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ALMOST a decade after the pro- posal was first mooted, Clare County Council is set to move into its new €27 million headquarters before the end of the month.

Already, the council’s various di- rectorates are making the logistical moves to transfer staff to the new HQ for January 23. Michael McNa- mara & Co builders aim to meet the project deadline of having the new HQ completed by this month. The

council’s former HQ was demolished in June 2006.

The county’s mayor, Cllr Patri- cia McCarthy, said last night: “It is looking very impressive and I’m confident that the council’s Febru- WA Vap 8 Oleco1 BU OTSMM UUM oloms O(o) COMBE OREO CoMDIToAYY Council chamber.

“T would hope that the new head- quarters will act as a focal point, not just for Ennis but for the county. The previous headquarters were dreadful and now for the first time in many years, all the council staff will be

under one roof.”

Cllr McCarthy added: “The new HQ will provide excellent facilities and are a vast improvement on what has gone before.”

The complex deal with Michael McNamara & Co allows the coun- cil to buy back the building over 35 years. Cllr McCarthy said: “It is a complicated deal, but it was the only way the council could achieve the construction of a new headquarters because we couldn’t continue paying the exorbitant rents for offices in En-

eae

She said that the new HQ will be eco-friendly, and she hoped it would act as a one-stop shop for industrial- ists touring Clare.

Over the past two years the Coun- cil’s 900 employees have been based in offices located at various venues resulting in inconvenience for cus- tomers and staff alike.

While the provision of the new headquarters will form just a small part of the McNamara construction portfolio this year, the project will

undoubtedly have some sentimental value for Bernard McNamara, chief executive of Michael McNamara & Co, Ireland’s fourth largest construc- tion company.

The company was established by Bernard’s late father, Michael in the 1940s. Bernard served as a council- lor from 1974 to 1985, when he opted not to run for re-election due to his growing business commitments. He also unsuccessfully contested the 1981 General Election for Fianna Fail, polling 2,676 votes.

WHILE businesses nationally were complaining of a slow Christmas trade, the west Clare capital was celebrating one of its busiest festive seasons in recent years.

“Given all the gloom and pessi- mism nationally we were pleasantly surprised to find Christmas trade slightly up on last year,’ said one busy retailer.

Kilrush Chamber of Commerce

reported that the businesses of the town were very pleased with trade this year.

PRO for the chamber Charles Glynn lay some of the success with the new designer Christmas lights which added new life to the town.

“It gave us as terrific boost,” he Sr HLGe

A special promotion day on Decem- ber 16 also started off the Christmas trade in style as shoppers availed of 20 per cent off at most shops.

While last year the west Clare capi- tal may have had to recycle decade old lights this year its residents and visitors had a state of the art LED lighting display to bring festive cheer to the town.

Designing the display for the mari- time town took a lot of planning, with challenges like the width of Francis Street having to be overcome.

The lights will be installed in two stages with the majority of the work already completed this year.

The main streets were lit up for December 2007, with smaller streets catered for in the second phase.

Kilrush Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Kilrush Town Council is currently undertaking the ambitious “Spirit of Kilrush Christ- mas Lighting Project’.

Th project is being supported by generous sponsorship from ESB Moneypoint, Kilrush Credit Union and other smaller businesses in the area.

WHAT a difference a year makes. This time last year, Tony Consid- ine began his tenure in earnest with a three point victory over UCC but that day events off the field proved to be just as important than those on it as before the game a number of non-players including sponsor Pat O’Donnell were asked to leave the dressing room. In hindsight, it was a storm in a tea cup but it did prove to be the beginning of the end of an ar- duous and controversial reign for the Cratloe man.

A year on and Mike McNamara and his new management team have learned the lessons of their predeces- sors. It may have been the same result in the same venue but it was a much more satisfying win for the county as a fresh, young Clare side recorded a four point win over UL. The result was always going to be important but not as crucial as the performance. Despite the poor weather, it was a jo- vial Mike McNamara who addressed the waiting media to evaluate Clare’s first competitive game of the year.

