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, came in the wake of calls for the farmers’ market to be reinstalled.

The market moved to SkyCourt, having been operational at Drum- geely for two years previously. Whilst in Drumgeely, it had fallen victim to the weather on several oc- casions and then moved to the new plaza at SkyCourt almost two years ago. However, it has since faded out.

Councillor Patricia McCarthy (In- dependent) said she is hopeful that the market can get back up and run- ning in Drumgeely “as a priority”.

“I’m just wondering can we resur-

rect it. It was good for Shannon. I’m hoping we can get it going again.

“TI just don’t want it to die. It worked well in Drumgeely. It is a good idea if we get it going again. People want it back,” she said.

In a statement, management for SkyCourt said, “The farmers mar- ket at SkyCourt was initiated on the town square in May 2006. Widely advertised and promoted, it proved popular and successful for the first two months. However, it became ap-

parent that the number of producers available was no longer sufficient to provide a diverse range of foods for Shannon customers.

“The number of farmers markets throughout the country has grown without a corresponding increase in the numbers of producers. SkyCourt remains very supportive of the farm- ers market concept and is willing to have discussions with any parties in- terested in relaunching the Shannon market,” said the statement.

GROUP water schemes in west Clare are to benefit from the single big- gest allocation for upgrading of the schemes.

Cahermurphy (near Kilmiuhil), Glenmore/Kiltumper (also near Kilmihil), and Mountrivers (near Doonbeg) are all part of a €1.8 mil- lion investment by the Department of the Environment and Local Govern- ment.

An additional €1.5 million will be used to complete work on the four eroup water schemes involved in the bundled treatment plant project Dysart/Toonagh, Killone, Kilmaley Inagh and Lissycasey).

The west Clare water schemes are also to benefit from the €1.3 million for upgrading schemes.

Farrihy (between Kilkee and Doonbeg), Lisheenfruir (nearly sure itis near Lissycasey), Loophead Ross Section, and Moyasta are to benefit under this scheme.

Making the announcement on Fri- day Clare’s, Minister of State for Environment and Energy Tony Kil- leen said that Clare had received an allocation of €5.5 million under the 2008 Rural Water Programme.

Speaking in Claregalway, where he launched his department’s annual programme, Minister Killeen said that the grant aid, which represents a 50 per cent increase on last year’s

allocation, would fund a wide range of schemes all over Clare.

“T am delighted to be able to pro- vide funding to support Clare Coun- ty Council’s ambitious and compre- hensive work programme for 2008,” he said.

“When the upgrading is completed the schemes will be taken over by Clare County Council and will be- come part of the public water sup- ply network. A further €900,000 is going to Clare County Council in response to the proposals to intro- duce improvements to a significant number of small public water and sewerage schemes around the coun- ty,’ he explained.

Minister Killeen said that the top

priority in 2008 must remain on ad- dressing water quality problems in the county’s privately sourced group water supplies.

“Clare’s allocation will ensure that the county will remain to the fore in the national drive to eliminate sub- standard rural water supplies.

“The headway made in dealing with substandard water supplies has only been possible through their hard work, dedication and spirit of partnership. I would particularly like to acknowledge the contribution of group scheme activists who, for nearly half a century, have worked tirelessly for the betterment of their neighbours and communities,’ the minister said.

under the Freedom of Infor- mation Act show that the proposed link had a benefit to cost ratio rang- ing from .13 to .17, pointing out that a 1.0 benefit to cost ratio is normally required.

The report points out that the link would allow a 25-minute journey to Limerick and a 65-minute journey to Crea

A note for the Minister for Trans- port, Noel Dempsey points out, “The poor outcome to the economic evalu- ation reflects the high specification of the line which is necessary to ensure an attractive service and the small benefits to users in time savings due to the relatively good road-based services serving the airport.”

A separate note for Minister Demp- sey concluded, “In essence, there is very significant capital outlay for a minimal return for passengers in terms of time saved.”

It continues, “There would be sig- nificant capital expenditure and on- going increase in subvention to ena- ble passengers to save very little time on their journeys.”

The report recommends that an ‘all bus’ option would give the same ben- efits at a much lower cost.

A separate memo concluded that the cheapest option of €245 million would involve an irregular service every 75 minutes at a cost 1n excess of that for the whole of the Ennis to Tuam Western Rail Corridor and would not achieve journey-time sav- ings. The report forecast that the most basic service would result in 260,000 journeys in the first year, while the full service, including fast trains to Galway, would provide one million journeys in the first year.

Apparently ending any hope of a rail-line into the future, the consult- ant’s report states in relation to popu- lation projections that “even the most optimistic projections do not materi-

ally alter the financial and economic analysis of the project”.

