The Clare People Archive

THE O’Briensbridge/Clonlara Com- munity Group is launching the newly developed Loop Walks, which link the two areas, as part of the Heritage Council’s heritage week events.

The routes will be officially opened with an introduction walk to view and experience the new heritage amenity walkway on Saturday, Sep- tember | at 11.30am.

Walkers are invited to start at the Riverside Park in the village on the banks of the Shannon where the trailhead and map board are located and where the loop walks start and nUONI OR

The walks cover an overall dis-

tance of 16 km and are made up of three loops (red, blue and green) each of which can be walked as sep- arate routes or as shorter distances. The red loop, which follows the Old Barge Way is 12km, the blue loop along the Errina Canal loop is 7km and the Parteen Weir loop is 5km.

“This walkway is most unique for a number of reasons including, it does not use public roads, it’s on land which is under public owner- ship and does not infringe on private land,” said Group Chairman, Mick Murtagh.

“Its location is all along waterways and for most of the time is out of ear- shot to the hustle and bustle of mod- ern living. It connects two rural vil-

lages, O’Briensbridge and Clonlara, without touching on a public road.

The red loop (Old Barge Way) is an elevated walkway which starts in the village of O’Briensbridge and runs downstream along the bank of the River Shannon and the Errina Canal to the village of Clonlara.

Walkers cross over seven 17th cen- tury quaint heritage stone bridges or archways which have all been re- stored. On the way is the now der- elict lockkeeper’s house alongside Ireland’s only treble lock.

The Loop Walks have been devel- oped by The O’Briensbridge/Clon- lara Community Group in asso- ciation with Shannon Development, Waterways Ireland, and Clare Coun-

ty Council and with assistance from, the Heritage Council, Leader Group and the ESB; other bodies like the Shannon Fisheries Board and Road- stone have also provided funding for the project

The walks are part of the Shannon Regional Trails Programme which were launched earlier this year by Shannon Development and are a Shannon Development initiative.

The development of these loop walks have also allowed the Lough Derg Way to be re-routed through the villages of O’Briensbridge and Clonlara. The loops are also marked as approved high grade loop walks under the Failte Ireland Looped Walks initiative.

COMPETITORS in the Tour of Ire- land cycle race in association with Failte Ireland were given a special welcome as they wheeled into Tua- mgraney last Friday. The cyclists were greeted by ‘Wel- come To East Clare’ signs erected by East Clare Tourism in association with Shannon Development.

The cyclists saw the signs on their way to finish of stage three on Sta- tion Road, Ennis. Placed on the Kil-

laloe Road, they also carried the East Clare Tourism web address – www. visitclare.net – and were placed in prime position to be caught on cam- era by the national media.

Teresa Browne of East Clare Tour- ism explained that the “opportunity was too good to miss. We want to put the message out there that this is a beautiful part of the country to visit”.

This was the first time that the tour has passed through east Clare and Teresa says it is “a great boost for the

area.”

While business is good this month in the tourism sector in east Clare, Teresa said, there is still a long way to go.

“July was a very bad month. A number of people in the bed and breakfast sector have decided to get out of the business and there will be more at the end of the season. There’s a lot of concern about the future, what with the Shannon situation.”

Teresa doesn’t believe that the bad weather was the cause of people not

holidaying in the area.

“We really need one major attrac- tion in east Clare if people in this region are going to continue in the tourism business,” she said.

“But we keep hoping and we’ll do everything we can to promote the area. It’s a beautiful region to holiday in and there are plenty of facilities, accommodation and activities. We were delighted that the tour passed through such a beautiful location to give a taste of how lovely east Clare ira

SCARIFF Show this year is taking place on Saturday, September | and the event is now older than the ma- jority of the people who will be at- Koueeuuercap lm

“We are celebrating 63 years – how many organisations can say that. Most of our success is down to the support and encouragement we re- ceive from our sponsors and the lo- cal support of people who come on the day,” said committee member, Tom Allen,

There are lots of extra activities this year, with a bouncy castle, kid- die karts and the new laser maze.

There will also be a good number

of new trade stands as well as all the old reliables.

The very popular vintage display at- tracted big crowds last year and the organisers say they are “very proud” to have the display at the show again this year.

This year, parents and youngsters are invited to take part in the family Gute e-eomOe NYA

This kicks off about 3pm with the egg and spoon race, followed by the sack race and the three legged races. Adults will have their novelty races too so no-one feels left out. Make sure to bring running shoes.

There is a revamped dog show, with loads of novelty classes for man’s best friend as well as the usual

variety classes.

The indoor section has also got some new classes for adults and chil- dren and the message from the show organisers is “paint that picture, bake that cake, pick those flowers, knit that scarf – please get involved”’.

