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Wer WYONE Le there are a lot of representatives from the community on the Doonbeg Community Development Company it was important that everyone was

asked to give their views.

“In order to keep ideas fresh we need to go back to the people to get a broad sense of the issues,” she said.

“T think it 1s important that people have their say. There will be other issues that we won’t be aware of or haven’t thought of.”

She said that this was the ideal op- portunity to present the issues to the election candidates.

The PRO said it was also important that the potential TDs saw that there was an active community group, which was “a catalyst for ideas and a vehicle for delivering projects”.

The availability of such a group would ensure that grants could be located to the area for use on com- munity projects.

Among the issues already raised in the growing and changing communi- ty is the future planning and develop- ment of a rural community.

“We now have large housing estates and we need to be aware of their af- fect on a small community. It is very difficult for a community group. We want the community to survive and grow and at the same time it can’t be over run because the services aren’t there and the community spirit could be lost.”

McInerney said that concerns have been raised regarding holiday homes and the need to cater for the people that live in the area all year around.

A number of the issues raised to date have been unique to Doonbeg, but many others reflect concerns in

communities across Ireland.

Included is the need to protect the local post office and its service and the work of the FAS community em- ployment scheme.

“We want to be proactive, rather than reactive,’ she said. Anyone wishing to contribute to the docu- ment can do so by submitting his or her ideas in writing to the Doonbeg Community Development office lo- cated in the Community Centre be- fore April 18. “We will try to encom- pass aS much as we can,” said Ms McInerney.

The “manifesto” will be sent to all the Clare candidates and distributed to all the houses in the community. The candidates will then be invited to meet the community.

HIKING boots are being dusted off all over the county in preparation for two highest profile walking events of the place in north Clare over the Lovee nesta eE hace

First up is the fifth Annual Dun- leavy Walk which takes place in Doolin on Sunday April 15, while just seven days later walkers from the Burren Chernobyl Project have their fundraiser in Liscannor.

Work is ongoing in six Ukrainian hospitals where children and adults effected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster receive life changing help from the Ennistymon based project.

New initiatives this year include a

programme allowing effected chil- dren to leave the orphanages and re- turn home while another sees groups of trained physiotherapists travel to help the children regain some physi- cal mobility.

“At the moment we have 300 chil- dren in Gorodishche and we are feeding them with yoghurt and fruits. They never get out so it is important for them to get the vitamins,’ said Carmel Mescall of the Burren Cher- nobyl] Project.

“It cost €1,000 to buy nappies for the children each month. The money raised helps to organise volunteers to travel from Ireland and help. There is also the Special Olympics Summer Camp who are a group of physios

trained at the time of the Special Ol- ympics in Ireland.

“They go over and work with the children and help them with their mobility. It’s really great that some- thing good like the Special Olympics can go on producing another good thing like this.”

Besides the work at Gorodishche, the Burren Chernobyl Project also helps 200 children at Cherven, 500 adults at Cylb, 300 adults at Tarasik1, 300 adults at Cosovo and 400 adults at Yazouk1.

“In the future we are looking at running workshops for special needs children and their families,’ contin- ued Carmel. “We feel the way for- ward is to get the children back into

their own homes and give them day care support.

‘They can get the support and en- couragement of their families while the parents can still work during the CP haat

For more information on sponsor- ship cards contact 7071130.

Meanwhile, The Dunleavy Spon- sored walk will take to the road this weekend in Doolin. The walk will begin at lpm this Sunday, April 15, at the Russell Community Centre in Doolin.

Walkers can choose from walks of three or five miles and refreshment and entertainment will be available for all participants at the centre after Woe

ENNISTYMON will play host to a very special musical event next week as America’s foremost high school orchestra pay an historic visit to north Clare to perform a one-off concert.

Muinnesota’s Moorhead High School will offer young and old the unique chance to experience the very best of classical and contemporary music when it’s 50 piece wind ensemble takes to the stage at the Falls Hotel next Monday, April 16.

This is one of only two Irish con- certs for the touring orchestra,

with all proceeds going to Ennisty- mon’s Mol an Oige Steiner Primary School.

“A few months ago I was contacted by a person from Hibernia Ireland organisation who had heard about the school and wanted to help. She mentioned that the ensemble were coming and offered them to play in Ennistymon free of charge,” said Roisin Garvey of Mol an Oige.

“Tt will be really great for young people to be able to come along and experience this concert. Adults get to go and see concerts all the time and this is organised to take place at seven to allow young people to come

along.

