The Clare People Archive

yesterday that the

worst could still be ahead for the in- dustry.

With building contractors plan-

ning projects two years in advance,

he believes that a real collapse in the

industry could take place in Octo- ber 2008 unless corrective action is Cote

“The problem goes back to last Oc- tober and the stamp duty. McDowell opened up a big debate and people began to realise it 1s an unjust tax,” said Mr O’Reilly.

‘He took the genie out of the bot- tle. The situation has been resolved for first time buyers but not for the rest of the market and there has been stagnation in the market for the last nine months.

“Builders plan two year in advance

and how could they think about start- ing projects with the uncertainty in the market from last October. It has been a soft landing so far, prices haven’t dropped too much except in the higher end but there is a ticking time bomb there for October 2008 if the stamp duty situation is not sorted out quickly.”

Meanwhile, Ulster Banks chief economist, Pat McArdle, has pre- dicted that 30,000 jobs will go in the construction industry nationwide be- fore the end of 2009. If this proves to be the case, between 1200 and

1500 Clare builders will be forced to leave the industry over the next 2 to 3 years.

Speaking at an economic briefing last Friday, McArdle also predicted that the unemployment rate would erow to more than 5 per cent before the end of 2008.

However, McArdle also predicted that the Irish economy would con- tinue to grow over the next two years and that European Central Bank (ECB) would only increase interest rates once more in the foreseeable JULRU Ken

THE CONSTRUCTION Industry Federation (CIF) has rubbished re- ports of a major collapse 1n the build- ing sector, claiming that the current downturn is part of a natural cycli- cal pattern and will correct itself shortly.

CIF Secretary for the Mid-West Region, Conor O’Connell, said yes- terday that even though he did expect redundancies following the builders’ holiday, the figures had been blown out of proportion.

‘There is no doubt about it, all the anecdotal evidence suggests that there will be some lay offs around the holidays, but if you look at the figures there has always been a cycli- cal pattern,” he said.

“The run up to the builders holi- days has always been a time when contractors review their staffing lev- els, that has been the case year in and year out.

“So it is very hard to know until af- ter it happens what will take place on the ground. It’s very hard to predict how long a down cycle will take to

run its course, and I’m not sure that we will even see the downturn that a lot of people are predicting.

‘There is an awful lot of scaremon- gering going on at the moment and people are being scared off from making that first purchase. I’d nearly bet my bottom dollar that come next spring there will be a turnaround in the market again.”

While the CIF predict a downturn, the organisation believes that work- ers will simply transfer to the com- mercial sector.

“The outlook for the industry is

still very good. It has boomed over the years and this talk of a big down- turn and a lot of people getting laid off is a bit too dramatic. It is a cycli- cal market and always will be.

‘That said, we do expect to see a significant amount of workers to transfer from house building sec- tor to the general contracting sector. This country is still playing catch about on the services and infrastruc- ture being built up. For example, the provision of a wastewater and sew- age infrastructure,’ Mr O’Connell concluded.

MOTORBIKE enthusiasts in En- nis are on the road again aiming to break records and at the same time highlight the important work of the Simply Said project.

A group that previously re-stored a vintage motorbike as part of project to highlight adult education programmes in the county are now setting their sights on another chal- lenge.

This time the plan is to restore an- other motorbike from scratch and then race the finished article around Mondello International motor racing circuit.

Its all to do with the Simply Said

– a collection of writings produced annually by students attending Clare Adult Basic Education Service (CABES).

An active member of adult educa- tion programmes in Clare, Jacko McMahon wants to restore the mo- torbike in time to mark next year’s 20th anniversary of Simply Said.

The first stage of that process be- gins in Ennis this month with the launch of a four-team soccer tourna- ment involving teams from around the town.

The teams captained by local men Tommy Leahy, Jim McMahon, Ed- die Walsh and Basil Whelan will play-off against each other for the Paddy Coughlan trophy.

Money raised from the event will go towards the purchase of parts for the motorbike restoration project.

Community and voluntary bod- ies such as Clare VEC, Clare Youth Service and the Congress Informa- tion Opportunity Centre all co-oper- ated on previous restoration projects.

A previous contributor to Simply Said Jacko wanted to mark the 20th anniversary of the project.

He also hopes to enlist the help of people like Jimmy Meere, Engi- neering Instructor with Clare Youth Service Terry Considine, Adult Edu- cation Organiser with Clare VEC Dr Sean Connellan, who donated time and effort to previous projects.

Jacko said, “It was an opportu-

nity not be missed. Simply Said is a great project and I hope to be able do something to mark the 20th an- niversary ’.

