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FARM incomes plummeted by a massive 25 per cent 2006 according to the National Farm Survey pub- lished by Teagasc last week.

The average national family farm income is now just €16,680 a drop of €5,779 or 25.7 per cent on the 2005 levels. While these figures are arti- ficially high because of the one off high level of direct subsidy in 2005, it still represents another blow for the farming community.

Perhaps a more worrying trend is that, according to the survey, direct payments now account for 98 per cent of all family farm Income.

The survey, which was conducted by the Teagasc Rural Economy Re- search Centre, also showed that on full time farms the average family farm income was €34,486 – down by 15 per cent on the previous year.

Reacting to the results, IFA Presi- dent Padraig Walshe, said that the figures are not as bad as they seem.

ml GI Tea e Durem peeeelomrPAU ee moore efited from a once-off boost due to the timing of the changeover to the decoupled payments system, and this is the main reason for the 25 per cent decline in national farm income in 2006,” he said.

“Looking at the income trends in 2007, there clearly has been a recov-

ery in dairy markets. While some price increases to farmers have come through, I believe there is major scope for further price increases this year. Also, world grain markets are quite strong as we approach the 2007 harvest.

‘However, cattle and sheep prices are very disappointing this year. Winter beef finishers lost heavily due to poor prices and higher costs. In the sheep sector, continuing low prices and margins are resulting in a serious decline in the national ewe ley ucreLeNbOTCaBE COle) eum

Meanwhile, ICSA President Mal- colm Thompson expressed his con- cerns at some of the income statistics,

particularly regarding the drystock sector.

‘These statistics are a wake-up call to policy makers, food processors and factories alike,’ he said. “There is an obvious and deep structural de- ficiency in the systems employed by the drystock sector, and these figures demonstrate that the current system of farming is inherently unprofitable. You cannot survive in an industry Where your production costs out- weigh profit.”

Commenting on figures, the Presi- dent of ICMSA, Mr Jackie Cahill, said they demonstrated conclusively the very low income figures for full- WUSSom Ec DUES oli

THE PEOPLE of Carrigaholt are planning for the future.

The local people will influence the future design of the west Clare vil- lage, as Clare County Council begins drawing up a Village Design State- ment.

Carrigaholt will be just one of two villages in the county to undergo the overhaul.

The local authority’s Planning and Economic Development Department intends to prepare the “statement”, in consultation with the public, over the coming months.

A Village Design Statement pro- vides planning advice directly ap-

plicable to the statutory planning system and is entirely community based.

According to Risteard UaCroinin, Conservation Officer, Clare County Council, “A Village Design State- ment sets out clear and simple guidance for the design of all de- velopment in a village, based on its character. It is an advisory document produced by the village community, not by the planning authority. It will not stop change from happening, but it can help effect how any new build- ing fits in to the village.

‘These statements are intended to influence the operation of the statu- tory planning system, so that new development is in harmony with its

setting and makes a positive con- tribution to the immediate environ- ment.”

Officials of the Planning Policy Unit following a series of public con- sultation workshops and meetings with local interested individuals and eroups will undertake the project. The unit will also be seeking the in- put of local public representatives.

“The main focus of the upcoming public consultations will be to turn the informed wishes of the local com- munity on the future development of both villages into part of develop- ment policy,’ said Mr UaCroinin.

Clare County Council hopes to ad- dress a number of issues during the drafting of the statements, including

the protection and conservation of important buildings, improving der- elict areas and structures, upgrading and enhancement of public spaces and facilities, appropriate develop- ment for infill sites and adjacent sites, and other relevant issues raised by the community.

The process will also attempt to identify the unique character of Car- rigaholt, with particular reference to the character of its landscape, setting and built environment.

Public information, consultation meetings and workshops will be or- ganised during the next two months. They will be held during weekday evenings and will be advertised lo- cally.

CO-OP are coming under increas- ing pressure to increase the amount of money being paid to farmers for milk.

The ICMSA launched a fresh at- tack on what they deemed an “inex- plicable and glaring milk price gap” between the price being received by farmers and the market returns being received by the country’s Co-ops.

The organisations milk chairper- son, Dominic Cronin, said last week that it is imperative that this “utterly unacceptable” gap was closed when a number of Co-op Board meetings take place this week.

“The gap between the Irish Dairy Board’s On-Account Price and the price being received by farmers now stands at 9c/litre.

