The Clare People Archive

ENNIS native Anita Lyons is the toast of London town as the fashion1- sta takes the world of clothes and de- sign by storm.

The 31-year-old is the internation- al business manager for Arcadia, a company that is better known to Irish shoppers as the mammy of Top Shop, Wallis, Dorothy Perkins, Burtons, Evans and Outfit.

This week, the Irish community in London paid tribute to the hardwork- ing and successful businesswoman

through one of its publications, highlighting her as one of the most powerful Irish businesswomen in the English capital.

Anita is no stranger to the world of retail and some would say her role within the retail clothing company was even pre-destination.

Her mother is the proprietor of Eileen’s boutique in Ennis, while her father owns Kelly’s corner shop.

As a child she was taken to trade shows and quickly became familiar with the business.

She was determined, however, that

she would never end up in the busi- ness and studied for an arts degree and a business post-grad at the Na- tional University of Ireland, Galway.

However, an open day held by Ar- cadia in Dublin changed her mind and she began work there as a gradu- ate trainee. She soon became a vital part of the company and became brand manager in the Oxford Circus branch. From there she was promot- ed to her current position, with inter- national responsibilities.

She was quickly given the major undertaking of setting up the Rus-

sian and Eastern European market.

Her glamorous lifestyle has also seen her shop with Beyonce and sit beside top models at world movie asi Rene

Although she thrives in the com- mercial corporate world and has no plans to leave the job anytime soon, the Ennis woman hopes to one day open her own business. What that business would be is still a mystery.

For now, she works hard to stay ahead of trends and remain one of the most fashionable Irish women in London.

THERE was a time when Anne Moloney was content to frame her talented husband’s works of art and the prints of those works on the kitchen table of their home outside Feakle. But thanks to the success of their business, Glendara Art, Anne and ‘Tim have had to think again.

“Tt got to the stage that I wondered, where can I work from that won’t involve me having to move stuff off the table to serve family dinners or go crawling under the bed to find a particular kind of mounting board,” said Anne.

For a time, the couple had space in the Tulla Stables community arts centre and having had that experi- ence, Anne said they wanted to have somewhere that “people can come and relax to look at the paintings and the prints. I think there’s terri- ble pressure on people if they come to your family home, they feel they have to buy something”’.

On the land where the Moloney’s made their home, there was an old building which was once used to house cattle. “It’s right beside the riv- er and I always loved to walk down there. It was ideal for a studio but needed a lot of work,” said Anne.

One restoration later, the Molo- ney’s have made the Glendara studio and exhibition space a reality.

Anne is based at the studio dealing with orders for prints and mounting prints and paintings for customers as well as showing people around.

“We want people to come at their own pace so they can ring anytime, weekends or evenings, but we are having a special open week from No- vember 23 to 28 and we would love for people just to come and have a look around.”

Time finds inspiration for his col- ourful works in the countryside and

the people around him.

“Born to a farming family in Clare, I grew up with a deep respect and love for my rural setting. I experi- enced all the old ways, cutting the turf, saving the hay, tilling the land and selling the cattle at the fair day. These experiences have influenced

my painting. In recalling times past, I hope that my use of colour and tex- ture leave people with the good feel- ing of romanticism and nostalgia. “If you are searching for spiritual- ity, there is nothing more awesome than a glimpse of nature, and if I was painting for a thousand years, I would

have but a cameo of that beauty.”

Glendara Art can be found on line at www.glendaraart.com or contact Anne on 087 2204635.

SPANISHPOINT was the scene of two daring rescues in the past year, and the heroics of the people in- volved was recognised by the Irish Water Safety last week.

In total six lives were saved due to the bravery of four people, among them a ten-year-old girl from Quilty.

Courageous Emily Luff received a SEIKO Certificate of Courage for saving her little sister Isabelle’s life.

In September 2008, the sisters had been bathing at knee depth when they got caught in a rip current, which pulled them out to sea beyond the surf break.

Despite the frightening ordeal, Emily had the presence of mind to hold her sister up while they waited

for help.

Those that came to the young girls assistance were also praised for their eae

Thomas Thompson and Peter Brad- bury who received a Rescue Appre- ciation Award heard calls for help from the beach. They ran onto the beach to assist the two girls. Upon as- sessing the situation, Peter Bradbury called the coast guard while Tho- mas Thompson paddled out to reach them on his surfboard. Meanwhile Peter stayed with the mother of the children. Due to poor light Thomas could not see the children however he heard their shouts for help and went to their assistance. Upon reach- ing them he reassured them and with the use of his surfboard he brought them safely to back to shore.

