The Clare People Archive

THE development of Kilmaley is be- ing seriously hampered because of the village’s position between three different electorial areas, according to the Kilmaley Development Com- mittee. Clare County Council has come under increased pressure to redraw the county’s electorial bound- ary and unite the village of Kilmaley before the next local election takes place in 2009.

Speaking at a joint meeting of the Kilrush and Ennistymon areas held

in Kilmaley Day Care Centre yes- terday, the Chairman of the Kilma- ley Development Committee, John O’Rouke, described the dividing of Kilmaley village as very negative for community development and com- munity spirit.

“There are things that we need to get to continue with a development committee in Kilmaley,” said Mr O’ Rourke.

“We are split between three differ- ent areas and development is very unsatisfactory for that reason alone. We would appeal to the you, to try

and put the parishes together.

“Don’t split them. It is very bad for communities and community spirit to have them split. We are fairly united here and we need to be treated on a united basis.”

At present, Kilmaley borders the Ennistymon, Kilrush and Ennis lo- cal areas and the local development committee feel that they are being overlooked because of their mar- ginilised position.

A number of issues were mentioned for special attention at the meeting, including the downgrading of the

local post office, boy racers, a local sewerage scheme, road works and hedge cutting.

“If we do look for help, please do give us a listening ear. I would per- sonally love to see a respite centre here in Kilmaley.

“The families who send people here, some of them really do need a break. If we could offer this in our community, it really would be a great asset,” said Mary Ita Griffin of the Kilmaley Day Care Centre.

“If you. give us help, we will be there to help you back.”

WITH just five weeks left until the beginning of the school year, the management of the Mol An Ojge primary school in Ennistymon are unable to begin construction work at a new Site for the Steiner school because of continued delay by the Department of Education.

Having received the go-ahead to be- gin construction work on a new pre- fabricated facility from Clare County Council more than two weeks ago, the development has been stalled

following continued delays by the Department of Education in deciding whether to grant the school official recognition.

A contractor has been poised to be- gin essential construction work since the beginning of July but all work has been put on ice until a decision is made.

“If we are to get official recogni- tion, we need to get working on the new school and we need to get work- ing soon,” said a spokesperson from Mol an Oige.

“The site needs essentials like elec-

tricity and water and a contractor is ready and waiting to begin work.”

A delegation from the school met with the Minister for Education on Sunday but no commitment on rec- ognition, or timetable for a decision to be made, was forthcoming.

If the school does not get official recognition, they will be forced to abandon plans for a new school building and remain in their current location near Data Display.

“Either way, we have 56 students who want to be educated in this way and will be coming to Mol An Ojge

next year,’ continued the spokesper- Te) 0F

“We will be going ahead no matter what happens. We have great support from all the parents and everyone in- volved in the school.”

Meanwhile, a letter has been sent to An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, inform- ing him of the situation at the school and the need for swift action.

The Mol an Oige primary school has been operating in Ennistymon with no state assistance for three years. It is one of just two Steiner schools operating in County Clare.

DROMOLAND Castle has modified part of a €30 million extension plan for its prestigious hotel in response to concerns over the plan from Clare County Council.

The council’s reservations over the scheme follow Managing Director of the Lynch Hotel Group, Michael B Lynch lodging objections against both applications by Dromoland Castle.

The Lynch Group own the adjoin- ing Clare Inn Hotel and last year, Dromoland Castle was successful in Opposing expansion plans by the Clare Inn when An Bord Pleanala refused planning permission for the proposal.

In his objection, Mr Lynch states, ‘The piecemeal approach to develop- ment raises the question as to how in- tegrated development is on the site.

“Development that has occurred to date suggests a lack of proper inte- eration between the various facilities of the hotel.

“In the case of the application, a certain lack of integration is evident. In particular, the location of the pro- posed staff accommodation is some way from the castle. This approach to development is not sustainable and will ultimately lead to further devel- opment on the site.

In its request for further informa- tion, the council stated that it was “not favourably disposed towards”

eranting planning permission for the development for a number of rea- sons.

In response, the award-winning hotel state “the scale and design of the staff building has been modified to ensure satisfactory integration into the existing landscape’.

