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MICHELLE Bradley is putting art and soul into a new venture for Kil- Tatts ep

The qualified psychotherapist has opened a space “Art & Soul’ in Place de Plouzane to encourage people to become involved in art therapy.

In her final year in her Masters in Art Therapy at the Crawford College in Cork, the Dublin-native has plans to introduce as many people as pos- sible to the process, and encourage other qualified practitioners to bring the therapy to smaller towns and vil- lages around west Clare and beyond.

For now however, Ms Bradley, who moved to west Clare 11 years ago, is keen that as many people as possible experience art therapy, which she de- scribes as “a healing tool’.

Michelle, herself discovered the therapy when she did a work shop a number of years ago. With an interest in art and as a qualified psychothera- pist, she decided to study the therapy and joined the MA course.

She did her first college placement with the Kilrush Youth Centre where she saw the benefits of the therapy first hand.

“It is instantaneous. If I was doing talk therapy with you it could take me a long time to get to that point, because you are all the time going to talk about what you think the issue might be, or what you think I might want to hear.

“With the art it 1s direct. I don’t interpret your artwork; you do that

yourself, because everyone has their own symbols. It is for you to interpret it, we can talk about it, and we can do a one-on-one and talk about it. Or you don’t have to talk about it. You are getting it out,’ she explained.

“It is like the most intelligent part is going to lead the way. It is a very gentle process.”

The process can be used with any age group from toddlers to the eld- erly, and people with all abilities in- cluding anyone with a mental, physi-

cal or educational disability.

Everyone is invited to take part in the creative process to work through issues, merely find out more about themselves.

If it all feels a bit too much the Slate, or in this case the white board, can be wiped clean and you can start eNeee HOE

Parent and children, teenagers and adults all use the space. Michelle also works with groups, and one on oiler

The charge for the therapy is €10, and Michelle is already working to- wards getting sponsorship to retain that reduced rate next year.

She argues that therapy such as this is beneficial to the community and should be available to all. Therefore she is hoping to gain sponsorship or a grant to help keep is accessible to “Ne

THE Rachel O’Dwyer Memorial Award keeps not only the memory of the late schoolgirl alive, but also the strong tradition of Irish music among Quilty school children.

This year the award went to sixth class student Eoin Shannahan, a tal- ented accordian player who won the school’s Board of Management mu- sic award two years ago.

The Board of Management Award

coincides with the Rachel O’ Dwyer Award each year, and the winner of both prizes receives a certificate and have their fees paid at the Willie Clancy Summer School.

Fifth class student and accordion player Darragh Moloney won the Board of Management Award this year.

Rachel’s mother Rita sponsors the prize in memory of her daughter.

Rachel, who was a pupil at Quilty National School died from encepha-

litis in November 1999, aged just 10 years old.

While the brave young girl is re- membered often by the school, she is remembered in a special way each year when the most promising music student is chosen.

Quilty National School encourages all of its pupils to learn music and follow in the footsteps of local mu- sical heroes such as Paddy Galvin, John Fennell, Joe Cunneen, Michael Falsey and JP Downes.

All 43 pupils learn a musical in- strument during music classes in the school, and it is through music their late colleague and fellow pupil is teyatelennere

TWO north Clare natives are this week beginning a month-long pro- gramme to teach computer skills to poor children in Africa. Anne Marie Gray from Lisdoonvarna and Mick Quinn from Doolin departed for Dublin last week to give a four week intensive course in Ethiopia.

The pair are part of an 83 strong party of Irish volunteers who will be teaching in seven African countries throughout the month of July. They will be joined on the trip by fel- low Clare native Mary Woods from Newmarket-on-Fergus who is travel-

ling to Tanzania.

The trip is being organised by the Camera Group, which is an Irish charity promoting sustainable devel- opment in Africa. Camera refurbish thousands of old computers each year and ship them for re-use in a number of African countries.

The volunteers, who come from a range of backgrounds, including IT, teachers and students, will be teach- ing basic to advanced computer skills to teachers in schools in Kenya, Ethi- opa, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Le- sotho and Zambia.

“This 1s so important to provide training in computer skills for the

teachers of the schools who have Ca- mara’s refurbished computers,” said Cormac Lynch, CEO of Camara. “Our teachers will spend a month giving courses from basic computer skills to advanced networking. Each computer can be of major benefit to 200 students, but only if there is good transfer of teaching knowledge to the teachers in the first place.” Camara is an Irish-based registered charity, based in the Digital Hub, which equips schools in Africa with refurbished computers, educational software and IT training. Camara recently celebrated sending out its 10,000 computer to a school in Tan-

zania.