The report forecast that 15 per cent of airport users would use the rail- ihe

A separate memo points out that the “economic case for the rail-link is poor and that road-based public transport offers the best short term solution for public transport access to the airport”.

It goes on to state that at this stage, Irish Rail will be taking no further action on the issue and that it should be noted that the project is not in- cluded in Transport 21.

FRANK Doherty answered some questions outside the Clare dressing room shortly after the game on Sun- day, standing on the same spot that Paidi O Sé occupied when Waterford knocked Clare out of the champion- ship last May.

Same result for Clare and though the questions haven’t changed for the entirety of this league — essentially it’s been: Where was the game lost, Frank? — Doherty at least saw some progress in the performance.

“I think there was improvement, in fairness. There was a bit more bite and character. At the start of the game we went four one up playing competitive football, and that was pleasing to see. The movement was good, the forwards were good. The younger lads are kind of stepping up to a degree and it’s the older lads who have to step up now. I’ve seen it in some games obviously. But today was an improvement from the An- trim game.”

That’s where the good news story ends, though. Shortly after Clare scored four, Waterford slowly crept back into the game and the manager recognised a handful of key episodes that led to the demise. The missed opportunity before the break and the penalty at the end contributed, he said, but Doherty believed the inju- ries picked up by Gordon Kelly and Daragh Kelly were crucial.

“At the end of the day we have a small pool of players and to lose

Daragh Kelly and Gordon Kelly was a big blow.

You’re talking about two key play- ers. When Daragh was in the team for the McGrath Cup, we didn’t lose a game. When he went out of the team we haven’t won a game.

“And Gordon, of course, is a fine bit of stuff. His loss took two big players out of six in our back line. It was a big turning point in the game.

“T’ve been hoping to move Gordon out to centre back for most of the year and unfortunately I can’t because my hands are tied to a degree in relation to where I can play lads. Daragh was doing reasonably well at centre back until he received that injured and Gordon obviously is himself. He’ll always give you everything.”

The missed goal opportunity?

“Stephen Hickey’s goal chance was like Rory Donnelly’s against An- trim. How many chances do you get in a game? How many times do you need these chance to put them away? You’ve got to take them when the goal is in front of you and that was there again today.

“I don’t know if Stephen tried to take the net out with that shot. It would have been better to side foot it into the back of the net and a goal then would have put us in the as- cendency. We would have been in the driving seat. It was a game that would have taken a different aspect in the second half.”

The penalty?

“I think Joe jumped into the for- ward more than he tried to claim the

ball. Then [just before the penalty] David Connole was unlucky. He ran into the back of a player and that was a silly free to give away in a danger- ous position. For a while we were in the game and the lads that came onto the team tried their best, but we are where we are.’

Again, Doherty came back to the positives of the performance and with Kilkenny on the horizon, the first two points of the season are surely within grasp.

“There was more determination overall. Still, the cuteness that will win you games wasn’t there and some of the lads took the wrong de- cisions at times.

“Sean Collins drove on and hit men twice his size and he was a contender for man of the match. There’s still a lot of work to do and hopefully we’ ll get guys back off the treatment table and we’ll be that bit stronger and that bit more street-wise the next time.”

told the story of a couple who ran into difficulty and their child was subsequently taken

from them.

The drama occurred at a mo- tel, where Philly Phillips (Hickey) W010 .

FIFTY seven students from County Clare were presented with FETAC Level 6 Agricultural certificates by Teagasc Area Manager, Gerard Mc- Mahon, at the Auburn Lodge Hotel last week.

Education and training are neces- sary for the future of farming and in- centives such as Stamp Duty Relief on the transfer of farm property to a young trainer farmer, Grant on Farm Structures, Installation Aid Scheme, and Early Retirement Scheme.

Farming is a very demanding ca- reer requiring a broad and extensive range of skills, from animal hus- bandry, grassland management, ma- chinery operation and financial man- agement skills, while also complying with animal welfare, traceability and health and safety regulations.

The FETAC Certificate in Farming aims to continue with the process of education in the rural community. Surveys show that a high proportion of those who complete Agricultural training go on to be successful farm- ae

They are more prepared to adopt the better farming practices of re- cent times in housing, milk record- ing, breeding policy, using AI and re-seeding.

