The Clare People Archive

NEXT week Lisdoonvarna Secondary School will open it’s doors on the tenth year of a successful adult educa- tion programme.

The North Clare school initiated its first courses for adults in 1995 through a hugely successful pro- gramme of night classes.

Since those early days the programme has grown year on year and now offers a wide range of training and qualifications.

The school, in conjunc- tion with the Further Edu- cation and Training Awards Council (FETAC), offers courses in Business Stud- 1es/Secretarial, Childcare and Community and Health Services.

Tuition is free and stu- dents can choose from a wide range of subjects within these courses includ- ing Computer Maintenance, Payroll, Sculpture and Pho- tography.

Three years ago the school added the BTEI (Back To Education Initiative) to its programme for adults.

This programme is partic- ularly suitable for the long term unemployed, those in the workplace with basic skills and early school leav- ae

The school’s night classes also continue for the coming year as does the Farm Man- agement/Farm Accounts, New Opportunities for Farm Families and Health and Safety on the Farm of- fered in conjunction with Sherer yer

Throughout the year the school also offers the FAS Safe Pass course for those in the construction industry while adults can also avail of the opportunity to take subjects at Junior and Leav- ing Certificate levels.

An Open Evening will be held at the school on Mon- day next, September 5th from 8pm to 9.30pm.

For information on the Adult Education Pro- grammes contact Marian O’Callaghan or Teresa Con- neely at 065 7075038 or 065 7074334.

THE residents of Shannon town could be sitting on pots of silver and gold and a Dub- lin-based mineral explora- tions company is set to find out.

The Minister for Communi- cations, Marine and Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey has this week published a no- tice confirming that it appears that there are minerals, in- cluding silver and gold, under the lands in and around Shan- non town and that the miner- als are not being worked.

Some of the townlands that might contain silver and gold are well-known and include Ballycasey Beg, Ballycasey More, Tullyvarraga, Smiths- town and Clonmoney West.

The Minister has confirmed that he intends to grant a l- cense to Belmore Resources Ltd., a prospecting license in respect of silver, gold and Bartyes

The license will enable the company to explore the designated area for mineral deposit, though it does not au- thorize the holder to mine the areas in question.

Fine Gael councillor, Tony

Mulcahy remarked this week: “The people of Shannon could be sitting on a fortune and with the help of God there could be some gold or silver in our own back garden.”

He said: “Any finds would be a source of welcome income for the people of Shannon and I would have no objection to

any exploration in the area as long as there are no risks and no disturbance to the local people.”

The move by Belmore to se- cure a license to prospect for gold and silver in the Shannon area is not the first piece of exploration the company has done in Clare.

Currently, the company is

giving priority to its zinc ex- ploration in Clare.

It has a 50% interest in eight prospecting licences covering 330 sq kilometres.

A preliminary report of its Zinc exploration activities in Clare show that it has com- pleted six holes of an ongoing programme on its zinc pro- spective licences in Clare.

Drilling started in March and a company statement said: “A resource of 400,000 tonnes grading 12 per cent zinc plus lead and 75 grammes per tonne of silver had previously been identified at Milltown.

“Because of its geological position at the base of the reef and the high grades in six of the previously drilled holes, the Milltown resource could represent part of an undis- covered ore-forming system SAUD DOM Mele KercalO) IE

“In the Milltown further drilling may add to the resource already delineated. However, holes now drilled elsewhere on the licences have intersected the Waulsortian Limestone which hosts most of the zinc- lead-silver deposits in Ireland including the resource de- lineated at Miltown.”

area,

THE IFA has reacted angrily to claims made by celebrity chef Richard Corrig- an that chicken produced in Ireland are sub standard and “full of antibiotics”.

Chairman of the IFA Poultry Com- mittee Alan Graham has dismissed the claims made by Mr Corrigan as false and incorrect. Mr Graham claimed that there are strict regulations in place when it comes to using animal rem- edies and suggested that Mr Corrigan may simply be trying to drum up pub- licity for his new restaurant.

