The Clare People Archive

CLARE intermediates had a lot to contend with in their maiden voyage as a second string side. Not alone was it the majority of this young side’s first adult outing at inter-county lev- el but facing into driving wind and rain and then a torrential blizzard of snow in the first half, it was arguably a proposition unlike anything experi- enced before.

In the end, Tipperary’s nine point haul in that first period along with a touch more experience carried them through and while Clare per- haps needed more of a cutting edge up front, manager Bertie Sherlock should be generally satisfied with the attitude and commitment for the en- tire sixty minutes on Sunday.

More than anything else, this was a learning curve for Clare’s second string who had to dig deep to keep the home side at bay, particularly in the opening half. Aided by the gale, Tipperary threatened to run riot early on but some dogged defending from the entire full-back line, Sarah Hoey and Aine O’Brien made sure that this did not happen. Points from Eimear Shanahan, Deirdre Dunne, Jackie O’Connor and a brace from captain Siobhan Ryan opened up a O-5 to 0-1 lead by the 13th minute, with Broad- ford’s Danielle Sheedy getting Clare sole reply from a placed ball.

However, Clare made changes and with Sarah Hoey moving to centre- back and the lively Carol Kaiser switching from the supply starved position of full-forward to the right wing, they ensured it wasn’t all one way traffic until the break.

As conditions worsened and the

snow increasingly hampered vision, Clare pulled a point back through another Sheedy free after Michelle Caulfield was fouled but Tipperary added four more before the interval through Joanne Nolan (2), Jackie O’Connor and Deirdre Dunne and Clare goalkeeper Denise Lynch also had to vigilant to keep out two goal- bound efforts late on, with the high- light being a smothered block on a Brid Byrnes pull.

At0-9 to 0-2, the players re-emerged to a now snow covered field but with no illuminous sliotar in the referee’s armoury, they had to be content to soldier on regardless. Clare made two changes at the break bringing on Kilmaley’s Helen McMahon at wing-back and Ogonnelloe’s Roti- sin McMahon to the forwards and it was the latter’s early sharpness that prompted an encouraging early fight- back. Two points in as many minutes from O’Brien breathed new life into Clare’s challenge but with pockets of sun now melting the ground and the wind dying down, it never really ma- terialised into a full-blown recovery.

Eimear Shanahan opened Tipper- ary’s account in the 35th minute, sandwiched by three Clare wides but as the clock ticked down, it was Tipperary who took advantage. A Deirdre Dunne free and a point from substitute Noreen Flanagan stretched the home side’s lead to eight by the 51st minute and while the result was now realistically inevitable, Tipper- ary manager Eoin Brislane emptied Web mmolone ee

Essentially though, Clare never gave up and that honest effort almost paid dividends late on. Carol Kai- ser started the rebellion in the 57th

minute when she gathered a puck-out and bore down on goal before being fouled and while she should have perhaps been given advantage, Dan- ielle Sheedy stepped up to point the resultant free. Gaining confidence, only minutes later, Danielle Sheedy, now operating in the half-forward line played a ball inside to Roisin O’Brien but again she was taken down, this time for a penalty. Denise Lynch came up from goals to take it but her drive was saved by goalkeep- er Christine Kennelly as Tipperary clung to all the points.

TWO games and no points but Clare senior and intermediate manager Bertie Sherlock was far from disillu- sioned from his opening competitive outing in his native Tipperary. Quite the opposite in fact as he consoled and encouraged his downhearted players leaving the field before wax- ing lyrical about both squads’ effort and commitment.

‘The two sides I thought were un- real today. The intermediates were

brilliant and then the seniors came out facing Tipp, who were back-to- back All-Ireland champions not so long ago and still amongst the top three or four teams in the country, and really put it up to them today. The players will go away disappoint- ed today because we should have won this game but in saying that, they were absolutely brilliant. Every girl worked like beavers, hooking and blocking in the air or on the ground, you couldn’t ask for anymore. I was over the moon with them.”

