The Clare Echo 22/08/19

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22 Aug 2019

2019

TULLA CELEBRATES

Brennans hail ‘unbelievable’ HPV campaign PÁRAIC MCMAHON

T

news@clareecho.ie

l CHAMPS: Gearoid and Amy McNamara of Cnoc na Gaoithe Céilí Band in Tulla on Tuesday night where celebrations in the village went on to the early hours following the band’s Fleadh Cheoil win in Drogheda Photo by John Mangan

HE brother of the late Laura Brennan has described public support for the HPV jersey initiative as “unbelievable”.

The initiative, which aims to raise awareness of the HPV vaccine, has seen sports clubs all over the world and celebrities including Aoibhin Garrihy (right) spreading the message that Laura had worked so hard to campaign for prior to her death in March, aged just 26.

Kevin Brennan, one of the main drivers behind the HPV logo campaign, told The Clare Echo, “We never envisaged the takeup rate of this initiative would be as great as it has been, we now at the moment have over 60 clubs on board across various codes, across various ages and across the world. There’s clubs from Melbourne to San Francisco involved, it’s been unbelievable.”

Full story PAGE 10

2 NEWS

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

Index NEWS

O

2-13

RONAN SCULLY AOIBHIN GARRIHY

‘Die-in’ protest in Ennis

14 16-17

ENTERTAINMENT

18

EDUCATION FEATURE 19-23 BUSINESS MOTORING

27 30-33

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE 39 The Square, Ennis, County Clare Telephone: 065 671 9021

NEWSDESK

Email: editor@clareecho.ie or news@clareecho.ie

SALES

Email: ger.naughton@clareecho.ie or niall@clareecho.ie

Bathing prohibition at Lahinch

l CLIMATE CRISIS: Members of Extinction Rebellion Clare and student group Fridays For Future Clare staged a “die-in” in Ennis to highlight the climate and biodiversity crises, to demand climate action from the Irish Government and to publicise ‘Rebellion Week’, beginning on October 7 Photo by William Hederman

N THE advice of the HSE, Clare County Council has today raised Red Flags at Lahinch beach indicating a bathing prohibition until further notice.

The restrictions have been introduced after the results of routine water samples taken at Lahinch showed elevated levels of bacteria in the water.

Runoff from the catchment area of the Inagh River after exceptionally heavy rainfall has resulted in elevated levels of bacteria being identified in the water. The Inagh River enters Liscannor Bay at the northern end of Lahinch beach.

In accordance with An Taisce’s Blue Flag programme, the Blue Flag at Lahinch has been removed until such time as the water quality improves. An improvement in water quality is expected over the coming days as drier weather is forecast.

4 NEWS

Dubs head to West Clare in drive for five training

Gavin returns to roots for final preparations PÁRAIC McMAHON

A

paraic@clareecho.ie

S THE Dublin senior footballers continue their preparations for the All-Ireland senior football final against Kerry and the drive for five, they headed to West Clare to undergo a weekend training camp.

On Saturday, the Dubs trained in Cooraclare as the countdown to their September 1st clash with Kerry in Croke Park continues.

Jim Gavin’s side have tended to come to West Clare in the lead up to big games to escape the capital.

Later that evening, members of the management team including Gavin, Jason Sherlock and Declan D’Arcy headed to Walsh’s

Pub in Cree where football was part of the conversation with locals.

Co Clare is not just chosen as the location for such getaways because of its beauty and heritage but also due to Jim’s strong family connections to the county.

His father Jimmy hails from Cree, his mother Ann (neé Vaughan) was born in Moy. They moved to the capital not long after getting married when Ann was offered a teaching post there.

In his youth, Gavin who is regarded as one of the greatest gaelic football managers of all time, regularly visited Clare with his parents.

Following last year’s All-Ireland triumph over Tyrone, Gavin revealed that some inspiration for their success stemmed from their trip to Clare which includ-

lLAST: Dublin management including Jim Gavin, Jason Sherlock and Declan D’Arcy were spotted at Walsh’s Pub in Cree

ed a stay at Trump Doonbeg and training on the grounds of Kilmihil GAA. “They sent us a lovely mass card and sent us best wishes for

Cycling from Edinburgh to Shannon for autism

SHANNON man Andy Moloney is preparing to cycle nearly 550 miles from Edinburgh to his hometown in aid of autism charities on both sides of the Irish Sea. Setting off on September 3, the trip is set to take five days and will see Andy raising money for Scottish and Irish autism charities Scottish Autism, the Irish Society for Autism and Ennis Voices for Autism (EVA).

Andy, who works for Malones bar in Edinburgh, was inspired to raise money and awareness for these charities after his son Ellis was diagnosed with autism just before his third birthday.

He will spend two days cycling from Edinburgh to Cairnryan before boarding the ferry to Belfast, then cycling for three days from there to County Clare.

After already reaching his initial target of £2000, so far Andy has raised £5400 for Scottish Autism and €4500 for the Irish charities, with the aim of raising more before he sets out and during the trip.

A cause close to Andy’s heart, seven of his friends also have children who are on the autism spectrum. Andy said: “Schools are struggling massively with supporting the growing number of children on the autism spectrum, with 1 in 59 children now being diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Funds are needed to cope with this rise and charities need all the help they can get to support families.

“It’s a matter that needs as much awareness as possible, so I’m just glad to be doing my bit towards helping the amazing autism charities in Scotland and Ireland.” lON YOUR BIKE: Andy Maloney is set to cycle 550 To donate, visit: http://bit.ly/ miles for Scottish and Irish autism charities andyscycle.

the final and it meant a lot to us.

We don’t put many posters up in the dressing room, but that was certainly one of them,” said the Dubliner.

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

200 kids waiting for help CLARE Sinn Féin has condemned as “dangerous and unacceptable” figures from the HSE which reveal 195 children are currently waiting for community mental health care in Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary.

Eighty five of these are waiting more than half a year for an appointment.

Clare Sinn Féin PRO Peter Flannigan said: “This is simply the latest revelation showing that Clare mental health services are desperately failing young people.”

“These are vulnerable young people with real mental health issues whose lives may hang in the balance.”

“With mental health, every day counts and that’s even more true for young people where early intervention has been proven to have great success.”

“85 children have current waiting periods in excess of six months with 45 of those waiting more than a year for a simple appointment.”

“We need immediate investment in Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Clare. We need to end all caps on overtime and recruitment”.

ADVERTORIAL

Treacys Oakwood unveil €3.5m refurbishment

A

€3.5m refurbishment which took three years to carry out has been completed at Treacys Oakwood Hotel in Shannon.

All 103 bedrooms in the hotel were included in the refurbishment which comes right on time as they prepare for what will be a very busy Christmas season. The Greatest Showman will be the theme on December 14th as they hold their big Christmas Party but between now and then, they will be busy taking bookings on from companies organising their own festive night out. Staff at Treacys Oakwood Hotel are also expecting the recent refurbishment will ensure several bookings arrive for events ranging from communions, confirmations, christenings to weddings, funerals and private functions.

To go with the renovations, two new appointments have been announced at the Shannon hotel. Renato Pacek and Damien Burke have been named as Operations Manager and Senior Assistant Manager, respectively. Both men started off as duty managers when they began working at Treacys Oakwood. “Through hard work and loyalty to the company, the company have decided to promote them,” Marketing and Events Manager, Brian McMahon said.

Located just two miles from Shannon Airport, Treacys Oakwood Hotel is centrally based to explore The Wild Atlantic Way. It is one minute from the M18 and its proximity to the Shannon Business District ensures it is well equipped to facilitate the needs of business personnel on the go.

lNEW APPOINTMENTS: Damien Burke (above) has been named as Senior Assistant Manager while Renato Pacek (right) is Operations Manager at Treacys Oakwood Hotel

6

NEWS

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

'Critics of HSE should see conditions in Ghana'

PÁRAIC McMAHON

A

paraic@clareecho.ie

THREE year effort aimed at developing emergency skills for community healthcare workers in Ghana delivered by UL Hospitals Group and UL had a Clare man to the fore of the crucial training programme.

Born in Quin, Frank Keane has lived in Ennis for 20 years and was one of the prominent figures in the 11-strong group that drove the implementation of Learning for Lives (LfL Ghana), a collaboration between ULHG, UL Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS)and UL Paramedic Studies in partnership with the national health service of Ghana. The programme has surpassed its initial goal to minimise preventable deaths by providing training in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care skills.

Travelling annually to the regional capital, Wa, since 2016, LfL

Love Island reunion

LOVE Island winners Greg O’Shea and Amber Rose Gill chose Co Clare as the location for their reunion as they spent their first weekend together in Ireland since leaving the villa.

On Friday, Newcastle’s Amber jetted into Dublin Airport where she was collected by Greg who hails from Corbally, Co Limerick.

The pair won the popular ITV series which attracts millions of viewers in Ireland and the UK, in the process they shared the €55,000 prize.

Since the conclusion of the series, Greg spent some time in the UK with Amber and her family before being welcomed home by hundreds of fans at Shannon Airport. He has recently returned to his Dublin home, prior to that he was staying with family in Limerick.

Over the weekend, Greg and Amber stayed at the five star Dromoland Castle with O’Shea posting on Instagram, “Big thanks to Dromoland Castle Hotel for making the home visit even more special”. They also travelled to the Cliffs of Moher with Amber sharing pictures and a caption that read, “Visiting Ireland with the best tour guide”.

Ghana has provided 240 Community-based Health Planning & Services (CHPS) workers with basic life-saving skills, and delivered specialist instruction in hand hygiene, sepsis, physiotherapy, nutrition and neonatal care, both in the community and to hospital staff.

By including a Train The Trainer course on its curriculum, the team has also created a local training cohort in the Upper West of 30 Trainers, including eight Super Trainers, ensuring continuity and sustainability of training and paving the way for a positive transformation of healthcare standards for 1m people.

Frank who is a Senior Clinical Teaching Fellow in Paramedic Studies at UL gave an insight to The Clare Echo on what conditions in Wa were like. “They really have nothing, they are very poor, no transport, miles from everywhere and infrastructure isn’t there”.

His latest trip was his third in total and lasted for ten days. “The system we got in would have been similar to the dispensary system that existed in Ireland in the 1930s, all

l INITIATIVE: Members fo the training programme in Ghana

these dispensaries in every village, they’re called Community Health Public Service Compounds. That’s the system we tapped into because the ambulance service is pretty non existent over there, they currently have 70 working ambulances for 32 million people, it’s crazy”.

An ex-hospital manager in both Nenagh (2005-2010) and Ennis

(2010-2013), Keane said critics of the Irish health service should pay a visit to the African countries to get an indication of what third world is.

“It is a third world country in fairness, there would be similar problems in other countries, it’s a long way back from what we considered to be anything approaching acceptable. We went out teaching peo-

ple basic assessment, we brought equipment, we didn’t show them patient assessment wearing disposable gloves because there’s no point because they just won’t have them.

“People give out about the health service we have here, the most vociferous of them, I’d love to get them for a day in Ghana. They’d see what giving out about a health service is, what poor is. When you see a father of a 16 year old girl standing at the end of a bed in an A&E out there, she’s about to lose her leg, not her life as a result of a snake bite and he’s standing there talking to a doctor who has written a prescription for four drugs asking the doctor which one is most important because he can’t afford the four of them”.

As the programme has reached the third of its three years, there is no decision as to whether it will continue with Frank confirming “discussions are ongoing”. He is hopeful the work they have done will lead to better management of patients and decision making in Ghana.

Shipped to Australia for stealing a plate

Records reveal story of Clare's transported convicts STUART HOLLY

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editor@clareecho.ie

ESEARCH undertaken

by Ancestry.com has revealed a fascinating history of Clare’s transported convicts.

According to the National Museum of Australia, between 1788 and 1921 about half a million Irish people are believed to have been transported to Australia. This is 12 per cent of all transported convicts to the country.

Records provide first-hand accounts of the details of the convictions and sentences some of those transported from Clare to Australia faced.

Michael Callaghan, a 21 year old Catholic man from Clare was persecuted for stealing sheep on 2 July 1839. In the following year, he was transported to Australia on the Augusta Jessie ship. Records

state that Callaghan had no previous criminal records and that he had been formally educated in his teens. Callaghan was a married Catholic man with two children.

He worked as a labourer in Clare prior to his conviction.

Margaret Redden, a 40 year old Catholic widowed woman, was found guilty of stealing and wearing clothes on 30 May 1839.

Margaret Redden was tried in Clare and received seven years in prison. She was detailed as being formally educated and having seven children, six boys and one girl.

