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FIVE years after the first plans were put in place, the first sod will finally be turned on a €1.2 million multi-pronged community project in Sixmilebridge, later this week.

The site on the Shannon road will, within the next three years, house a community centre, playground, childcare facility and daycare centre for the elderly.

Those facilities are currently of- JC UL MED UOMO DU BKK ER (o) OL Uo MEE-D ILO MEE Te main aim behind the project is to en- sure top-class facilities are available, all on the one site.

The sod-turning on Thursday, by the Mayor of Clare, Councillor Pa- tricia McCarthy (Independent) will

pave the way for the development of the first prong of the project, the playground portion of the site.

This will later be followed by the development of the childcare facil- ity and then the elderly unit, both of which are awaiting the final funding NORE ene eLRe

It is hoped that a community hall will be built on the site, at a later Stage.

The project is being developed under the auspices of the Bridge Complex, which acquired the site. PRO Marelen Cadogan said there is a great sense of anticipation for the commencement of the work.

“Finally, after all the waiting, we will have the sod-turning and the diggers will move in,” said Ms Ca-

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Clare County Council allocated grant aid for the playground and the playground committee raised local funding to build what is expected to be a state-of-the-art playground.

Ms Cadogan said the fourth part of the project, the community hall, will be necessary, as there is pressure for space for rooms in the old courthouse building at present.

“The meeting rooms in the court- house are booked out at the moment. We are going to keep them there until we get to build the new centre. There is a need for more space,” she added.

Allied to Government funding, several thousands of euro was raised in Sixmilebridge and surrounding

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This project would not have been possible, were it not for those contri- le LULBKOyEtSE

“Locally, people have been very good. There is a great feeling about it at this stage,” said Ms Cadogan.

“This 1s a momentous occasion in our village and a testimony to the hard work and dedication of volun- teers who want to give something back to the community they live in,” she added.

The local group is also hoping to get Family Resource Centre status, which will give it a more structured working title.

“We are hoping to get that status. That will give us a structure then,” she said.

THE principal and chairman of Kilshanny primary school told the Department of Education that there were not enough children in north Clare to sustain a new school.

Outlining their opposition to the application by Mol an Oige for new school status, principal, Mary Mc- Namara and chairman of the school’s board of management, Fr Peter Rab- bitte stated that their school had 38 pupils on roll and this was made up of children within the catchment area and further afield, drawn by an inclusive enrolment policy that tran- scended social background, religious belief and ethnic origin.

“We feel there are not enough chil- dren in north Clare to sustain a new school as well as maintain current enrolment levels in existing schools. In an area like Kilshanny, which has already seen its shop and post office close, the school is a focal point for the community and provides children with a sense of identity, so important in a rapidly, changing society.

“We query the status of the pro- posed school — is it Steiner or mul- ti-denominational or both. We also query the involvement of the VEC in primary education.

Another objection lodged by Doolin National School principal, Michelle Moroney and board of management chairman, Fr Peter Rabbitte ex-

pressed concern that losing some pu- pils would lead to the loss of future positions within the school.

‘At present, we have 79 on our roll and in September 2007, we are hope- ful at having 80, which will lead to the creation of an extra mainstream position within our school. We are all teaching three class groupings, which is a serious challenge for any teacher. Hopefully, we will have a fourth mainstream teacher shortly which will make teaching more man- ageable for all. Should we lose just one pupil to Mol an Oige, we will not achieve this.”

Gaelscoil losaif Naofa in Moy also stated that since Mol an Oige com- menced operating on a voluntary basis, five children transferred from Gaelscoil Maigh during September PAU Oey

Two more pupils had since indicat- ed their intention to transfer and the school’s potential enrolment contin- ued to be affected negatively.

In a separate submission, school principal, Michael O Conchuir said there was a locally held percep- tion that there will be an emphasis on teaching through the medium of Irish. The name itself would suggest deh

‘As a Gaelscoil serving the same proposed catchment area, we feel that the establishment of a similar medium school is totally unneces- sary, he said.

THE Brothers of Charity in Clare will benefit financially from a char- ity event which will take place in Shannon next month.

