The Clare Echo 23/05/19

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23 May 2019

2019

WORKERS IN SHANNON FACE GARDA CHECKS

Clearance needed to work during Trump visit lTOWN PROUD: Pictured in Scariff at the The Market Towns Initiative launch this week are (L-R) Martina Minogue, CLDC, Charlie Glynn, Chairperson Kilrush Town Team and Michelle McNamara, Holistic Therapy Clinic Scariff Photo by Arthur Ellis

PÁRAIC McMAHON news@clareecho.ie

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ecurity measures have been ramped up ahead of the June visit of U.S. President Donald Trump with workers at the Shannon Industrial Estate having to pass Garda clearance en route to their place of employment on Wednesday morning.

Just hours after Donald Trump’s June visit to Clare was confirmed which includes a bi-lateral meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Shannon, men and women working in the Shannon Industrial Estate

were questioned by Gardaí to make sure they “had no animosity” towards the President who also owns a resort in Doonbeg.

Industrial Estate workers’ had their registration numbers noted by Gardaí with their drivers licence also checked.

“I think it’s a bit ridiculous,” one male worker told The Clare Echo. Regarding the reaction of fellow employees when being questioned, he said “nobody was declaring any negatives towards Donald Trump”.

Since a possible visit to Clare by Trump was first announced, this employee has said, “I can see more Gardaí around the Industrial Estate already”.

Full story PAGE 4

2 NEWS

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

Index NEWS

SHANNON

2-15

16-20

REELING IN 1982 ELECTIONS

22 23-34

OPINION

35

FARMING

36

PROPERTY

37

CLASSIFIEDS

44-45

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 paul.mccarthy@clareecho.ie or niall@clareecho.ie

l I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND: Feakle National Schools Keeley Rochford (6th class) and Sadhbh Daly (juniors) along with their school mates, teachers and local councillors Pat Hayes, Tony O’Brien and Joe Cooney taking part in the Handshake for Europe on Europe Day Photo by Arthur Ellis

Progress being made at Doolin visitor centre PÁRAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

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ITH visitor numbers at Doolin “increasing the whole time”, the announcement that progress is being made with the construction of a visitor centre has been welcomed by elected representatives of the West Clare Municipal District.

“I am glad to report that we are making progress.

“Given the flood and storm risks pertaining, works to test and assess the most appropriate location for the proposed building are being finalised which will in turn influence the detailed design of the building and ancillary site works”, Sean Lenihan informed the May meeting of the West Clare MD. “This work is prioritised and ongoing.

Meetings have taken place with affected stakeholders and landowners to ensure the optimum success of this project for all within the earliest timeframe possible,” the senior engineer added in

response to a motion from Cllr Richard Nagle.

Cllr Nagle appealed for “every effort” be made “to get the project underway as quickly as possible”.

The Fianna Fáil councillor said he was satisfied with the reply from Mr Lenihan and expressed his personal delight that “every effort is being made to progress it”.

“Doolin is extremely busy with the pier and the area around the harbour,” Cllr Nagle commented.

“The prefabs and toilets are not fit for purpose, we have a state of the art pier but the facilities around it are not adequate. The numbers visiting Doolin and using the ferries are increasing the whole time,” he added.

Cathaoirleach of the West Clare MD, Cllr Ian Lynch was confident the absent Cllr Bill Slattery “will be happy to see progress is being made”.

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4

NEWS

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

Trump to meet Varadkar in Shannon before Doonbeg stay PÁRAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

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* additional reporting by Stuart Holly

ONALD Trump’s visit to Co Clare has been confirmed with the President of the United States of America due to arrive in Ireland on June 5th.

On Tuesday night, the White House confirmed the trip was going ahead after much speculation over the past month.

"President Donald J Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have accepted the invitation of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of Ireland to visit Ireland while they are in Europe for a state visit to the United Kingdom and for events in the United Kingdom and France to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day,” the statement read.

A bi-lateral meeting between President Trump and the Taoiseach will take place at Shannon Airport upon his arrival. The

two leaders last met at the White House in March when Varadkar took part in St Patrick's Day celebrations at Washington DC. Trump had been due to visit the Republic of Ireland last November but the trip was postponed for scheduling reasons.

Though not confirmed by the White House, The Clare Echo understands that Trump will spend at least two nights in Doonbeg at Trump International Golf Links and Hotel Ireland before returning to the US on June 7th.

This Sunday, a significant Garda presence was evident in Doonbeg as Eric Trump, Executive Vice President of the Trump Organisation which owns the West Clare resort travelled to Doonbeg as part of a golfing trip with thirty business people. They arrived in Shannon Airport via private jet. Ennistymon company, Scales Coaches transported Eric and the business personnel who were accompanied by Gardaí that travelled from Dublin in SUVs. Meanwhile, security measures

lON HIS WAY: Trump International Doonbeg will be second on Donald's agenda as he visits Clare

Photo by Arthur Ellis

have been ramped up ahead of the visit of Mr Trump with workers at the Shannon Industrial Estate having to pass Garda clearance en route to their place of employment on Wednesday morning.

Just hours after Donald’s visit to Clare was confirmed, men and women working in the Shannon Industrial Estate were questioned

by Gardaí to make sure they “had no animosity” towards the President. Industrial Estate workers had their registration numbers

noted by Gardaí with their drivers licence also checked.

“I think it’s a bit ridiculous,” one male worker told The Clare Echo. Regarding the reaction of fellow employees when being questioned, he said “nobody was declaring any negatives towards Donald Trump”.

Since a possible visit to Clare by Trump was first announced, this employee has said, “I can see more Gardaí around the Industrial Estate already”.

