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, was compiled and edited by Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology lecturer and Shell to

Sea spokesperson, Mark Garavan.

“The book is very much in the words of the men themselves. I inter- viewed all five of the men at length and this is the end product,” said Mr Gre Nee

“T think a lot of people may buy it out of a sense of sympathy or loyalty but when they began to read it they will be struck by the real power that is in the men’s story.

“This was an ongoing struggle for the men for five years before they ever went to prison. They had been struggling with this for a long with no attention being paid by politicians or the media.

“Prison was very difficult for them. You have to realise that they were men of the country. Three of them

were farmers who were used to open spaces and one f them had never even left the area before. The experience of being confined was one that was very powerful and emotional experi- ence for them,’ he continued.

“There is no end point at all yet, they all say that the campaign con- tinues. For them it is a health and safety issue, nothing else. They are all prepared to go back to prison again if that 1s what it takes.”

The Rossport Five and Mark Gara- van will be in the Sceal Eile Book- shop in Ennis to launch the book this Friday, March 30, at 6pm.

NOMINATED members of Clare County Council will meet with plan- ners to discuss lifting restrictions in the County Development Plan.

Members agreed to delay adoption of a motion tabled by three Fianna Fail councillors, at the adjourned March meeting of Clare County Soiree

Councillors Bernard Hanrahan, Pe- ter Considine and Pat Daly proposed a variation to the County Develop- ment Plan to include a provision that any person that owned a site for 10 years or over would automatically

qualify as a local.

Cllr Daly said current guidelines laid out in the plan were too restric- tive. “I know of many people that bought sites 10 years ago, at a time when they weren’t in a position to build, but they are now.”

Cllr Considine said the motion had been put forward because of the frus- trating situations that people were JUUNCOUDOTSamO eles pane) AVonws DOR

“Td certainly suggest that each case be taken on its merits. There are cer- tainly a lot of people who have found themselves in this situation and they haven’t a notion what to do.”

Cllr Hanrahan said, “It is impera-

tive we do something for people who have bought sites and couldn’t afford to build and were not deemed a lo- cal person. I can see reading the re- ply that it’s all negative. All we are looking for is that variation be put in place.”

Responding, senior planner Liam Conneally, said the proposal contra- vened existing Government policy.

“Ownership of land, albeit over a period of time, does not indicate any attachment to the land, local residen- cy, employment or involvement with a rural community, and is clearly contrary to the Ministerial Guide- lines on Rural Settlement policy”.

Green Party councillor Brian Meaney said, “The reply makes it clear that the motion “would be in contra- vention with the act’. If it’s challenged it would fail at An Bord Pleanala. We should be talking to the minister to amend the guidelines instead of tak- ing up our time with this.”

Cllr Colm Wiley (FF) said the move might restrict new buyers entering the market. Cllr Martin Lafferty (Ind) called for an inventory system to determine suitable applicants to avoid sparking rampant property speculation.

NO TOT too troublesome – that’s the attitude of a group of young east Clare people who are offering a ba- bysitting service to raise money for a CrT-NeLAVmOlUDUCNDOTomoeCe)um

The 25 members of The Fishbowl Youth Club in Scariff plan to travel to New Orleans under the auspices of the international Habitat agency, which organises building projects in the Third World and in places where natural disasters have left people homeless.

The group needs to raise more than €50,000 between them to take part in the trip and have already got a number of fund-raisers under their caps.

“What we are offering is a service where people can ring for a babysit- ter and we’ll organise one for them from a pool of volunteers.

“The money we’re paid will go into the kitty for the trip,” said Fia- cra Kenny, one of the fund-raising ea cele toy

The babysitters are from Mount- shannon, Scariff, Tulla and Bodyke

and will travel even further afield within reason, so long as they have the means to get there.

It’s just one of a number of novel fundraisers the youngsters have un- dertaken.

“In February, we made and sold St Brigid’s crosses and on St Patrick’s Day, we busked in Galway, playing music and face painting. It was pretty cold, but we made some money,” said jwrlone

The Fishbowl Club has more than 30 members and the group hoping to travel are aged between 16 and 20, as

well as adult club leaders.

