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THE first birthday celebrations of Shannon’s youth café will take place on Friday evening (between 5pm and 110} os00)F

The Kick Back Café was set up last year at the Respond Communi- ty Building, in response to demand in the town and surrounding areas. Young people felt there was a need for a café solely dedicated to between the ages of 16 to 21.

Run under the auspices of Shannon youth office, the café has provided a safe and comfortable space for young people, on Friday evenings and Saturdays.

“The committee of volunteers who run the café are now planning activities and events for the coming months, to highlight the role of the café for young people in Shannon,” said Shannon youth worker, Cathal DIU eyne

“The first birthday celebration plans are in full swing and the café committee is currently finalising the details of the event,” he added.

Among the events planned for the night include an eighties theme disco, singstar competition and a variety of games. One of the volunteers, Aoife Wright has offered to make a special birthday cake for the occasion!

Meanwhile, the youth workers are

continuing to carry out their outreach work, on the streets of Shannon.

‘The youth office 1s open to arrang- ing projects to meet the needs of the young people in the Shannon area,” said Mr Dillon.

The office is open between 4pm and 6pm every Tuesday and Thurs- day, for young people to drop in and chat to the youth workers

Both the Skyview and Drumgeely youth clubs have re-opened follow- ing the winter break.

The Drumgeely club was set up last year and is based at St Senan’s primary school. It runs between 7pm and 9pm every Monday night.

The club has received funding from

Clare Sports Partnership and Clare VEC and a programme is currently being put together in an effort to en- courage new members to join.

The Skyview club meets between 7pm and 9pm every Thursday night. It is open to young people aged be- tween 12 and 16. Admission to the clubs is just €2 per night and further details can be obtained by phoning 061 364318.

Both clubs are keen to encourage volunteers to help organise the activ- ities every week. Volunteers should be aged 21 and over and a full range of volunteer supports and leadership training is available for those who are interested.

CLARE County Council has been accused of acting outside its powers in its bid to end the construction of holiday homes in Kilkee.

Last month, the council refused an application by building firm, Keel- erove Construction Ltd to allow a portion of the homes as holiday homes. The council concluded that up to a thousand holiday homes in Kilkee should be used for permanent occupancy.

The developers have now appealed that decision to An Bord Pleanala.

In their appeal, Keelgrove state that Zoning provisions in the west Clare

local area plan do not restrict the oc- cupancy of houses on the site nor is it stated in any section of the plan that a restrictive occupancy condition will be attached to residential devel- opments in Kilkee.

They claim that the council’s posi- tion is unreasonable and unenforce- able as the houses will be sold to in- dividual third parties over which the developer will have no control.

Keelgrove maintain that the coun- cil decision is unreasonable “as the developer cannot be held responsible for the future actions of potential house purchaser, who may or may not use the dwelling as their princi- ple private residence.

“The condition is not enforceable as there is no way of regulating or ensuring that potential purchasers use such dwellings as permanent residences in the future.

“It is unreasonable to restrict the future occupancy of all 64 residen- tial units to permanent homes when population projections in the plan detailed that there will only be a re- quirement for 62 new units in Kilkee over the period.

“If the council applies the restric- tion to all future housing in the town, then the plan is failing to provide for a key sector of the housing and tour- ism market and this could adversely impact on the economy of the town.

“In the interest of fairness and equality, that should such a condition be considered necessary and funda- mental to the overall grant of per- mission, then only a percentage of the residential units within the devel- opment granted should be restricted to permanent occupancy.

“For example, a requirement to provide 20 per cent of the overall site for permanent occupation would ne- cessitate that 12 houses are restricted to such use. Such a condition if prop- erly defined and qualified would be considered reasonable,” the develop- ers conclude.

A decision is expected on the ap- peal later this year.

THIS is neither the time nor the place to throw some balls of mud and play the blame game. This is, as Frank Doherty said on Saturday evening, time to look at the bigger picture.

It’s time to wonder why and how Clare, who were at least competitive in the championship less than three years back, have slipped so grace- lessly over the past couple of sea- Sons.

