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THE Burren is proving to be a happy home for the most unusual of resi- dents. Not native to Ireland, and ex- tremely rare in most of the country, the Slow Worm, or Anguis Fraglis, has taken up residence in the lime- stone and rock of the Eastern Burren.

Despite its name and appearance, the Slow Worm is neither snake nor worm. It is, in fact, a legless lizard and was introduced to Ireland some- DUOC DOM UNM ER MOONRETA YA

One such lizard was discovered by a group of locals last week and brought to fascinate the children of Carron National School before being

released into the wild.

“IT was walking down the road with a cow when | came upon the Slow Worm. They like to lie out on the rocks and on the stones and soak up the sun. This is possibly why he was lying out on the road, he was soak- ing up the sun,” said local man Wil- lie O’Reilly who found the unusual reptile.

“We came across another one a couple of years ago in and around the same area. They are not natural to Ireland but were introduced from abroad at some stage in the past. For some reason, they seem to like the area around the east of the Burren.

The Slow Worm is native to main-

land Europe and is usually found in grassy areas and woodlands. It is unknown how the lizards came to Ireland and why they have a strange fascination with the Burren.

“If they get caught by a bird, they can let off their tail and escape. The bird can still feel the tail in their mouth so they don’t come after the Slow Worm. Their tail can then grow back. This one had more of a stump rather than a tail so it looks like he had to shed his tail recently enough,’ continued Willie.

The Slow Worm, discovered in the Burren, was just eight inches long but they can grow to as long as 18 inches. After being given a tour of

Carron National School, the lizard was released back into the wild in a townland know as Glencolumbkille, beside where he was discovered.

Although they are often mistaken for snakes, these Slow Worms have small eyes with eyelids that blink and a notched tongue rather than a forked tongue.

A fully-grown adult can live to about 30 years in the wild and up to 54 years in captivity.

THE amount of litter on the prom- enade at Clare’s premier beach resort has been slammed as “an absolute disgrace”.

Green party election candidate, Cllr Brian Meaney was speaking at last week’s Special Policy Commit- tee (SPC) for the Environment.

“The amount of litter at Lahinch is really shocking and is an absolute disgrace.

“Great care and attention should be given towards ensuring that Lahinch has a positive image. The county council is charging a premium for people to park their cars in Lahinch and that money should ensure that the council keeps the resort clean,” he said.

Chair of the SPC, Cllr Patricia Mc- Carthy (Ind) said, “The issue of lit- ter is out of control right across the county.”

Cllr McCarthy said that the weath- er was particularly good over the past four weeks, but that the council’s summer staff were not in place.

Cllr Meaney said, “If we had clean streets, people would be less likely to throw litter on the streets.”

The council’s Director for the En- vironment, Ger Dollard said, “Clare County Council doesn’t put down lit- ter. It cleans it up and the community needs to take on the problem of lit-

os

Mr Dollard said that litter bins had been placed at all beaches in Clare now.

He also confirmed that the contro- versial ban on dogs at the county’s beaches would be re-introduced on Ait stou e

The council would not shy away from imposing fines on those found flouting the the ban. No fines were imposed throughout last summer.

Mr Dollard said that enforcement “will be up a bit higher” than last summer, although he stated that peo- ple wouldn’t be fined for the first of- fence.

Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) said that continuous offenders would be fined.

Anyone found on a beach walk- ing their dogs on Clare’s beaches between llam and 6pm will face an on the spot fine of €125, or a fine of €1,270. The fines apply even where dogs are controlled on a leash.

RESIDENTS in the Ardnacrusha area have told Clare County Coun- cil that it is necessary to restrain children in their back gardens due to truck traffic passing their homes from a local quarry.

Bobby O’Connell and Sons Ltd has lodged plans for the continuation of quarrying at Ballycar South, Ard- nacrusha.

At present, O’Connell’s quarry is the main supplier of quarry material to the southern section of the Limer- ick ring road scheme, together with other major projects in the city.

The existing quarry consists of an area of 42 acres which has a rock re- serve of seven million cubic metres. This will ensure that the site will continue in excess of 25 years.

However, residents from Quinpool, Ballyfinnan, Ballycannon and Bally- car have come together to object to

the continuation of quarrying activi- ties at the site.