Redden worked as a laundress and dairy maid before she was convicted and transported to Australia on the Isabella ship in 1840.

Edward Minahan was tried and convicted for stealing a plate on 2 July 1839. For this, he received seven years in prison. Minahan had previously served a prison sentence of six months. He was identified as a 30 year old married Catholic man who had one son.

He worked as a labourer in Clare before he was convicted and subsequently transported to Australia on the Augusta Jessie in 1840.

Minahan was 5’ 2” and had a ruddy and freckled complexion.

He had sandy brown hair and small grey eyes. His left eye was heavy and his nose was described as being crooked. He had a scar over the right side of his throat, breast and arms.

In the Spring of 1839, Jeremiah Considine was convicted for manslaughter in Clare. Bizarrely, he was only sentenced to seven years in prison, the same length of time that Edward Minalian served in prison for stealing a plate.

Considine was identified as a 27 year old married Catholic man who had one son. Records state that he worked as a labourer in Clare before he was convicted. In the year following his conviction he was transported to Australia by the Nautilus ship to serve the remainder of his prison sentence.

Considine was 5’ 9” and had a dark, sallow and freckled complexion. His eyebrows were described as meeting in the middle and he had a large scar on the left side of his neck. He had hairy arms and legs and a large burn mark on the back of his left hand.

In the same year, Martin Frawley was also found guilty of manslaughter and received ten years in prison. Frawley was a 30 year old single Catholic man who had no formal education. He was transported to Australia by the Augusta Jessie ship.

Joe Buggy spokesperson for Ancestry.com commented: “The Australian Convicts Collection allows families to answer some of the unanswered questions about how and why their relatives ended up in Australia”.

To search the Australian convict collection log onto www.ancestry. ie.

NEWS 7

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

No closure plan for Shannondoc in Miltown

PÁRAIC McMAHON

S

paraic@clareecho.ie

HANNONDOC has allayed concerns that the night-time shift it operates from Miltown Malbay is to be shut down.

Twice this month, the people of West Clare were without the redeye service operated by Shannondoc, the latest instance being on Saturday night.

In a statement issued to The Clare Echo this week, Deirdre Culligan of Reinstate Shannondoc Group warned that the service would be cut from September and called for the declaration of a health emergency in Co Clare.

They criticised the lacking “duty of care” towards patients as the absence of the Shannondoc in West Clare was not informed to the public, once they shared the information online over the weekend it was shared by five dozen people in the space of five minutes.

“We received information that has knocked us sideways and we know it has to be highlighted as soon as possible. We have been reliably informed that the red eye shift is to be cut in Miltown Malbay from September. This leaves the people of West and North Clare in a very vulnerable position and Shannondoc needs to clarify what is happening as a matter of urgency. Provisions need to be put in place to ensure Health Care is available where and when it is needed for the people of Clare. This is an emergency situation and it needs to be recognised as one with immediate effect,” Culligan said.

Such worries of a looming closure have been refuted by Shannondoc however the GP out of hours service told The Clare Echo they are experiencing “an unprecedented shortage of locum GPs” largely due to the full impact nationwide of the Atypical Working Scheme permit rules enforced by the Irish Na t u r a l i s a t i o n and Immigration Service (INIS).

Chairman of Shannondoc, Dr. Pat Morrissey revealed the problem is not just confined to Miltown Malbay or the M i d - We s t based medical service which was

established in 2002. “We’re having ongoing difficulty over the last two months to source locums for the red-eye cover in both West Clare and across the whole Shannondoc territory. There has been a dwindling supply of locums over the summer period and this is brought about by a couple of factors, the most crucial and easily fixed from our point of view is the visa regime that is limiting our access to locums who would normally come here to work and provide the service, given that it’s the summer holiday the pool of locums that are there are working inhours, they are working in the daytime to allow our own local doctors go on their summer holidays, they are getting daytime working and are therefore not willing to do the night work.

“Plans for Miltown to be shut down, this is definitely not the case, we have been trying our best to fill the shift and keep the service going, it’s only when there is nobody there that it is being shut down, there is no planned closure of Miltown Malbay it is only when we cannot find a doctor. Come September when the holiday period is over, we envisage an increase in the supply of locums and this crisis will evade and we will have doctors to cover Miltown Malbay, it’s not just Miltown Malbay affected, we had trouble covering Limerick City, Newcastle West and our neighbouring co-ops are having trouble filling their red eye centres,” he said.

Dr Morrissey called on local politicians to assist in reversing the implemented permit rules which he maintained “have effectively cut-off ” their supply chain of GP locums for overnight services now causing them “to introduce restricted services in certain areas”.

Fianna Fáil General Election candidate, Rita McInerney (pictured) told The Clare Echo that the pressure health services in the county are under force people to rely even more on Shannondoc. “People living in rural parts of the country are particularly dependent on the service, and the threatened cuts are creating real fear in these communities”. She added, “All measures must be explored to ensure that the ShannonDoc service is maintained.

Cuts simply cannot be countenanced, and I am asking the HSE, the Minister and the relevant authorities to examine what measures can be taken to ensure that doctors can be recruited in a timely manner”.

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10 NEWS

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

Cnoc na Gaoithe bring the Harp back to Tulla PÁRAIC McMAHON

C

paraic@clareecho.ie

LARE is back on top of the world of traditional music following the success of Cnoc na Gaoithe in Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.

On Sunday, the Tulla band were victorious in the Senior Céilí Band of the Fleadh held in Drogheda becoming the first Clare winners of the competition in sixteen years.

It is the first time the famous harp was brought back to the windswept hills of Tulla in fifty nine years following the success of the Tulla Céilí Band in 1957 and 1960 when it came to East Clare in the arms of PJ Hayes.

The band also got their hands on the Kitty Linnane Perpetual Trophy, named in honour of the former Kilfenora Céilí Band leader.

Earlier this year, Cnoc na Gaoithe completed a three in a row of Munster titles. The group is comprised of Gearóid McNamara (piano/keyboard), Amy McNamara (fiddle), Therese McInerney (fiddle), Jennifer Markham (fiddle), Pauric Stapleton (flute), Kevin Carey (flute), Sarah McAuliffe (concertina), Brian McAuliffe (banjo), Fergus Brogue (box) and Conor Harnett (drums).

Their return to Tulla on Tuesday night saw huge crowds pack into the village where Tulla Pipe Band led Cnoc na Gaoithe on their triumphant return home.

In total, fifty medals of varying colours were brought back to the country. Top spot in their respective competitions was also secured by Arlene O’Sullivan, Shane Mecall, Éabha McInerney, Dara Fitzgerald, Aisling McMahon, Shona O’Halloran, Roisin Clancy, Darragh Whelan, Jamie Garrihy, Matthew Ryan, Daire Meehan, Eimear

Clancy, Liam Clancy, Liam Jones, St Maura’s Rince Seit, Conor Fennell, Eoin Killeen, Michael Ó Laoire, Daithí Ó Laoire, Tulóg Céilí Band, Inchircronan Grúpaí Cheoil and Tulóg Grúpaí Cheoil.

Killaloe native, Martin Connolly was honoured for his contribution to Irish traditional music during the Fleadh. At the Ceannródaithe Awards, he was recognised for his significant role made to culture in the country. As well as having several All-Ireland titles to his name, Martin has taught several musicians to Fleadh success plus manufacturing the world-famous Kincora accordion. His work is very familiar to readers of The Clare Echo as the newspaper’s main photographer. l A NIGHT TO REMEMBER: (clockwise from top) Jennifer Markham’s bow showing the strain of competition in Drogheda; Aiden Vaughan steps it out till the early hours as crowds observe his dancing technique; the Cnoc na Gaoithe Céilí Band took to the streets of Tulla on Tuesday night as they received a heroes welcome; members of Cnoc na Gaoithe parade their trophy down the main Photos by John Mangan street in Tulla

12 NEWS

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

Brennans feeding off Laura's zest for life with jersey initiative PÁRAIC McMAHON

P

paraic@clareecho.ie

UBLIC support for an initiative to raise awareness of the HPV vaccine and prevent related cancers backed by sports clubs all over the world has helped the Brennan family in their grieving process.

At the end of June, the Clare senior hurlers wore training tops with the HPV logo, since then teams from a wide range of sports and different countries across the globe have followed suit, spreading the message that the late Laura Brennan (pictured) had worked so hard to campaign on prior to her death in March at the age of twenty six.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Kevin Brennan described the success of the jersey initiative as “unbelievable”. “We never envisaged the takeup rate of this initiative would be as great as it has been, we now at the moment have over sixty clubs on board across various codes, across various ages and across the world. There’s clubs from Melbourne to San Francisco involved, it’s been unbelievable. The support we’ve

received from clubs in Clare has been overwhelming, Ennis Rugby Club, Ennis Squash Club, St Senan’s Rugby in Shannon to name a few and lots more GAA clubs in Clare are on board, they are spreading Laura’s message and supporting the message that vaccinations are safe and effective, we’re delighted with how the initiative has went to date, there’s more clubs coming on by the day”.

He paid tribute to Aghna Harte in the HSE and Éire Óg trio Assumpta Hehir, Niall O’Connor and Mary McMahon for their assistance in driving the latest campaign. “I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all the people in Clare who have purchased a jersey and who have posted messages of support online and particularly the individuals in clubs who have led the initiative by taking orders and taking money, distributing the jerseys because that all takes time and that effort is appreciated”.

Such support from across Ireland and beyond has been helpful to the Brennan family as they adjust to a life without Laura’s physical presence.

“It has given us a huge focus as a family to channel our energy into, the support we’ve received when Laura went

lGETTING ON BOARD: The Kilrush Ladies GFC under 14s are among the numerous clubs getting behing the HPV jersey initiatvie

public with her illness, in the aftermath of her passing has been overwhelming and it is getting us through the difficult times. We’re trying to feed off Laura’s positivity and her zest for life as much as we

can, we were absolutely so lucky to have her in our lives for twenty six years and that’s the outlook we were taking that this was her purpose in life and she absolutely achieved that”.

Seven things you need to know about the HPV virus

T 1

HE HPV vaccine will be offered to both boys and girls in first year of secondary school this September.

But what is the HPV virus, what conditions does it cause, and what is the expected impact of the HPV vaccine?

Here are seven things you need to know:

The HPV virus is really common

HPV stands for ‘human papillomavirus’, which is a group of more than 100 viruses. It is very common - most people, about 80 per cent, will be infected with a form of HPV in their lifetime.

HPV infection is most common in people in their late teens and early 20s.

Most people who have a HPV infection never know and if symptoms do present, there is no way of telling how long you have had an HPV infection.

Most HPV infections do not need treatment because your body usually clears the virus itself.

2

HPV is passed on by sexual contact, not just sex

You can get HPV by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has the virus. It is spread by skin to skin contact during sexual activity.

HPV can be passed on even when an infected person has no signs or symptoms.

Though you should always use condoms every time you have sex, condoms will not fully protect you from getting HPV. HPV can infect areas not covered by a condom – so condoms will not fully protect you.

Anyone who is sexually active can get HPV, even if you have had sex with only

one person. You also can develop symptoms years after you have sex with someone who is infected. This makes it hard to know when you first became infected. You may also have no signs or symptoms.

Although HPV is usually passed through sexual contact, you can also get it if you have never had sex. A mother can pass HPV to her baby during birth, but this is very rare.

3

The HPV virus can cause cancer and genital warts

For some people, the HPV infection doesn’t clear up and can cause cancer or genital warts.

HPV causes 1 in 20 cancers worldwide.

It is one of the leading causes of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is a cancer of a woman's cervix (the entrance to the womb).

The HPV virus causes: l almost all cervical cancers l 9 out of 10 vulval cancers l 9 out of 10 anal cancers l 8 out of 10 vaginal cancers l 9 out of 10 cases of genital warts Each year in Ireland: l HPV causes 406 cancers in both women and men l over 6,500 women need hospital treatment for pre-cancer of the cervix l About 300 women get cervical cancer l About 90 women die from cervical cancer HPV can also cause cancers of the: l throat (oropharynx) l penis l head and neck (tonsil and base of tongue)

4

HPV cancers are mostly preventable

From September 2019, the HSE is offering the HPV9 vaccine to pupils in second level school, which protects against 7 of the most common cancer causing types of HPV virus. Women who have had the HPV vaccine should still attend cervical screening when invited.

This is because the HPV vaccine doesn't guarantee complete protection against every type of cervical cancer.