Taking 2007 and 2008 into consid- eration, Clare have played 11 games in championship and league. They’ ve lost all but three and one of those wins was against London in Cusack Park. So it’s over a year since the county footballers have had any result of sig- nificance — a five point win against Leitrim in the second round of the 2007 league on February 10th.

Just 20 months ago, Clare travelled to Casement Park in the first round of the All Ireland qualifiers and beat Antrim by one point. That day, they played with appetite and courage. On Saturday, Antrim came to Ennis and Clare were made look like a team that belong in another compeition.

Only three of those who lined out in Casement Park started in Cusack Park and that alone tells the story of an unforgiveable and unsustainable turnover rate.

Throughout Clare, players have reg-

ularly turned their back on the county jersey — an incredible fact to compre- hend for anybody from a county with any sort of football tradition. But it’s an inherent fact of football in this county. It’s bred into player’s psyches from early on and the results of that

indefensible approach were laid bare on Saturday.

Last summer, an underage develop- ment county team was shorn of play- ers because some clubs decided to withdraw their players on favour of club games later that week. What sort

of message does that relay? Where’s the love of the county that has kids in other places dreaming of wearing their own county colours?

There’s a spiritual aspect to the game that just isn’t being stoked in Clare and after the Antrim game, Frank Doherty was beginning to see that at first hand.

For sure, Clare played horribly. From the first minute that they walked out onto the field, the player’s body language was all wrong but in a way, it’s understandable given the lack of interest that surrounds them.

Walking around Ennis on Saturday, there was nothing to say the county footballers were facing a must win game to keep their league hopes alive. The same faces, the Clare Football Die Hards, as they’ve come to be known, were the only ones fly- ing the flag at Cusack Park. Do most people in Clare even care about in- ter-county football?

Selection-wise, the make-up of the team didn’t work either and at least three players were operating out of position. It all means the Clare management will continue to scour the county for willing footballers, though with no club games pencilled in over the next fortnight, the task could prove futile and any selection will have to be based on past per- formances.

If, as Doherty said, the McGrath

Cup covered cracks, then other, more intrinsic ruptures were also covered up in the wake of this season’s club championship. Bar a handful of exceptions, most games were sub- standard and the scoring, in particu- lar, was below-par. The county final was woeful and was papered over by Lissycasey’s historic win and the two best clubs in the county over the past two years have between them, two inter-county representatives.

Just prior to the hurlers taking off in 1995, Ger Loughnane correctly identified that the lacklustre nature of club games was contributing to the county under-performing. He deduced that the intensity of match days had to be replicated in training and that’s the task now facing the Clare footballers. Nobody expects a miracle 2008, but the least the 200 Clare supporters who showed up on Saturday deserved was the best team on the field and every man giving a committed performance.

There are no easy answers to games like Antrim, but it’s time to wake vhOR

The long term affect on the confi- dence of Clare football — particularly on the younger players — means the rot has to stop.

RETIRED principal of St Tola’s Na- tional School, Joe Walsh, will be the master of ceremonies at this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade in the town.

Mr Walsh, who retired last year, will also be the adjudicator for the parade. He has close links with sev- eral groups and associations in Shan- non and is highly respected.

Several groups will participate in the parade this year, many of who will demonstrate novel and fun ways to celebrate the event.

While several community groups and organisations from Shannon town will take part, groups from sur- rounding areas will also enter floats

on the day.

Among those are Bunratty Rescue and the scouts in Newmarket-on- Fergus.

The Ennis Brass Band and a band from the CBS in Sexton Street, Lim- erick, will also join in the festivities in Shannon.

The local international club, Le Chéile na Sionna, has entered its own group, which will consist of members of several countries, who have moved to Shannon.

Le Chéile was set up last year and its aim is to integrate all ethnic groups in the town. It has representa- tives from countries including Egypt, France, Germany, Mauritius, Eng- land, Netherlands, Pakistan, China

and Africa, who live in Shannon.