It will take a lot of babysitting, bag- packing and painted faces to raise Salen eel OF

Fiacra and his fellow club members are hoping that individual donors or businesses will come on board to help them raise the cash before July.

Anyone who needs a break from the kids can hire the Fishbowl serv- ices by contacting Fiacra on 087 7486370.

Anyone who would like to help out with sponsorship can also contact Fiacra on that number.

NORTH Clare’s Naomi O’Connell has reinforced her position as the most promising young singer in Ire- land, claiming first place and a bur- sary for €10,000 at the inaugural Count John McCormack competition at the Feis Ceoil over the weekend. Naomi is a former student of Mary

Immaculate Secondary School in Lisdoonvarna and soloist with the Lismorahaun Singers.

She won the award after completing a 20-minute programme, including songs in three different languages, and an interview in front a panel of judges.

“When I was given the award, I started crying. I know it is one of

those really corny things to go and do, but I couldn’t help it. My mother was here with me and my two teach- ers. It was just so happy,” said Nao- rape

Aside from the actual singing, each candidate was judged on their re- sponses to a series of judges’ ques- tions.

“They asked me about myself and

what I have done. I told them about winning the Veronica Dunne com- petition and what I had done with the prize money for that,’ she con- tinued.

“It was good that I was able to show them that I would be using the bur- sary for continuing my studies and that I wouldn’t be going out buying myself a car. They asked me where I saw myself in five years and I told them that, at that stage, I would like to have studied in France and in Italy and spent a year in America.

“I need to find the best teachers to continue my studies with. I have been so lucky with my teachers so far, with Archie down in Clare and Mary in Dublin.”

The John McCormack Bursary is sponsored by the [AWS Group and is run as part of the Feis Ceoil.

“People who put money into the arts like this are fantastic. We Just wouldn’t be able to do this without Wetoene

“T really couldn’t believe it, I’m over the moon. I felt really happy when I had finished singing. There was one piece which was a real Everest to sing, but it went so well,” she said.

“One of the judges told me after- ward that she knew how hard it was to sing that piece and I had sung it re- ally well. It was a great compliment,

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she said ‘I stopped the whole room’.

SIPTU representatives at Shannon Aerospace Ltd have reacted angrily to suggestions in a national news- paper that they have resisted efforts aimed at bringing about efficiencies in the company.

In a statement, union representa- tives said that the union and it’s mem- bers in SAL “accept we are in a com- petitive business. With this in mind those members have always worked for greater efficiency in the past and

towards the future through the pres- ently sought LEAN manufacturing structure in the organisation. This LEAN structure has been highlight- ed by management as the future of SAL and is in no way being resisted by SIPTU. On the contrary, union representatives have participated at the highest levels that the company permitted, in the design and model- ling of the proposed system.”

In a published interview last week, SAL’s managing director, Martin Kaiser, 1s quoted as saying that the

future of the company could be at risk, putting a question mark over the jobs of 700 people employed there.

In a statement on behalf of the company, a spokeswoman said that it recognised that SAL was “facing a most difficult situation in Shan- non and this can only be resolved by management and employees working together. We are keen to do that and are actively involved with SIPTU in this process.”

The SIPTU statement said that union representatives had engaged

with management over pay and costs since October 2006. It continued that, “Martin Kaiser MD is quoted as stating that agreements currently in place ‘may have been right 15 years ago…’ The agreement present- ly in existence was negotiated by the present management team headed by Mr Kaiser in SAL, as recently as Oc- tober 2002.”

Union members at the Shannon air- line servicing company voted for in- dustrial action in Aug 2006 in pursu- ance of the final two phases of the SP

National Wage Agreement, due since May 2005. These phases were paid when the members accepted changes to rostering guidelines. “While the pay increase thus achieved by agree- ment and brokered by LRC, applied to all staff at Shannon Aerospace, only the SIPTU members gave up anything in return,’ the statement said.

Councillor Madeleine Taylor-Quinn has urged all parties to engage “in meaningful negotiations which will preserve the jobs at Shannon.”

TRANSITION year students in Clare will be taking a step back in time to learn a craft which was part of everyday life for our forebears – in the language which they would have spoken while working at it.

An Irish language course in stone- wall building for the students is just one of the events organised for biod1- versity week in May by the Irish Seed Savers Association (ISSA) based in Capparoe.

