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THERE’S plenty to shout about at this year’s Clare Shout Festival and not just the competition for the best aS) ee) t ae

There’s a packed festival pro- sramme on offer this year, with events including traditional music and singing, a spectacular fireworks display, photo competition, puppet show, hurling, tag rugby, writers’ workshop, set dancing, clay pigeon shoot, road bowling, sailing regatta on Cullaun Lake, a vintage display, fairy tales from well-known seanchai Eddie Lenihan, the country market, a model aircraft display, an art exhi- bition, a children’s treasure hunt, the family fun day, a parade led by the

Tulla Pipers’ Band and much more.

The Kilkishen will be alive with music and fun for the second An- nual Clare Shout which runs from this Friday, September 21 to Sunday, September 23 next.

The official opening will be per- formed Deputy Timmy Dooley, east Clare’s first elected TD for 25 years, following a cheese and wine recep- tion in the local GAA hall.

The opening lecture – also on Fri- day night – will be delivered by local teacher, historian and former Clare hurling star Sean Hehir, on the proud and ancient history of Kilkishen.

The highlight of the weekend will be the Clare Shout competition to be held on the main street on Saturday night, at 8.45pm. The event is ex-

pected to attract up to 50 competi- tors in full voice, against whom last year’s champ, Stephen Hickey will oLoMeCoNCoNLOUDOTCMONMBIALe

The history of the Clare Shout is shrouded in mystery but is believed to date back to pre-Celtic times in Ireland. Older people in parts of Clare recall watching people of an even older generation facing the set- ting sun on fine autumn evenings while giving vent to a double-echo shout. This has led to the theory that the Clare Shout may have been a form of autumnal worship in pagan Wb selene

“The shout is unique to Clare. It was arallying cry that echoed around Clontarf when Brian Boru led the clans of Dal gCais into battle against

the Danes on Good Friday 1014,” a spokesman for the festival commit- tee said. “It was also raised as a war cry by the men of Clare’s Dragoons at Fontenoy and on other European bat- tle fields in later centuries, it greeted the great liberator Daniel O’Connell when the people of Clare elected him as the first Catholic member of the British House of Commons and it was a particular favourite of the late President and Taoiseach Eamonn de Valera, TD,’ for Clare for over 40 years, who was fascinated by its unique double echo.

THE first work area recovery centre in the west of Ireland has been set up by Work Area Recovery Solu- tions Ltd. (WARS) in Shannon. The recovery centre offers businesses in

the western half of the country a pro- fessional, secure and cost-effective world-class recovery solution within easy access of their existing opera- tions.

Pat Hannon, IT Manager of Avo- cent International based in Shannon

and a client of the WARS facility endorses the centre stating “this new work area recovery centre is long overdue and provides a very valu- able back-up for business continu- ity support in the event of business disruption. It also gives publicly-

traded companies extra assurance and security to conform to corporate governance regulations outlined in Sarbanes-Oxley (US) and Turnbull (EU ) requirements, which states that they must produce timely, accurate and complete corporate financial re-

ports regardless of any type of busi- ness interruptions’.

The new WARS centre is fully equipped with resilient and redun- dant telecoms connectivity, back- up power, telephony and computer hardware.

FUNDING of more than €2.3 mil- lion has been announced for Clare water and sewerage schemes by En- vironment, Heritage and Local Gov- ernment Minister, John Gormley.

The allocations are part of a €5.8 billion spending plan on new water supply and waste water infrastruc- ture. The Water Services Investment Programme includes 955 individual schemes to be advanced over the period of the National Development Plan and beyond.

The programme sets out specific targets for construction up to the end of 2009 and is coupled with a series of other measures, including

a special package to target supplies at risk from cryptosporidium and e.coli, new measures aimed at 1m- proving water conservation, new en- forcement powers to prosecute those who fail to protect water resources or cause water pollution and plans for enhanced protection of rivers, lakes ANNO Men AUT-V Loh

Among the sewerage schemes which are getting funding to start in 2008 are Ballyvaughan, Corofin and Doolin, Carrigaholt/Labasheeda, Cooraclare, Ennistymon, Liscannor, Miltown Malbay and Spanish Point, Kilkee and Kilrush, O’Callaghan’s Mills, Bodyke, O’Brien’s Bridge, Flagmount and Cratloe, Quilty, Scar- iff and Feakle, and Shannon Town.

