The Clare People Archive

CLARE TD, Tony Killeen, came out swinging last week in response to a number of negative comments made by Irish farm leaders in relation to last month’s budget.

Despite much negative sentiment being directed towards the budget, and especially it’s impact on poorer farmers, the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisher- ies and Food, released a statement on Thursday describing Ireland’s Dis- advantaged Area Scheme as one of the best-funded schemes of its type in the European Union.

Minister Killeen said that a total of €200 million in funding has been earmarked for the scheme in 2009.

“Despite the intense pressures

caused by the current economic difficulties, the fact is that Ireland continues to benefit greatly under the Disadvantaged Area Scheme,’ he said. However, the decision has reluctantly been taken to reduce ex- penditure on the disadvantaged area scheme in 2009.

‘This had been done in a targeted way that ensures that 67,000 of the 102,000 farmers in the scheme will experience no reduction in their pay- ments.

“All participants in the scheme will continue to benefit from the substan- tial increase of 8 per cent introduced in the rate of payments introduced in 2007 while almost half of those in receipt of disadvantaged area pay- ments will also benefit under REPS, which includes a seventeen per cent

increase in the level of payments made under REPS4.”

In addition, over 47,000 participants will benefit from the suckler welfare scheme, which is a new stream of in- come for Irish farmers and in respect of which €77 million will be paid out in the next couple of months. Furthermore, farmers in disadvan- taged areas will receive €920 mil- lion in single farm payments.

Despite these reassurances, Clare opposition TD Joe Carey last week attacked the government for the budget and in particular it’s effect on farming.

“The farming sector is being hit disproportionately in this budget. Hitting farmers by amounts in ex- cess of €2,000 is simply not right,’ he said.

“The measures are unfair, unjust and clearly need to be revisited. I appeal to the Minister to look again very closely at the harshness of sus- pending the young farmer’s installa- tion aid scheme, the early retirement scheme and the disadvantaged area payments.

“In disadvantaged areas 40,000 farmers will lose over €1,000 per year. This cut is a direct attack on the rural communities in the West of Ireland, it’s a direct attack on Farm- ers in my own constituency of Clare, where 6,120 farmers will be directly NEKO Koen

“The disadvantaged area payment was introduced to give farmers some respite as the land which they farm is poor and much harder to make a living from.”

THERE was some good news for Clare farmers yesterday with the an- nouncement that the Department of Agriculture have started payments under the Suckler Welfare Scheme.

Payments amounting to €80 per cow will continue on a rolling basis in respect of the 2008 born calves, as additional animals become eligible.

“These payments will be worth some €77 million in respect of 2008 born calves for the 53,000 applicants in the scheme and payments will continue into 2009,’ said Munister Brendan Smith.

“It is expected that up to €33 mil- lion will be paid this year, and a further €44 million paid in 2009 in

respect of cows that calved in 2008. The sooner farmers complete these important returns the sooner these cases can be processed.

The Department is now issuing letters to farmers where there were queries and farmers are urged to re- ply as quickly as possible to any cor- respondence in relation to Suckler Welfare Scheme.

Clare and Galway farmers can get more information by ringing 1890 252 707 while Limerick farmers should ring 1890 252 822.

Meanwhile, the Minister also con- tacted EU Commissioner Fischer Boel last week to express his serious concern about the current weakness in dairy product prices.

Minister Smith called on the Com-

missioner to introduce early supports for the sector in order to restore con- fidence and put a floor under current market prices.

During the Health Check nego- tiations Minister Smith had made crystal clear his view that the criti- cal market management mechanisms underpinning the sector must be maintained throughout the transition period to the ending of supply con- trols in 2015, in order to deal with periods of volatility that could arise.

“These mechanisms must retain their essential characteristics and should be used when necessary to respond to developments on interna- tional markets,” he said.

‘Now would be an appropriate time to demonstrate responsiveness to dif-

ficult market conditions by deploying the market management tools at her disposal.