The classes which have proved so popular in the past, mare and foal, young horses, jumping, show hunter and working hunter, pony classes with new local classes this year, side saddle, donkey and sheep sections. There will be the ISA and Scarif Show All – Ireland Filly Champion- ship at 3pm.

Favourites with the ladies at any show, Scariff again this year have the Best Dressed Lady sponsored by

Karena’s, Best Dressed Child and Fancy Dressed Child sponsored by Bane’s Gift Shop, Bonny Baby com- petition sponsored by Dunphy Allen School of Irish Dancing, and Queen of the Plough sponsored by Michael Ryan of Ryan’s Bar.

Any entries please contact Tom or Joanne Allen, Clounty, Scariff 061 921687 or entry@scariffshow.com

The event is now firmly in the east Clare calendar and is one not to be missed as the summer draws to a close.

FINAL preparations are being made for the 13th annual Dan Furey Week- end which begins in Labasheeda this Friday, August 31. The festival will be officially opened by Cllr Oliver Garry on Friday evening before the dancing starts in earnest with a céili by the Abbey Céili Band.

Participants can look forward to an early start to their Saturday morning with workshops set to begin from 10.30am. Labasheeda Nation School will be the venue for set-dancing classes with Mike Mahony and step- dancing with Celine and Michael Tubridy.

After the break for lunch, the John- ny Reidy Céili Band will provide the

music for the first céili of the day from 3pm.

After an evenings barbecue at St Kieran’s Centre the evening will be rounded off with another céili, this time the Glenside Ceili Band will provide the entertainment.

Following 10am Mass on Sunday, there will be a commemorative visit to the graves of Dan Furey and James Keane on Sunday morning.

The early afternoon will see the Kilmurry Players provide the music for dancing at the Battery Castle be- fore a fancy dress parade takes to the Streets.

The Brian Boru Céili Band will provide the music for the afternoon LUTON Me Lbn (Oe: ham olo) CO) CoM Neo CoIOA DUDES completed with music from the Matt

Cunningham Céili Band on Sunday evening.

Since their passing, both Dan Furey and James Keane have become icons for followers of the dancing tradi- tions of this area. They are credited with being the saviours of the tradi- tional dances of Labasheeda.

Dan was known far and wide for teaching dancing in the schools of west Clare and latterly came to prominence at the Willie Clancy eave

He was single-minded in his teach- ing and dedicated his life to this art form. He was familiar to many in the county not least for his fiddle accom- paniment for the dancers.

James learned his first steps from his grandmother when he was very

young and enjoyed going to dances in his youth. He spent most of his working life farming and doing GNI eM(0)u.@

Following his retirement from farming he returned to the dancing scene where he commanded great re- spect from all who came in contact with him.

Dan and James toured the country and travelled abroad teaching the La- basheeda dances and getting to know people. When the Dan Furey Festival was launched in 1995, James became a major attraction and much of the credit for the success of the weekend Tier ABM LOlUiKore mom sveeer

For more information on the Dan Furey weekend check out www.la- basheeda.net.

AS the announcement of the results loom closer, hopes are high that Kil- rush will fare well in this year’s na- tional Tidy Towns competition.

The local committee has put in a huge effort, to ensure its high stand- ing in the competition will continue this year.

The town has received silver med- als for the past two years, and bronze medals in 2003 and 2004. Last year, Kilrush received 282 points. This was the second highest score in the county and was just six points short of Ennis, which obtained the highest score in Clare.

This score was a huge improve- ment on the figure for 2005, when the

west Clare town scooped 267 points. On that occasion, Ennis finished in pole position, with 279 points, with Mountshannon in second place, with pA)

Kilrush’s points have increased steadily in recent years. It earned 260 points in 2004 and in 2003, it received 256 points.

According to the chairman of the Tidy Towns committee in Kilrush, Murt Collins, a huge effort has gone in to ensure the steady progress con- tinues this year.

“We have organised two major clean-ups, in conjunction with Super Valu and the town council. Everyone got together and we picked out dif- ferent areas to focus on. The FAS team has given us great help, through

the town council,” he said.

“One area we focused on is from Shannon Heights down as far as the old creamery, along with Moore Street and O’Dea’s road,” said Mr Collins.

There are 12 active members on the Tidy Towns committee, while a number of other residents in the town also help out, on a weekly basis.

This year, committee focused mainly on keeping the town tidy, while flowers were planted through- out the town on a regular basis.

“Tam very hopeful we will do well. A lot of places in the town are com- ing along well. Some of the streets are being dug up for broadband, but we hope the judges take that into ac- count,” said Mr Collins.

“There is a problem of dumping, at the recycling centre, but there are plans to put cameras in there,’ he added.

There is an incentive for individual businesses and residents to keep their own areas tidy as the committee presents prizes in 14 different cat- egories, later in the year.