The Mayor’s Ball, scheduled for the Oakwood Arms Hotel on May 17, will be in aid of the Brothers of Charity and the Shannon Flyers Spe- cial Olympic Club.

The money raised from the event will go to both charities and such do-

nations go towards providing much- need facilities.

Although the Brothers of Char- ity is funded by the Health Service Executive and the Department of the Environment, other donations are es- sential, as the group supports some 170 adults with disabilities across the county.

According to the Chief Executive of the Brothers of Charity in Clare, Mary Feely, this funding is being earmarked for the provision of vital

OMIA one

“What we usually do with funding like this is to help with the changeo- ver to support people from a group situation to an individualised life- style.

“The other big thing we use fund- raising money for 1s to support peo- ple to get their own homes,” said Ms roa

‘The money would support people to have holidays and decorate their homes and undergo radical changes,”

she added.

Given that this particular fund- ing is coming from an initiative in Shannon, some of the money will go towards improving life for people in Shannon. The Brothers of Char- ity has one respite house in the town and up to 10 people in the Shannon area benefit from respite.

The ball will be one of the final offi- cial functions of Cllr Sean McLough- lin, before his term as mayor comes to a close in June.

THE president of the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) said yesterday that it was a legitimate part of the political process that politi- cians would make representations on behalf of a new school seeking state recognition.

Corofin primary school principal and newly elected INTO President Declan Kelleher was commenting after it emerged that An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern and Minister for Fi- nance, Brian Cowen were just two of a number of senior politicians that made representations on behalf of Mol an Oige Steiner school.

“Everyone can make representa- tions to politicians. INTO has no difficulty with Mol an Oijge secur- ing recognition provided that every school in north Clare is properly re- sourced. We have no difficulty with diversity within the system provided that the school adheres to the prima- ry school curriculum,” he said.

THE power of music is being chan- nelled to help people both musically and spiritually in Kinvara. Profes- sional psychotherapist and musician, Eileen Keane is preparing to launch a a range of new workshops which she hopes will help people with their singing as well as in their general Wate

“TI was running voice training class- es when I used to live in Dublin. But strange things started to happen, a lot of different things started to come up from people through the classes. Stuff about their schooling or the

music or their life,’ said Eileen.

“So I started to move towards that side of things. I work as a psycho- therapist and I developed these work- shops out of that and the music. It’s not therapy and it’s not voice training – but it’s a bit of both.”

The workshops have been designed as ameans of voice training, but also as a way of helping people relax and rediscover their inner voice.

“It’s about freedom of expression, about people developing a creative relationship with themselves,’ con- tinued Eileen.

“A lot of people are really blocked in terms of music. Maybe people

who were told not to sing in choirs when they were young and they got the idea into their heads that they weren’t able to sing.

“What I find is that these people are usually the people with the most interesting voices. They have voices that the people in the choir were just not able to manage but with a little work their voices can be really really POL Kosu eI BD OTS

“It’s about having fun and being free. There is an element of stress relief in it. If you tend to get stressed out abut your voice, not just in sing- ing but in public speaking as well, then this could help you.

‘There is also an element of com- munal singing and chanting. That can be a very cleansing experience for people. It can be a really nice space for people to come together hia

Eileen is hoping to make these classes into regular events and is also available for on to one consultations.

The day long voice workshop takes place in Kinvara on Sunday April 27. The workshop will run from |lam to Spm and costs €85.

For more information on the work- shops or to book a place contact Eileen on 085 7779474 or e-mail eileenpkeane@ gmail.com.

SENATOR Ciaran Cannon from south Galway yesterday began his first official day as leader of the Pro- eressive Democrats by pledging to rebuild the party and by leaving the door open to defeated presidential candidate, Fiona O’ Malley.

Mr Cannon, who narrowly lost out on a seat in the Galway East constitu- ency in last year’s general election, joined the PDs in 2003 and was one of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s appoint- ments to the Seanad last year.

The 42-year-old former county councillor narrowly beat Fiona O’Malley in a leadership contest in which just over a third of the eligible membership of the party voted.