Biodiversity Week runs from May 20 to 27. The week celebrates the continual work of the ISSA and other

conservation organisations in Ireland preserving traditions that are part of our heritage.

As part of the week the ISSA will be running a course on rare potato varieties and traditional growing techniques will be held for primary schools.

Courses for the general public in- clude the native tree course on May 19 and 20, which will help partici- pants identify native trees and the many uses of timber.

The introduction to garden design course to be held on May 23, will help participants to plan an edible sus- tainable garden for a rural or urban

home, school or community garden. Enquires and booking of courses can be made by phone or email.

The big event of the week, Biodi- versity Day will be celebrated on Sunday, May 20, at ISSA centre.

The day will include local, fresh produce and stalls, workshops on native fruits, vegetable seed process- ing, rare Irish grains, planting an or- ganic garden, bee keeping, and rare poultry.

There will be plenty of fun for the younger visitors including nature walks, wildlife drawing, the Kerry bog pony and Kerry cattle.

Booking is essential for Biodiver-

sity Day.

The cost is €15 for adults and €30 for families (four people). This also includes a return shuttle transfer from Scariff town.

People needing special assistance or wheelchair users may park at the centre. Check out the Seedsavers website www.irishseedsavers.ie for more information.

A CLARE County Council official has moved to dispel suggestions made by a Shannon councillor, alleg- ing misappropriation of money.

Last week, Councillor Gerry Flynn (Ind) alleged that money relating to a Neighbourhood scheme in Shannon, which involved the felling, removal and planting of trees, was “misap- propriated” or “wasted”.

At a Shannon area meeting last Tuesday, Cllr Flynn addressed Ger Dollard – who is the Shannon Town manager – and said, “You took your eye off the ball and money was wast- ed. The money was taken out of the town. It’s an absolute disgrace what you let happen to this town.”

However, Mr Dollard said he hadn’t a notion what the councillor was talking about and said he was “talk- ing absolute nonsense.”

In a subsequent statement issued by Clare County Council, the allega- tions were rejected as “wild.” It stat- ed that Cllr Flynn’s statements were

“misleading.”

Mr Dollard said the cost of the project increased from €59,000 to €97,000, because there were addi- tional works involved, which were sought by the local community.

‘The main area of additional cost arose from the removal of timber residues off site.

‘This was not proposed as part of the scheme, but following consulta- tion with residents and councillors, a separate tender process was under- taken,” he said.

Mr Dollard said that Cllr Flynn was fully aware of the reasons behind the difference and that it was “mischie- vous” and “misleading” of him to suggest that the council had handled the situation wastefully.

Development Officer in Shannon, Padraig Mac Cormaic, described the councillor’s attack as “over the top and inaccurate”’.

He said that Cllr Flynn’s claim that the council had not been forthcom- ing in progress reports on the scheme was completely unfounded.

PLANS are underway for a west Clare community facility to provide offices and working space for the many voluntary organisations in the area.

Joe Saunders, who carried out the feasibility study for such a facil- ity, told Kilrush Town Council that there are more than 100 community groups registered in Kilrush and a further 60 to 70 groups in the wider west Clare area.

There are 15 organisations in total with their own staff, needing premis- oe

To date there are eight buildings hosting community groups in Kil- Murs ee

The consultant said that as the town changed and grew there was a need for a place where civil marriages could be performed.

Outlining the gravity of the situ- ation he said the Gardai in Kilrush have nowhere to address the local public outside the cells in the sta- tion.

Meanwhile artists have to exhibit their work in inadequate facilities or move outside the area.

He said that as the voluntary sec- tor is becoming more professional it needs proper facilities.

“A hotel conference centre would meet some of the needs but a lot of eroups would like to be with like minded groups,” he said.

In his report Mr Saunders con-

cluded that the current community and training services accommoda- tion base in Kilrush and west Clare is considered generally unsuited to the task of serving the sector over the next decade.

“Already organisations with a sig- nificant remit and serving large num- bers are finding the available accom- modation to be an impediment to maintaining and developing services to their target groups. In addition, newer organisations are coming on stream as the not-for-profit and train- ing sectors grow in size nationally,’ he said.

