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MVNO ehEe)e ficially launched by Fr Sean Sexton from Kilnamona last week, 1s a col- lection of the favourite prayers of some of Ireland’s biggest celebrities. The transition-year girls wrote to more than 100 people and received responses from more than 30, who

also described why they liked their particular prayer.

“A school in Athenry put together a similar project for the millennium and after reading that we were in- spired to use that as our fundraising idea,’ said religion teacher Joanne O’Brien.

“It’s not just a prayer book. Peo- ple were asked to contribute their favourite prayer, reflection or piece of scripture and say why they like to and why it is important to them.

“We wrote away to about 100 celeb- rities and about 30 of them responded to us. We have Christy Moore, Miri- am O Callaghan, Joe Duffy, George

Hook, Anthony Foley, a few Clare hurlers, the four TDs in Clare, Dana and even Daniel O’Donnell.

“A lot of effort and work went into it and all of this was done by the transition years.”

All the money raised from the book will go to help fund the work carried out by Pat and Neilus O’Doherty who spent the last year working with children of Pemba in Tanzania.

The O’Dohertys are both retired teachers from the locality who have become involved in many charitable projects Overseas.

Their work in Pemba was chroni- cled monthly last year in the Burren

People.

“We had all wanted to do some fund raising for Pat and Neilus. I had worked with Neilus over in the CBS for the last two years and I knew him since I was a little child through his involvement in athletics. So once I heard that they were going out to Tanzania, I knew that we had to do something,’ continued Joanne.

“The book is going to be on sale in the Lahinch Bookshop, the Friary in Ennis, here in the school and at local A aTED Ke ele O seme lUbANe rhyme

The book retails at €10 each with two available for €15. For more, contact the school on 065 7071224.

A POINT may not have been enough to maintain their challenge for a quarter-final place but essentially, it was more about the performance than the result for Clare on Sunday. An alarming second half collapse against Limerick a week previous could have been detrimental to the young side’s confidence but Clare came out fighting from the first minute against the leaders and man- aged to scrape out a result.

After three games in East Clare, this was Clare’s first competitive out- ing in Cusack Park under Mike Mc- Namara and while the Clare manager was contend with the overall result, he also felt that Clare, bouyed on by momentum, could have snatched all three points in the closing minutes.

“We are at home in Ennis and we’d like to win all our home matches and I think it’s vital that we do. It’s the only match we have played in Ennis this year and that in itself I suppose is disappointing. With five minutes to go, I would have been happy with a draw but certainly at full time, we were pushing for a winner. We lost enough chances probably in the first half to put the game out of reach again but we are creating the chanc- es at least which augers well for the jaUiHeN Kone

Ironically, it was the previously freescoring Tipperary side who found it harder to get scores and hit 13 wides to Clare’s six, a contrast to last week in which Clare hit 16. The

only real downside for Clare was their inability to create clearcut goal chances with two Fergal Lynch op- portunities their only sight of goal over the 70 minutes but McNamara still felt that his young side are ma- turing which can only be encourag- ing for the championship.

“Well we had something like 16 wides last weekend and young Mur- ray [Brian Murray, Limerick goal- keeper] was probably the busiest player on the field. Limerick had a puckout almost every minute and a half last weekend which means we are doing something right and he had seven or eight very good saves as well. Again, to win matches and if you are talking about winning championship matches then we have to start creating goal chances which we are not creating so it is an area of concern and hopefully we will work Oona

“On the other end of the scale, we are improving all the time and that’s all we can ask from the lads. We can harp on about the new lads and all that but they are new and they are young and I think we saw another bit of progression today with some of those.”

Killanena’s Mark Flaherty was one of those young players whom McNa- mara picked out for special praise. Flaherty had been impressive against Galway and Laois scoring 4-20 but had an off day against Limerick last weekend when even his frees weren’t going over. He was back to his best on Sunday though with an 100 per

cent freetaking record, converting ten points and was also a threat from open play.

“All the teams who win All-Ire- lands and Munster titles, in general terms they have a free-taker who puts over something like 95 per cent of frees so we must have that if we are going forward and if we hadn’t that, we would have to sit down and make one so it 1s a huge plus yes.”