The 19th edition of Simply Said was recently launched by Bishop Wille Walsh and featured contributions from over 100 students. CABES pro- vides one to one voluntary tuition to adult learners to improve their read- ing and writing skills. Over 1,000 people avail of the service in Clare each year.

WOMEN across Clare are being encouraged to attend an awareness evening, organised by “Take Thirty Women Fitness Centre’ on the issue of heart disease.

The event will take place at the “Take Thirty Women Fitness Centre, located above Liam Cleary Car Sales, Kilrush Road, Ennis, at 7.30pm on Thursday July 19.

The aim of the event is to raise awareness and _ provide an under- standing of the problems associated with heart disease.

Several health professionals will be on hand to explain how simple pre- ventative measures can help reduce

the risk of heart disease.

According to the Irish Heart Foun- dation, approximately 10,000 people die each year from cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and other circulatory diseases. CVD is the most common cause of death in Ireland, accounting for 36 per cent of all deaths.

The largest number of these deaths relate to CHD, mainly in the form of heart attacks. 22 per cent of prema- ture deaths (under age 65) are from CVD.

“Take Thirty’ manager Celina Kil- leen said the purpose of this aware- ness evening is to encourage people to lead a more active lifestyle.

She said “The main aim of the evening is to try to get people to be nee) Kemr-LOLB Aon

“We want to show that by lead- ing a more healthy lifestyle you can combat and reduce the risk posed by heart disease”.

Celina’s own interest in the subject was fuelled by the death of a fam- ily member from heart related prob- snake

“It was all sparked off when a member of my own family died. I had been involved in health and fit- ness for most of my life and yet was surprised to see the stats about how many people are affected and the amount of problems it causes”

Attendees at the awareness evening

will have the opportunity to have their blood pressure checked and find out their body mass index, body fat per cent, and hydration levels.

Ennis based chiropractor Dr. Heather Thompstone will address is- sues relating to heart disease, while Jim Fives of the Irish Heart Founda- tion will give an overview of his or- ganisation’s work.

Members of the Health Services Executive will offer advice on how people can make their lifestyle a healthier one.

Celina added, ““We want to encour- age people to be more active. All it takes is 30 minutes exercise a day, so you see it doesn’t take that much ef- fort to prolong your lifespan”.

THE Miltown Malbay E-town is on course despite the bad weather af- fecting building projects across the county.

That’s according to Shannon De- velopment E-Town Project Leader Paul Ryan, who said that the project is On course for opening in October.

The Miltown Malbay E-town will give a “turn key” working and living space for families and single people wishing to avoid the rat race and set

up business in the west Clare town.

The 12-unit E-town is expected to attract micro business to the area and cluster them so that they in turn could grow from each other and pro- aCe ComAUUUM sloiumoreel O)Cenranetounle

Miltown Malbay has a hard work- ing community and a history of in- dustry, which made it attractive for this project.

The population of the town is about 1,000 people with another 3,000 in the area.

In partnership with the local au-

thorities, local communities and the Ibrickane network Shannon Devel- Opment is pioneering this new rural town renewal initiative, a €4 million investment by the development com- Orv aNYA

Among the many attraction likely to entice people to the west Clare town and its e-town are the nine pri- mary schools and secondary school in the area.

It also has a vibrant community, surfing, golf, drama, Irish music classes, créche facilities, 15 bars, and

a dozen restaurants within a couple of miles, and the sea.

It is just 30 minutes from Ennis and less than an hour from Shannon In- KoouirleCeyer Diane Oe) um

The primary aim of the pioneering approach of the e-town is to enable people to achieve a live/work bal- ance in tailor-made accommodation, create clusters of businesses and bring new economic activity back into local communities.

KILBAHA is a small west Clare vil- lage that is proud of its history and traditions.

The tight-knit community has now made that unique history avail- able to tourists and visitors with two projects that bring the past to life and celebrates the creativity of the areas many artists.

Looking out on to the Atlantic is the newly completed Garden of Re- membrance and the year old Five Pi- lot Memorial.

The projects are the brainchild of the Kilballyowen Development Company and the work of the Rural Resourse Development Scheme.

Local men Eddie Fennell, John O’ Dwyer, Gerard Collins and Pead- ar Keniry are proud of the stonework that will ensure the two projects live

on for generations to come.

The beautiful stonewalls are built from local stone, with limestone flags underfoot.

The top of the wall is encrusted with beach stones giving the struc- ture a rope like effect.

The men’s stonework skills were also used to create a water feature in the shape of a milk churn at the front of the garden, and an open fireplace at the back.

