The Clare People Archive

Buena from the province’s stirring 24-16 win over Sale on Sunday afternoon.

“You see Munster in Clonlara,’ re- vealed Horan. “They weren’t given a chance of doing anything, just like we weren’t when we went into Europe. But we had great belief in ourselves and this Clonlara team does to.

“IT saw them play against Crusheen the first day and they showed great character to come back after losing that lead and going behind. It was very gutsy stuff.

“Tl be at the final because I have a weekend off and am not involved in the Magners League game against

Ulster. They’re up against a great Newmarket team but anything can happen on the day. This team plays with no fear – they’re a great bunch of lads and I just hope that they enjoy it and the day doesn’t pass them by.”

Games never pass Munster by these days, something Horan and company proved on Sunday afternoon when assuming control of Pool One in their defence of the Heineken Cup.

“The pressure was on us,’ admits Horan, “because if we hadn’t got a result the wheels could have come off. And after seeing what Sale did to Clermont we knew we were up against it.

“We realised it was all or nothing. If we lost it was going to be very dif- ficult to come out of the group. We hadn’t performed in the first game. We knew that and our support- ers knew that, so we had to deliver. It was do or die stuff and we came through it.”

Do or die – just like Sunday’s coun- ty final will be. And it will be every bit as competitive as Munster v Sale.

THERE were just eight races down for decision at Galway Track on Fri- day last with a 9pm start time due to the Connacht v London Irish Euro- pean Challange Cup Game.

| XerHAUOuoMea'(o) 11 MRO)OMMAOL om DUIS LMM ce Kom Ole Al graded seventh contest over 525 yards in which Mine Direct (T3) and Rob The Five (T4) both came away well and matched strides to the open- ing bend where the Frank Browne of Quin owned Mine Direct took a length out of his rival to lead turn- ing down the back. Racing down the back the son of Honcho Classic and Belindas Hill despite running a luit- tle wide extended his advanatage as

he raced to his eighth career success by one and three quarter lengths over the gallant Rob The Five in 28.99.

As the traps rose in race four an- other Frank Browne runner Mine Direct headed straight for the in- side crowding those on his inner but this manouvre only allowed the striped jacketed Beaney Baby to en- joy aclear passage to the bend on the wide outside. Despite running wide again at the second bend the Charlie Wheeler trained daughter of Black Shaw and Ballygur Ivy extended her advantage down the back straight to one of four lengths as she eventually raced to her second career victory by two and three quarter lengths over Mine Direct in 29.12.

The Thursday night programme at the Stadium was the rescheduled card from the previous Thursday night which was abandoned due to weather damage of the Hare system,

Race Two was a S6 graded sprint over the extended sprint trip of 350 yards where the John Quinn of Gort owned Fast Fit Wok (Knockabout Wok-Fast Fit Nikita) readily made all to defeat Cracking Star (T5) by three quarters of a length in 19.37.

The winner showed good pace to the bend and although the runner up threw down a determined challange off the home bend the result was never in doubt.

The bumper was an A5 graded af- fair in which the trap three runner

Rushaun Dasher owned by Helen O’Brien of Miltown Malbay looked set to score his sixth career success for most of the journey as having seen off the challanges of Dark Eyed Major (T5) and Guaire Motion (T4) he loked home for all money turning for home until the Tony Fahy trained Cllonlish Lisa (T6) came from the clouds in the final fifty yards to gain a neck success for owners the T-J Med Syndicate in 29.70.

Saturday night’s card was a gala benefit meeting in aid of Solerno Girls Secondary School. A huge at- tendance was present on the night which was the culmination of a mas- sive fund-raising drive by the schools parents association which saw the

€100,000 target passed on the night.