The residents claim that the vibra- tion caused by heavily loaded trucks and speeding empty trucks is dis- turbing to the occupants of the many houses along the road and the dust, dirt and stray rocks from the trucks make the road unpleasant for all.

The residents claim that Bus Eire- ann won’t operate a regular bus serv- ice on the road because of frequency of trucks and it is essential to restrain children in the back gardens for fear that they would ever venture out onto the road.

They open windows in houses at night time because the noise of the trucks early in the morning will wake you up.

They can’t open the windows in houses during the day because of the dust coming from the trucks.

A decision is due on the application later this year.

IT all began last year with an idea. An idea which has slowly blossomed over the past few months into a beau- tiful relationship between young and old.

Ennistymon Hospital’s Ragainre Room has played host to an inter- generational project, co-ordinated by local artist Sara Foust, between the elderly women visiting the day cen- tre and nine transition year students from Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon.

The project, entitled Women’s Work, aimed to unearth the women’s youth through the art of conversa- tion. Most students focused on a par- ticular aspect of life back then, such as butter-making and herbal cures, while others created photo journals of the project and drew portraits of the women.

The students worked with several

different groups of women from Liscannor, Carran, New Quay, Moy, Lahinch, Quilty, Corofin, Inagh and Lisdoonvarna.

The women, all of whom were over 65, enjoyed their time spent with the students.

“Oh yes, I think it is a good experi- ence, especially as you get older. It puts your mind right thinking back. We had a great time,’ said Nancy O’Connor and Margaret Connors from New Quay.

“You remember things you thought you had forgotten all about. We told the girls stories that we wouldn’t have told anybody else.”

The project was very beneficial for the women as it allowed them to re-examine certain aspects of their youth which became tantamount to Reminiscence Therapy. This process has proved very successful in helping to stimulate memory and as a guard

against feelings of isolation and de- pression.

The students themselves also devel- oped a great rapport with the elderly wey eatsa ee

“Looking back on the project, I’m really glad I did it and I know that all the girls are because it’s changed our view on the elderly,’ said Maura Garrihy, a transition-year student from Scoil Mhuire.

“I think we all have more respect for them now and this project really bridged the gap between the genera- alee

The project received funding from the Arts Office of Clare County Council and LEADER and was filmed by local filmmaker, Fergus Taige. DVDs will be on sale by Sep- tember to raise money for another project.

‘There was a real sense of joy evi- dent throughout the project,’ said

Mary Lucas, Diversional Therapist at the Ennistymon Hospital.

‘The intergenerational projects are always a success because there is a special bond between the young and the old which is important in our so- ciety. Hopefully there will be more. Perhaps next time it will be focused on the men.”

A week-long exhibition of the stu- dents’ work will take place in the En- nistymon Courthouse Gallery from Thursday, May 17.

FOLLOWING the Taoiseach’s visit to Ennis on Saturday, a notice seek- ing planning permission for the de- velopment of Ennis Hospital will appear in the press at the weekend, according to Fianna Fail election candidate Senator Brendan Daly.

“The move is a clear signal of our intent to get work started on the En- nis Hospital development as quickly as possible” he declared.

“On his visit to Ennis, the Taoi- seach reaffirmed his commitment to the development which has the Government’s full financial backing and political support. It’s now time to progress the project.

“Vd urge the HSE to get on with

securing plannng permission so that the people of Clare can finally get the medical services they deserve. The Taoiseach’s ongoing support for Ennis Hospital should allay any local fears, largely stoked by cynical Op- position politiking, that the future of Ennis Hospital was in doubt.

‘When the project is complete, the people of Clare will have a new day ward, upgraded radiology, A&E and pathology departments.The wards in the hospital will also be refurbished.

‘“We’ve made real progress on 1m- proving our health services in Clare. We’ll continue to drive that progress with the full support of the Govern- ment and the explict commitment of the Taoiseach,” Senator Daly con- cluded.

GRAVE concerns about Crusheen Garda Station lying idle have been aired at a national Garda conference. The Crusheen station was closed due to damage in January 2005 and has since been refurbished.