Money has also been allocated to start the west Clare regional water supply scheme.

Ennis town water supply also has funding for 2007, along with the sup- ply schemes for Lisdoonvarna and Newmarket-on-Fergus.

Funding has been put up for water and sewerage schemes to advance through planning in Castlelake, Kil- fenora, Killaloe, north Clare and south east Clare.

Down for funding to start in 2009 is a sewerage scheme for Ennis/Clare- castle. There is €2 million in the pot for water conservation schemes in the county.

In all, there will be €236,149 in- vested in various schemes and initia-

tives in Clare.

“Ensuring there 1s clean water, not only in our taps but also in our rivers, lakes and estuaries is a priority for me in Government,’ Minister Gorm- ley said.

“Water 1s possibly our most pre- cious resource. Its protection is an essential element in ensuring a sus- tainable Ireland,” he added.

The Minister said that it is “our aim to bring about a situation whereby all of our public drinking water supplies comply with European standards and that all of our lakes and rivers are of good water quality.

“This is a considerable challenge, one which I believe can, and must, be achieved.”

THE RESULTS of this year’s Tidy Towns competition have spurred groups in villages and towns around east Clare to even greater efforts in the coming 12 months to make an impression on the judges.

Mountshannon received a com- mendation, having been awarded 279 points, while Tuamgraney was awarded 259 points.

Feakle collected 233 points and neighbouring Scariff was awarded 230.

The scenic lakeside town of Kil- laloe garnered 230 points and Tulla collected 218. Broadford brought home some 208 points from the competition.

Jane Murray, who was involved in putting forward the Mounshannon entry said residents of the village “are delighted. It was very good con-

sidering we didn’t actually have a tidy towns committee this year”’.

Jane said there are a number of projects which a new committee could take on. “We hope to form a new committee in the coming weeks and get as many people as possible involved, even if they can only spare a little time. It’s our village and we want to make the most of it.”

In Tulla, Tidy Towns committee member, Una Fitzgerald said locals

were also pleased with an improved mark on last year’s score.

Throughout the year, people have been involved in general tidyup schemes in Tulla and Una hopes that will continue and expand in the coming year. “There’s a lot done and more to do. We’ll be building on that score for next year and we’d hope that people will get involved. It’s a community effort and we want peo- ple to come on board.”

THE plight of hundreds of unmar- ried Clare fathers who have no legal rights to custody of their children under the Irish Constitution took a dramatic step forward last week fol- lowing the Mr G case in the High Sous

According to the local representa- tive of the Unmarried Fathers of Ire-

land Organisation, pressure 1s now on the Government to propose an election to change the constitution. “Our main objective is towards the fundamental right of a child to have both parents involved in its life. We are not about fighting parents against parents. It’s about the kids. We love our kids and we want to have a life around our kids,’ said Andrew White, Munster Spokesperson for

the Unmarried Fathers of Ireland. ‘This is so widespread, there are so many cases of unmarried fathers. Un- married fathers don’t have any rights to their children in this country. “The case last week will have a massive impact. It brought out the problems with the constitution in this country when it allowed a mother to take two kids out of this country and completely take them away from

their father, without the father having any say in the matter at all.”

According to the Unmarried Fa- thers of Ireland, the lack of contact between fathers and their children is having a massive impact of Irish so- ciety as a whole.

“Look at the suicide rate among young men in Ireland. In 2005, eight out of 10 male suicides were fathers who were being denied access to their

kids or young children who were be- ing denied access to their fathers,” he continued.

“T have been fighting for the last four years for this to happen. It’s a disgrace that two kids were essen- tially abducted away from the father before this has become an issue.”

For more information on the Un- married Fathers of Ireland, contact Andrew White on 086 1641513.

IN A BLOW to the Clare County Board’s plans to move out of Cusack Park to a purpose-built 42 ,000-seater Stadium, councillors from the Ennis area have decided not to rezone the existing ground for mixed-use devel- opment.

The rezoning of the park for com- mercial and residential uses is vital for the move to go through.

