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A MAJOR clean-up and renovation of an east Clare cemetery by willing locals has borne fruit.

The last piece in the work jigsaw in recent weeks means Kilavoher Cem- etery now has a new gate, repaired walls and a name plaque.

Plus, said secretary of the Meel- ick – Parteen Graveyard Committee, Councillor Cathal Crowe, “anti-so- cial behaviour at the Kilavoher cem- etery has ceased.”

The graveyard committee jumped

into action after reports that the area was being used for drinking and anti- social behaviour.

Committee members, Fr Fred Mc- Donald, Mike Crowe, Cathal Crowe, Ray Armstrong, Seamus Spaight, Packie Cronin, George White, Mar- tin Manning and Bernard McNamara took on the project and now the cem- etery is back in ship shape.

“At the beginning of the summer it was brought to my attention that the cemetery was being used for drink- ing parties. It was also alleged that the cemetery has been the scene of

debauchery and vandalism. I was even informed by one local resi- dent that rocks were pelted at an old headstone,” said Councillor Cathal Sewer

The work actually began more than two years ago when the committee took a conscious decision to clean up Kilavoher Cemetery.

The historic cemetery was “in very poor condition and briars had grown up to above head height,” said Cllr SOW

Some graves in the cemetery date back to the late 18th century.

‘The summer of 2005 was the first time in a long time that many of these eraves has seen the light of day. At the time of our major clean-up many passers-by remarked that they never knew that a cemetery was beneath all the briars and weeds. Since our clean-up operation in 2005 the cem- etry has been maintained to a high standard by local volunteers,” the councillor said.

He called on anyone who witnesses further anti-social behaviour to report it to either a member of the Grave- yards Committee or the gardai.

CLARE and Limerick landowners along the new route containing the Shannon tunnel are sharing in a €/0 million bonanza.

The National Roads Author- ity (NRA) yesterday confirmed that €70 million has been spent on the compulsory purchase of lands along the route.

The money has been paid out to 49 landowners for an estimated 566 acres in an area that straddles Lim- erick and Clare on both sides of the River Shannon.

One of the biggest landowners along the route is Irish Cement Ltd.

The company operates a plant and quarry adjacent to the route and had 43 acres of land compulsorily ac- quired by Limerick County Council.

Part of the Irish Cement Ltd land- holding includes Bunlicky Lake Where a causeway has been con- structed as part of the road scheme.

Limerick County Council has turned down a Freedom of Informa- tion request seeking details on the individual amounts paid out as part of the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) process.

Work has been continuing on the project for the past year. An NRA spokesman said that the contractor “resembles a giant walking on his tip-toes” in dealing the various envi- ronmental challenges on the scheme.

As part of the works, the Direct Route consortium has had to indi- vidually translocate 2,500 plants from the construction site and place a large proportion of them in water tanks recreating the tidal conditions on the River Shannon. The dredg- ing of the River Shannon next year will also be dictated by the salmon spawning season.

General manager of Direct Route, Tom King said: “The plants – you have to translocate them and you can’t do anything until that is done and they occur in copious amounts all over the route.”

Mr King says that the tanks ensure that the plants gets water and nutri- ent at the same time as the Shannon (elon

‘The NRA and their consultants did a mammoth amount of work in prep- aration for the project. The number of combination and permutations of routes and strategies considered was amazing actually,” he added.

Nicola (21) and Mary Ellen (18) Murphy have been fans of the fanta- sy author for years and last week they became the first two of more than a thousand people who had been work- ing as extras on the film to be called back for a second stint.

The two had already been in the UK filming for a couple of days, but when a call came from Pratchett’s personal assistant, Rob Wilkins, to say that there were some people the director particularly wanted to see back, they were delighted.

“We were really delighted because Terry Pratchett is very hands-on in this film and we discovered we were asked back before anyone else,” said Nicola.

Nicola – who is studying folk thea-

tre in Tralee – and her sister, Mary Ellen – who hopes to be accepted in the Galway Film and TV course – were rubbing shoulders with some serious names in the world of film.

Among the stars of production are Sean Austin of Lord of the Rings fame, David Jason, aka Dellboy, and sere etieas

‘“They’re all nice to us, especially Sean, he was fabulous, always mak- ing jokes and talking to the extras and the crew,” said Nicola.