It states, “The 38 bedroom staff accommodation unit is required to provide a satisfactory level of ac- commodation to some of the staff working in the castle.”

It added, “Dromoland Castle cur- rently employs 200 people and there- fore the proposed staff accommoda-

tion unit will facilitate only a fraction of those currently employed. A high standard of accommodation is re- quired to attract the calibre of staff necessary for a five star hotel.”

In the applications lodged, the ho- tel is seeking to provide 32 short-rent apartments, a 38-unit accommoda- tion block for staff and the provision of a golf course operations facility.

A decision is expected on the ap- plication later this year.

THE developers of a €30 million re- tail park for Shannon have appealed Clare County Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for the proposal to An Bord Pleanala.

Last month, the council refused planning permission to Greenbrand Investments and Sean Halpin after it ruled that the plan would be pre- mature pending the preparation of a masterplan for the area.

The mixed-use retail park develop- ment consists of a DIY anchor store, garden centre, three retail warehous- es, 10 retail units, eight office units and one department store.

A decision was due on the applica- tion in June of last year. However, the developers have requested a year- long extension for the council to fur- ther consider the proposal.

The developers deferred a decision on the application after a planner’s report into the scheme recommended that planning permission be refused on two grounds.

On this occasion, the developers accepted the council’s ruling and

are now seeking that the planning appeals board make a ruling on the scheme.

In the appeal, consultants for the developers state that “this proposal will provide a retail service for the people of Shannon and will also fill an identified retail need, currently not available in town’.

It continues, “It is anticipated that the proposal will create a significant number of jobs at both construction and operational level, representing a significant boost to the local econo- ve ae ‘Furthermore, the proposed devel- opment was subject to a number of discussions with the council over the last two to three years.

“At the advice of the council, the applicants deferred lodging the ap- plication on a number of occasions to facilitate amendments to the de- velopment plan and the preparation of a masterplan for the area.

“The masterplan adoption was not however progressed in the timescale advised.”

A decision is due on the appeal early next year.

AS THE Quilty fairground stalls cranked up after the final whistle, you could forgive the supporters for not rushing down to queue for the rides. Both sets of fans remained in the stand, taking in what was an entralling game and wondering if it would be decided by extra time and as the teams warmed down out in the field, both sets of management seemed content with a draw.

One man who kicked every ball on the sideline was selector James Hea- ly, a former Clarecastle dual player who now puts all his efforts into top- pling the magpies (Doonbeg, that 1s) as part of the Lissycasey revolution.

“Well we were worried because Doonbeg had a very, very good first half. In the secod half we improved and got a lucky goal but we are lucky to get out of it with a draw in the end.”

Doonbeg’s midfield dominance was also on Healy’s mind and he re- flected on how well the magpies did in the middle of the field.

“They troubled us. Doonbeg have a

very, good midfield unit with Frank O’Dea and Conor Whelan, both county lads and you know we strug- gled in a lot of sections in the field but we got it together in the end and we were fortunate to get the draw.”

The main talking point from the game was definitely the Nigel Dil- lon save with ten minutes remaining. A suberb full length block which he scrambled to the side and while the umpires were certain that it was not a goal, there were several Lissyca- sey appeals that perhaps the ball had crossed the line.

“Well there was questions whether it was a goal or not and some people were Saying it wasn’t but at the end of the day, we are very happy with the draw after trailing for most of the match.”

Doonbeg manager Tommy Tubri- ChVMM I ccWoee exe [UE DORM KETsIBASECCLO MMU AONE BEls draw even thugh his side seemed to have the game wrapped up, only for a defensive mistake to let Lissycasey back into the game.

“The goal I suppose came late but they were unfortunate that they could have had a goal got before that but

we are delighted because it is great preparation for our championship fixture this weekend and that’s what we are now really focused on.”

Lissycasey’s fightback was a worry for the long serving manager but now that the Cusack cup has been settled until after the champonship, he is adament that the emphasis is now firmly on winning back the Jack Daly trophy after six famine years, a barren run which 1s alien to the high standards which they set themselves in Doonbeg.

