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: “Centres like Lahinch Seaworld were never designed to make money. They are not profit making machines and if they do make a profit, it is a bonus. The value in Lahinch Seaworld is the resource it provides to the community.

He added: “I would like to congratulate the direc- tors, management and

staff for reducing the an- nual loss and the net debt by €80,000. While the balance sheet isn’t as healthy as one would like, its value is the superb facilities it provides for the community and for schools in the area.

OT OO e\ ab ab elo added: “More _ facilities like Lahinch Seaworld are needed.”

The complex employs 30 people and during the Win- ter months provides facili- ties for 40 schools in North and West Clare — while this year has added a steam room to the range of facili- ties on offer.

Sroleieter i Ceyme comm seco leuee Clare area, Martin Lafferty said: “Any resort like Lahi- nch needs a centre like La- hinch Seaworld. It is a tre- mendous development for Lahinch, while also provid- ing employment in the area.

Cllr Lafferty added: “I wouldn’t be overly con- cerned with the losses and I would urge the Council to maintain its annual con- tribution and interest in the centre.”

The accounts show that the Council guarantees loans

and overdrafts for Lahinch Seaworld to the amount of €317,000.

Now in its ninth year of operation, Lahinch Sea- world is a community-based initiative that has provided an added dimension to Lahinch’s long-standing reputation as being one of Clare’s most popular sea- side resorts.

Benefiting from over €2.5 million in EU money, the lo- cal community ensured that

the centre would become an extra tourism resource to Lahinch after individu- als from Lahinch and sur- rounding towns and villages including Ennistymon, Lis- cannor and Miltown Malbay contributed over €650,000 to the scheme.

The accounts for the end of October 2004 show that the centre had a turnover of €695,000 with a gross profit of €607,000.

However, the cost of run- ning the centre stood at €621,000 leaving an oper- ating loss of €14,000 and this led to an overall loss of €33,000 after charges of €19,000 in interest and other charges.

The accounts also show that €304,000 was paid to the 29 staff at the centre in 2004. Lahinch Seaworld also has assets worth €1.5 million.

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BEING crowned _ the ‘International — Festival Queen of Ireland’ has cer- tainly not gone to Kinvara woman Emma Kilkelly’s head as the 19-year-old seems to have both her feet firmly on the ground.

Just hours after win- ning the prestigious title, which is competed for by the winners of regional festivals from all over Ire- land and beyond, Emma was on her way to Mos- ney for the finals of the community games.

After celebrating her victory late into’ the evening of Friday August 26 the GMIT business student made the journey to Mosney early on Sat- urday morning to referee the camogie semi finals playoff between Cork and Offaly.

“I knew I had commit- ted myself to refereeing the match but I had no idea I was going to win the tile,” said an overjoyed Emma. “To be honest I’ve

been coming to Mosney all my life as a competi- tor and now as a referee and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Emma qualified to take OV MBD MMO MBKION EU MEDAN being crowned the Gort Show Queen, an achieve- ment which also qualified her to compete for the Galway Rose Competi- tion. She was also select- ed as the Banrion at the Gouterievlempercmpeelar:(eme aloe val and The Oyster Pearl at the 50th International Galway Oyster Festival.

The International Fes- tival Queen of Ireland Sores} orem isco me meue- Hever! by Dundalk man Mr. Pat- sy Rogers and involved a formal interview on Fri- day evening followed by an interview live on stage later that night.

Emma was joined at the festival by her fam- ily, friends and support- ers, along with her spon- sor, Patricia Kilkelly of Streams Beauty Rooms im ecoum

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FOR 20 years, Fanore man Joe Queally has been travelling to the Blasket islands.

This week, Joe sets out again to follow in the footsteps of his literary hero, Tomas O Criomh- WerenOOP

Located off the tip of the Dingle Peninsula, the Blaskets don’t seem the most obvious location to spend a month on holi- CMA

Great Blasket Island comprises 1,100 acres of unspoilt, | mountainous Keeney

It is four miles long and half a mile wide.

