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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

MINISTER of State Tony Killeen has given fresh hope to the possibil- ity of a train station being provided at Crusheen along the route of the Western Rail Corridor.

Stating that the development “should not be discounted”, the Clare TD said Iarnrodd Eireann had not ruled out the proposal and “would consider any evidence to suggest that such a development would be war- ranted”.

In a letter to Minister Killeen, Iarn- rod Eireann chief executive Dick Fearn said that the reopening of the Crusheen station was not included in the reopening of the Ennis to Athen- ry line because of the very limited

development forecast for Crusheen in Clare County Council’s North Clare Local Area Plan 2005.”

Minister Killeen said he reminded the CEO that detailed additional in- formation has been collated by the local community, with assistance from Clare County Council, regard- ing the potential future use of the proposed rail stop. This information along with undertakings relating to the provision of adequate car parking CUTE U em OEIC BROMINE cot have been submitted to Iarnrdéd Eire- EMOvOe

“In light of this new information, I have requested the company to re- view the potential for the establish- ment of a rail stop at Crusheen”, he SrALGe

The minister said he had also re- ceived confirmation from larnrod Eireann that it would be keen to work with developers who would fund a Station scheme, as is the case at a number of locations elsewhere on the national rail network. ;

“Recent reports that Iarnrod Eire- ann has categorically ruled out the future opening of arail stop at Crush- een could not have been further from the truth.

“The company has expressed its willingness to consider any evidence supporting the establishment of a rail stop at Crusheen, as part of sched- uled passenger services between En- OVA BaLG aN H Slo) OD ae

He added that there remained a strong case for the provision of a rail

stop in Crusheen.

‘Two stops are being provided for between Gort and Athenry and none on the very long stretch of railway between Ennis to Gort.

‘“Crusheen is an ideal location for people coming from Ruan, Corofin, Tubber, Boston and elsewhere in North Clare as well as Tulla and oth- er areas of East Clare’, Mr Killeen concluded.

Track renewal works on the first phase of the Western Rail Corridor project started late last year and are expected to take 18 to 24 months to complete.

Once completed, an expected seven trains per day will travel from Ennis to Athenry with stops at Gort, Ardra- han and Craughwell.

A BRIGHT future is forecast for AskMoby.com after the Ennis based company made a major impact at the world’s largest communications show in Barcelona.

The Ennis firm has developed de- tailed accurate digital weather fore- casting and is now targeting the glo- bal mobile phone market after taking part in Barcelona.

Located in the Ballymaley Indus- trial Park, AskMoby.com has devel- oped a global reputation providing detailed weather forecast and analy- sis for a variety of industries.

AskMoby.com is a free weather forecast service from Nowcasting International based in Ballymaley.

It is designed for mobile phones providing a forecast for the area in which the receiver is located and re- lated to the specific activity picked by users, who should log onto www. askmoby.com on their mobile phones and click the appropriate choices. Hourly forecasts are provided and there are choices of detailed maps, Synoptic charts and satellite pic- RUN KeNe

Minister for Trade Enterprise and Employment Micheal Martin, TD was on hand in Barcelona to support the efforts of AskMoby.com to tar- get new markets. More than 60,000 delegates from the top international mobile phone networks attended the World Mobile Congress.

Paying tribute to the companies

team of 12 people at the Ballymaley Industrial Park Minister Martin said they had developed a cutting edge product which has huge potential worldwide.”

“The mobile phone sector is one of the fasting growing in Ireland with exports doubling since 2005 to €280 million. Companies such as AskMoby are at the forefront of our efforts to remain at the forefront of this rapidly growing industry. The Clare based company already has a worldwide reputation for providing high tech weather forecasts for oil and gas sector as well as shipping. It is now delivering forecasts to mobile phones. The forecasts can be as spe- cific and detailed as the user wants.”

Minster Martin said the reputation

of companies like AskMoby.com was an important factor in Ireland’s ability to compete in the global tel- ecommunications market place. ‘“AskMoby is one of 21 Irish firms who made important contacts with the world’s leading mobile phone networks in Barcelona. They trav- elled to congress with the support of Enterprise Ireland.”

“Such companies are important if we are to ensure that we continue delivering quality jobs for people in communities across Clare and around the country’, concluded Min- ister Martin.

WATER levels covering the flooded Ennis to Limerick rail line rose this weekend, despite almost two weeks without rain.

It now looks like the estimated 600 Clare commuters who use the serv- ice each day will face a further two

weeks’ wait before normal service will be restored.

Commuters have been forced to use bus transfers for more than a week, following severe flooding of sections of the track as a result of heavy rain earlier this month.

Some of the flooding is more than 17 inches in depth with little or no

drop reported to date.

“We are still monitoring the situ- ation closely and it appears that the flooding is starting to level out at least. We recorded a quarter-inch rise in water levels on the track over the weekend,” said business develop- ment manager with larnrod Eireann in Limerick, Jim Gallivan.

“This is a very minor change and indications are that the amount of flooding is starting to level off. The water at the moment is 17 inches above the track level and we will have to wait for that to subside before service can be restored.

