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THERE wasn’t a bad word to be heard around the corridors and class- rooms of Mary Immaculate Sec- ondary School in Lisdoonvarna last week as a year-long project designed to promote consideration in the com- munity came to an end.

The programme, which was called The Promotion of Courtesy Care and Consideration, was organised by the Home School Community Commit- tee and saw students from every class in the school work and think about how their locality could be changed into an even more friendly place.

A major aspect of the programme saw students from the school forge close ties with the people who attend the day care centre for the elderly at the Stella Maris.

This culminated in a special night with Fanore poet and author John O’Donoghue, which was organised by the school in support of the Stella Maris.

“He gave a wonderful talk and raised €1,000, which we were ab- solutely over the moon about,” said Maureen Droney of the Home School Community Committee.

“The money will go to the Stella Maris who are looking to buy a big- ger bus which will allow them to bring more people to the day centre. There is a great demand for the Stella Maris and indeed they are looking to open up for a third day each week.

“We had a lot of people who attend the day centre who came out for the night but there were a few people who would follow John, who trav- elled long distances to be there.”

John was joined on the night by his nephew and tenor with the Lismo- rahaun Singers, Peter O’Donoghue, and Leaving Certificate student Bri- da O’Donoghue, who played violin.

“During the year, the students vis- ited the elderly people and this gave them great life. You would even feel it on the streets that there was a real community spirit,’ continued Mau- reen.

“Next year, we will be focusing ona different theme. We will have a little break now and decide what to look at next year. We still hope to have a Courtesy, Care and Consideration week next year but the main focus will be somewhere else.”

Throughout the school year, the entire school community of Mary Immaculate took part in some way with a variety of events involving the

Courtesy, Care and Consideration Programme.

Teachers spoke about politeness and ethics in relation to their own subjects, each class drew up a char- ter of good behaviour, a poetry com- petition took place and a different poem was read aloud on the school intercom each morning to serve as a thought for the day.

MINISTER of State at the Depart- ment of Enterprise, Trade and Em- ployment Tony Killeen has published a second progress report on National Workplace Strategy. According to the minister, “The report highlights significant new initiatives to support workplace change and innovation in the public and private sectors.”

The report outlines key develop- ments in implementing the Strategy’s recommendations since the group last reported. The High Level Group, which is chaired by Minister Killeen, involves key Government depart- ments and agencies working together with the social partners to support workplace change and innovation in

the public and private sectors.

“IT am happy to be able to report that, building on the endorsement of the work of the group in the Frame- work Social Partnership Agreement Towards 2016, we have seen sig- nificant progress and the launch of important new initiatives across the five strategic priority areas of the Na- tional Workplace Strategy,’ Minister GTN ore yaork

The minister welcomed the fact that the National Workplace Strategy has reached an important juncture, Where the messages and objectives agreed and adopted at a national level by Government and the Social Partners are now to be targeted at workplace level to employees, trade unions and managers across the pub-

lic and private sectors.

“The new Workplace Innovation Fund will play an important role in supporting this process,’ the Minis- MEST BLOE

“The real success of the National Workplace Strategy will be meas- ured in terms of how it succeeds in influencing meaningful change at the level of the workplace.

‘“W hile this is no easy task, we have every reason to be optimistic. We know from our long experience with social partnership that our capacity to solve problems is best served by working together. The strategy gives us a unique opportunity to turn our creative problem-solving instincts into a source of sustained competi- tive advantage.”

ENDA Kenny arrived in Ennis on Saturday — his second visit to the town inside two weeks — with a flurry of energy. He bounded from his cam- paign car and high-tailed it to the top of O’Connell Street.

He was due to land at 12.30pm but Kenny was 25 minutes late and the crowd, gathered in expectation of a showdown with ‘Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, had largely dispersed.