The league aside, McNamara has been unerring in his continued fo- cus on Clare’s main aim this season, meeting Waterford in the Munster championship on June |. That day is where he feels everything is be- ing geared for and until then, every game is just more preparation for that greater goal.

“We have to keep our eyes focussed on what happens in June and from there on in. We must present our- selves properly in Munster and we haven’t done that for a long number of years now. We must do that for the Clare people and the public and in- deed the Clare jersey.”

Such is it’s importance to McNa- mara, that the championship game has been mentioned in every inter- view he has done this year. Judge- ment will be saved until then but it seems the pieces are slowly coming together.

IRELAND’S first regional writing centre has opened in Limerick under the auspices of the newly established Shannon Consortium.

The University of Limerick (UL), Mary Immaculate College (MIC), Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) and the Institute of Technol- ogy Tralee (ITT) have joined forces under the Shannon Consortium with the establishment of the centre at University of Limerick.

The centre will work with individ- uals and groups of students to help them develop their writing skills.

The centre was set up to meet the need for a coordinated, systematic approach to the development of writ- ing for both academic and profes- sional purposes.

While writing centres flourish in American universities, the concept is a new one in Ireland. The centre can draw on an established academic writing support programme at MIC and the writing centre and writing research forum at UL.

Fintan O’Toole, who officially launched the centre, said, ““We live at a time when the misuse of language is more deliberate, more organised and more professional than it has ever been.

“Whether it is obfuscation at the tribunals, the spinning of the Iraq war, the marketing of so-called “low fat” foods, or the subtler kind of re-branding that led, for example, to ‘global warming’ becoming the much more benign ‘climate change’, the use of words to obscure realities has become a key tool of power.”

‘Attention to structural and stylis- tic features of a text promotes basic literacy skills and with so much writ- ing done on either a word processor or online, writing promotes IT lit- eracy, according to Professor Don Barry, UL President.

The project was financed from over €18.6 million in Strategic Innova- tion Funding granted to the Shannon Consortium over the past two years. It involves collaboration between language specialists and subject spe- EVA

A GROUP of transition-year stu- dents from the CBS in Ennistymon will represent Clare in the National Mini-Company of the Year competi- tion after winning the county title in SHWE NIM (oe) @

The group, who put together a DVD of scenic scenes from north Clare entitled Iomhanna an Chlair, saw off some competition to take the Clare County Council Enterprise Board Student Enterprise 2008.

“The project is a DVD of still photographs from the north Clare region. The images are set to tradi- tional music and divided into differ- ent sections for the different areas or the county,” said Stephen Conway from Ennistymon.

Each member of the group took a number of photographs representing some of the nicest scenes from their own area.

‘Most of us are from different areas from around north Clare. We had two from Corofin, two from Lahinch one from Ennistymon and one from Lis- doonvarna. So we had a fairly wide knowledge of the area. And then we got the tourist attractions as well like the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren. Each of us took the pictures from our own area,” said Cathal Malone from Bybee

The best pictures were then select- ed and compiled into a DVD.

“We do photography in school so we have a good idea of how to get into it. It was tough enough but we had digital cameras so the quality

was very good. Putting it onto DVD was probably the hardest bit of it,” said Joe Queally of Ennistymon.

To add that extra touch, two of the students composed a number of trad tunes to act as a backdrop for the im- ages. “We are all from around differ- ent parts of the county so we knew a lot of the nice places which would make good pictures. Keith had a spe- GEV B Te CooKe BOOM BE-LONIBCO)IT-T BONE CemNORYYo decided that we wanted to take the photographs and use the musicals tal- ents that we had as well,’ said Declan O’ Loughlin from Lisdoonvarna.

“Declan did one track and I did five others. The first time we tried record- ing them, the quality was fairly bad SO we gave it a second go and that was much better. The music was all original and we played the whole lot

ourselves,’ said Keith O’Loughlin from Corofin.

