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THE innovative village of Miltown Malbay has produced yet another first this week – a new Family Re- course Centre.

The newly finished state-of-the-art building will provide a variety of Support services to parents from the area, including childcare facilities, a home work club, internet café and a meeting room.

The brainchild of a number of lo-

cal women, Spraoi Family Resource Centre, has the capacity to care for 80 children in total.

Project co-ordinator Francis Mc- Mahon said that for years working parents had to bring their children to Inagh and Toonagh for childcare.

‘There was no pre-school for our kids,” she said.

In September 1999, a group of five local women decided to open a pre- school.

They registered with the Pre-School

Association and rented a room from the community centre.

The determined group approached the health board for a grant after which they renovated the room and employed two play leaders, a special needs assistant and other staff.

The service was so popular locally the group had to rent a second room for the 36 children enrolled.

Realising the success to date the ambitious group carried out a feasi- bility study of the area to see what

1 ADE GM mis (Con LoKom ie LUUNKCOE

Leasing the land from the VEC the Spraoi committee set about building the new unit onto the West Clare Re- course Centre.

With the support of letters and emails from the local community the group received grant aid for the building in 2005.

The equipment for the new centre was sourced locally. The complete project cost €750,000 to build.

Even before the new centre, which opens this week, was advertised peo- ple were registering their children from as far away as Doonbeg and OT rer

The innovated centre will not just cater for working parents, but will provide a drop off service for parents who wish to go shopping or keep ap- pointments and require a baby-sit- ting service.

Children will also be dropped off to school and picked up in the evening.

The centre contains a baby sleep and awake room for nine babies, 20 “waddlers” for children aged nine months to two years and pre-school facilities for 40 children and after- school facilities for 20 more chil- Chon

Spraoi will employ 16 full time staff, eight part time staff, a man- ager, office and admin staff, a cook and a cleaner. Further information contact 065 7079893.

HIS first steps as an inter-county manager and though Clare didn’t ex- actly take a scalp at Miltown, Frank Doherty and his players walked away under a heavy sky with a victory. Job done and the importance of the win is noticeable.

After more than two months on the training fields of Clare, defeat against UCC could have dented morale and

stifled early season progression and Doherty recognises the importance of a healthy start.

“I think it was clear to everyone that we tried to play football when- ever we had the chance,’ he says. “I thought for the first outing of the year, the lads did reasonably well. I knew we were physical enough and we had the fitness work done, but you never know how lads are going to perform. The first 20 minutes we were well on

top and had four or five points of a lead built up and then lads kind of slipped into the comfort zone.

“They sat back and coasted for the rest of the half and that gave UCC the chance to get back into the game.”

If there was any lingering fear that Clare might be turned over in the second-half, it slowly became obvi- ous that Clare’s grip on the game wouldn’t slip. Again, Doherty drew confidence from this.

“We tagged on three points in the second-half and UCC only got one, SO we were well on top. We didn’t give them much opportunity to cre- ate anything from play but the second half was tough going. The pitch cut up, it was difficult to hop the ball.

“UCC will have high aspirations for the Sigerson Cup and they’ve a lot of work done themselves. That’s why I felt we needed to have a couple of months training to compete with the colleges. In ways, it’s easier for students to train compared to inter- county players. The Clare lads have jobs to hold down and training to go to and the physical demands are tougher.

“IT know from my own time with NUIG that colleges have a lot of training done before Christmas and in fairness to Clare, the lads bat- tled hard and the work paid off. Our forwards ran hard and closed their backs down well. Fitness wasn’t an issue for us.”

David Russell, who watched the game from the terrace, hasn’t been part of the Clare set-up to date this season and Doherty is asked what the situation is with the Kilkee player.

“T’ve nothing to add really. I haven’t made any contact with David Russell and I’ve always said that the panel hasn’t been finalised. The door is open for everybody in Clare. If some- body plays well in the club league or wherever, we’ll give them an oppor- aUb av AA

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.

THE Clare Citizens information Centres are advising local shoppers that their consumer rights don’t go away if they are tempted by bargains in the New Year sales.

With the New Year sales taking erip of the county, the network of advice centres receive a lot of que- ries from shoppers in relation to their consumer rights at this time of year. Their basic message 1s that if a sales item turns out to be faulty, the shop must offer a refund, repair or replacement. According to Informa- tion Service manager, Paul Woulfe, some shops put up signs during their sales along the lines of ‘No money refunded’, “No refunds during sales’, ‘No exchange’ or ‘No liability ac- cepted for faulty goods’.

‘These signs can give the impres- sion that you don’t have certain consumer rights. So the shop may be committing an offence in using them, and could face prosecution.

“If goods turn out to be faulty, consumers are entitled to ask for a refund, replacement or repair. If the shop still refuses to give you one of these three options, report it to the Director of Consumer Affairs. You are not entitled to an exchange (or

a refund or a credit note) simply be- cause you change your mind about something you’ve bought. So double- check the shop’s refund policy before buying anything in the sales’, added Paul Woulfle

‘Some shops do allow you to ex- change goods that you’ve had second thoughts about, but remember that it is at their discretion and they do this as a goodwill gesture. If the product is faulty, you are entitled to a replace- ment, a repair or a full refund. You don’t have to take a credit note, even if the shop assistant insists, “this is our policy’.

“Stock with a reduced price in the winter sales must have been on offer for the advertised original price for at least a month before the price was KeLeLU(eolem

‘For example, shops are not al- lowed to have a label or sign on a product saying ‘reduced by 30 per cent’ if this 1s the first time that they are Selling this particular product. If you lose your receipt, your rights still apply. The shop is entitled to see proof of purchase, but this can be a credit card bill or a bank statement,” Mr Woulfe explained.

CLARE owners enjoyed big suc- cess at an exciting day’s coursing in Cloncullen last Thursday.

Favourite Clare Man was pipped in the final of the South Clare Cup by Valverdes, owned by Anthony and Denis Clohessey and Michael and Martin Madigan from Killimer.

Valverdes had earlier received a bye run to the final after the Clare- castle owned Murty’s Shadow was withdrawn while Clareman edged

out Caeser Mac in the semi-final to book a final spot.

There was success for the SAM syndicate from Clarecastle when Bird’s Baby clinched the Oaks ticket for Clonmel.

Trained by Gerry Holihan for John Quinn, Woodpark Rebel was again in top form, winning out the South Clare All-aged Bitch Stake.

The win over Crafty Montico books a place in the Champion Stake in Clonmel for Woodpark Rebel.

Former Clare hurling manager

Anthony Daly is another who will be heading to Clonmel. Murty’s for One, owned by the ATM syndicate of Anthony and Michael Daly and Tommy Howard had already guar- anteed a place in the Boylesports Derby after winning at the Galway and Oranmore meeting.

Daly, along with fellow owners Stephen and Martin Sheedy will have another interest in Clonmel after the SAM syndicate owned Bird’s Baby beat of stiff competition for a spot in the Clonmel Minealla Oaks.

In the final Bird’s Baby saw off the challenge of the Miltown Malbay owned Dalcash Shannon by three lengths.

The reserve derby was won by the Scattery Syndicate from Kil- limer with Scattery Hyland which beat Siena’s Steel owned by Co- oraclare brothers John and Michael O’ Donoghue.

However there was joy for Coora- clare when Riverdale Honcho won the Cloncullen Stake for one and two course dogs and bitches, for owners

Michael and Fiona Meaney.

Fisherman’s Ace won the final of the working members stake for Kil- kee owner Joe Harte.