“We have contacted all the national schools in the area and hopefully as lot of children will come along. It would be a real thrill for them to see this live music, especially when it is being played by other young people. It is a real coup to get them here, be- sides Ennistymon they are only play- ing in Dublin.

“Fundraising is so important for the future of the school. At the moment it is paying three full time teachers without any support for the Depart- ment of Education. We began last year with 11 students and now it is up to 41. The school caters for everyone,

we have children in every class and are fully compliant with the new pri- mary school curriculum. The wind ensemble has toured and competed in music festivals all over the United States, Canada and attended music schools throughout Austria and Ger- many. The ensemble will perform under the direction of Douglas C Engstrom who has been Musical Di- rected at Moorhead since 1976.

Tickets, at a cost of €12 are avail- able from The Falls Hotel, Unglerts Bakery, Sergeant Pepper’s Sandwich Bar and Custy’s Music Shop in Ennis or call 086 1043528 for more infor- mation.

CLAIRE Neylon has secured her first major corporate design contract and she has yet to graduate from col- lege.

The Kilkee student won the con- tract to provide a piece of sculpture as part of the refurbishment of the mobile phone company O2’s head- quarters in Plassey, Limerick.

During May last year, the 22-

year-old, with fellow students from second, third and fourth year at the School of Art and Design in Limer- ick (affiliated to Limerick IT), were invited to submit a proposal for a piece of art that would best represent

the company.

This piece could be in sculpture or media form such as video or photog- eel eN VA

With a keen eye and a creative im- agination, Claire studied the O2 logo where the idea for her winning piece came from.

The student, now in her fourth and final year, was inspired by the O2 bubbles, which she proposed to display in the front window of the eluunKenbaren

She commissioned a glass blower in Northern Ireland to make 60 glass “bubbles” ranging in diameter from 80 inches to two inches.

On Saturday, the young woman, with the assistance of the college’s sculpture technician Pat Biesty, in- stalled the glass pieces.

Each glass bubble was hung at dif- ferent lengths on 10 steel cables to represent floating bubbles.

Claire was responsible for the en- tire project, and had to organise eve- rything from the professional glass blower to the installation.

She then had to submit the budget to O2 for the cost of the piece and the customary 20 per cent for the artist onto be

“This is a great opportunity for me as a Student to have work in the public domain before I have even left college,’ she said.

The piece of sculpture is now on display for all potential employers or commissioners of art to see, as well as being a welcome addition to her CV.

The Kilkee woman is planning to eraduate from her course in Sculp- ture and Combined Media in a few weeks time. She then hopes to work through art in the community.

Claire is a past pupil of Kilrush Community College.

According to a report, which was produced by McIver Consulting for An Bord Bia, the amenity horticulture sector has grown by 50 per cent since 2000 while there was a doubling in the value of output in the protected crop Sector, with both of these combined now worth around €120 million to eTowers.

The mushroom and potato sectors

were the largest individual sectors and were valued at EUR106m and BLUR SRO repacyeeshohlAeleeP

“The horticulture industry contrib- utes handsomely to a dynamic rural economy from both an economic and social perspective – it is an efficient industry, well positioned and operated by professional expert growers,” said Minister for Horticulture and Food at the Department of Agriculture and Food, Brendan Smith.

The Department of Agriculture as awarded capital grants in the region of €40 million across the industry to growers, packers and processors since 2000 under the National Development Plan.

‘These investments have gone a long way in putting the horticulture sector on a firm footing and we are commit- ted to carrying on with this support under the new NDP,” he said.

“A key element of this framework is the provision of grants that are strate- gically targeted which will improve the overall development and competi- tiveness of the sector and the Mclver Report will be very helpful in formu- lating the necessary investment pro- feaen abe (oe

Funding of the region of €49 mil- lion is being provided for horticulture producers and €8 million for potato producers in the new NDP to cover the period 2007-2013.

Minister Smith commented that con- siderable support was also available to fruit and vegetable growers under the EU Producer Organisation Scheme. Since 2000, twenty Producer Organi- sations have benefited from EU fund- ing amounting to €24 million.

“My objective in the negotiations is to strengthen the role of POs where- by growers can use their combined strength in the market place to combat the power of the multiples,” he contin- ued.

Minister Smith said that a scheme was currently being discussed by the Council of Ministers in the context of the reform of the Fruit and Vegetable regime.