As there is no HPV screening currently available for males, the HPV vaccine is your best chance at protecting yourself from genital warts and HPV-related cancers.

5

The HPV vaccine will be offered to both boys and girls from September 2019

The HPV vaccine has been offered to girls in their first year of secondary school since 2010. This is because the most common cancer caused by the HPV virus is cervical cancer which only affects women.

But the HPV virus can cause other cancers and conditions that can affect boys too. For this reason, from September 2019, boys will also be offered the vaccine.

In girls, HPV can cause: l cervical cancer l vulval cancer (the vulva is the area surrounding the opening of the vagina) l vaginal cancer l anal cancer l throat cancer l cancers of the head and neck l warts in the anus and genital areas In boys, HPV can cause: l anal cancer

l throat cancer l cancers of the penis l cancers of the head and neck l warts in the anus and genital areas The more young people vaccinated - both boys and girls - the better we can control the spread of the infection.

6

The HPV vaccine is safe and effective

Vaccines are strictly monitored and reviewed regularly by international bodies such as the World Health Organization and the European Medicines Agency.

Over 100 million people have been vaccinated with the HPV vaccine worldwide.

This includes over 260,000 people in Ireland.

The safety of Gardasil has been studied for over 13 years. Over 1 million people have been studied during clinical trials since the vaccine was licensed in 2006.

7

Ireland could be the next country to make HPV related cancers very rare

The HPV vaccine has greatly reduced cases of pre-cancers of the cervix in young women in countries including Australia, Sweden, the US and the UK. In countries where the HPV vaccine is used, the number of cases of genital warts has decreased dramatically in both young women and men.

With as many boys and girls vaccinated from here on in, Ireland could be next.

Visit www.hpv.ie for more information Ireland’s only World Health Organization accredited website on HPV, from the HSE.

NEWS 13

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

Onus on parents to make the 'responsible decision' T EENAGE boys will for the first time in Ireland be given the option to get the HPV vaccination at schools, the family of the late Laura Brennan are urging parents with children of both sexes to sign consent forms and protect them from HPV related cancers.

Ennis’ Laura Brennan was a tireless advocate for the HPV vaccine up until her death from cervical cancer in March of this year. Her campaigning led to a surge in the number of young women taking the vaccine with the HSE confirming that since Laura first contacted them in 2017, the uptake increased from 51% to 70%.

Over the past five months, her family have continued her good work with the launch of an initiative where sports clubs across the world are now wearing the HPV logo to raise awareness to people of all ages.

“It’s a very important year for the vaccination, it’s the first year that it’s being rolled out to boys in first year and once again to girls. Consent forms are going out the end of August and the first week of September, the vaccinations are in school from September and the aim would be to get as many boys and girls in first year across the country vaccinated and protected from HPV related cancers,” Laura’s brother Kevin told The Clare Echo.

“Given the amount of misinformation out there it’s completely understandable that parents might have

concerns or be confused, if they are I’d recommend they get their information through reputable sources, speak to their GP or go to HPV.ie for factual information.

"I’d encourage parents who might not be considering getting their children vaccinated this September to consider the situation if in God forbid ten or 15 years time their son or daughter is to get a cancer as a result of the HPV virus and their child was to ask them ‘why didn’t you vaccinate me’, what would their answer be given every single GP in the country, every cancer specialist, the HSE, the WHO and their research back us up saying it is effective. What would their answer be to their child if they asked ‘why didn’t you vaccinate me’”.

There is an onus on parents he felt to make a “responsible decision” and said a high uptake would save 110 lives in Ireland every year. “This is the most tested vaccine in the history of vaccines, countries like Scotland and Australia who have reached 90 percent vaccination rates are well on their way to eradicate HPV related cancers. My sister when she was around would have said, she was an example of an unvaccinated girl, she is not here anymore, parents have to make the responsible decision and get their children vaccinated”.

On September 16th, ‘Laura Brennan: This Is Me’ a documentary which is available to view on the RTÉ

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Player will be aired on RTÉ to further increase the uptake of teenagers taking the vaccine.

“Before Laura passed away she would have been in constant communication with RTÉ but that was one of the clauses she had with the documentary that it would be

aired at a time that would maximise the potential of more boys and girls getting vaccinated. It will be aired in September when the vaccination teams are in schools and we are very hopeful it will have a positive impact on that,” Kevin added.

16

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

Ronan Scully

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK Author spreading the word of positivity

Make time for loved ones

A

ll of us, with different dreams, different goals and different perspectives, wake up each morning with a purpose or new goal or idea and continue on our different journeys of life. All of us are unique and distinctive from one another, yet there are similar things which brings us all together irrespective of all the differences and contrasts we have. If personalities or being make us different and unique, emotions make us alike. If beliefs, religion and none divide us, humanity brings us together. If choices and goals make us different, love makes us alike.

The focus of everything that we seek is the same. The road we journey on may be different but our destinations are the same. We all strive for love, care and mercy alike. We all want real love, care and mercy. The recipe for love, care and mercy in fact, is simply there in our hearts, waiting to be brought out in each one of us through our eyes, face and actions, to be shared, to be given, to be felt and to be expressed, without greed, without selfishness, without judgement, without jealousy, without hate and without negativity.

Today, as we look around the world and see how much unnecessary suffering and death there is, the many ways in which human beings are been destroyed, perhaps we could pause and take stock of our own lives. We may protest that we do not perpetrate the kind of horrors we have seen in many parts of our world or indeed at times in our country, but every time we fail to accord others their dignity, every time we close our hearts to others’ needs, every time we disrespect others, every time we do not show love, care and mercy, we chip away at something important. That the most beautiful of all the beauties God created, is the human person. May

we never forget that, although it can be that sometimes we do lose sight of what’s really important in life. We get wrapped up in our work and let everything else suffer. When we get really busy at work and we let it take over our lives, it’s the people we care about most who pay the price. There’s nothing wrong with work. It can be incredibly rewarding. Often, it allows us to use our talents to support a greater good. And it’s certainly financially necessary for most of us. But if we lose our perspective and get too wrapped up in our work, it’s our relationships that suffer.

Full of Love There is a wonderful, old story about the great Leonardo Da Vinci that I love. When Leonardo was painting the Last Supper it took him several years to complete it.

He had decided to use live models for Christ and each of the twelve Apostles. He chose the model for Jesus first when he found a man whose face radiated both beauty and unconditional love. As the years went on Leonardo completed each of the Apostles except for Judas Iscariot. Finally, he found a man whose face seemed full of avarice, viciousness, deceit, and hypocrisy. After he finished painting the man as Judas, the man asked if Leonardo knew who he was.

When Leonardo said no, the man

replied, “I am the same man you painted years ago as the figure of Christ.”

This story reveal’s a spiritual truth and that is, no matter how old or young we are, the appearance of our faces can often show the condition of our souls. I have seen rugged, scarred, weather beaten faces that when they smiled still showed the beauty of angels and eyes full of love. I have also seen young, wrinkle free faces with eyes as cold as ice and bitter smiles full of both fear and hate.

The good news, however, is that it is never too late to change your face, your heart, and your life.

It is never too late to fill your soul with love and care and mercy and let it shine through your eyes and actions. I only hope that my own face no matter how old or wrinkled it gets and it is getting older as I write this thought for the week, is always a face of love. I hope each and every face is a face of kindness, goodness, gentleness, helpfulness, hopefulness, and joyfulness. I hope it is a reflection of God’s love for us all. May your own life always sparkle with goodness and God. May your eyes always shine with the light of joy.

And may everyone who looks at you always see a face full of love.

Thought for the week As your thought for the week, don’t lose sight of what’s im-

portant. Don’t lose hope when life gets tough. Don’t give up on your dreams for the future. Don’t forget to say, “thank you”, “I am sorry” and “I love you” each and every day. A face of love cures all ills. We are all capable of giving that which people need most of all: Love. Love translates into time, service and the sharing of oneself. Don’t give up. Share the

love, share your love. Be a face of love. And remember that there is no better thing that you can do in life than to love someone or care for someone or be there for someone. Do all the good you can.

I pray that each of you that have read this thought for the week today and on other occasions, may be blessed always and in all ways.

This week when you look at your partner, your children, your parents, your friends, your colleagues see them with the eyes of love. Remember that we are all just doing the very best we can at any given time, warts and all, but beneath it all, the current which runs within all of us is Love. That is the greatest gift we can receive and it is a gift we can re-gift!

We are equipped with a never ending supply of love. When we look at those we care about with The Look of Love, we are dismissing that they left their towel lying on the floor (my wife forgives me regularly for this), we are ignoring that they left the fridge door open,

we are looking at them with the eyes of love, we are remembering and connecting to the blessing we feel that they are in our lives. The gratitude that they are sharing this journey with us right now! That they are here now!

This is not something to take for granted, and yet we do so every single day, again and again.

So, let’s make our country a better place, one look at a time this week and well into the future. Take a moment to look at and appreciate the ones we love.We all need to be seen with the eyes of love, to be reminded of our greatness and to be empowered by it. It is powerful soul food.

When you look in the mirror this week, look at yourself with the eyes of love. Don’t look at the wrinkles, or slight imperfections, look, really look into your eyes, and love yourself. You are here now for a reason, and I for one am profoundly grateful that you are here, and that you are aware enough that you are willing to take the next opportunity that comes your way.

If the question is, What is really important in life?—the answer is only life itself, living it well, immersing it in beauty, care, compassion, service for others especially those most in need in our world, love, and reflection. Reflection on the great questions of life puts everything else into perspective.

We are meant to be about more than money and social craftiness.

When all the stages of life have passed us by, these things alone remain: the spiritual treasure that stretches our souls to see what our eyes cannot, the remembrance of how beautiful life really is under all its ugliness, and the love of those around us who make the journey gentle as we go. If we can only remember to do this once this week, we are improving the world around us. Make your time on earth count.

Airport CEO will find another PÁRAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

S

HANNON Airport are confident of filling the void left following Norwegian Air’s decision not to withdraw its services from Shannon, Cork and Dublin.

The grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX cost the Mid-West region an estimated €60m with Shannon also losing out 120,000 passengers this summer as a result.

Last week, Norwegian confirmed it would not be resuming flights at Shannon which first took off in July 2017. As of September 15 the services will be terminated.

Already, Shannon Airport is in discus-

sions with carriers for transatlantic flights in the wake of Norwegian’s departure. Acting CEO of Shannon Group was confident they could get an airline on board given the popularity of US routes but cautioned that it would take time, “It won’t be easy to replace this overnight but the fact there is proven demand will certainly assist”.

“Shannon has an existing network of transatlantic services with Aer Lingus, United, Delta and American Airlines. What’s important is that the Norwegian routes were quite popular to Stewart and Provedence,

you look at levusing the routes there is a level of those services from On why airlines for Shannon, Constated: “Shannon is the airport on the western seaboard with Tr a n s at -

were in

el of passengers it demonstrates demand for the region”. might opt sidine only

lantic services and I think the fact the services place, it’s very unfortunate due

to the grounding they are withdrawn but there is a proven demand and that will certainly assist but it will be very important that we work closely with agencies like Tourism Ireland because connectivity to the regions is vital and it’s very important that it is maintained”.

“It’s certainly a significant impact on 2019 and it will takes us a while to replace that traffic into 2020. We would be confident with the right support in place that we would be able to replace that traffic over time”.

Shannon Group seek to raise €200,000

ON YOUR BIKE: Pictured L-R are Pat O’Brien, Niall Maloney, Loretto Duggan and Joe Noonan.

Photo by Joe Buckley

Shannon Group staff to embark on epic 787km charity cycle to Ireland’s four main airports starting Tuesday 20th August 2019: Shannon Group staff are going quite the distance – all 787km – as they seek to raise €20,000 for their designated charity programme.

This will bring to a staggering €298,000 the amount raised for deserving charities by Shannon Group staff over the past five years.

The superhuman effort will raise vital funds for Shannon Groups Charity Partners, Irish Cancer Society and Limerick Suicide Watch.

The Shannon Group event will see cyclists cover almost 200km per day across four days in a loop that will start at Shannon Airport and take in Ireland West, Dublin, and Cork airports.

Beginning on Monday, September 9th at Shannon Airport the group will set off at 8.30am for Strokestown, Co Roscommon and from there to Ireland West Airport Knock where they will be met by the Airport CEO Joe Gilmore.

Shannon Group employees from Shannon Airport, Niall Maloney, Loretto Duggan, Pat O’Brien and Joe Noonan will be in top gear as they take on the mammoth cycle all aimed at raising funds for charity.