“It’s always nice to win but I sup- pose the manner of the victory was

probably more pleasing. To know that some of the younger players have what is required even in Janu- ary 1S very pleasing and the fact that UL put up the challenge they did, made it a nice game.”

In addition to a confident, hungry performance, Clare scored 20 points over the hour, an impressive tally on any day but especially so against such a talented side as UL, something that McNamara also noted.

“Well, you have to be talking about a 20 point tally if you want to win matches in the league and further down the road in the championship. Twenty points in an hour is a good tally but we have a lot of work to do, of that there is no doubt. If we could pick real pluses from today, it was that nearly all of the new boys were the fellas who performed well on the day.

“By this time next year, they won’t be new boys anymore so they will have to take a step forward now but we will be using the competition for that purpose.

“Again we have quite a large panel so it’s important that fellas are allowed a chance

to show what they have before we have to reduce the panel. It is vital that newer members get experience which will benefit them a year or two down the road.”

While McNamara was obviously impressed with Clare’s display, he was also quick to praise UL who put up such a strong challenge over the tolune

In particular, the two Clare players who represented their college over county as part of the competition MUN she

“The college players are the stars of the teams, you only have to look at the line-out of UL today to see that they are starstudded. Everyone in their own right will play a part in their own county including our own few out there today who were promi- patos 01d

With that a wry smile broke out on his face as he quipped: “So eve- rything about it was pleasing and I suppose the fact that we can get away without controversy was pleasing as well.”

THE kind (and brave) hearts of the people of north Clare were very much to the fore over the festive season with a host of charity events.

Over the past two weeks thousands have cycled, ran, walked and plunged into the icy waters of the Atlantic in aid of a variety of good causes.

On Sunday, a good crowd turned out in Fanore to take part in the sixth annual charity 10k walk in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society. All funds from this year’s walk will go towards help- ing to develop and extend day care, home care and respite services in the Orem Keale)F

A few hours later, Sharon Shannon and the Begley family took to the stage in Purcells Bar in Ruan to help raise some much-needed money for Sr Ethel Normoyle’s Building for Hope project in South Africa.

Another person raising money for the trip to Africa is Corofin’s Gerry Daffy, who hosted a successful golf classic in Woodstock on Saturday. There is still time to support Gerry, as a song and storytelling night takes place in Bofey Quinns in Corofin this Friday, January 11, before he flies out to South Africa next Monday.

Terrible weather conditions could not stop around 200 people from taking part in the Burren Char-

ity Challenge on December 29. All proceeds from this year’s challenge are going to CancerCare West and Tallaght Breast Unit in Dublin.

The main winners on the day were Eoghan Considine (Galway Triath- lon) and Aideen McCarthy (Lim- erick Triathlon) who won the men’s and women duathlon (40km cycle and 10km walk) and Gerald Daly (Whitegate) and Marie Carey (Ennis Track Club) who took the man’s and women’s 10k competition respec- tively.

Even on Christmas Day hundreds turned out for charitable events all over north Clare.

A huge crowd of close to 200

swimmers took to the cold waters of Liscannor bay for the annual Christ- mas Day swim.

The swim, which is the largest and longest running charity swim in Clare, was this year organised in aid of the Clare Crusaders and in memory of Howard Flannery.

Not to be outdone, just as Clare’s oldest Christmas Day swim was coming to a close in Lahinch, Clare’s newest event was just beginning in Doolin.

A good-sized crowd of hardy souls took to the waters around Doolin in an effort to help raise money for the St Breckans GAA Club Field Devel- opment Committee.

