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AN UNCLE of stab victim Michael Doherty has been warned about his behaviour, following an incident out- side Ennis Courthouse on Friday.

The matter caught the attention of the judge, minutes after a young man charged in connection with the 14- year-old’s death appeared before the Children’s Court.

That case was dealt with in a matter of seconds shortly after 1lam and the accused left the court.

However, as other cases were being

dealt with, the judge noticed a group of people related to the deceased who had gathered outside the courthouse near a window. Some were speaking loudly.

Judge Joseph Mangan twice or- dered that the matter be addressed. He told the court garda to go out and “get people away from the window.”

The judge then noticed that a young man had jumped on a window sill and was peering into the courtroom. The lower glasses on the courtroom are frosted, but the upper panes of glass are transparent.

The judge pointed out that the Chil- dren’s Court was not open to the public and ordered that the man be brought before him.

The young man identified himself as Edward Sherlock. “Yes I jumped up on the window,’ he told the

judge.

Judge Mangan asked him, “Why did you do that?”

He replied, “My nephew was

stabbed. I’m here to see justice.” Judge Mangan warned him about

his behaviour. “If you don’t conduct

yourself Ill have you barred from

court when that case is at hearing again.”

The accused, a 17-year-old teenager who is charged in connection with Mr Doherty’s death, was remanded on continuing bail.

He 1s charged with production of an article capable of inflicting serious injury, at O’Connell Street, Ennis, on Saturday, June 23 last.

Superintendent John Scanlan of Ennis Garda Station applied for the case to be adjourned until September 28. Judge Mangan agreed to the ap- plication.

FOR the fourth year in a row the

West Clare Show has attracted world-

renowned show jumpers and horses. Among the impressive line up were

Francis Connors, Cian O’Connor and Ronan Tynan. Despite the famous names in the Grand Prix line up, the winner of the €6,000 first prize was Kilrush bred horse Sarah’s Sparky E, the mount of Tipperary man Brendan

Ryan.

Up to 3,000 people came to Tully- brack to enjoy the day with the rain obliging everyone by staying away. The last race – the Future Young Event Horse- finished at 8.30pm.

IT RAINED like it was never going to end over the weekend. But under dark skies, the Spancilhill fair roared with life. The annual horse fair is synonymous with good, often rowdy times and this year’s installment was no less different.

Buyers and sellers from across Ire- land and beyond convened at one of the most famous traditional horse fairs in the world.

The crowds were steady all day Saturday. Some to buy, others to sell. Many were there just to have a look and find out for themselves what makes Spancilhill such a treasured date in the summer calendar.

There were the professionals who know the place and its customs all too well. They come from Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary. Some from further afield. Nothing new in Span-

cilhill. When it was first held in 1600, such was its reputation that Spancul- hill drew the armies of Napoleon, in search of horses, sheep and other supplies, and no doubt a bit of dev- ilment. The army that marched on Spancilhill over the weekend came mainly to bargain and trade horses. But this being Spancilhill everything had its price.

There were days when it didn’t look too good for Spancilhill. During the eighties the festival’s future looked bleak. Numbers declined, an element of lawlessness crept in. All of a sud- den Spancilhill wasn’t the place to

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But thanks to men like Paddy Has- sett, the fair was saved and ultimate- ly revived. The only thing bleak on Saturday was the weather. And that didn’t matter one bit.

KILKEE is preparing for a busy end to the tourist season this summer as it plays host to one of the biggest events in the Irish music calendar.

With names like Fun Lovin’ Crimi- nals, Ocean Colour Scene, Kila, Re- public of Loose and The Blizzards confirmed for the three-day concert, businesses in the town are expecting a huge crowd.

Cois Fharraige 2007 is expected to attract up to 4,500 people every night from September 7 to 9.

Hailed as Ireland’s first surf and music festival the three-day event will also include surfing competi- tions at the picturesque Doughmore lerereKOae

Sponsored by Sony Ericsson and MCD the concert will feature live music from the best of Irish and in- ternational acts.

The music element of the festival will be staged in a Khayyam tent, with a capacity of 4,500 people each night, overlooking the Atlantic Coast in Kilkee.

Some of the three-day line up for

Cois Fharraige has been confirmed with many more acts due to be an- nounced during the coming weeks.