Despite current difficulties, Minis- ter Smith believes that the medium term prognosis for the international dairy sector is extremely positive.

“There are significant new oppor- tunities for growth in Irish dairy product sales arising from world population growth and GDP growth in developing counties and in Asia,” he said.

“The immediate outlook necessi- tates that the Commission acts now to restore confidence in the market and in so doing provide a reassuring signal to stakeholders of its willing- ness to act decisively when there is a perceptible need in the market.”

I CAME to Hauycan in 1997 and since then I have been greatly en- riched by it’s warmth, hospitality and the variety of it’s cultures. Lo- cated at the foothills of the Andes, on the outskirts of Lima, Huaycan is a rocky and sandy area which has only been inhabited since 1984 – when people fled political violence NOLO MXo1RO (ore DONEC oer D Ror.

I gradually came to know these

people and their reality. Many of them had suffered and continue to suffer from great poverty, social exclusion and violence – especially against women.

As I made friends with the local children, I began to invite them to workshops in subjects such as draw- ing, dancing and even setting up a Christmas crib. I got to know more and more families and invited the lo- cal women to Tai Chi classes.

Eventually different classes emerged and women began to travel from outside of the area to attend. In 2000 the time seemed right to set up a women’s centre.

We rented a room called Warmi Wasi or The Woman’s House and be- gan training in self esteem and the prevention and treatment of violence against women. With the help of a psychologist and three local women, a Human Development Programme began to emerge.

By the end 2002 we were renting a

bigger centre and a number of new programmes had been established. In 2004, a programme was started in a local secondary school geared to- wards the prevention of gender vio- lence, which set the foundations for a more complete programme in other secondary schools.

Over the years a number of people have learned to read and write while other have successfully learn to make bags, jewelry or candles for sale.

The training of women leaders is now needed and we hope to integrate this into our project in the coming years.

To have our own centre, and not have to rent, has been a huge dream for all of us. September 26 of this year was a great day for all of us as our new centre was blessed and in- augurated.

There was great rejoicing and ex- pressions of gratitude towards for the great efforts made by the many friends in Inagh, Corofin and all over

Clare. All of our efforts over here are made possible by your help back in Ireland.

A special thanks also to Cllr Flan Garvey, who helped raise more than €10,000 for the project through his mayoral ball.

SOME of Clare’s most talented voic- es will be at the Cliffs of Moher this December to raise money for a very worthy cause.

The Clare Tenors, Kate Daly, Helen Houlihan, Ruth Kelly and Mary Howard will all perform at the new Cliffs of Moher Centre to raise money for the Clare Branch of the NaN E

“I think this is about giving people the chance to support the lifeboats. Even over the last 12 months the Clare coast have had awful tragedies

and people want to support the life- boats and the work that they do,” said Joe Queally of the RNLI.

“There is a lovely line-up for the concert – it’s our own people in our own place and everyone is giving their time free for the lifeboats, as are the people from the Cliffs of Mo- her.

“The cliffs is one of the most vis- ited sites in the world and they now have a stunning venue for people to host events like this.”

Restaurant facilities at the Cliffs of Moher will stay open later to allow concert goers to have some food and

a drink before the show.

‘People can go up and have a glass of wine and a meal if they like and then come in for the concert. The restaurant itself is giving a donation to the RNLI from the night,” contin- LUTer6 Nn (Olen

“One of the things that makes this so special is that most of the sing- ers are from Archie Simpson’s fa- mous Lismourahaun Choir. Both the Clare tenors, Dean Power and Peter O’Donoghue, are making great strides with their own singing ca- reers while Kate Daly and Ruth Kel- ly are very talented and they were all

hatched out of that choir.

“The concert kicks off at 8.30pm and we will be all finished before 10.30pm so it will be a lovely two hours for everyone.”