FOLLOWING the Government climb-down on the water charges issue in primary schools before Christmas, farmers have launched a fresh campaign seeking a transitional period to be introduced governing the payment of water charges. Speaking last week, IFA Con- naught vice president Michael Silke said that contradictory comments made by various Government min- isters and Department of Environ- ment officials over the last number of weeks have caused further confusion as to the extent to which the penal

watering charging regime needs to be introduced. “Local authorities now recognise the excessive charges which are being imposed on farmers and are supporting the Irish Farm- ers’ Association (IFA) in our plight for fair and equitable water charging for all,” he said.

“This Government and the De- partment of the Environment have allowed local authorities to unfairly impose an inequitable domestic wa- ter usage restriction on farm families while every other user of local au- thority water has unlimited usage.”

Mr Silke has been critical of the local authority meter charges and

the charge for leaking water asso- ciated with the inadequate water Hevea KieueCe MUD KSs

“It is ludicrous to expect the farming community to pay for years of underinvestment in water infra- structure. It is ridiculous that farmers are expected to pay for the antiquat- ed leaking water pipes and the water, which never even reaches the farm. Farmers are not prepared to pay for water leakage or infrastructure,” Mr Silke added.

“The new water charging regime proposed by local authorities lacks clarity, varies 1n each county and penalises farmers for the excessive

water leakage of some 64 per cent, which local authorities have in their water infrastructure.

“IT cannot see how this Government can justify various levels of water charges, which for the average dairy farmer in a county such as Sligo will make it more than €1,500 more expensive to produce and process milk for drinking than other neigh- bouring countries.

“Until local authorities and the min- ister for the environment propose a reasonable water charging regime for farmers the IFA are advising farm- ers to pay the annual flat rates which were 1n place in previous years.”

AFTER an almost flawless start, Clare now await the winners of Thursday’s preliminary round be- tween LIT and Cork. UL provided sturdy resistence on Sunday but the real test of this young Clare side will come this Sunday when they face far more experienced opposition in the form of either Fitzgibbon Cup hold- ers LIT or perennial superpowers Cork.

The current strike involving the Cork footballers and hurlers means that the Cork County Board is con- sidering fielding an Under 21 side in Thursday’s rescheduled fixture but

this will only happen if the proposal is agreed to by the striking players and manager Gerald McCarthy. It’s a perilous situation for the Rebels who are unwilling to send an alternative senior side in case it enflames the sit- uation further. However, the county board equally does not want to give a walkover either for the first time in their history.

This situation can only benefit LIT who are currently the Fitzgibbon and Higher Division 1 League holders. Managed by Davy Fitzgerald, assist- ed by Cyril Farrell, LIT are on a rich vein of form as they prepare for this year’s Fitzgibbon Cup campaign. Drawn in a potentially tough group

with UL and WIT, the Waterford Crystal competition provides ample competitive preparation for that tour- nament and therefore, LIT will be keen to progress. They have exited at the quarter-final stage for the last two years but with confidence high in the camp, they will be optimistic of go- ing a lot further this year.

Aside from Davy Fitzgerald’s in- volvement, there are also several Clare connections on the playing side. Enda Collins (Killanena), Gary O’Connell (Wolfe Tones), Jona- thon Clancy (Clarecastle), James McInerney (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Bernard Gaffney (Newmarket-on- Fergus) and Blaine Earley (Tubber)

have all featured prominently for the college this year while they also can call on Ivor White (St Josephs Doo- ra/Barefield), Conor Tierney (Kilna- mona), Eamon Glynn (Kilnamona) and Andrew Fahy (Whitegate). All will want to make an impression on the new Clare management team if they can overcome the Rebels on Thursday. Add in Galway stars Joe Canning and Niall Healy and on pa- per at least, they should prove to be a very tricky obstacle to the Banner’s advancement.

Whoever emerges from the re- scheduled fixture will be worthy opponents but Clare side will be de- termined to remain in the competi-

tion with coveted league places up for grabs for their first round game against Galway on February 10.