THE Carrigaholt water sewerage scheme is facing further delays, it ONE eL OM NADIR sle) ©

In a report on the progress of the west Clare schemes sought by Coun- cillor Oliver Garry (FG), Clare County Council officials said that a preliminary review has been re- ceived which shows the unit cost for this scheme is still at an unaccept- able level. A further review of the scheme is now required, to bring the unit cost to an acceptable solution for the water pricing policy.

“Studies of the Moyarta River and the possible use of constructed wet- lands in order to eliminate the fore-

shore discharge and further reduce costs will be examined. This will lead to further delays in the Carri- gaholt scheme,’ according to Senior Engineer Walter Walsh.

Initially a report was prepared for the Carrigaholt/Labasheeda/Coora- clare Sewerage Scheme bundle and submitted to the Department of En- vironment Heritage and Local Gov- ernment, but this proved unsucess- ave

Cooraclare was then separated from the grouped sewerage scheme and the submission of a revised and reduced proposal for the village was drawn up. As a result approval was received from the department for the Cooraclare sewerage scheme.

The council is currently going through the procurement process to appoint a consultant to prepare contract documents for the scheme, which when prepared will allow the scheme to proceed to construction.

Land acquisition is ongoing also in the village with the intention of carrying out a part eight planning application (council will seek plan- ning permission) for the wastewater treatment plant as soon as the site is secured.

The news for Labasheeda is also more positive than Carrigaholt.

The design review is now complet- ed for Labasheeda. It proposes a re- duced outfall length and the installa- tion of a tidal valve and storage tank

arrangement, allowing discharge of treated effluent on the falling tide. “The unit costs, we believe are ac- ceptable, but the proposal will still require a foreshore licence. We are now in a position to bring forward the Labasheeda scheme and we recommend the submission of this scheme separately from the Carri- gaholt scheme to the Department of the Environment Heritage and Local Government,” said Mr Walsh. Coun- cil officials have met two developers with regard to Ballynacally sewer- age scheme. A consultant employed by one of the developers is to submit information shortly to support a pos- sible solution suggested in the course of a meeting with council officials.

THERE was no birthday cake or can- dles but there was still plenty to cel- ebrate when the BurrenLIFE Project (BLP) turned three last week.

Much progress has been made to- wards environmental and economic sustainability in the Burren over the last two years of the project and hope are high that year three will see the BLP make even more progress on a number of goals.

Since Christmas, much of the fo- cus of the organisation has been on a programme of targeted scrub remov- al. This work is designed to protect

the limestone paving of the Burren by opening up stretches of land that have been overrun by scrub.

This allows cattle and sheep to once again graze on the land and prevent the further encrouchment of scrub.

The project has spent more than €150, OOO on scrub removal with €100, OOO been spent in the last three months alone. They have set up a register for skilled and semi- skilled workers which has lead to over 90 workers registering to help with the work.

‘Much progress has been made in the first 2 and half years of operation and the number of farmers interested

in participating in the BLP has ex- CITA Te Ro. qee eet Maer COM NCTC D BUT O Conchuir, Project’s Finance and Operations Officer.

“In recent months we have been extremely busy working with LIFE farmers to enhance livestock man- agement facilities on project sites.

“Direct site work related to scrub removal has been ongoing and inten- sive since the BLP established a Reg- ister of Workers in December.”

The vast majority of these workers are local farmers who have a deep understanding of the work. This has shown that conservation work can economically support local com-

munities and local communities can work to play a role in the active man- agement of the Burren.

According to Dr Sharon Parr, the Project’s Scientific Co-ordinator, the programme of targeted scrub remov- al has greatly assisted participating farmers to open up access for cattle and restore priority habitats to a bet- ter conservation status.

In excess of 20kms of access track- ways have been opened and in excess of 50 hectares of scrub has been re- moved. For further information on the work of the BLP’s and its ongo- ing programme is available on www. eUME ODER CoNee)NOe

THE pupils from Kilmihil National School gathered in the playground on Monday evening last to welcome back their victorious rugby team.

The 15-person squad had taken part in the Munster Coca Cola Tag Rugby Extravaganza and received first prize for their participation in the pre matches parade.

The extravaganza includes more than 30 teams from around the coun- try and is referred to as an “extrava- ganza’ rather than a competition be- cause nobody keeps scores.

The aim of the event is for young children to display the rugby skills they have learnt and to show how they can “play fair’.

The emphasis on this day of rugby

was fair play, participation, team- work and skill, for once leaving aside the element of competition. Children were encouraged to show respect for the players, referees, and officials and to show good sportsmanship at PMB bO Noe

Prior to the rugby games a “Nations Parade” was held.