Sherlock’s long afternoon began with the intermediate game, a match that will be remembered as much for the snowstorms as the play but the Toomevara refused to use the condi- tions as an excuse for the defeat.

“It was unfortunate really. We had snow throughout the first half and it was a struggle. We were already play- ing into a strong wind and we clawed them back inch by inch but still, Tip- perary came out on top. In saying that, what’s good for the goose was good for the gander today because

the wind didn’t make any difference with the conditions. That’s just the way it goes but I’m still overjoyed by the attitude.” However, it was in the senior game that Clare really ex- celled, stiffling the home side with a spirited hard working performance, only to see victory dashed by a soft late goal. Sherlock though is con- vinced that this game will stand to Eee eyr es KoeNerKCe

“The girls have gone into the dress- ing rooms fierce disappointed but really they needn’t be disappointed

because they didn’t let down Clare today, they had great pride in the jer- sey. I really thought they were out- standing.”

And with Kilkenny to come this weekend, there 1s no time to dwell on those defeats.

“Those performances there today will be huge for Clare camogie as it shows that they can compete at the top with the best. The confidence gained from today will be very im- portant going forward and they will fear no-one.

ARGUABLY the most valuable three points of the season for league lead- ers Bunratty, who got back on track in the race for their first Premier D1- vision title in eight years. Earlier in the campaign when they were flying high at the top and not really threat- ened by the chasing pack, Bunratty’s confidence allowed them to carve out comfortable victories. However, a re- cent slide in which they only claimed one point out of a possible six had made them jittery, especially since one of those games was a 3-2 defeat to main title rivals Avenue Utd. The Ennis side had their own setback by losing to Moher Celtic a week later so Bunratty needed a win here to steady the ship and send out a mes- sage of intent.

Bridge Utd craved the three points just as much at the other end to give them some breathing space in their fight to avoid relegation and therefore a scrappy battle ensued, much like their last meeting at the beginning of January. The conditions were equally as bad as that 1-O victory to Bunratty in Sixmilebridge two months previ- ous, with a whole spectrum of weath-

er spells from sunshine to hail.

Considering all these factors, it was never going to be a classic as oppor- tunities on goal were few and far be- tween. In saying that, both sides hit the crossbar in the opening period with Bunratty’s Peter Ballough miss- ing an open goal while a opportun- istic chip from Bridge’s Derek Fahy eluded goalkeeper Gary McGettrick but not the woodwork.

Had either of those chances gone in, it could have been a different game but instead, both sides plugged away without making much headway in the final third. The home side always looked the more likely to break the deadlock though and in keeping with the game when it did finally arrive, it had to come from a set-piece. Time was ticking away for Bunratty until Peter Ballough’s corner was expertly headed to the net by Shane O’Connor in the 72nd minute. From that point on, it was really a game of cat and mouse but substitute Chris Griffin could have cemented victory long before the final whistle when put through one-on-one with Paul Tuohy but he failed to score. As it turned out, Bunratty didn’t need a second goal as they clung on for victory but

even though, they are eight points clear with five games to go, the title race is far from settled yet. Joint sec- ond place sides Avenue and Lifford both have games in hand, with Ave- nue able to leap-frog Bunratty if they win all three. This weekend’s game will tell a lot but Avenue know from experience that it’s better to have the points on the board than have a sur- plus amount of games-in-hand.

GERRY Adams has said that voters are “waking up to the fact that they have been fooled” as he set the elec- tion machine in motion at the week- end in Clare.

The Sinn Féin leader was in town for the Ennis Book Club Festival but he also met the party’s local election and European candidates and appear at a public meeting.

Speaking in a one-on-one inter- view with

Mantfacturing facility to change hands

ROWAN ‘Tree Hostel located in the heart of Ennis will open its doors on the March 17, following an extensive two year re-development project.

The work involved a major resto- ration of the 17th century Georgian building; including preservation of the original hand carved wooden staircase, entrance pillars and main fireplace. In addition, an extension featuring 28 purpose-built rooms with ensuite facilities has been built.