Huge garda presence for Eric's visit A LARGE Garda presence was visible in Doonbeg on Sunday as Eric Trump paid a visit to Trump International Golf Links and Hotel Ireland.

His arrival comes amid reports that his father, Donald is to visit Clare in June. Alongside his brother, Donald Jr, Eric is the Executive Vice President of the Trump Organisation and is responsible for development and acquisitions with the company. The visit was part of a golf trip that also included a stay at their resorts in Scotland, and approximately 30 business people from the United States joined Eric.

They arrived in Shannon Airport via private jet. Ennistymon company, Scales Coaches transported Eric and the business personnel to West Clare while members of the Gardaí travelled from Dublin in SUVs and accompanied the delegation to Doonbeg.

As a result of Eric’s presence in Doonbeg, a significant amount of Gardaí were policing the premises of the Trump owned business. The Clare Echo understands that more than a dozen Gardaí were based at the premises on Sunday while hotel security also patrolled the area.

When questioned by The Clare Echo on why so many members of the Gardaí were deployed for the visit of Eric Trump, a spokesperson for Kilrush Garda Station stated, “We are not in a position to disclose that information”.

NEWS 7

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

Power set to make long awaited Irish Open debut PÁRAIC McMAHON

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RISH Olympian Seamus Power will make his first appearance on home soil in six years when the USA-based star plays in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Lahinch Golf Club from July 4-7.

Waterford’s Power enjoyed a glittering career in American collegiate golf, representing East Tennessee State University, before building a professional career in the States which has culminated in a consistent three seasons on the US PGA Tour.

The 32-year-old will make a long-awaited professional appearance on Irish soil when he joins a world-class field at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, alongside former Race to Dubai Champion Tommy Fleetwood, Ryder Cup legend Ian Poulter and 2010 Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen.

Power will add to a strong line up of home heroes which includes his 2016 Olympic golf team partner and three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington, Shane Lowry – the first Rolex Series Champion of the 2019 Race to Dubai and former U.S. Open Champion Graeme McDowell.

“I am thrilled to be making my home debut at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open and I cannot wait for it to come around,” said Power, who has twice played his home Open, once in 2005 as an amateur and again in 2013. “I have to thank Dubai Duty Free for extending this invite and for Paul McGinley to help make this happen.

“Although I play my golf in the USA, I am a very proud Irishman and it will be a really special moment for me to tee it up in front of my home fans as a professional, especially at a classic Irish links course like Lahinch Golf Club. Hopefully I’ll get great support from the fans and it promises to be a great week.”

Northern Irishman Cormac Sharvin, who has been playing on the Challenge Tour and had a European Tour top 20 finish and Gavin Moynihan winner of the 2018 GolfSixes for Team Ireland have also received invites from Sport Ireland.

Chief Executive of Sport Ireland, John Treacy, said: “Cormac and Gavin have shown themselves to be two of Ireland’s brightest golfing talents, and competing in a very strong field will be extremely beneficial to their continued development. Sport Ireland supports Team Ireland Golf to ensure Ireland continues to produce world-class golfers long into the future.”

8

NEWS

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

Clare Principals have their say PÁRAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

* additional reporting by Cian O’Broin

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ITH over three dozen Clare students without a second level place for September, The Clare Echo contacted all secondary schools in the county to question how many each school had to turn away plus their criteria they follow in doing so. Despite multiple attempts, the following schools failed to return phone calls and emails to The Clare Echo; Colaiste Mhuire Ennis, St Josephs Secondary School Tulla and Scariff Community College. St Patricks Comprehensive Shannon did express an interest in conducting an interview but have not returned subsequent phone calls.

A set list of questions were put to the principals of the schools that agreed to speak with The Clare Echo.

Q: About how many students did your school turn away for the coming year?

Brian O’Donoghue, Principal Ennis Community College & Gaelcholáiste an Chláir: “I cannot give you the figure (in relation to ECC). We are oversubscribed, we did reduce some, our capacity has been reached. I’m not going to get into details or

figures with you. We have reached capacity.

We still have a small number of places available (at the Gaelcholáiste)”.

Paul Reidy, Principal St Josephs Secondary School Spanish Point: “None. We still have room for September”.

Claire Knight, St Caimins Community School Shannon: “We would. It’s a significant figure. We haven’t turned anyone away but we have a significant waiting list. It’s around the 50ish mark”.

Principal Denis O’ Rourke, St. John Bosco’s, Kilmihil: “We had a small number of students here. There were five students in total that we had to refuse. It’s always fluctuating.

Q: What factors are used to determine this?

Brian O’Donoghue: “Our admission policy is published on our website”.

Claire Knight: “There’s an enrolment policy and we follow it rigidly. Our criteria would be brothers and sisters of past or present pupils, children of past pupils, children going to school and living in the catchment area, the others come in after that then”.

Paul Reidy: “We have an admissions policy but we have open enrolment, we’ve never had a case where we’ve had to refuse anybody”.

Denis O’Rourke: “We have our own policy here for accepting and refusing students.

It involves our catchment area which ex-

tends as far as Kilmaley and Ballynacally. At the other side of us is the Shannon Estuary so we have to extend that little bit further.

We would give them an update on the waiting list. We have applications from students coming from Ennis. There is no bus available for these students, Bus Eireann won’t extend their routes. Transport is a huge issue for these students.

Aideen Walsh, Principal St. Anne’s Community College, Killaloe: “Unlike some of the Limerick schools, we have an open enrollment policy. Anyone with siblings or relations in the area will automatically gain entry into the school. Provided they fall under the specific catchment area.”

Q: How long a period is given to a student who has been offered a place to confirm whether they are accepting it or not?