The sisters will be in Guildford for five days filming crowd scenes and riot scenes in the fictional Ankh- morpork City.

Mary Ellen will also be hoping to hear from the CAO that she has been successful in a second round offer on the Galway course.

‘“That’s the one I really want, but I have other options and I’ve looked at other courses. But for now, I’m really looking forward to a second chance at this film’’, she said.

THE company that will operate the toll on the €810 million Shannon tunnel is expected to generate in ex- cess of €456 million from the route over a 35-year period.

However, the agreement struck be- tween the National Roads Authority (NRA) and the “Direct Route” con- sortium avoids a repeat of the mas- sive profits made by the operator of the toll on the M50 in Dublin.

Described by the National Roads Authority (NRA) as “the largest in- frastructural scheme in the west of Ireland that no one knows about’, work on the tunnel has been continu- ing for the past year. A large propor- tion of the work is taking place in Clare where the 67/5ft long tunnel is

being constructed in a dry basin on the north of the Shannon. It 1s due to open in 2010.

The road will link all national routes converging on Limerick from Dublin, Tipperary, Cork, Kerry, Wa- terford, Ennis and Shannon Airport and is expected to remove 40,000 vehicles per day from Limerick city. Along with the tunnel, the scheme involves the construction of 10km of road, 11 bridges and a 750m cause- way across Bunlicky Lake.

400 workers are employed in the contstruction which involves five separate 100m long elements.

In August of next year the contrac- tor will commence flooding the cast- ing basin before winching the com- pleted tunnel sections into a dredged section of the River Shannon.

The “immersed tube tunnel con- struction approach” is the same method used to construct the Jack Lynch tunnel in Cork.

The road, the first to be tolled in the west of Ireland, is being built through a Public Private Partner- ship (PPP) and as a result, the State’s spend on the scheme is €349 mil- lion. The contract for the scheme is 6,000 pages long.

The €810 million cost of the scheme includes the operational costs and maintenance of the route over the 35 year operation and the annual maintenance and operation- al costs amount to millions of euro TO SMA ore be

Direct Route is a consortium of companies made up of John Sisk & Son Holdings Ltd., Lagan Holdings

Ltd, Roadbridge Ltd and Strabag AG along with financial institutions.

General Manager of Direct Route, Tom King said: “The Public Private Partnership (PPP) won an award for the way the funding was set up.

“It is very unique and through Hali- fax Bank of Scotland, bonds are to be issued into the marketplace every month.”

Mr King believes that €100 million will be raised through the issuing of the bonds.

An NRA spokesman defended the PPP system saying it allowed the work to start sooner.

ALMOST 50 cyclists spent Saturday pushing pedals on a 80km jaunt to raise money for a good cause.

The wheelie fans were cycling to raise money to head for an even longer trek in September in aid of the East Clare Chernobyl Cycle project.

The ride, organised by ‘Tom O’Keeefe and Billy Fitzpatrick, started on Saturday from Coonagh and took the riders to Killaloe.

On September 23 the riders are off the Belarus where they will cycle

400km over two days from Minsk to Malech to raise money for work on the orphanages which the project is helping in Malech, Antopol and Griileka acorn

“We’re using the money to modern- ise these orphanages and make life better for the 600 children who live in them. A lot of these children are sick or have special needs and some of the buildings and conditions they are living in are appalling,’ said Pad- dy O’Connor, project PRO.

Among the projects underway are a new kitchens, proper toilets and

showers, new teaching facilities and modern plumbing.

The latest project which the group are raising money for is in the An- topol orphanage where a new, mod- ern laundry room is being built and equipped.

“The laundrette in that orphanage is just horrible – it has to be seen to be believed,’ said Paddy.

The cycle has been going to Bela- rus for several years now and each year, the support grows.

This year’s group is the biggest to travel so far.

‘Whether it’s taking part in the cy- cle or raising funds for the projects, we have had fabulous support from the people of east Clare. They have been more than generous in the past and we’re hoping they will support us again,’ said Paddy.

PLANS by an east Clare-based com- pany for a wind-turbine have come under fire.