The feature contest of the night was the AO graded seventh contest over the testing 575 yard trip as the traps rose Mi Fastinfurious (T1) was very smartky away but he moved towards the middle of the track on the run up as Swintford Mylo (T5) showed good pace on the outside to lead at the opening corner. Turning down the back the Pauline McDonnell owned Swinford Mylo led by three lengths from Summerfield Gift (T4) and the pair began to draw clear approaching the penultimate bend.

Turning for home Swinford Mylo led by a length as Summerfiled Gift launched one last effort but *’Mylo”’ lasted it out by half a length in 31.39.

GARDAI in north Clare are follow- ing a definite line of enquiry, after an elderly man was targeted three times by conmen. The man, who lives alone in the Turlough area, was visited by men pretending they were workmen, over the past few weeks.

On one occasion, the callers claimed they were television repair men and they fraudulently obtained more than a €1,000 from the man. On the second occasion they claimed they would clean the eaveshoots on

his house, but he did not part with any money on that occasion.

On the third visit, a week ago, the callers claimed they were carrying out work on tarmacadam. However, the owner of the house was not at home at the time and his sister re- fused entry to the men. She made a note of the car registration and im- mediately contacted gardai.

Gardai believe all of the men were part of the same gang. “We are fol- lowing a definite line of enquiry,” said a garda source. Locals are con- cerned about this, given that it is not

an isolated incident.

Another man has also been robbed of thousands of euro, while several homes in north Clare have been bro- ken into over the summer.

Gardai have pledged to put re- sources in place to stall the activities of travelling criminals, while the lo- cal Turlough/Belharbour/Newquay community alert programme has raised its profile.

Secretary of the group, Margaret Healy said locals are very concerned about the latest visit on the same vic- mbeee

“Locally, everybody is disgusted and frightened, more than ever be- fore. It is important for people not to let strange people into your house,” she said.

She is encouraging residents in the Turlough, Belharbour and Newquay areas to liaise with the community alert programme and report any suspicious activity to gardai or to a member of the scheme.

Meanwhile, Ennis town and sub- urbs has been hit by a spate of day- time burglaries over the past week. Several houses have been broken into

and valuables, including jewellery and plasma televisions, taken.

Ennis Superintendent John Scan- lan is advising people to take care of their premises.

‘People need to be more careful locking up their houses. We are ask- ing people to ensure their windows and doors are locked, when they are leaving their homes,” he said.

“We are concerned about the level of domestic burglaries during the daytime. We are asking people to be vigilant and take an inventory of their valuables,’ he added.

COUNCILLORS will meet in Ennis today to discuss the draft Ennis and Environs Development Plan despite unease among some members that the process is being rushed.

The meeting, first scheduled to take place last Friday, will examine the Ennis Town Manager’s report on the submissions for the draft plan.

The plan will guide the future growth of Ennis and its surrounding environs in a way that will set out the

future land use requirements of the town’s community for economic de- velopment, recreational, social, com- munity, residential, transport and in- frastructural needs.

The review of the 2003 plan also addresses other zoning issues in re- lation to flood risk management, en- ergy efficiency and traffic manage- ment.

The review of the Development Plan for Ennis and Environs com- menced with a 9-week period of public consultation on December 8

2006. The Development Plan covers a 6-year period and the current plan is due to expire in December 2008. A deadline of December 9 has been placed on the adoption of the plan.

Speaking at yesterday’s meeting of Clare County Council, Council- lor Tommy Brennan said not enough time had been given to councillors.

‘Deadlines were given and not met” said Clir Brennan, ““Now we are leav- ing this to the last minute. The delay wasn’t the making of Clare County Council.

CUlr Johnny Flynn (FG), speaking yesterday to the Clare People, said he was concerned that the plan was be- ing rushed through.

*’T feel that the whole thing has been rushed through. There are an awful lot of issues that must be con- sidered here’, said Cllr Flynn

“T felt that it has been dealt with hastily and that it is being rushed through. Normal practices that allow for consideration don’t seem to apply here. It appears that the plan is being pushed through with undue haste”

Cllr Flynn said suitable provision should be made in the plan for zon- ing land for schools.

