Category: Uncategorized

MONEY raised by the west Clare Mini-Marathon was recently distrib- uted to grateful charities including €25,000 to the Regina House Pallia- tive Care Unit at a recent ceremony.

Friends of Regina House, a newly formed group, was presented with the cheque in Keane’s in Carrigaholt at the end of April while other local cancer causes also benefitted from the €160,000 raised by the annual event.

Friends of Ennistymon Hospital received €25,000 while other funds will pay for cancer patients travel- ling for treatment, pilgrimage trips for patients, palliative aids for home

use, professional counselling for pa- tients and their families, the Night Nurse service and the national Life- line Ambulance Service.

This year over 700 participants braved the January cold to contest the race and parish priest Father Donagh O’Meara said that the event was invaluable to cancer sufferers and their loved ones.

“Cancer care 1s a fantastic cause because so many people are suffer- ing. This money means that patients from west Clare can stay in west GET eweleetomnder- bem om selon (onteademcomnsle hospital in Ennis or Limerick or to Milford Hospice. It 1s a great thing to have facilities locally so people can benefit and have visitors,’ he said.

Fr O’Meara added that the mini- marathon meant that funds will go towards getting an extra palliative care bed each for Regina House and Ennistymon Hospital, boosting the number of beds to three in both je eNerene

All of the money, over €1 million over nine years, stays in the area and is distributed between organisations and local individuals.

The idea for the event, held on the last Sunday in January, originally came from Willie and Mary Mc- Grath.

The McGraths are now on the trus- tees committee which distributes the mini-marathon proceeds with Fr O’Meara as vice-chairman and other

local people including Michael No- ete

“It all started with the McGraths because they wanted to do something for cancer patients in the area and it has just grown and grown since then. It is our major fundraiser of the year while different community groups do smaller things. It is always a won- derful day and to get that amount of money in one go is fantastic. Local people are brilliant,” Fr O’Meara said.

The next Kilkee parish fundraiser will be on May 26 with a Greyhound Night in Limerick to raise money for an astroturf pitch and playground.

EARLY May and the time to dream returns. For the Clare footballers – with the safety net of the backdoor now removed – only a win will pro- long a championship summer.

The Tommy Murphy Cup, the sec- ondary and often ignored champion- ship sibling, will be all that’s on offer for whoever crashes out of Munster this weekend.

It’s an unthinkable fate for a county with Paidi O Sé at the helm, but it’s the result of a league that began well and finished poorly.

Since the beginning of the season,

interest among a number of play- ers had amazingly waned and the withdrawal of Ger Quinlan from the camp last week will be another blow for Clare.

After selector Vincent O’Connor appealed to the cream of Clare talent to come on board for the county team, he didn’t get a positive response.

“Clare are not blessed with a lot of quality players and they need every good player that’s available,” he said TOMEI aAe

Back then, he couldn’t have fore- seen the withdrawal of a player of Quinlan’s standard in the immediate lead in to Clare’s Munster campaign,

but that’s the deck Clare have to play with now and O’Connor isn’t getting or Neu cemr hue W

“We’re going to pick the team on Thursday night and see where we are but bar one or two niggling problems that we should get sorted out, things aren’t looking in bad shape.”

Even with a few bends in the road, Clare will still expect to get past Waterford when they meet in Dun- eee Ne

Should they do so, a trip to Kerry for the next round, televised live, is the prize. The opportunity for Paidi O Sé and his fellow west Kerryman O’Connor to field a team in front of

their native audience would be ap- pealing.

“The prospect of playing Kerry is something which we’re not worried about right now. Waterford went to Kerry this time last year and gave them a real fright. If they hadn’t missed a penalty they’d have pushed Kerry, so they’re a decent team. We can’t contemplate anything else but Sunday’s game. Waterford are in the frame for us, they’re a tough team and that’s all we can see.”

Over in Waterford, manager John Kiely is upbeat about his side’s prospects. They had an even poorer league run than Clare but that hasn’t

dampened his spirits.

“We’ll be ready to give Clare a right good game when they come here,” he said. “It’s fair to say we had a bad run of things in the league but we’re not worried about that right now. We ran Kerry and Longford close last year and we’ve shown the kind of football we can play. We want another big performance against Clare.”