They were following in the footsteps of the Fianna Fail leader who himself landed beneath the O’Connell monu- ment at Kenny’s expected time of ar- UAE

But those who did linger to see the national face of Fine Gael witnessed a man in the middle of one of the most intense campaigns. He’s been twisting through the country like a Tasmanian Devil, shaking hands and rubbing flesh. Trying to out-Bertie the Taoiseach.

You wouldn’t think it. Kenny looked fresh and casual as he grabbed a mi- crophone. A blue, unbuttoned shirt in contrast to the sharp suit of Ahern.

He got down to business almost im- mediately, setting out his vision for what he expects will be a Fine Gael- led government once the election is done with. There was a youthful zest to much of what he said.

More than once, he appealed to the young people of Clare to get out and get involved in the campaign.

“Enjoy it,’ he said. “Use your power to change this Government.”

Then he focused on the Govern- ment he wants to send packing, say- ing at various points that they were incompetent, indecisive, remote, removed, conceited, smug, arrogant and uncaring.

“We offer the people of the Banner a unique choice of candidates here,’ he said. Then, he named out the four who form the Fine Gael ticket, going through each one, presumably in the

order that he expects them to poll.

“We’re led by Deputy Pat Breen and young Joe Carey here in Ennis. And my colleague of many years, Madeline Taylor-Quinn, and also the man pictured across the motor- way coming up from Limerick, Tony Mulcahy.”

He moved into the crowd, flanked by his local supporters, and got to know the people who he says will bring two Fine Gael seats to Clare. He posed for photographs with kids. He skipped down O’Connell Street and took a right into the Market area before stopping at coffee shops, hair- dressers, bookshops, bookies and in- SLD ech eleromrereco nL Ae

The Fine Gael whirlwind was blow- ing through town.

He was asked if the decision to run with four candidates in Clare was a wise one, particularly given the open criticism of the policy by his front runner, Deputy Pat Breen.

“We have very healthy competi-

tion internally in the party in Clare and this has given us a chance to get around to every single voter in the county. I know that all these people are going to get to every house in the county and explain why they have to change this Government.

“But I don’t know what the people of Clare will do at the end of the day and it’s all going to depend on trans- fers. As far as I’m concerned, if the people of Clare return two Fine Gael TDs, Pl be absolutely thrilled.”

It was a day when the sizzle of poli- tics could have taken off in Clare, just like the good old days, but Ken- ny’s late arrival ultimately saw that it wouldn’t come to pass. No face-to- face. No gunfight.

“T heard you had a visitor just be- fore I arrived,” he said. “I’d love to have had a showdown here with Ber- tie, it would have been great excite- ment and we’d all have been talking about it for days. But, of course, we would have won it [the showdown]

hands down and maybe if I shook his hands here, I might be saying good- bye to him.”

He walked on, 1n a small circle of the town and returned again to where the day had started an hour before.

“IT am not one to stand on this Square in Ennis, where many speech- es were made over the past 80 years, by many more notorious than I, but I am not afraid to say to the people of the Banner, we will accept responsi- bility for our actions when we are in Cred crasbeelosel me

It was his parting shot.

Just before he left for Galway, a eroup of young Eire Og fundraisers rattled a box of coins close to him. OST eNVARe UCN ea macCocomn soles pOMEcI BOD ECLMmOLU LIN Ie was alerted. Joe Carey began to push a €5 note into his hand, by way of a donation.

Kenny ignored it, fished in his pock- et and pulled out a crisp €20 note. He plopped it in the box, flashed a smile and then he was gone.

THE pioneering marine research of the Shannon Dolphin and Wildlife Foundation in Kilrush will be high- lighted in an RTE documentary this month.

The Estuary: Secret of the Shan- non, which looks at a new system for studying dolphin activity, can be seen on May 11 on RTE One at Pelt} yee

The ‘Getting Wet’ segment of the series was shot over several weeks in August and September last year. It is one of a weekly four part series

which also looks at history, industry and the future of the estuary.