‘There needs to be a site found for the Ennis Educate Together school. Developers should be obliged to build a new classroom for a school in the area if they are engaged in a de- velopment of 30-40 houses. We have ongoing issues with regards to school buildings in Ennis”. Cllr Flynn also said the new plan needs to address sports and amenity facilities in En- Oh

ALMOST 200 new jobs are to be announced for Ennis-based firm, Microsemi which produces equip- ment for the US space exploration eyueseaw-baepasten

A further investment of €2.4 mil- lion is to be announced today at

Async Technologies Ltd, enhancing the company’s R&D and internation- al sales capabilities and creating 11 new high skilled jobs.

The multi-national Microsemi’s General Manager, Richard Finn has stated that the company will be in- creasing its Ennis workforce by 185 to 400 over the next two years.

Though the jobs have not been of- ficially announced, Mr Finn has in- formed Clare County Council of the imminent expansion in the course of a submission for additional car-park- ing at the Gort Road Business Park

site.

SATURDAY night’s Galway Card was an all sponsored gala fundrais- ing event in aid of the Clare Hurlers Support Group and all credit to the organisers on a most professionally presented programme of events.

One of the highlights of the night was the appearance of Irish Derby and and Champion Stakes hero Shel- bourne Aston who paraded prior to the feature event which was the Lev- el Pitch and Sleepwell Ltd AO graded apy

In this race the PJ Fahy-owned popular veteren Tyrur Lee (Brett Lee-Tyrur Dee) went to traps a warm order and he didn’t dissappoint as he stayed on dourley to defeat Swinford Mylo(T4) by a length and three parts in 31.43. The winner was headed to the opening bend by All Heart but he saved valuable ground by railing tightly and he set sail for home turn- ing down the back. Racing around the home turn Swinford Mylo began to close slightly but Tyrur Lee would not be denied as he won has first race as a father as he sired a litter of nine whelped by Tyrur Lisa the previous day.

In the A2 graded ninth contest the Johnny Maher of Kilmaley owned Clonfeigh Nikita showed great de- termination as she landed her fourth career success by three lengths over the always prominent Jackie Legs in 29.04. The winner was only a length down on Jackie Legs at the

Opening corner despite missing the break slightly. Racing past halfway the daughter of Honcho Classic and Clonmore Nikita launched her chal- lenge on the inside. Hitting the front rounding the third bend she stayed on gamely on the run home for vic- reas

There was a right touch landed in the A4 graded sixth contest over 525 yards as the Pat Curtin trained Spot The Man (Yeah Man-Own Clas- sic) who was backed from 6/4 to 2/5 came home five lengths clear of Clas- sical Moment (T3) in 29.02.

The Lawrence Meaney of Kilrush owned winner though had a little luck on his side at the opening bend where he collided with the runner up and Hard Shoulder (T4) but he managed to come off best after the loluteayey

Once he set sail for home down the back the money was always leaving the layers satchels as she strode home alone and land the touch in style and the Derby winning trainer was not finished yet as the Meaney clan were again this time it was Michael and Claire Meaney owned Ban Diamond completed a double for the kennel in the concluding A3 graded 525.

In this race Ban Diamond (Smok- ing Ban-Droopys Diamond) made just about all to defeat Ballaghboy Cool (T6) by three parts of a length in 29.11. The pair were both away well with the blue jacketed Ban Diamond railing tightly around the opening two bend s to lead by four

lengths passing halfway. Despite running wide all along the back straight though Ballaghboy Cool re- ally began to motor from the home turn but the line just came in time for Ban Diamond.