The original building overlooking the River Fergus is one of the oldest buildings in Ennis and is of histori- cal significance. Built around 1740 it was the County Club for the lords and gentry of the land and the Bull Hall was used for lavish balls and occasions. In the 1940s it was used by the military as barracks. It then became the Club House Hotel and most recently operated as the Abbey Tourist Hostel.

Under the management of experi- enced hostellers, Brian O’Neill and Marianne Maurer, the hostel has a capacity for 140. With a variety of rooms including double, twin and multi-bedded dorms sleeping up to 14, Rowan Tree will appeal to both groups and individuals.

Guest facilities are brand new and include a fully equipped self-cater- ing kitchen, coffee shop, outdoor pa- tio, recreational lounges, television

and free WIFI and Internet access.

A licensed café bar on the premises will provide a relaxed setting for so- cialising and meeting guests.

“We are excited to be reopening a hostel in Ennis with all new modern facilities’, says Brian O’ Neill, Man- aging Director of Rowan Tree Hos- tel. “There is a real need for quality budget accommodation in Ennis and we are filling that gap by providing a friendly hostel that will appeal to a wide range of people including;

international backpackers, groups, families and the younger business person. Additionally, we will be cre- ating up to 20 jobs for people in the local area.”

Welcoming the new venture, Siob- han King, Shannon Development Tourism Officer for County Clare said, “Shannon Development is de- lighted to see the reopening of this much needed hostel accommoda- tion in Ennis, the gateway to County Clare. The new hostel will comple-

ment the existing variety of accom- modation in the county”

Beds start at €16 per night and include a free light breakfast. For more information visit www.row- antreehostel.ie.

CLARE people from all over the county, and the country, gathered in Dublin’s City West at the week- end for the 72nd Fianna Fail Ard Witahe

One man with more than a passing interest in proceedings was former security garda to the late Taoiseach

Charles Haughey and Miltown Mal- bay man, Martin Vaughan.

The retired Garda is now the driver for Charles Haughey’s son and jun- ior Minister Sean Haughey.

A keen tug-of-war man and boxer, Mr Vaughan began working for the late Taoiseach in 1979, providing se- curity outside his family home.

During his long service, he got to

know the family well, later attend- ing family weddings and becoming a driver to a TD he knew since he was a Schoolboy.

The west Clare man also met his current boss’s grandfather, Sean Le- mass, while he was on duty during the official opening of the Tayto fac- tory in Coolock.

He recalled pleasant memories of

working for the Haughey family, particularly during Charles Haugh- ey’s time as Taoiseach.

“He was a friendly man. He would walk up and down the avenue talk- ing to us. You had to be on the ball though. A few people tried to come in, even the press,” he said with a smile.

The west Clare man is also well

known in tug-of-war circles in OE Iccr

He set up the first Comhairle team in Dublin, which won five All Ire- land Men’s titles.

He also coached the women’s team to 11 All Ireland Titles.

He was also the anchor on the garda team that won the world champion- ship in 1989.

MARCUS Horan may be well know for his stylish playing, but now he’ll also be know for his stylish dress- oor

Marcus is one of the celebrities who will be strutting his stuff on the catwalk on March 23 to raise funds for Clonlara National School.

Clonlara Parents Association are organising a fashion show in the Lakeside Hotel, Killaloe and it promises to be a fun event using chil- dren from the school, Scoil Seanain Naofa, parents, local clubs and guest celebrities.

Joining Marcus on the catwalk will be Leanne Moore and Miss Curvette, Jill Dilmac.

“Everyone is rowing in – parents, teachers, pupils from each class from the tiny infants up,’ said Maeve McGill, chairwoman of the Associa- tion.

Dads are not being shy and they will be taking part too.

They will model a range of mens’ formal and casual clothing.

“Outside of the school, we asked well-known people who have a connection with the school,’ said Maeve.

Marcus Horan’s mother, Margaret, who used to teach in the school, will be modelling and Leanne’s brother is also a pupil there.