“They got on top in the second half for a while but we got it together again. We had a few injuries coming into the game so we came through the game alright without them but hopefully they will be back for this weekend’s championship, starting with Ennistymon on Saturday.”

On this showing, you wouldn’t bet against a repeat of this fixture in the championship final come October.

. We expect to make the right appointment. First of all we are look- ing for someone inside the county. That would be our preference – to get someone from within the county to

take over the management job with a management team preferably from within the county. We need a physi- cal trainer as well and he may have to be got from outside the county”.

The re-habilitation of Clare foot- ball begins in earnest next weekend when the club championship finally gets underway.

Any prospective manager will no doubt be traversing football venues across the county getting a close look at the resources available. Mc- Donagh says the board has plenty of time before making a decision, as the favoured candidates will already be intimately familiar with the club scene in the county.

Among those tipped to be in the frame are current selector Kieran Kelleher who guided Ennistymon to the intermediate championship in 2005. Former Clare captain Barry Keating, who along with Kelleher was part of Paidi O Sé’s backroom, is another expected to be involved.

Clare’s first and only football All Star Seamus Clancy, who has been making impressive strides with last year’s Intermediate champions and Munster finalists Corofin, 1s also tipped to form part of the team.

“We won’t rush into it until we have to get someone right for the job,” add- ed McDonagh. “We could get some- body and it may not work out. Any- body from within the county knows the football. They would know every footballer in Clare and they would be at all the matches anyway”.

The Chairman was also remaining tight-lipped on possible candidates but said consultation will take place with clubs before any final decision is taken.

‘“We’ve approached nobody yet. We are seeing who is interested and who isn’t. We may have to go to the clubs with it and get the clubs to see if there is anyone within their own system willing to get involved”.

On Paidi O Sé’s troubled tenure as Clare manager, McDonagh praised the Ventry man’s commitment to the job. O Sé’s appointment as Clare boss was announced in a whirlwind of publicity at a press conference in the Temple Gate hotel in late Novem- ber. He departed quietly, away from the glare of the spotlight, after de- feat against Antrim in the semi-final of the Tommy Murphy cup, before a handful of supporters in Cusack Park.

By then though the writing was on the wall. The nadir of a dire season occurred in May when Clare lost to Waterford in the Munster quarterfi- nal. McDonagh said O Sé had given as much as he could to Clare foot- ball.

“The bottom line is Paidi is a man with eight All-Irelands. He’s won All-Irelands as a manger. He was an exceptional manager with Kerry and I’m disappointed it didn’t work out in Clare, but he gave it as much as he could”’.

McDonagh also flatly denied sug- gestions that the appointment of a high-profile manager such as O Sé came at the wrong time for Clare football.

“No way. This thing that he was appointed too soon is coming from different angles. The bottom line is that we had to get a manager and we went for a top class manager at the time”’.

The search is still on and as the weeks unfold, the identity of O Sé’s successor should become clear.

LAHINCH surfer Damien Conway added to his growing reputation with another finer performance in compe- tition at the weekend.

Irish international Conway was competing in the Inter Celtic Nau- tical Games in Brittany where he finished third in the under 18 long board section and fourth in the under 16 final.

Conway was a member of the Den- ny Irish Surf Team that traveled to France for the competition.

More than 700 competitors from 13 regions competed including the Isle of Man, Wales, Scotland, Brit- tany, Galicia, Asturias, the Basque country – Euskad1, Ireland, Cornwall

and Portugal, Normandy, the Canar- ies. The sports included rowing, sand yachting, surfing, kayaking, diving,

Rebates

The surfing contest kicked off on Sunday July 15 with two separate po- diums in operation. In the under 14 category James Garvey surfed first followed by larom Madden, both surfed well but were eliminated.

In the Ul6s Damien Conway won his heat and Aaron Reid finished 2nd, both surfers progressed to the semi finals.

In the Longboard final Conway was up against two surfers from Corn- wall and a Breton surfer. Surfing well Conway took third place and a bronze medal. In the under 16 final Conway competed against one surfer from Euskadi and two from Cornwall and although surfing well, finished fourth in a hotly contested final.