In the case of a 50,000 gallon pro- ducer and in the event of the co-ops failing to fully pass back that in- creased price in July, the gap repre- sents a loss of €2,460 for July milk,” he said.

“These losses are simply not ac- ceptable and ICMSA is urging those Co-ops who have set their July and August milk prices to immediately IKeaTA CoA An te loa 08 i

Cronin singled out the state’s big- gest milk processor, Glanbia, as the Co-op ICMSA felt should be taking

a lead in the matter.

Meanwhile the IFA’s National Dairy Committee Chairman, Rich- ard Kennedy, said last week that he believed the Irish Dairy Board would soon have to adjust their SMP and butter prices further for the month of July, in view of continued EU spot market price increases for both prod- ucts, and many other commodities.

“The current EU average price for SMP is €3,600/t, 150/t more than the current IDB price including the June retrospective payment, while EU butter prices reach € 3,500 on average, €200/t more than the Irish Dairy Board are paying,” he said.

“Current EU butter and SMP pric-

es, calculated on the same basis as the IDB index, reach the equivalent of 47c/l. That is 4c/l more than the current Dairy Board index.

“It is clear to me that an adjustment to the IDB prices, which I believe must happen soon, will make those returns available to those among our processors who do not already have access to them because they do not trade outside of the Dairy Board.

“Contracted prices with manufac- turers of cream liqueur, infant formu- lae or chocolate crumb, are all based on the IDB index plus a premium – so that returns for these products are 1n- creasing every time the IDB increas- es its commodity prices.”

WHILE pop and rock music enthu- siasts may be looking forward to the three day September music fes- tival in Kilkee, opera enthusiasts are also being catered for at the seaside Keer

Opera by the Sea will take place this Saturday, August 4, in Kilkee Parish Church.

Presented by Kilkee Civic Trust in association with Opera Works, this cultural event promises to be an evening of the world’s most popular arias.

Those attending can expect duets

and ensembles from La Travietta, Carmen, The Magic Flute, La Bo- hme and many more operatic favour- ites.

Kilrush woman Edel O’Brien will make a welcome return to west Clare as part of the talented line up of art- ists performing.

Edel graduated with an honour masters degree in music and per- formance from NUI Maynooth. At the age of 19, she won the Mar- garet Burke-Sheridan Cup at the Dublin Féis Cheol. In London, she was awarded a scholarship to study singing at Trinity College of Music Where she won ‘distinction’ in her

postgraduate diploma in vocal stud- ies. In addition, she won the Vocal Faculty Award and the College Gold Medal.

In 2002 Edel was one of seven singers out of 200 applicants world- wide to be accepted onto the Young Artists’ Programme at the Centre de Formation Lyrique at the Opera Bastille, Opera National de Paris.

While there, she won the Prix Lyr- ique, which is awarded, annually to one male and one female singer at the CFL.

Edel has much experience in opera, oratorio and recital, having worked around Ireland, Britain and France.

Her future plans include the mezzo- soprano solo in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 and Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with the National Symphony Or- chestra at the National Concert Hall, Dublin, and Maurya in Vaughan- Williams’ Riders to the Sea in Dub- lin’s Anna Livia Festival.

Joining Edel on the night will be Sandra Oman, soprano; Edel O’Brien, mezzo, Niall Morris, tenor; Martin Higgins, baritone and Maire- ad Hurley, piano.

Tickets on the night are €20 and are available from John William chemist, Nolan’s delicatessen or at id etomeColeye

that landowners would be compen- sated for any delays in resolving cas-

es and that efforts were being made to speed up the process.

“In the event that agreement can- not be reached on the compensation to be paid, the landowners or the local authority may refer the claim for non-binding assessment under the 2001 agreement and look to the Statutory Arbitrator whose decision is final and binding,” he said.

“The local authority is entitled to enter onto the land following service of the Notice To Treat and subse- quent Notice of Entry on the expira- tion of 14 days notice. Once the local authority has entered onto land, in- terest on the eventual compensation

becomes payable.

This provision is designed to pro- tect the landowner’s interest. The longer cases take to settle, the more money will be paid as interest, there- by giving the local authority a pow- erful incentive to deal with cases as quickly as possible.”

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) had stated their wish for a defi- nite time structure to be put in place for disputes to be resolved. The NRA have agreed to work towards this.