While everyone is offering their Services free for this concert, Pat McDonagh of Supermacs has do- nated €1,000 towards the general running costs and expenses of the evening.

Tickets for the concert are availa- ble directly from the Cliffs of Moher Visitors Centre at 065 7086141 and from Record Rack in Ennis at 065 6820769.

TEAMS of amateur journalists and photographers from Scoil Mhuire in Ennistymon have taken it upon them- selves to report all of the schools ac- tivities on the Internet.

A new website, located at www. scoil-mhuire.ie, is being updated dai- ly with news and information from the school by this budding group of young reporters.

“Up until last year we had no web- site in the school at all so I came up with the idea more as something for incoming first years to have a look at and find out what the school was like. But since it was set up it has

turned into much more than that,” said teacher Laura Cullen.

“Any event that takes place – wither it be a sports event or a retreat – some- one will write a report about it and we also usually have a student who will take some nice pictures. Most of the work is undertaken by the transi- tion year students but everyone helps out in some way.

“It’s updated pretty much every day which makes it something different from other school website which never really change.”

Besides the news section the web- site also includes a regularly updated school calander and a separate tran- sition year calendar which included

deadlines and reminders on all up- coming assignments.

“It’s great for the girls – they get a nice training in writing and photog- raphy and they get to have their work published as well. We are actually going to set up a photo section in the future where we will able to upload photo albums,’ continued Laura.

“Or aim by the end of the year is to have a team of journalists and a team of photographers who will have es- sentially built this website since the start of the year.

“We are still working at it and try- ing to improve it all the time and the hope is that we can keep make it bet- ter and better throughout the year.”

Some for the recent news items on the site include a presentation by the school Taekwon-Do team to Our Lady’s Hospital in Crumlin, a third year trip to the Merchant of Venice, a report on a first year basketball match and a heartsaver AED train- ing course for students.

In addition to all of this the website contains a career section with dates for up coming career events, a full prospectus for new students and de- tails for the school parents council.

YOUNGSTERS taking part in the Mountshannon based Alpha Project were getting a chemistry lesson last week which had nothing to do with fusty diagrams of molecules and eve- rything to do with real life.

Instead of watching dust motes dance in the classroom, the five stu- dents were out in the field, building a limestone kiln, learning about the chemistry involved in producing lime and also getting a lesson in traditional craft and history into the bargain.

“Traditionally, cottages were paint- ed with lime and lime was also used in mortar for buildings. It’s been

replaced now with cement but lime was a much more breathable sub- stance and more ecofriendlly”, said Alpha Project development officer, Caroline Kelly.

To learn about the versatile mate- rial which our grandparents would have used, the youngsters first built a lime-kiln from wattle and daub which they collected and made them- selves, under the expert eye of tradi- tional craftsman, Bernard Graves, who travels the world teaching crafts which are all but lost.

Having collected the ash for wattle and the wood to make charcoal in the Tuamgraney Community Woodland, the students were given limestone by McGrath’s quarry in Tulla. They lay-

ered the lime and charcoal, heated it to 900 degrees which left quicklime then slaked it with water to produce lime.

“They are anxious to use the lime and we will be doing some painting with it as well as letting some mature to make mortar’, said Caroline.

The project was funded by the Her- itage Council.

The Alpha project provides educa- tion through experience and the five students who took part in the lime kiln building have already gained Fetac certification in six subjects af- ter three years on the project.

“these are the first group to ask us to continue their education. Usually, when they reach 16, the students go

to do their Leaving Cert’, said Caro- line.

Established for seven years, the Alpha Project has put many students through and into the world of further education and work and they have just been awarded a research grant.

“We will use it to see where our students have gone and what has happened with them, so we will have a better picture next March’, said Caroline.

AS members of the O’Brien’s Bridge community prepare to unveil their new riverside heritage garden they have also revealed that the develop- ment of the loop walks in their vil- lages have attracted visitors from all over.At a time when most small vil- lages are bemoaning a lack of visi- tors, community effort has produced an attraction which sees the pubs and restaurants in the twin villages doing brisk business every weekend.