In his first official statement since becoming leader, Cannon indicated that he would consider appointing his leadership rival, Fiona O’Malley, as deputy leader for the party. He has also indicated that he plans to scrap the position of party president, for- mally held by Tom Parlon.

“In a parliamentary party of four people, I don’t know whether this position is needed — my gut feeling is that I will be working very closely with members of the parliamentary party,’ said Senator Cannon.

‘*T want to see a strong role for Fio- na and if that title of deputy leader strengthens her hand, I would be willing to give it to her. We’ll have to see how the next few days of discus- sions pan out.”

Fellow Galway politician, Progres- sive Democrat TD Noel Grealish, said that he would be willing to do the new leader’s bidding if any senior posts were in the offing.

“It’s all at the discretion of the new leader to appoint a deputy. If he ap- proached me, I’d certainly consider it but it’s Ciaran’s prerogative,’ he SHKOe

Canon’s political career began in

2004 when he was first elected as a county councillor in Galway.

He was widely tipped to gain the fourth seat in the Galway East Con- stituency but fell well short, gaining

just 3,321 first preference votes.

THE boards of management of two small schools on the outskirts of En- nistymon expressed concern about the future viability and very exist- ence of their schools if recognition was granted to Mol an Oige.

A joint submission from the boards of management of Clouna National School, Furglan National School and Scoil Mhuire in Lahinch, claimed that the “educational needs of the area are already more than reason- ably met by the existing five co-edu- cational primary schools”.

“An additional primary school would merely duplicate the educa- tional services already being pro- vided and would seem ludicrous from a financial and administrative point of view. We seriously question the level of support that a sixth pri- mary school could enjoy in this rural area,’ the submission claims.

Lodged in December 2006, the

submissions claimed that the major- ity of those enrolled in Mol an Oige were not from within the community and this implied that there was broad satisfaction with the existing schools in the Lahinch-Ennistymon area. “We are concerned about the future viability and very existence of all the schools in our parish, particularly our two smaller outlying schools, should this new school receive departmental

recognition. It is amazing to see the Vocational Educational Committee (VEC) willing to act as patron for this new school. We question why the VEC is now taking an adminis- trative interest in the primary educa- tion sector and if their rules allow them to do so.

“An additional primary school would be a heavy draw on the avail- able school-going population. It seems irrational to consider funding another school in an area which is al- ready well served by five schools.”

In a separate submission Furglan primary school principal, Patricia Vaughan said she feels very strongly that the educational needs of the par- ish were already more than reason- ably met by the existing schools and an additional school would merely duplicate the services already being EOD sleleem

NEXT Sunday, April 27, hun- dreds will descend on Liscannor to take part in the Burren Chernobyl Project’s annual 10k walk.

Funds raised from this years walk, which starts from the Liscannor Ho- tel at lpm, will be directed towards the adult facility of Tarasik1.

The facility, which is home to more than 400 people, has been the focus of repair works over the last 5 years. These works have been led by Lis- cannor builder Kevin O’Sullivan.

“lve been going over there for 14 years now. We do a lot of construc- tion and repair work for them over there; we put in showers, toilets, ba- Sic sanitation, putting down floors –

anything that can make it more com- fortable for the patients over there,” said Kevin.

‘We have been to several different places down the years but we have been focusing on Tarasiki lately. We have been going there for the last 5 years. We have a good group, here is about 15 of us from all over the Coes as

“They are in very bad conditions over there. There are four big blocks over there and we are working on three of them. One of the blocks is almost finished and we have about 65 windows put into the other blocks.

“Whenever we can we try and get the patients working with us. It’s very important for them, it’s like oc- cupational therapy for them. They

love it when we go over. That’s our aim, to get them involved as much as we can at all. Some of them are very good workers.”

The work in Tarasiki is hard, but there is something about the expe- rience that keep volunteers coming back year after year.

“It’s very emotional for the people who go over for the first time. But I have built up a great bond over the year – I’d have no problem hug- ging them and having the craic with them,’ continued Kevin.

