The Clare People Archive

that the organisa-

tion had not yet been able to calculate

how many women in the mid-west

had been affected but she feared that

the numbers to date were just the tip of the iceberg.

The ICA is providing counselling

for the women who were first given the all clear for breast cancer only to be recalled and re-tested. Some of these women were then told that they had cancer.

The ICA spokesperson said that many of these women were not of- fered counselling until they were of- fered help from the ICA. She said the ICA were now asking the Govern- ment to provide a medical card for the women for the duration of their treatment.

The ICA meeting in Limerick is open to all and not confined to just members of the organisation. The eroup hopes that through the voices of its 14,000 members the women’s voices will be heard.

COINCIDING with World AIDS Day Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSCs) have made a special appeal in Clare for support for their work with AIDS victims in South Africa. In 2006 nearly three million people died from the virus with about two million of these in sub-Saharan Af- rica – half the population of Ireland. ‘There are hundreds of thousands of children orphaned by the AIDS epidemic in South Africa. Children as young asl2 years are the head of

their household trying to provide for their younger brothers and sisters,” a spokesman for the charity said.

The MSCs have care programmes for orphans and the sick and dying. These include prevention education, foster family care for orphans, sup- port for the sick and dying as well as for families where the breadwinner has died. They also supported the development of an AIDS Hospice at Midrand.

Fr Michael O’Connell at the MSC Mission Support Centre in Cork said: “The orphans receiving care are the

lucky ones… but many thousands are left to fend for themselves… of- ten with tragic consequences. With very limited resources to meet the erowing need we are dependent on personal donations from Ireland and local fundraisers.”

€35 will care for an orphan for a month. Donations can be posted to Fr O’Connell at the MSC Mission Support Centre, PO Box 23, Western Road, Cork.

Credit card donations can also be made to 021 4544024. All donations will be acknowledged.

FIVE people were questioned by gardai in Shannon on Friday night following a disturbance earlier at Shannon Airport during which an Airport Police Officer was allegedly AISSALUD Kee b

The incident occurred at around 3pm when the four men and one woman, all from Lithuania but with addresses in Nenagh, County Tipper- ary, allegedly presented themselves in an intoxicated state at a check in

desk prior to their scheduled flight to Kaunas, Lithuania’s second larg- est city.

Airline staff refused to allow the passengers board the aircraft and ar- rangements were made to have their luggage returned to them. The group then agreed to make alternative ar- rangements and fly from Dublin on Saturday. However, a row broke out after their luggage was returned to them and one bag appeared to have been damaged.

A garda spokesman confirmed,

“There was a public order incident at Shannon as a group of passengers who were booked on a Ryanair flight to Kaunas arrived at the check in desk in an intoxicated manner. There was an exchange of words between members of the group and airport staff and one Airport Police Officer was assaulted. The assault was minor in nature but the group were later ar- rested under the Public Order Act.” According to one eyewitness, “They were very rowdy but we couldn’t make out what was going on. Two

Airport Police Officers arrived and tried to calm the situation but that didn’t work. They called for more help but when they asked the group to leave the airport, they wouldn’t. They were eventually removed from the building with their luggage one by one. Then the guards arrived and the five people were handcuffed and RCo he Ale

“When they were removed from the terminal, the door was locked behind them and people had to enter and leave through another door which

was heavily manned by security staff. The argument went on for quite a while,” the eye witness said.

An interpreter was sought by gardai to aid them in their questioning of the five. A garda spokesman confirmed that all five were charged with Pub- lic Order offences and were released on station bail later that evening. It is understood that none of the five was charged with the alleged assault. All five are now due to appear before the next sitting of Shannon District Court in Ennis on December 13.

KILRUSH area councillors have de- ferred any decision on the controver- sial proposal to close 120 metres of the Caherfeenick Road, Cree, until a draft legal agreement is presented to them.

At last evening’s Kilrush area meet- ing the councillors agreed after some debate to reconvene on Friday De- cember 14 to consider a draft legal agreement drawn up by the council’s legal team and the solicitors working for Doonbeg Golf Club Ltd.

The legal team for both parties are also to be at the meeting.

Just a month ago the members agreed to defer any decision on the controversial proposal until yester- day after a very heated meeting at- teended by the county solicitor John Shaw.

At that meeting Mr Shaw said that any decision made by the councillors would not affect a judicial review currently listed in the High Court.

The proposal which has split the west Clare councillors relates to a right of way on to Doughmore

Beach.

Under the agreement a right of way on to the beach will be handed over to Doonbeg Golf Club Limited in ex- change for alternative access to the beach.