A bog oak tree from Tulagher Bog makes up the centre of the bronze Diarmuid and Grainne sculpture.

The piece representing the two lov- ers whose story is part of the Loop- head folklore was designed and cre- ated by father and son team, Jim and Seamus Connolly.

Along the right hand wall, that has been created to look like a scroll, is the wroth ironwork of local man and

former teacher Paddy Murray.

The ironwork is made up of eight pieces reflecting seven moments in history for the peninsula.

Not surprising the Little Arc Church makes up part of the sequence under the title of “Religion”.

“Fishing” features artic explorer Captain Michael Brennan, while “music” features the late John Kelly and the Clare Set.

Two of the scenes depict traditional farming methods, with the scene on the “Irish language” featuring por- traits of Seamus O’Dea and Eugene O’Curry.

“Emigration” tells its own stark sto- ry aS women on the shore wave good bye to their sons and daughters.

It is his final scene entitled “Sport” that begins to tell a lot of the penin- sula’s hidden history. Depicted in the iron is Peter Foley who was a record

holding weight thrower from 1889.

Yet to be added to the garden are two pieces by Michael McTigue, re- flecting the history of the “yellow men” who perished in a shipwreck approximately 150 years ago and all who lost their lives at sea.

The second pieces is “the flame of freedom” remembering all of those involved in the Irish move towards Independence.

The Sides family, who have a hol1- day home nearby, donated the piece of land on which the garden was een ne

that some of the positions have oLeres OMB UU OLSLO Mmm A100 MmmaSE-DOODURVammBu lo I(C0 bY, work arrangements” more common- LY ented ware em (elem stcvuberce He said that the office in Kilrush is

part of the Collector General’s Divi- sion of the Revenue, which is respon- sible for the collection of all major taxes.

These include VAT, PAYE, PRSI, income tax, capital gains tax, and corporation tax.

It is believed that up to a third of the staff are coming for civil servant jobs in Ennis, another third is mov- ing from Limerick, while the major- ity of the remainder are returning to west Clare or moving there for the first time from Dublin.

The 50 posts in the Kilrush Reve- nue office will be made up of 31 cler- ical officers, nine executive officers, three higher executive officers, three Staff officers, three service officers and an assistant principal.

According to the Revenue Press Of- fice, the Collector General’s Division collected €50.7 billion last year.

Mayor of Kilrush Councillor Tom Clyne (Ind) welcomed the new em- ployees to the town, and wished them well in their new life in west Clare.

The newly elected mayor said that the vast majority of the 60 workers would be living in the Kilrush area.

“It is great for the town. It is good for the commerce of the town, and the schools and the economy in gen- eral,’ he said.

“We have plenty to offer them as well. There are lots of leisure facili- ties here you would not find in the midlands,” said the Westmeath born town councillor.

“We have sailing, yachting, great

golfing, leisure walks and of course the walled garden. They are very happy with the facilities in the town,” |atemncy- BG

The Integrated Shannon Decen- tralisation Network (ISDN), which was established in November 2000, promoted a joint approach to decen- tralisation by the towns of Kilrush, Listowel and Newcastlewest, follow- ing a public meeting chaired by then local TD Brendan Daly.

The ISDN was a partnership be- tween Shannon Development, town councils in Kilrush and Listowel and the Community Council in Newcas- tlewest together with the area repre- sentatives of Limerick County Coun- cil and supported by the Chamber of Commerce in each town.

ALMOST 300 people are alive to- day thanks to the brave efforts of the Kilkee Marine and Rescue Service.

Irelands oldest voluntary sea res- cue service is this year celebrating a quarter of a century in existence, with local man Manuel diLuici still a member 25 years on.

The original crew was made up of himself, Eamon Murnane and Joe Haugh, with John Nolan, Martin Tweedy, Kieran De Loughry, Barry O’Shaughnessy, Kevin Heenan and Eamon Nunan some of its longest serving member.

Today up to 20 local people are part of the totally voluntary service.

The youngest member is trainee ’7-year-old Sheena Nolan, who has joined her father and brother as a member of the service.

The teenager is not fazed by the amount of time and dedication re- quired by the service.

“T love being involved. I don’t mind the commitment, it is great fun,’ she Cr HTOe

The crew train twice a week, with other routine checks and procedures also part of the commitment.

The crew are also on standby 24 hours a day seven days a week in case of a call out via mobile phone.

The service was set up in 1982 un- der the auspices of the Kilkee Devel- opment Association.

The fist ever call out for the Kilkee Marine Sea and Rescue Service 25 years ago was to a trawler in diffi- culty.

