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WHEN Santa landed with his sleigh in Killaloe at the weekend he was on a mission to bring a smile to the faces of east Clare children and help a good cause to boot.

On Saturday and Sunday, the Con- vent Hill Shopping Centre’s Christ- mas grotto opened its doors so that youngsters could give Santa their wish lists and Santa could raise cash for the Clarecare Molua centre.

On hand to add to the fun were Silly Sally and Crazy Daisy, who entertained the youngsters with face

painting and balloon sculpting.

Adding a touch more festive spirit to the proceedings were the Clare- care Molua carol singers performing Christmas favourites.

Clarecare volunteers packed bags for hard-pressed shoppers and they also helped by bag-packing in Queal- ly’s SuperValu on both days.

Centre manager, John Cannon said that this is the second year they have built the outside Alpine grotto.

“We had it inside the first year but this was much better. There was a great atmosphere about the whole thing. Everyone loved it.”

The little wooden hut which be- comes Santa’s temporary home is donated each year by Galway man, Tim Clune.

“It’s perfect for Santa and it looks lovely when it’s all done up,’ said John.

Last year, the grotto was open through the week, but 80 per cent of Santa’s little visitors came at the weekend, so it was decided to make this year’s visit a three-day event.

The takings from the weekend have yet to be totted up but even the bad weather didn’t dampen the enthusi- asm of Santa’s little visitors.

“Last year, we totted up €1,500 for Clarecare and I would hope it would be at least that much again,” said John.

And whatever was bagged for the charity, Santa went away with a bag full of requests and left behind a bundle of promises for good boys Nee Mean U he

THE Clare County Handball Board appointed a new manager, Matthew McMahon, to the post after their board AGM at the weekend.

At a lively meeting at the Clooney club, the game received a full as- sessment of its development in the county and it was agreed that despite competitive success and high num- bers playing handball, it would take more effort, particularly in terms of finance, to ensure handball had a safe standing in Clare.

Outgoing Chairman John Cawley delivered a detailed address, high- lighting the enormous success of the year just gone and informed the meeting that he was stepping down from the Chair after five years at the to bone

He received great thanks and praise from everyone at all levels of hand- ball in Clare and following his res- ignation, nominations were taken for the vacant position and the only name put forward was that of Matthew Mc-

Mahon from the O’Callaghan’s Mills club.

McMahon was then proposed and seconded as the new Chairman and brings plenty of experience to the position, having been involved in the sport in many areas and successfully helping to secure sponsorship for county players.

The position of secretary was next for discussion and after initailly de- claring his wish to step aside, Tom- my Hegarty of Clarecastle agreed to hold the position for a fourth year.

Willie Roche of Newmarket was then returned unopposed as Treas- urer and also as Munster and Central Council representative. Newmarket’s Mike Kelly stepped down as PRO and Shane Walsh from Tuamgraney was ratified as his successor.

The financial state of the board was one of the major talking points, with concerns raised that handball in Clare is being run on a ‘shoestring budget’ and delegates spoke of the need for serious fundraising in the oy nebeNTSaA orb

A number of delegates also ques- tioned the role of the Clare County GAA Board in this and insisted that the GAA board should take a more active role in providing financial as- sistance.

It was agreed that the handball board would again try to sit down with the new GAA Chairman and full-time secretary when those posi- tions are filled to discuss the matter.

Michael Slattery later addressed the meeting and spoke about the Clare- castle sports complex, informing the meeting that the two alleys in Clare- castle will be closed to handball un- less there is a serious cash injection.

County Juvenile Board was also put in place as a sub-committee of the County Board. Tom Loughnane was elected Chairman of the Juvenile Committee with Fergal Coughlan of Sele a ENO Koel as

Meanwhile, the County Juvenile Leagues are also underway, with huge entry numbers highlighting the current strength of underage hand- ball locally.

IF THE go-ahead is given for plans to convert a former convent build- ing into an apartment complex, it will pose a serious risk to the safety of children attending Scoil Muire in Ennistymon, according to its parents’ association.

The association were responding to an application by Thomas Fitzgerald of Banna Developments to transform the “Old Convent” into 21 apartments along with 37 parking spaces.

The parents’ association, Scoil Muire, Scoil Mhainchin and the Dio- cese of Galway are objecting.

In their objection, the parents’ as- sociation point out that the roadway serving the development also serves the primary and secondary schools.

They state, “In the interest of safety, the school authorities have already taken the decision to restrict vehicu- lar access to the school to staff and emergency vehicles. They also em- ploy a traffic warden to enforce their decision.”

Demanding that the council refuse planning permission, the parents’ association state, “Any compromise to the safety of the children is unac- ceptable.”