Under the proposal, which must get the approval of the elected members of the complete council, part of the public road at Caherfeenick, Cree, will be extinguished for 120 metres.

The extinguishment will only take place, however, when certain criteria are met by the golf club according to council officials.

Among the commitments is the provision of a car park of 35 spaces constructed to Clare County Coun- cil’s specifications and supervised by the local authority’s staff.

An area of land including the car park and a further estimated .6 acres for 35 more car park spaces must also be transferred into the ownership of Clare County Council.

A new “turn table at the new term1- nal point” on the Caherfeenick road to Clare County Council’s specifica- tion in size and standard must also be constructed and bollards installed.

A document circulated to the coun- cillors earlier this year also pointed to “a clear legal grant of a vehicular right of way for emergency vehicles” to be given by the golf club to Clare County Council and this right of way to be three metres wide.

The councillors are to meet again on Friday week to discuss the issues as claims continue that the elected representatives have reneged on a previous agreement to postpone any decision until after an upcoming high court judicial review taken by the golf club against An Bord Pleanala.

ENNIS Town Manager Tom Cough- lan has rejected claims of a cover up in the aftermath of the fire that de- stroyed Bredin’s Hardware store.

Reacting to comments made by Independent Councillor Frankie Neylon, Mr Coughlan said the coun- cil had not misled the public on the problems associated with water pres- sure in the area and that council of- ficials had been upfront and honest.

Town Engineer Tom Tiernan said he resented the fact that the integrity of council staff had been called into question and the talk of a cover up.

Speaking at yesterday’s meeting of Ennis Town Council Mr Tiernan said, “The response to some of what I said at the time was upsetting and surprising. The integrity of my staff was called into question and I resent that.

He added, “I am particularly dis- appointed that words like cover-up were used. I resent that. I could say a lot more about what was said on the airwaves’.

Mr Tiernan also acknowledged problems existed with water pressure in the town.

Mr Coughlan said, “I don’t see

any cover up. We have given you the facts as they are. There has been no cover up in this council. We are only running away from facts if we cover

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Fire destroyed Bredin’s hardware on the Station Road after a blaze erupted at the premises on Novem- ber 7. Fire units from Ennis with as- sistance from units from Shannon,

Scariff and Ennistymon brought the blaze control.

At yesterday’s meeting Cllr Neylon re-iterated his view that had water pressure been sufficient, the building

could have been saved.

“We can cover it up all we want but anybody who was out on the road that morning would have noticed the lack of water. I was amazed at the decision to let it burn out. The bottom line that morning was water Kee Rome

After presenting a report on the Fire Service’s response to the fire, Chief Fire Officer Adrian Kelly admitted there had been problems with water pressure and defended the decision made to contain the fire and restrict it from spreading to nearby buildings.

He told the meeting, “The decision was made to contain the fire and not let it spread. Where there are lives at stake we would take a different ap- proach”.

The council also unanimously backed a motion to support Clare County Council’s request for a water tanker for Ennis.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said the council had failed in its responsa- bility to provide a satisfactory water

supply.

IF THE go-ahead is given for plans to convert a former convent build- ing into an apartment complex, it will pose a serious risk to the safety of children attending Scoil Muire in Ennistymon, according to its parents’ association.

The association were responding to an application by Thomas Fitzgerald of Banna Developments to transform the “Old Convent” into 21 apartments along with 37 parking spaces.

The parents’ association, Scoil Muire, Scoil Mhainchin and the Dio- cese of Galway are objecting.

In their objection, the parents’ as- sociation point out that the roadway serving the development also serves the primary and secondary schools.

They state, “In the interest of safety, the school authorities have already taken the decision to restrict vehicu- lar access to the school to staff and emergency vehicles. They also em- ploy a traffic warden to enforce their decision.”

Demanding that the council refuse planning permission, the parents’ association state, “Any compromise to the safety of the children is unac- ceptable.”

Already, Banna Developments has been refused planning for a simi- lar proposal on the same site. The schools state that “the current appli- cation makes no significant effort to challenge this decision by substan- tially improving the traffic safety of the access laneway and that the de- velopment will endanger their pupils

and staff”.

The schools’ objection points out that there is a proposal to amalga- mate the three secondary schools in Ennistymon on a nearby site.

Sreysebweebeetcmmm dorsi mums elo Romr-VucwmEOL U0 Ee rently 430 students attending the two schools, the objection states that after the schools have been located, “there will no objection in principle to this development. In the mean- time, this proposed development is premature pending the relocation of the schools and should be refused by

the council”.