Claire Knight: “The application process is done over a month. I’d go to the primary schools and give out the application forms, then give them the date of the open night which would probably be two or three weeks later, then they have to return them two or three days after the open night”.

Paul Reidy: “Because we’ve open competition we’d be in a position to accept somebody at anytime”.

Brian O’Donoghue: “We work off, it’s approximately a week given our first round, the end of January it’s approximately a week”.

Denis O’Rourke: We have a projected

enrolment of 20, 21 students with another 30 for next year. Our school is built for only 300.

We already have an application put in for another resource unit and four classrooms.

Q: From your time as Principal have you noticed that more students have had to be turned away in recent years?

Claire Knight: “Definitely the numbers applying are increasing. Usually parents apply for a couple of schools for their children, they might apply to us but they’d also apply to Limerick and Ennis. Because the places in Limerick and Ennis come out later we tend to build up a waiting list which is probably a false waiting list because then when the Limerick and Ennis schools give out their places we lose a certain number, a lot of those people never had any intention in coming to us anyway we were only their insurance. This year we didn’t notice as much of a drop off when the Ennis and Limerick places were released, a lot of the people who applied to us from day one wanted to come to us from day one, that’s the only difference I noticed this year”.

Brian O’Donoghue: “In the last number of years we’ve had very healthy applications, quite a significant number of applications to the school and we’ve filled this year and last year which is positive. We recently got approval for an extension to go ahead which will increase our capacity and allow us to take more students”.

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

Clare students deprived of 'right to education' PÁRAIC McMAHON

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paraic@clareecho.ie

TUDENTS in Clare are being deprived of their “right to education” as more than three dozen children in the county are without a second level place for September.

Ennis councillors Ann Norton and Clare Colleran Molloy raised the issue at the May meeting of Clare County Council requesting the Department of Education “to institute a centralised placement” system and “investigate and address the lack of places for secondary school students”.

Primary school principals from all Ennis schools plus Mary Rockett of Scoil na Maighdine Mhuire, Newmarket-on-Fergus have signed a letter to the Department highlighting their concern.

Cllr Colleran Molloy revealed she received a “cold call” from a “concerned mother” in Kilmaley who has two daughters attend-

ing Coláiste Muire but whose son has been denied a place in Ennis secondary schools.

“This has been a topic that comes up every year unfortunately around this time, it has got worse year on year. Every child has a right to post primary education, I don’t think any parent should have the stress of not knowing if their child will have a school in September,” Cllr Ann Norton stated. The Barefield councillor claimed one of the biggest issues was children were “given places in two or three schools and they have not let each of the schools know if they are taking a place. It is extremely stressful”. She highlighted that the majority of those affected are boys.

Fianna Fáil’s Alan O’Callaghan emphasised that it was a countywide problem. “The school in Tulla is over subscribed too”. He questioned the need for doing a Census if the 2008 baby boom was not taken note of by the Department of Education. “After four or five years it will probably phase down, it is a temporary

lCONCERN: Cllr Colleran Molloy raised the issue Photo: John Mangan

pitch, we have plenty of teachers out there”.

According to Fine Gael’s Mary Howard, “A lot of the children are taking it is a personal issue and saying ‘why don’t they want me’, the transition to secondary school is big enough”. Cllr Howard warned that the houses and schools are not in place ahead of the construction of the proposed

Ennis Data Centre. “I was told which secondary school I was going to by my parents, now children are applying for three schools, getting uniforms for the three schools and deciding themselves.

Schools should check if they have the same name and make them decide within 24 hours.

"We need to plan for the future and identify a site for a second level school and housing for the people coming from the Data Centre”.

“We have a very unfair and unjust system in the town. By next September there could be additional capacity at Rice College,” Cllr Johnny Flynn noted referring to the ongoing construction on the New Rd. His namesake, Cllr Gerry Flynn added, “I find it hard to believe that principals are not talking to each other. There should be a disclaimer on application not allowing them to change their mind”. Independent Christy Curtin praised the Government’s investment in education but flagged “the lack of cohesion and planning in education”.

NEWS 9

Taoiseach reminded of shortage TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has been reminded that 40 Clare children are without a secondary school for September.

Over the next fortnight, secondary school students who are not completing their State Examinations will conclude their school year. However more than three dozen sixth class pupils are still without a second level place.

Jim Cooney, Chairperson of the Scoil Chriost Rí Board of Management in Cloughleigh first highlighted the issue with the Taoiseach in April. On Tuesday, Independent TD, Dr. Michael Harty raised the matter with Varadkar.

“Education is the key to giving every child an equal chance in life. Unfortunately that is not being acted upon in Ennis, where next September there will be insufficient places in secondary schools to accommodate those leaving primary schools...twelve primary school principals have written to the Minister outlining their concerns in this regard. It particularly affects those from the Traveller community, those from disadvantaged areas and those with special educational needs,” Harty said in Dáil Éireann.

In response, Varadkar stated, “I had the privilege of opening the refurbished Scoil Chríost Rí in Ennis and I am aware that there is a shortage of school places in the Ennis area. I will ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide the Deputy with an update on the actions being taken to resolve that”.

10 NEWS

SCARIFF TOWN TEAM LAUNCHES

l PEOPLE POWER: Rural communities are fighting back to preserve their towns and villages and in Clare, three towns in particular are mobilising to ensure they build a bright future for their towns. Under an new programme launched by Clare Local Development Company (CLDC), entitled “The Market Towns Initiative”, Kilrush, Scariff and Ennistymon are each building a new Community Strategy to protect the future of each of these unique market towns.

The project was launched by CLDC in 2017 in response to what they felt was a growing issue in Co. Clare. The effects of the a harsh economic climate and continued depopulation was becoming evident and proving challenging for these market towns. Under the Market Town Initiative CLDC, supported by LEADER funding, is providing the support for each of these towns to develop a new Town Strategy and support the delivery of these plans over a three years.

