The Clare People Archive

THE sixth annual Tour de Burren cycle takes place on Saturday June 20 with a large number of cyclists expected to take part. Last year, over 130 cyclists took part in the challenge and it’s expected that even more will take part in this year’s event.

There are three routes planned with a 160km, 60km and 10km trips all lined up. Registration can be done online and the entry fee is €30.

The 160 km Burnin Burren spin starts at the Sea Front in Bally-

vaughan at 9.30am sharp and takes cyclists out of Ballyvaughan on the Galway road, veering left at Bell- harbour, up Ballaghtdine, up Corker Hill, and on through Carron Village. Taking a right turn at Sheisamor Cross, back towards Ballyvaughan, at the cross a left turn and on towards the Corkscrew Hill – a grade 2 King of the Mountains climb on the FBD Ras.

Next comes Lisdoonvarna, where there is a food stop in the new Pa- vilion Theatre. Cyclists then head for Kilfenora, on to Corofin, En-

nistymon, Lahinch, Liscannor, up by Cliffs of Moher, another grade 2 King of the Mountains Hill. There is a descent into Doolin – food stop at Doolin Community Centre – then on to Ballinalacken, and home via Fanore and Black Head to Bally- vaughan.

CLARE County Enterprise Board has congratulated St. Anne’s Com- munity College, Killaloe who was the overall Clare winner in the Small Business Game competition designed for secondary schools.

St Anne’s Community College had 10 students ranking in the top 20 highest scores on the national leader board of a new flash-based online ed- ucational game where students learn how to run a sports retail store based on retailing football club merchan- dise. This was a fantastic achieve- ment for the students of St. Anne’s and the endeavours and encourage- ment of Ms. Kathleen Egan, Busi- ness Teacher who encouraged and helped the students, certainly paid dividends

St. Anne’s College won a complete set of sports jerseys and socks spon- sored by Clare County Enterprise Board for their remarkable achieve- ment. John Floyd who is a transition year student in St. Anne’s also won the overall individual prize of a top of the range laptop and printer also sponsored by Clare Co. Enterprise Board.

While John was the top scorer in Clare, he also achieved the honour

of attaining the highest score of the business game nationally, beating off strong competition from hundred of players from numerous second level schools all over Ireland.

In the process of playing the busi- ness game, students experience the start-up and management of a busi- ness, learning both from their mis- takes and from their successes. It can be used in class as a fun, interac- tive way to learn about a variety of

concepts from across the school cur- ueeleueee

For further information log on to www.businessgame.ie or contact Clare Co. Enterprise Board on 065- 6841922.

DNG O’Sullivan Hurley has put the stunning show house at the Gort Na Coulle development at Ballynote, Kilrush, on the market priced at €250,000.

Also available in this very attrac- tive, low-density development of only eight houses is a detached prop- erty priced at €239,000 and a semi- detached, priced at €210,000.

The showhouse offers particularly good value for money as it has been fully finished to a very high standard and is very tastefully decorated.

Built by ANC Construction Devel- opments, Gort Na Coille comprises four detached and four semi detached houses located on the Kilimer Road within easy reach of Kilrush town and all local amenities.

The area is renowned for sport and leisure facilities, including a superb yacht marina in the town, golf cours- es, fishing and the wonderful Vanda- leur Gardens, which are within stroll- ing distance of this development.

The internal accommodation in these houses is particularly spacious, with well-proportioned rooms, mak- ing them ideal family homes. The detached house extends to 1800 sq. ft. of floor space.

Features include a cut roof with Stairs access to the attic space, which

also has a Velux window. The houses are painted externally, while inside the ceilings are painted. There are timber, oak veneered internal doors and architraves, while the stairs is made from red deal.

Other finishes include a tarmac drive, PVC double glazed windows, and the gardens are top soiled and

raked. The developers are also offer- ing generous PC sums for the kitchen and reception room fireplace.

For further information contact DNG O’Sullivan Hurley on: 065 68 40200.

58 The Hawthorns, is a beautifully presented three-bedroom (three bathroom) end property, overlooking a large and well-maintained green area, located just off the Limerick Road, close to the bypass.

On the books with Costelloe Estate Agents, this property is priced to sell at €199,500.

The selling agent said, “It is in walk-in condition and occupies a private site with a lovely south-fac- ing rear garden, with two patio areas which are sun traps in the afternoon and evening.”

This family home offers high standard finishes, including a mix of timber, carpet and tiled flooring,

a quality fitted kitchen, utility and wardrobe units and partially tiled bathrooms.

The spacious accommodation ex- tends to 110.5 sq. metres. (1,090 sq. ft.) and comprises an entrance hall, living room, kitchen/dining room, utility and guest WC – all on the ground floor.

Upstairs, the large master bedroom runs the width of the house and fea- tures extensive built-in wardrobes and a large en-suite, with a further two bedrooms and the family bath- room also on this level.

The property is being sold with in- tegrated electrics, curtains and light fittings and a garden shed.

BALLY VAUGHAN residents have told Clare County Council they want to keep the water supply they have and only use the new €5 million scheme currently under construction as a back-up.