“The NRA has proposed the intro- duction of a clear timetable for all stages of the process in an effort to resolve outstanding compensation

claims more quickly and make pay- ments to landowners. The authority has allocated funding to Clare Coun- ty Council to meet such payments.

“Land values are assessed having regard to comparable land sales in the area – the local authority adopts an open and transparent approach to the comparable used and makes the information concerned available to valuers acting for landowners,” said Mr Fagan.

In addition to the cost of the land, compensation can also be paid to landowners for any disturbance or injurious that emerge as a result of O OKs

JONATHAN Clancy emerged from a soundless dressing room to offer a player’s perspective on Clare’s flat performance against Limerick.

The Clarecastle player produced some sparkling moments. Namely when he drifted across from the left

wing and fielded Gerry O’Grady’s clearance to land his first point.

Even with the game up, he still mo- tored up and down finishing Clare’s best-constructed move of the match from under the Hogan Stand.

Nice moments, but ones you sus- pect Clancy won’t dwell on.

Like his manager he’s thinking

about the ones that got away.

With his back against a _ wall, Clancy spoke of his frustration as he contemplated another early exit from the All-Ireland series.

“We missed a number of chances in the first half that will haunt us for a while. We didn’t enjoy the bounce of the ball, which is always important

in such tight matches. We are sick and tired of coming up here giving good performances and not winning. I’d rather have played a bad game and won than a good one and lost.” However, he said the experience would benefit the team in the long run. According to Clancy, Clare could do with a little rub of the green.

“We still have a very good team, but we need to be contesting All-Ireland semis and finals to bring it on. There is very little between the teams when you reach this stage of the champi- onship. Games can go either way. Just look at what Wexford achieved against Tipperary on Saturday. All we need is a little bit of luck.”

and who suffered the gruesome fate of

being hanged drawn and quartered for his patriotism.

“My father was William Wallace from Edinburgh,” he pointed out.

He was brought up within hailing distance of White Hart Lane the home ground of Tottenham, Hotspur Football Club. “I’m a lifelong Spurs fan,” he said.

He has had paintings exhibited in the Hunt Museum in Limerick and local venues in south east Clare.

“IT also had paintings on show in Philadelphia in the US when I worked there,’ he said.

He won a free scholarship to the Hornsey School of Arts and Crafts in London when he was 12 years of age eventhough the exam was for 15 year-olds. “I was the only child of that age to ever achieve that at the time,” he said.

He pointed out that there are peo- ple who like to have their portraits hanging on the wall and others get paintings done as presents for rela- LU Aorcer-HOLe BU Lo AXC Ke

‘They can also be very acceptable wedding presents for young couples to adorn their new house with a sce- nic view or even a Surprise portrait of themselves which they didn’t know was being painted for them.

“Portraits are also very acceptable to give to people on their retirement. I was commissioned to do a portrait of a Roadstone employee in Bunratty to be presented to him on his retire- ment. They gave me a photograph of him in his work gear complete with helmet. It turned out very well,’ he ene

Among the scenic views he was requested to paint again from pho-

tographs were The Cliffs of Moher, Bunratty Castle, King John’s Castle and Sarsfield Bridge in Limerick.

“T also do dogs in pastel and horses in oils and of course your favourite cat.”

John worked with money during his working life – not his own money but making it.

He was employed with the Royal Mint in London for 21 years and had Stints in countries such as the US, Japan, Argentina, Canada and Indo- nesia as a sales director in the same business.

So if you want to be hung over the fireplace or for that matter hang your dog, cat or horse or your favourite view, artist John can be contacted at 061-340592.

AS THE new Killanin stand opens for the first time this week to accom- modate over 7,000 racing enthusi- asts, it incurs memories of that fa- mous day when the Pope came to the Ballybrit racecourse on September 30, 1979. The new €22 million stand is a state of the art work of modern architecture which provides bar, res- taurant, lavish seating arrangements and countless hospitality suites but this is in stark contrast to the servic- es provided to the estimated 280,000 people who travelled far and wide to see Pope John Paul II.

For the three day duration of his stay, the country came to a veritable standstill. Traffic was chaotic, busi- nesses were shut down, families were gathered and surrounding buildings got a lick of paint as hundreds of thousands flocked to Dublin, Droge- da, Clonmacnoise, Galway, Knock, Maynooth, Limerick and Shannon airport to welcome the Catholic church’s highest figure in what was a whistle stop tour of Ireland.