Pictured at the Scariff launch were L-R Trish Rodgers and Siobhan Treacy, Scariff Town Team with Martina Minogue, CLDC Photo by Arthur Ellis

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

Urgent action needed on Post Office front

NORTH Clare election candidate Róisín Garvey has warned that urgent action is needed to prevent the further closure of post offices in Clare.

Garvey made the comments following claims from the Irish Postmasters Union that up to 300 post offices could face closure across Ireland in the coming months including Co Clare branches.

“We can’t stand by and do nothing about the continual dismantling of vital services in rural Ireland. Already we’ve seen so many post offices, Garda stations, shops and pubs close down. It takes more than just houses and cars to make a living vibrant community. Post offices are essential to the lifeblood of life in Clare and we need to protect them,” Roisin told The Clare Echo.

“We’ve already seen closures and threats to post offices in places like Fanore, Kilfenora, Doonbeg and Craggagh. This has a huge impact on these communities, particularly on older people who can’t always travel to neighbouring towns, especially when public transport services are so poor. The current government continues to neglect the needs of rural Ireland and I see this first hand in North Clare all the time. It has a huge effect on not just the economy of small towns and villages, but also on the overall wellbeing and mental health of communities. It’s vital we make our voices heard in saying enough is enough when it comes to rural neglect and any further closure of our post offices,” the Green Party candidate added.

NEWS 11

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

Shopkeeper sparks teen safety initiative STUART HOLLY

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editor@clareecho.ie

CAMPAIGN titled #CALLCARA has been launched in a bid to keep young people safe from intimidation - inspired by a local shopkeeper who came to the aid of a young teenager who was in trouble.

If a young person is in fear, has been robbed, intimidated, in need of help or if their phone credit has run out, they will be able to identify a shop or business as a safe place where they can take homage through the display of a #CALLCARA sticker.

Tina Whelan, who works at O'Brien's GALA store in Cloughleigh, Ennis, explained that this new initiative came about after an encounter with a young person in the community.

"One day a teen girl came into the shop where I work and said, 'Tina, can you ring my Mam, I'm in trouble'. I did and her mother collected her. Another day there was torrential rain and a young man came into the shop for shelter. He asked if I could make a phonecall for him as he was supposed to meet his Mam somewhere and he had no credit to let her know where he was.

So a seed was sown and many times over the years, young people have come into the shop asking for help, the word had gotten out. I heard more stories over the years of

young people being in trouble in town and other shops helping them out."

Tina continued that through the help of some local community figures, her idea finally came to fruition.

"One day I spoke to Fr Ger Fitzgerald about the idea I had and he gave me the confidence to pursue it, the next port of calls was to my boss Laurence O'Brien and the Mayor, Clare Colleran Molloy, both of whom backed the idea immediately, with Clare offering Mayoral funds to back the campaign."

Tina explained that the message in the campaign, with three important words; "Look, Walk, Talk."

"The message is Look, Walk Talk. Look look for the #CALLCARA sticker logo on the window of a shop. Walk - walk into the shop. Talk - ask to #callcara, a shop assistant will call a friend, family member, gardai etc, whatever call you need to help you."

In the short time since the campaign has started, more than 100 businesses in Clare have come on board, and in the coming weeks Tina and co hope to engage with all secondary schools and make a presentation to encourage young people to use the service.

Ennis native Tina continued, "This campaign is so important for our young people, like the Ask Angela campaign but which is for adults. We need to look after our young people too, we need to know they have a safe outlet if in town and they need to know we are trying to keep them safe."

l GREAT INITIATIVE: At the launch of the #CALLCARA initiative at The Junction in Cloughleigh, Ennis, are (left) Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy and speaker Ger Canning; Tina Whelan and (below, l-r) Clodagh Browne , Carmel Mangan, Ciara Mangan, Cllr Mary Howard, Rev Fr. Ger Fitzgerald, Ger Canning, Clare Colleran Molloy, Laurence O'Brien NS David Shires Photos by Martin Connolly

12

NEWS

NAME THE COUNCILLOR

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

Cllr wants blanket dog ban at beaches CIAN O'BROIN news@clareecho.ie

COUNCILLOR Gerry Flynn of Shannon has proposed a blanket ban on all dogs at beaches throughout Clare. The statement was prompted following a motion to review a report on the management of public facilities in Clare at this month’s Clare County Council meeting.

“The successful banning of dogs at certain times has worked, but in my opinion, they should be banned at all times. They are a nuisance at the beach. My grandchild at the beach now has to be picked up because there are so many dogs. It’s quite dangerous. I think they should be banned completely,” said Cllr Flynn, who made the proposal with the aim of improving Clare’s overall tally of blue flag beaches. Currently County Clare has nine blue flags.

To achieve blue flag status a beach must meet 23 imperative and four guideline beach criteria. Under the 23rd criterion, dogs or pets unless they function as assistance or guide

l REELING IN THE YEARS: Can you name this sitting Clare County Councillor aged 24 pictured with former Taoiseach Charlie Haughey at a public house in Dingle? Answer on page 24

dogs are not permitted on a blue flag beach. If legislation permits, then dog owners can only take their dogs along the parking lot, designated walkways and promenade area but no further.

Cllr. Gerry Flynn’s motion failed to be seconded by any council members but didn’t go completely unnoticed.

Councillor Michael Hillary was in opposition to Cllr Flynn’s stance on a blanket ban on dogs throughout the beaches of Clare, “I wouldn’t be in agreement with Cllr Flynn that they should be banned. As long as they are controlled, they shouldn’t be banned along the beaches.”