McMahon congratulated all stu- dents and especially the 6 prize win- ners, Sean Rodgers from Crusheen who won the FBD Award, Student of the Year and O’Connor Cup, Patrick Rosengrave from Barefield who won the Cattle Production Award spon- sored by Clare Marts, Daniel Has- sett from Quin who won the Dairy Husbandry Award sponsored by Kerry Agri Business, Nuala Mc-

Donnell from Kilnamona who won the ACC Bank Environment Award, Mark Casey from Newmarket who won the Farm Management Award sponsored by Allied Irish Bank and Ciaran Coneely from Ennistymon who won the Farm Planning Award sponsored by Teagasc.

Kieran Burns, Seamus Considine, Kevin Doyle (all Doonbeg), Mark Casey (Newmarket), James Com- mane, Alfred Morgan, Greg O’ Leary (all Ennistymon), Kevin Crowley (Ballynacally), Michael Cullinan (Toonagh), Derek Daly (New Quay), John Downes (Kilmurry McMahon), Padraig Gallagher (Mullagh), Patrick Garry, Gerard Kelly (Kildysart), Gerry Gleeson, Sean Rodgers, (Crusheen), Daniel Hassett (Quin), Colm Hickey, Darragh Vaughan (Broadford), Eoin Malone, Ciaran Malone (Ennis), Paul McCarthy

(Miltown Malbay), Nuala McDon- nell (Kilnamona), Paul McTiernan (Scariff), Joe Moloney (O’Brien’s Bridge), Michael Montgomery, (Quilty), Brian O’Connor (Labash- eeda), Ivan O’Driscoll (Fanore) and Patrick Roseingrave (Barefield) all picked up Advanced Certificates in aN au (CUNAUb ues

Padraig Boland, Michael Browne, Paul Browne, Denis Clair, Padraig Clancy, Ciaran Coneely, Dermot Considine, David Crowe, Martin Enright, Michael Eustace, Cronan Forde, Oliver Galllagher, Donal Harte, Denis Lee, Brian McInerney, Nial Meade, Noel Meaney, Elizabeth Mee, Eamon Meehan, John Mescall, David Minogue, Keith Mungovan, Richard Nagle, Brendan Quinn, Sean Reidy,James Rynne, Daniel Sammon and Sean Torpey picked up 180 Hour Certificates.

A FORMER Green Party MEP will be in Ennis this week to voice her op- position to her party’s stance on the upcoming EU Treaty.

Patricia McKenna, who contested the leadership of the party with En- vironment Minister John Gormley last year, has criticised the “sheer ar- rogance’”’ shown to the people of Eu- rope by their political leaders.

McKenna is the chairperson of The People’s Movement, an organiza- tion campaigning against the Lisbon

Treaty.

“Regardless of the fact that voters in France and the Netherlands have rejected the EU Constitution, it has been renamed, repackaged and put back on the table as if nothing had happened and we are being told to say yes or Ireland will be isolated.

‘There is almost unanimous agree- ment among EU leaders, including Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, that the sub- stance of the rejected Constitution hasn’t changed. The difference be- tween the original Constitution and the present Lisbon Treaty is one of

approach, rather than content.”

McKenna will speak at a public meeting in the West County Hotel this Thursday, March 7, at 8.30pm.

She has been asked to speak by the Ennis-based Irish Drivers As- sociation, who are also opposing the treaty.

“The blatant conspiracy by EU gov- ernments to deny their electorates the right to vote on this treaty is an affront to democracy,’ she continued.

“EU leaders openly admit that they have taken the rejected EU constitu- tion and renamed and repackaged

it in an unreadable format. Giscard D’Estaing said that public opinion will be led to adopt, without know- ing it, the proposals that we dare not present to them directly.

“All the earlier proposals will be in a new text, but will be hidden and disguised in some way. What was al- ready difficult to understand will be- come utterly incomprehensible, but the substance has been retained.”

Meanwhile, Ms McKenna will be back in Ennis on Monday, March 10 to debate Clare TD, Timmy Dooley (FF) on the treaty.

The pair will take part in a public meeting in The Old Ground Hotel next Monday, March 10, at 7pm.

Deputy Dooley is the vice chair- man of the Joint Oireachtas Com- mittee on European Affairs and will argue in in favour of the treaty.

Other members of the National Forum On Europe, on which is rep- resented all the political parties and leading national organisations, are expected to attend. Copies of the fo- rum’s recently-launched

CLARE’S bid to overturn last year’s controversial decision to end the Open Draw in the Munster Senior Football Championship was quashed at the Munster Council convention last Friday night, but it didn’t stop Noel Walsh from venting his views on the subject.

The former Munster Council chair- man and GAA presidential candidate, who has been an Open Draw loyalist over the past 40 years, launched a

broadside against Munster Council rulers over the decision to seed Kerry and Cork to meet in the 2008 provin- cial decider.

