The Clare People Archive

EU Enivironment Committee pro- posals aimed at restricting and re- ducing the use of all crop protection products by 50 per cent over the next ten years have been condemned by the IFA President Padraig Walshe.

In astatement this week, Mr Walshe announced that there is “no scien- tific justification whatsoever” for the proposals to reduce the use of her- bicides, fungicides and insecticides in the agricultural, horticultural and amenity sectors.

He also declared that “all crop pro-

tection products currently used in the EU are fully approved as safe by the competent EU authorities, who al- ready apply the highest standards in the world.

“It 1s a matter of grave concern to farmers that products that are scien- tifically proven to be safe would be subject to non-science-based restric- aCe) ee

Continuing his address the Presi- dent said, “The proposed measures are draconian and will severely limit cereal and horticultural crop produc- tion potential in Ireland and across the EU, at atime when stocks are ata

thirty year low and this is resulting in higher food prices. These measures will further reduce the competitive- ness of EU agriculture and ironically lead to a dependence on imports from non-EU countries, with much lower phytosanitary and environ- mental standards than the EU.

“Irish farmers are professional us- ers of crop protection products as evidenced by ongoing EU monitor- ing programmes.

Imposing regulations based on per- ceptions rather than science is non- sensical and will result in lower qual- ity produce with avoidable insect and

plant disease damage.”

Finally Mr Walshe warned that “the EU Parliament Environment Committee is putting the cart before the horse. They would be better em- ployed investigating viable alterna- tive strategies based on science, if they wish to reduce pesticide use. Suggesting that we revert to 1930s- style agriculture 1s not sustainable.

“Putting unnecessary obstacles in the way of safe food production at a time when global demand for food is increasing poses a real threat to the security of quality food supply in Europe.”

THE North Clare Farm Family Support Service will be running a number of individual Skills Training Courses specifically for farmers over the coming months.

These will be of specific benefit to those who are planning on get- ting an off-farm job, setting up their own business or who just want to

gain some extra skills for use on the eee

The courses on offer will include Welding, Landscaping, Bog oak carving, Basic computers, Comput- ers for farmers, Grow your own fruit and veg, Childcare, Care of the Eld- erly and CV preparation.

The first four courses listed will be of 40 hours duration, growing your own fruit and veg will be 50 hours

and the CV preparation skills eight hours. The Childcare and Caring for the Elderly courses will be provided by Mary Immaculate College in Lis- doonvarna and consist of approxi- mately eight hours per week over two years leading to a FETAC level 5 Certificate.

The courses, which are free to farm- ers receiving or eligible for Farm As- sist, are currently being finalised and

will commence on the last week of September.

They will continue over the win- ter months at locations around north ET Ke

However, places on all courses are limited and farmers are advised to immediately contact Gerry McDon- agh, Rural Development Officer at 065 7072467 or 086 8544036 to book their place.

A NORTH Clare painting school has played host to Ireland’s first ever out- door painting competition.

The contest, open to amateurs, was organised by the Burren Painting Siem EM (ss).

28 amateur artists travelled from all over the country to participate in the event, which was based in three locations.

Competitors were given the choice of three venues where they could paint – Whitethorn in Ballyvaughan, Ballinalacken Castle and Hotel near Lisdoonvarna and Liscannor Har- lereltbe

They were given the opportunity to participate in three different catego-

ries – oils and acrylics; watercolours and pastel gouache or mixed media.

Organiser Chris O’Neill, who has run the painting centre for the past RUA er VEIN EMO SD ETA a LKore MAY aU OMB OComCLU (Or cess of the event.

This year’s competition was open to amateurs only and Ms O’Neill now plans to include a professional category next year.

“T had heard a little bit about some- thing similar that goes on in Amer- ica. We run an outdoor painting course here and I thought there was very little opportunity for reasonable good amateurs to show their work and meet with a challenge. There is quite a lot for professionals but there isn’t for those who are not profes- sionals,” she said.

“Next year, I might have a catego- ry for the professional section,” she added.

“This is the first time an outdoor painting competition has been done in Ireland.

“The whole concept was that peo- ple came on the one day. They reg- istered in the morning, went out to one of three sites and get an idea into their heads on what is available,’ she said.

Margaret Kent from Wexford was the overall winner. Using oils, she painted a picture featuring the Bur- ren. Mark Doughlas-Smith from Killanena won in the mixed media category, while Joan Turner from the UK received first prize in the wa- tercolour section. All received cash

prizes and vouchers from various art material shops.

Lady Alison Ross travelled to Lisdoonvarna from Birr Castle, to present the prizes to all of the win- ners.

Ms O’Neill was particularly im- pressed by one disabled participant who travelled from the midlands in his wheelchair, and went home with a merit award!