It is understood that one of the country’s most successful builders, Lisdoonvarna man Bernard McNa- mara of Michael McNamara and Company, and local developers, Sean Lyne and Noel Connellan, are the

GAA’s preferred bidders to exchange Cusack Park for the new stadium on the Quin Road in Ennis.

However, their €30 million pro- posal involves constructing a shop- ping centre on the site of Cusack Park which would require its rezon- ing into commercial use.

In January of last year, when the consortium announced its plans, a spokesman pointed out, “Planning permission for the construction of the new stadium in the Quin Road area and a shopping centre at the ex- isting Cusack Park is required before the proposal can be implemented.”

However, Cllr Frankie Neylon confirmed yesterday that council-

lors from the Ennis area were of the view that Cusack Park should not be rezoned. The item came up for dis- cussion through the review of sub- missions for the Ennis and Environs Development Plan.

The County Board did not make a Submission. Instead, the discussion arose from a submission from Paul O’Sullivan of Maddens_ Terrace, Clarecastle.

In his submission, Mr O’Sullivan said that Cusack Park should be re- tained as a people’s park.

Cllr Neylon, who has been a vocal opponent of the County Board plant to sell off the site to developers, said that the decision by councillors not

to rezone the park was unanimous.

He said, “It was made very clear at the meeting by the elected members that the park should stay as 1s.”

Cllr Neylon added, “I am still of the view that Cusack Park 1s part-owned by the people of Ennis.”

It is understood that the issue was discussed over two meetings as coun- cillors were anxious that their in- structions to planning officials ruled out the possibility of commercial use of the property.

It will still be open to the GAA to make a submission on the future use of the park when the draft Ennis and Environs Development Plan is pub- lished shortly.

IT will be a dog’s life in Cratloe next weekend when canines of every shape, size and breed will be strut- UDOT CM NOU MnIALO OE

The Cratloe Dog Show is the one where there’s a fun prize for every- thing from the waggiest tail to the wackiest owner – and it’s all good fun in a good cause.

The day out will help raise cash to furnish and decorate the new GAA hall, which is proving a real success in the green stakes, being the first in Clare to use solar panels to heat water.

“We haven’t had to turn on the

back-up water heating system since the start of the season and there have been a good number of teams using the new facility,’ said Show Chair- man, John Ryan

The GAA club was the first in the county to install the eco-friendly panels and the first in the country to take advantage of the situation when Government grants were extended beyond domestic use to community buildings. The panels supply lots of hot water even on overcast days as they also work with daylight.

“We have had cause to be glad of it. The cost of heating water in a club like ours is a big consideration. This will certainly save us money in the

long run,’ said John.

But there is still work to be done on the interior of the building and the dog show will help with the funding.

There will be 20 classes in the show including wacky competitions for the lookalike dogs and owners, best bis- cuit catcher and best fancy dress.

The show is being held under the auspices of the Munster Dog Training and Behaviour School, with sponsor- ship from Paws n’ Claws, Franco Pet Care, Precious Pets, Ennis Pet Cen- tre and Cecil Street Pet Shop. And there will be plenty of other fun and games on the day, with bouncy cas- tles, pony rides, face painting, golf- putting, the long puck, a bar-b-que,

bookstall and much more.

The clubhouse was built to com- memorate local lad, Michael Mur- phy (19) who died suddenly while playing for the club in April 2001.

On the day, another local young man who died suddenly the day be- fore the first dog show will be com- memorated. There will be a special award for the best overall dog, the Robert Manning Memorial Trophy.

Sixteen-year old Robert died on the eve of the first show and had been preparing to show his dog.

“We wanted to do something to commemorate him as well and so we named this award for him,’ one of the organisers said.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern could lose more than nine county coun- cillors in Clare less than two years ahead of the local elections.

Clare County Councillor Richard Nagle is chairman of the Clare tour- ism forum and one of the nine gov- ernment party county councillors contemplating leaving their parties if the government fails to ensure con- nectivity between Shannon and Lon- don-Heathrow.

Aware of the implications the 1s- sue has on his tourism brief and the economy of the western region, Cllr Nagle said, “I would have to strongly consider my position if that were to happen.”

The north Clare councillor was not alone in his sentiment.