The group will now do on to repre- sent Clare in the National Finals in Tullamore on May 8, but in the mean time they hope to keep sales kicking over.

“We got it into places like the Falls Hotel where a lot of tourists go. We sold it a good bit around Ennisty- mon and we are hoping to get it into the Cliffs for the start of the tourist season,’ said William Nealon from Sorcery

THERE has been a call for Ennis Town Council to alter proposals for the planned re-development of Fair Green to include a helicopter land- Thohcan oy-1e

An extensive re-development of Tim Smythe Park is being proposed, with consultants already assigned to the project.

The plan would include an enhanced pitch maintenance programme and the improvement of playground fa- cilities with the aim of making the area a more open and family-friendly CIVIC space.

The final stage of redevelopment will involve the upgrading of the pitch adjacent to Steele’s Terrace and the provision of new dressing room ELON D BLA lony

Fine Gael councillor Johnny Flynn is calling for the current plans to be amended to allow for the inclusion of a helicopter landing pad.

There is currently concrete space for helicopters at the Lifford road end of Tim Smythe Park. Cllr Flynn said it was crucial to the health infra- structure of Ennis that a landing pad oem ULEADD NICO

“The current design plans do not make provision for a landing pad.

There is a hard standing area in the northern quarter of the Fair Green where helicopters can land, but I am worried that this will be lost if the plans go ahead as they do now,” he said.

“Particularly with things like spinal injuries, it’s vital we have a helipad close to the hospital that it is easily accessible for ambulances.

‘‘T have asked the town engineer and the consultants to make provision for it in the plans. It’s very important we keep it there. It is a very significant OLSArel Ke) ovaslos sl MM er-lap lowers oelouebNsrcaB bem nsle Fair Green.”

Meanwhile, further developments

are expected at Ennis’s other main sporting facility, Lees Road. The council is currently examining the feasibility of constructing a large indoor facility at Lees Road. Town Manager Tom Coughlan has said that no definite decision has been made on where to locate such a facility. Cllr Tom Glynn (FF) has called for an indoor arena to be built at another location.

Work has already begun on an all-weather running track at Lees Road and it is expected to take three months to complete. Work on a cross- country running track is expected to proceed later this year.

NORTH Clare romantics take note, a special Moonlight to Midnight walk has been organised to take place on the Flaggy Shore next month.

The walk, which will take place on April 18, will be undertaken in complete darkness except for the moonlight and a few guiding torches placed along the way to add atmos- joa ken

All the money from the event will go towards the Irish Red Cross.

“It is going to be a very relaxed, kind of serene night. We will have no light, no nothing. The full moon

is out that night so we are going to meet at the Flaggy Shore at half nine and we are going to start rambling at 10,” said organiser Joe Queally.

“It’s about four and a half miles of aramble, maybe five. Just to add a bit of extra atmosphere to the occasion we are going to have a few old fash- ioned lanterns placed along the way.

“We are going to have music on the beach as well. As people pass by in the moonlight we have a flute player and a violin player going as well. They are just to help to get the stones talking and get the ocean talking as well. We are hoping it’s going to be a bit of a fairytale night.

The Moonlight to Midnight walk was officially launched in Linane’s of Bellharbour last week.

“It would be a great night for peo- ple to look to renew old friendships, a night to help the Red Cross or for young people just to get out there and enjoy themselves, to hold hands and walk,’ continued Joe.

“It’s nota long walk and we will be taking it very handy as well. More of a stroll. We will be keeping the group fairly together, no one will be flying off in front, but we want people to have their privacy to be together in the group.

“It’s a nice relaxing walk for eve-

ryone. It would be a great walk for people who want to walk it on their own, clear their head and find peace in their head. It should be a very spe- cial night.”

All people need to do to take part is to get a Sponsorship card from Joe and collect €100 worth of sponsor- ship for the Red Cross. For more in- formation or to collect a sponsorship card, contact Joe on 087-6260301.

in response to a Freedom of Information request to the Depart- ment of Arts, Sport and Tourism.

In an internal department memo of November 2006, a senior official cautioned against State financial aid for Shannon.