‘His carer had to squeeze out the paint before he started, as he hasn’t the power in his hands. He was just fantastic,’ she said.

The event took several months to organise and Ms O’Neill is optimis- tic that next year’s competition will again attract the interests of several artists.

GORT sisters are doing it for them- od Aone

GWEN (Gort Women’s Equality Network) is looking for women to participate in a study that will define women’s equality needs in the Gort region.

The aim of the study is to identify barriers to women being able to par- ticipate in decision-making process- es at local level. It will also explore barriers as to why more women do not, or cannot avail of further educa- tion or participate in the workforce.

Programme organisers said that the

most important aim of this study 1s to give women a voice.

The programme was created by Dr. Niamh Clune and Douglas Johnson of GRACE (Gort Regional Alliance for Community and Environment) in partnership with the Family Re- source Centre. Initially, a group of women were invited to participate in a training programme designed to enable them to conduct a women’s equality study, which will then be submitted to Pobal.

Pobal manage programmes on be- half of the Irish government and the EU. The study will help inform fu- ture policy in the National Develop-

ment Plan.

The training programme received by the newly formed women’s net- work (GWEN) means they will be able to conduct PLA (Participatory Learning and Action), which is an innovative way of gathering informa- tion. It is hoped that all participants in this process will feel involved and empowered, whilst at the same time, learning new skills. The whole programme is designed to build con- fidence in women who might oth- erwise not have the chance to voice their concerns. This exercise is to discover some of the issues as to why women might feel marginalised or

unable to participate in new oppor- MUD AVL Cone

GWEN will host two public meet- ings on Wednesday September 19 from 7.30pm-9pm and Thursday September 20 from1lam-12.30pm in the Lady Gregory Hotel. The reason for the two meetings 1s to facilitate the kind of flexibility necessary to enable all women interested in at- tending. “It is a chance for women to voice their needs and help to influ- ence government policy in relation to woman’s place in our society,’ organisers said. For further informa- tion, please contact: 0863381773, or just turn up.

INAGH cheesemakers, Siobhan Ni Ghairbhigh and John Harrington are celebrating this week, having scooped two major awards at the first Bord Bia organic competition.

The couple – who make St Tola Or- ganic Goat’s Cheese – were singled out for the overall best organic prod- uct prize as well as an award for best chilled/frozen product.

“We were absolutely delighted, par- ticularly because it wasn’t an award in a restricted section. We were up against everything from babyfood to full meals’, said Siobhan.

The couple have won many awards for their cheese in the past, and say they owe a huge part of their success to their four full time staff, Petru and Carmen Gal, Grainne Casey and

Guillemette Allut.

“Without them we couldn’t have achieved so much,” said Siobhan.

The couple said they were de- lighted even before the awards were announced “as these awards are a recognition of the importance of the organic food industry.”

St Tola has been made in Inagh since the early 1980’s. Originally made by Meg and Derrick Gordon, the business was taken over by their neighbour, Siobhan in 1999.

Since then, new premises have been built, the process has been brought up to HACCUP standards and in 2001, St. Tola became a registered organic producer with I.O.F.G.A, The Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association. Both the farm and the cheesemaking operation are inspected individually, by LO.F.G.A

inspectors, twice a year.

Among the awards which St Tola has previously won are: 2006 British Cheese Awards gold and bronze med- als, 2005 Irish Farmhouse Cheese gold and bronze awards, 2005 IFEX Awards, bronze award, 2004 Irish Farmhouse Cheese Awards, Su- preme Champion and gold awards, 2002 British Cheese Awards, gold medal.

The awards, organised by Bord Bia in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, attracted more than 7/0 entries.

Bord Bia chief executive Aidan Seay UCM Oe A WALD RDUMAEloMo Nl et-velee trade and consumer awareness of Irish organic capabilities and cre- ate a platform for organic producers to demonstrate the broad range and high quality of products available.

“Organic food is one of the fastest erowing segments of the European food market and has a growth rate of 15% -20% in Ireland,’ he said.

“Bord Bia will continue to work with and support the organic sector with significant optimism towards its further development in Ireland.”

Mr Cotter said Bord Bia, in con- sultation with the Organic Market Development Group (OMDG), has drawn up a three-year marketing plan for the development of Ireland’s organic food market.

IRISH history’s most important painters will feature in an exhibition at the Courthouse Gallery in En- nistymon.

Beginning chronologically with a work by Paul Henry, the exhibition “Not What You’d Expect; Irish paint- ing 1919-2007” includes works from such legendary painters as Gerard Dillon, Jack B. Yeats, Mainie Jellet, Mary Swanzy and Norah McGuin- ness. The selection of exhibited works represents a broad survey of painting practice in Ireland.