The Diocese of Galway point out that the proposal “is to use the pri- vate entrance roadway to the parish priest’s house, which is also used to accommodate Scoil Mhainchin and Scoil Mhuire, which entrance is ab- solutely and totally within the own- ership and control of Galway Dioc- esan Trustees.”

The diocese claims the develop- ment would create a traffic hazard and be contrary to the proper plan- ning and sustainable development.

THE CHAIRMAN of the Clare Childcare Committee believes that the Government may perform a u- turn on contentious proposals that may leave community childcare services worse off.

Cllr Joe Arkins (FG) said yesterday that there was a possibility that the Minister for State at the Department of Health, Brendan Smith, “may see the light of day” in relation to the proposed Community Childcare

Subvention Scheme (CCSS) being introduced from next January.

Cllr Arkins said that if the scheme was introduced in its current form “all the good work of the last six to seven years in this area will be over- aU bw elere

Cllr Arkins confirmed that case studies have been carried out on a number of community-based child- care providers in Clare and it has found “that they will be considerably worse off” under the new funding mechanism.

In the Dail, Minister Smith said “that the new scheme will provide an effective framework for the contin- ued targeting of additional resources towards disadvantaged parents and their children while continuing to Support community childcare serv- CoO EUR YE

‘The scheme has been informed by and takes account of a number of en- hancements recommended by the re- port of the Value for Money Review of the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-06. . .

‘The new scheme has clear advan- tages over its predecessor. There is an increase in the level of funding available under it, and a majority of services will benefit from the chang- es it introduces.”

However, Cllr Arkins said yester- day that the new scheme hadn’t been measured in terms of rural isolation or economies of scale. The Ruan- based councillor said that if the new Scheme was introduced, it would result in greater fees for parents in Clare and would make some com-

munity childcare services in Clare unviable.

Cllr Arkins said that lobbying had already taken place with Minister Smith and Junior Minister, Tony Kil- leen on the issue.

Cllr Arkins believes that the meas- ures were put in place with Dublin- based community childcare provid- ers in mind. He said: “It is an east versus west argument to some extent and Minister Eamon O’Cuiv is now on side and I am confident that the new measures will be overturned.”

THE long-term future of two Clare hurling clubs hangs in the balance before an historic joint-vote at the weekend.

Sunday is set to become a pivotal occasion in the history of both the Inagh and Kilnamona hurling clubs as a proposal to amalgamate both has been put forward.

The matter will be voted on this Sunday when Inagh and Kilnamona will hold their AGM?’s simultane- ously. A three-quarters majority is needed from both clubs if the motion is to be formally passed.

The connotations of such a move are far reaching as the amalgama- tion will lead to the folding of two historic institutions in order to create one new super-club.

Inagh and Kilnamona are currently amalgamated at underage level where they have experienced great success in recent years, winning minor and under 21 A titles.

In the past, they have also merged at senior level but never to the detri- ment of their own distinct club sides at intermediate level.

If the proposal is passed by both clubs, it will mean that at adult level a senior and an intermediate side will represent the new club after In- agh consulted the county board at the November meeting.

Kilnamona were relegated from senior this year after losing out in a relegation play-off against Smith O’Briens while Inagh just missed out on a quarter-final spot.

With such an important issue, some Opposition to the proposal is antici-

Oe Kexeb

However, some speculation in the Kilnamona camp yesterday [Mon- day] suggested that this motion is being railroaded through by their executive committee without the full backing of the club.

Further speculation of a member- ship controversy on the Kilnamona side 1s starting to build as confusion over full membership means that some members find themselves inel1- gible to vote next Sunday.

A source said, “In recent years the amalgamation of Kilnamona and Inagh at underage level has yielded success and most people in the par- ish would not have an issue with the clubs amalgamating for senior hurl- ing but not at the expense of winding up Kilnamona hurling club.

‘There is a lot of opposition to the

proposed winding up of Kilnamona but its looks like most of the opposi- tion is from people in the parish who are not going to be allowed vote in the meeting to decide something that is the cornerstone of most rural par- ishes in the country.”

A splinter club known as the Kil- namona Gaels is also being touted if the move goes ahead. ‘Inamona’, as the amalgamation is affectionately known, could bring to an end 120 years of the Kilnamona club who have been in existence since the ear- liest days of the GAA. A team repre- senting Inagh first made an appear- ance in 1918 and officially reformed as the Inagh hurling club in 1953.