The Ballyvaughan Development Committee has been campaigning for two years to have the new scheme abandoned. Less than a month ago, Clare County Council confirmed its commitment to finishing the scheme which will connect the local supply to Lickeen Lake in Ennistymon and decommissioning the indigenous supply at Newtown.

The new scheme is being construct- ed to allow the council to maintain the supply to Ballyvaughan within EU drinking water standards.

But residents of the area don’t want the new scheme and say their exist- ing water is just fine.

A spokesman for the committee said that the Likeen Lake source “measure for measure at many levels falls short of the quality of our own water’.

At a meeting last week, residents unanimously passed a_ resolution which has been sent to Clare County Council, calling for the existing Bal- lyvaughan water supply to “be up- graded to a level of complete accept- ability by Clare County Council, in accordance with EU standards” and that “Clare County Council commit to the upkeep and maintenance of

that supply in accordance with EU standards”.

The group also called for the ex- isting supply be channelled via a separate pipe other than the Lake Lickeen supply and that “this newly upgraded indigenous supply serve as

the primary water supply for the Bal- lyvaughan community” and that “an appropriate interchange valve system be inserted in the respective supply lines so as to facilitate their function as mutually operating auxiliary sup- plies in the event of back-up being

needed for either supply”.

Above: The proposed Ballyvaughan water scheme has come in for criti- cism from residents.

Before the count – Tally Timeline

IT was a case of third time lucky for Cathy McCafferty. The Sinn Féin member finally achieved her dream as she claimed the seventh seat on Shannon Town Council. The Derry native failed in her attempt to get elected in 1999 and 2004, but her luck changed this time around.

McCafferty — who has lived in Shannon for the past 24 years — lost by just eight votes in 2004, but felt that her more energetic campaign this year was the telling factor in winning her seat. McCafferty picked up 244 first preferences and was elected in the fourth count, having received transfers which brought her to 393 votes.

“Tam absolutely over the moon. I cant believe I’ve done it at last,” she SrnLO

Her success is no surprise as she was expected to pick up the lion’s share of the Sinn Féin vote in Shan- non, after Mike McKee — an In- dependent candidate but a former member of Sinn Féin — decided not to seek re-election.

However, she dismissed suggestions that she benefited from Mr McKee’s decision. “There’s a big Sinn Fein vote in Shannon. I don’t think that interfered with it at all. I only lost by eight votes last time around and I put in a bigger campaign this time. I started last August,” she said.

Another new face on the council will be Fine Gael’s Mary Brennan, who took the fifth seat, having se- cured 252 first preferences. She was elected on the third count, with 384 votes — four above the surplus of 380 — in her first election.

Brennan, a native of Mayo, has lived in Shannon for more than two decades and works in the health cen- tre in the town.

The mother-of-three was shocked to learn that 252 people had voted ome

“T couldn’t even think of 54 who would vote for me. I didn’t under- Stand all the transfers,” said the new- comer to politics.

‘“T have had a ball, from the start to finish. I really didn’t think I had that much of a hope,” she said.

Her decision to run in the election came after her friend Councillor

Tony Mulcahy suggested it to her.

“Tony asked me at a wedding. I thought he was having me on. I’ve al- ways been interested 1n community. I felt a bit of new blood wouldn’t go astray,’ she said.

Although Labour increased their vote from 10 to 15 per cent, it wasn’t enough to gain a seat as their third

candidate Polish native Anna Ku- likowska did poorly, with just 37 first RACES Gee

Sitting councillor Tony McMahon won the fourth seat, while Greg Duff was also returned to the council, tak- ing the sixth seat.

“Labour would have expected to increase this time with the backlash there against Fianna Fail. We got a very good increase so we are quite happy,’ said McMahon.

‘We ran a third person for two rea- sons. The Labour party wanted to run a female candidate and to give the new Irish population the oppor- tunity to vote for a candidate,’ he added.

McMahon had, in the past, threat- ened to quit the Labour party, ex- pressing frustration with the lead- ership. However, he told

REMEDIAL works on a bridge con- structed as part of the €200 million Ennis bypass and which has been found to be “unstable” are expected to take a further four months despite being originally scheduled to finish two months ago.

Last November, Gama _ Strabag Construction, who built the Ennis bypass, told Clare County Council that it needed to carry out essential urgent repairs to the western abut- ment of one of the bridges on the N85 Western Relief Road which is part of the N18 Ennis bypass. Gama re- ported that excess movement had oc- curred on the abutment to the bridge that spans the River Fergus.

The company stated that essential works “would be required to ensure the long-term durability of the bridge and to ease maintenance require- ments in the medium to long term for NTomCIOMELOLAU Dom

The works have resulted in traffic being cut to one lane in each direc- tion on the dual-carriageway while a reduced speed limit has also been implemented at the location. The work was due to be completed on March 29 but the council has now confirmed that it could take a further four months.