A school group from Derby in the UK will also take part in the cel- ebrations. The group, which will be on holidays in Liscannor, will take part in music and Irish dancing in the SkyCourt foodcourt after the pa- rade.

One of the organisers of the parade, Greg Duff said everything will be done to ensure everyone is welcome to take part.

“We are going all out to try to in- clude the multi-cultural. There will be a good variety,’ he said.

“Thirty-six groups took part last year, which reflected a variety of eroups including sports groups, along with voluntary, cultural and

community groups,’ he added.

He said the decision to invite Joe Walsh to take on the role as master of ceremonies this year followed on the popularity of Aodhan Fox, who carried out the role last year.

“Joe would know the groups, schools and teams very well, as he is very well known in Shannon. We wanted someone who would be able to interact with the crowd on the day,’ he said.

The participants will meet in the Wolfe Tones carpark at lpm and the parade will get underway at 2pm. The parade will round up at Sky- Court, where the music and dancing will continue throughout the after- noon.

AFTER four years at the helm of Clare’s largest farming organisation Seamus Murphy last week complet- ed his term of office as President of the IFA in Clare.

The IFA’s National President, Pa- draig Walshe, made the journey to Ennis earlier this month to witness the last Clare IFA AGM hosted by Mr Murphy.

Seamus has served as Clare IFA President since 2004 and has more than 30 years of voluntary service to the IFA and Macra under his belt.

Having presided over some one the most interesting and challeng- ing times in recent farming history, Seamus will now take up the role

of Clare IFA vice president along- side newly elected president Michael Lynch.

“Seamus has been an excellent chairman over his four year term. He has led the executive very effectively and very efficiently,’ said new Clare IFA President, Michael Lynch.

“He was involved in numerous campaigns to further the interests of Clare farmers, whither that was in dealing with officials locally or at the various protests and demonstra- tion that we had around the country.

“He was especially involved in tackling problems that we would have had in relation to the pricing of cattle and sheep and occasionally problems with some of the dairy co-

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Mr Lynch is no stranger in the IFA at local and national level has held many important roles in the past including Animal Health and Farm Business Representative for Clare and Vice Chairman of National Livestock Committee.

“Over the next few years I would think that to maintain a sufficient price for farm produce would be one of the main challenged over the next few years. To make sure that farm- ers can get a margin over costs,’ he Sr HLG

‘TL also want to look at our increased dependence in recent times on the Single Farm Payment, Forestry Pay- ments, Area Aid Payments and the REPS Payments.

“There are serious problems with

the REPS at the moment. One of the biggest challenges will come in a few years time when the Single Farm Payment comes up for a serious re- view which could have a huge effect on farmers in Clare.

“We urgently need price increases at a level that will not only cover our costs but give us a margin to reinvest as well. That is the only way that farming can have a sustainable fu- ture. We cannot be so dependent on these payments.”

FRANK Doherty walks out of the Clare dressing room looking like a man who signed up for a 10 kilome- tre jog but has just been told he’s got two marathons to run.

The job is big, Frank. Bigger, may- be, than anybody ever expected.

For now, he’s still hopeful of entic- ing one or two more players onto the panel and though they’re needed, that invitation after three straight league defeats looks increasingly less se- ductive with every passing week.

That the panel has to be looked at with a sharper, more critical eye is now obvious and Doherty says it’s time to re-assess the value of some of it’s members.

“There are guys who’ll have to be released after today,” he says. “From my own point of view, I’m totally down after that performance and so are the two selectors involved. And so are the players as well.

‘“There’s a lot of cracks out there to be quite honest. There’s no point

painting a rosy picture. People have already spoken about where we are right now and at the moment, we’re down at the bottom. We’re going to have to try and lift the lads and get them up for Waterford on March 2.”