Surfers also played a major role in the second rescue in July this year.

Four swimmers became caught in a rip current and were carried out from shore and beyond their depth.

Miltown Malbay man Mark Flynn borrowed a surfboard and entered the water. He then took two casual- ties to shore. With the help of a pass- ing surfer the third person was en- couraged back to shore safely.

Then Clarecastleman and off duty lifeguard Norman Cleary reached the scene and with Mark Flynn entered the water and continued to search for the fourth person. Mark felt him un- Clan d eToys No me-DIO MY BINOMCeuert-TImcwIlote they placed him onto a surfboard and took him back to shore where he re- gained consciousness.

Minister of State at the Department

of Environment, Heritage and Local Government Michael Finneran (FF), presented the SEIKO Just In Time Rescue Award to these rescuers.

“Tragically 158 drowning occurred in Ireland last year,” he said. “One reaches for the word tragic, but it doesn’t seem adequate when the most heartbreaking aspect of drown- ing deaths is that they are prevent- able. This high figure would be even higher but for the dramatic efforts of these individuals who saved oth- ers from drowning and the ongoing work of volunteers teaching swim- TPODN Orca Dele mush YOU ome

NEXT Thursday, students from the Ennistymon CBS will ‘Go hungry for Gloria’ as they take part in this year’s annual Concern Fast.

Two fifth years from the school, Daniel McInerney and David Car- roll, were chosen to visit Kenya last year in recognition of the schools long history of supporting Concern.

The students were joined by teacher Gerry Sexton on the trip, which took them to see the good work being done on the ground by Concern in aviulere

A host of students from the school will join more than 250,000 young

people from secondary schools all over Ireland on December 3.

Last year, the school raised more than €5,000 through their participa- tion in the fast.

Liam Slattery, Cathal McMahon and Thomas Nagle were the top col- lectors for last year’s fast.

This year’s trip to Kenya saw the students and teachers in Ennistymon join the Irish National Debate Cham- pions in their visit to Concern com- plexes in Kenya.

The trip allowed Concern the op- portunity to thank schools for their JON KG MAY LO)e QUE MBAUUNCCDU-HKSDOTcMmClUDUDO roam Nels ele

“Kenya spans an area about 50

times the size of Ireland and the pop- ulation has grown rapidly in recent decades to nearly 38 million,” said Gerry Sexton.

“IT feel that Kenya is at a crossroads. Almost every sphere and sector of life is in crisis. Over 10 million peo- ple face hunger and starvation. That number is set to increase as the cur- rent crop season has failed.

“Urban life is facing imminent dan- ger. Water shortages have persisted. We saw hundreds of water tank- ers bringing water to every part of the city; to those who could pay of course,” he said.

“In the slums of Mukuru and Ko- rogocho, we saw long queues of poor

people waiting with large containers to get water. Even this water is often contaminated and water related dis- eases are areal problem.

‘Most poor people survive on less than a euro a day with the average wage being €7 or €8 a day for those fortunate enough to have a job. HIV and TB have become huge problems for the population.

“Commodity prices are at an all time high. Most basic goods, such as food are beyond the reach of many. Agriculture faces collapse. Tea farm- ers are uprooting their crop,” added Mr Sexton.

The Concern Fast takes place on Dien lelo wer

Farmers face into an even bleaker midwinter

SB el ae elem oa Woorml tom eleom en Otte farmers and the prices paid to farm- ers in the UK grew by more than €60 in the month of October alone. This massive month-on-month in- crease has prompted Clare farmer and Chairperson of ICMSA’s Beef and Cattle Committee, Martin Mc- Mahon, to call for radical action to be taken.

The gap between the average price paid per head of cattle in the UK and Ireland now stands at a massive €150 per animal.

“There is absolutely no justifica- tion for such a price gap between Irish and UK cattle prices and this gap must be bridged immediately by meat processors,’ he said.

“The facts demonstrate that since the start of October beef prices have actually increased in the UK while prices have fallen in Ireland with the result that the average steer in Ire- land is now being sold at €150 less than its equivalent in the UK.

“At the start of October, the gap stood at €90 per head. The reason the gap has grown is simple.

“With the increased kill over the past month, meat processors are simply taking advantage of the in- creased supplies and are profiteering at the expense of farmers by pulling prices.

“These cattle are now being sold at a loss and farmers will simply not be able to stay in the business unless

prices return to sustainable levels. Once again, our processors take a short term benefit with no account taken of the long-term damage to the overall sector.