“In the interests of fairness there should be an Open Draw,” Walsh told delegates to the annual conven- tion in the West County Hotel in En- nis. “In every other province there is an Open Draw. It would give players from the four weaker counties an opportunity of playing in a Munster football final.

‘There was great finance taken in

by the council when the Open Draw was there from 1991. Under the seed- ed draw, there was only one gate and that was the Munster final between Kerry and Cork,” he added.

Walsh made his comments, despite the fact that a Clare motion calling for “the Senior Football Champion- ship in Munster in 2009 to be run on the basis of an Open Draw” was ruled out of order.

“We wont have any discussion because the motion is out of order,” confirmed secretary, Simon Moro-

ney to delegates.

“This decision was arrived demo- cratically and on the night the vote was taken the counties voted the way they were instructed to,’ added chairman Jimmy O’Gorman from Waterford.

However, Walsh countered by say- ing “while democracy is important, justice 1s more important”’.

A MASSIVE community effort is underway in Ennis as preparations continue for St Patrick’s Day.

The showpiece of the day, the St Patrick’s Day Parade will commence at 11 am from the courthouse.

The parade in Ennis in recent years has attracted large crowds of onlook- ers and has grown in popularity as a community event. Stilt walkers will also be at the parade to entertain the onlookers with their own form of pe- destrianisation.

The theme of this year “event is cel-

ebration, providing participant with plenty of scope for imagination.

The traditional blessing of the shamrock will take place before 12.15 mass at the Ss Peter and Paul Cathedral.

The party continues after the pa- rade is ended, when in conjunction with celebrations taking place for Seachtain na Gaeilge, a massive street céili is planned for O’Connell Square.

Town Clerk Eddie Power explained the street entertainment will be a major feature of the day, before and after the parade itself.

He said, “I am delighted to an- nounce that Ennis Gospel Choir will perform in O’Connell Square before the parade from 10.20am to llam. The choir recently performed in Glor to much acclaim and have given per- formances in Cork, Killarney and Limerick. The choir will perform a variety of well known songs and will appeal to a wide audience”.

“We are also arranging a Street Session in Lifford before the parade commences. Traditional musicians from Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann will entertain the waiting crowds in advance of the parade. A stage will

be in place as was done prior to last year’s parade which raised the pro- file of the musicians while improving sound and vision for the onlookers present,” he said.

Power continued, “Ceoltoiri na Mainistreach, a new céili band from Ennis, were formed by a group of very talented musicians from the En- nis area.

‘They first came together for the Clare Fleadh and went from there to Munster and on to the All Ireland competition in Letterkenny. This promises to be enjoyable for all the family.”

THE West County Hotel was the venue last week for the 2008 Teagasc clare Dairy Seminar.

The meeting was chaired by Paddy Rynne, Teagasc adviser, who opened the meeting by reflecting on what was an exceptionally good year for the dairy industry in 2007.

The seminar was designed as a fo- rum to now look forward to the pos- sibilities and indeed challenges for the future of the industry.

Teagasc Specialist, John Norris, gave an in-depth review on dairy farm returns in 2007 based on profit

monitor analysis which showed that net profit increased by an average of over 7 cents/litre. He also considers that the prospects for 2008 are very positive with the current price likely to be maintained and the possibility of a 2 per cent increase in quotas. He did however point out that costs are increasing and that this rise could be in the region of 2.5 cents/litre, so he cautioned farmers to keep a close eye on costs.

The second presentation of the evening was delivered by Don Crow- ley who focussed on the whole area of mastitis control and keeping so- matic cell counts (SCC) low, so as to

avoid penalties on milk price.

He stressed the importance of hav- ing machinery serviced annually, and highlighted the absolute necessi- ty to have liners changed every 2500 milking or at least twice a year.

Frank Buckley spoke about the cur- rent trial work that is ongoing in the area of crossbreeding the dairy herd, which involves mainly Holstein Frie- sian cows being crossed with Jersey and Norwegian Red.

He outlined what crossbreds were delivering in real terms especially in the whole area of fertility, and he said how this may well be a very real op- tion as a “quick fix” solution in herds

with extreme fertility problems.

The final speaker on the night was Aidan Bugler who outlined some of the urgent requirements for farm- ers under the nitrates directive. He pointed out that derogation farms (those over 1/Okgs Organic Nitro- gen per hectare) required fertiliser records to be completed for 2007 and returned to the Department of Agri- culture by the March 1.

These farms also require a fertiliser plan be prepared for 2008 showing the maximum amount of Phosphorus and Nitrogen that may be applied. This plan must be prepared by the March | and retained on farm.