“Any plan will have to take into ac- count the full implications of the new

State aid guidelines for regional air- ports. The EU Commission is already scrutinised existing arrangements in Shannon and it is not clear what the outcome of that scrutiny will be,” the official wrote.

“In the meantime, caution 1S fe- quired in relation to the articulation of any public commitments of sup- port to Shannon.”

In a separate email from a senior department official to Failte Ireland in March, 2007, the official states, “One key issue is marketing and airports. There are State guidelines on this. There are Commission en- quiries in relation to Shannon. It is

important that both agencies make it clear that they are not in the busi- ness of marketing airports. They are in the business of exploiting the marketing opportunities that access routes present.”

In the same email the official states, “The new aviation environment, in- cluding the advent of ‘open skies’, presents tremendous opportunities for Shannon airport provided it can break out of its old dependency men- tality, focus on the opportunities and provide the level of economic and ef- ficient service required by both con- sumers and airlines.

“In particular, the airport will need

to look beyond the north Atlantic and look at the opportunities presented by routes to Britain and mainland Europe.

The same official in a separate memo states, “From a tourism per- spective, there is little point in mak- ing a special marketing push in re- lation to an area unless the requisite tourism product is there and at the right quality.

“Tt 18 essential that, in addition to new product development, problems in connection with traditional tour- ism products be resolved .. . It is im- portant to understand that marketing alone will not do the job.”

Werelmm ats couldn’t rent the house next door as a result of the unsightly local authority property.

Mr Casey said that he bought No 2 St Senan’s Terrace in Kilrush seven years ago as a rental property.

The property owner ran into diffi- culty however when the neighbouring house No | was vacated a few years ago. Soon after the front garden was being used for illegal dumping.

‘“T have been over there cleaning it up a number of times. I have killed rats over there, but I am not doing

anymore. I have been to the council numerous times to complain.

“If you have rubbish in front of your house then the council would fine you €100. I am living next door to a dump,” he said.

“It is a lovely street. I was born and reared there and that is why I brought a house there.”

Mr Casey said that he offered to buy the house from the council and renovate it.

A spokesperson for Kilrush Town Council said, “It is the policy of Kil- rush Town Council to carry out an investigation within two days of an incident of illegal dumping being re- jOLey a Keren

“Notwithstanding the fact that No 1 St Senan’s Terrace is owned by Kilrush Town Council, no report of illegal dumping at this location has

been received in the offices of Kil- rush Town Council to date in 2008. There has been previous illegal dumping at this location and Kilrush Town Council have previously taken action which involved an investiga- tion and removal of all items illegal- ly dumped,” she said.

Kilrush Town Clerk Fiona Mooney admitted that Kilrush has as prob- lem with illegal dumping – as has a number of small towns.

The town clerk said that people are dumping at a number of locations around the west Clare capital includ- ing the town centre and at the bottle bank.

The controversial house, No 1 St Senan’s Terrace, has been the subject of a public meeting.

At the January monthly meeting counillors were told that in Decem-

ber 2006 the Department of The Environment, Heritage and Local Government allocated funding for remedial work on numbers 5, 9 and 17, which has since been completed.

Between 2004 and 2006 all of the council’s houses in St Senan’s Ter- race with the exception of number | had central heating installed.

In January Ms Mooney told the council that No 1 was derelict and for structural reasons could not be RAMUDMOYISELSLem

“A demolish and infill develop- ment is possible at this location. A preliminary approach with regard to possible development of the land to the rear has been made. It is prudent for the council to await the outcome of this, before proceeding with the planned demolition and infill devel- opment at No | St Senan’s Terrace.”

CLARE County Council intends to construct bypasses valued at a com- bined €32 million for the towns of Ennistymon and Kilrush.

Work will commence on the €20 million Ennistymon bypass and the €12 million Kilrush bypass in 2010, according to a council document out- lining its roads programme over the next four years.

The council will fund €100,000 towards the Ennistymon scheme to upgrade the infrastructure to link to the proposed bypass.

“No other sources of funding iden- tified as yet,’ the document states.