On Friday the Fun Lovin’ Crimi- nals, The Blizzards, Roisin Murphy and Majella Murphy will take to the Sexes

Saturday will see Ocean Colour Scene, Republic of Loose, The En- emy, 28 Costumes, and The Kinetiks take to the stage.

On Sunday Kila, Tom Baxter, Buf- falo Souljah, Delorentos, The Wom- bats, and Amy MacDonald will en- tertain the crowd.

In addition, a carnival of water sport activities will take place in Kilkee Bay over the three-day weekend.

As County Clare has fast become a Mecca for champion surfers across the globe these activities will include an official Surfing Event on Dough- more beach in Doonbeg on Saturday, September 8 in association with the West Coast Surf Club. Further de- tails for entry to the surfing event can be found on www.coistharraige. com. Tickets for Cois Fharraige Surf Festival will go on sale on Friday site. ¢ mee nce b OO

A NEW PLAN to make the streets of Ennis litter free can only work if there is community wide responsibil- ity according to the mayor of Ennis.

Joe Reidy was speaking at the launch of the Ennis Environmental Challenge, a new initiative by Ennis SKodW sim Oxelttitere

The Fianna Fail councillor said the input of community and voluntary eroups was critical to the success of the programme.

“The main objective of this pro-

gramme is to generate a community wide responsibility for and owner- ship of the appearance and tidiness of Ennis.

“We are confident that this ap- proach will help develop a positive public attitude towards litter preven- tion and will lead to a lasting change in behaviour,” he said.

Cllr Reidy said the programme aimed to challenge communities, businesses and other stakeholders to improve litter standards in the town. He said the programme was being introduced to capitalise on Ennis’ re-

cent success in the national tidy town competitions.

‘The use of the word challenge in the title is deliberate. We want to challenge people to do their best.

“It is supposed to be a positive mo- tivating influence so that people will respond to that challenge.

“It is a challenge to everybody, the council, local businesses, commu- nity and voluntary groups. Ennis has achieved so much and now it’s time to go that extra mile,” he said.

Welcoming the launch of the envi- ronmental campaign, Tom Cough-

lan, Ennis Town Manager stated that a successful campaign could maxim- ise the national and international ap- peal of Ennis.

“The challenge will help the town build on its success and achieve- ments in the annual National Tidy Town’s competition.

“IT am especially confident that it will enhance the image and profile of Ennis locally, nationally and interna- tionally. In doing so, the town will become an attractive place to live, work, invest in and visit,’ added Mr So eaNE Te

SHANNON town has received a boost in its long running campaign to secure full town council status arising from Government plans to reform local government.

Shannon Town Manager, Ger Dol- lard, has welcomed new proposals in the recently published Programme for Government as a “very signifi- cant step forward” for the town.

He said that the definite timescale of six months- before the proposals appear in a new green paper on local government- was very positive.

In the programme, the parties out- lined their commitment to the estab- lishment of town councils in towns that have shown significant popula- tion growth, including the upgrading of the former town commissions to full town councils.

“Shannon Town Council has been pursuing the upgrade in functions and the extension of the Shannon town boundary. Our understanding from a visit of the previous Minis- ter for the Environment some time ago was that there was no legislative mechanism currently to facilitate an upgrade,” said Mr Dollard.

He added that “‘as a result Shannon Town Council decided to move ahead with the application for a boundary

extension and continue to lobby for a change in status”.

The manager also said that the case for Shannon was strong as it was the second largest town in the county with a population of 10,000 and 12,000 working in the general environs. An upgrade would give the town council overall responsibility for local government functions in- cluding housing, planning and roads as well as levying rates and other sae ene

“The staffing support and services available would be significantly im- proved and extended to cover the direct provision of services. Being realistic and assuming positive deci- sions for Shannon, I would see a five year timescale as being likely,’ he added.

The Shannon-based incoming mayor, Councillor Patricia McCa- rthy (Ind) said that an upgrade to full town council “is what Shannon deserves and has been fighting for a number of years”.

She added, “I would welcome a serious debate on local government reform.

“There has been no discussion or reform in the past, but no meaning- ful reform has taken place and the lo- cal government system remains too centralised.”