Two teams coming at it from a sim- ilar standpoint. The summer opens and judgement time is looming. It’s May and there’s everything to play oe

CLARE County Council’s payroll costs last year jumped to €38 mil- lion, with the county’s rate-pay- ers contributing €29 million to the council’s coffers.

According to its annual financial statement, the council last year spent €103 million on revenue related items.

The local authority spent €32 mil- lion on wages and salaries. €2.4 mil- lion was spent on “other costs” under the heading of payroll and €4 mil- lion on pensions and gratuities.

The statement — presented to coun-

cillors at yesterday’s May council meeting — also records that €647,000 was spent on “communications”.

The statement shows that the coun- cil’s finances have improved with the local authority’s revenue deficit de- creasing to €2.9 million.

The figures show that the council’s income at the Cliffs of Moher visi- tor was higher than expected. Gate income at €300,000 was higher than 4 rel KerO

However, the figures show that rev- enues at the council’s waste manage- ment facility were €750,000 down on the 2006 estimate.

Reflecting the economic buoyancy

of the county, the council’s figures show that planning application in- come was €700,000 above budget.

The figures show that the coun- cil expenditure on work in progress projects stood at €248 million com- pared to €149 million at the end of 2005.

The main projects contributing to the total are the Ennis by-pass (€175 million), house construction projects in progress (€11 million), Water Projects (€25 million) and Cliffs of Moher (€29 million).

SW ilommieclioelnlmmeevepu sek MmOet:lmmnele council capital debt stood at €83 million at the end of 2006, compared

to €79 million at the end of 2005. The increase related to the final draw down of the loan to fund the Cliffs of Moher project, voluntary housing loans.

The figures show that the council last year spent €26 million on the provision of local authority housing. €67 million was spent on roads. The major element of this was the Ennis by-pass project.

The report states that the largest variance was on roads where ex- penditure was greater than budget by €5.9 million

This reflected mainly the extra grant income in the year.

LITTLE feet in Miltown Malbay will take on a big charity feat on May 22 when kids from Forever Friends Pre-school do a sponsored toddle in aid of Barnardos.

The Danone Big Toddle for Bar- nardos will kick off at 9.30am when the 18 three- and four-year-old par- ticipants will take off on their half mile journey from St Joseph’s Na- tional School.

This is the fourth year that the pre-

school has taken on the Olympian task but according to owner, Kate Looney, if they decide not to run be- fore they can walk the mini-athletes can take to their buggies.

“All the kids have great fun and it is areally exciting event for them be- cause it breaks from the normal rou- tine. We invite the parents to come along and they can bring extra kids if they like. As far as I know we are the only place locally taking part.”

Proving that charity can begin at a young age, Kate said that sponsor-

ship cards were filling up fast.

“We sent a little one home this week with a sponsorship card and it came back full the next day. That’s €135 straight away. We normally raise around €/00-<€800. We try to aim for the previous year plus a little extra,” she added. ‘We do the shoe box appeal as well at Christmas. The children can do something for other children and that makes the cause real for them.” Forever Friends, open for four years at St Joseph’s, will hold its first sum- mer camp for three to six year olds for a week this July. If any créche, playgroup, montessori or family wants to take the baton from Forever Friends, information on the Big Tod- dle is available on www.barnardos.ie or O1 7080442.

PUPILS and staff at Scariff Com- munity College are preparing to take on a brave new world, with the start- up of a subject that will see students abandon copy books for lap-tops.

The school is preparing to intro- duce the latest subject to be added to the Leaving Certificate programme, Design and Communication Graph- ee

The new subject will come on- stream next September and _ the school is currently in the process of acquiring the necessary lap-tops and

preparing course materials.

“Tt’s an exciting challenge and we’re looking forward to it,’ said Deputy Principal, John O’Donovan.

The new subject is not the only new start at the east Clare community college.

Last week, students, teachers and parents representatives gathered for a rededication ceremony after the school building got a €2.5 million re-vamp.

When it was discovered last year that there was asbestos in the roof, it was decided to replace it.

The Office of Public Works stepped

in to do the work and this gave the school an opportunity for a complete overhaul, including new flooring and decor.

And now they have also been given a Department of Education grant to re-equip rooms for practical subjects such as engineering and woodwork.

“We’re very pleased that the OPW paid for the work on the roof. The school could never have afforded it and now everything has been done to the highest standards of safety and design,’ Mr O’Donovan said.