16 COLUMNIST

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

Aoibhín Garrihy

LOVE

CLARE

Inform yourself on HPV

THE NOTEBOOK

T

IPP who?! All eyes were on the Banner County this weekend as the lovely Greg O’Shea played the ultimate chivalrous tour guide to Love Island’s crowned queen Amber Rose Gill taking her for a brisk stroll along the the Cliffs of Moher, fine dining at Dromoland Castle and a romantic cruise on the Shannon. Boy done good!! And where else would you choose to showcase this beautiful little nation of ours? Top marks Greg!

As the dust settled on the All Ireland Hurling Final, I was donning saffron and blue this week to share a very important message on the HPV Vaccine. In memory of Laura Bren-

LOVED UP: Greg and Amber

nan and her tireless campaigning, it really is worth knowing the facts and informing ourselves in order to protect the future for our young

COVET IN

CLARE

FROST YOURSELF The newest collection from Knight and Day will be available in stores nationwide and online and if you’re looking for this season’s hottest accessory this brooch is your new best friend. Add a little sparkle to that LBD, coat or blazer and see your ensemble totally transform.

TRÈS CHIC The new winter collection has begun to arrive at Nozomi, Ennis and these Houndstooth boots are simply divine.

Nothing screams classic like this traditional print...add a pop of red and you’ve got yourself a pair of showstoppers!

people. For more info visit hse.ie.

Sunday saw the launch of the brand new Knight and Day Autumn/Winter collection and I’m thrilled to share some of my favourites as brand ambassador. It will be available in store and online in the next week.

I’m delighted to say I’m teaming up with Gala Gifts for Schools again this year as they they give away three €10,000 cash prizes to Irish primary schools around the country looking to fund a unique project.

From health and wellness projects to ground-breaking technology and eco-projects, there are so many ways that Gala Gifts for Schools can make a difference to the winning schools. Just visit Gala.ie/giftsforschools for all the details and how to enter! Good luck!

GET THE FACTS: (top) I get behind the HPV jersey campaign and (right) showing off the brand new Knight and Day Autumn/ Winter collection

TWO IN ONE Looking for a real wardrobe hero this winter? Caroline Donnelly’s newest edit featuring a reversible check wool coat ticks all the boxes. 100 per cent wool, this understated design is perfect for work or weekends. €149

HAPPENINGS KILMURRY HARVEST FESTIVAL A festival packed with events ranging from vintage shows, quiz night, live music, kids FIFA competition, freshly cooked food, family bingo, and much more! The Kilmurry Harvest Festival runs from August 22 to 25.

DAN FUREY WEEKEND OF SET DANCING COSMIC LOVE This white and gold starry sensation from Carraig Donn is a gorgeous versatile number for your wardrobe this season. Under a blazer or teamed with a skirt or jeans it’ll take you from day to night seamlessly and is a delicate feminine staple. €34.00

BUDGET BUY Need a printer that packs a penny pinchers punch?

This compact, versatile all-in-1 printer available from Aldi this Thursday (today) lets you copy, print and scan documents and photos quickly, easily and wirelessly via Wi-Fi. Just €34.99

Enjoy a weekend of dancing to the best céili bands in the country in a rural and relaxed setting at the Dan Furey Weekend in Labasheeda. Check out the great Céili line-up: Friday 23: The Tulla Céili Band Saturday 24: The Kilfenora Céili Band Sunday 25: Johnny Reidy Céili Band Other events include an historical tour of the parish, parade on Sunday and closing Seisiún.

All musicians welcome.

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

Top 5 Hen Party Hotspots in Clare

1

WEST COAST AQUA PARK:

Inflatable Aqua parks are fast becoming the most popular Stag and Hen activity (we’ll be at something similar this weekend!) as you’re guaranteed a day of childish splashing, jumping, sliding, climbing and bouncing about! It’s hard not to enjoy oneself as you throw caution to the wind and become a big kid again!

3

PURE CAMPING, KILKEE:

How does a weekend under the stars, toasting marshmallows by the fire with your best gal pals sound? Pure Camping is an eco friendly glampsite with everything you need for the perfect girly getaway. Avail of the onsite pizza oven, enjoy the cosy sauna and spend a casual, no fuss few days in nature with the best company. Bliss!

5

2

COLUMNIST 17

THE FARMYARD, COROFIN:

If it’s absolute fun and giggles you’re after, look no further than The Farmyard in Corofin. This is a hen party with a difference as you come away certified as a fully fledged farmers wife! Learn how to milk a cow, churn butter, catch a cock and bake a loaf! With plenty of action packed farm games, the craic is ninety and you’ll literally be dancing (the siege of Ennis) home!

4

TRUMP INTERNATIONAL, DOONBEG:

If it’s up market luxury you’re after, particularly after a day of activities, sea air or a long journey to get there... look no further than the Spa at Trump Doonbeg. Aside from the gorgeous interiors, the spa treatments use local and natural salts, seaweeds, algae, and herbal extracts with an extensive list of treatment options. Hit the bar upstairs afterwards for a bite/drink or Morrisseys locally for dinner and it’s a real treat for the Bride and her tribe.

LAHINCH YOGA STUDIO:

Not feeling a rowdy Hen Party? Maybe it’s just not your scene anymore or maybe it never was your scene. So why not do something completely different and let a beach yoga session calm the mind, revitalize the body and energize your spirit to start your rendezvous on the right note!

Win

Entertainment LISDOONVARNA L

BREWING UP A STORM

ISDOONVARNA will be ‘brewing up a storm’ this year with local band ‘The Stunning’ set to headline the first big music weekend of the annual Matchmaking festival.

The band will play the marquee on Saturday, August 31 - the band’s only Clare gig this year.

Formed by brothers Joe and Steve Wall from Ennistymon over 30 years ago the band became legendary for their energetic live performances and eclectic song catalogue. This included the iconic anthem ‘Brewing Up a Storm’. In 1990, their debut album ‘Paradise In The Picturehouse’ spent five weeks at number one and became one of the most loved Irish albums of all time.

Joining them on the bill at the ‘Rock/Folk’ weekend on the August 30 and 31 will be Limerick natives Hermitage Green, Dublin’s Riptide Movement and All Folk’d Up. Country music stars won’t be disappointed either as the second weekend of the festival sees country music stars Der-

ek Ryan, Mike Denver Cliona Hagan and Barry Kirwan return to take the stage on September 6 and 7 at the Marquee.

Marcus White, Managing Director of the White Hotel Group said: “The country music weekends have been a huge success for Lisdoonvarna over the past few years.

This year we are trying something new with the first ever ‘Rock/Folk weekend ‘ - there hasn’t been anything like this in the village since the ‘Lisdoonvarna folk festival’ took place over 30 years ago.”

“There has been a huge demand for tickets this year and we are advising people not to leave it to the last minute as they will be gone. Tickets are available locally at the Hydro hotel, the Spar Shop or at www. ticketmaster.ie” he added.

The Lisdoonvarna matchmaking festival continues for the whole month of September, jam packed with music and dancing in all venues every day from 11am in the morning to late.

The traditional dance weekends are on September 13 to 15, September 20 to 22

and 27 to 29 featuring some of Ireland’s leading show bands who will play at the Hydro and Imperial Hotels.

These include Teddy and Cathal Barry, Outa Diesel, Blue Ridge Country, the Moynihan Brothers, Michael Sexton, Pat Dowling and the Lisdoonvarna Showband.

The popular tea dances at the historic Spa Wells are back again this year between 12-2pm with Larry McEvoy and his band.

Now over 160 years old, the Lisdoonvarna matchmaking festival is one of Ireland’s oldest festivals and takes place over a five week period. It attracts over 80,000 people from all over the world who come for the music, the dancing and to meet third generation matchmaker Willie Daly.

“It’s a unique festival not only in Ireland but internationally, as people are still in-

trigued by the ancient tradition of matchmaking, in a world where online dating has become so popular.” Mr White added.

The Lisdoonvarna matchmaking festival kicks off on the August 30 and runs for five weeks until the September 29.

For more information on the festival go to www.matchmakerireland.com and to buy tickets go to www.ticketmaster.ie

Mountshannon Arts Festival to host two concerts

T

HE first concert is the Young Artists, Irish Isle Concert Tour. It takes place this Thursday, August 22 at 8pm in Under the Oak Café, Mountshannon. Coffee and tea are available in the Café, you are welcome to bring your own bottle of wine for which

Young Artists duo Tomohiko (Tomo) Kimura Boglarka (Bogi) Gyorgy

there is a €5 corkage fee.

The concert is performed by a young violin duo. Tomohiko (Tomo) Kimura was born in Japan and grew up in the Camphill Communities. He graduated from Trinity Laban Conservatoire and recently completed his Master’s degree at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. He is a keen chamber musician and played at ProCorda and NYO where he had an opportunity to play with the late Sir Neville Marriner.

Boglarka (Bogi) Gyorgy was born in Hungary and graduated from Liszt Academy with the highest honours. She is currently in Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and has been awarded several prizes at international competitions. Her violin is by Cuypers, from 1797, kindly on loan by the Harrison-Frank Family Foundation.

Tickets are €10. There is limited space available, so it is advisable to book via Ticket Tail o r : w w w. m o u n t s h a n n o n a r t s . n e t / t i c k e t s . h t m l .

On Wednesday, August 28, Eimear Crehan will be playing in Anitas.

Eimear Crehan is a singer-songwriter based in Kildare.

She released her first solo album in late 2018 and has really being enjoying touring this work. Before releasing her solo album Eimear fronted Irish award-winning band Fox.E and the Good Hands for 8 years and in that time played everywhere from Oxygen to Electric Picnic and every festival in-between, as well as touring the pub scene and the original music scene.

Tickets cost €10 and can be booked via www. mountshannonarts.net/ tickets.html.

Singer & Songwriter Eimear Crehan

Top 5 tips to make the school return stress free

2

1

Make time to prepare your meals

3

Implement your morning routine a few weeks in advance

Hard to think that September is close again and it’s time for the kids to go back to school and the students to go off to college.

The craziness of picking the right school bag, getting the right books, locating your school tie planning the return to school can feel like a hectic task.

What is the best way for everything to run smoothly? We have put together 5 tips to help parents make this possible.

Get organised together

Help the kids to do a big tidy of their room before they go back to school. Involve them in any organising that has to be done. Mostly by the end of the holidays they are ready to go back and are looking

One thing my mother advised was to start getting the bedtimes and getting up time back to normal gradually over the two/ three weeks

Do a big food shop the week before they go back and make up some dinners for the freezer like chilli and bolognese as the first few weeks can be hectic. Also, don’t freak out if they are up very late during the first week. After a few late nights and early mornings and lots of learning, they will be back to normal in no time!

4

Set a date to have everything ready by

Pretend they are going back to school two weeks before they are and plan to be ready on that date. Every year, order their uniform and books as soon as they get holidays and then forget about them.

Collect them well in advance of school opening, otherwise there are always bits of uniform that are out of stock and books that have to be waited for.

Adult Education Courses

before they go back to school. Otherwise they really crash in the first few weeks back – and it’s good for the parents too!

forward to a new start and seeing all of their friends again.

Encourage this positive attitude!

Get a wall calendar to write up all school and after school events and put it up where everyone can see it and use it.

5 St Joseph’s

Ease in to the return

The first week or so will be tiring and challenging. This will inevitably lead to mood swings when they arrive home. Resist the temptation to ask 20 questions and let them unwind – all will slowly be revealed in time. Also, take time to read the Clare school journal – everything you need to Part-Time Courses for Adults in Co.

know about the school should be in there.

Secondary School

Introductory and Certified

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St Joseph’s Part-Time Courses for Adults in Co. ClareSecondary School, Spanish Point, Co. Clare Introductory and CertifiedT: 065 7084311 E: admin@stjosephsspanishpoint.com Communications

Work Experience

Approaches To Early Childhood Education • History School Age Childcare • Geography Understanding Special Needs

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MANDATORY COMPONENTS: OPTIONAL COMPONENTS: • Information Technology

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10

Note: Special Needs is delivered as an individual component at both level 5 and level 6.

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More Students under financial pressure

N

EW, national ILCU research shows that more students are under financial pressure. A quarter (24%) say finance/debt is their biggest worry. Almost three quarters (74%) say they have to work during the college term to cope with costs.

The survey was carried out by iReach Insights in April 2019. 445 third level students were surveyed.

Under Pressure to Work

The numbers saying they are skipping lectures in favour of earning money has risen substantially. 55% say they are missing their lectures in favour of paid work, up significantly on 22% in 2017. Six in ten say having to work has a negative impact on their studies during busier college times.