The committee incurred costs of up to €10,000 and this was raised locally, while the town council also provided some funding.

“We went to the businesses for sponsorship and they helped us. We also held church gate collections and sold tickets,’ said Mr Collins.

THE Ennis and Clare branch of the Samaritans is celebrating its 25th anniversary and is looking for new volunteers. It will be holding two information/selection evenings for potential volunteers at the Old Ground Hotel, Ennis on Thursday, September 6 and Monday, Septem- ber 10. Both information/selection evenings will begin at 8pm and any- one who might be interested in get- ting involved is asked to come along

on one of the nights.

The Samaritans exist primarily to offer confidential, emotional support to people who are experiencing feel- ings of distress or despair, including those who may be having suicidal thoughts. Its vision is for a society Where fewer people die by suicide and it believes that offering an oppor- tunity for people to talk about their feelings in a non-judgemental envi- ronment can help to achieve this.

Over the last quarter of a century thousands of people have contacted

the Ennis & Clare branch, which 1s based on the Kilrush Road in Ennis. As well as taking telephone calls, the Clare branch of the Samaritans also welcome callers to the door between the hours of 10am and 10pm and re- ply to emails.

The Samaritans operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week and are total- ly dependent on the work of its vol- unteers. With many people working to very hectic schedules nowadays, keeping things going sometimes isn’t always easy.

At the information/selection eve- nings the work of the Samaritans will be explained in detail and what is involved in volunteering for the group will also be set out.

Samaritans volunteers can come from any walk of life and they are a diverse group. No previous experi- ence is required but an aptitude for listening (the “big ears’) and a non- judgemental outlook are important. People who do go forward to become Samaritans volunteers will be given very comprehensive training.

PLANS for a gambling club in Shan- non have been re-lodged to Clare County Council.

Businessman John O’Donovan lodged plans earlier this year for a ‘members club’, which he says would create 12 jobs.

Submissions were made by Shan- non-based Councillor Patricia Mc- Carthy and former Clare hurler Brian Lohan and planning was refused by the local authority.

However Mr O’Donovan – who hails from Quin – has once again lodged a planning application, using the term ‘casino’ and remains optimistic that his project will get the go-ahead.

He plans to lease a premises over the EBS in Shannon town centre for the venture.

He says he has carried out research, and as a result, believes that a casino would be a huge success in Shannon.

“T was involved in the construction of 62 holiday units, the East Clare Golf and Holiday Village in Bodyke. When they opened, a year-and-a-half ago, they had a phenomenal amount of guests, but in the evening time, they had nothing to do,” said Mr O’ Donovan.

He said he also carried out “brief surveys” on the hotels in Shannon and found that the occupancy ranges from 500 to 1200 per week, during the tourist season.

“A number of guests would spend two to three days there. Unless you enjoy a drink, there is nothing really to do. That is how Shannon came to the forefront of this,” he said.

He said he has changed the word- ing from ‘members club’ to ‘casino’, mainly to address an objection made by Councillor McCarthy.

“IT am forever optimistic. We are hoping this is the first hurdle in some- thing an awful lot better. Ireland needs to give tourists what they want.

‘“T have had very good advice. I have travelled Europe and talked to differ- ent casino owners,” he said.

He said the initial plans were refused, as the chosen location wasn’t suitable, but he believes he can gain planning

permission this time around.

“In a sense of fair play, I decided to relodge so everybody has an opportu- nity to voice their opinions, be it good or bad.

‘“T have been very surprised by some of the public representatives’ negative attitudes,” added Mr O’ Donovan.

“T have been a bit downhearted by some of the negative comments. I am looking at this as something positive for Shannon,” he said.

‘There are two casinos in Ennis and numerous in Limerick and Galway. Why not Shannon?” he said.

People who wish to make com- ments on the project should reer ne Mr O’ Donovan oy shannoncasinos @ yahoo.ie.

OBJECTIONS to a proposed hous- ing development in Shannon are to be aired at a meeting in the town next week.

The Concerned Residents of Cluain Airne is objecting to the construction of 60 houses – 45 three-bed dwell- ings and 15 two-bed houses – in their locality.

They are totally opposed to any development taking place and are pledging to continue to fight it. They believe that there is inadequate in- frastructure in the area, to cope with the new homes being built.

Currently there are 178 houses in

Cluain Airne. The residents group say that the majority of residents there have been in their homes for more than 20 years and are opposed to new dwellings in the area.

They say the development of addi- tional homes will result in the green area being taken away from them.

They also believe that if Clare County Council goes ahead with the development, it should have to alter its plans on the road leading into the development.

Secretary of the residents group Nicole Murphy said, “The council is proposing the road from the rounda- bout at the comprehensive school be UEexO

“We are proposing another route, the road down by the back of Inis Sioda. We are told it will cost €1.25 million to complete this road. The foundation of the road is there. We can’t understand why it would cost €1.25 million,” said Ms Murphy.