Policing of dogs in public has been a recurring feature of public life in recent years with microchipping laws introduced in 2015.

12 pages looking ahead to Local and European Elections P23-34

ELECTION POLLING DAY: FRIDAY , MAY 24

NEWS 13

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

McDermott opens up on suicide attempts and life with depression

CIAN O'BROIN

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news@clareecho.ie

over to the other side, ecstatically happy that you’ve made your decision.”

Stephen notes the importance of being open when trying to beat periods of darkness. “It’s okay to say I’m not feeling okay today. Share your problems with anybody.

I use gaming as an outlet. I sit on the Xbox in the evening and talk about my feelings.

“There’s a lot of social pressure on boys.

We don’t talk about it enough. It shouldn’t be a stigma, more like a migraine. If you have it go to a doctor and talk about it.”

Counselling services are widely available throughout the country and Stephen encourages anyone who may be struggling with depression to take that first step into the doctor’s office.

On his own counselling experience, he admits “My doctor is like a surrogate father

EPRESSION is a dark cloud that can hit at any time and while it doesn’t affect us all in the same way, for some life loses all meaning.

The consequences can be fatal - but they don’t have to be. That's according to father of two and former Clare FM DJ Stephen Mc Dermott, who has opened up to The Clare Echo about his struggle with depression.

Stephen wishes to give a voice to the voiceless and hope to the hopeless by speaking about his cross over to the other side, where he almost left it all behind.

With an open heart and holding nothing back, Stephen admits to three suicide attempts that followed periods of depression in his life. The first came at the tender age of 16, out of a place of confusion more so than deep introspection, says Stephen. Depression really sunk its teeth in during 2012 and 2013 while Stephen was working with Clare FM. “I couldn’t let anyone know. It got worse and worse,” begins Stephen. The nothingness of existence became too much and “one particular day I had everything planned out. I decided I would do it after work.

I just had to make sure nobody was going to find me.”

Fortunately, his gener- l STRUGGLES: Former radio DJ al manager noticed that Stephen McDermott admits that he has with severe depression since his something was awry. He battled teenage years just didn’t seem like himself. She followed him and to me. It’s so important spoke the most important words of his life, to actually talk to some“Are you okay?”. one. You set a course of “After she said those words everything chain reaction events fell apart, the floodgates opened up”. where loved ones get Stephen started to see a psychologist and involved.” life began to seem a little less dull. There Stephen acknowlwas a spring in his step and life became that edges the benefits of bit more colourful. This new feeling was prescribed anti-depresonly to be short-lived. Two beautiful kids sants but admonishes weren’t enough to sway Stephen’s mind the necessity of natural from suicidal thoughts. “This time I took anti-depressants.

30 sleeping pills and a bottle of wine. Me“There are so many of lissa, my partner at the time noticed some- them out there. Walkthing was wrong. She started to panic and ing the dog or going for hopped in the car with her sister to look for a swim. I suffered with me. Obviously, I don’t remember anything. my back and there were This one was a real wake up call.” so many times I wanted Stephen spoke about the frame of mind to walk but couldn’t. I he was in at the time. “Everything gets bur- wouldn’t be reliant on ied when you’re an adult. This comes from the chemical.” not tackling it head on.

On a final note, Ste“I don’t think its selfish. You feel the phen left with the take pressure, that you’re not living up to that home message that, certain image. It’s a certain line that you “the best one of all is cross, where you say 'I’m not going to let just talking to somepeople down anymore'. It’s called suicidal one”. idealation. You’re really happy, you cross-

Entertainment

MAKE JAZZ GREAT AGAIN Doonbeg looking forward to welcoming the Trump(et) as jazz festival turns 20

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HE Doonbeg International Jazz Festival marks its 20th birthday celebrations this June Bank holiday weekend, with a packed line up of live music in five venues over the four days.

The second longest running jazz festival in Ireland was founded in 1999 by jazz musician, Mike Carton who lived in the area at the time; the festival has become a favourite for locals and visitors alike in an area more famed for traditional music.

Limerick health campaigner Vicki Phelan, will officially open the festival on Friday the 31st of May. It will run until Monday and features jazz bands from Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Wexford and Cork as well as one international band. The Underscore Orkestra from Portland, Oregon will play a blend of Balkan, Klezmer, Hot Jazz, Swing and Americana music not often heard in the west Clare hamlet.

Commenting on the festival, Caroline O’Brien, local publican and member of the organising committee said: “Most of

the bands that are playing with us this year have featured at the festival before, as this was the 20th year we said we would bring a few of them back to celebrate the landmark. All of the bands play a mix of lively Dixie swing music that people love and it helps to create a lovely atmosphere in the village.”

Asked whether a certain prominent hotel owner in the area might attend, she added “if President Trump arrives early, he will be most welcome. We have visitors from all over the world who attend every year to enjoy the craic and the free live music sessions running in the local bars.

There will be 24 performances in total from Friday to Monday at different times”.

Other bands playing in this year’s festival include: Jazzology, The Deise Brass Band, Riff Raft, the East Coast Jazz Band, La Orquesta Kalamares, Jazz Lite, The Downtown Dixieland Band.

Further information can be found on www.doonbegjazz.com

JOE WALL OF THE STUNNING TO OFFICIALLY LAUNCH ENNISTYMON ART TRAIL SIGNPOSTS

A

T 2pm on Sunday 26th May, rock star and Ennistymon Local JOE WALL (The Stunning, The Walls) will officially launch the new signposts for Ennistymon

Art Trail. This will take place as part of an Art Market in the Square.

Art galleries and businesses throughout Ennistymon are hopping this weekend (25th-26th May) as the Art Trail on the Ennistymon Book 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13

THE RE SQUA

10 13 11

Town Festival takes off!