Camara takes in computers from businesses that would be sent for recycling otherwise, securely wipes the hard drive and tracks, cleans and upgrades the computers so that they will run an operating system reliably and have a long second lease of life in Africa. Camara’s computers come from large and medium-sized com- panies including PWC, KBC Bank, ESB and the Department of Finance.

For detail about the the project and how to become a volunteers or do- nate unused computers contact con- tact Leonora Lowe on 085 7057764 and leonora@camara.ie.

Quin anger over Abbey car park

THE continued closure of the car- park at Quin Abbey is causing an- noyance to locals, who say that the business community in the area is suffering as a result.

The lock remains on the gate of the carpark and residents who live in the village cannot understand why their calls to re-open it have fallen on deaf ears. They are further incensed by

the fact that their calls for signage — outlining opening hours, the abbey’s history and other relevant informa- tion — have not achieved a positive response.

Junior Finance Minister Martin Manseragh visited the abbey in May and locals said they felt that their concerns were listened to on that oc- or ISTO) F

However, Helen Lowe, who is a member of the local development

committee, said there 1s much frus- tration in the village because of the lack of progress. While a caretaker is employed there, opening hours and information are not available for tourists who may wish to visit the ab- erentA

The group is pleased to learn that the Abbey will open during Novem- ber — the month of the Holy Souls – but say more good news should fol- low.

“It is the last remaining intact, me- dieval village in Clare and the OPW will not put the proper signage at the public access to utilise the abbey to its true potential,’ said Ms Lowe.

“Having a list of opening hours is critical because a lot of tourist buses come to Quin. Also there is confu- sion in the village. People don’t know where the public entrance 1s,” she added.

‘Thousands of euro has been spent on the public entrance and a new bridge has been installed. However the gate remains locked and the car- park is not occupied. It has space for 40 cars and coaches and minibuses,” she said.

The local development committee contacted the OPW and was told that signage would be put in place and ne- gotiations would take place in rela- tion to opening the carpark. However they are not happy with this as they want action immediately.

“We are coming into August, the last remaining month of the tourist season. The businesses are losing money, she added.

“We are not asking the OPW to spend money. This is a carpark that is available. It doesn’t need any at- tention. We need organisation and feedback. It’s frustrating,’ she said.

“We would like the OPW to ad- dress the signage issue first of all,” added Ms Lowe.

EACH farmer in the environmental- ly sensitive Burren area is to receive an average of €6,000 over the next three years to insure the survival of the threatened Burren landscape.

A new €3 million fund was an- nounced by the Department of Agri- culture last week which will directly fund Burren farming to introduce farm techniques which will reverse the encroachment of scrub on the karst Burren landscape.

The funding will be used to intro- duce a Burren wide roll out of many of the ideas developed by the Burren- LIFE Project over the last five years. It does not, however, guarantee the continuation of the project past this August.

“This is the best day of my farming lite. This decision is way bigger that the initial EC funding of the pilot phase of BurrenLIFE,” said head of the Burren IFA, Michael Davoren.

“It represents a very serious buy by the Department of Agriculture for the work being undertaken by Bur- ren farmers. It is now critical that the Department of the Environment fund the operational side of project and ensure that the project offices and team are retained.”

Should the BurrenLIFE Project not receive a late funding reprieve from the Department of the Environment or other sources, it is not clear who will oversee the €3 million invest- ment.

“This is a stunning statement of support for the Burren, its farmers and the innovative BurrenLIFE ap- proach to farming for conservation,’ said Brendan Dunford, Project Man- ager of the BurrenLIFE Project.

‘“BurrenLIFE is a very focused and targeted scheme, all of its actions are carefully researched and closely monitored. The strict emphasis on delivering tangible, measurable re- sults and good value for money are so critical now that resources are so tight.”

Dunford also paid tribute to the

project team of Sharon Parr, Ruairi OQ Conchtir and James Moran as well as Sean Regan from Teagasc for the work done on the project and se- curing the funding.

Meanwhile, Clare TD, Tony Kil- leen has confirmed that the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Brendan Smith, will visit the Burren region over the coming weeks to be briefed on the BurrenLIFE Project.

AN estimated 2,000 Clare farmers are facing a bleak financial future following the Department of Agri- culture’s shock closure of the REPS 4 scheme last Thursday.

Some 35,000 Irish farmers will fin- ish their environmental plans over the next three years and will now not be allowed to join the REPS 4 scheme.

The effects of this will be felt by some 2,000 Clare farmers who will also now have to plan with a further reduced Disadvantaged Area Scheme payments from 2010. The IFA called an emergency Executive Council in Portlaoise last Friday to discuss the

situation.