SATURDAY proved that the Gods must be smiling down on Tony Con- sidine at the moment.

After seeing his Clare team top their qualifying group, narrowly beating favourites Galway along the way, Considine even avoided the re- lentless downpour which marred the Opening stages of the Laois game on Saturday after being barred to the stand after what he admitted himself was “an altercation in the Antrim game’ and instead had the luxury of watching his other mentors feel the brunt of the apocalyptic attack. And it was this severe deluge which he attributed to Clare’s inconsistent performance after the Laois match on Saturday.

“It was a desperate game really but the conditions were absolutely brutal. I suppose it was a day for lifeguards really, it wasn’t a day for hurling. It was like a day at the beach or some- thing. I’m glad I wasn’t on the field today because I kept dry but the hur- leys were twisting in the guys’ hands when hitting the ball. I know we missed a lot of frees and we missed them last week as well and that is a major concern but I suppose at least we were getting shots in. Basically, we wouldn’t beat anyone like that. Let’s be honest, it was a poor game.”

Considine and his fellow selectors have had to endure some serious se- lection headaches in recent weeks due to a mounting injury list and again on Saturday, Clare were required to make two further alterations to the starting line-up due to injuries to Kevin Dilleen and Gerry Quinn sus- tained in the Galway game.

“It’s a major concern about Kevin, a major concern about Bernard Gaff-

ney. Conor Plunkett had an injury and Fergal Lynch had an injury so you don’t like fellas getting injured coming into the championship. If you have to have injuries, I suppose you would prefer them early on in the year but we tend to be getting them now so hopefully things will improve but I would definitely rule Gerry Quinn out at this stage, I don’t think there is any hope.”

So now that Clare have topped the eroup to qualify for a quarter-final place against neighbours Limerick, surely he feels that Clare are finally where he wanted them to be at this stage of the season?

“I didn’t want to come this route | can tell you, I wanted to go the other route but we are now in the quarter- final and I suppose that’s where we wanted to be but look, we are com- plete outsiders. You would have to say that today with a performance like that. You know, there are eight teams left in it now and we are prob- ably the outsiders of the eight at the moment but we will have to improve an awful, awful lot on the perform- ance of today. Everyone was saying that last Saturday was a bad enough game as well and maybe the 1m- provement will come in a week or two, I don’t know.”

It is debatable whether drawing neighbours Limerick in the quarter- final was the most desirable option but regardless of that fact, Clare can have no better assessor of Limer- ick hurling than the Cratloeman in preparation for that match as Consi- dine spent two years as manager of Limerick side Garryspillane, guid- ing them to a senior final in his first year in 2004 before clinching the club’s first ever senior championship in 2005.

“T had a couple of great years in Limerick hurling and I suppose they are like ourselves, they are trying to make the breakthrough as well. Lim- erick have been the team of the year in the Munster championship so far really. They have played very well, they had three terrific games with Tipperary and they went down then and played Waterford and I don’t think they were a nine point worse team than Waterford. No way at all. I suppose only in the last five or six minutes that Waterford just got a few goals and Limerick lost their way a bit. But Limerick are a really good team and at the moment, you would have to say that Limerick are com- plete favourites to win.”

An additional intriguing ingredient to the mix is that Considine could well have been on the opposition bench on July 29 as he was offered the role as Limerick manager last October and only after a failure to agree final terms with the county board, Consi- dine was offered the Clare manager’s position in an attempt to guide Clare in a new direction.

“We won’t talk about that now,’ he said. “Everybody knows about that but look, there is a good man- agement team in Limerick now. Fair play to them, they have done a good job this year and it will be a great occasion when Clare and Limerick meet. It’s always a great occasion. As I said at the Galway game last week, there will be houses divided. I should know, I even have family divided for the Limerick game.”

Let the real games begin.

IT WAS a tale of two teams, two managements too.

Clare players and the backroom of Paidi O Sé, Vincent O’Connor and Kieran Kelleher made a hasty retreat to the dressing room. They wanted out of Cusack Park after the end of what has been a very disappointing year for Clare football.

