday afternoon in October °78 and swear they were in direct line of sight across the field as Seamus Den- nison cut Stu Wilson in two.

There’s something in that game al- right, but it’s only part of the story. The real kernal of the phenomenon that has wrapped itself around Euro- pean rugby is the bond that has grown between the current crop of players and supporters. It’s their time.

It’s all to do with what Munster stands for — a province from Mizen Head in the south to Blackhead in north Clare.

The people of that province — tak- ing in everyone and not just the elite that was rugby union’s foundation Kee .@

There’ll be thousands of red Mun- ster jerseys being washed and ironed this week — be they the old Bank of Ireland logoed ones as a throwback to Munster’s earliest crusades that have a vintage quality through to the current Toyota-sponsored geansais.

And, it’s the make-up of these sup- porters that gives Munster that edge and extra dimension.

It’s a constituency that comprises a

broadband coalition that appeals to every class. Munster are like Fianna Fail — a catch-all party.

It’s GAA people that support Mun- ster, soccer people too.

They’re as important as fans who came to support Munster through their rugby clubs or fee paying schools. They don’t go to club rugby games, they go back to their GAA and soccer clubs when Munster par- Wome COR

Peter Clohessy pointed out this week that Munster have made the European Cup over the past decade and put the competition on the world rugby map.

It is true. Real Madrid did the same for the soccer equivalent thanks to

their five-in-a-row run of success from the late fifties through to the early sixties. Munster have done it through their supporters.

And, it’s these supporters that can carry Munster to their greatest tri- Uyeehe) smell

Declan Kidney won’t have to pro- duce some original thought this week as he attempts to inspire his players into giving him a fitting denouement to his Munster coaching career.

Instead, all he’ll have to do 1s trot out one of sport’s oldest call to arms: it takes a good team to win a Euro- pean Cup – it takes a great team to win a second one.

Toulouse have done that and it’s where Munster desperately want to

be.

They’re a great team already, but they need to be crowned kings of Eu- rope once more.

The supporters can get them there — those bands of brothers and sisters from Mizen to Blackhead. The ordi- nary people that make Munster the envy of every team in world rugby.

Leinster must be especially jealous. They just don’t have it. Call it the common touch.

Captain Paul O’Connell holidays in a mobile home in Liscannor – you just couldn’t imagine Brian O’Driscoll going to a trailer park for his ‘hols’.

It’s the common touch, loaded with honesty on the field that has Munster on the threshold of glory once again.

FOR Bunratty, this defeat was dilf- ficult to swallow. Normally accus- tomed to the big occasion with four cup titles in nine years, they never really exhibited the desire shown in previous rounds and nervously ap- peared more like the team who were participating in their first ever final. That was the most disappointing aspect for manager James Carrig and his team, the fact that they didn’t play to their potential. Had they played to

their maximum and still lost, then defeat wouldn’t have tasted as sour but despite being visibly disappoint- ed, Carrig was gracious in defeat, admitting that the best side won on the day.

“It is bitterly disappointing but Rock wanted it more on the day. They battled hard, they are a big physical team and we knew they could play football and for the neutral, I’d say it was a good game to watch. But they just wanted it more on the day, fair play to them and they took their

chances and the best team won. The own goal was a big boost to them. It put heart into them and they kept on playing. Fair play to Tommy and the boys, I hope they enjoy it but as I say, we are gutted.”

Bunratty are normally a good pass- ing side but even that aspect of their play deserted them on Saturday. The own goal was certainly a major set- tling point for Rock but Carrig felt that Bunratty panicked a bit after that and played into Rock Rovers’ hands.

“We never really got going. We

knew they were big and strong up the centre but we just launched balls at them instead of keeping it on the deck.

“When we did bring it down, we did get a bit of joy but we had to give them a two goal lead before we started to play. When we did eventually start to play, we grinded them down but we still never threatened the goalkeeper. Their defence was excellent tonight. They were well organised and they deserved it on the day.”