The crew responded to the call in force eight winds and brought it and its crew safely back to Doonbeg har- lereltbe

In 1986 the Kilkee crew were forced to recover the bodies of two of their own members – JJ Hartington from Castletownbere who was work- ing in Moneypoint and Ian Benson from Kilkee.

Both men were in there twenties and were out fishing when the trag- edy occurred.

“It was one of the saddest incidents of my career,’ said founding member Manuel diLuici.

The rescue service has recovered 28 bodies during the past 25 years and saved 280 more.

Despite the crew, some 160 mem- bers throughout the 25 years, giving their services for free it costs be- tween €30,000 and €40,000 to keep the service running.

Ennis businessman PJ Howard sponsored the first of the services four-life boats.

The boats need to be replaced eve- ry five to seven years with the engine usually the first piece of the equip- ment to give trouble.

The current boat was purchased in 2003, but the service must already start thinking about how it will fund the €150,000 necessary to buy next the state of the art boat.

Over the years members of the service have brought honour to the seaside village due to their bravery. John Cosgrove, his son Frank and Eamon Nunan received a certificate of merit from the minister for the ma- rine for a rescue in October 2000.

The three men risked everything to save a young Limerick man who got trapped in the propeller of a boat.

The thankful family later held a huge fundraiser to say thank you.

The links between Limerick and Kilkee are strong so it 1s not surpris- ing therefore that the links between the service and the Treaty County are equally tight.

Many of the Limerick people who spend summer in the west Clare town also sign up to be part of the life saving service.

RESIDENTS in Drumgeely are los- ing patience, as no progress has been made on redeveloping their local community hall, nine months after it was destroyed by a fire.

A blaze totally destroyed the der- elict building last October. It took several months to clear up the site, and while the debris has now been removed, the site is still lying idle.

The hall, which had previously been owned by Shannon Development, was taken over by a private company

in 1992.

Locals are concerned that no use is being made of the site, and they would love to see facilities created, for young children in the area.

Chairperson of the local residents association, Beatrice Keville said lo- cals are still not happy that no move- ment has been made on ensuring the site will benefit the local community.

“The site was in an awful state, with a lot of rusty stuff hanging there. It has been cleared up, but the wire net- ting around the old tennis court is broken. It 1s an eyesore,” she said.

“While the debris has been removed from the actual site, the old netting and supports are sagging and rusting. They are horrible to look at,” said Ms Keville.

“This is after how many years? I’m disgusted. As it is in private hands, Clare County Council say there is nothing they can do about it,” she SrHLGe

“It is pretty sad for the young peo- ple and for those of us who have lived here all our lives. Hopefully it will be sorted out,’ she said.

“Before shops and schools were

built in the then new town of Shan- non, Drumgeely Community Hall was where these and social needs were met. Drumgeely was the first residential area of Shannon and was a thriving place, with a great com- munity spirit. There was an active tennis club, one of the first sporting clubs in Shannon,” she said.

The hall was the centre of activity for the people of the area for sev- eral years and locals say that a huge void has been left in the community, through the unavailability of a valu- able site.

A SHANNON youth club for people with special needs is recruiting vol- unteers to help with its fun activities when it resumes in September.

The S Club gives children over 12 the chance to break from routine with everything from bowling to karaoke to cinema to art classes, as well as giving parents some respite.

The club meets every Wednesday from 6.30 to 8pm during the school year but because its membership 1s limited by volunteer numbers, any-

one who can give a little time to the project is welcome.

Leader Aoife Wright said that help- ing with S Club is both rewarding and great fun.

“It is really enjoyable for volun- teers. The young people we work with get very excited and have a brilliant time. They’re so loving and caring and entertaining aswell so it’s a good opportunity for everyone. People might think that it takes a lot of time too but it doesn’t – you might only do a night every three weeks.”

She added that no experience is

necessary although it always helps.

“I started when I was doing social work in college and it’s definitely good if you have worked with people with special needs and some volun- teers are doing related courses. But people should know that it’s not es- sential because a lot of our volunteers are mothers with a bit of time free in the evenings. The only specification is that you need clearance from the Grier a

S Club has been running for four years, most recently in the Respond Centre, since the need was identi-

fied for a social outlet in Shannon for young people with special needs.

“Local councillor Tony Mulcahy was very involved in setting it up and his own daughter is a very enthusias- tic member,’ said Aoife, “There was just five of us at the start but it’s 1m- portant to have something like this. We have a lot of interest from peo- ple with younger kids so hopefully it will keep going.”

Anyone interested in volunteer- ing their time to the S Club youth eroup can contact Aoife Wright on 086 1698987.