For the first time this year, the Ennistymon Art Trail and Ennistymon Book Town Festival have joined forces to create a vibrant cultural event in multiple venues throughout the town. Free art events taking place all weekend: Art marFoust Gallery ket in the Square, art Byrnes Art Gallery exhibitions, poetry and Violin Shop reading, storytelling The Courthouse and weaving demonGallery strations, live tattoo The Red Couch Space demonstration. This The Salmon Bookshop is all in addition to and Literary Centre the literary events Byrnes Wine Dine Stay and booksellers in Market House town for the Book Leana Mo Chroi Town Festival.

Studios All are welcome Ennistymon School to Ennistymon for of Art Books, Art, Craft and Jean Moran Weaver Culture all weekend The Secret Vault long.

Art & Craft Gallery Ennistymon Art Chakra Tattoo Trail, now celebrating 3 years in action, is a collaborative community group of artists, craftspeople, art galleries and other businesses. The Art Trail seeks to increase the cultural offerings in Ennistymon and to spread the word about the great wealth of arts in the town. The Art Trail is pleased to announce new signage for the Trail to be installed this year.

For more information on Ennistymon Art Trail, please contact Peter Goossens, 0861040273

lMAKING JAZZ GREAT AGAIN: Members of the Doonbeg jazz organising committee celebrate the 20th anniversary of Doonbeg’s international Jazz festival

BR ID STR GE EET

ADVERTORIAL 15

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

Summer of fun at Breakthrough

D

ANCE instructor Laura-Jane Allis is preparing to welcome hundreds of children and teenagers through her doors this summer with a number of fun-filled camps and clubs in store.

Breakthrough Dance Company in Quin Road Business Park offers year-round dance classes and workshops, providing expert training in all things from ballet, hip hop, street dance, tap and contemporary dance, to musical theatre, singing and drama. With six instructors, Breakthrough welcomes between 300-400 students during the show term from Spetember to April, however all are welcome to join the summer camps which begin next month, with bookings filling up fast.

Laura-Jane, who trained professionally for five years in the

UK, tells The Clare Echo, “We offer classes for those aged three years and everything up to adult classes. We have loads of workshops, choreographers come to the studio from all over. We had somebody from Dublin and a guy from Limerick this week, there’s always something."

Heading into summer, Breakthrough Dance Company will run a Performers Intensive Week, a Dancers Intensive Week, and Performers Camp and a weekly Kids Club.

“At the end of June we’ve got a Performers Intensive Week which is for actors and singers who want to be involved in theatre. We’re putting on a performance at the end of that week, which is for teenagers. It’s based around the songs of a musical at the moment called Dear Evan Hansen which is all about teenage struggles.

“The week after we have a Dance Intensive, so we have choreographers coming from Cork and Dublin and we’re working towards a music video at the end of the week. Anybody who takes part will be involved in that. All are welcome but it helps if you have dance experience – the acting and singing, absolutely you can be a beginner."

Laura-Jane continued, “Our Kids Performance Camp is for younger kids aged 5-12, which involves singing, dancing, acting, games - they’re quite popular and fill up quickly."

The Clare-based dancer added that a newly-formed Kids Club has been running at the studio for the last two years, which will continue this summer every Saturday. “The kids club every Saturday is like a drop-in from 11-2pm each week, including fun, games and dancing. You can drop your kids off for three hours. It’s open to anybody, it’s not just dancing, it’s games, arts & crafts and a bit of everything."

While the majority of attendees are female, Laura-Jane adds that there is a cohort of boys attending classes, "We do try and encourage boys. There’s still a stigma attached to boys dancing but our recent performers camp had quite a few boys and they got on great, they should be encouraged."

Laura-Jane is preparing to celebrate 10 years in business next year. She told The Clare Echo, “I’ve been here for about 12 years. I came to Ireland after I graduated. I started helping out one of the local drama teachers in Quin with her shows and she suggested I should open my own classes. I started my first class and had about 30 students and after a year and a half I decided to open up my own place.

“I’m now in my current premises two years. I had the studio in the Quin Rd Business Park for seven years and decided to expand, and the new premises has two studios so I can run classes back to back." She added, "September 2010 is when I first opened. It was right in the middle of the bad time and everyone was like ‘don’t open up a business’ but I went ahead with it. I built it up from nothing, I started off with 30 students and now I accommodate 300-400."

To enquire about any of Breakthrough Dance Company's services, call 085 777 1328 or email breakthroughdancestudios@gmail.com.

l POPULAR CLASSES: Breakthrough Dance Company director and instructor Laura-Jane Allis

LEGENDS ASSEMBLING IN SHANNON TOWN FOR 50TH CELEBRATIONS

S

hannon Town Utd will kick off their fiftieth anniversary celebrations over the weekend as some ex Irish internationals take on past and present players from the club in what is expected to be a game to remember.

On Saturday at 12pm, Lynch Park welcomes an Irish Legends side that will feature Ray Houghton, Ronnie Whelan, Mark Kinsella, Kevin Sheedy and Stephen Hunt to take on a Shannon Town selection. Later in the evening The Shannon Springs Hotel will host a Q&A where Houghton and Whelan will be tested by the crowd.

Chairman of Shannon Town Utd, Ger Kelly told The Clare Echo that he was hopeful it “will be a great family occasion” and observed a lot of people are keen to hear the views of Houghton and Whelan at the Q&A. “There’s been a huge demand for that, it’s on in The Shannon Springs Hotel and we’re lucky that the owners John Gavin and Dermot Kelly have been really great for us in terms of hosting this event.