Curator Fiona Woods of the Clare Arts Office said, “We are delighted to welcome works from some of Ire- land’s best-known painters, as part

of one of the most high profile art exhibitions ever held in this county. Many of the featured works have been sourced from the collection of the Arts Council of Ireland and Lim- erick City Gallery of Art’s perma- nent collection.”

“The work reaches right up to contemporary times, incorporating a number of genres such as Land- scape, Interior/Still-life, Portraiture, Abstract and Narrative approaches,’ she explained.

To coincide with the exhibition, the Clare Arts Office is organising a se- ries of guided gallery tours, public talks and workshops for artists.

Catherine Marshall, Chief Cura- tor with The Irish Museum of Mod- ern Art, currently on secondment as

Visual Arts touring and Collections Advisor with the Arts Council, will provide the opening talk on Irish Painting.

On Saturday, September 15 En- nis-born artist Mick O’Dea RHA will talk about his work, followed by a closed workshop for artists. The former National College of Art and Design tutor has won numerous awards at national and international Aon

On September 22, Micky Donnelly, a leading contemporary Irish artist and member of Aosdana will give a talk about his work, followed by a closed workshop for artists. Don- nelly has exhibited in many countries around the world.

His work is represented in most of

the important public art collections in Ireland. Every Wednesday, Marie Connole MFA will give tours for school groups, complete with educa- tional material at 1.30 pm. A guided tour for the public will be available at 3pm each Wednesday, or at another time by appointment.

The Fine Art Graduate of The Burren College of Art received the Spiresart Outstanding Student in Art, an accommodation and studio residency award in 2005 and tuition fees bursary in 2006/07 from The Clare Arts Office, and recently The Burren College of Arts Presidents Award.

The exhibition will run until Sep- tember 23, 2007 at The Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon.

NOSTALGIA was in the air for a Shannon woman last week, when she took up a teaching post in the school she attended 22 years ago.

Joanne O’Sullivan (nee Meehan) was a first year student at St Caimin’s Community School, when it first opened its doors in 1985. Now, 22 years on, she returns to the school as a special needs teacher.

The 34-year-old has now joined a number of her own former teachers Omen om even

Joanne is thrilled with her new job, in somewhat familiar surroundings.

“T’ve had plenty of jobs, but this is the most welcoming place I have ever worked. It is brilliant,” she said.

“11 or 12 of the teachers that taught me are still on the staff. They are still exactly the same,’ she added.

“*T have never felt so comfortable in any place,’ she said.

“When I was in school, I had never had a desire to have a career. The principal Mary Hanley wanted me to be a teacher,’ she laughed.

Nine of her relations are students in the school, so there is something of a family feeling at work.

Joanne left school at 17 and later married her childhood sweetheart Don O’Sullivan. The couple have since had three boys – DJ (9), Adam (7) and Cian (5) – and Joanne decided to take up a full-time job this year. Cian also started primary school last week.

Joanne substituted in St Conaire’s primary school for the past few years and 1s now re-adjusting to the sur-

roundings at St Caimin’s.

There is one key difference how- ever. The old St Caimin’s school building has since been replaced and Joanne is getting used to the new loleunKebuetss

She also plans to assist in training the school’s camogie team, having starred in the sport when she was in school. One familiar face on the staff for Joanne is Deborah Dalgarno. She was in Joanne’s class and is the school’s secretary.

Three other teachers – Dara Dunne (Metalwork), Niamh McDonnell

(Religion) and Patricia Maguire (English and History) – are also past pupils of the school. Current deputy principal John Cleary has been a member of the teaching staff since the school first opened.

Mary Hanley, who has worked at the school since it opened – she was appointed principal five years ago – is delighted to have the former pupils Om aomE-UEe

“Joanne is like as if she never left the place. We are delighted she is going to help out with the camogie,” she said.

She also pointed out that the parents of 23 of the school’s current students also attended St Caimin’s.

“T was shocked to realise that the parents of so many students attended the school,’ she said.

A MUSIC project, open to young people in the Shannon area, has been launched, for the fourth year in suc- ISSO) F

The project, which is run by Clare Youth Service, has been a huge suc- cess over the past three years. Run by local youth workers and a committee of young people, it provides various workshops for those interested in music.

As the project returns this week, its organisers have announced plans for free guitar workshops.

The committee has put together an information brochure about the

workings of the project and the fa- cilities available to young people in the Shannon area.

The project is open to all young people aged between 13 and 21 years, who are interested in learning musi- cal instruments and participating in music workshops. The committee also hopes to begin music apprecia- tion workshops and a listening club in the near future.

The workshops takes place on Fri- days from 6pm to 7pm, in The Re- spond Community Building, Rine- anna View. The workshop is being run by a local guitar teacher Paul O’ Donoghue.