However, a dispute between the owner of the building and the Office of Public Works (OPW) has prevent- ed gardai from gaining access to it, for work.

As a result, Garda Declan Keavey, who is based in Crusheen, is forced to work from Ennis, or from a car.

Clare representatives attending the annual Garda Representative Asso- ciation (GRA) conference last week in Westport, Co. Mayo raised the 1s- sue and received support from their counterparts across the country.

Clare delegate, Garda Tom Keane said the people of Crusheen were forced to suffer because of a dispute which they had no control over.

‘The Garda station has been ready for the past 12 months. It is disgrace- ful that the people of Crusheen do not have a station, an area where the population has increased substantial- ly,” said Garda Keane.

The conference heard calls for the OPW to be removed from all in- volvement in the Garda buildings programme.

The Clare delegates attending the conference raised a number of other

issues Of concern to them.

One of those was the procedure which is currently in place to deal with bullying and harassment. Under the existing procedure, grievances and problems are dealt with inter- nally. Rank and file gardai want this to be an external process.

“It is an internal grievance proce- dure and we feel it is not working,” said Gda Keane, who is the chair- man of the GRA’s Health and Safety sub-committee, which is currently compiling proposals for changes in this area.

He said that gardai were particu- larly concerned that complainants were victimised. Once a complaint had been dealt with, they were often subjected to disciplinary action.

“We are looking for an outside in- dependent body to investigate issues like that. There are a lot of issues. People should be entitled to make complaints and have them treated in- dependently,” he said.

The four Clare gardai attending the conference also called for an inde- pendent review on pay.

“The last commission on pay was back in 1979. We feel that the current system, which is based on concilia- tion and arbitration, does not work as it is too bureaucratic,” said Garda WO aler

He said that gardai will receive a pay increase of two per cent this year, which “isn’t good enough.”

A TALENT fulfilled is a joy for all the world. The life and talent of one of traditional music’s best loved young musicians, Joseph Browne, is to be further celebrated by the first ever series of musical bursaries offered to young musicians in his name, it was announced this week.

These bursaries, which are open to all young traditional musicians in Clare and Galway, come as a result of money raised during this first an- nual Joseph Browne Spring School of Traditional Music which took place in Gort earlier this year.

A Crusheen native, Joseph Browne tragically lost his life in 2005.

Two bursaries to attend the Meitheal Residential Summer School in July of this year, as well as three bursaries to attend the 2008 Joseph Browne Spring School of Traditional Music in February 2008, are on offer.

Young musicians of 13 years of age and over are invited to submit appli- cation for the two Meitheal Residen- tial Summer School bursaries.

Each applicant should include a written presentation of less than 1,200 words entitled ‘Me and My Music’.

This application should outline the applicant’s musical journey, includ- ing past musical experiences, mu- sical influences, important people in his/her musical life, what music means to the applicant now and where it could go in the future.

Young musicians who wish to ap- ply for this bursary should also sub- mit a recording of their own playing on tape or CD.

Meanwhile, there are three bursa- ries on offer for next year’s Joseph Browne Spring School of Tradition- ZV MAY RUS Com ders sel matbemRKe)ee Malco) aee ary 14 to 16, 2008.

The competition is open to all

ages, with one bursary each being awarded to seven- to 10-year-olds, 11l- to 14-year-olds and 15- to 19- year-olds.

Each applicant is asked to submit a written presentation of up to 800 words entitled “Me and My Music’ while a recording 1s not required.

All applicants should send their presentation to the Joseph Browne Spring School of Traditional Music, Cnoc Maol, Crusheen, on or before Wednesday, May 9, 2007 with name, address, contact number and age.

For further information, contact 087 0674335 or www.josephbrowne. oes

A WOMAN has won her battle to transform a 19th-century school building into a holiday home.

The former primary school is lo- cated at Ballyfaudeen, Liscannor, in a remote, sparsely populated rural area. Nora French lodged plans to convert it last year.

The school dates from 1882 and has not operated for around 10 years.

However, Clare County Council turned down the proposal over site

drainage issues. Ms French appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanala.

The board inspector who investi- gated the case agreed with the coun- cil, stating that the proposal would be prejudicial to public health. The inspector was not satisfied that the site could be drained satisfactorily by means of a new Envirocare unit with peat-based system and outfall to an existing trickling filter on site.