“There is a lot of sadness, but any- one who goes there will tell you that it is one of the best times of their life. It’s better than any holiday. You get so much out of it, people might say that you’re great for going out and

helping but you’re not. You get so much out of it.

“This year we are really trying to get a lot of plywood and lino. Mc- Mahons in Limerick have been very good to us over the last 4 or 5 years. Any sponsorship like that is a great great help.”

Sponsorship cards are available from the project office in Ennisty- mon at 7071130 but people can also come along on the day.

CLARE County Council has disre- garded the objections of the Sister of Mercy and other Lahinch residents and granted planning permission for a €25 million housing development in the seaside resort.

Last year, Brendan O’Doherty, Patrick Montgomery, Paul Mont- gomery and John McInerney lodged plans to develop 114 residential units with a number of them to be holiday homes. The development was on a

9.5 acre site on Station Road.

Their application attracted wide- spread opposition in Lahinch. The nearby Sisters of Mercy described the plan as a “concrete jungle” pro- posal.

The nuns asked the council “to look at this development in light of the se- rious issues of anti-social behaviour on Station Road and the fact that the services to Lahinch, including sew- age, water supply and electricity, are seriously over-stretched.

In her oleyassiry leven Marie

O’Donoghue reflected much _ local sentiment when she claimed that “the character of the village is destroyed by the construction of too many holi- day homes which, in turn, is a threat to the tourism on which the village ele ores ake hae

Ms O’Donoghue quoted figures from the Census showing that the population of Lahinch dropped by 2.9 per cent between 2002 and 2006.

Michael and Maria Vaughan of Vaughan Lodge Hotel also expressed their opposition against the plan.

However, the proposed develop- ment site was zoned “residential” meaning it was always going to be difficult for the objectors to prevent the development from going ahead.

Imposing 44 conditions attached to the permission, the council has re- duced the number of residential units to 96, including 28 four bedroom homes and 21 two bedroom units.

As part of its continuing policy not to grant permission to any holiday homes, the council has placed as a condition that the homes be used as

the principal place of residence of the home-owners and that the condi- tion be included in the sales agree- ment of each dwelling.

As part of the permission, the devel- Opers are required to pay the council almost €1 million in developer con- tributions.

However, it 1s likely that the deci- sion will be appealed to An Bord Pleanala

A final decision will be made on the proposal before the end of the year.

THE third annual 10km walk in aid of suicide awareness takes place in Ennis on April 22.

This year’s event is being organised to raise money for the Ennis based support group, Living Links.

A poker night, also in aid of Living Links, takes place in Ennis on Friday April 18.

Ennis student Sasha O’Brien is the woman behind the event. Along with her uncles, Keith Molloy and Gerry O’Brien, Sasha has championed the cause of suicide awareness, in a bid to encourage greater debate and highlight the impact of suicide on

bereaved families.

Sasha explained the campaign has received great support. “It has been brilliant since we started it. I’ve got great help from my uncles. We just wanted to get people talking about it. We had an event there recently, and I must have had about 20 people com- ing up to me, who had been affected by suicide, and they were really de- lighted with what we are doing.

Sasha’s efforts were recognised last year when she was among 20 Irish students to be nominated for a Pra- merica Spirit of Community Award.

The Pramerica Spirit of Commu- nity Awards programme recognises and rewards post-primary/second-

level students for volunteer work car- ried out in their communities.

For the past six years the Living Links organisation has offered a suicide outreach support service to families and individuals in Clare who have been bereaved by suicide. SU ilcceTKcMC ISRO NON MNCOOUMBRUDUKanRe-BDO Tere! volunteers staffing the service in Ee

Clare Living Links operates under the auspices of the Health Service Executive and all volunteers are ful- ly trained.

In addition to healing programmes volunteers respond to approaches made by a bereaved family or in- dividual and can arrange to meet

them inside or outside their homes or wherever the bereaved person feels most comfortable. All meetings are conducted with complete confiden- SEUOIAYs

The 10km walk will take in a route around Ennis. Last year’s 10km walk raised over €24,000 for the Samarti- tans.

For further information on Living Links contact the support co-ordina- tor between 5pm to 7pm Monday- Friday at 086 0565373.