Mr Walshe called on the Minis- ter for Agriculture, Brendan Smith to immediately come forward with a new meaningful scheme for the farmers effected by the latest round of cuts. “The previous budget cuts plus this proposed cut will hit the hard pressed livestock sector espe- cially hard,” he said.

‘Farmers are outraged at these de- cisions at a time when farm incomes are at their lowest level in almost a decade and tens of thousands of farm families are struggling to survive.”

The ICSA Rural Development Chairman, Gabriel Gilmartin has said the news of the closure of REPS 4 is another nail in the coffin of farm-

ers and will cause many to question their future in farming.

“This decision is wholly unaccept- able and is further evidence of a total lack of understanding on the Govern- ment’s part of what measures are in fact needed to encourage economic activity in rural Ireland,” he said.

“Under the new agri environment scheme farmers will have to apply without knowing whether they will be accepted or not and they will have no idea what the rate of payment will be. Modulated money was intended to create additional rural develop- ment funding, not to facilitate the elimination of existing schemes.”

Meanwhile, while announcing the cuts, the Minister for Agriculture

also announced proposals for spend- ing €207 million in EU funding for Irish farmers over the next four years.

These proposals relate to the use of unspent Single Payment Scheme and Modulation funds and the European Economic Recovery Programme from 2010. The minister said that his proposals reflected the outcome of consultations with the various stake- holders over recent months.

In addition to this Minister Smith confirmed details of a new €113 million targeted scheme for on-farm investment to support a number of specific categories of farmers and focused on supporting productive in- vestment.

Residents caught in crossfire

MEASURES must be taken in an effort to prevent cars from being broken into at Drumcliffe cemetery in Ennis, according to local elected representatives.

The issue was raised by Councillor Mary Coote-Ryan (FG), who said that an elderly woman’s car was bro- ken into while she was visiting the graveyard earlier this month.

“The gate was locked. She had to leave her car outside. When she got out, the window of the car was broken and her handbag was taken.

It’s happening a lot. Could we have cameras there? Could the gates be left open? It’s getting very serious,’ she said.

“This woman was awfully upset. If the gate was open that evening, she could have driven in,’ she said.

Meanwhile, the CCTV pole and camera on Market Street in Ennis will not be relocated. Ennis Super- intendent John Scanlan, in a letter to Ennis Town Council, said the ques- tion of moving the equipment has been carefully considered and it is not feasible to relocate it.

‘An Garda Siochana will examine

the possibility of locating this cam- era on the front of the adjacent pri- vate property and will initially pur- sue this matter with the owner of the said property,” he wrote.

He said he was not in a position to commit to any definite action which could adversely affect the commis- sion of, or the satisfactory operation of the CCTV scheme in the town.

In 2006 Ennis was declared by the Government as one of the I] re- maining locations nationwide which formed part of the Garda CCTV pro- eramme following recommendations from the Garda authorities.

THE rotting carcass of a dead horse, 291 wrecked cars and a plethora of broken fridges, old car batteries and burned out car wrecks were found on land at Clonawee, Doora, on Septem- ber 15, a court heard.

The list was given by an officer of Clare County Council who was giv- ing evidence in the trial of Bernard McDonagh of John Paul Avenue in Cloughleigh, Ennis who was ac- cused of transporting, recovering or disposing of waste in a manner likely to cause pollution.

Senior Executive Engineer with Clare County Council, Robert Byrnes, told the court that he carried out an inspection on the lands and found “291 end-of-life cars, stacked three high in places” as well as vari- ous car components, fridges, freezers, electrical equipment, general house- hold waste and ends of carpets.

“I got the smell of the putrefying horse carcass some distance away. There were four living horses at the site and I believe from the state of decomposition, that the animal had died some weeks previously at the Sy Kone

The executive engineer said that he took 55 photos in all at the site but could only take a picture of the horse from a distance because “of the smell and the health risk.”

Mr Byrnes agreed that Mr McDon- agh had a business in scrap. The pros- ecution arose he said, because there were none of the necessary special containment or treatment measures to prevent pollution by chemicals in the car components and items such as fridges, which contain harmful

CFC gases.

These could get into the ground or possibly into the water system, he Crate

Under cross examination, by Lor- can Connolly BL for the defence, Mr Byrnes agreed he did not carry out any tests on the soil or water or take away any items for further examina- tion.

Judge Sean O Donnabhain agreed to an application from the defence to direct the jury to find the accused man not guilty.

Mr Connolly successfully argued that while Mr Byrnes had given evi- dence of his being an officially ap- pointed agent to carry out the inspec- tion, he had not produced in court the document which is his written appointment. This should be done as laid out in section 154 of the Local Government Act, Mr Connolly told the judge.