“The next few days should tell a lot. We have had two weeks of fairly good weather but the major rivers are still very full with water around the oe) Aaa

Meanwhile,

TEACHERS and students at Clare Music Makers will be looking to build on 14 years of achievement and acclaim at the Feis Ceoil in March.

IN 1993, founding directors And- rea Creech and Tony Ovenell accept- ed the first classes of young classical music students into the new Ennis music school, Clare Music Makers (CMM).

In the 15 years since that date there have been many changes in the teaching staff and hundreds of new students. Many of these stu- dents have moved on to national and international post secondary music schools and into music teaching and performance careers.

Consistent however has been the erowing national reputation of Ennis and CMM as centre of excellence in teaching music.

Each year CMM students, at all performing levels, have been award- ed a high number of honours at major Irish festivals, including Féile Lu- inmi (Limerick), Feis Maitt) (Cork) and Feis Ceoil (Dublin).

There was further national rec- ognition of CMM’s high standards at recent festivals in Limerick and Cork for students of Danette Eddy (violin), Tanja Fritschi (flute), Fred Hannford (brass), Marta Lalek (vio- lin), Michael Joyce (piano), Teddy McCoy (flute) and Catriona Moloney (violin).

Flute players entering Feile Luinmi

included Sinead McAteer, under 16 silver medal, Madeleine Arkins, un- der 14 gold medal, Alice Twomey, under 14 bronze medal, Eimear Ca- sey, under 12 silver medal and Orla Bredin, highly commended in the under 12 category.

Violinists entering Feéeile Luimni included Crea Sullivan, under 9 gold medal. Crea shared the bronze med- al with Hannah Bredin in the under 11 category and Heidi O’Dwyer was highly commended in this same cat- egory.

Abbie O’Sullivan won the silver medal and Emerald Kennedy was commended in the under 13.

Michelle Heffernan won the silver medal in the under 15. Michelle also received the silver medal and Bron-

wyn Power won the gold medal in the prestigious Bernard Cup. Cellist Hannah Ryan was awarded the silver medal in the under 15 category.

Trumpet player Roisin Phelan re- ceived the gold medal in the under 14 category and pianist Donal McHugh received the gold medal in the under 17 category.

In addition Donal was awarded third place in the under 17 category Feis Maitu in Cork.

At the same competition, CMM v1- olin students Crea Sullivan won the silver medal in the under 9 catego- ry. Abbie Sullivan won silver in the under 13 and Darelle Colleran was awarded a certificate in the under 13. Michelle Heffernan won a silver medal in the under 15 category.

aETSMR OU Tes Ona neren A price check carried out by north Clare county councillor, Martin Con- way (FG), revealed that a single one- way ticket from Maynooth to Dublin costs just €3, compared to a fare of €8.60 from Ennis to Limerick. This is despite both journeys covering roughly the same distance and run- ning high levels of occupancy. In addition to this, a day return ticket from Maynooth to Dublin

coast €5.40 compared to €15.70 for the same type of ticket on the Ennis to Limerick line.

“This is a clear example of double standards for people living in Clare and is not encouraging people to take the environmental option. If it was a private company operating the rail service, it would be a different story but this service is funded by all the tax-payers in the country, not just the people in Dublin,” said Cllr Soe

“What we have here is a situation where the taxpayer in the east of the country 1s effectively getting a dis- count compared to the taxpayer in Clare. This is a public State-spon-

sored body. There should be no argu- ment about this. It’s a criminal situ- ation, totally unbelievable when you consider the amount of people who use this service.”

Responding to the survey, business development manager with larnrod Eireann in Limerick, Jim Gallivan, claimed that rates on the Ennis-Lim- erick line compared favourable to bus charges on the route.

“We feel that this survey is not comparing like with like. They are different categories of stations. The Maynooth to Dublin service is an in- ter-urban service while the Ennis to Limerick service 1s an inter-city serv- ice,’ he said. “The rates we have on

the Ennis to Limerick service com- pare well to the bus service between Ennis and Limerick and the route has proved very popular to date.”

Cllr Conway has called for a pay- per-kilometre system to be intro- duced. ““Irain fares throughout the country should be charged on a per- kilometre basis, not discriminating against people in different parts on the country,’ he said yesterday.

“If we are talking about real equity in this situation, this is the only way that we can continue. I am now call- ing on Minister Tony Kileen and his colleague Timmy Dooley to raise this matter with Noel Dempsey as a matter of urgency.”

A YOUNG man was knocked down and killed by a car driven by his girl- friend, in Kilkee, a court has heard.

Ennis Circuit Court was told that Stephen O’Reilly (24), from Tallaght in Dublin, was on a week-long holi- day with his girlfriend and two oth- ers, in January 2007.

He and a friend were standing on a footpath on O’Connell Street, Kilkee, when his girlfriend Denise O’ Reilly – who was driving his Honda Civic car – approached the two.

Mr O’Reilly stepped onto the road and she struck him and knocked him oleae

Ms O’Reilly (20), of White Brooke Park, Tallaght, Dublin, pleaded guilty

to careless driving and drink driving, arising out of the accident, in the ear- ly hours of January 30, 2007.