Apart from the early National League wins over Carlow and Lei- trim, it was a harrowing year, poll- forked by some very disappinting displays.

Take your pick: Monaghan in Cu- sack Park, Roscommon in Hyde Park and worst of all Waterford in Fraher Field. Throw in this Tommy Mur- phy Cup semi-final before a couple of hundred, hence the rush for the dressing room.

Antrim were in no hurry. Play- ers gathered at midfield — first they warmed down, then manager Enda Gormley talked about the road to Croke Park.

Antrim are on that Dublin road and this was a big win, went Gormley’s line as his side exacted some revenge for their defeat to Clare in an All-Ire- land qualifier in Casement Park last year.

Then Gormley broke away to field questions and talked about the importance of this victory for the development of Antrim football. “Certainly at half-time we had a lot of work to do,” admitted the former Tyrone star.

“Clare definitely had the lions share of possession in the first half when

we got caught too deep at times. But in the second half our defence did very well and coped with what Clare could throw at us. We broke well from defence and set up some great attacks.

“A big this for us was midfield in the second half. Joe Quinn put on a great display in the middle of the park and fielded eight or nine ereat balls. That gave us a platform. We were putting good ball into the spaces and forwards ran on to it very well,” he added.

And, no forward impressed more than Conor McGourty who finished with a personal tally of 1-5. Gormley wasn’t surprised. “Conor McGourty is an outstanding talent and we knew that this performance was in him. He’s just one of a number of out- standing players in this team.

“We take a lot of heart from this result and are looking forward to the final. It’s great for these lads. It’s a long time since these footballers played a game in Croke Park. Many people have made little of the Tommy Murphy Cup but for this team and its development it’s very important.

“It’s a big stepping stone — we’ve said that we’re using this year’s Tom- my Murphy Cup to build for next year’s National League campaign. The fellas have responded really well and we’re looking forward to our day out in Croker.”

Clare, meanwhile, look towards a very uncertain future.

IT seems that the European Om- budsman, Nikiforos Diamandouros, is going to have to brush up on all things Irish, as it was revealed last week that at least three of the Irish Farming Organisation have lodged official complaints with his office.

The ICMSA and Farmers for Fair- ness in Europe (FFE), lodged a join complaint with Ombudsman, target- ing both the European Commission and the Council of the European Union on grounds of maladministra- tion by failing to ban Brazilian beef imports.

The complaint, which was drawn up in ICMSA Head Office, centres on what ICMSA President, Jackie

Cahill, has described as ‘the incon- trovertible evidence’ that the failure to ban beef imports from Brazil is in breach of EC law.

“We think we have identified the Commission’s vulnerable spot on this issue, which infuriates us all. The European Ombudsman func- tions in a similar way to the ombuds- men in member states – he must now undertake a full investigation of all the trails and reports drawn up by the Commission — including any that are as yet unpublished. He must then present his report with recommenda- tions to the European Parliament.

“The complaint is to be issued in the name of FFE and the presidents of the 12 associated farm organisa- tions and according to Mr. Cahill the

‘wriggle-room’ that the Commission have been using on the issue of Bra- Zilian beef will be severely circum- scribed by the formal complaint.”

The formal complaint is of the na- ture of a double-whammy in that the ICMSA/FFE complaint will also argue that the maladministration on the question of Brazilian imports coupled with the onerous regulations imposed on native European beef farmers amounts to an infringement of the rights of those farmers as Eu- ropean citizens as established and guaranteed by the European Court of Justice under the Treaty that estab- lished the European Community.

As a part of the FFE, the ICSA has also echoed the dissatisfaction of the ICMSA with the situation surround-

ing Brazilian beef.

“The Commission is failing in its legal duty to EU citizens by continu- ing to allow beef imports from Bra- Zil,’ said ICSA president Malcolm Thompson.

“The combined efforts of the or- ganisations in FFE are targeted at forcing the Commission to act on the clear veterinary evidence and other information collected by the Food and Veterinary Office of the European Union arising from nu- merous official missions undertaken by that office. In addition, FFE is confident that the Ombudsman will have to factor-in to his deliberations the complete ban on Brazilian beef imports operated by both the US and Australia.”