The Clare People Archive

A TEAM challenge tackled by a Corbally family showed that there ain’t no mountain high enough to stop Clare people.

The four-strong team trekked 75km across the Kerry Mountains, with an enthusiasm that won them Best Team Spirit in the Challenges 4 Charity (C4C) Kerry Challenge 2007.

Trish McElligott, Fanchea Molo-

ney, Michelle Moloney and Pa Molo- ney are local heroes this week after their terrific feat. But the four have more than just teamwork to be proud Oe

They also raised money and aware- ness for this annual event that fund- raises on behalf of DEBRA Ireland and Fighting Blindness.

The trek, which wove through the Kerry Way, Beara and Dingle Pe- ninsulas, tested even the fittest of

the 42 teams taking part. “But each kilometre was met by spirit and en- thusiasm, making for an unbeatable atmosphere,” a spokesman for the event said.

The measure of events success 1s in the €68,000 raised by participants. This money will go to the medical research teams and support groups funded by both charities, and will have a significant impact on their work.

Next up is the sister to the Kerry Challenge, the Wicklow Challenge, taking place this coming September 14 to 16. This event dubbed “Trek with a Twist’ includes fun-based tasks in addition to an extensive three day trek through Glendalough, the Wicklow Way and Powerscourt.

To register or find out more about the event, phone O01 677 6856, go online to www.c4c.ie or e-mail info@c4c.ie.

RESTORING the bridge in Killaloe to it’s former glory will cost in the region of €100,000 Clare County Council officials have revealed.

A meeting last week of council offi- cials and elected members from both the Killaloe and Ballina sides of the river was being updated on progress with plans to repair the structure.

Council engineer, Sean Lenihan, told the meeting that the project is now at the stage where the council 1s seeking quotes from conservation ar- chitects for the job.

He told the meeting that the work

will be “slow and expensive” but of necessity as the bridge is listed as a national monument.

“The scope of this has increased considerably on what was first envis- aged,” he said. “Initially, we thought it was just a matter of cleaning off vegetation but there are some spots where the vegetation has become al- most part of the structure and it’s not just a matter of pulling it out. There’s a lot of restorative work and repoint- ing needed.”

The council’s conservation offic- ers became involved in assessing the project and they advised senior staff that conservation architects would be

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The question of where the money will come from for the work is still being discussed.

‘‘T have contacted the Heritage Coun- cil and they have a special fund which I hope might be available to us and we have inspectors from the department coming down on August 6. We’ll be making representations to him to see if we can get any department funding. After that, it will be between the two councils to pay for it,” said Sean.

Meanwhile, the meeting was told that the brief has now been finalised for the new river crossing at Killaloe.

Senior Officer, John Sheehy said

that the finished brief is about to be issued to those consultants who ex- pressed an interest.

“The consultants then have six to eight weeks to come back to us and we would expect appointments to be made after that,” he said.

The Clare council officer added that the new crossing “is a big project and it will take time. There will be issues on the links to the existing roads and after the consultants have been ap- pointed, there will be at least a year’s work for them to do. Anyone who is expecting a bridge to be there within a year has to realise that won’t hap- pen.”

LISDOONVARNA will play host to an Irish debut this September as Ireland first ever outdoor painting competition takes place in the Bur- ren Painting Centre.

Outdoor painting competition or ‘paint-outs’ have became popular in America in recent years but this is the first one which has ever been organised on this side of the Atlantic. The competition sees a large group of artists gather together on one day to paint and offer different artistic takes on the same moment in time.

“It’s an opportunity for good ama- teur artist to come together and paint for one day. Each person who comes to the day will have their canvass or paper stamped in the morning and they will sent out to three location

around Lisdoonvarna,” said Chris O’Neill of the Burren Painting Cen- nko

“They can choose any landscape the can find in those three locations. They can paint all day, submit their work and the judging will be carried out the next morning.”

The judging panel includes Irish painter Rosemary Carr and water colour expert Charles Harper. Paint- ers will be allowed to enter two painting in either oil and acrylic, pure water colour or mixed media, pastel and gouache.

“It’s for good amateurs. This means if you are a profession and you earn your livelihood through art then you are not eligible. We have decided to use the Government criteria of the artists tax exemption as a way of deciding who is amateur and who is

not. If they are earning their income through art and qualify for the tax exemption then they are not eligi- ble for this competition,’ continued Chris.

“We have had great support from the local community in putting the competition together. Michael Cun- ningham from Gort sponsored the main prize. Jordan’s Supermarket, Marian Petty Solicitors, the Road- side Tavern, Hayse Printers in En- nistymon and Burkes Builders have all offered great support. The whole local business community has been great as have the Lisdoonvarna Com- munity Council who have helped greatly with all the paperwork.”