The demand is so big for it that we’re limited with ticket sales and having to turn people away and limit tickets to people has been difficult because some people have big families and they’re looking for 8-10 tickets and you have to be fair to everyone within the club to make sure everyone gets a fair allocation, it’s been difficult to get them out but easy to sell them”.

While the club which has over 300 members is celebr at i ng fifty years in existence, it is also preparing for it’s fifth season back in the Clare League, their return has been very positive accord-

ing to Kelly. “It’s been great to be back. We now have players representing the Oscar Traynor, from a schoolboys point of view we’ve had plenty of players getting to play Kennedy Cup over the last three or four years, this year again we had five lads playing Kennedy Cup for Clare, we had three girls on the Gaynor Cup. It’s been really positive, we feel the kids are getting more opportunities to play for their county since we’ve been back in Clare, as long as that keeps happening the club will go from strength to strength”.

A former League of Ireland player with Limerick, Ger spoke about their highlights of the year thus far which included their U17s reaching the Cup Final narrowly losing to Bridge Utd earlier this month.

“The U17s was a big plus for us because last year we didn’t have a U17 schoolboys team which was really disappointing for us but they all returned this year to play U17, it’s great to have them back. “ I think one of the biggest achievements for us has been the rise of schoolgirls soccer in the club, we focus an awful lot of attention on that and it’s starting to show it’s fruits now as they’re winning a couple of trophies. Our Junior C team over the last two years has been really successful too, it has been very successful over the past five years since being back in Clare but I think the Schoolboys has really gone from strength to strength for us so that’s really positive. Your club is only as strong as it’s members, with the schoolboys and schoolgirls we really need to keep the club afloat”.

Further events will take place throughout the year to mark the celebrations including a round of Foot Golf for underage members plus a club dinner dance.

Clare Echo THE

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

SHANNON NEWS

17

Chairman welcomes the appointment of new board directors to Shannon Group plc

ABC Nutritionals is a multi award winning manufacturer of sports nutrition, weight management and lifestyle nutrition products based in Shannon Co. Clare, Ireland.

We specialise in development and manufacture of custom powder blends and capsules suitable for private label sports nutrition and health nutrition industry. All our products are 100% drug free and made to the highest international standards.

JOB APPLICANTS WELCOME

T

he Chairman of Shannon Group plc has welcomed the appointment of Ambrose Loughlin, a former partner at McCann Fitzgerald Solicitors, Dublin, and Stephen Rae, business and media advisor, to the board of Shannon Group plc. Mr Loughlin and Mr Rae have been appointed by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross, TD, to serve on the board for a three-year term each.

Welcoming the appointment, Rose Hynes, Chairman, Shannon Group said: “Ambrose Loughlin and Stephen Rae are very welcome additions to the board. Their experience will be invaluable to Shannon Group.

“Our new directors complement the board’s existing expertise and I look forward to working with them at this exciting and challenging time for Shannon.”

Biography - Ambrose Loughlin: Ambrose Loughlin was a partner for 22 years with McCann FitzGerald, one of Ireland’s leading law firms where in addition to client advisory work on financial services, he served in several senior management roles involving finance and risk.

He is a board member since 2016 of the National Museum of Ireland and chairs its

Audit and Risk Committee. He was recently appointed to the Finance HR and Asset Management Committee of the University of Limerick. From 2013 to 2019, he chaired the Audit Committee of the Department of Finance. He has particular expertise in the areas of risk management and corporate governance.

Biography - Stephen Rae: Stephen Rae is a business and media consultant. He founded Kobn Advisory in 2019, helping senior leaders and corporations navigate the worlds of media, technology and social. Stephen is a member of the European Commission’s High-Level Expert Group on Online Disinformation and serves on the board of the World Editors Forum. In 2013 he was appointed Group Editor-in-Chief at Independent News & Media, overseeing the group’s online and four national print titles. Previously, he was the editor of two national newspapers and Independent.ie. Stephen is a qualified barrister and holds the Award in Business and Leadership from the Directors Course at Cranfield University.

18 SHANNON NEWS

Clare Echo THE

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

Sshhhh....It’s Barbeque Time here at Shannon Springs Hotel in Shannon!!

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HE vintage Themed Beer Garden here at the award winning Old Lodge Gastro Pub at Shannon Springs Hotel is the perfect spot for a tasty BBQ for all occasions. Make the most of this weather and choose the hidden gem of Shannon for all your parties/celebrations/events/corporate occasions this year. Offering live entertainment every Thursday/Friday/Saturday/ Sunday. Our kitchen team have the bbq sizzling and we have packages starting from as little as €14.75 per person.

The Old Lodge Gastro Pub is the epitome of the traditional Irish bar both in décor and ambience and is a very popular Shannon pub for both guests and locals alike. It serves gastro style food daily from 12 noon to 9.30pm – Monday to Sunday. Our offering includes: Gastro Hot Buffet Lunch/Fresh Delicatessen & Wok Station served daily until 3pm and followed by our Early Dining Options plus our Full Gastro Menu until 9.30pm – 7 days a week.

Also “Proud to Serve” International Coffee brand Costa Coffee it’s the perfect meeting point to catch up with friends/family and enjoy a whole host of delicious treats.

Awarded an AA Rosette for our high standards of food we provide and dedication to use only quality ingredients. Our kitchen team lead by Head Chef Anthony Walsh desired to achieve higher standards and a greater precision in cooking which can be seen in our Gastro Menu. The bar is divided into four sections: Local’s Bar with five large screen TV’s and is the ideal venue to enjoy all sporting occasions & comes to life with live entertainment. Long Bar the perfect meeting spot where you can enjoy award winning food or simply enjoy the music and have a relaxing drink. The Pool Bar has two pool tables, a dart board and a juke box. We have just introduced The Snug just off our Local’s Bar which has access to our Beer Garden and a perfect spot to arrange a party/event. Something for everyone here at the Shannon Springs Hotel.