THERE’S still time to start 2008 in a healthy and charitable fashion — just by taking part in the fifth annual New Year’s Charity Walk, which takes place this Sunday, January 13, in Toonagh.

The walk, which is organised each year by Breda McCullough, allows walkers to take three distinct routes designed to suit every level of fit- ness.

All the proceeds from this year’s walk will go towards equipment for St Clare’s School, which will help to prepare some of the county’s most

dedicated young athletes to take part in the Special Olympics movement.

“The Special Olympics is expand- ing all the time and we are hoping to raise enough money to fund new equipment and gear for the young children in all the different events. It will allow them to keep being involved and more and more children are getting involved all the time,” said Ms McCullough.

“I organise a different fundraiser each year for local charities. In the past I have raised money for things like the Clarecastle Day Care Cen- tre and for the Clare Branch of the Sunset Foundation.

“The walk starts in Toonagh Hall and finishes there as well. We have a two-mile, a three-mile and a six-and- a-half mile walk, so we have some- thing to suit everyone.

“It’s a beautiful walk, it goes around by Dysert Church, Dysert Castle and the high cross as well. You have the old monastery and the graveyard up there, so besides being a lovely walk there is a lot of interesting things for people to see.”

Registration for the race takes place from 11.30am at Toonagh Hall on Sunday morning, with the walk itself set to start at 12.30pm. Launching this year’s walk will be Mary’s son,

Conrad, who has himself already gained both national and interna- tional success as part of the Special Olympics movement.

“We don’t have sponsorship cards SO we are asking people to just come along on the day itself. It’s usually three euro to walk but people can donate whatever they want. Altogeth- er, we are hoping to raise as much as €3,500,” added Ms McCullough.

“My son Conrad, who is involved in the Special Olympics, is a special needs child in St Clare’s School. He usually comes along and starts the race and also likes to help out a lot on the day.”

FARMERS are being encouraged to place an embargo on cattle being sold to factories — unless a major price increase is forthcoming.

Stock levels being sold to factories are currently at very low levels and any further decrease in the supply coming to factories could result in shortages of Irish beef in the home market.

Last Thursday, IFA president Pad- raig Walshe said that Irish farmers are not prepared to Sell cattle with- out a substantial price increase. Mr Walshe said that with finished cat- tle supplies extremely tight, factory

procurement managers and agents are finding it impossible to get stock at current price levels ranging from €2.97/kg (06p/Ib) to €3.14/kg (112p/Ib).

“Finished cattle supplies are ex- tremely scarce and farmers with cat- tle to sell have something factories desperately need. There was a full sell-out of beef in both the UK and domestic markets over the Christ- mas period and there is nothing left in stock,” he said.

“Brazil is now out of the picture and retailers cannot plan for any availability of Brazilian beef consid- ering the recent decision of the EU Grosenbeebicsy (eye mae

IFA National Livestock Commit- tee Chairman John Bryan said cat- tle feeders are determined to secure higher prices for finished stock to cover the substantial feed price in- creases this year and leave a reason- able margin.

The cost of finishing cattle has increased greatly, especially in the winter, as the cost of feed has risen greatly across Europe. This increase is a result of a scarceness in corn, due to poor weather conditions across Europe in 2007 and the loss of a number of traditional corn pro- ducers to bio-fuel.

“Brazil is now out of the equa- tion. Finished cattle supplies are not

available in any volumes in either Ireland or the UK and retail demand remains very strong,’ said Mr Bry- 2aOe

‘Factories had the power on price prior to Christmas with large num- bers of cattle coming off grass. The price power balance has now shifted to the farmer. Cattle numbers are scarce and farmers must demand a major price increase.

‘Factories need the cattle and now is the time for cattle farmers to insist on a price that covers production costs and leave a reasonable margin. Factories need to respond posi- tively to ensure a year-round cattle

supply.”

THE driving force in_ Bridget Sweeney’s life is her “Burrenview’ bed and breakfast business in Bally- vaughan and she proved it when pick- ing up her latest award last month.