Of the three quarters saying they have to work to cope with costs, seven in ten are working part-time. 14% work full-time and 15% work ad-hoc hours. On average, students are working almost 15 hours a week (14.8 hours) and earning just over €10 an hour (€10.14).

Commenting on these findings, ILCU Head of Communications, Paul Bailey, said: “The realities of the impact of financial pressure on our third level students is apparent in this survey. It’s of concern to see that finance and debt is such a significant worry

for so many students. At a time when they should be focusing on their education, it’s worrying to see that greater numbers are skipping lectures and sacrificing time spent on their education in order to earn some extra money.”

Mr Bailey continued “We know that some banks will entice students with freebies around this time to encourage them to become customers. However, banks won’t be there to provide one-to-one budgeting guidance should a student need it. They won’t be a friendly shoulder to lean on when the financial realities of third level hit - like your local credit union will. And should a student need to borrow to help them through college, the banks will not offer the same flexible repayment options as a credit union. Not to mention the not-for-profit and community ethos of credit unions which we know is of huge importance to students but which sadly is not so important to the banks.”

Third Level Costs

Students say their biggest monthly expense is, unsurprisingly, rent at an average of €318 a month. This is followed by food at €116. Students are spending €88 each month on travel costs and €74 on utility bills.

In the main, students will cut spending on social life (40%) and buying clothes (18%) to cope with costs. However, worryingly, 15%

will cut down on buying food and 11% say medical check-ups will get the cut.

Financial Struggle

The majority of students (58%) say that financial or debt-related worries are having a negative impact on their experience at third level. Of these students, four in ten say they split their time between paid work and lectures and have no time for anything else.

22% say they have no money to do anything outside attending lectures. 18% say financial worries are a significant source of stress and are impacting on their mental health.

Looking at all students in the survey, well over two thirds (69%) say they struggle financially during the college term. Of these, more than a quarter (27%) say they find the costs a significant financial burden and struggle throughout the term. 42% say it is difficult financially, but they manage to get by.

The majority of those saying they find it difficult to manage would turn to parents or family for help if they were in real need of financial assistance (49%). 22% say they would turn to their local credit union. 12% said they would turn to their bank, with just 6% saying they would go to their third level institution or student’s union.

Over a third of all students surveyed (34%) said they expect that their third level education costs will leave them and/or

their family in debt after graduation.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of students are in favour of abolishing third level fees (43%) and returning to state funded education. However, over a quarter (26%) say fees should be covered by the student and/ or their families, but with a reduction in the current fees.

The majority of students (42%) rely on parents and family to fund their third level education. 29% rely on the government grant and 13% on paid employment. Just 6% can fund their education from their savings.

Just over half of students say they receive a monthly allowance from their parents or family to help cover costs they incur. On average, they receive €202 per month. Almost half however (45%) say this is insufficient to cover their costs. Of those saying it’s not enough, a quarter say they would never ask for more money (26%). 19% however say they constantly have to ask for more money.

Back to school clothing and footwear allowance T HE Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BTSCFA) helps you meet the cost of uniforms and footwear for children going to school.

The 2019 scheme opened on 1 June 2019. However, application forms were available from 24 June 2019.

The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection pays the BTSCFA automatically to many families. This means that they do not have to apply for the payment. If you qualify automatically, you will receive your payment the week beginning 8 July 2019.

You will need to apply to the Department if you have not received a payment notification letter by the end of June 2019 - see ‘How to apply’ below.

The Department expects some 150,000 payments for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance to be made this Summer.

Most payments will happen automatically and will have been paid the week commencing 8th July.

If you have not received notification of an automated payment by the end of June you will need to submit an application, even if you received the payment last year.

You may qualify for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance if you are: • Getting a social welfare payment (including Working Family Payment and Back to Work Family Dividend) or a Health Service Executive payment, or • Taking part in an approved employment scheme (back to work scheme) or • Taking part in a recognised education or training course, or • Getting a Daily Expenses Allowance (formerly called Direct Provision Allowance) for a child in education (or for yourself if you are 18-22 and returning to full-time second-level education), or • Involved in an Area Partnership Scheme, or • Attending a FET (formerly Fás) or Fáilte Ireland training course Your child must be aged between 4-17 on or before 30 September 2019, which is also the closing date for applications. If they are aged between 18-22 they must be returning to full-time second-level education in a recognised school or college in the autumn of 2019.

In general, you must be getting an Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC) with

your payment. There are some exceptions to this. For example, you may be getting a qualifying payment but you are not getting an increase for your child (because the rules of the scheme do not provide for a child payment) – Maternity Benefit or Adoptive Benefit are examples. In such cases you can still claim BSCFA if you satisfy the other criteria. In other cases an IQC is not paid because the income of your spouse or partner is over the specified limits but if your overall household income is within the limits specified below you may qualify. You cannot claim BSCFA for a child who is not resident in the State. Foster children are not eligible for the BSCFA because the financial support parents get from Tusla - the Child and Family Agency (Foster Care Allowance) includes help with the cost of clothing and footwear for the child.

Note that if you have applied for a social welfare payment, or have appealed a decision not to award you a social welfare payment and are waiting for a decision on your application, you should apply for the BSCFA before the scheme closes. Your entitlement will be established when you get a decision on your application or appeal.

You can apply for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance online on www.

mywelfare.ie.

Back to School costs highlighted

by Shannon Sinn Féin

S

HANNON Sinn Féin highlighted the cost for families of Backto-school costs by distributing leaflets at Skycourt Shopping Centre on Saturday morning. (photo attached) “Following a survey by the children’s charity Barnardos which found that parents are ‘stressed out, overburdened and fed-up, by the high cost of sending children back to school. Also findind that almost half of parents do not pay bills or cut back on other things to meet back to school costs.”

“Shannon Sinn Féin joined a state-

wide Saturday action morning speaking to local shoppers at Skycourt Shopping Centre.”

“Barnardos have reported that many households struggle with Back to School costs. All of this financial worry is why a new ‘Back to School Bonus’ of €140 should be paid to all families.”

“This would be a double payment of Child Benefit to be paid for each child in July, which would go some way to tackling Back to School costs every August.”

“Parents have had enough of shouldering education.”

l COSTLY: Peter Flannigan, Colum, Donna McGettigan and Hanah McMahon

24 COMMUNITY

Community NORTH CLARE

EAST CLARE CLARE MACRA YFDG FARM WALK Wednesday August 28, at 7:30pm at Clune’s Dairy Farm, Newgrove, Tulla, Co. Clare, V95 H761 Munster Grassland Farmer of the Year winner 2017 will be the guest speaker from Teagasc.

Check out Clare Macra social media accounts for full details.

All welcome.

MACRA AT KILMURRY HARVEST FESTIVAL Sixmilebridge Kilmurry Macra are so excited to take part in the Kilmurry Harvest Festival Field Day on Sunday, August 25. Make sure to call over to our stand and try to guess how many balloons are in the tractor or have a go at our wellies throwing competition!

Contact 086-8779329 for more information.

WEST CLARE TRADITIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL The Crotty Galvin Traditional Music Festival 2019 will take place from August 23 to 25 in Moyasta, with official opening on Friday night at 9.30pm by Murt Collins. Free music and dance classes on Saturday for all ages. There will be a Ceile on Sunday evening with the Shandrum Ceili Band.

For more info visit nellgalvin.ie HERITAGE WEEK Kilrush & District Historical Society are celebrating the Pastimes of our Past Times. We will have an exhibition of memorabilia from the many clubs nd societies of Kilrush on Sunday August 25 at the Teach Cheoil from 4pm to 7pm. If you have photos, posters, trophies or any memorabilia from your club, call Lisa O’Sullivan 087 2940985 or Paul Gleeson 087 6831587.

CONTACT NEWSDESK

065 671 9021 news@clareecho.ie

l TAKING IT ALL IN: Jim Hogan and Brian Lynch enjoy the All-Ireland celebrations in Tulla Photo by John Mangan

BURREN COLLEGE OF ART EXHIBITION Burren College of Art is pleased to host “The Consequence of Memory and Pulse”, a collaborative exhibition by Irish artists: Sean Cotter, Gary Robinson and Thomas Brezing. This exhibition is a continuation of an earlier group show, “Memory Has A Pulse” which was shown in Gallery 126 and the Galway Arts Festival in 2017. One of the aims of the current exhibition is to contribute to the current conversation around the Anthropocene and geological time.

The exhibition will be opened by Irish artist, Shane Cullen, at the reception on September 12, from 6pm to 8pm.

The three artists felt they hadn’t fully exhausted the different concepts and themes in 2017 and decided to revisit and develop the ideas further into a new body of work, without losing connectivity to the previous work. One share element of the exhibition was the burial and retrieval of work (paintings, sculptures, memorabilia, and bricolage) in soil/ earth, the ‘giving up’ and surrendering of work; and the handing over to the Earth’s digestive system. The objects change when exposed to the elements, and they change when they are buried, through the properties of the soil. The soil keeps the memory and transforms what it’s been given.

The artists will take the work that has been ‘digested’ in the Earth and use it to inform and contribute to the wider discussion on memory of place and person and its malleability.

The Consequence of Memory and Pulse will run from September 12 – October 18, 2019 at the Burren College of Art, Ballyvaughan. Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:30am – 5:00pm.

Please note: The Gallery will be closed for a private event for the dates of September 19 and 20, and will reopen the following Monday, September 23.

DEMENTIA SUPPORT GROUP FOR CARERS Dementia Support Group for carers takes place Wednesday 4th September at 7pm in the Stella Maris Lisdoonvarna. If you are caring for someone with Alzheimers / Dementia this is an opportunity to meet with others also caring for a loved one. We will have someone from the Alzheimers Society to offer advice and support please drop in for a chat and a cuppa. For further information please contact Fiona 0868347195 or Paula 0876184985.

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

EAST/SOUTHEAST CLARE BRIGIT’S HEARTH CHARITY CONCERT Brigit's Hearth will hold a charity concert in aid of their intergenerational garden on Friday, August 30. Featuring Martin Hayes and Steve Cooney, the concert will be held in St Joseph’s Church, Tuamgraney.

Brigit’s Hearth are in the process of developing an Intergenerational Garden, so that the older people from the Raheen Hospital and in the locality can come and sit in nature and watch the younger children play at their feet. This is nourishing to both groups.

We are now beginning to build a pavilion, where the older people can shelter from the wind and rain, while enjoying the outdoors. Tickets available from Banes in Scariff, Brigit's Hearth and online at: www.intergenerationalgarden.eventbrite.ie.

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2018

CÚL CAMPS PHOTOS ACROSS THE COUNTY

CÚL CAMPS 25 CONTACT NEWSDESK

l SUMMER FUN: Attending Kellog’s Cúl Camps across the county last week were (clockwise from top left); Amber Alaovi and Raomaid O’Driscoll all smiles at the Broadford Kelloggs Cúl Camp; Diarmuid Boyce, Rian O’Connor, Evan Murphy and AJ Grogan together at the Newmarket-on-Fergus Kelloggs Cúl Camp; Kaitlyn McGowan takes a seat at the Sixmilebridge Kelloggs Cúl Camp; Ben Gibbons in full flight at the Ogonnelloe Kelloggs Cúl Camp; Jack Willis, Robert O’Hara and Matthew Minihan ready for battle at the Sixmilebridge Kelloggs Cúl Camp; Ellen O’Brien on the run at the Broadford Kelloggs Cúl Camp; Laura Danaher keeps all eyes on the incoming sliotar at the Photos: Páraic McMahon Ogonnelloe Kelloggs Cúl Camp.

26 HISTORY

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

Miriam O’Donohoe Join Miriam on her history tours to hidden locations of Clare

‘I recall my father’s anxiety to get the hay to be ready for the Galway Races’

H

I ALL,

I cant believe its the 22nd of August already, hasn’t the summer just flown. A few weeks ago while out shopping, I bumped into my cousin John. Knowing his love of nature, I took the opportunity of asking if he would like to join me in a magical walk through the Burren limestone pavements of Lough Avalla organic farm in Kilnaboy (R 476/L 1112).

“Well, you’d better make it soon because I’ll be starting the hay next week and I’ll be fit to pull my hair out,” came the reply.

A lovely elderly man at the counter overheard the conversation and said, “My dear young man, with all the modern mechanizations ye have nowadays I fail to see why you should be so troubled. I remember when I was a young lad back in the late ‘50s, my father used to cut hay using a scythe. He would start preparing in February where one or two of the best fields were fenced off and later spread with farmyard manure - he also referred to it as top dressing.