The series began on May 4 and is narrated by actress Brenda Fricker

In the programme Dr Simon Ber- row, Project Leader of the SDWF and PhD student Joanne O’Brien, will outline their work in “acous- wee

‘Historically, dolphins have been studied with visual and surface tech- niques but acoustics is much more powerful. We put a piece of equip- ment called a hydrophone in the estuary off Kilcredaun Point and it sent signals via a cable to a computer

set up in a cow Shed in Carrigaholt. The software can pick up and record dolphin sounds from one or two kil- ometres away, he said.

Ms O’Brien, from Kilrush, will only be the second PhD dedicated to whale and dolphin study in Ireland.

The federation’s research, funded mainly by conservation organisa- tions, community groups and edu- cational grants, is among the first of its kind in Ireland. Dr Berrow is the SDWF’s only core staff member.

“We also made the first attempt to deploy the hydrophones in winter last year. The weather was very bad

so it was a challenge. That would help with construction projects for example so it has commercial apph- cations,’ Dr Berrow added.

Dr Berrow is concerned about the environmental impact that local fac- tories may be having on the estuary’s ecosystem and has written to anyone with an Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) licence to ask for a contribu- tion to the SDWF to fund more staff and research. Just one company, Irish Cement, has expressed an in- terest in giving funding.

The SDWE attracts interested stu- dents from all over Europe.

IT’S cup final time in Clare with the County Grounds playing host to five deciders next weekend.

On Saturday the under 15 and un- der 13 finals take centre stage. Sun- day sees the under 12 final down for decision along with the under 14 and under 16 finals.

The under 11 cup final will take place on Thursday May 17. In the under 15 decider, Lifford take on Av- enue in a repeat of the league play- off final.

Avenue won that game 3-0 but the league was subsequently awarded to

Lifford when it emerged that Avenue fielded a suspended player, David Smith in a previous fixture. Avenue appealed the decision to the School- boys Football Association of Ireland (SFAI) who upheld the Clare league’s decision.

Avenue will be out to ensure their season doesn’t end pointless while Lifford will have double dreams on their mind.

Next up at 2pm on Saturday is the meeting of Newmarket Celtic and Avenue United in the under 13 final.

Newmarket edged out Fern Celtic in the semi final and a cup final success would be the perfect end to a season

that saw the club re-open their spir- itual home at McDonagh Park.

However they face an uphill task against the recently crowned league champions Avenue who will start as favourites.

The under 12 decider on Sunday is an all Ennis affair between Ennis town and Avenue United. Avenue pipped Ennis to the league title but Town will hope to summon the spirit that saw them overturn a 2-0 deficit against Moneypoint in a thrilling quarterfinal.

Then under 14 final looks an in- triguing prospect with division two champions Fern Celtic looking to

complete the double when they take on Avenue United.

By the time Moher take to the field for the under 16 final decider against Newtown, the pair will know if they are to meet in a league play off de- cider. Moher require victory against Avenue this week in order to force a play-off. Newtown will be out to erase memories of a 4-0 hammering dished out by Moher over the week- aXe

Lifford A and Avenue United A will contest the Under 11 final. Av- enue have already won the division one title but Lifford will present for- midable opposition.

THE Shannon Rail Partnership has appealed to the Minister for Trans- port to ensure that the Shannon rail- link goes ahead after a feasibility study endangered the project.

The draft study into the €240 mil- lion rail-link has predicted that there will be a significant operating deficit in the early years of the service.

The locally-based Shannon Rail Partnership has written to Minister Martin Cullen after he confirmed that the initial study results were very poor.

The study stated: “in the early

years there would be significant defi- cit on the operating account, but with a buoyant air travel market for the whole 30 year period, revenues could potentially cover operating costs, taking a longer term view.”

Minister Cullen is now awaiting a fresh examination of the proposal by consultants, who have estimated the cost at €700 million.

The partnership believes that the cost of the project is €240 million and has now written to secure the minister’s support for the proposal.

In the letter, the partnership said that the region is at a “critical point” in its future development.