Last month, Olympus Diagnostica lodged plans for the turbine arising from a company initiative to meet 40-50 per cent of their electrical “base load” through using alternative Noe ATA

The height of the turbine will be 200 ft high which the company says is “half the size of the industry norm’.

The company stated that it would

consume all the energy from the wind-turbine and there was no need for a grid connection. It points out that the proposal doesn’t lie within any recognised flight path of the Whooper Swan and the Greenland White Fronted Goose.

In a submission lodged with the plan, the company stated: “The ra- tionale for this project has its roots in spiralling energy costs which are set by international markets and impact severely for two reasons: the wide fluctuation in energy costs which make financial planning more difficult and the underlying trend is

upwards.”

Stressing its adherence to a “Cor- porate Social Responsibility”, Ol- ympus points out that it has already reduced its greenhouse emissions by putting in place a wood chip burner instead of oil which also creates a locally-based market for wood-chip. The company also points out that the noise emissions from the wind-tur- bine will be lower than similar sized MUD MOY ESToE

According to Olympus, the Clare County Development Plan has deemed the location “a suitable are for wind energy” and doesn’t have

any scenic or environmentally sensi- tive designations.

However, Mr and Mrs JP Murphy and family have submitted concerns in relation to the turbine.

“We are local residents in the area for the past 60 years and we feel that the decision taken by Olympus to erect the turbine in the position in- dicated on the submitted site plan is inconsiderate to the local landscape and setting of Rosslara Lake and its woodland surroundings

“As highlighted in the council’s development plan, the site for the proposed wind turbine is within an

area specifically zoned as visually vulnerable and due to the mechani- cal nature of this machine this wind turbine would not be in keeping with the development plan.

“The proposed location of this wind turbine is visually intrusive to the scenic area of Rosslara Lake and if planning is granted, it will have a negative visual impact on the sur- rounding area.

“We feel that the proposed develop- ment should be located to a less vul- nerable/scenic area.”

A decision is due on the application later this year.

AFTER more than a year of fund- raising and preparation, Scariff at last has it’s life-saving defibrillator up and running.

The twenty volunteers trained in the use of the new machine launched the service on September | and it is now available to anyone experienc- ing a cardiac emergency.

The defibrillator has been placed in a specially constructed box by the post office and a mobile phone – 086 2518851 – has been set up so that the volunteer on duty can be reached.

‘Each volunteer takes the phone for

a week at a time So that’s five weeks every two years that a volunteer is on duty – that’s not too much,” explained Cora Long, one of the committee members who set up the drive to get the defibrillator as Scariff doesn’t have 24 hour ambulance cover.

“We cover an area which takes in Tuamgraney and the two GAA pitch- es. It has to be within the one mile radius because time is very impor- tant in this,’ Cora explained.

The vital piece of machinery cost 3,000 to buy but locals fund-raised 4,500 to cover additional costs such as extra pads, and a box to house the machine.

Pads for the defibrillator have to be replaced each time they are used and cost almost €60. “If you had to go twice with someone, that would be €120, so we have a couple spare. We have arranged a deal that when pads are used we will get replacements couriered in to us.”

Even the box to house the defibril- lator has to be a special damp-proof, theft proof and tamper proof one.

“The Scariff Community Council have kindly paid two years insur- ance for the defibrillator so that was all that was needed for us to get it up and running,’ said Cora.

Cora warned that at the first sign

of a suspected cardiac problem, an ambulance should be called before the defibrillator team is contacted. “Ring the ambulance first and then ring us. The number will be printed in the parish newsletter, in the Scar- iff newsletter and we’re getting it put up on posters in the pubs and shops and all over the village so that every- one will know where to contact us in the case of a cardiac emergency.”

The campaign for a defibrillator be- gan with the campaign to secure 24 hour ambulance cover for Scariff.

‘There has been no change as yet in that situation but we are still work- ing away,’ said Cora.

A PROPOSAL to extend Ennis’ flag- ship entertainment venue received further backing last night.

At Monday’s monthly meeting of Ennis Town Council, members gave the thumbs up to plans for the ex- tensive re-development of Glor Irish Music Centre.