The fourth contest was an A5 grad- ed 525 and as the field raced to the Opening corner Zoies Joy (T6) led the way from Ler Nadal (T3) with Clune Hincho (T4) in third place. Rounding the second bend the John Fitzgerald of Kilrush owned Ler Nadal moved a clear second on the inside of Zoies Joy before sweeping to the front approaching the penulti- mate corner and the son of Barnane Bill and Black Shaw strode clear to defeat Cooldarragha (T2) by 5&1/2 lengths in 29.50.

The sixth was an A5 graded 525 in which the trap two runner Mine Magic showed fine early pace to lead by three lengths at the opening bend as the *’jolly’’ Montpelier (T6) found herself only fourth after a tardy Start.

Racing down the back Mine Magic led by four lengths from the Mrs Stella Flanagan of Ennisymon owned Dromoher Ferm who hails from a strong staying litter and the daughter of Spiral Nikita and Mythical Crack- er came wide up the straight to get up for a half length victory in 29.28.

The opening contest for A9 graders over the 525 yard trip resulted in a dead heat between the pace setting Mine Ruby (Tl) owned by Frank Browne of Quin and the Master John

McDonagh owned favourite Tyrone Sally (T2). Mine Ruby was smartly away and led to halfway from Ferry- side Snowey (T6) with Tyriorn Sally in third place. Still three length in front turning for home Mine Ruby tied up close home as Tyrorn Sally got up to share the spoils.

In the second contest for A7 grad- ed dogs the Jerry Maloney of Doo- ra owned Ballaghboy Crash (T6) showed a huge improvement in form as he made all the running to de- feat the reserve Easter Cottage (T5) by five and three quarter lengths in 29.44 to get off the mark at the third attempt.

The winner a son of Crash and Sues Beauty was away well as he outpaced the favourite Finnigans Local (T3) to the opening bend . Clear passing halfway he was never in any danger of defeat as Easter Cottage got the better of the battle for second spot.

The A3 graded third contest the Frank Casey of Newmarket on Fer- gus owned Stonehall Pride a son of Droopys Woods and O,Garney Mist came home nine lengths clear of his rivals in a time of 29.51.

The winner trailed the pace setting Mine Cash (T3) racing to the open- ing bend but with the benefit of the inside line he hit the front turning down the back. As Stonehall Pride straightened up to run down the back the was plenty of bunching behind which allow the leader a virtual solo from halfway.

On a great night for the Banner

County one of the most popular owners from the county tasted suc- cess in the A3 graded tenth contest when the PJ O’Halloran of Kilrush owned Scattery Vier1 (Droopys Vi- eri-Cranky Criss) came a second time to lead close home for a half length success over Kilscan Teddy (T3) in 29.50.

The winner led on the run up before he was joined and passed by Glen- gar Joe(T4) turning down the back. Rounding the third bend the leader checked slightly and this allowed Scattery Vieri to challenge again off the home turn and he stuck his neck out gamely up the straight to land the prize.

A MAJOR sports and coaching sem- inar will take place in the new con- ference facilities at Thomond Park on Thursday 23rd October. Kilkenny Hurling Manager, Brian Cody and Munster Rugby coach, Tony McGa- han will be among the high profile line up of speakers for the second an- nual Mid West Coaching and Team Performance Conference.

The seminar 1s aimed at everyone interested in the sports development of young people such as coaches, trainers and parents. The event is organised through the BDO Simp- son Xavier Get BACk Challenge in association with the Mid West Local Sports Partnerships.

The first running of the event was a sell out last year and this year has attracted a very high profile panel of experts to discuss advances in coach- ing, motivation and nutrition.

In addition to Brian Cody and Tony McGahan other speakers will in- clude Professor Niall Moyna, Head of School of Health and Human Per- formance in DCU and Sharon Ma- digan, Performance Nutritionist for the Olympic Council of Ireland. The event will be chaired by the Univer- sity of Limerick’s Director of Sport, David Mahedy. A panel discussion will take place with all speakers following their individual presenta- tions.