“I remember there would usually be an accumulation of this along side the cow house, therefore once a year with use of a pitch fork we would load it on to a horse drawn cart, bring it to the chosen fields and spread it evenly until the whole meadow was covered in dung. The horse was essential in small farms like ours in those days as we possessed very little in the way of farm machinery. We had great summers those years as the weather was a lot more predictable than it is today, you’d usually be guaranteed at least three months of scorching weather, therefore the best time to cut the hay was June when the grass would start to flower and the meadows had turned from green to golden yellow.

“Once it was tall enough he would cut it with the scythe [a long steel blade with a long handle]. Oh, the scythe was regarded by all farmers as a very important agricultural tool back then, as saving the hay was one of the most important jobs because the quality of the hay determined the health and value of the farmers lifestock, it was a slow process as he would have to stop every so often to sharpen the blade using a special stone called a strickle. He would be lucky if he cut an acre per day with possibly the only company being that of his faithful friend Blackie the dog, and perhaps the distinctive call of the Corncrake [laborious yet peaceful].

“Ah shure, we didn’t need much back then, we were what you’d call small landowners.

When the hay was cut in neat rows called windrows, it would be left for a few hours before turning with a two prong hay fork so as to let it dry on the other side. That’s when the help was needed. Everybody was called on, we as children often getting in the way, nevertheless doing our bit. The neighbours were great, and when it was their turn, we would go to them. There was never a mention of money, just a cup of tea and a bit of brack.

“I recall the aroma of the freshly cut hay and how its aromatic scent flavoured the tea, the likes of it you wouldn’t get anywhere else, and if we were lucky perhaps a few bottles of stout.

“It was then shook out and made into hay stacks which resembled small conical piles, sometimes measure 7/8 foot high. They were dotted around the field like little monuments of our distant past. I remember the haycocks/trams being left for another few weeks to fully dry out. When fully dry, they would

be brought home by horse and cart to the shelter of the haggard [small field], beside the house which would have been a traditional storing place for winter fodder. Here lay a circular foundation of stones on which bushes were laid so as to stop dampness from coming up and rotting the hay. The hay from the trams would then be placed in a circular fashion, layer after layer as the men on the ground pitched hay up to the men at the top and when it got to a certain height a ladder was provided. Then the hayrick was completed, the sides were tidied up with the rake and the loose bits used on top.

“Finally the rick was covered using Tarpaulin/straw to keep out the rain, and secured from the wind by a twisted hayrope [a rope formed from tightly twisted hay] from which stones were suspended so as to weigh it down. I recall my father’s anxiety to get the hay in as quickly as possible so as to be ready for the Galway races (even at that time it was like an annual pilgrimage).”

The physicality of what they had to endure in those days in comparison to now was astounding. “Sure with all the labour saving technology ye have now a days the whole process only takes about three days, if that at all. I do miss seeing the trams dotted around the fields though as they recalled a brief history of simpler times. Well, I wont delay ye any more now, thanks for the chat and I’ll see ye next time.”

What a lovely man, and so informative. They sure were hard times but by all accounts, happy ones too. What lovely unforgettable memories he captured. Unfortunately time caught up with both John and myself, so there we had to leave it. Until next time folks, bye for now.

Until then so , bye for now. PS. As with all historical sites, take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footsteps.

Treacy Photography Scarriff, Co. Clare

Now taking Bookings for the New Season • Weddings

• Baptisms

• First Holy Communions

• Schools • Groups • Confirmations • Events • Graduations

• Debs Balls

• Sporting Groups

• Dog and Animal Shows

• Family Photos

• Religious / Pilgrimages

Email jamestreacyphotography@gmail.com

www.jamestreacyphotography.ie

Phone 061921470 | Mobile: 0860572216

BUSINESS 27

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

BUSINESS

CONTACT US WE’RE ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM #CE

ACORNS programme is ‘a great way of learning from others’

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LARE’S female entrepreneurs are urging women with new businesses and well-developed ideas to join ACORNS 5.

ACORNS aspires to support female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland who wish to start a new business, as well as those who have recently done so.

Female entrepreneurs from the county who previously participated on the programme have encouraged fellow business owners to apply before the September 20 deadline.

Caitriona Considine of Moher Cottage, Western Herd Brewing Company’s Maeve Sheridan, I-Spy Clothing’s Louise Egan and Catherine O’Brien of ODODO have all received invaluable support from the programme.

Caitriona described the programme as an “invaluable opportunity for me to meet and now work with amazing talented ladies who continue to inspire and motivate leading to an acceleration of the development of my business”.

“I honestly could not praise it enough. I feel like I have gained not only a support network but a group of friends that I can rely on and gain priceless business advice from,” Louise stated.

Reflecting on her experience, Maeve commented that it was “a great way of learning from others’, meeting like-minded people and supporting each other through setting up a successful business”.

The call for applications follows the launch

l LUSH: ODODO entrepreneur Catherine O’Brien

of the programme by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD. ACORNS is funded under the Department’s Rural Innovation and Development Fund.

Over 200 female entrepreneurs have taken part in ACORNS to date and 50 new participants are being sought for ACORNS 5. The programme will run over six months from

October 2019 to April 2020.

Any woman with a new business based in rural Ireland — or an idea for a new venture they want to get off the ground — can get more information at www.acorns.ie.

ACORNS is based on peer support and collaborative learning. Each participant will have the opportunity to learn from successful female entrepreneurs. Acting in a volun-

tary capacity, these Lead Entrepreneurs will share their insights and experience with the group and help the participants to address the issues and challenges they face in progressing their businesses. They also act as role models, illustrating by their actions that it is possible to start and grow a successful business in rural Ireland.

This year, the Lead Entrepreneurs are: Alison Ritchie, Polar Ice, Laois; Anne Cusack, Critical Healthcare, Westmeath; Anne Reilly, Paycheck Plus, Louth; Caroline McEnery, The HR Suite, Kerry; Deirdre McGlone, formerly Harvey’s Point Hotel, Donegal; Eimer Hannon, Eimer Hannon Travel, Meath; Mary B. Walsh, Ire Wel Pallets, Wexford; Triona MacGiolla Rí, Aró Digital Strategies, Galway.

In addition, Monica Flood, formerly Olas IT – a Going for Growth Lead Entrepreneur – will facilitate an ACORNS Plus round table for previous participants, who are committed to growing their businesses.

Many past participants of ACORNS report increased exports and job creation. Progress made by the 46 participants that completed ACORNS 4, which ran from October 2018 to April 2019, demonstrates these encouraging outcomes with a combined turnover of €2.3m – an increase of 43 per cent over the six-month programme cycle.

Over 80 per cent said ACORNS brought about practical change within their business; 95 per cent felt nearer to achieving their ambitions and 100 per cent would recommend participating in ACORNS to others.

AIB app data shows Clare people are most charitable nationwide RESEARCH conducted by AIB into how customers use their mobile banking app has revealed that Clare residents are more charitable than any other county in Ireland.

The average banner inhabitant spends €6.64 per month on charity, compared to the next highest county, with Dublin spending €4.32 on good causes.

Our charity spend is twice as high as the national average, which stands at €3.44 per month.

Groceries cost Clare people an average of €236.12 per month, while we spend €87.79 a month on clothes, €76.99 on dining out and €9.14 on memberships and subscriptions.

The national AIB Data reveals that almost every €1 of €5 is spent online versus in-store.

Data reveals that Irish people spend on average €91 a month dining out, with men spending more (€103) than women (€79).

AIB has announced that over one million users across Ireland are now using the AIB Mobile App, making it the number one Irish banking app – further solidifying AIB’s position as Ireland’s most digitally enabled bank. In 2018 alone there were over 325 million customer interactions on the AIB Mobile App, with customers using the app 36 times a month on average.

Robert Mulhall, Managing Director

of Consumer Banking at AIB said “AIB has over 1.4 million digital customers who conduct their daily banking needs online. We are delighted to announce that over one million of these customers are now using the AIB Mobile App, making it the number one Irish mobile banking app.”

Almost half a million people who use the AIB Mobile App log in to their account every day, spending on average 47 seconds on the app. Almost quarter of a million people log in once every three days and c. 150,000 people log in once a week. Those between the ages of 30-34 are more likely to login to the app while those under the age of 18 are less likely to check their app.

Colin Hunt, Chief Executive Officer of AIB said: “AIB has proven itself once again as Ireland’s most digitally enabled bank by reaching this significant milestone. We continue to listen to our customers and introduce new and innovative features to make their mobile banking experience as simple and efficient as possible – giving them the power to carry out their day-to-day banking needs in the palm of their hand.”

PROPERTY

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

OPEN VIEWING SATURDAY 24TH AUGUST 11.45AM -12.15PM

6 WOODHAVEN DRIVE, €280,000 ENNIS, CO. CLARE

W

OODHAVEN Drive is a mature, quiet, popular estate located within minutes walk of Ennis town centre, the new Ennis National School and the by-pass interchange on the Kilrush Road, making access to Ennis, Limerick and Galway effortless.

No 6 is very well located in a quiet cul de sac, overlooking a large open green area to the front of the development. This bright home has been recently renovated and offers bright spacious, family accommodation including an addition family room / study (with en-suite) on the ground floor.

The property is finished to a very high standard throughout. Cut Roof to allow for possible future conversion. Viewing of this fine home is highly recommended Contact: Helen Gallery, 68 Parnell Street, Ennis.

Tel: 065 6829481 & 086 250 4671 PSL 00243

OPEN VIEWING SATURDAY 24TH AUGUST 11.00-11.30AM

8 COLLEGE PARK, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

C

€180,000

OLLEGE Park is exceptionally well located in a mature area in a quiet cul de sac with a large open green area in Tobarteascain. The property is within minute’s walk of the centre of Ennis town and close to St Flannan’s College, The Holy Family National School, St Peter & Paul’s Cathedral, The Old Ground Hotel, shops and all other amenities afforded by the town. The development is within minute’s drive of the M17 & M18 with easy access to Limerick, Shannon and Galway. No. 8 is a bright, spacious, three bedroomed, family home overlooking the large open green area to the front offering excellent accommodation. Finishes include modern fitted kitchen and utility, tiled bathroom, timber flooring in living areas, tiled hallway, kitchen and utility and double glazed woodgrain windows.

The property also has a garage and a private rear garden. Heating is from an external oil fired central heating system and secondary heating from a fireplace in the dining area.

Contact: Helen Gallery, 68 Parnell Street, Ennis.

Tel: 065 6829481 & 086 250 4671 PSL 00243

€450,000

29

MOTORING

MOTORING EXPERT NEIL BRISCOE GIVES HIS VIEWS

STILL MAD AFTER ALL THESE YEARS… IT MAY BE TURNING 60, BUT THE MINI STILL SEEMS PRETTY YOUTHFUL TO US…

H

MINI COOPER S 60 YEAR EDITION

OW do you re-invent an icon?

And not just any icon, but one of the most influential cars of all time, a car once voted the ‘Most Important Car Of The 20th Century.’ A car that’s been owned by everyone from penurious teenagers to grannies and grandads, from football legends to Beatles. Even Enzo Ferrari had one…

Yes, the Mini has done all that and more in the 60 years since its creation. Back in 1959, Britain was creaking under the weight of increased oil prices in the wake of the disastrous Suez crisis (hmmm… financial struggle brought on by self-inflicted political crisis? Things have really changed in six decades, haven’t they?). That meant increasing custom for titchy little ‘bubble cars’ — primarily the BMW-built Isetta and the tandem two-seat Messerschmitt. That didn’t sit at all well with Lord Nuffield, and he was a man who could do something about it — after all, he was the head of the British Motor Corporation, or BMC, and owned brands such as Austin, Morris, Riley, and Wolseley.

Nuffield tasked his chief engineer, Greekborn Alec Issigonis, the man behind the original Morris Minor, to make something that would fit four people and luggage, but be frugal enough to “drive those damned bubble cars off the road…” And the rest, as they say…

The original Mini was an instant hit, a superstar as comfortable on a city-centre shopping expedition as it was on a race track, a rally stage, or on a cinema screen next to Michael Caine. What it wasn’t was profitable. Issigonis’ design had been so far ahead of its time, and so complex compared to rivals, that BMC lost money on every one it sold. That would continue for decades until, in the nineties, BMW bought up Rover

Group (what was left of BMC following its disastrous merger with Rover and Triumph to form British Leyland in 1958) and decided that what the world needed was a new Mini. Re-invented in 2001, the BMW-era Mini has been a roaring success, and in spite of the retro styling, the happy-looking little car has hardly looked back.