The workshops will begin with

acoustic guitar for the first four to five weeks and then electric guitar will be introduced.

“The only catch that Paul insists on is that people be on time. Partici- pants are invited to be ready to learn at 6pm sharp. Also, if you don’t have a guitar its still ok to show up as ar- rangements have been made to pro- vide additional guitars for use at the workshop only,” said Shannon youth worker, Cathal Dillon.

The committee is in the process of recruiting other performers from the area to do workshops in drums and vocals also. This should be made available at a later stage.

Meanwhile, the Shannon Youth

Club has re-opened, following the summer break.

The club runs at The Respond Com- munity Building, Rineanna View, every Tuesday night, from 7pm to whet

The club is open to all secondary school students aged between 13 and 16 in Shannon but places are restrict- ed to 40, due to limited hall space.

The club is currently recruiting volunteers for the posts of assistant leader and activity leaders within the club. Clare Youth Service provides training and full support is given to all leaders by the leader in charge. The posts are open to those over the age of 18.

FIFTEEN groups in Shannon have applied for community grants un- der the town council’s annual grants scheme.

The initiative is geared towards projects which are designed to im- prove the quality of life for the peo- ple of Shannon. The projects which qualify for funding must show a clear community focus.

The groups which made the sub- missions have made various requests for funding, ranging from €400 to €2,000. ;

The Gleann an Oir Residents As- sociation is seeking a grant between €1,500 and €2,000. That is the single biggest request. Wolfe Tones

camogie side is seeking €1,500, while the local handball club has requested €1,200. Applications for €1,000 have been made by Clare Ha- ven in Shannon, the Shannon Family Resource Centre, SEED, Shannon Olympic AFC and the Musical So- OAs

Newtown FC is seeking €7/50, While applications for €500 each have been made by three youth projects. Duchas na Sionna has ap- plied for €400 funding.

The local graveyard maintenance committee and Jet FM, Shannon Community Radio, have both applied for unspecified amounts in funding.

Last year, some 15 groups in the town received funding, under this scheme. The size of the grants ranged

from €300 to €500 and the total funding amounted to €5,200.

A number of the projects which re- ceived money last year have applied for funding again this year. Some of the applicants, including Wolfe Tones camogie club and the Fam- ily Resource Centre, did not receive eae OL SM ERS (orb

The grants will be presented at a special function to be held in Shan- non later this year.

Meanwhile, people who encourage others to get involved in sports and other activities, will also be hon- oured, under the annual Liosta na Laochra scheme.

Previously, awards were given to local people who excelled at national and international levels.

Tomas MacCormaic has suggested that people who work behind the scenes should be honoured this year.

This idea was supported by mem- bers of Shannon Town Council.

Cllr Geraldine Lambert (FF) said, “It’s easy to overlook honouring the people behind the scenes. As a town council, it would be a very good move to honour these people.”

Mr MacCormaic said that people honoured in this category must be living in Shannon, or involved with a club which is located “within the functional area of the town.”

Nominations must be made prior to the first week of October. The ‘Laochra’ will be honoured the same night as the presentation of the com- munity grants.

THE people of Shannon are being asked to support the local gymnastics club, in its search for a new home.

The club was formed five years ago and currently has more than 100 children on its books.

Since its formation, the club has en- joyed no shortage of success, both on local and national levels.

One of its members, Becky O’Donnnell recently travelled to Po- land with the Irish squad 1n the Euro- pean Cup, where she came 10th. She has also taken part in the national Community Games finals in Mosney over the past few years, where she

has won one gold, two bronze and two silver medals.

Becky, along with Grainne Hen- nessy, Dara Moan and Molly Night- ingale, have represented the club on the national squad.

Young boys and girls travel from all over the county, to take part in gymnastics at the club. The Shannon club is the only club in the region to specialise in tumbling, which attracts the interest of several young people.

However, despite its success, the club has no home and does not ben- efit from much funding.

The club avails of facilities at the local leisure centre, but would dearly love to have a base to call its own.

Becky’s mother Ita – who 1s a mem- ber of the club’s fundraising commit- tee – said local fundraising is essen- tial for the club’s existence.

“We don’t get any funding. We did get a sports grant six months ago, but we don’t get any national funding. A lot of other sports get funding but the gymnastics don’t. The parents have to organise the fundraising,’ said tee

She is hopeful that the people of the town will continue to support the club in its quest for a home that they can call their own.

“We are looking for a suitable premises but it is expensive. It 1s bril- liant for the children to have such an

activity. The people of Shannon have been great,” she said.

The club was formed by Elaine Ryan, whose work and dedication is crucial.

‘Elaine gives great dedication to the club. Six months ago when we had no equipment, Elaine used to take the children to Cavan, where there is a very good tumbling club. She did it in her own time,” said Ita.