Green Party councillor Brian Meaney has already informed party leader John Gormley of his intention to step down if the Government does not fight to acquire or retain the re- quired slots into London Heathrow.

Cllr Bernard Hanrahan was one of three councillors who did not want to give a definite yes to the answer, opt- ing for probably instead.

He said he would “probably resign” but under serious consideration.

“I would have to seriously consider it. | can’t fight from the outside. I can only fight from the inside.”

Cllr Bill Chamber said, “There is no point in leaving the Fianna Fail party. I am not in the Dail.”

If the councillors were to uphold their promise that Fianna Fail will be sending, at most, seven sitting county councillors on the hustings in 2009.

Even among those that gave a nega- tive answer to

PLANNERS have been accused of “flying in the face of their own poli- cy” in relation to the granting of per- mission to mobile phone operators to erect masts.

Councillor Cathal Crowe (FF) said at a meeting of Clare County Coun- cil last night that he could not under- stand the mechanisms behind many of the permissions granted.

Referring to a presentation made to the council the previous week by an official of O2, the councillor said that

he was told “that there is a four mile radius coverage from these masts.”

Yet in many places, the masts are going up in clusters. In Meelick there are up to five in a one-mile area.”

Cllr Crowe said the frequency with which masts are given planning per- mission “flies in the face of the coun- cil’s policy on co-location”.

The councillor said it was “impos- sible to understand some of the per- missions given.

“In the case of Coolderry, a 70 ft mast is not considered to be visually obtrusive yet and ordinary dwelling

house in the same location is refused permission on grounds of being visu- PO RYAcO)0 10 UU Aone

Seconding the motion, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) said there “has to be consistency here, particularly con- cerning these masts being visually obtrusive.

“It opens another issue entirely. More often than not an Bord Plean- nala overturns our inspector’s re- ports and this is something we have no input into.”

Officials told the meeting that each planning application is “dealt with

on it’s own merits, having regard to the site and the application”.

Cllr Crowe said he wanted “‘a justi- fication on how a a 6/0 foot mast is considered appropriate when a nor- mal dwelling isn’t. We need to start refusing some of these applications if we have any care at all for the people of this county.”

In a separate discussion on plan- ning matters, Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) told the meeting that people who were born and have lived all their lives in the county are having difficulty with permission because they cannot

prove they have been resident here for ten years.

“If someone is applying to build for the first time and they are living with their parents, how can they prove they satisfy the local rural person rule if they have no utility bills in their name because their parents pay the bills?” the councillor asked.

He also challenged the practice of insisting that people prove they have lived in Clare for the last ten years.

“If someone is a guest of the nation in Mountjoy for 18 months then they lost their status,” he said.

WHEN four plucky cyclists said “the sky’s the limit” as they volunteered to be part of a 300k cycle for the East Clare Chernobyl cause, they really meant it.

In order to get to Belarus, brothers Eoghan, Feilim and Micheal Begley and pal Pat Gannon have to raise €2,600 each.

As a first step to doing that, the fearless foursome lined up for a par- achute jump which gave their funds a jump-start.

“It was an amazing experience,”

said Eoghan, who made a €1,200 dent in the amount he needed to raise.

The four made the jump with Sky- dive Ireland earlier this summer and they are now preparing for the off on the cycle from Minsk to Malech.

The route which up to 50 cyclists will take is more than 300k and the money raised will go towards build- ing projects at two schools in An- topol and Gantsvichy.

Last year’s cycle bought a new mini-bus and car for the orphanage and also went to buy new kitchen equipment and provide ventilation.

This year’s cycle aims to replace roofing which is in a very bad state of repair.

Previous year’s cycles built new toilets and provided showers for the bedroom blocks.

The funds raised have also gone to providing modern laundry facilities in Malech Sanatorium, where chil- dren whose immune systems have been damaged by radiation go for naerelbeetoelm

And with the money they were able to plant an orchard so that the sanato- rium can earn an income from press- ing apples and selling juice as well as

a fruit garden, which is a great boost to the nutrition of the sick children.

In Gantsvichy, previous cycles have provided money for kitchen equip- ment and refurbishment of the can- oer

The cycle committee has commit- ted to finishing the projects chosen in Antopol from funds raised this year and extra money raised will be used to further projects in Gantsvi- chy and other institutions.