Historic clubs in even more historic times but there’s set to be much de- bate at the respective AGM’s next Sunday.

AT THE start of the year, Michael Browne and Mike Murphy sat down for a chat. Murphy was captain for the year but nobody would have known where the road was going to lead.

The two came up with a strategy that has served Tulla well and high- lights the approach they’ve taken to the season. Murphy would act as one of the prime ball winners for the Tulla forwards, he’d put his body into whatever fight for possession that presented itself and even if he only moved the sliotar three yards in the direction of the Tulla goal, that would be enough.

That Al Pacino speech in Any Giv- en Sunday, the one about inches has been thrown about for most of this new century — and taken on board particularly by the Cork hurlers – but Tulla and Murphy have personified that system this year.

TMENo aioe meee de

In the end, they didn’t get the Mun-

ster championship that they craved since taking down Crusheen in the county final, but the season has been the greatest in living memory in Tulla.

After the game on Sunday, the disappointment in Murphy’s face is obvious but it shows just how far the club has come over the course of the season.

“The way that wind was blowing,’ he says “it didn’t have any advantage for either team. It was so strong out there that it just carried the ball.”

Even as he’s talking, the cold is still seeping into him, his teeth are rat- tling and his body is shivering. It was that kind of day.

“Tn the first half, the wind was blow- ing for them but it didn’t seem to be a great help. We knew coming down here that we’d be up against a strong team and that’s how it was. The goal gave them a bit of a cushion and on a day like today, that could always swing things in one direction.”

Right to the end, Tulla didn’t die and they hung on still within touch-

ing distance.

“We did have chances even late on. They just wouldn’t go over for us and even at the end, when Andy Quinn dropped the 65 into the danger area for us, we still could have snatched a win.

“But it just wasn’t going to be our day. The bottom line is that it’s been a great season for us. To come out and win a county championship was a dream come true. It would have been fantastic to have come down here and won a Munster title for Tul- la, but it didn’t happen. We’ve got the county to keep us going through the winter.”

Not just that. While the disappoint- ment of the Munster final might have been there on Sunday, it’s sure not to linger.

Last week, Murphy became a fa- ther. A boy.

“Another Tulla hurler on the way,’ somebody reminded him on Sunday. Because of the year just finished, he’ll be part of a club with a whole new set of ambitions.

TULLA are old stock. Clichéd and all as it may sound, they hurl from the heart and it’s taken them to a Munster Final.

Think of that. A Munster Final!

At the start of the summer that con- cept wasn’t even part of their thought process and before the provincial de- cider on Sunday, Jim McInerney said as much. He looked back to where Tulla were at this time last year — having been dumped out of the Sen- ior B Championship — and said that a Munster Final would barely have registered as a dream.

But that’s where they were on Sun- day and the club has provided some of the only positive vibes in Clare hurling this year — particularly since they took the county final back at the end of October.

Before that, they went quietly about their business, taking out a couple of big guns on the way to a novel final against Crusheen. If that game didn’t live up to expectation, perspective gives us the opportunity to reflect that in hindsight, maybe both sides went in hoping not to lose rather than aiming to win. The hurling didn’t set the world alight and word was out that Tulla had won a soft enough

championship.

War NmmyeclyeM mba OCcmrcn ele Mm iMmy schol mn r-b be either. In ways, it probably has more to do with the usual swelled crowd at the final compared to the numbers present to see Tulla dispose of New- market and Clarecastle.

The county took Tulla to their hearts but it wasn’t a rapid process. Word was seeping out that the Kerry champions could take a Clare scalp in the first round of Munster but Tulla came out that day in Tralee all guns blazing and had the game killed off before Lixnaw could even shake the cobwebs from their bones.

Then Ballyduff came to Ennis and

Tulla played some of the best hurling Cusack Park has seen all year. Flags and banners with the claret and gold have popped up all across the county since then.

In a year of let downs on and off the field for the county hurlers, it was Tulla, along with Clonlara who car- ried hopes through the latter half of the season.

That Tulla failed to take a provin- cial title shouldn’t ruin the next few months for them. Since the county fi- nal, celebrations have been cut short as they seriously went about taking a Munster title. All year they’ve been proving their critics wrong and the

attitude was — what’s the point in stopping with a Clare title.

When they’d finally relinquished the game at the Gaelic Grounds, a large knot of Tulla supporters moved onto the field to commiserate with them. It was a shared pain. Through- out the game, it was the Tulla fans who displayed most energy and colour and they too will have some warm thoughts to keep them going over the cold months now upon us.