So far, there are 11 shops on-board to style the snappy dressers includ- ing Catwalk, Spirit, Lorabees, Fuschia Queen, Aimee’s, Rumples- tilskin, Kelckids, Heaton’s, Shaws, No Name, Whelan’s Pro-Golf and Mike O’Connells.

‘“We’ve had great support between the shops providing clothes and lo- cal businesses providing prizes for the raffle. People have got behind the show and been very supportive.”

Proceeds from the night will go to school funds.

Tickets are available from _ the school and from local committee members.

ON Sunday, March 15, Kilrush will witness one of its biggest St Patrick’s Day Parades ever.

With more than 30 floats, 500 chil- dren dancing and a number of bands and musicians, organisers now have their fingers crossed for good weath- oe

The parade will take place two days before the patron saint of Ire- land’s allocated day, for a number of reasons.

Last year the parade was held on Sunday, which proved popular with families and visitors alike.

This year St Patrick’s Day falls close to the weekend, making Sun- day an ideal day for the festivities again in the west Clare capital.

Sunday will also accommodate floats and acts hoping to take part in the parade in Ennis, or people who wish to go to more than one or two local parades.

The Tulla Pipe Band is an exam- ple of such an act. On Sunday it will help lead the Kilrush parade, while making itself available to other Clare town’s on Tuesday, March 17.

Hell for Leather will also provide a special act to the proceedings in Kil- rush this year.

Celebrating its 25th year, the John Fennel-led dance school will march at the end of the parade. The 500 dancers will then perform in the town square for the awaiting crowd.

The St Patrick’s Day Parade will begin in Kilrush at 4pm. The theme this year is ‘Irish Legends’. Music will begin in the square from 3pm. For further information, please con- tact Vincent 086 0854834 or Karen 086 8091410.

Meanwhile, the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Miltown Malbay will take place on March 17.

This year’s theme is ‘Memorable Moments – Ireland from the ‘50s to

the Naughties’.

Registration for this popular parade is free or charge. Those taking part will assemble in the GAA car park at 2pm and the parade will start at P10

There will be nine prizes in total – first, second and third in the floats section, in the walking section and for the adjudicator’s prises.

Prizes for marks are allocated for each element of the float and group including colour and volume, theme, preparation, and entertainments.

The emphasis of this year’s parade is on participation and a great family day is guaranteed.

PARENTS, children and teachers from all over Clare and south Gal- way are being encouraged to take the economic and environmental option when travelling to schools.

In the latest evolution of An Taisce’s Green School initiative, a programme has been started to encourage people to look at different ways of getting around.

Almost 200 children, parents and teachers took part in a mass walk-to- school at Inagh National School last Wednesday. The walk was organised to highlight the different benefits of children walking all or even some of the way to school.

“We really want to give every-

one an option of taking part in this programme – from the people who might want to walk or cycle all the way, to the people who want to start a park and stride – which means driv- ing some of the way and walking the rest,’ said Roisin Ni Ghairbhith, An Taisce’s Green Schools Travel Of- ficer for Clare and south Galway. “When children take part in any form of exercise on the way to school it has been shown that they are more focused and awake when they get to school. As well as this one in 20 chil- dren suffer from obesity problems.” Out of the 170 school’s involved in the Green Schools project in Clare, 15 are at present going for Taisce’s new travel flag. Each participating school is being offered funding for

professional cycling lessons for it’s students.

“Last week in Inagh we all walked the 600 metres from the church to the school as part of the programme. We had a great time; the children and teachers did a great job. It may not seem like a lot but even that small walk can have a great impact,” con- tinued Roisin.

“We estimate that people drove around 70 kilometres less because of the walk. For every kilometre less a car drives it mean the equivalent of 13 large balloons, filled with carbon dioxide, that won’t be released into the environment.

‘So even this small thing can make a large change. If people take even a small bit off their journey it can have

a big impact. It also makes great eco- nomic sense. With the high costs of fuels these days it just makes sense to drive less.”

Participating schools will take part in WOW Days over the next few months, where children, parents and teachers will be encourage to walk or cycle to school on one day a week.

For more information on_ this project check out www.greenschool- sireland.org.