A statement issued by the coun- cil maintains that during the design phase of the project, it had been en- visaged that some movement of the abutment on the River Fergus Bridge

would take place after construction was completed and this was catered for in the design and construction of the structure. Since opening of the dual-carriageway link road, however, the movement has been greater than that envisaged by the contractor and their designer.

‘The weather has had a much more significant adverse influence on in- vestigative and resolution related works on the site than originally en- visaged. There are also some very complex design-related issues which have had to be overcome. Satisfac-

tory progress is being made and at this stage it is envisaged that resolu- tion works will be completed on site within the next three to four months,” the statement concluded.

The work is being undertaken after very large deposits of relatively poor quality material were encountered in the vicinity of the bridge, particu- larly on the west side of the river. The contractor and designer are now un- dertaking a foundation solution for the western support abutment which involves concrete piles up to 25 me- tres deep.

A council spokesperson confirmed that the local authority will not incur the costs associated with the reme- dial works while Gama will not be subjected to any financial penalty as a result of the additional works.

ELECTION results for Ennis Town Council have revealed a massive loss in support for Fianna Fail.

The percentage breakdown of first preference votes cast in Clare’s larg- est urban area shows that support for the party has shrunk from 32.72 per cent in 2004 to 13.74 per cent in 2009. Support for Fine Gael in Ennis has jumped from 20.41 per cent in 2004 to 35.61 per cent in 2009.

The election of Brian Meaney kept the Green Party vote relatively intact

at 7.43 per cent in 2009 compared to 7.78 per cent in 2004.

Independent candidates again fared well with the percentage jumping from 28.35 per cent in 2004 to 35.05 per cent in 2009.

The striking decline in votes for Fi- anna Fail ensured that the party went from a position of having three seats in the last Ennis Town Council to just one.

One of those sitting councillors Joe Reidy did not stand as a candidate. Outgoing Mayor of Ennis, Peter Con- sidine, reclaimed his seat on the last

count. Cllr Considine’s total of 700 votes was 74 below the quota but was high enough for him to be elected.

Another sitting councillor, Tom Glynn, was not so fortunate. He lost his seat to Labour Party candidate Paul O’Shea on the Lith and final felt

Mr Glynn, who was first elected to Ennis Town Council in 1999, was eliminated from the election process on a total of 545 votes.

Speaking at the election count cen- tre in Waterpark House on Saturday, Mr Glynn said that voters had been

determined to send a message of change to the government.

“T felt from the word go it was go- ing to be difficult,” he said.

“Out on the track for the last month, I sort of knew it. Every third or fourth door I was told “Look, it’s nothing personal but you’ve got the wrong colours, you’re wearing the wrong jersey.’

He added, “People wanted to take this opportunity to show the govern- ment the level of their frustration. I do believe that we weren’t the real targets. But that’s democracy and

they had the right to do that.

“I suppose I was told 10 months ago that if I wanted the be re-elected, I would have to think about going in- dependent. But I’m part of the team. I’m a team player, the ups and the downs,’ revealed Mr Glynn.

ClUlr Glynn admitted that Fianna Fail had struggled to attract candi- dates to run in Ennis.

“We’d have begged, stolen or bor- rowed to get another candidate or two. We couldn’t get them and that showed that people weren’t confident in what was going to happen.”

MICHAEL Hillery cut an emotional figure in the West County Hotel on Saturday night.

It was for himself after five years out of elected office in a place called the political wilderness; it was for his family that’s steeped in this game of chance called politics like no other clan in Clare; it was for his late uncle Paddy who was his guiding light, in life, in death and always.

No wonder there was more than a hint of a tear or two, or maybe more as he passed the winning post just before 10pm when returning officer Michael McNamara uttered the words he had waited five years to hear: “As Michael Hillery has exceeded the quota, I deem him elected”.

Hillery knew many hours before that he was on the way back to elected politics, and to say he was glad was an understatement, but it wasn’t the Hillery way to be demonstrative and jump around, even if he was jumping around inside as he took a few sec- onds out from the maelstrom around him to explain the meaning of it all.

“It means an awful to me. For myself and being part of a political family. Trying to make sure that the Hillery name continued to have a role in politics meant a huge amount to me. I was desperate to keep the Hillery name up there and to the forefront of the political system,’ he said.

“Thad 19 years done before I lost my seat in 2004. After thinking about it for a while I decided I’d have another go and I started working towards that by doing a lot of community work. I

worked my way back — that work has paid off for me in this election.

“There was always Hillery in poli- tics, whether in the Dail, the Sen- ate, the presidency or in local coun- cils. I wanted to make sure that that still was the case after this election. Keeping on the Hillery political dy- nasty was huge for me.

“There was great goodwill on the doorstep — that feeling from people

that they owed it to the Hillery name to have a Hillery elected. I am grate- ful for that and very proud of that and the place that the Hillery name has in politics.

“Paddy Hillery was my idol — I looked up to him and what he had achieved. I felt that if I could get back in a year after he passed away it would be further recognition of what he had done in the county and

the country. I’d say that he gave me a helping hand from above,” he added.

Of that Cllr Michael Hillery was convinced.