The proposal involves the construc- tion of an exhibition area, bar and reception areas, toilet facilities and storage space. There are also plans to construct a 200-person loose seating auditorium and alterations to park- ing areas with all associated works and signage. The proposed develop-

ment is seen to be consistent with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Objective 20 of the Ennis and En- virons Development plan 2003 states that it is the council’s aim to make appropriate provision for community facilities relating to health, educa- tion, arts, culture, sports, amenity and recreation in order to support ex- isting and future residential areas.

Recommending the proposal, town clerk Eddie Power said, “Gl6r is an important cultural facility…attract- ing residents and visitors to their full programme of events…. This contrib- utes greatly to the cultural life of the town, its ambience and attraction.”

A PRE-SCHOOL orientation pro- eramme for children new to the Irish school system has just finished at the Clare Immigration Support Centre (CISC).

The centre, which was formerly the Irish Refugee Council, has run the school for the past seven years.

This year ten children took part in the programme overseen by teachers Sue Doyle and Fummilayo Akinwale at the CISC premises at Carmody Slstsem

The aim is to acquaint children, who are entering primary school for the first time, with the life in the Irish school system.

This involves making children fa-

miliar with Irish words and getting them used to playing with other stu- dents in a school setting. Emphasis is also placed on working together and co-operation in the classroom, un- derstanding instructions from teach- ers, bringing lunch to the school and timekeeping.

According to Orla Ni Ejili of the CISC, the experience of going to a new school in a new country is a daunting one for both children and OreeKsLNe

“The current pre-school pro- gramme was running for two weeks. Many have never been to school so a lot of what is done in the classroom is very hands and practical. It can be upsetting for the children the first time they come, having to get used to

leaving their parents, but by the end they were all having a ball.”

She continued, “The response we got over the two weeks was fantastic and the children were very respon- sive. After a while you see the chil- dren really growing in confidence. They start asking questions and un- derstand things like waiting for your turn before asking”.

The process can also be a difficult one for parents and for that reason, the CISC produce an information booklet for parents.

Published in eight different lan- guages it outlines all aspects and fea- tures of the Irish school system.

So far the orientation programme has catered for children enrolling in junior and senior infants, but those

working at the CISC are acutely aware of the difficulties faced by old- er children going to school in Ireland for the first time.

“We are very conscious that there are kids out there who will be going to school who may have English as a second or third language. There can lolomr LO) mOsm Bus) OCer- LHe) IIe

The CISC is being steered by vari- ous agencies in Clare who have an interest and duty to support services for the immigrant community to fa- cilitate and support integration.

Ms Ni Eili explained “When we were the Irish Refugee Council, our role was focused mainly on working with refugees and asylum seekers, but now it broader and takes in the wider immigrant community”’.

, moves to Sixmi- lebridge Library from the Sean Le- mass Library in Shannon where it has been on view for the past month.

The exhibition, which runs through- out September and has been ap- proved by Dr O’Regan, honours his many achievements and features text panels and photographic displays on his distininguished career.

These include the setting up the world’s first Duty Free Shop at Shan- non; the establishment of the Shan- non Development Company and the founding of Co-operation Ireland — the largest organisation working in the area of peace and reconciliation in the island of Ireland. The 90-year- old is also recognised as the driving force behind the opening up of the Shannon area to tourism.

Commenting on the exhibition, Clare Museum Curator John Rat- tigan said that since its launch by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in early Feb- ruary, it has attracted huge numbers.

“Dr O’Regan’s involvement in a vast number of different projects in Clare, the mid-west region and beyond is a source of pride for people all over

Ireland and I am sure his legacy will stand the test of time. I am especial- ly delighted that the exhibition has now been placed on public display in Ssixmilebridge, Dr O’Regan’s native village,” he said.

Speaking about the exhibition, Dr O’Regan said, “I am_ particularly proud to be a Clareman and to have been involved with the county and its people through Shannon and Bord Failte, now Failte Ireland, during the course of my career.”

“T am acutely aware that this exhi- bition not only acknowledges my role but the role of all the men and women who worked with great determination to ensure the success of Shannon Air- port and its contribution to the life of GUE TCSMA TATA elelutamdelesDamoseldeLbRcsE- Kim CemcbN Ore port, much of what has been achieved would not have happened and I owe them a debt of gratitude.”