He arrived in Ballybrit racecourse on the morning of September 30 to a crowd estimated at under 300,000. Flags, banners and umbrellas were all being sold by the clued in en- trepreneurs en route to the famous arena which was stewarded by 4,000 volunteers. It was a dreary, damp day but the entusiastic crowd were enter- tained by the pope’s support act, Fr.

Michael Cleary and Bishop Eamon Casey the singing duo who belted out such classics as “by the rivers of Babylon” among others in a scene which possibly would not have been out of place in Father Ted.

Such was the atmosphere as his holi- ness appeared on stage that the crowd began to chant “he’s got the whole world in his hands” before the pope began to address the eager masses. A spiritual silence fell on the crowd as the pontiff began to say mass. Dur- ing the ceremony, he relayed his messages of reassurance and hope to the youth of Ireland. “This morning the Pope belongs to the youth of Ire- land. I believe in youth with all my heart and strength of my conviction, and today I say: I believe in the youth of Ireland. Young people of Ireland, I love you.”

He also insisted that the ‘lure of pleasure’ would be strong and the ‘desire to be free from external re- straints may manifest itself very strongly in the sexual domain. How many young people have already warped their consciences and have substituted the true joy of life with drugs, sex, alcohol, vandalism and the empty pursuit of mere mate- rial possessions?” Prophetic stuff indeed.

The county had or will never see anything like this ceremony again. It was a momentous occasion which probably will never be equaled but will be forever remembered.

THROUGH gap in the dressing room door, Clare captain Frank Lohan can be seen shaking the hands of play- ers and thanking them. The place is almost empty. Players are filing out, heading back up that cavernous stretch under the David Stand.

Lohan, shakes the last of hands, says a few more words before ac- knowledging the two lads with the tape recorders.

He makes his way out the front door of the dressing room. Outside the stillness is rocked by another de- lerious roar as Cork and Waterford endeavor again to bring the very best out of each other.

He’s known better days on the big stage and knows the way Croke Park can provoke a thunderous response in a team.

On Sunday, it just wasn’t there. A genuinely dejected looking Lohan offers his thoughts on why Clare

failed to rise to the occasion.

Too many wasted chances. Allow- ing Limerick to get a run on them. According to Lohan it was a combi- nation of factors. “We gave them a soft goal and that put them a bit away. They got ahead of us so it was prob- ably that bit comfortable for them at the end of the day.”

With Limerick renewed by their three game saga with Tipperary, Lo- han said it was always going to be difficult once Clare fell behind.

“They had that bit of a cushion. It was three points for a bit and then it was seven or eight points and you can’t do that with a team like Lim- erick and let them have that sort of a cushion.”

Lohan also had words of praise for goalkeeper Philip Brennan. The Tul- la man had been the focus of unfair attention earlier in the season after filling the position vacated by David Fitzgerald.

‘Philip has had a great year. He’d a

difficult year too. He is a great goal- keeper and he is going to show that in years to come. We had three lads in Croke Park who were playing for their first time, maybe even a few more and hopefully that will stand to them”’.

“We came up with the intention of getting to an All-Ireland semi final and I suppose we didn’t play as well as we wanted. But that’s it, fair play to Limerick,’ he added. There was nothing left to say.

WIMBLEDON may be done and dusted this year but tennis is playing centre stage in Killaloe with the ad- dition of a fourth court to an already impressive set up at the New Street venue.

The Killaloe/Ballina Tennis Club was founded in 1984 and has been at the current site since 1988. The tennis club is popular not only in the

Killaloe/Ballina area but also the surrounding parish with members coming from Parteen, Portroe, Scar- iff and Tuamgraney.

There are 150 family memberships along with 30 adult single member- Jabh eke

According to vice chairman of the club Pat Grace the development of the new court is much needed in the area.

‘The main reason behind the new

court is to help clear the backlog of 40 people waiting to join. You don’t want to stop people from joining but unfortunatly that has been the case.”

The court will be 60 x 120 ft in size and will have the same all-weather sandbased surface as its three sister courts. The development is expected to be ready by the end of Septem- ber and will cost €85,000, thirty of which is to be funded by the Nation- al Lottery.

Now the club is watching out for a young Roger Federer or Venus Williams waiting to burst onto the scene? The facilities are open to the schools of the area are according to Pat Grace are “being put to good use by the convent girls school, which 1s great to see’. On the club front the juniors are performing very well with a representative in almost all of the finals of a recent tournament which was held in Nenagh.