The council is to contribute €100,000 towards the Kilrush

project. In the document officials point out that €500,000 has been received from the ESB, but no other sources of funding have been identi- fied yet.

In recent years, Ennistymon has en- countered traffic grid-lock at week- ends due to tourism traffic visiting Lahinch, Liscannor, the Cliffs of Moher and Doolin.

The west Clare town of Kilrush has also encountered a large increase in traffic with construction work being carried out on the €400 million ret- rofit project at Moneypoint.

The council expects work on the €15 million Killaloe bypass to com- mence this year.

‘An indicative line for the Killaloe bypass is contained in the east Clare

local area plan. This project is classed as anon-national strategic route to be funded by the Department of the En- vironment,’ an accompanying state- ment confirms.

The council has also included a €2 million relief road for Miltown Mal- er WA

A Start is due to be made this year on the construction of the first phase Or: Ieee) use ColeO Ko) ECoMNKOy:(em DOM oy IDABIE

Shannon Development has provided €800,000 towards the scheme which is to be constructed on the edge of the new Information Age Park.

The second phase of the road, cost- ing €3.2 million, will commence in UGE

Deputy Timmy Dooley TD said that the N85, N67 and N68, which

form part of the national secondary route network, are in need of urgent funding.

“Revenue has been committed for the next two years for inter-urban routes, but I urge the minister to con- sider changing that funding structure when the inter-urban routes have been completed. It could then be put into some of the national secondary routes,’ he said.

“The Ennis to Kilrush road in par- ticular needs a complete upgrade as do the roads running along the west- ern seaboard of County Clare, and the Ennis to north Clare route. Those three significant stretches of national secondary routes require urgent at- tention and the requisite funding,’ he said.

A BUSINESSMAN in financial cri- sis borrowed money from “criminal elements” and ended up transport- ing more than €3.1 million worth of drugs for the gang – but was caught. Ennis Circuit Court heard yester- day that Thomas Lennon had gone through difficulties in his construc- tion business months before he was caught with the haul, which was one of the biggest seizures ever in Clare. Father-of-five Lennon (36), of Kill- estry, Killaloe, pleaded guilty to pos- session of an assortment of drugs in-

cluding cocaine, amphetamines and cannabis resin, with an aggregate market value of €13,000 or more, at Ross, Killaloe on July 14, 2006.

Lennon was stopped driving a Ford Transit van. The drugs were found in the back of the van contained in a wheelie bin, holdall bag and white Oe

Detective Garda Tom Barber of the Garda National Drugs Unit told the court that the haul included 269 kilos of cannabis resin with a street value of over €1.8 million; 10 k1- los of cocaine, valued at €691,000;: 18 kilos of amphetamine, valued at

€227,000 and 30,000 ecstacy tab- lets, worth €303,000. The accused took responsibility for possession of the drugs but refused to name those involved. Lennon, who had no previ- ous convictions, currently employs 25 people.

His barrister, Michael O’ Higgins, SC, said, “At Christmas 2005, his affairs were in crisis. He was unable to meet his €10,000 wages bill. He had to go outside the banking system to raise funds and got €10,000 from criminal elements,” he said.

He said that Lennon was subse- quently told, ““You owe us money now

and there’s another way by which you can work the money off.

“These are heavy people. When they put you under pressure it is un- pleasant,” he said.

Dt Gda Barber accepted that Len- non’s admissions made the investi- gation easier but said, “there would have been strong evidence anyway.

“Mr Lennon knew the people he was getting involved in. I don’t be- lieve he accrued any profit from this,” said the garda.

Mr O’Higgins said, “While the quantity of the drugs was sky high, there was no question of profit for

avben ee

He said that the court “need not apply” the mandatory minimum sen- tence of 10 years, given the circum- stances in the case.

Judge Carroll Moran said he would not impose sentence until next peeKeyelaee

“This 1s a difficult case. The facts are quite unusual. The offence is ex- tremely serious, as Serious as you can imagine under the Misuse of Drugs Xam

“There have been, on the other hand, extraordinary mitigating cir- cumstances,” he said.