“A positive decision on proceeding with Phase 1 of the Shannon Rail Link proposal is critical if we are to secure the full potential of the re- gion. This phase is very achievable,’ UMNO B

The partnership welcomed the recommendations from the report and in particular that to be success- ful and to achieve competitive travel times it needs to be a direct service “designed and built to the highest technical standard”.

The partnership welcomed the pos- sibility that the project could be de- veloped in phases for reduced costs.

The draft feasibility study also

anticipated that there would be “‘ad- verse environmental and severance impacts, particularly where the line runs through Shannon town.”

However, he partnership responded by adding that “Now is an opportune time to eliminate this issue as a Mas- ter Plan is being prepared in rela- tion to TC2 in Shannon town centre and by including plans for rail, and reserving land for its development, these issues can be avoided in ad- EN acon

The Shannon Rail Partnership re- ferred to various mid-west develop- ments including the regeneration of the Shannon Free Zone in the letter.

ST JOSEPH’S Community College in Kilkee played host to 16 teach- ers from Norway, Spain, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Scotland to mark the end of a three year edu- cational project designed to create links with schools abroad.

The Comenius 1.3 Project con- cluded on April 27 with the launch of www.theinclusiveschool.com – a website to allow partner schools to keep in contact.

School Vice Principal, Sister Mary O’Connell, said that the initiative had been a great success and many of the school’s teachers had benefited from

interaction with colleagues abroad.

At a reception in The Kilkee Bay Hotel to celebrate the success of the project, Hilda McHugh, Assistant Chief Inspector in the Department of Education and Science, also empha- sised the importance of making con- tact and forging relationships with fellow educators.

She reiterated the importance of teachers sharing ideas on best prac- tise in the classroom for the benefit of the whole school community.

Labour Affairs Minister Tony Kil- leen attended the event along with representatives from the education department and Léeargas and mem- bers of the parents’ council and

board of management.

Students entertained the visitors with music, song and dance as did the north Clare Group 2 & A Half Irish.

Several Kilkee teachers travelled and participated in each of the conferences in rotation. These in- cluded Ann Healy, Jean Lorigan, Clodagh Healy-Murphy, Theresa O’Donnellan, Geraldine O’Brien, Syl Barrett, Carmel Deloughery, Theresa McGrath.

St Joseph’s hosted the first meet- ing of the partner schools in October 2004. Each of the partner schools has hosted a three to four day meet- ing since the project began in 2004.

The penultimate meeting was in Ab- erdeen, Scotland in November 2006.

The school has been involved in European Studies projects since 1990 with the emphasis on language, industry and trade.

IT MIGHT not mean bankruptcy just yet, but Clare is on the verge of los- ing out on a place on the latest ver- sion of Monopoly, currently under development by Hasbro Games.

Using an on-line vote, the public has been asked to decide which 22 counties will feature in the All-Ire- land version of the game due to be launched later this year.

After a solid start, the Banner county has plummeted a full 12 plac- es in the last seven days and now sits in 29th place with just 1844 votes. The crash from the comfortable 17th position has put Clare in a situation where it is fighting for its Monopoly life and one of the coveted county Soy 1eone

“It would be really great for the county to be included,’ said Rita McInerney, CEO of Ennis Chamber of Commerce.

“We have two of the top three tour- ist locations in the country if you consider the Cliffs of Moher/the Burren and Bunratty. It is impor- tant for the continued promotion of prestige developments like Doonbeg Golf Course and also in relation to property prices.”

The counties are rated depending on the amount of votes they receive with the best supported counties be- ing given the more expensive proper- Won

Currently Roscommon and Tipper- ary are in pole position to claim the purple properties, formerly Dublin’s Shrewsbury and Ailesbury Roads, with 7442 and 7370 votes respec- tively.

“It will be very interesting to see which counties get which prop- erty value. Clare is often forgotten between Kerry and Galway. With Shannon International Airport, Clare should be leading the way for coun- ties in the mid-west. I will certainly be voting for Clare this week and I would encourage everyone else to do So as well,” she added.

Clare is currently ahead of Antrim, Louth and West Meath.