Mr Saunders said that a communi- ty facility would probably have core tenants that would have contracts of service agreement the would provide

funding for ongoing rental charges.

“The capital element of the project will need to be provided through lo- cal and national exchequer routes,” he said.

“Ownership structure and ongoing management will require negotiation between core tenants and relevant stakeholders.”

Town Manager Bernadette Kinsella said west Clare was suffering due to a lack of integrated facilities.

She said that Mr Saunders report confirmed the view that there was a deficit in this area.

“Now we will go back to the eroups, look at what a facility would look like, who would fund it, and audit where it might be located,” Ms Kinsella said.

OXFAM Ireland is calling on gar- deners all around Clare to get in- volved in their annual Spring grow for Africa scheme. OxfamGarden is aimed at getting experienced garden- ers and enthusiastic amateurs alike involved in raising plants, as well as funds to help some of the worlds poorest people.

The charity organisation are invit- ing people to get involved by simply buying a four back of seed from any of their Oxfam shops nationwide of from www.oxfamireland.org

“I consider it an honour to be asked to be involved with the Oxfamgarden Grow for Africa campaign,’ gar- dening guru Dermot O’Neill at the launch in Dublin last week.

“You don’t need to be an expert to get involved. By growing the Oxfam Ireland range of seeds you are con- tributing to a worthwhile and valu- able cause while at the same time reaping the pleasures and joy of erowing plants too.”

Oxfam are also calling on more experienced gardeners to volunteer to become OxfamGarden expert or to donate old tool to your local shop.

The charity are also hoping to get school, resource centres and commu- nity groups involved in the project.

“We hope Dermot’s support for Oxfamgarden will encourage other gardeners to get out their trowels and Grow for Africa,’ said Peter Tomlin- son, Oxfam Ireland business devel- opment manager.

‘The beauty of this scheme is that everyone involved wins. Customers love the plants, growers get a real sense of achievement from seeing their handiwork sold in our shops and, of course, we raise funds for Oxfam Ireland’s vital work.”

Oxfam is committed to ending poverty and suffering in developing countries. They promote understand- ing of the causes of these injustices, and campaign for a world where every man, woman, and child can live free from hunger, poverty, and oppression.

Although the work in most coun- ties in the world their current focus in on Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Malawi, Uganda, Sudan, Chad, South Africa and Ethiopia.

Seeds can be bought at any Oxfam shop for just €1.50 while seed mats are also available from €5.25.

KILRUSH Town Council have be- gun work on a new blueprint for the erowing town.

This month its town councillors agreed to move forward a new town plan to draft stage.

A report was presented to the members in February outlining the out come of the pre-draft pubic con- sultation process for their considera- soe

The councillors then took part in a workshop to discuss the report fully prior to giving any direction to the manager in relation to the drafting of the plan.

The workshop focussed on discus- sion of the issues raised by the writ- ten submissions and observations made by the public.

The council adopted the manag- er’s recommendations subject to six amendments.

Fifty submissions were received from the public for the draft cover- ing wide spectra of social, commer- cial and economic development.

Formally proposing the prepara- tion of the draft proposal Cllr Tom Prenderville (FF) said the new de- velopment plan encapsulates the council’s vision of where the west Clare capital will be in 2013.

“Kilrush is most fortunate in hav-

ing an infrastructure capable of sustaining a population of 10,000. Recent residential, retail and com- mercial development undertaken in the urban area have been undertaken in this knowledge and has placed the town in a most advantageous position in attracting inward invest- ment,” he said.

‘This council rejoices in the record number of submissions received to date in the KTDP review process. It indicates a welcome interest by po- tential investors and developers in the native place.

“We celebrate this new-found op- timism that permeates the local economy. Kilrush, to all intents and

purposes, stands on the threshold of prosperity. Current retail and com- mercial proposals underway give credence to this happy state of affairs in Kilrush,’ said Cllr Prenderville.

‘There is an onus to frame a devel- opment plan that sustains, supports and facilitates an inclusive society. The provision of adequate social ed- ucational, and recreational services must form a core vision in the plan,” he added.

The preparation of the draft propos- als will take 12 weeks to complete.

The resulting Kilrush Town De- velopment Plan will cover the years 2008 to 2013, and it is hoped it will be adopted by October this year.