The Burren Painting Centre was established in 1974 and has been at- tracting budding artist from Ireland, Europe and America to the Burren

for more than three decades. Courses run each year in Lisdoonvarna from May to August, with ‘away’ trip or- ganised all over the world in April and October.

The Outdoor Landscape Paint- ing Competition will take place on September |. For more information contact the Burren Painting Centre in Lisdoonvarna on 7074208.

ONE of Ireland’s most promis- ing young vocal talents, Peter O’Donoghue, will join north Clare’s famed Lismorahaun Singers in a one off concert in Kilkee later this month.

O’Donoghue, who won the Tenor Trophy at the Feis Ceoil in 2006, learned his trade with the Lismoura- haun from a young age and 1s cur- rently studying in Dublin and in- volved in a number of other musical projects.

The summer concert, which is be- ing sponsored by Kilkee Civic Trust, will take place on July 21 in the fit- ting surrounds of Kilkee Parish

Church.

It will feature a wide-ranging col- lection of musical styles and genres, including classical favourites, con- temporary music, music from the movies, spirituals, and choral ar- rangements of Irish song.

Along with this, Peter will join the Lismorahaun Singers in a number of Operatic arias and traditional Irish ey NUE Tence

Originally founded in Fanore in 1999, the Lismorahaun Singers rose to national prominence during their sold-out performances of Mozart’s Requiem in Ennistymon and Dub- lin’s RDS Concert Hall in 2005.

The story behind the choir and its inspirational leader, Archie Simp-

son, was also the subject of a popu- lar documentary, Sing and You Win, which has had several showings on RTE in recent years.

Indeed, the singers completed their first international performance at a venue near Venice in Italy earlier this year.

The Lismorahaun Singers have grown in size from an initial group of twenty, to a current membership of over seventy, ranging in age from 8 to 70. Coming from all walks of life, this broad based choir draws its members from throughout Clare and indeed from Galway, Limerick and Tipperary.

The choir has also been instrumen- tal in promoting young people’s in-

terest in the vocal arts and a number, such as Peter O’Donoghue, have gone to take on singing as a career. Through the choir, the Music Schol- arship Programme was set up to support students as they prepare for third level voice education.

THE beach in Fanore was trans- formed into a scene more normally associated with California, the Mediterranean of Rio de Janeiro this weekend as it Clare played host to a leg of the Irish Beach Volleyball Championships for the very first time.

While the weather didn’t exactly help to set the scene, there was plenty of action on the sand to help warm the hundreds of spectators and par- ticipants and get them into the tropi- cal mood.

While indoor volleyball is a long time favourite among the Irish sport- ing fraternity, the sandier variety of the sport is fast become one of Ire-

land’s quickest growing sports.

“It was founded in Ireland in 1968 so we have been going for a good while. Beach volleyball is a lot new- er and we have only been involved in beach volleyball for the past five years or so and we have been getting very seriously into it over the past year or so,” said Paul McKeever, D1- rector of Development and Coaching at Volley Ball Ireland.

“We have a circuit going this year and Saturday was the first time that this circuit has come to Clare. Be- sides the men’s and women’s main competition there was also a casual court set up for people who have nev- er played before to come along and try out the sport.”

Beach volleyball is one of the

worlds fastest growing sports and the numbers playing in Ireland have more than doubled over the last five years.

‘Professional volleyball is played with just two people – it’s just two verses two, men and women. It’s been an Olympic sport since the 1986 Atlanta Olympics and at the last Ol- ympics it had the highest spectators numbers from any sport,” he said.

“It 1s huge worldwide. In fact we have a major show piece event com- ing up in Bray, County Wicklow later this week, where we build an artifi- cial court, sort of a hundred foot side sand amphitheater.

“Some of the best players from America, Australia and the UK will be over to compete over a couple of

days. There are a couple of guys from Ennis who have qualified for main competition in Bray this week.”

Unlike most of world beach volley- ball, a large amount of the competi- tions which take place in Ireland are played in less than ideal weather.

“If it lashes rain we will still play. The only thing that prevents us from playing is if there is lightning or something dangerous like that.” con- tinued Paul.

“You have to get used to playing in bad conditions in Ireland so yes, we play through the rain.”

THE month of July attracts ex-Pats back to the west Clare peninsula, as a nine-day festival celebrates all that is good about its unique traditions and abuse

Many visitors to the peninsula now plan their holidays around the Loop- head Gathering Festival once the date is set in September. This year is no exception, as thousands of people are expected in the village.

The hard working committee have again embraced their heritage and history with a unique line up of ac- tivities, which includes the opening of yet another part of the remembrance garden and the launching of a book of recipes, old cures, and old household tips.

On Sunday the bishop of Killaloe Dr Willie Walsh will celebrate mass in the famous Church of the Lit-

tle Arc in Kilbaha before the crowd move to the Garden of Remembrance for the unveiling of two new pieces of oqUbholAbuss

The first piece reflects on the “yel- low men” who perished in a ship- wreck approximately 150 years ago and also remembers all who lost their lives at sea.