Despite this position, Clare is only 700 votes behind Kildare, which cur- rently occupies the final place on the board with 2580 votes.

To put Clare on the monopoly map, simply log on to Www.monopoly.ie/ vote.aspx and cast your vote.

Each person can vote once per day and the closing date for votes is May 25.

CRUSHEEN residents are prepared to “stand in front of the diggers” in order to prevent the construction of a controversial 3G phone mast at Bal- hyd bb aTer

A second meeting between rep- resentatives of 3G and locals is due to take place this Thursday, May 10, but to date the telecommunications company has failed to contact locals ~VoOltlmnatem neler b bares

“We went to Dublin and met 3G al- most two weeks ago now. They were supposed to make contact with the landowner and make arrangements

with us for a meeting this week and none of this has happened,’ said lo- cal resident, Corrina Rosengrave.

“Our next step is to wait and see if any contact is made over the next few days. I’m prepared to stand in front of the diggers if I have to and do whatever it takes. That mast is not going up here,” she added.

Residents have made a number of complaints about the mast, which received full planning permission from Clare County Council, includ- ing alleged problems with the site notice before planning permission was granted.

“As far as we can see there was no

site notice put up at all on the road. We live across from where the mast is planned, there are eight of us in the house and 3G are trying to say that all of us are blind,’ continued Cor- unt

She repeated her resolve to stop the joarcki im oXoseetoamo) UO DL

“It overlooks our house and that of our neighbours, it overlooks a field where young lads are playing every day of the week. We knew nothing about it until it was too late.”

The mast issue will be on the agen- da at the monthly meeting of Clare County Council, which will take place next week.

“The biggest problem that local people had with the whole thing was the lack of knowledge and consul- tation,” said Councillor Pat Hayes (FF).

“That is something that we will be addressing at next Monday’s meeting of Clare County Council,’ he said.

Cllr Hayes claimed that 3G had failed to comply with planning con- Chiao) rte

“One of the main issues was the failure of 3G to comply with a number of conditions of their plan- ning. They had to agree about traf- fic management with the council and that wasn’t done,” he said.

LABOUR Affairs minister, Tony Kil- leen, has expressed his disappoint- ment at An Post’s decision not to re- introduce full services at Kilmaley Post Office.

The minister said that he had re- ceived a letter from An Post which stated: ““We are not aware that the re- cent downgrading of the service has had an undue impact on customers in the area.”

However, according to Mr Killeen, the loss of full services has affected local people and public opinion told him that there was a demand for them

to be re-instated.

‘Nobody wants to lose a vital serv- ice, which is why I can neither under- stand nor agree with An Post’s asser- tion that the downgrading of the post office has had no negative impact on customers in the area,’ he said.

Mr Laurence O’Brien, who took over the running of Kilmaley postal services when the former postmistress retired and the post office was down- eraded, said that the lack of a full service “doesn’t make sense”’.

“If a person is living rurally on their own they might only get a lift into town every few weeks to do their shopping and collect their pension. If

people want to put money in a savings account here we can’t do that. They would have to go to Ennis, which may as well be Timbuktu. If people want to pay their ESB bill we can’t do it. Local businesses can’t even send registered letters or parcels,” he said.

He added that the town has no ATM so there is no facility for withdrawing money between Ennis and Miltown Malbay.

Mr O’Brien said that Kilmaley Post Office had a higher turnover than oth- er small post offices with full services and predicted a huge future demand because planning permission has been granted for over 280 houses locally.

“It seems to me that the Government haven’t thought it out. One man who comes in phrased it perfectly when he said that when we had nothing in Ire- land we had post offices but now with all the money in the country, they are closing them down. It is completely ridiculous.”

Mr Killeen said that he had spoken with the Minister for Communica- tions, Marine and Natural Resources, TD Noel Dempsey, about the situa- wtOyNF

Mr Killeen said that the decision was not “irreversible. It makes perfect business sense to put in place a service that is in demand”.