IT WAS “Lights, camera, action!” for Tubber National School last Wednesday night as a five minute film made by pupils made it through to the national finals of the FIS Pri- mary Schools Film Project.

A Lesson Learned, which was about early 20th Century educa- tion, beat off stiff competition from Holy Family Senior in Ennis, Scoil Chriost Ri in Cloughleigh, Kilrush National School and Barefield Na- tional School to be the Clare winner in the competition’s fifth year.

FIS gives students and teachers

the chance to explore the school curriculum through the medium of film and Digital Video technology and winning films will compete at the National FIS Film Awards at the HELIX, Dublin City University in October.

Principal of Tubber National School, Ann Comyn said, “The stu- dents have managed to produce a wonderfully creative piece of work that should be a source of pride for them and their parents.”

She added that the screening held at the Temple Gate Hotel in Ennis gave the children the opportunity to celebrate and share the work they

had been doing since February.

“They thoroughly enjoyed the whole learning experience and in most cases have realised that there is a lot of hard work and planning involved in film-making.” The chil- dren took on all aspects of the film- making process including set design, music, editing and directing.

The film subjects varied and the joint first runners up were: Are You Right There Michael, a historical drama documentary on the West Clare Railway by Kilrush NS and Dear Mr Examiner, an adaptation of a sixth class poem by Scoil Chriost Nee

The project was facilitated by the Clare Education Centre in associa- tion with the Department of Educa- tion and Science and the National Film School.

“The films produced by the children demonstrate what can be achieved when creativity and modern technol- ogy are combined,” explained Brid Talty, regional schools ICT advisor at Clare Education Centre.

Ann White of the National Coun- cil for Technology Education and competition judge said that the over- all standard was exceptionally high and for Tubber National School “the journey is just beginning”’.

CCTV cameras are among new fre- sources Ennis Town Council will use as part of a major community driven environmental initiative.

The Ennis Environmental Chal- lenge will feature a range of waste prevention initiatives including the introduction of litter free zones, the employment of extra resources and the use of mobile CCTV cameras.

The first phase of the campaign involves the designation of Abbey Street, O’Connell Street, Parnell Street and High Street as a pilot area, within which litter free status will be Neel tol 0B

Other town centre locations will be designated as target litter free zones in the second phase. An independent verification and audit of the initiative is planned for August. The second phase will get underway in October with further review and assessment to take place in November.

Additional staff resources will be assigned to support the initial stages of the initiative which was launched at Waterpark House on Friday. Rep- resentatives from Shannon Develop- ment, Ennis Chamber of Commerce, local sports clubs and organisations, national and secondary school rep- resentatives, Ennis Tidy Towns Committee, An Garda Siochana, waste service providers, residents associations, local authority officials and elected members, tourism sector representatives and members of the

business community attended the event.

Other measures being introduced by Ennis Town Council include the operation of a revised cleaning schedule, the provision of colourful

floral displays and hanging baskets throughout the town, the hosting of an awareness campaign in national and secondary schools, and the pro- duction of a promotional/educational video on the Ennis Environmental

Challenge. Meanwhile, the council will use mobile closed circuit televi- sion in designated areas, housing es- tates and public areas as an enforce- ment measure to combat littering and indiscriminate dumping.

Eddie Power, Ennis Town Clerk, explained that the litter initiatives would be closely monitored through- out the challenge.

“A log or record including photo- graphic evidence of the condition of streets will be complied twice daily to monitor progress. An independent audit will also be conducted in the designated areas to verify progress and determine ‘litter free status’. ‘Litter Free Zone’ signs will then be erected following the successful completion of the verification proc- ess,” he said.

“Ennis Town Council will be launching measures aimed at further improving the existing community- wide and shared approach to com- bating litter in the town. For exam- ple, the local authority will organise cleaning days across the town’s hous- ing estates. Financial support will be provided through the council’s Prim- ing Grants Scheme for Residents As- sociations while an additional Bonus Grant will be presented to the Best Kept Estate. We will also be taking action on derelict sites and asking the owners of certain buildings and sites to carry out maintenance work where necessary,’ he said.

SO FAR, 2007 has been annus hor- ribulus for Clare hurling.