Entitled the teardrop it was designed by Michael McTigue.

The second pieces is “the flame of freedom” remembering all of those involved in Irelands movement for in- dependence throughout the centuries.

There is little superstition sur- rounding the festival organisers as it all starts on Friday 13 with the John Kelly Traditional concert in Kilbaha Hall at 8pm.

John Kelly was born in 1912 in Rehy and his earliest influence came from his mother and his uncle fiddle player Tom Keane from Kilclogher.

He played music at many local func- tions before moving to Dublin in 1945 where he remained until his death in 1989. He had a shop in Capel Street called the Horseshoe which became a meeting place for many traditional musicians.

He played regularly with his sons in Slattery’s of Capel Street, and accom- panied many well known musicians including the Dubliners.

John Kelly was also an original member of Ceoltoiri Cualann with Sean O Riada and later a member of Ceolt6iri Laghainn with Eamon De Buitleir.

On Friday a number of acts includ- ing John Kelly, Pat Good and Liam Kennedy, John Mc Evoy and Jacinta Peadar Crotty, Peter and Oisin Han- rahan, Deirdre Cotter, the Mc Don- agh Brothers and Marty Marrinan will bring song, music and dance to the stage.

The now traditional cultural parade with the theme “Rolling back the years” will take place on Saturday.

Visitors can also look forward to Currach racing, traditional music, dance and song workshops, music, Mass in the graveyard and many more activities during the festival, which will last until Sunday, July 22.

‘There is something for everyone in this festival all we need are the peo- ple and the weather to enjoy a great week of festivities on the Loophead Peninsula. There is a fishing boat working out of Kilbaha for day trips to keep you busy during the day and Dolphin watching and shore fishing from Ross. You can also take a walk around the famous Loophead Light- house and take in the panoramic view of the Shannon Estuary on one side and the broad Atlantic on the other,’ said Margaret Carey Considine, Sec- retary Loophead Gathering Festival.

that visitors to the west coast must take advice from locals when fishing in the area as they can point out the dangers of particular fishing Sy OTOL ECS

He was speaking as yet another life was lost at the infamous Blue Pool near Doonbeg.

The Moldovan national was washed into the sea while fishing at a notori- ously dangerous location.

Eleven people in total have per- ished there since 1970, all of which were visitors to the area.

Mr diLuici said he could only agree with the water safety officer with Clare County Council Liam Griffin who told people to stay away from the Blue Pool.

The council erected pictorial signs

telling potential fishermen and wom- en to keep away, after a young Latv1- an man was swept out by a wave last September.

Just a week before a young Polish was killed by a freak wave while fishing at Tullig Point.

Mr diLuici said that the weather was good last weekend while the young Moldovan man was fishing but a mist descended very quickly.

A mist or rain makes the rocks at the Blue Pool slippery and impossi- ble to walk on.

All routes to the 140-foot deep Blue Pool have been closed off but the numbers of mackerel that swim by remains a deadly attraction.

Fishing at this area has deadly con- ere LUC Nene

“People do not understand tidal movements and think it is a large lake,” said Mr Luici.

As one of the founding members of the Kilkee Marine and Rescue serv- ice, the Kilkee man spoke to the 350 plus Polish workers at Moneypoint

about the dangers of fishing off the west Clare coast.

His talk was translated in a hope that such tragedies could be avoid- ed.

He asked any visitor to the area or those not familiar with the west Clare coast to get local advice before

going fishing anywhere along the sea board.

He pointed to Dunlicky as one of the few places not susceptible to tides, but even when fishing at this point people should seek advices and tell someone when they expect Kop ccialbese

A GROUP of young people from Ballynacally are making a conscious effort to make new friends in the area and share some interests.

Paddy, Brian and Connie are just three of the people from the area that use the services of the Brother’s of Charity by day and are now hoping to link up with people with similar interests in the evening and at week- ends to explore their hobbies, have a chat or go out for the evening.

“Connecting People” is a_ pilot scheme that will run in Ballynacally by the users of the service and their families, while being supported by the Brothers of Charity.

It does not require anyone to com- mit time to the project, but just to remember these young people when

they are going for a run or to a show and perhaps ask them along.

‘This 1s so that these young people don’t have to go places to do things,” said Brothers of Charity worker, Kevin Delaney.

It is hoped instead that these young active people can get involved with their own community.

Connie is a keen swimmer and loves working on computers. Among her other interests are singing, danc- ing and bowling and the stylish young woman has also strutted her stuff on the catwalks at local fashion shows.

Brian is a runner, anxious to get back into training. A farmer, who loves working in the bog, he also loves bowling, swimming and going out to eat.