Each school had been given a na- tion to represent. Kilmihil National School paraded as South Africa.

After a hectic few days of effort and co-operation by the entire staff and pupils, costumes were designed and created and the team was trans- formed into “The Springbok” Rugby Team and traditional South Afri- ore

On the day of the extravaganza Kilmihil pupils were awarded first

prize – a trophy – and were compli- mented for their exceptional cos- tumes and tribal dance.

Fifteen pupils from fifth and sixth class made up the Kilmihil Tag Rug- by Team, which took on a team from Limerick, a team from Cork and a uaa rer-beee

This was the school’s first time in the competition, although it has been part of the tag rugby-coaching course organised by Munster Rugby Development Association for the past three years under the watchful eye of coach George Guilfoyle.

The school team participated in the local tournament held in Lees Road Sports Complex before being invited to join in the “Munster Coca Cola Tag Rugby Extravaganza” in Mus- grave Park, Cork.

The 34 children from fifth and sixth class travelled to Cork for the event at 6.30 am on Monday with principal Carmel Coughlan, fifth class teacher Michael King and Eva Keane who looks after the school’s sports pro- eau-eabentee

“We got a great reception when we arrived back at 5.30pm on Monday. The children and other teachers pre- pared a welcome banner,” said Ms Orato

Speaking about the extravaganza she said, “After learning the skills this was the chance for the children to display them.”

KILRUSH farmer, Jackie Whelan, yesterday challenged claims made by the IFFPG that farm plastic was being imported illegally into Ireland.

The IFFPG secured millions of euro in funding from the Department of the Environment to collect illegally imported plastic last year.

Mr Whelan, who operates a glass

recycling company, is planning to set up a farm plastic recycling company to compete with the IFFPG in Clare this year.

‘The farmer was charged for the col- lection of this plastic and the excuse given by the IFFPG was that there was illegal plastic being imported that was not subject to the usual levy. This sim- ply does not hold water. Who do they think is importing it? Who is selling

it? I can’t see it,’ said Mr Whelan.

“T intend to put in place my own plastic recycling company to deal with this plastic and not have to send it to Scotland. If there were two or three recycling plants around Ireland we could recycle all of our plastic over here and not be paying €50 a tonne to have it recycled in Scotland.

“Or we wouldn’t have to be burning up fuel driving it all over the country

to get it recycled.”

Whelan’s claims were yesterday re- futed by Sean Campbell of the IFF- PG.

‘He was telling me about that two years ago and if he was ever going to do something like that he would have done it already. Jackie Whelan might think that he knows something about it but he hasn’t got a clue,” said Camp- ode

SEVENTEEN teenagers from Kilkee went Dutch this week.

The second year students from St Joseph’s Community College, Kilkee travelled to Vlaardingen in the Neth- erlands on Sunday, March 25 as part of a student exchange. They arrived back on Friday.

The exchange was part of the Comenius Project.

A European initiative – in existence since the foundation of the European Economic Community, the Comen- ius endeavours to facilitate exchange of ideas, personnel, and students be- tween member states of the EU and

indeed between all countries in the continent of Europe.

Phase two of the project is Comen- ius 1.3, which began in 2004. Kilkee Community College was a co-ordi- nating school for the project.

It hosted the first meeting of the partner schools in October 2004. Each meeting was a three to four day gets together by teachers (only) to exchange ideas, compare and share strategies developed to ensure that all the school is an inclusive place of Kee Nesnneree

The other countries involved include Scotland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Spain, and Norway the project will end where it began in Kilkee later this

month.

In the meantime the students are making the most of the European ey sbaterernleyer

The Kilkee students lived with the Dutch students’ families for just un- der a week.

The highlights of the week included a tour of Vlaardingen, a visit to Rotter- dam that included a boat tour through the harbours of the city and a visit to Neeltje Jans, the polders on Noord Beveland and the Veersegatdam.

On Thursday the Kilkee students and their Dutch hosts attended a lec- ture on polder water management at the Kinderdijk pump and windmills. Later that day they spent some time

in the city of Delft.

In late May the Dutch students will make the return visit to Kilkee as cuests of the Irish students.

The schools selected each other as exchange partners as they are located in a region that is physically/geo- graphically quite different. The Kil- kee students were introduced to the physical features of deposition 1.e. the Polders of Holland and a flat land- scape. When the Dutch students visit Kilkee they will study coastal erosion and karst landscape.

The exchange programme was or- ganised by Geography teachers Jean Lorigan and Deirdre Kennedy who accompanied the students on the trip.