Bunratty know what it is like to

upset the odds and win the cup as underdogs.

They were a First Division side when they claimed their first title back in 1999, before going on to add three further cup titles this decade.

Considering their pedigree in the competition, they will certainly be amongst the challengers for next year’s Clare Cup.

But that’s of no consolation now as they have the summer to reflect on this missed opportunity and what might have been.

CLARE’S lack of an Applied Behav- ioral Analysis (ABA) facility prompt- ed a bout of political mud slinging at last night’s meeting of Clare County Council.

The meeting descended into a inter- party slagging match with a number of Fine Gael councillors applying pressure to Brian Meaney (GP) over his party’s action on the ABA issue while in government.

While putting forward the motion,

Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) accused the Green Party of turning it’s back on the provision of ABA once it got into Oo

“The day of treating children who suffer from autism as second class citizens should be long gone,’ he said.

“I believe that Minister Gormley gave commitment when he was in Clare before the election that if he ever got into government that the 1s- sue of ABA schools would be on the agenda.”

Responding to the allegations, Cllr Meaney said that the issue should not be treated as “a political football”.

“The Green Party are quite com- mitted to ensuring an extension of the 12 school pilot in the west of the country. The problem with this was the election, with the other parties who are now languishing out of pow- er and in the back benches.

‘The position of the Green Party in relation to ABA doesn’t need to be restated. Early intervention is vital in terms of dealing with autism. ABA is

a proven method of doing this and I am not going to take comments, such as that one from Cllr Murphy, lying ele) a0 ae

The original motion was put for- ward by Cllrs Tony Mulcahy, Martin Conway and Murphy, and highlight- ed that of the 12 ABA facilities in Ireland, only one, located in Galway, is outside the Pale.

“IT would appeal to the new Minis- ter for Education to turn a new leaf and rise to the challenge of this sort of essential education,” said Cllr CONE

“When it comes to education and the opportunity of giving a young person the opportunity for a full edu- cation we have to rise to it. I was very disturbed last week when I was ap- proached by a young mother in En- nistymon who is on a waiting list to get into the school in Inagh.

“She could not be guaranteed a place because of the lack of funding that that school enjoys. We cannot drag our feet on this.”

Cllr Mulcahy called for more fund- ing to be provided.

‘There are 12 of these institutes in Ireland and only one of them is to the west of the Shannon. It should be conveyed the importance of the ABA school in County Clare,” he said. “It is critical that funding is provided and funded is provided to help these young children in County Clare.”

2.7 million refurbish- ment with the splendid Great Hall reopening for a glamorous summer ere CO ENTS

“This has been an extraordinary day and a wonderful way to celebrate the new-look Temple Gate,” said Paul Madden. “For several months, we have watched the builders and deco- rators transform and enlarge not only The Great Hall but also create new reception and public areas. We have also redesigned and enlarged our res- taurant which we are confident will be at the forefront of dining venues in Clare. Weddings, conferences and other events will only come to Ennis if we provide facilities and service to a high standard,” he said.

The hotel is holding a Wedding In- formation Day on Sunday, May 25, from 2pm to 7pm. The main purpose is to showcase The Great Hall as a wedding venue. Among the wedding specialists attending are Scarlett Bridal, Patrick Bourke’s Menswear, The Flower Den, Studio 22, Cakes by Desire and C&M Limousines. Wine

and canapés will be served through- out the evening.

Mr Madden said that with a capac- ity of 220, The Great Hall is one of the most unique wedding venues in the region. With strong colours, the new vibrant design enhances the hall’s Gothic features. The new Great Hall foyer with private bar is ideal for standalone receptions as well as pre-function drinks.