Not all to do with the controversies engendered by the Davie Fitz, Sem- plegate, Tony Carmody, Ger Ward and Dave Mahedy affairs. Some- thing to do with results as well. A poor league followed by a poorer start to the championship.

A case of bad to worse. Casement Park on Saturday afternoon is when things have to start getting better. Win and the Clare hurlers throw themselves a lifeline and march on- wards and upwards to a mouth wa- tering clash with Galway in Cusack eevee LUA awe

Lose and Clare hurling isn’t so much as staring into the abyss — more

a case of plummeting head long into a black hole. They aren’t contemplat- ing the latter, only the former as the wagons are being circles by Tony Considine and his team this week.

It seems anything that could go wrong has gone wrong in the build up to the All-Ireland qualifier. The county board refused to bow to Con- sidine’s request for club champion- ship games to be put on hold until af- ter Clare’s All-Ireland race was run.

Power to clubs preached the top table, while Considine launched a verbal broadside when saying “all I’ve wanted since I came into the job was to have a fair crack of the whip. One some level you begin to wonder if some sections would prefer to see you fail”.

It’s this siege mentality that’s driv-

ing Clare this week — the overwhelm- ing feeling from those involved in the team is that they’re in this thing on their own. Without board back- ing, especially from the rump within the board that want Tony Considine to fall on his own sword.

That state of siege is added to when you factor in suspensions to Alan Markham, Colin Lynch, Barry Nugent and Andrew Quinn and a mounting injury crisis with the Clare squad.

The Clare quartet were suspended by the Competitions Controls Com- mittee for their part in the fracas with Cork, while their one-match bans were upheld on appeal last Thursday night.

Since then things have got worse, with fresh injuries clouding Clare

preparations for their journey north. On top of the absence of Whitegate’s Brendan Bugler, Newmarket-on-Fer- cus’ Bernard Gaffney has been ruled out, as has Clooney-Quin’s Fergal Lynch.

Meanwhile, both Jonathon Clancy and Kevin Dilleen are in a race to be fit for the clash against the UI- ster champions, which has prompted manager Tony Considine to delay naming his starting 15 until the day om elemestclceey

Only then will Clare’s small trav- elling support know the team. Only then will the wagons be fully cir- rer

AN ‘X’ or more accurately, a cross, marks the spot in the Burren with the official launch of a community art project designed to highlight local farming and conservation issues.

The Cross Land initiative takes the form of the coppiced shape – each arm stretching 60 metres long and 1.5m wide – cut through an area of dense hazel wood just off the side of the Tubber road.

The shape was designed and creat- ed laboriously by hand by Kilnaboy based artist, Deirdre O’Mahony and volunteers as part of the Ground Up programme by the county arts of- fice.

It was launched at Cassidy’s Pub in

Carron last Saturday after a gather- ing in the Burren Research Centre and marked with the presentation of several aerial shots of the cross to lo- cal people.

“The shots had to be taken using kite photography 300 feet up be- cause the shape is only barely visible from a height on the road itself,” said Ms O’Mahony, a painting lecturer in the Galway/Mayo Institute of Tech- nology.

“The idea for the cross shape itself came from a conversation with the farmer whose land we used when he called the marginal scrubland ‘cross land’. The reference is really a part of the local vernacular so I suppose making it part of the land can sym- bolise hope.”

The Cross Land was the result of a two-year local consultation process, based at Cassidy’s, with local people and it highlights several issues ac- cording to Ms O’Mahony.

‘The original issue was the spread- ing of the scrubland and it wasn’t be- ing cleared by wild goats because of a lot of culling in the past few years but there were other factors. Another was the impact of part time farm- ing and the fact that marginal land, which used to be grave, is not any- more.”

She said that a recurring topic was the challenge faced by farmers based in a Special Area of Conservation, regulated by “so many different agencies’.

“I spoke to people and I was in Cas-

sidy’s two evenings a week. With the help of Robert and Michelle, I posted information up in a snug so it could be read by the customers. One other thing I noticed was the lack of com- munity focus because you would be lucky 1f two or three people showed up a night.”

She thanked everyone in the area and also Burren Life for their help with The Cross Land before adding, “I hope that it makes a tiny piece of the rich local knowledge and co-op- eration visible.”