Well, there is some looking back now.

You would, wouldn’t you, if you were celebrating 60 years, a mark that few cars ever get to reach. The Mini has changed twice again since that 2001 re-invention, but the recipe has stayed mostly the same. It’s essentially now a small BMW coupe, with a modicum of practicality, and the emphasis firmly on driving fun.

Here to slice some birthday cake is this, the Mini Cooper S 60 Years Edition, a 500off special edition which gets the most gorgeous shade of metallic ‘British Racing Green’ paint you’ll ever see. It also gets a contrast black roof, and black bonnet stripes (which are themselves a throwback to the Cooper Formula One cars of the 1960s, which of course is where the whole Cooper thing got started — team manager John Cooper being among the first to discern the Mini’s potential as a performance car).

Inside, you’ll find gorgeous brown leather seats, an eight-inch touchscreen sat-nav system mounted, somewhat incongruously, in the big round opening where old Minis had their speedos, a seven-speed automatic gearbox, and split-zone climate control. Being based on the standard Cooper S model, you get a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 192hp, and a sporty exhaust note that makes all the right farting noises when you accelerate.

You don’t get a huge amount of space, of course. Front seat occupants will be fine, but those in the back will either need to ask those in front to scooch up a bit, or suffer extreme cramp in their lower extremities. The boot’s pretty small too, but

I guess modern Mini customers have become used to that at least.

They may not be quite so used to the price which — brace yourself — stands at €41,995. That’s a heck of a lot of money for a Mini, even one as special to look at as this, and it’s actually pricier than the standard John Cooper Works model which has 230hp and a sharper chassis. The good news, of course, is that a standard Cooper S costs a much more reasonable €32,000 and is every bit as good to drive as this 60 Years car.

By which we mean hugely, abidingly, wonderfully good to drive. Even with competition such as the Ford Fiesta ST and VW Polo GTI, there’s little out there to touch a Mini Cooper S for proper driving fun when the road gets twisty. The steering is so sharp and responsive, and if the chassis can be a little bouncy at times (and it’s noisy on a longer drive) then the upside is a tremendous feeling of agility and, yes, personality.

It may be 60 years old now, but the Mini still feels fresh, frisky, and fun. Happy birthday, old chum.

FACTS & FIGURES Model tested: Mini Cooper S 60 Year Edition Pricing: €41,995 as tested; Mini starts at €21,629 Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol Transmission: seven-speed automatic, front-wheel drive Body style: three-door hatchback CO2 emissions: 127g/km (Band B1 €270 per annum) Combined economy: 43.5mpg (6.4 litres/100km) Top speed: 235km/h 0-100km/h: 6.7 seconds Power: 192hp at 4,700rpm Torque: 280Nm at 1,250-4,000rpm Boot space: 211 litres Safety: Euro NCAP rating for Mini: Four-stars: 79 per cent adult; 73 per cent child; 66 per cent pedestrian; 56 per cent safety assist

MOTORING

MOTORING EXPERT NEIL BRISCOE GIVES HIS VIEWS

FORD BRINGS BACK THE PUMA AS AN SUV

F

NEW COMPACT MODEL BOAST CUTE STYLING AND MASSIVE BOOT

ORD has unveiled the new Ford Puma – an SUV-inspired compact crossover that fuses stunning exterior design, best-in-class uncompromised load space, and sophisticated mild-hybrid powertrain technology.

The new Ford Puma introduces a new chapter in Ford’s design identity with charismatic styling cues including distinctive wing-top mounted headlamps and athletic, aerodynamic lines. Compact crossover proportions deliver a raised ride-height for a confidence-enhancing driving experience, and support class-leading uncompromised luggage capacity of 456-litres.

Powerful, responsive performance and optimised fuel efficiency is delivered for Puma customers using Ford’s EcoBoost Hybrid 48-volt technology. The mild-hybrid powertrain seamlessly integrates electric torque assistance with a low-friction, three-cylinder 1.0 litre EcoBoost petrol engine to deliver up to 155hp.

“Our customers told us they want a compact vehicle with stand-out looks that also delivers solutions for everyday living. The

result is our new Ford Puma – charismatic, practical and offering technologies from massage seats to mild-hybrid powertrains,” said Stuart Rowley, president, Ford of Europe.

The new Puma joins Ford’s expanding line-up of SUV and SUV-inspired crossover models in Europe, including the Fiesta Active, Focus Active, EcoSport, Kuga, Edge, and the all-new Explorer Plug-In Hybrid.

SUVs now account for more than one in five Ford vehicles sold in Europe, and sales rose more than 19 per cent in 2018.

“From day one we envisioned a vehicle in this segment that was immediately recognisable – and as a result we’ve created a compact crossover unlike anything we’ve ever produced before,” said George Saridakis, director, Interior and Exterior Design, Ford of Europe. “This stunning new look represents the next chapter in Ford’s design identity, while the overarching concept of ‘sexy sanctuary’ employs ingenious and elegant engineering solutions that – in combination with the highly expressive exterior – will delight and surprise customers, fulfilling

their distinct needs and desires.”

Developed to meet and exceed customer requirements for practical luggage space, the Ford MegaBox provides a deep, versatile storage space that is capable of comfortably accommodating two golf bags in an upright position.

The storage solution offers a capacity of 80 litres in a space 763 mm wide, 752 mm long and 305 mm deep, which can house unstable items up to approximately 115 cm tall – such as houseplants – in an upright position. Alternatively, with the lid down, the space can be used to conceal dirty sports equipment or muddy Wellington boots. The Ford MegaBox’s synthetic lining and drain plug in the bottom makes it easy to clean with water.

Puma customers will be among the first to benefit from Ford’s sophisticated mild-hybrid architecture – tailored to enhance fuel efficiency while complementing Ford’s fun to drive experience with more powerful and responsive performance.

EcoBoost Hybrid technology enhances Puma’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine with

an 11.5 kW belt-driven integrated starter/ generator (BISG). Replacing the standard alternator, the BISG enables recovery and storage of energy usually lost during braking and coasting to charge a 48 volt lithium-ion air-cooled battery pack.

The BISG also acts as a motor, seamlessly integrating with the low-friction, three-cylinder engine and using the stored energy to provide torque assistance during normal driving and acceleration, as well as running the vehicle’s electrical ancillaries.

Offered in 125 PS and 155 PS variants, the intelligent, self-regulating mild-hybrid system continuously monitors how the vehicle is being used to determine when and how intensively to charge the battery for optimal benefit. It also uses ‘Torque Substitution,’ which deploys the electric motor functionality of the BISG to provide up to 50Nm of torque – reducing the amount of work required from the petrol engine for a fuel efficiency improvement of up to nine per cent, based on WLTP analysis.

MOTORING

MOTORING EXPERT NEIL BRISCOE GIVES HIS VIEWS

KIA REVEALS XCEED CROSSOVER HATCHBACK

K

IA Motors has released the image of the new Kia XCeed urban crossover, revealed in late June 2019. Stylish, expressive and modern in design, the new crossover utility vehicle (CUV) represents a sporty alternative to traditional larger SUVs. The swept-back, coupé-like appearance of the new Kia XCeed is a product of the brand’s European design centre in Frankfurt, Germany, designed under the direction of Gregory Guillaume, Vice President of Design for Kia Motors Europe. The combination of its elevated ride height and lower hip point give the car a sportier driving position than a traditional SUV. Its raised driving position offers a clearer view of the road ahead than a conventional family hatchback.

More emotional and dynamic in format

CEED-BASED CROSSOVER WILL RIVAL THE FOCUS ACTIVE

and design than its taller rivals, the new Kia XCeed will nevertheless offer comparable levels of interior space and luggage capacity to Europe’s best-selling SUVs. Emilio Herrera, Chief Operating Officer at Kia Motors Europe, comments: “The sporty design and demeanour of the new Kia XCeed CUV makes it more innately desirable than many taller, larger SUVs. Yet it offers this without compromising on versatility, with its intelligent packaging achieving the cabin and storage space of an SUV in a sportier body and more compact footprint.”

The new Kia XCeed has been revealed since the 26th of June and will go on sale in Ireland in October.

MAZDA’S 2019 HATCHBACK STARTS FROM €26,295

T

HE first of the next-generation Mazda range, All-New Mazda3, has reached Irish shores reflecting the Japanese firm’s very latest in Mazda’s engineering, design and manufacturing.

Unveiled globally late 2018 at the L.A. Motor Show, the completely redesigned and re-engineered All-New Mazda3 can now be experienced by Irish motorists.

Prices start from €26,295.

All-New Mazda3 has already been awarded the prestigious Red Dot Design Award for the evolved Kodo – ‘Soul of Motion’ inspired design. The hatchback’s exterior styling adopts a more mature interpretation of Kodo design to deliver a sporty and emotional form that exemplifies Mazda’s artful design and clean Japanese aesthetics. The first production car to embody this evolution of Kodo, the elimination of unnecessary character lines means the design relies instead on beautifully curved body panels that reflect the surrounding environment, while the dark metallic colouring and bold contouring of the signature wing and grille distinguish it from the forthcoming saloon model.

The advancements of Skyactiv Technology now empower the next-generation to be more efficient than ever while deepening the fun-to-drive DNA ingrained in every Mazda. All-New Mazda3 now boasts Mild Hybrid tech as standard in all petrol engines and cylinder-deactivation in the 2.0 petrol engine raising fuel economy and driving pleasure. Entry level models receive an extensive list of specification as standard. One such item is the windscreen

projected Head up Display which projects driver information directly onto the windscreen in the drivers line of sight.

All-New Mazda3 will be the first in the segment to provide this feature as standard as it caters to the human centric design philosophy to deliver the feeling of Jinba Ittai, or connection between car and driver that is unique to Mazda.

The arrival of All-New Mazda3 marks the beginning of an exciting time for the brand. 2019 will also see the launch of additional next-generation models such as the mature and elegant All-New Mazda3 Saloon expected for arrival mid-June and the completely new to the range, Mazda CX-30. Another exciting milestone will be the launch of a revolutionary new engine, Skyactiv-X. By combining the benefits of both petrol and diesel engines through spark and compression ignition, Skyactiv-X promises to deliver vast improvements in torque and efficiency.

Commenting on the new launch John Perry, Managing Director of Mazda Ireland said “These truly are exciting times for the brand. Reactions to All-New Mazda3 from first customer test drives and press reviews have been phenomenal.

Mazda3 has always been a successful model for the brand but this next-generation Mazda3 has further raised the bar within an already competitive segment.

By focusing on driving pleasure and creating a bond between car and driver, Mazda don’t just engineer cars to deliver high levels of quality and safety but to the enjoyment and emotional feeling experienced behind the wheel.”

EchoSport Cratloe set to face Kilmaley HURLING CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP Rd3 PREVIEW

CLARE Cup champions Kilmaley will face last year’s championship finalists Cratloe in the third round of the Clare SHC, writes Páraic McMahon.

Just two club delegates attended Monday evening’s draw in Clareabbey which saw pairings confirmed for the third round in the senior and intermediate championships, the relegation play-offs for both along with the quarter-finals in the Junior A and Junior B campaigns.

It is the meeting of Cratloe and Kilmaley that has already set tongues wagging two weeks before the tie takes place. The sides met in the semi-final last year with Cratloe prevailing 1-14 0-16 with Kilmaley very vocal in their critique of the match officials following the tie.

In this year’s Clare Cup, they got some revenge winning 3-25 1-18. Defending champions Ballyea will meet Wolfe Tones where they will need a significant improvement following their disappointing display against Sixmilebridge at the weekend.

Clooney/Quin have been drawn against Feakle where both sides will fancy their chances. Their 2017 round two meeting is not forgotten in Feakle, the 2-22 2-14 extra time defeat was a blow they would not recover from in a year which they were relegated from intermediate. Éire Óg’s bid of reaching a fifth quarter-final in as many years hinges on their ability to overcome Newmarket-on-Fergus. One has to go back to 2006 for their last senior championship clash, The Blues won out 1-12 2-08 on that occasion.

O’Callaghans Mills and Whitegate face off in the East Clare derby where senior status will be on the line with the other relegation play-off pitting 2005 winners Clarecastle against the 2007 champions Tulla. Third round plus relegation games in the Clare SHC and IHC will take place on the weekend of Aug 31st/Sept1st.

l KEEPING IT LOCAL: (above) Wexford hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald umpiring for his clubmate Kevin Corry for Éire Óg Inis GAA v Killanena GAA Club in the intermediate championship on All ireland final Sunday Photo courtesy Raymond O Mahony

Four QF spots are decided F OUR of the eight quarter-finalists in the Clare SHC are known following this weekend’s action.