For Joe, the attraction has always been a spir- itual one.

“My biggest reason for going out to the Blaskets has always been my fas- cination with the island people.

“IT wanted to walk in the footsteps of Tomas O Criomhthain, Peig Sayers and Muiris O’Sullivan.

“There’s an awful lot of fascination to be able Ke say I stayed in Tomas O Criomhthain’s house. It is very special to me.

“There 1S one room 1n Tigh an Ri where John Millington Synge wrote a lot of the

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WHEELCHAIR users in Lahi- nch are annoyed that an oppor- tunity to make the streets more Wheelchair accessible was not availed of during footpath recon- struction at the seaside town.

There were claims this week that Clare County Council re-laid the footpaths on the main street in Lahinch without any dishing to allow disability access.

Clare County Councillor Brian Meaney is now demanding that all street improvements under- taken by Clare County Council have regard for the access re- quirements for the disabled.

“Representations have been made to me from wheelchair us- ers, angry that the opportunity to make the street more useable to them was not availed of during footpath reconstruction in one of the county’s best-known seaside resort towns,’ said the Green Party Councillor.

“After reviewing the fact, I have to say I share their anger.”

Cllr Meaney spoke of seeing people in wheelchairs making their way along the street in traf- fic looking for a place to gain ac-

cess onto the footpath.

He is requesting that Clare County Council remedy this oversight immediately, as it is also in contravention of the Coun- ty Development Plan guidelines on access and mobility which states, “The design of new devel- opments and public open space should have regard to the needs of people with disabilities.

“It is clear that no regard has been given to the needs of peo- ple in wheelchairs and yet we are trying to promote Lahinch, and Clare in general, as a tourist des- tination for all.”

Cllr Meaney has spoken with management in Clare County Oro triTere Mm coscx-V Cu tercmmmmdeDKcmmmpONT- Nes ter and has asked for consulta- tion with the various disability eroups to identify locations on the footpaths suitable for disabil- LALO

“Not only is this a disability issue, it is also an equality 1s- sue and I will be writing to the equality officer with Clare Coun- ty Council to put in place proce- dures to ensure such an oversight does not occur in the future” concluded Cllr Meaney.

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A 42-YEAR-OLD Dutch profes- sional musician involved in an air-rage incident on a Ryanair flight into Shannon has_ been fined €1,000.

Harry Gustaaf from Nymegen in Holland pleaded guilty to be- ing drunk and a danger to him- self or others, on board a Ryanair Dusseldorf-Shannon flight on Saturday, September 3.

Mr Gustaaf also pleaded guilty to offensive behaviour, despite been asked by a crew member to desist. Inspector Tom Kennedy told the Shannon District Court that the State was withdrawing the summons charging Mr Gus- taaf with engaging in threaten-

ing, abusive and insulting nature with intent to cause a breach of the peace.

Garda Brian McCarthy told the court that on charging Mr Gus- taaf, the accused said: “I took a plane from Germany to Ireland.

““T had a few drinks and didn’t hassle anyone.”

According to a statement from Ryanair air hostess, Elizabeth Lynch, Mr Gustaaf had become ageressive on board, punch- ing the headrest in front of him, making advances towards the exit and swearing at her, when he was asked to sit down during the flight.

Defending solicitor Catriona Carmody said Mr Gustaaf was a professional musician with the Royal Symphonic Orchestra in

Holland and had been involved in establishing a shelter for the homeless and prostitutes in Hol- land.

She said he had no previous convictions and the incident was completely out of character.

She said the flight had been de- layed and the accused had a few drinks in the airport while wait- ing.

He was travelling to Ireland to visit his mother in Mayo and he didn’t remember the full extent of the incident.

“He is extremely embarrassed and very worried over what hap- pened and apologises profusely for his actions,” she said.

Judge Joseph Mangan imposed fines of €500 for each of the two summonses, payable forthwith.