On her way to an end-of-year awards function for the Tourism Learning Network, her car broke down. Yet just a few weeks before she had won a new car in a national newspaper competition. But Bridget opted to convert the car prize into cash, which she invested in the com- fort of her guests rather than her own driving convenience.

Not even the breakdown halted Bridget. Still stained with oil and

erime when she finally arrived in Limerick’s Castletroy Park Hotel, she was stunned to learn that she was one of three award winners chosen from the 25-strong membership of the Clare Tourism Learning Network.

Winning ways are nothing new to Bridget, from Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan, who was the leader of an award-winning customer care team in the telecoms industry before she used the proceeds of an early retire- ment package to finance her dream of running a B&B in the Burren.

She took on the job of project manager for the conversion and refurbishment of ‘Burrenview’ which opened in 2006 and was an award winner within its first year.

The five-bedroom B&B with dis- ability access in all en-suite rooms won a ‘Welcome Award’ from Failte Ireland as well as getting a ‘highly recommended’ endorsement from Family Homes of Ireland.

Before she opened her doors to paying guests, Bridget conducted a series of test-runs to weed out any problems or shortcomings for her as a newcomer to the tourist trade. She invited well-travelled friends and family to visit and provide feedback.

“They told me what they thought of how I greeted them on arrival, how I informed them about what was on offer in the area, the comfort of the bedrooms and the quality of the breakfast,” she said.

Bridget’s winning ways have also helped to fit out Burrenview. She has a flair for dreaming up winning slo- gans. Her prize from one competition provided the furniture for the patio looking out over the Burren, while light fittings and an aquarium were also won in slogan competitions.

Bridget received her ‘Tourism Learning Network award for her achievement in developing a boutique bed and breakfast venture at New- town, Ballyvaughan. Other winners presented with their awards by Clare Mayor, Councillor Patricia McCa- rthy, were Davnet Cronin O’Brien of Clonlara Equestrian Centre and John Davoren of Caherconnell Fort in the Burren.4

GREEN Party councillor, Brian Meaney has accused his party col- league, Energy Minister, Eamon Ryan of showing little sensitivity towards the Shannon Heathrow controversy.

Cllr Meaney made the charge yes- terday after Minister Ryan admitted that he went and relaxed on a beach during a family holiday last August after hearing about the Aer Lingus decision to axe the Shannon-Heath- row service.

In a radio interview last week, Minister Ryan said, “I turned on the

radio every morning and heard that Shannon was top of the news. I’d just turn off the radio and go back to the beach and relax for the day so I had a lovely holiday. It was a great break.”

The minister’s remarks have pro- voked an angry reaction from Clare’s mayor, Cllr Patricia McCarthy and yesterday Cllr Meaney said, “Minis- ter Ryan’s remarks showed little sen- sitivity to the issue and to those who gave up their annual holidays to try to save the slots.”

Cllr Meaney said that Minister Ryan’s decision to relax on a beach

after hearing of the Shannon-Heath- row controversy reflected the attitude of the political establishment to the crisis last year.

Cllr Meaney said, “Minister Ry- an’s remarks were off the cuff and he could have chosen his words more or Nacsa veh Yam

Cllr Meaney said that the failure of the political establishment to act on the Shannon issue reinforces his belief that there is a certain indiffer- ence to the mid-west from Dublin.

In the aftermath of the Aer Lingus decision during the summer, Cllr Meaney said that he is considering

his future within the Greens and he confirmed yesterday that he hasn’t made his mind up on his future.

He said, “The Shannon-Heathrow controversy precipitated my thinking about my future within the Greens and other issues that will affect my decision include how the Greens view the upcoming referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.”

Cllr Meaney said that there was very little that the Government could have done on the Shannon-Heathrow issue in the face of the Aer Lingus management transferring the slots by stealth.