With increased capacity, The Great Hall offers an excellent corporate setting for conferences, product launches and exhibitions. The ex- isting conference rooms, known as Plazas 1 and 2, can also be used as a breakout area for the Great Hall. A unique facility offered to business and meeting groups are two new ex- ecutive boardrooms fitted with the sophisticated equipment which are regarded as a prerequisite for most meetings in today’s world.

“The first big change that people will notice when they walk into The Temple Gate is the new reception area and lobby,” said Paul Madden. “We tried to create a new sense of space and brightness. Brave choices were made in combining the Gothic arch and the Classical column, but I believe they work. People assure me that it has the wow factor,” he added. He also said that the hotel has lis- tened carefully to the comments and opinions of customers and he is very

hopeful that people will be pleased with the result.

Paddy Burke Builder Ltd, of Lis- doonvarna, carried out the refurbish- ment of The Temple Gate between January and April of this year. The architects were Frank Ennis and Associates of Dublin. The newly appointed management team at the hotel includes a sales and marketing manager, conference and events co- ordinator and a dedicated wedding co-ordinator.

Formerly part of Ennis Convent of Mercy, The Temple Gate was opened as a hotel in 1996 by John and Vera Madden. With over 30 years’ experi- ence in the hotel business, John Mad- den had a vision to develop this his- toric site as a high-quality hotel.

“I believe we have succeeded. In Dublin, they used to say, I’Il meet you under Cleary’s Clock. In Ennis, The Temple Gate is the meeting point. In a short space of time, the hotel has achieved iconic status as a point of convergence in the heart of Ennis. We are very proud of that. However, we have to reinvent ourselves for new times. This latest investment is our contribution to the development of the hotel in the first decade of the 21st century,” he said.

THE fundraising towards a major project at Scoil na Mainistreach in Quin is reaching its final stages fol- lowing a hugely successful Who wants to be a Thousandaire? event. More than €60,000 was raised as a result of the evening which was held at The Clare Inn hotel last month. The event was the culmination of

much work by the school develop- ment committee. Proceeds go to- wards development of a school field. The overall project is costing more than €200,000, most of which has been pledged. The school is encour- aging those who have pledged money to honour their commitments, so that the project can come to fruition. While the thousandaire evening was mainly geared towards the

adults the pupils were not forgotten. The school organised a children’s Who wants to be a Thousandaire? show. Contestants Mr Lynch, Emer Moynihan, Siobhan Frain, Conor Mahon and Dearbhla Holohan all played a role in ensuring everyone savoured the atmosphere.

Elsewhere, the school has contin- ued to earn plaudits in sporting cir- cles. Most notable among these was

Quin winning the community games swimming competition which was held at the Ennis Leisure Centre. Wins were achieved by Aoife Deane, Hannah O’Brien, Briana Fennell, Cathal Browne, Sarah O’Reilly, Or- laith O’Neill, Michael Corry and Eoin Beirne.

The enrolment evening for new stu- dents to the school will take place on May 29.

IN January, when Anthony Foley of- ficially anounced his intention to re- tire at the end of the season, it only confirmed the rumours that had cir- cled the Killaloe native for months. At 34, the inexorable decision came after almost 15 years at the top level with a career path that saw him be- come Munster’s most capped player (201), leading try scorer (45) and also represent his country on 62 oc- casions.

Behind the scenes, those who knew him best had already prepared them- selves for the inevitable and wanted to reward the 2006 Heineken Cup winning captain for his immense contribution to the province and in- deed the game in general. Contem- plating Foley’s impending retirement, Chairman Roger Downer and a few others formulated an idea for a tes- timonial that eventually snowballed

into a three day event on May 27-29, consisting of a two day Golf Classic, an Audience with Anthony Foley and a Gala Banquet in the Hilton Hotel, Limerick on the final night.

Considering his stature in the game and the fervent Munster support, Event Coordinator Michelle Payne admits that the testimonial week was an easy Sell to the public.