“A Chicken Quality Assurance Scheme has been in place in this country since January 2003 that sets out strict regulations to safeguard the health and welfare of chicken flocks,” said Mr Graham. “Mr Corrigan may need some publicity for his new restau- rant but he should not abuse a platform afforded to him.”

Richard Corrigan grew up on a 25 acre farm in Meath but now runs the Lindsay House restaurant in London. He has been widely quoted in recent days as urging people not to buy Irish chicken and claiming that badly fed, poorly exercised and full of antibiot- ne

“Tm appalled at the standard of chicken in Ireland. It’s not good enough, people should demand better,” said the celebrity chef. He also claimed that some chickens were “stacked in some shed probably, fed a load of antibiotics and a load of crap.”

The IFA’s Mr Graham went on to challenge Mr Corrigan to examine

the Quality Assurance Scheme. He claimed that if he did he would find over 30 pages of detailed regulations for chicken producing that are aimed at protecting the welfare of chickens and providing consumers with a product that is produced to the highest stand- ards.

‘All houses must have a controlled environment, which ensures that ambi-

ent temperature, air quality and lighting meet the needs of the flock throughout the growing cycle,” said Mr Graham.

He also pointed out that the welfare and health of a flock depends on the implementation of good stock manage- ment and the provision of a suitable environment.

PEOPLE in Clare are 1.1 times more likely to live in poverty compared to the rest of the country.

According to a Combat Poverty report, the Midwest is at the highest risk of poverty in the country, with those living in Limerick City 1.3 times more likely to live in poverty.

The study used a combined meas- ure that looked at both income levels and levels of enforced deprivation of basic necessities.

The income level for an adult is defined as below 60 per cent of the average income levels for the popu- lation and basic necessities include the ability to afford adequate cloth- ing, food and fuel.

The report showed that the Banner County’s unemployment rate was be- low the national average of 8.8 per cent, at 7.6 per cent.

The study also reports that more than a fifth of the Clare population have left school with no education or only primary education, while a quarter have third level education.

A total of 34 per cent of the popu- lation are dependant on others for food and shelter.

Meanwhile 3.1 per cent of Clare people are over the age of 65 and liv- ing alone, a figure similar to Limer- ae

The aim of the statistics, gathered through the national census for the report “Mapping Poverty”, is to in- crease the understanding of the loca- tion of poverty. The higher poverty rates were found to be in the Border, Midland and Western regions.

A GARDA was kicked in the face and a man was bitten on the ear, in a incident out- side a nightclub in Ballina, Killaloe, in the early hours of Sunday. A melee broke out at around 2am in what has been described as “a highly volatile situation.”

Two men – aged 19 and 26 – were arrested, before being released without charge. One was a local and the other from Limerick.

It’s believed that the incident was started after a bottle was thrown down a stairs and a crowd gathered. The man who received the ear injury was taken to hospital where he was detained overnight.

“Things could have been far worse if gardai were not there when the incident oc- curred. A large crowd had gathered and one incident led to another. Two people broke away from the group and one person was assaulted,” said a Garda spokesman.

THE Garda Commissioner, Noel Conroy, has said that Garda resources to combat anti-social behaviour in Kilrush will be kept under review, but in the context of demands countrywide.

According to a letter from the Commissioner’s office to Clare’s Minister for La- bour Affairs, Tony Killeen “the needs of the Kilrush District will be fully con- sidered within the context of the overall needs of the Garda Districts throughout the country.”

Garda numbers in Kilrush have increased by 16.6 per cent in the last seven years. There were 35 members of the force, of all ranks, in GUT ar ote lameatomn one mmoymmed hy compared to 30 in January 1, 1998.

The letter also stated that four superintendents had been allocated to the West Clare district over the past eight years.

He outlined a number of initiatives implemented by the Clare Division over the last year.

“Operation Acid” was initiated to stop incidents of

intimidation and criminal damage in Kilrush in late 2004 and earlier this year.

“Operation Night watch” was implemented in each urban centre throughout the county on weekend nights, to ensure public order and anti-social behaviour was addressed.

“Strict enforcement of Liquor licensing laws and the inspection of licensed premises during opening hours for underage drinking coupled with an increase in foot patrol presence has helped reduce incidents of public disorder,’ he said.