“The UK accounts for over fifty

percent of Irish beef exports and prices are rising in that market so the drop in beef prices over the past month simply cannot be justified. The cost of the price gap for Irish farmers on steers alone is over €11m

for October.

‘Farmers cannot afford such losses and yet again they must appeal to the processors to pay fair prices that will safeguard the future of the sector and ensure a supply of Irish beef.”

RESIDENTS of Cappahard Lodge, a long-stay psychiatric residence on the Tulla Road, have spent their fifth night in Ennis General Hospital, hav- ing been evacuated from their home due to the flooding.

The 28 residents were removed from the unit on Thursday afternoon due to flooding in the unit’s sewerage system.

Museum House on Francis Street, which houses Clare’s health promo- tion services, opened for business yesterday (Monday) having also fall- en victim to the flooding.

The Bindon Street clinic in Ennis was also cut off by flooding. All ap- pointments for dental and communi- ty care services were cancelled and members of the public were asked not to attend. New appointments will be made later.

HSE staff, including community welfare officers, doctors, child care and social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists, have also been em- ployed to work through the weekend to assist 105 people from Ennis who were evacuated to the West County elolror

The staff were employed to help those evacuated to come to terms with the trauma of the experience.

Driven from home of 33 years

A SETTLEMENT which will see Clare County Council and the Rev- enue Commissioners write off 85 per cent of a hotel groups debts has come under fire.

Last week, the High Court ap- proved an Examinership deal which will save the Lynch Hotel group from liquidation and secure more than 500 jobs. The deal included preferential creditors being paid 15 cent in the euro on what the group owed while other creditors will get 10 cent.

Among the largest preferential creditors are the Revenue Commis- sioners, who had an outstanding bill of €1.2 million for the Clare-based group and Clare County Council, which was owed €113,071 when the examinership process began.

Unsecured creditors were owed a total of €2.8 million before the Ex- aminer stepped in.

But while the securing of the future of the group – which owns the West County in Ennis, the Clare Inn in Dromoland and runs the Ocean Cove hotel in Kilkee seasonally – was gen-

erally welcomed, their have been concerns raised.

Responding to the council and rev- enue write-off, Ennis hotelier Allen Flynn, who is one of the owners of the Old Ground and the Imperial Hotel in Cork, said the two bodies ‘should never be seen to allow unfair competition take place. The flexibil- ity they showed to the Lynch Group should, and must, apply to all busi- eA ohn

The Flynn Group owns hotels in Cork, Dungarven, Kilkenny and En- nis and Allen Flynn said that a “level

playing pitch must apply and if other hotels are struggling – and the hotel industry is going through its worst ever crisis – then the Revenue and local authorities should write off the debts of other hotels which are strug- gling…the Revenue can’t enter into special arrangements with one hotel group and not apply the same rules to other hotels.”

He predicted that the Examiner’s deal will present problems for the local authority and Revenue when they come to collect debts from other businesses, if the same flexibility is

not shown.

He said that he is “quite happy to see the Lynch Group survive. The West County has been very good for the town in the many conferences it brings and the economic benefits that result. My biggest concern is govern- ment bodies doing deals with one business and not applying the same flexibility to all businesses.”

The Clare hoteliers comments came after the chair of the Shannon branch of the Irish Hotels Federation also expressed concerns about the fall-out of the examinership.

SUSU m eV ENitom Neon stl IloaALos produced – that’s the key message be- ing delivered by the Limerick Clare Kerry Regional Waste Management Office (RWMO) ahead of the first annual European Week of Waste Reduction, which takes place from November 21-29.

The project aims to advise busi- nesses, local organisations and the general public about the kind of waste reduction habits that they can take up in everyday life.

According to Pauline McDonagh of the RWMO, there are many ways in which ordinary people can play a vital role in reducing the amount of waste produced in the region.

“With 522ke of municipal waste generated on average per person in Ireland, raising awareness about waste reduction and promoting changes in production and consump- tion patterns is more urgent than ever,’ she said.

‘Whether it is through the reduction or reuse of packaging, the purchase of long-life products or the reduc- tion of food waste, every individual and organisation in Clare, Kerry and Limerick can play their part.

“Eliminating or preventing waste makes good environmental and fi- nancial sense. After all, if waste is not created it does not have to be treated and disposed of, which is much bet- ter for the local and global environ-

ment, better for climate change, and better financially for householders, businesses and other organisations.”

Events taking place in Clare from November 21 to 29 include a waste prevention awareness initiative at Organic Lens Manufacturing in En-

nis and an RW MO information stand at the Shannon Development Busi- ness Centre at the Information Age Park in Ennis.