At the rededication ceremony, school chaplain, Fr Brendan Quinl-

livan lead the prayers. School prin- cipal, Sean Daly acted as mc and traditional music was performed by Students from the school, with solo singing from student Edel O’Grady.

Local politicians attended the cer- emony as guests along with students, teachers and members of the Board of Management and the Parents Council.

KILRUSH Farmers’ Market is hoping to prove that the egg came before the chicken in attracting local producers and customers to the weekly collec- tion of stalls every Thursday to 2pm.

Fresh eggs (organic of course) are just one of the products available at the market along with seasonal veg- etables, flowers, plants, seedlings, jams, dairy products, baked goods and local crafts.

Michael Gleeson, market organiser and rural development officer with community initiative EIRI Corca Baiscinn, said that “without a market

and a demand” farmers are less likely to produce goods for sale.

“We just decided that we could cre- ate a new outlet for farm produce and started making enquiries. Location 1s a key thing and we are blessed to have the market square in Kilrush. It gives farmers somewhere to sell and the cost to them is low. It started with six stalls and last summer we had more than 15 stalls at peak times. For the most part, people tend to be sold out at the end of a day which is quite good.”

He added that by reducing the scale and cutting out the middle man, farm- ers can really benefit from the mar- oe

“The main thing is that they’re sell- ing direct so the producer gets 100 per cent of the retail value. Most people who sold to restaurants or suppliers before still do that but now they can use the market to get good prices and profits on a local level.”

Mr Gleeson does not think that the arrival of large supermarkets in west Clare has affected local schemes like the farmers’ market.

“It doesn’t apply too much because the market supplies different prod- ucts. The goods here are about quality rather than quantity. There are super- markets, like Supervalu in Clonakilty in Cork, that network with local pro-

ducers to get something different but no-one is unduly worried because it’s a separate market.”

The market is no spring chicken- it has been running from April to De- cember every year since 2003.

An annual membership costs €20 and €8 is paid for a stall every week. The costs are deliberately low to en- courage new producers and stalls.

Mr Gleeson said that everyone in- volved is pleased with the success of the project.

“It has grown gradually. The prod- ucts are good value and quality and the people care about what they’re do- rhea

IT’S A long way from Bodyke to Bu- rundi but a development charity which has been set up to link the two 1s bridg- ing that distance.

The idea for the charity came from Leocadie Murray who is a native of the village of Karambi in Burundi and who is married in Bodyke, County OE

During four visits to Karambi be- tween July 2005 and Oct 2006 Leo- cadie tried to get a better understand- ing of the main problems affecting the village through a series of meetings and competitions.

As a result of this, meetings were held in Bodyke earlier this year with

the aim of forming a charity to help with the development of the village and A2B (Aid to Burundi) was formed.

The charity now has a committee and constitution and has applied for DU KeoMIE-IRUISD

A2B is planning fundraising activi- ties starting this month.

As well as fundraisers, A 2B is plan- ning to go into the schools to give talks and organise events which will “lead to a greater level of awareness among the community in relation to the char- ity and to third world development in general”, a spokesman for the charity eIOb

“In Burundi A2B are funding a de- velopment worker, Raziki Gaspard, to act as an extension worker with the

villagers and as a liason between A2B and the various village committees. The needs and ideas of the population which he will develop will form the basis of the micro-projects which will be set up in the village,” the spokes- pPOLDOMNT-0(6 B

Special attention will be given to projects’ sustainability and to the vil- lagers contribution to them. They will either be financed by A2B or co-fi- nanced with other aid organisations in Ireland.

The supervision of these projects will be carried out by Raziki Gaspard with regular interventions by Leocadie Zlob wee hyA

During the course of his work a more detailed study of the major problems

in the village was carried out by the project worker. The findings have identified eight priority areas where the needs of the village are greatest, the first being the need for clean drink- TPAToMA Weed

It is hoped that further research can be done on this project by June for an application for funding from the Development Council of Ireland. It’s hoped work on the project should be- gin later on in the year.

As part of the fundraising drive, a coffee evening will be held in Has- sett’s bar, Tuamgraney after 6.30pm mass on Saturday, May 19 and a coffee morning will be held in the lounge of the Cobblers Rest, Bodyke after Mass on Sunday, May 20.

BROWNIES from Kilmurry Ibrick- ane parish joined in the effort to keep Clare tidy recently when they picked up litter all over the town of Mullagh.