And so impressive are the three loop walks that Failte Ireland and Shannon Development are publicis-

ing them internationally for walking holidays and short breaks.

“One weekend recently 100 people sat down in a restaurant in the vil- lage and they were all members of a walking club, here to enjoy the loop walks”, said Mick Murtagh, Chair- man of the Community Council.

With the rapid decline in angling, the former mainstay of east Clare tourism, Mick said the O’Brien’s Bridge community picked itself up ‘to replace one source of tourism in- come with another. It was community effort and funding from Clare Coun- ty Council which has researched and put the work into developing these

walks and that has really paid off in terms of visitors and revenue for the area.” The walks are designed so that people can walk for one, two or three hours as they choose and key to the attraction which sees visitors com- ing from all over Ireland and from abroad is the tranquil nature of the loops, Mick believes.

“The whole length of the walk is by water and there is no traffic noise, only the birdsong and wildlife and the flow of the water. It’s really back to nature’, said Mick.

According to Failte Ireland, walk- ing is now one of the most popular outdoor pursuits.

The latest development in the walk is the Riverside garden with a herit- age section and a fascinating display of old farm machinery, mostly donat- ed by a local man, Sean Ryan.

“We’ve restored the old naviga- tional wall and the mill wall so it’s a semi-walled garden and we have a heritage plants section. This is a real community initiative which has been a huge success. It’s brought visitors from far and wide and replaced what was once the back bone of tourism here, the angling. An initiative which has come from the local community has turned a loss situation around and come up with a winner.”

THE FIRST sod has been turned on a building project that will become a place where the very young and older people can enjoy each other’s company.

After being allocated a government grant of £616,000, and finding a site beside Raheen hospital, the Brig- it’s Garden Community Childcare Project in Tuamgraney turned the first sod for work to begin on their purpose-built facility on Friday.

The community childcare facility took on the name when “in February 2000 we decided to open a space to meet the needs of very young chil-

dren in need of care out of the home’, a spokesperson for the facility said.

In temporary premises over the past eight years more than 100 children, between the ages of six months and five years have been catered for at the facility, which aims to do much more than babysit.

“We have the children outdoors every day for two hours or more. They come dressed for the weather. It’s important for them to get fresh air and exercise – they sleep better at night and they eat better and it’s important for their development”, the spokeswoman said.

Over the years, carers and commit- tee members realised that many chil-

dren don’t have as much contact with grandparents and older people as in previous generations.

“Coming to this site, with Raheen Hospital right beside us, we fulfil our vision of bringing older people into the lives of the young. We have plans for a vegetable garden as well as an orchard on the land. With the help of local organisations like Seedsavers and CELT, we will plant a heritage orchard and woodland. We envision our neighbours from Raheen coming to sit and work in this garden”, the spokeswoman said.

The building itself 1s based on a tra- ditional east Clare farmhouse, which will be pleasing to both young and

old. “The idea is to create a, a place of nourishment, peace and joy. Real activities of baking, cooking, clean- ing, mending and decorating will be a central focus. Gardening work and outdoor time will also be a major fo- CTS

To create a building which will be a healthy space to be in, we are building with clay blocks, a natural, healthy, breathable material with no toxicity. These blocks have a low impact on the environment while offering high thermal and sound in- sulation. We hope to have the build- ing up by spring of 2009, opening to new children in September °09”, she added.

BEING water safety aware in west Clare is a matter of survival.

With most villages situated close to the sea, estuary or lakes, childhood summers are spent splashing about in the local swimming area.

Staying safe while enjoying the lo- cal amenities 1s a concern for par- OES

Schools in the west Clare area have taken it upon themselves to ensure the local children are prepared deal with many of the hazards associated with water.