“IT think everyone knows that An- thony of all people deserves a good send-off. He has given so much to the game and there is so much good will for Anthony. People haven’t hesitated in terms of sponsorship and there is also a lot of support for the two chari- ties he has chosen to donate a portion of the funds raised.”

While the Gala Banquet sold out in under a fortnight, there are still some places available for the Golf Classic and the Audience with Anthony Fo- ley on the Wednesday evening in the UL sports arena and with the timely

matter of the Heineken Cup final on the previous weekend, Payne consid- ers the whole week a fitting tribute to a true legend of the game.

“T think it is a unique way for peo- ple to show their appreciation for An- thony and his family for everything they have done for Munster rugby. All three events are coming together nicely and I think it’s going to be a fantastic occasion for everybody.”

The preparations have been metic- ulously carried out. The only aspect the organisers couldn’t plan is the Heineken Cup final itself. It’s up to the players themselves to secure that end of things.

THERE seems to be a magnetic draw between Tommy Leahy and the Clare Cup. A winner as a player with Corofin Harps a few seasons back, it wasn’t long before he got back to the final of Clare’s premier cup competi- tion, now as manager and sometimes player of his adopted Rock Rovers. They may be a First Division side but Rovers played like the Premier team on Saturday, remaining com- posed throughout and demonstrating to all that they were worthy champi-

ont

Leahy, the orchestrator, remained positive on the touchline even in that nervous finish and as his side entered the dressing room after the game, he attempted to express his thoughts beneath the cries of “Champione, Champione”’

“Tam absolutely delighted. In fair- ness to the lads, they totally deserved it on the day. I thought for the whole 90 minutes, the heart they showed was unbelieveable and they showed that they can certainly play football because this was a very good Bun-

ratty side.”

The key to this hard earned victory for Leahy was workrate, something he asked for before the game and his players didn’t disappoint.

“The defence was outstanding and the lads worked hard and from one to eleven, they really worked their asses off.

‘In fairness, everyone worked tire- lessly, the backs were solid and they didn’t shirk away from anything. It’s a credit to all of them really.”

Nevertheless, besides their obvious hunger, they needed a bit of luck to

settle them by means of a Bunratty own goal in the 18th minute which had a double impact on the game. After that, Rock settled and gained confidence while Bunratty became more desperate and anxious on the ball.

“The first goal kind of took the nerves off it and we knew then that we just had to push on. In fairness, we hit the crossbar twice and we just kept pushing them and pushing them. All credit to them though, they are a good side.

“They are big and physical but they

are well able to play football. In the last ten minutes, they really had us under the kosh but again our defence stayed solid and we held on for the win.”

Leahy’s ambitions don’t end there. Rock’s league form suffered as a re- sult of their various cup exploits this season and the First Division title is top of the list of priorities for next season. For the moment though, he is just happy to saviour the moment. Being a cup winner as a player and now as a manager doesn’t happen too aK

PLANS to re-zone land which will be earmarked for a crematorium for Shannon were given the green light at a meeting of Clare County Coun- cil last night.

Local authority members voted 26 to one in favour of a material con- travention of the development plan at [Ilaunamanagh in Shannon to make way for building the crematorium.

Cllr Gerry Flynn (Ind) said he could not understand “why the plan- ers are asking us to contravene the plan which we put so much work into oD apace y oman

He said the lands in question are “adjacent to a Special Area of Con- servation. This 1s space which is dedicated to amenity and open space

and the council is proposing in the future to develop it as a nature re- serve. This proposal goes against our own policies.”

Cllr Flynn pointed to the speech made earlier yesterday by Environ- ment Minister, John Gormley on the launch of the EU report on the status of habitats and species in Ireland.

‘The minister tells us that over the next five years, we are to concentrate on preserving habitats and SAC’s. That is what we are being told by the minister, who is our boss and I say we should follow the Green man.”

A report on the proposed material contravention was presented to the members.

The proposal was carried when Chairwoman, Cllr Patricia McCa- rthy (Ind) put it to a vote.