Already, Banna Developments has been refused planning for a simi- lar proposal on the same site. The schools state that “the current appli- cation makes no significant effort to challenge this decision by substan- tially improving the traffic safety of the access laneway and that the de- velopment will endanger their pupils

and staff”.

The schools’ objection points out that there is a proposal to amalga- mate the three secondary schools in Ennistymon on a nearby site.

Sreysebweebeetcmmm dorsi mums elo Romr-VucwmEOL U0 Ee rently 430 students attending the two schools, the objection states that after the schools have been located, “there will no objection in principle to this development. In the mean- time, this proposed development is premature pending the relocation of the schools and should be refused by

the council”.

The Diocese of Galway point out that the proposal “is to use the pri- vate entrance roadway to the parish priest’s house, which is also used to accommodate Scoil Mhainchin and Scoil Mhuire, which entrance is ab- solutely and totally within the own- ership and control of Galway Dioc- esan Trustees.”

The diocese claims the develop- ment would create a traffic hazard and be contrary to the proper plan- ning and sustainable development.

THE people of Ennistymon and north Clare are being asked to support local businesses by spending their money in the locality this Christmas.

Three shops — Crosbies, Noinin and Aficionado — all located in En- nistymon Square, have come together to launch a campaign for local shop- ping this festive season.

“The whole point is to try to get people to shop locally. We feel that if people do shop locally, then the businesses in the community do give back to the local community. For example, we always sponsor the schools all over north Clare. It’s nice, we support the local community and the local community supports us,” said Suzanne Crosbie, of Crosbies.

“Even in a strictly economics way, all three shops spend locally as well, so that keeps the money local.

“We are three small independent shops and feel we provide a good service for the community. Because

we are small, we have to be creative when we advertise and how we man- age our resources. SO we sat down earlier in the year and decided that we might have something to gain by banding together.”

Aficionado is a mothers, babies and gift boutique which provides mater- nity wear, children’s clothes up to the age six years and a collection of nursery accessories. Proprietors Patricia and Jonathon are eco-con- scious, with particular emphasis on environmentally friendly and organ- ic products.

Noinin fashion boutique stocks funky wear to formal wear. Owner Deirdre works hard at seeking out the best of labels ranging from Sand- wich, Full Circle, Just B and Sfizzio, to name but a few.

Crosbies are already busy with Christmas stock, such is the demand for their unusual collection of Christ- mas decorations. They are introduc- ing more home accessories to their merchandise mix this year, including

a new line of cotton rugs. “There is so much competition out there now, with big stores and the internet and we cannot compete with them in terms of scale. But we provide a good service and a good after-sales service that you might not get in a big store,” added Suzanne.

“We are all looking to provide a good quality product that is a bit different from what you might get in the larger shops.”

This Thursday, December 6, a raffle for a gift voucher worth €500, re- deemable in either Crosbies, Noinin or Aficionado, will take place.

THE challenges facing suckling beef production and in particular the pro- duction of weanlings will be top of the agenda at a Clare Teagasc Semi- nar which takes place in the Auburn Lodge Hotel this evening at 8pm. This seminar is taking place at a critical time for farmers in suckling with the fall of about €100 per head in weanling prices and a drop of over 25 per cent in weanling exports. This has resulted in a squeeze on margins and while we can expect an improvement in prices in the years ahead the implementation of effi- cient practices at farm level will be essential to achieve a reward for the

time and labour spent in weanling production.

‘This Seminar will enable farmers to get the best advice on increasing the value of output and reducing the costs of production in suckling which are the key factors that determine profit,’ said Gerard MacMahon, ‘Tea- gasc Area Manager.

“With the increase in concentrate prices, we will need to get a greater proportion of live weight gain from grass – a feed that Ireland can pro- duce better and cheaper than any- where else in Europe.”

Better breeding through the use of ICBF breeding programmes enables farmers to identify the best bulls both AI and stock bulls to produce

high quality weanlings.

It also identifies the best cows from which to breed replacements. The biggest overhead cost in suckling is that of keeping the suckler cow. Strategies to reduce the over-win- tering costs of suckler cows will be outlined.

Meanwhile, Clare IFA in associa- tion with Clare Marts, Teagasc and ICBF will hold an information meet- ing at Ennis Mart on Monday, De- cember 10, at 8pm.

The important forum will cover all aspects of the €80 Suckler Cow Yel tessa len

“There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed and questions an- swered as a lot of farmers are only

receiving poor third hand informa- tion,’ said County IFA Chairman, Seamus Murphy.

“It is essential that weanling pro- ducers in Clare maximise on this scheme as it is the only life line to maintaining suckler cow numbers in the county.”

John Bryan, National Chairman IFA Livestock Committee, will ad- dress the meeting and cover all as- pects of the scheme and there will also be a presentation from Vivian Silke of Teagasc on beef produc- tion in Clare and a presentation from Sean Coughlan ICBF on their involvement in the scheme and the necessity for animal events record- ing going forward.