He’s asked about some of the mis- takes Clare were responsible for and says he’s struggling to grasp the quantity of fumbles and dropped or nR

‘The amount of turnovers were un- believeable. I couldn’t count them all myself at times. We haven’t been un- der lights every night of the week to do certain things, but we have trained hard. It’s not an excuse because these are basic errors. We’re talking about club lads at underage, taking balls into tackles with a solo. Hopping a ball in front of a player when you’re about to go into a tackle. It’s basic, basic stuff.”

The cracks that Doherty saw on Saturday are one thing but the length of the road ahead of Clare becomes clear when he speaks of the need to revert to grassroots coaching.

A manager takes a job and expects the base skills to be available, he shouldn’t have to worry about an in- ferior legacy.

“I’ve always said that these guys need to be taught at an early age but we re talking 10 and 12 years of age to be addressing this. If the fututre is going to be bright for Clare — which I hope it will be — then these are things that need to be addressed. The skills have to be there if the next few crops will improve. But from a technical point of view, to be honest, some of the errors out there were schoolboy errors.

“Let’s look at the bigger picture. I’m not here to criticise players. I wouldn’t do that. The guys have abil- ity and they’ve played to the best of their ability. When it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. That’s sport and it’ll knock you on your back every now and then.”

A MAJOR fundraising drive is to be launched, towards the purchase of new equipment for the gaelscoil in S)at-vevaeyen

Management at Gaelscoil Donncha Rua is planning to equip every class- room with interactive whiteboards, which will benefit the young stu- CSTE

It follows on from a recent upgrade of the furniture at the school.

The new equipment will cost up to €20,000 and the people of Shannon are being asked to help out in the fundraising drive.

“This is the first fundraiser we have done since 1992. We want to get state-of-the-art equipment. We had not changed the furniture since 1984, when the school was built,”

said school principal Eamonn Bro- nO

“The boards are computerised and use touch screen technology. They are interactive in that both the teach- ers and children can use them,” said Mr Bromell.

The first fundraiser will be a social night out at the Oakwood Arms Ho- tel, on St Patrick’s night.

“There will be five or six live

bands, followed by a disco on the night. Meals will also be provided,’ said Mr Bromell.

“This is the first in a couple of events that we have planned during the year. It should be a good start,” he said.

Tickets for the nights events cost €25 each and can be _ purchased by contacting the school on O61 363165.

THE IFA have called for an emer- gency of the joint Oireachtas Ag- riculture Committee to take place immediately to help resolve the REPS payment problems which has gripped farmers around the country in recent days.

Newly appointed Clare IFA Presi- dent, Michael Lynch, was in Dublin this week lobbying the four Clare T’D’s on the subject.

“Well the Clare TD’s were sympa- thetic but we are really depending on the Minister and whither she can have an influence in changing things in Brussels. The problem is in Brus-

sels,” he said.

“They have taking a different in- terpretation of how these REPS are to be distributed and for us that is amounting to breaching a contract in relation to REPS 2 and 3. The great majority of REPS farmers in Clare will be effected by this sooner or Fitoe

“We were up in Dublin this week lobbying the Government, the TD’s and the Senators. We were trying too getting across the real problems that these late payments are causing for farmers and try and get Minister Coughlan to rectify the situation.

“This will have a big impact in Clare. More than 2,500 Clare farm-

ers are involved in REPS and the in- come that comes into Clare because of this is in the region of €17 mil- lion. That is a substantial part of the overall income of Clare farmers. An- ything that interferes with payment is going to have a big impact on the farmers themselves and the business they are going.”

Meanwhile, Clare man and ICSA General Secretary, Eddie Punch was part of a delegation from the farm- ing who met with Minister Coughlan and discussed the REPS situation last week.

ICSA president Malcolm Thomp- son, Gabriel Gilmartin, rural de- velopment chairman and Ivor Kil-

patrick, deputy rural development chairman also attended the meeting.

According to ICSA report the or- ganisation impressed upon the de- partment officials the urgency of the situation, which could potentially adversely affect 55,000 farmers at a time when beef, sheep and suck- ler farmers are struggling to break VCE

The ICSA also threatened to raise the matter with EU agriculture com- missioner Mariann Fischer Boel and said that said that disillusioned farm- ers would be hard—pressed to vote yes for EU treaty reform when they feel that the EU clearly treats them with contempt.