However, the board over-ruled its own inspector to give Ms French the go-ahead.

It stated that having regard to the long established use of the existing building on the site as a school, the proposed development would not be prejudicial to public health and would be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable de- velopment of the area.

The appeal lodged on Ms French’s behalf stated that the building had become derelict since its abandon- ment.

“Taking account of the prominent location of the building, and its his-

tory, it is appropriate to preserve and protect the local community spirit as many of the school attendees con- tinue to live in the area.

“Appropriate and imaginative re-use will provide for the general enhancement of the area. The ‘do- nothing’ scenario for a building in this location does nothing more than present a ‘no-confidence’ vote in the multiplicity of projects, which are undertaken countrywide to provide remediation for sites with similar drainage issues.

“On a broader note, the develop- ment is located in an area in which the houses to serve the increasing tourist market are not being permit- ted, and are only infrequently com- ing available on the local market.

“At the outset, it 1s important to make the distinction between a pro- posal for development on a green- field site and a proposal for rede- velopment of a building, which is constructed, has been used and is part and parcel of the local commu- ia Ae

THE trial of three people charged with the manslaughter of Kildysart father of five Vincent Hehir last year 1s set to go ahead at Ennis Cir- cuit Criminal Court in June. Inspector Michael Gallagher in- formed Ennis District Court on Friday that the relevant books of

evidence had been served on each of the three accused and that the Director of Public Prosecutions had ordered that all three stand trial for the alleged offences in the Circuit Court.

The three men, Michael Bryan Finn (33), of Ennis Road, Kildysart, Noel Murphy (22), of Crovraghan, Kildysart, and Mark O’Connor (18)

of Rosscliffe, Ballynacally, Ennis are each facing a charge of man- slaughter, arising out of the death of the Mr Hehir on September 6 Tie

Mr Hehir died in hospital three days after being found unconscious outside a pub in Kildysart. He had travelled to Kildysart from Ilford in London to visit his family and

collect his five children, who had been on holiday with his parents for the summer. Mr Hehir managed the popular Black Horse Pub in [I- OKC

Judge Aeneas McCarthy remand- ed all three men on continuing bail and sent them forward for trial to the next sitting of Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on June 19.

AFTER a long and peaceful win- ter, Ballyvaughan has well and truly woken in the last week as the Burren in Bloom Ballyvaughan Celebration breathed fresh life and energy into the village.

Now in its third year, Burren in Bloom is beginning to carve out a name for itself as one of Ireland’s foremost nature-based festivals.

“It started over three years ago, when a man called Padraig Cleary suggested that we start doing more in Ballyvaughan to promote the area to tourists. Out of that came the Burren

in Bloom and the Christmas market,” said Jim McCarthy, chairperson of the Burren in Bloom committee.

“The original concept was not to have a festival but more of a celebra- tion of the spring and the flowers of the Burren. We started hanging the May bush on the doors as a way of welcoming the spring and warding off any evil spirits.”

A key element of Burren in Bloom is a series of illustrated talks which take place throughout the month at the Burren College of Art in Bally- vaughan. Following good turnouts for both John Kirby of the Burren- Life Project and John Murphy of

Birdwatch Ireland during the week, expectation is growing that this will be one of the best attended and most exciting series to date.

Gordon D’Arcy of the Burren College of Art will host a talk this evening, Tuesday, May 8, on the sub- ject of songbirds and the Burren.

Other to appear over the next few weeks include David Lyons, James Moran, Mary Angela Keane, Sharon Parr and Brendan Dunford.

“T always think that for something like this to really catch on takes about five years or more.

“This is just our third year and things are building nicely. We have

had inquiries this year from the UK and New York as well as all around Ireland,’ continued Mr McCarthy.

“It’s working well, people are grad- ually getting to know the name. We know that people are staying longer in the village and, with the bank hol1- day weekend, things are really start- ing to get going.”

The celebration will also include a number of guided walking events in the Burren, Irish music nights, a jazz quartet and a whole series of nature related events building to the Buds of May Barbecue on May 26. For more information check out www.bally- vaughanireland.com