As a result PAWS (Primary Aquat- ics Water Safety) programme has be- come part of the school programme in many west Clare schools.

The programme is exclusive to pri- mary school children and is broken up into two parts – land based paws and water based PAWS.

Three schools in west Clare have already completed the programme, Doonbeg National School, Cree Na- tional School and Shragh National School.

The programme taught the children about respecting water and the dan- gers surrounding it.

The teachers took their classes through the first three parts of the award without going near water by discussing and studying the theory of water safety, safe swimming, safety on the farm, and safety on open wa- ae

The pupils also simulated rescues on land, by throwing a rescue rope into a designated area.

Through PAWS pupils not only learn how to swim they also learn to understand and appreciate the water.

The pupils then attended swimming classes with swimming teacher Jen- nifer Mungovan at Quilty Swimming

Pool for a duration of six weeks.

Before receiving their certificates the children had to complete an oral exam and a swimming exam.

Having completed the PAWS pro- gramme the pupils had the ability to swim, interact with others, and be responsible around water.

“The main aim of PAWS is to sig- nificantly reduce the number of our young people lost to drowning each year,’ said Ms Mungovan

PARENTS, students and community leaders in Kilrush are taking on the fight against illegal drugs by sup- porting and informing young people in the town.

The Local Education Commit- tee in Kilrush made up of students and parents from Kilrush Commu- nity School and St. Senan’s Primary school have joined with interested Students, teachers, Home School Community Liaisons and other local community agencies to put together a full week of programmes and ac- tivities on drug awareness as part of the campaign. The theme is “The Evil of Drugs”.

With the gardai and the local com- munity support group such as the Kilrush Family Resource Centre ad- mitting that there is a problem with drugs and under-age alcohol in the west Clare area, facts and figures

relating to the problem remain anec- olor eYF

The Regional Drug Task Force for the mid-west is currently gathering information in the town, but read- ily admit the information through surveys on such a topic is not neces- sarily as accurate as the information discussed within the teenage peer group.

The most up to date information available to those fighting drugs use in Kilrush is that collected nationally by the Health Research Board.

According to its research three per cent of 15 to 34 year olds reported us- ing cocaine last year. Ecstasy use has remained stable in the country with 2.4 per cent of young adults using the drug in the past year compared to 2.3 per cent the previous year.

Amphetamine use in Ireland is very low at less than half a per cent, but Ireland represents one per cent of problem opiate users.

The week long drug information week in Kilrush beginning on No- vember 24 will provide more infor- Tpar-HaCoyem-H Oe Mr-Ce Mrs (eor

The week will feature expert views, guest speakers, exhibitions and read- ings and will culminate on Friday 28 with an “Alcohol Free Night at the Pub”.

Competitions were held at Kilrush Community School and St. Senan’s Primary School in categories of creative art, essay, poetry and rap. Exhibitions, readings and activities are planned for the week at both schools.

On Monday there will be a Drug Awareness Information Night at Kil- rush Community School from 8pm with speakers Det. Garda Seamus McMahon and Anna O’Neil from Slainte. Representatives from the ‘No Name Club” will be available with information. During the week people are invited to visit the schools

to view art, hear readings and Rap and to view other exhibitions.

On Friday from 6pm to 8pm the ‘Alcohol Free Night at the Pub” held in the Galleon Pub in Cappa, Kilrush will celebrate a sober night out.

Awards will be presented to win- ners of the competitions, and a bro- chure with information on local serv- ices, phone numbers, where to go for more infomation will be available. This brochure has been put together by students and will be launched on the night. There will be a table quiz and a disco, and food will be provid- ed. Soft drinks, minerals and non- alcoholic drinks will be available to OLUNKe EE Kor

This community project is a com- bined effort and is being funded by the Mid-west Regional Drug Task Force with time, talent and addition- al resources provided by schools, in- dividuals, businesses and the Kilrush Family Resource Centre.