ON THE lengthy trek from Belfast to Limerick, Jody Gormley, former Tyrone footballer and current An- trim manager looked ahead to the Clare challenge and believed his side would find some resistence in Ennis.

VSS UUh CBMs ae aee day night well past midnight, before trevelling to Cusack Park on Satur- day morning and walking all over Clare later that afternoon. The ease of Antrim’s victory eventually sur- prised Gormley.

“The opposition was poor but we weren’t to know that coming down the road,” he said on Saturday. “Our fellas are working hard at the minute and you could see that out there. It’s

a long journey up the road, but we’ll be going back with a smile on our faces.”

The movement of Antrim and their ability to string passes together pleased the manager. “Early on in the first half we had some great moves that ended up with scores, we’re making progress which is what it’s all about. Clare gave us a tough game here last year in the Tommy Murphy Cup and we prepared for this chal- SONSXomMWA LOMO otclmmexeNoatommne meee DU ITC ma

Having also beaten Wicklow and Kilkenny to date, Antrim have the foundation to emerge from Division 4 and according to Gormley, the mo- tivation is there to progress.

‘We had a poor season last year and we re treating every game as though

we have to win it. The Tommy Mur- phy Cup threw us a lifeline because it gelled players together for the rest of the season. It worked well for us. Boys knuckled down and we’ve con- tinued to train hard over the winter. We’re glad to get onto the grass and we’ve started well but we’ve Offaly next and a lot of people are saying Offaly shouldn’t be in Division 4, that they’re too good for this divi- sion. And I’d imagine Offaly will be a step above the three teams we’ve played so far. They’re a big, strong team with some very powerful for- wards, so that’ll be a new challenge for us.”

Off Gormley goes for the journey home. A different set of ambitions than those he left behind in Clare.

AUSSIE rockers AC/DC famously declared “it’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll’, and new band CMC will discover just what it takes when they compete against other new bands in Dublin next eeKeyeiaee

The Clare band will not only be judged on their musical capability, but also on their ability to success- fully co-ordinate all the elements that go into making a live rock show.

Seven steps up – a nationwide mu- sic competition for young people, is a competition with a difference. The aim is to provide young bands with an insight and practical knowledge of the music industry.

CMC were elected top of Clare’s youth bands at a recent Clare Youth Service gig. Before they hit the road to perform alongside some of Ire- land’s best up and coming bands, CMC will be performing on Satur- day February 23 at a gig in Ennis.

Other acts taking the stage in the youth centre on the night include “A star called Henry, the Alan Rooney Experience, The Elastic Band, Dara O Loughlin and Ceile Varley”.

CMC will then go on to compete against 17 other winning acts from around the country in Dublin at the Seven Steps Up awards day on March.

The acts will be judged not only on their musical ability but on the efforts of a full back-up team which

include media, stage crew, and PR eroup made up of over 20 musicians from the competition all working to support and promote the band in the Dublin gig.

CMC will have the chance to play their demo and be mentored by mu- sic industry professionals.

The winners of the overall compe- tition in Dublin will have the chance to make a professionally recorded album, featuring the other acts from their region.

Ceile Varley an acoustic performer involved in the project, said the com- petition provided a great opportunity for young musicians.

She said “This competition is an amazing opportunity for young mu- sicians – both for the winning act and

for the music and media team. Eve- rything is organised by young peo- ple, which means that we gain valu- able information on setting up gigs and managing bands.

Ceile explained “We learn how to promote bands and musical events, giving us an insight into the music industry.

“Everyone involved is working ex- tremely hard for this so come to the Youth Centre and support us – we guarantee an exciting night”

CMC play in the Clare Youth Serv- ice, Ennis on February 23, from 7- 9.30pm. The cost of entry is €5 and all over 15’s welcome. As with all other events the gig 1s drug and alco- hol free. For more information con- tact Jean Tierney 065-6845356