She said that while locals are pleased with amendments made to the original plan – which preserved some of the green area – there is still considerable opposition to the plans.

“The whole project is a concern. We don’t want the houses to be there. There is plenty of space in Shannon,’ she said.

“The whole feeling around Cluain Airne 1s we don’t want the houses,”

she added.

In July, locals met to discuss their opposition to the housing project. A petition, containing the signatures of Several house owners in the area, has also been put together.

Ms Murphy is hopeful that several residents will attend next Monday night’s meeting (September 3) with Clare County Council, at The Oak- wood Arms in Shannon.

“We really have to see what the council proposed. We have to wait and see. Hopefully they will answer all our questions,’ she added.

“There is a long road ahead, but we are determined we don’t want the houses,’ she said.

SHANNON tool manufacturer Mo- hawk Europa paid out over €2 mil- lion to its shareholders according to the most recent accounts returned to the Companies Office.

The €2 million paid out predated a management buy-out of the company on April 29, 2005 and the company accounts state that the “retained earn- ings at this time were 1n excess of the amount of dividend paid out”’.

The accounts cover the period April 2005 to April 2006 and high- light the deteriorating finances of the company.

They show that the company suf-

fered an operating loss of €1.3 mil- lion to the end of April 2006 and this followed an operating loss of €8§00,000 in 2005.

The accounts show that the com- pany’s ‘administration expenses’ increased by over €500,000 during 2006 from €1.5 million to €2.09 mil- lion.

However, during the same period, the company’s “gross profit’ remained static at €1.7 million.

The paying out of the €2.1 million dividend ensured that the company’s loss at the end of April 2006 was €3.45 million.

This ensured that the company’s ac- cumulated profits at the end of April

2005 of €2.5 million became a loss of €938,000 at the end of April 2006.

The accounts state, “The company is engaged in the manufacture of spe- cial cutting tools in high speed steel, solid carbide and carbide tipped.

“The company was the subject of a management buy-out during the pe- riod.”

As a result, restructuring charges of €833,325 were incurred and a divi1- dend of €2,121,000 was paid prior to the management buy out on April 29, 2005.

Consequently, a substantial loss has been reported.

The accounts state that “the man- agement buy-out team, consisting of

Seamus O’Callaghan, Kieran Joyce, Adrian Freeman, Dan Leonard and Derek Whyte, are regarded as being the ultimate controlling party”.

Underlining the impact the closure of the company will have on the lo- cal economy, the accounts show that €3.1 million was spent on wages in PAU Tey

This was €500,000 down on the €3.6 million paid out in 2005 and the sav- ings were made through the facility cutting its workforce from 116 to 103. The company’s balance sheet also showed a deterioration, with share- holders funds halving from €7 mil- lion at the end of April 2005 to €3.5 million to the end of April 2006.

COUNTY Clare has one of the highest rates of area that is considered ‘grossly polluted’ in a survey of counties across eeRCO LEN IBaNs

A Department of the Environment report on how local authorities per- formed in 2006 has found that along with South Dublin County Council and Roscommon County Council, Clare County Council had the highest at four per cent of area that was con- sidered to be ‘grossly polluted’.

The survey found that 15 per cent of Clare is litter free, 45 per cent of the county is ‘slightly polluted’ and 41 per

cent is ‘moderately polluted’.

The survey also found that 21 percent of the county 1s ‘slightly polluted’. The survey also revealed that in spite of the continuing promotion of recycling, 73 per cent of household waste is still landfilled with 27 per cent recycled.

However, the figure is a dramatic improvement on the recycling-landfill ratio earlier in the decade.

In relation to litter enforcement, the study found that there were 2,064 complaints made resulting in 261 en- forcement procedures, though only two prosecutions were secured in the area of litter

In the planning area, it found that

one out of every planning applica- tion for one-off homes is refused. The refusal rate is higher for housing de- velopments where 38 per cent of plan- ning applications for housing schemes are refused.

In relation to appeals made to An Bord Pleanala, it shows that 36 per cent of decisions were overturned in relation to one-off homes, though in relation to housing schemes, this fig- ure was reduced to 30 per cent.

In the area of planning enforce- ment, it revealed that 274 complaints were made with 10 complaints being resolved through negotiation.

The report reveals that 197 Warn-

ing Letters were issued by the council under the planning acts with a further 129 Enforcement Letters issued. The report reveals that 11 prosecutions were taken into suspected ‘rogue de- velopers’.

In relation to housing, the figures show that 61 per cent of the county’s traveller community were housed un- der the traveller accommodation pro- eramme.

In common with other local authori- ties, Clare has a poor record in relation to the provision of playgrounds where the number of playgrounds provided per 1,000 per population was .06 per Cone