A SUCCESSFUL weekend at the All-Ireland Fleadh in Donegal saw Clare musicians and dancers take home a total of nine All-Ireland titles and 158 medals.

The biggest wins went to young Alisa Mc- Mahon from Tradraighe CCE, who won two All-Ireland titles in the under-12 Rogha Gleas eM NeM wk-by oy

Corofin’s Eimear Arkin took one gold med- al, along with several silver and bronze, for her Comhra Gaeilge.

Cathal Mac An Ri agus Tara Breen won

the Ceol Beirte and Siobhan Hogan won the senior flute competition. ;

In the group competitions, Inis Og claimed the under 18 Banna Cheoil competition, while the under-15 Grupa Cheoil title was won by the Burren Group.

Mullagh won the under-18 set dancing com- petition and Craobh na Coradh took home the senior Grupa Cheoil title.

But there was disappointment for Turlough- more Ceili as they once again came second in the senior Banna Cheoil.

A prize winners evening will take place in Cois na hAbhna in Ennis on September 17.

ENNIS has been selected for one of the first five prestigious Regional Resource Centres, under the new €27m five year Development Programme of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eire- ann.

It will be hosted by Cois na hAbhna, Clare’s traditional music centre and will service counties Clare, Limerick, Galway and Kerry.

There will be an outreach centre in Kil- rush, where the Church of Ireland has do- nated the local church.

The first five Regional Resource Centres, which are at the hub of the Development Programme, will be Dundalk, Ennis, Dub- lin, Gurteen and Cashel.

The five year plan aims to make our cul- tural assets a part of everyday life, visible, accessible and fully realised in terms of the

benefits they bring to the economy.

Dr Charlie Lennon, the well-known tra- ditional musician and composer, introduced the first year’s progress report of the pro- gramme and said that Comhaltas were pleased to announce that it was “now well ahead of target.”

THE Irish Rural Dwellers Association has called for an urgent meeting in Clare with Environment Minister Dick Roche.

The Kilbaha-based lobby group, which is made up of 26 members nationally, wants to discuss its concerns over the New Housing Guidelines published by the Minister.

In a submission, the IRDA

argued that individual plan- ners have “extraordinary powers of decision-mak- ing” when it comes to visual amenity, seeking personal details, and establishing housing need.

It also outlined concerns at “planners’ powers to over- turn reports by consultant engineers and other profes- sionals on matters as funda- mental as, public health and NCA ae

“The fact that the Gov- ernment felt it necessary to publish these guidelines is recognition of the planning turmoil relating to single ru- ral housing in all areas,” said acting secretary of IRDA, Clare-based Jim Connolly.

PUY Oi romm ethos menie vited to address an IRDA conference “Rural Housing – A Rural Right” at the Kilkee Bay Hotel, on Wednesday August 31.

THE SCRAMBLE by hotel operators to build and extend new hotels in Clare’s tourist desti- nations, in order to take advantage of tax 1n- centives, is meeting with mixed results.

Clare County Council has granted planning permission for the fourth hotel along Lahinch Main Street, but plans to extend the Liscan- nor Bay Hotel have been thrown out by the Council.

In giving the go-ahead for the Lahinch pro- posal, the Council granted planning to Wil- liam Stackpoole to demolish a cottage on Main Street and construct a small hotel.

Permission was granted despite an objec- tion from businessman, Donal Kenny, who owns the nearby Kenny Woollenmills and the Avondale apartments.

Mr Kenny argued that if the Council was

to allow the development proceed, it would greatly reduce the amenity and value of his property.

As for the proposal for a significant exten- sion to the Liscannor Bay Hotel by Brian J O’ Higgins, the Council ruled that the propos- al would be contrary to the proper planning and development of the area.

The two applications formed part of what the Council’s Head of Planning, Ger Dollard described as “25 years of development” ear- lier this year. In order for the developments to avail of the tax incentives, they must be com- pleted by July of next year.

In all, the Council has received planning ap- plications for 588 holiday homes, 133 apart- ments, 9 new hotels, extensions to 6 existing hotels, a cinema, department store, leisure centre and 2 marinas.