Speaking at the launch of the semi- nar, BDO Simpson Xavier Managing Partner, Brian McGann explained “the event is part of BDO Get BACk Challenge programme to raise funds to increase participation in sport among children in addition to our commitment to contributing funds to Hospice cancer care in the Mid West. One of the elements of the BDO Get BACk Challenge is help in the area of coach education across all codes throughout the region. The event is organised based on a one to ten

principle. We felt if we could com- municate to 500 coaches and they passed some nugget of information to ten children then the effect of the seminar would be to benefit SOOO bi Coleone

He added “after three years of run- ning the BDO Get BACk Challenge we will have contributed a total of €500,000 to fund Hospice cancer care throughout the Mid West, in- cluding Cahercalla Hospice, and

various programmes for children in sporting disadvantaged areas. This year we were privileged to be joined by three time Tour de France win- ner Greg LeMond in our fundrais- ing efforts demonstrating the role sport plays in contributing to such Cr Nona

The event will be hosted in the new Thomond Park conference facility which has a capacity of 500 peo- ple. John Sweeney, Coordinator of

Clare Sports Partnership explained ‘Thomond Park will be a fitting ven- ue to host some of the leading coach- ing experts in Ireland for the second hosting of this event. We are delight- ed to welcome the managers of the current Heineken European Cup and All Ireland Hurling champions in ad- dition to the nutritional adviser to the successful Irish boxers at the Olym- pics. Professor Niall Moyna was one of the most talked about speakers at

our event last year with his hugely thought provoking presentation on attitudes to children in sport.

John Sweeney added “we under- took a review of last years event and identified the key information gaps that existed for coaches in the Mid West. With the support of the BDO Get BACk Challenge we are now in a position to provide a sustained programme of coach education and access to the leading thinkers in the areas of coaching, nutrition, sports motivation and team development. The region has never had access to such a high calibre of speakers and anyone with some level of interest in sport or coaching will benefit from AAO NOD N Toa

All proceeds from the event go to the BDO Get BACk Challenge sport- ing disadvantaged fund administered by the Local Sports Partnership. The event is organised in association with a range of event partners that include AIB, Bank of Ireland, Bloxham Stockbrokers, GECAS, Doonbeg Golf Club, Hegarty Metals, Kemmy Business School UL, Leahy & Part- ners Solicitors, Limerick Southside & Northside Regeneration Agency and Sweeney McGann Solicitors.

The event is strictly admission by pre booked ticket only. Bookings can be made through the Thomond Park box office on 061 421100. Tickets are on sale at €20 each or clubs can avail of the special club offer of six tickets for a €100.

Registration starts at 7pm with the first speaker at 7.30pm sharp. Last year’s event was a complete sell out so early booking 1s advisable.

NINE sports clubs from Clare have submitted applications for this year’s Texaco Sportstars Bursaries. The clubs, whose names are not revealed, are amongst a record 422 clubs from all of the 32 counties to enter the event.

Highest entry came from Dublin

(90) followed by Cork (45) and An- trim (41). Other high entries came from Down (29), Galway (27), Lim- erick (18), Kerry (16), Wicklow (12), Kildare, Wexford and Armagh (10 each). Of the total, 23 percent of ap- plications came from clubs in North- ern Ireland with all of the six coun- ties represented.

Some 51 sporting disciplines were

represented amongst the applica- tions received. Soccer clubs made up the largest number (72) followed by GAA (54), basketball (32), hockey and swimming (29 each), athletics (24), rugby (20), special needs and boxing (13 each), rowing and sailing (12 each) and camogie (10). Of the remainder, American football, ice hockey, diving, volleyball and canoe-

ing were amongst the minority sports represented.

Now in its second year, over €120,000 has been set aside for the scheme from which a total of 25 sports clubs stand to benefit – 20 from the Republic of Ireland and five from Northern Ireland. Open to sports clubs of all kind, bursaries will be distributed to clubs in the Republic

of Ireland in amounts of €5,000 each and to clubs in Northern Ireland in amounts of Stg£3,500 each.