ENNIS Town Manager Tom Cough- lan has rejected claims of a cover up in the aftermath of the fire that de- stroyed Bredin’s Hardware store.

Reacting to comments made by Independent Councillor Frankie Neylon, Mr Coughlan said the coun- cil had not misled the public on the problems associated with water pres- sure in the area and that council of- ficials had been upfront and honest.

Town Engineer Tom Tiernan said he resented the fact that the integrity of council staff had been called into question and the talk of a cover up.

Speaking at yesterday’s meeting of Ennis Town Council Mr Tiernan said, “The response to some of what I said at the time was upsetting and surprising. The integrity of my staff was called into question and I resent that.

He added, “I am particularly dis- appointed that words like cover-up were used. I resent that. I could say a lot more about what was said on the airwaves’.

Mr Tiernan also acknowledged problems existed with water pressure in the town.

Mr Coughlan said, “I don’t see

any cover up. We have given you the facts as they are. There has been no cover up in this council. We are only running away from facts if we cover

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Fire destroyed Bredin’s hardware on the Station Road after a blaze erupted at the premises on Novem- ber 7. Fire units from Ennis with as- sistance from units from Shannon,

Scariff and Ennistymon brought the blaze control.

At yesterday’s meeting Cllr Neylon re-iterated his view that had water pressure been sufficient, the building

could have been saved.

“We can cover it up all we want but anybody who was out on the road that morning would have noticed the lack of water. I was amazed at the decision to let it burn out. The bottom line that morning was water Kee Rome

After presenting a report on the Fire Service’s response to the fire, Chief Fire Officer Adrian Kelly admitted there had been problems with water pressure and defended the decision made to contain the fire and restrict it from spreading to nearby buildings.

He told the meeting, “The decision was made to contain the fire and not let it spread. Where there are lives at stake we would take a different ap- proach”.

The council also unanimously backed a motion to support Clare County Council’s request for a water tanker for Ennis.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said the council had failed in its responsa- bility to provide a satisfactory water

supply.

THE grave of two infant sisters who died two years ago has been severely damaged by vandals.

The incident occurred two weeks ago in Quilty graveyard at the grave- side of Neola and Nova O’ Loughlin.

Thieves removed a stone from the grave and also destroyed pictures, a wreath and presents left by parents Patrick and Sharon O’ Loughlin.

Patrick’s sister discovered the dam- age on a visit to the grave two weeks

ago. The family repaired some of the damage caused to the grave only to return a day later to find the grave had again been disturbed.

Patrick O’Loughlin, who lives in Quilty, explained the family were shocked with the extent of the dam- age.

“My sister told me about it and fair play to her she went back with my brother and his girlfriend to tidy it up a bit. They actually found a bit of stone that they hadn’t taken. They shaped it into a heart at the front. But

they came back the next night and de- stroyed it again. They even destroyed the wreath that was laying there.” Patrick explained how presents left by he and his wife to mark their daughter’s birthday were also stolen. “They did a colossal amount of damage. I used to go back there six nights a week to visit the grave. My wife and myself used to leave presents back there for the girls’ birthday. ‘They broke the angels that were on it, and the pictures. They stole water bottles. I was sickened by it.”

Neola and Nova O’Loughlin were both born premature on December 12, 2005 and died the day after their birth.

Patrick said the family was prepar- ing to mark the two-year anniversary of the girl’s death.

‘“That’s what makes it extra hard. They will be gone two years next week and for someone to come along and do that to a child’s grave 1s just awful. It wasn’t the fact that they stole the stone, they could take all of it for I care, it was the fact that they

came back and destroyed the wreath and pictures. That’s what really sick- ened me.”

The grave was the only one dam- aged in the graveyard. Patrick said, “You would clearly know that it was a child’s grave.

“There were two angels on the headstone. In taking the stones they did awful damage.”

The stone that was taken in the rob- bery was a very distinctive marble type stone, salmon and orange in colour.

THE numbers of people aged 15 and over travelling to work each day by car in Clare has increased by 5,213 despite additional expenditure on public transport.

Recent census figures also confirm a trend of fewer people travelling to work by bicycle, on foot or bus in the four years between the 2002 and 2006.

Some 68.7 per cent of people used a car to get to work in 2002, increasing to to 69.7 per cent in 2006.

In 2002, 29,092 people aged over

15 travelled to work by car out of 42,238. This increased in 2006 to 34,265 out of 49,138.

Despite millions of euro being in- vested on the Ennis-Limerick rail line, the census shows that only .22% of the Clare population over 15 use the train to get to work.