The group of 22 girls and four par- ents from the local group got the idea from ongoing clean-up efforts by An Taisce and the Green Flag initiative at local schools.

Group Leader Margaret Cunning- ham said that the Brownies hope to

continue their anti-litter efforts on an ongoing basis.

“The kids get a badge for environ- mental awareness and that covers composting and recycling too so we decided to have a rubbish clean-up in the local community. The kids loved it. They have fantastic enthu- siasm and I think that they definitely have more respect themselves after- wards.’

She added that the sight of children aged from six to eleven cleaning up should also encourage the county

council and Fas to keep streets and green areas in good condition.

Learning about the environment is just one of the activities undertaken by the Brownies when they meet eve- ry Monday evening in Mullagh Hall from September to May.

“We cover First Aid, sowing flow- ers and seeds and other general top- ics. We also raised €480 for the National Children’s Hospital with a pancake night recently. We have lots of fun and games.”

The Mullagh branch is enjoying a

revival after a big fall off in attend- ance nearly spelled the end of the Brownies.

“We have 26 girls at the moment so the Brownies has never been this big. It really helps that the kids from dif- ferent schools and areas get to know each other before they go to second- ary school. It would be brilliant if there was a local branch of the Girl Guides so that they could continue on up to 16. They’d love that,” said Ms Cunningham.

MAKING beautiful music in Scariff means that pigs will fly – and all ina very good cause.

The youngsters involved in the Scar- iff Music World showed what they could do at a benefit gig in the Cob- blers Rest on Saturday evening.

More than 17 young musicians aged between seven and 12 years played their hearts out in a sponsored seisun which raised money to send a breed- ing sow to a family in need through the Bothar scheme.

The talented young musicians played ten tunes apiece and got each sponsor to pay them €1 per tune learned and

played on the night.

They came together to play and raise funds after learning how to play their instruments at the Music World school, which is an after-schools project run out of the Scariff Community Col- lege.

The music classes were started by the Community College’s head of music, John O’Brien, several years ago.

The classes are for adults and chil- dren alike and lessons are for every level of capability.

Part of the fees for the classes go back to the school to buy musical in- struments for the pupils.

Over the years, students have come to learn everything from guitar to pi-

ano, flute and fiddle.

Numbers vary but the weekly classes are Open to anyone who wants to join although the pupils come mostly from the east Clare area for practical rea- sons.

Which instruments are taught in any year depends on what teachers are available.

Nicki Griffin, who teaches flute and whistle at the school and who helped organise the night said the fundraiser was a way of getting young musicians together to play outside of lessons and jo eee Neer

“This lets them see that there is an end involved, a reason to play beyond the practice and the lessons. It’s play-

ing together in way they have never ex- perienced before and for a cause which will have great benefit,” said Nicki.

Once the young musicians finished their session on Saturday, Nicki and a band of older session players took the floor and did their turn.

“We were sponsored to play 50 tunes at 20 cent a tune. That was only fair because we started knowing more tunes,’ she said.

The cost of sending a breeding sow is €250 and Nicki said that the group had hoped to raise that much rather than aiming too high.

“Now I think we night have raised even more than that and that would be fantastic.”

MARY Shannon was delighted that her attacker was ordered to serve his three-year jail term last week. She believes she did the right thing by going public last March.

The 33-year-old was in the Central Criminal Court to hear Mr Justice Paul Carney activate the suspended sentence, on Friday afternoon.

“When I went public, I really did

not know I was doing the right thing. But if I did not do it, nobody would have known and I would have been another rape statistic,” said the moth- er-of-three.

She believes that Adam Keane would be still free, if she had not gone public and she now hopes her ordeal will help change the way rape cases are handled.

“I hope the new government com- ing in will start to deal with the issue

properly and put in place clear guide- lines for judges,” she said.

“I do think when I went public I took control again. Him going to jail was not even as important as me do- ing that,” said Ms Shannon.

The court hearing was the latest step in a high-profiled saga involving Ms Shannon.

She waived her right to anonymity in the wake of Adam Keane being handed a three-year suspended term,

in March.

She spoke out publicly and her family, relatives and friends rallied around her, offering support. She be- lieves that speaking out has helped to put the rape behind her.

She was pleased that the DPP de- cided to appeal the leniency of the sentence.

The DPP’s appeal is due to be men- tioned at the Court of Criminal Ap- peal next week.