AUG Rsanetsap Rel ba ces td bMRU EAC Co MAU NARUTO der the chairmanship of former RTE sports producer, Michael O’Carroll. Winners will be announced and pre- sented with their awards at a ceremo- ny to be held in Dublin on Wednes- day, October 29.

THIS summer’s surprise upturn in tourism levels has had little or no ef- fect on Clare, according to the Irish Hotel federation. Last week the Cen- tral Statistics Office (CSO) released figures showing a one per cent in- crease in overall tourist numbers for the three months leading up to Sep- Kone lolol

The local branch of the Irish Ho- tel Federation has attacked these figures, calling them inaccurate and misleading.

“The overall CSO figures include a huge element of people travelling into the country for things that are nothing really to do with tourism. The amount of pure tourism in these figures is actually very small. These figures don’t tell us anything about the true value of real tourism that is coming into the country,’ said a County Clare spokesperson for the Irish Hotel Federation.

“Tf you look at the figures on hotel stays for example, they say that the American market in the west is down almost 15 per cent year on year. We also know that the British market is down at least seven per cent and the European market is down about three per cent.”

Indeed, according to the latest of- ficial Tourism Industry Barometer Figures, more than 80 per cent of representative in the Shannon region reported a downturn in numbers seeking accommodation this year.

This places the Shannon region as the worst performing geographic area, with only 51 per cent in the North West Region reporting a downturn in numbers.

‘We also know on the latest barom- eter survey that the Shannon region has been the hardest hit in Ireland this year. There is no doubt that this is linked to the Open Skies and the loss of the Heathrow link. There 1s no-one in the west who will be re- lying on the CSO figure to tell them about tourism in the west,’ contin- ued the spokesperson.

‘A tourist, according to this report, is anyone who has left their place of origin for less than a day, for any purpose. It could be business trips, it could even be US troops in Shan- non who stay overnight, people can be counted on this if they are going shopping in Dublin or going to a show. This survey is not a reflection on the tourism numbers at all.”

COMMENTS that the methods used to allocate local authority housing are skewed in favour of immigrants do not necessarily paint a “true pic- ture of things’, according to one En- nis councillor.

Councillor Taiwo Matthew (Ind) claimed yesterday that many of the homes allocated to new families in Ennis had already been refused by others on the waiting list.

He said he had full confidence in the manner in which Ennis Town Council allocated housing.

He said “The executive has criteria they follow when they are giving out houses irrespective of whether they are migrants or not, in accordance with the provisions laid out”.

‘Most of the houses that are allo- cated are give to immigrants who are EU citizens and they are taken

up because they have already been rejected by indigenous people who have said that they don’t want to live WN Kon

“Saying that they are all given to immigrants and that people from Ennis are being rejected 1s not neces- sarily a true picture of things. It’s the same as saying immigrants are com- ing into Ennis and taking all the jobs and that is not true. My take is that I trust the council executive to abide by the procedures set down”’.

Cllr Matthew was commenting on issues raised at last Monday’s meet- ing of Ennis Town Councillor where some councillors expressed concern over issues relating to local authority housing lists.

Cllr Frankie Neylon said that he was aware of cases where people who had been on the housing list for a number of years had been passed over in favour of others who had

been on it a relatively short period OMB bb ater

He called for a review of the pro- cedures used to allocate housing and claimed, that, in some instances, 1m- migrants received preferential treat- ment.

Nigerian born Cllr Matthew said Ennis is now a multicultural com- munity where it was very easy for certain phrases or terminology to be mis-interpreted as meaning some- thing else.

‘Tam on the council and I don’t rep- resent one particular community or group of people. In my work I try to represent all the people of Ennis”… … | would be very careful of being misinterpreted, or miusunderstood, because people can accuse of saying things you didn’t mean,” added Cllr Matthew.