The census shows that in 2006, 111 people aged over 15 used the train to get to work. This was five times the number who travelled to work by train in 2002 when only 21 used it. The numbers using the train are ex- pected to increase in 2009 when the Ennis-Galway rail line reopens.

The numbers aged over 15 who get to work by bus has marginally dropped in the four years between the two censuses.

In 2006, 1.7 per cent or 871 people aged over I5 travelled to work by bus; the 2002 census shows that 1.8 per cent or 794 people travelled to work by bus.

The figures also show that the per- centage numbers travelling to work by bicycle has dropped.

In the 2002 Census, 487 or 1.15 per cent of people cycled to work com- pared to one per cent or 536 in 2006.

The number of those getting to

work by foot has dropped from nine per cent or 3,843 to 8.9 per cent or 4,390 people n 2006.

The percentage number of people working at home has dropped from 8.8 per cent or 3,272 in 2002 to 7.3 per cent or 3,598 in 2006.

Clare Green Party councillor, Bri- an Meaney said yesterday that the figures exposed the county’s growing over-reliance on the car.

‘The rise in our reliance on the mo- tor-car is unsustainable and we can’t have a transport system based on fos- sil fuel as we face into the future,’ he said.

KILRUSH area councillors have de- ferred any decision on the controver- sial proposal to close 120 metres of the Caherfeenick Road, Cree, until a draft legal agreement is presented to them.

At last evening’s Kilrush area meet- ing the councillors agreed after some debate to reconvene on Friday De- cember 14 to consider a draft legal agreement drawn up by the council’s legal team and the solicitors working for Doonbeg Golf Club Ltd.

The legal team for both parties are also to be at the meeting.

Just a month ago the members agreed to defer any decision on the controversial proposal until yester- day after a very heated meeting at- teended by the county solicitor John Shaw.

At that meeting Mr Shaw said that any decision made by the councillors would not affect a judicial review currently listed in the High Court.

The proposal which has split the west Clare councillors relates to a right of way on to Doughmore

Beach.

Under the agreement a right of way on to the beach will be handed over to Doonbeg Golf Club Limited in ex- change for alternative access to the beach.

Under the proposal, which must get the approval of the elected members of the complete council, part of the public road at Caherfeenick, Cree, will be extinguished for 120 metres.

The extinguishment will only take place, however, when certain criteria are met by the golf club according to council officials.

Among the commitments is the provision of a car park of 35 spaces constructed to Clare County Coun- cil’s specifications and supervised by the local authority’s staff.

An area of land including the car park and a further estimated .6 acres for 35 more car park spaces must also be transferred into the ownership of Clare County Council.

A new “turn table at the new term1- nal point” on the Caherfeenick road to Clare County Council’s specifica- tion in size and standard must also be constructed and bollards installed.

A document circulated to the coun- cillors earlier this year also pointed to “a clear legal grant of a vehicular right of way for emergency vehicles” to be given by the golf club to Clare County Council and this right of way to be three metres wide.

The councillors are to meet again on Friday week to discuss the issues as claims continue that the elected representatives have reneged on a previous agreement to postpone any decision until after an upcoming high court judicial review taken by the golf club against An Bord Pleanala.

THE spirit of volunteerism has been recognised by Shannon Town Coun- cil with the presentation of a series of awards to some of the areas most active volunteer groups.

One of the organisations singled out for recognition was the Shannon Community Games, with the music society, the chess club and the Bea- vers and Scouts also being recog- nised.

“We have been involved in the Community Games for years now and all the people who received awards have been involved for a long time, decades some of them,” said Mary Fitzgerald of the Shannon

Community Games.

“The Community Games are a ereat social outlet for the young peo- ple. Anything that keeps them inter- ested and occupied is of great ben- efit. It’s always a case of keeping the children involved.

“If they don’t find success as an individual they can always become part of a team. If sports doesn’t al- ways suit then there is a whole host of other activities that they can get involved with. It’s all about partici- pation.”

Over the year’s Shannon has pro- duced a host of All-Ireland Champi- on and have always been competitive, especially in chess and swimming. The great work of the group could

not however, be maintained without the help of countless volunteers.

“We have a great tradition here in chess and have produced a lot of All Ireland Champions. We have also had a lot of success with swimming down the years. I think that out first All-Ireland Champion swimmer was Douglas Hyde back in the *80’s,” continued Mary.

“So many people help in so many different areas of it. It’s great to see it, especially these days when peo- ple are so busy. It’s wonderful to see people who are willing to give their time and their talent for the next gen- eration.

“The whole ethos is all about par- ticipation rather than winning. You

never ever want to send a young fella home thinking they have failed somehow. There are so many chil- dren these days that don’t take part in things like this for whatever reason. “One thing that you can say about the children who take part, you never see them in any kind of trouble. It’s all about keeping them interested and occupied. That’s what it’s all about.”