Sixmilebridge, Crusheen, Clonlara and Inagh/ Kilnamona have booked their place in the last eight having recorded their second win of the 2019 championship. Clarecastle, O’Callaghans Mills, Tulla and Whitegate now find themselves fighting to retain their senior status and will contest the relegation semi-finals.

Ballyea, Éire Óg, Feakle, Cratloe, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Wolfe Tones, Kilmaley and Clooney/Quin will compete in Round Three where the victors will advance to the quarter-finals. Repeat pairings cannot take place.

First half goals proved crucial for CLONLARA who booked their place in the last eight with a 3-16 1-16 win over ÉIRE ÓG. All three green flags were scored by Dave Cuddy’s side in the opening half as they turned their season around having contested the relegation semi-finals in 2018. The South East Clare side have struggled to hit their heights but if they find form curbing the influence of their several talented players will be a very difficult task.

CRUSHEEN kept FEAKLE to a single point in the second half as they recorded a comprehensive 2-20 1-14 winning margin. Cian Dillon at centre back was a solid anchor for the Blood and Bandages for whom Conor O’Donnell did the bulk of the scoring with their goals coming courtesy of Breffni Horner and Darragh O’Doherty. After bossing Newmarket-on-Fergus in the opening round, this display was a slump from Feakle, they held a four point advantage over Crusheen in the first half but combusted in the second half when playing against the wind.

Ten points separated SIXMILEBRIDGE and BALLYEA as it finished 2-21 0-17. It was a performance that certainly earmarked The Bridge as favourites to win the Canon Hamilton. Playing to a plan but more importantly as a team, the Davy Fitzgerald coached outfit are going to take stopping.

Both goals were well-worked moves, Conor Deasy found Pa Mulready with a cross-field pass, the wing back having run half the field while Alex Morey fielded in the air before offloading to the clinical Brian Corry for their second goal.

Ballyea like Clondegad the previous week appeared far from their best and some bit lacklustre but no one will want to draw the county champions in the third round. Of their seventeen point tally, Tony Kelly and Niall Deasy contributed fifteen points.

Questions have been asked of INAGH/KILNAMONA since suffering a drubbing to Kilmaley in the Clare Cup Final but they again answered their critics when defeating CRATLOE 1-17 1-13. Although Rian Considine raided for goal inside the first sixty seconds, Inamona refused to panic and responded with six points in succession. Across their attack, Fergal Hegarty’s side have players capable of scoring from a wide range of angles while David Fitzgerald added two long range points from wing-back. The absence of both Diarmuid Ryan and Sean Collins was felt by Cratloe who will still be fancied of making the last eight.

In the losers section, NEWMARKET-ON-FERGUS bounced back with a 1-17 1-12 win against a poor O’CALLAGHANS MILLS side. Stephen Kelly was man of the match for the Blues. KILMALEY signalled their intentions 3-18 0-06 victory over WHITEGATE, the goals coming in

the first half via Mikey O’Neill, Paraic McNamara and Cathal Darcy. WOLFE TONES kept their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive edging past TULLA 1-14 0-14, substitute Evan O’Gorman scored what would prove to be the all-important goal. CLOONEY/QUIN had it easy when accounting for CLARECASTLE 1-25 0-12, Peter Duggan with fifteen points scored more than the entire Magpies team.

Now more than ever the performance of referees at local and national level is facing more scrutiny, Shannon’s Chris Maguire was handed his highest profile game at club level in Clare taking charge of the meeting of Sixmilebridge and Ballyea, another young referee Niall Malone was the man in the middle for Newmarket-on-Fergus versus O’Callaghans Mills.

Both did well which is timely considering the performance of some referees has left a lot to be desired. l BAD DAY: Gary Cooney and the Mills had a tough outing Photo by Martin Connolly

GOLF

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

35

Kilrush Vice Capatin’s Prize Ennis Golf Club 2019 Membership and Club Open Day

7:00 pm Friday 9th August

INTRODUCTORY FULL MEMBERSHIP 2019/2020 €550

l PROVING A BIG HIT: Rebecca Brew, John Hehir (winner of the Vice Captain’s Prize), and Kevin Clancy (Vice Captain) at Kilrush Golf Club

If you are interested in enjoying 6 holes of Golf and sampling our Club atmosphere with some refreshments and a burger afterwards. Cost €7.

Please RSVP to gerry.hannon@ennisgolfclub.com to register your interest.

Hitting up with your driver

I

N THE past I touched on this subject however I’m still seeing the majority of golfers hit their driver on the down swing. To get the best results with the modern 460cc large headed drivers you have to try hit the ball with a positive angle of attack. Otherwise you will notice your three wood is straighter and it travels the same distance or maybe even further than your driver.

Think about the loft on a driver, it is usually between 8.0 - 12.0 degrees, and a three wood is 15.0 degrees. If you hit down on the ball you are reducing these lofts, therefore your three wood ends up with a loft that is closer to a driver loft at impact. Smaller heads are also better for golfers who do hit down on the ball because the centre of gravity is closer to the face compared to the larger 460cc heads and this helps to keep the spin rates lower that are exaggerated by hitting down on the ball. Therefore if you are a golfer that doesn’t want to change your angle of attack to a positive then a three wood or a mini driver because these smaller head will work better for you rather than the larger 460cc drivers.

In the image you will see photos of Rory McIlroy’s driver swing, at the address position, at the top of his swing and finally at impact. The main thing I want you to focus on is where he is located in relation to the yellow line. On all three photos his head position is roughly a foot behind the golf ball. Even at impact his head is looking at the

back of the ball. You will never see these touring professionals swaying or throwing their bodies forward towards the golf ball on the downswing, trying to hit the ball further - as you will will lose clubhead speed and it will prevent you from being able to hit the ball on the upswing. The power of the swing comes from your shoulders turning, loading the torque of your body and then from the top simply release the golf club as your body is turning, staying where you started from. Wait until the club pulls you forward, which happens after you have hit the ball. The best way to practice this move is with plenty of slow smooth swings, not with your normal full speed.

To teach yourself a new move you need to be able to feel the difference, therefore slow motion swings work best to help you achieve the new feeling you need to get. Also attached are two Trackman Driver statistics and I want you to see when you hit with a positive angle of attack +5 versus -5 then you will see the spin rates on the golf ball drops dramatically and the carry distance increases. As well as getting more carry distance when the golf ball lands it will roll out much further because of the lower spin. Also lower spin on the ball is far better for the Irish climate, due to the strong winds we often get, especially for those of you who play links golf. You will notice if you start hitting the ball on the up that your ball flight will penetrate forward more and the wind won’t affect your ball flight as much.

PGA Golf Professional

#PadraigKnowsGolf

Padraig McGrath

GOLF ANALYSIS

The Scorecard in association with

ENNIS GOLF CLUB Friday Open Singles 1st Darragh O Shea (14) 43pts 2nd Conor Glesson (15) 39pts Gross Brian Gilligan (0) 35pts 3rd Kevin Lambe (15) 39pts 4th Kealan O Flaherty(5) 38pts 9 Hole open singles 1st John Blessington (10) 15pts 2nd Tommy Timpson (13) 12pts Bell Trophy Sat.17th / Sun.18th Aug 1st Michael Meagher (9) 65nett 2nd Darragh Carmody (17) 68nett Gross: Sean Myatt (1) 76gross 3rd Master Tom McDonald (18) 70nett 4th Joe Carmody (16) 70nett CSS Sat.17th = 71 Sun.18th = 73 Kilrush Golf Club Sat 17 August 2019 Vice Captain’s Prize (Mr Kevin Clancy) 1 John Hehir (14) 39 pts 2 Cyril Kelly (17) 37 pts Best Gross D O’Donovan (7) 29 pts 3 David McMahon (12) 36 pts 4 Terry O’Hare (17) 36 pts CAT I Tom Clancy (7) 36 pts CAT II Tom Coffey (12) 35 pts CAT III Brendan Carrig (28) 35 pts Front Nine Anthony Gilmartin (18) 20pts Back Nine Oisín Morrissey (22) 20 pts

Wed 14 August 2019 Senior Men Captain’s Prize (Mr Noel Thornton) 1 Michael Ryan (9) 39 pts 2 Pat Shannon (16) 38 pts 3 Jim Kelly (21) 36 pts 4 John Donnelly (13) 36 pts 5 John Saunders (14)36 pts B9 Tom O’Dea F9 Michael Hogan Long Drive: Jim Young Nearest Pin: Michael Leonard Thu 15 August 2019 K + A Ladies’ Singles 1 Martina Walsh (22) 40 pts 2 Joan O’Malley (18) 38 pts 3 M Donnelly (17) 37 pts 4 AM Donnellan (16) 37 pts CAT I Ger Burke (18) 33 pts CAT II Maura McSwiggan (28) 34 pts CAT III Jean Lorigan (31) 33 pts Fri 16 August 2019 Howard Perpetual 18 Holes Mixed Foursomes 1 Mary G Nolan (18) & George Nolan (14) 64 2 Mary Young (22) & Jim Young Sr (7) 64.5 Best Gross Margaret Donnelly (17) & Neil Browne (7) 79 3 Jean Lorrigan (30) & J Donnelly (13) 65.5 UPCOMING EVENTS August Sat 24 / Sun 25 25th Anniversary Team of Three. Sponsored by 1994 Kilrush GC Committee

36 www.clareecho.ie

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

Classifieds ACCOUNTANCY

CARS

CHILDMINDER Childminder required to mind 2 school going children aged 5 and 7 in children’s home in Inch. Own car required for school drop offs and pick ups. Previous experience essential.

Please call 086 774 4848

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THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

Classifieds MUSIC

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PAINTING

CLASSIFIEDS 37 CONTACT SALES

065 671 9021 sales@clareecho.ie

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

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38 PUZZLEPAGE

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

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THIS WEEKS PUZZLES AUG 22

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QUIZ 39

THURSDAY, AUG 22 2019

The Clare Echo Quiz

Last month, The Clare Echo 1ancestors reported that Boris Johnson’s hailed from which Clare town?:

Bunratty Newmarket on Fergus Quin

Which Clare beach was served 2 with a do not swim notice, leading to the postponement of the Munster Lifesaving Championships.

Kilrush Marina Whitestrand Miltown Malbay Kilkee

Heidi Philomena

The Clare Echo announced 6 that Skycourt Shannon will see the addition of what later this year?

A Marks & Spencers 6-screen cinema Starbucks

Dublin Airport came under fire 7 in late July for claiming to be the main airport for...

The Wild Atlantic Way The 2020 Irish Open The 2026 Ryder Cup

Clare’s beef farmers protestWhich airline revealed they 3 ed beef prices at the gates of 8 are pulling their flights from Kepak; name Clare’s chairman of Shannon earlier this month?

4

Which British comedian was in Ennis filming for a BBC documentary about the Holocaust?

David Badiel Frank Skinner Alan Carr

5

What was the name of the heifer being raffled off by three Clare men to raise money for Temple Street Children’s Hospital?

Harriet

British Airways Aer Lingus Norwegian Airlines

l QUESTION 9: Clare will welcome a new festival in September. What is it called?

Clare will welcome a new fes9 tival in September. What is it called?

Clare Food & Drinks Fleadh Siege Of Ennis The Clare Festival of Food

Which Love Island contes10 tants spent the weekend in Clare earlier this month?

Ovie & India Greg & Amber Tommy & Molly-Mae

Spot the Difference Can you spot the difference? Spot the 7 differences.

The answers will be revealed in next weeks edition.

lICECREAM: Michael & Pat o Connor enjoying their cones at the Gort show

Photo by John Mangan

ANSWERS 6. 6-screen cinema 7. The 2026 Ryder Cup 8. Norwegian Airlines 9. Clare Food & Drinks Fleadh 10. Greg & Amber

Joseph Fox Joseph Woulfe Joseph Bull

1. Bunratty 2. Kilkee 3. Joseph Woulfe 4. David Badiel 5. Heidi

the beef movement

Last weeks Answers . Missing dot on the ‘i’ in Outing . Missing dot in festival.com . Triangle on blu logo gone on shirt

. Triangle on blu logo gone on sign . Badge on male top missing . Ear rings different colour . ‘N’ missing on mans left runner