Ms O’Reilly, a clerical administra- tor, entered the plea, just before she had been due to go on trial for dan- gerous driving causing the death of her boyfriend.

She was banned from driving for two years and fined €2,000, after the court was told that the parents of the deceased accepted it was a tragic ac- cident.

Garda John Convey said the de- fendant and another girl had gone for a drive in Stephen O’Reilly’s car, having been socialising earlier in the night.

As they returned to where they had been staying, Mr O’Reilly and his

friend were standing on the foot- ortaee

“Mr O’Reilly stepped out on to the road and was killed,” said the garda.

He said the accident occurred on a straight stretch of road and driving conditions were good at the time.

He said that the accused told gardai there was little she could have done to avoid the pedestrian. She was “very traumatised” by the incident and admitted driving the car when the accident occurred.

The couple had been together for several years and knew each other’s ie Teeb eR lony

Ms O’Reilly’s Counsel told the court that the parents of the deceased man accepted it was an accident and are supportive of the defendant.

The court was told that analysis of a sample of urine produced by the defendant showed a concentration of 116 mgms of alcohol per 100 mls of Vem alee

Judge Rory McCabe said the inci- dent was tragic. “I’m afraid we read about it every weekend, this type of event happening, a combination of youth, alcohol and possibly inexperi- ence,’ he said.

“A young man lost his life. No-one intended it to happen but it did,” he Sr AKOE

However he said he did not believe it would be appropriate to send the accused to prison.

He imposed fines totalling €2,000 and disqualified her from driving for two years.

THERE was a large attendance of approx 120 people at the emergency public meeting of the Killone Group Water Scheme, held at the Commu- nity Centre, Ballyea.

Waters shortages have affected around 3300 homes, farms and small commercial businesses in recent weeks. Supply from the plant installed last year, at a cost of €900,000, on Killone Lake is not meeting the high demand in the area.

The plant was designed to meet a demand of 180 cubic metres per day. It is estimated current demand for water in the area is 300 cubic metres per day.

Arsing from the meeting, the Kil- lone Group Water scheme are seek- ing a meeting with the officials from EPS, the firm who designed, built and currently operate to station.

The meeting proposed and _ sec- onded local businessman Michael Sheedy to the role of Chairperson and Cllr. Paul Murphy was called upon

to take the minutes. Past and present committees were also thanked for all of their work throughout the years.

The current shortfall in water was then addressed. Murt Reddington outlined how at present only 288 m3 per day was being produced and that there was a need for 360 m3 per day. As a result the problem being posed is how the water is to be shared amongst the community.

Homes in Dara have also been af- fected by the shortages.

Deputies Joe Carey, Tony Killeen,

Pat Breen and Timmy Dooley all ad- dressed the meeting and spoke of the need for all parties involved to pull together and iron out any problems.

Joe Carey TD then proposed that meetings should be sought with of- ficials from the firm EPS who are in charge of the pump station and also with officials of Clare County Coun- cil to try and fast track a solution to this ongoing problem.

A number of volunteers were also appointed to the committee to spread the workload

RAIL services between Ennis and Limerick are not expected to resume for another “three to four days” be- cause of continued severe flooding of a section of the line near Newmarket on Fergus. ;

Last week, Iarnrod Eireann halted services between Ennis and Limer- ick “at least until Sunday” (February 10) due to flooding of the tracks at Ballycar. ;

A spokesperson for Iarnréd Eire- ann passenger services in Limerick said yesterday, “It will be at least another three to four days before the line can reopen as part of the track was still under 11 inches of water on Sunday.”

The company has said it is monitor- ing the situation daily.

An estimated 600 commuters from Ennis and Limerick use nine daily services on the line.

Residents in the Ballycar area are also suffering with the roadway out- side their homes submerged under more than a foot of water in at least three locations. The road remains impassable for cars with some locals now parking some distance from their homes and crossing neighbours’ properties to get to their own homes. Locals say flooding on this scale may not have occurred since 1955.

‘The water appears to be rising all the time. It is still coming off the land and crossing the road into the lake which I haven’t seen this high in many years. I can’t see the water dropping enough for trains to pass for a week or two yet,’ one local resi- dent said yesterday.

Local councillor Pat McMahon has accused Iarnro6d Eireann of short-sightedness in allowing past problems of flooding at Ballycar, of which they were aware, to affect services again.

“This area is prone to flooding at the best of times and I know larnrod Eireann has raised the line in this area in the past. I remember attend- ing meetings on this issue one of which was attended by the minister of the day but that was over 15 years ago,’ Councillor McMahon said.

“In a few years we will have an intercity connection between Lim- erick and Galway and we have to be sure that people won’t have to be ‘bussed’ from station to station be- cause of flooding on the rail lines.

“When Jarnrod Eireann upgraded the Ennis to Limerick line, they un- dertook to carry out a review of the flooding issues at Ballycar. As far as I know this has not happened and I would call on the company to do so as a matter of urgency,” Councillor McMahon said.