Paddy is the DJ in the group and

loves country and western music. He also plays soccer, goes bowling and enjoys go carting.

Like most people their age they en- joy a night out and a bit of craic, a chat and a cup of coffee.

The families who will be support- ing this project said that they are not looking for a major commitment; they just want it to become a natural progression.

“Up to now they have been totally dependent on their families, and families don’t necessarily have the same interests,’ said Mr Delaney.

“We saw a gap for people in their own community,” he said.

He said that in rural areas it is often harder for people to meet up and it is hoped that this movement run by the families will transcend any of those difficulties.

“Families are hoping to create a forum for naturally linking brothers, sisters, sons and daughters with dis- abilities with people and activities in their own community. There are cur- rently three families involved in this but it looks like more will be joining in,’ he said.

A public meeting will be held on Thursday at 8.30pm in the Ballyna- cally Community Centre to discuss ideas with those interested.

TWO local heroes who have raised thousands for cancer have been nominated for the People of the Year awards

Ballyea man Tony Griffin was nominated alongside Clare 250 Mile Cycle founder John Dunne as one of Ennis Town Council’s nominees for We Comre Nise 8K 6 he

The 2006 hurling all-star last week completed an epic and often arduous 7000km cycle across Canada.

Griffin completed the Irish leg of his journey when he cycled first from Dublin to Athlone and then back to Ennis last Sunday.

Thousands lined O’Connell Street in Ennis town centre on the day to welcome Griffin home.

Through his endeavours with the Tony Griffin foundation, the 26- year-old hopes to raise one million for the Irish Cancer Society, Ovarian Cancer Canada and the Lance Arm- strong Foundation.

He reflected last week on the amaz- ing level of support he had received from the general public.

“The people were absolutely bril- liant. The response we got from strangers was amazing. It was just very heart warming to have com- plete strangers coming up to you, it would leave you with a new outlook on life”.

Griffin’s fellow nominee for the People of the Year is another cyclist.

John Dunne founded the Clare 250 Mile Cycle in 1979 and it has since grown into one of the largest charity event is in the country. The two-day event which takes place in June regu-

larly attracts over 100 participants. Money raised from the event goes towards helping cancer sufferers and the area of cancer research. In recent years some of the funding has been

allocated towards the construction of a dedicated Clare 250 cancer centre in Ballygriffey Ruan.

Both Griffin and Dunne were put forward for the award at the July monthly meeting of Ennis Town Council.

Independent councillor Frankie Neylon said both men deserved rec- ognition for their immense fundrais- ing efforts.

“IT recommend we put forward Tony Griffin and John Dunne. They have done tremendous work and fundrais- ing and I think they would be worthy recipients’.

The People of the Year awards provide an unique opportunity for the Irish public on both sides of the border to honour outstanding con- tributions by individuals to life on the island. This includes those peo- ple that have raised money for vital services for people with disabilities, older people, carers and other mar- ginalized groups.

Awards are given in many diverse categories to a mixture of high pro- file figures and the unsung heroes of local communities.

This year’s awards will be held on September 8 in the City West Hotel, Dublin and will be televised live on 0 SaF

FAMILIES living in Ivy Hill have described how reckless drivers are causing havoc on roads around the estate.

Resident’s representatives told the July meeting of Ennis Town Council they fear a serious accident is just a matter of time.

Dangerous driving and the width of the roads in the estate were indenti- fied as the main reasons for the high levels of speeding occuring in the estate.

One mother spoke of the worry she felt every time she heard a screech of brakes on the road.

‘You wake up to hear brakes screeching. We are afraid something is going to happen. We don’t want to have to wait for a serious accident to happen before anything is done”’.

The group called on the council to install traffic calming measures to combat the problem. They claimed speed ramps and or traffic islands are the only effective methods to stop speeding drivers.

One resident, Jenny, explained that drivers treat the area like a main road. “There is a very long corner and very long stretch and drivers are coming in here and treating it as a main road. We’re here to say that it is only a small percentage of drivers

that drive badly but there are a lot of young children playing on the road and something needs to be done”.

She added “There are signs up there to say children are playing, but they aren’t making any difference. Coming home from school can be an absolute nightmare with the amount of cars”.

Another resident Kay, described how she had observed a speeding car hit a lampost and spin into a green area before driving away.

She said “There is serious potential there for something to happen up near the hill. People say that speed bumbs cause damage to cars but if you are a serious driver you will drive sensibly

and look after your car”’.

Green party councillor Donal O’Bearra said the problem was widespread in many residential areas around the town.

“It’s a problem that’s going to hap- pen more frequently in many areas in the town especially when you have a lot of people who are driving on the other side of the road. When speed comes into then, it creates a far more dangerous problem”.

Mayor of Ennis, Tommy Brennan told the delegation from Ivy Hill that the council would examine the issue more closely once they had been briefed by Town Engineer Tom Tiernan.