Sure why not make a night of it and stay! Offering excellent accommodation packages in our tastefully designed selection of Standard Rooms along with our new Executive Rooms which have air conditioning installed in them. View our website for all offerings: www.shannonspringshotel.com Now what better way to spend the summer than to..... Live. Laugh. Lodge at the Old Lodge Gastro Pub at Shannon Springs Hotel Don’t delay call us today on 061.364047 or email: info@shannonspringshotel.com

BBQ MENU from €14.75pp

h h h h S S ... q e u b e Time!! r a B ’it s

OUR VINTAGE THEME DESIGNED BEER GARDEN IS THE PERFECT SPOT FOR A TASTY BBQ FOR ALL OCCASIONS.

No matter the weather, let’s barbeque together... in the hidden gem of Shannon!

Call us today on 061 364 047 or email info@shannonspringshotel.com Follow us on: for Culinary Excellence

2018

Ballycasey, Shannon, Co. Clare

Clare Echo THE

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

Purchase of Shannon Shamrock site by Shannon Group unlikely PÁRAIC MCMAHON

news@clareecho.ie

S

HANNON Group plc have diffused calls from elected representatives of the Shannon Municipal District to purchase the site of the Shannon Shamrock Hotel in Bunratty.

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Shannon Municipal District, correspondence from Ray O’Driscoll, Managing Director of Shannon Commercial Properties outlined they would be supportive of moves made to develop the facility but suggested that it would be them leading the way on such progression.

“As you are aware the property in question is for sale on the open market. You will appreciate that Shannon Group as a commercial company is not in a position to disclose any commercial considerations it might have in relation to the sale. Shannon Group would be fully supportive of any development by the ultimate purchaser which would complement the offering by Shannon

Heritage at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park”.

O’Driscoll’s reply comes following a motion at the January meeting of the Shannon Municipal District tabled by Cllr Pat McMahon which requested the local authority ask Shannon Group plc “to seriously consider the purchase of the Shannon Shamrock Hotel, Bunratty, Co. Clare. To consider the creation of a historic theme park and also to alleviate car parking problems at certain times during the year”.

McMahon felt the site of the Shamrock is “an absolute eyesore to the growth of Bunratty”. Sixmilebridge councillor, John Crowe viewed the opportunity to buy the site as “a golden opportunity, they will never get an opportunity like this”.

Earlier this month, Shannon Heritage lodged plans with Clare County Council for a multi-million euro rejuvenation of Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.

SHANNON NEWS

19

Zimmer Biomet’s Excellence is Recognised by Engineers Ireland

S

HANNON, Co Clare, 20th May 2019; Zimmer Biomet, a global leader in musculoskeletal healthcare, has recently been awarded the prestigious Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Accredited Employer Standard from Engineers Ireland. A leading employer in Shannon and Oranmore, Galway, Zimmer Biomet’s footprint in Ireland features two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities plus a professional education centre that attracts healthcare professionals from around the world.

Presenting the award, Aidan O’Flaherty, Associate Director, Engineers Ireland, congratulated the Zimmer Biomet team, “This is the national benchmark that recognises excellence in delivering continuing professional development training to engineers.

Zimmer Biomet first won accreditation in 2010 and has successfully completed the process several times since. On this occasion, re-accreditation featured a written

submission, a detailed audit and interviews with engineering employees. Assessment criteria included evidence of CPD policy and strategy, competency frameworks, talent support programmes, mentoring, continuous improvement through creative problem solving and innovative solution, knowledge sharing and knowledge management plus links to external learning.

I want to thank Zimmer Biomet for its strong commitment to excellence and extend my congratulations to Claude and the team for attaining this best-in-class award.”

“Our people are at the very heart of our success,” said Claude Costelloe, General Manager of Zimmer Biomet’s Ireland manufacturing facilities. “We are committed to helping each and every one of our Team Members achieve their full potential. We are delighted to be recognised by Engineers Ireland and believe that this CPD framework will enable us to develop our team and deliver our strategic business objectives in Ireland.”

20

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

Ronan Scully

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK Author spreading the word of positivity

THE HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP MANAGER LEGEND

I

HAVE often been to Cusack Park to watch the various Gaelic Football and Hurling matches over the years especially when my beautiful wife’s County Clare were playing in it and I hope to be going yet again to see this years Munster and All Ireland Hurling series with my Dad to see the various managers and players in action in all their genuine glory on the various GAA fields around Ireland. It’s been an integral part of our father-son relationship for as long as I can remember and the memories of so many great hurling matches are forever etched on my mind. I enjoy going to the GAA matches and I love to watch how each manager interacts with their team and how each player interacts with their manager.

The better they interact with their manager, the better chance they seem to have of winning on the playing field. It always reminds me of a story a legendary Hurler and friend told me about been a good manager.

Talking to the Manager A stranger was walking by Cusack Park before it became the iconic stadium it is now. He was wearing the famous “Bainisteoir” logo on the back of his jersey. He stopped to watch four kids trying to hit the sliothar over the bar. They were at the far end of the field. The slitohar bounced to where the stranger was standing and he grabbed the sliothar and pucked it high. It went so high up into the air, it seemed to disappear into the sky only to reappear again on its descent. The stranger was standing at least 80 yards away from the goal. The sliothar went straight over the black spot of the goal.

The kids went wild roaring, ‘no way!’ and ‘lucky shot’. The stranger yelled out, ‘One more shot!’ to which one kid replied, ‘Ain’t no way he can do two. The wind is

blowing.’

One of the kids pucked the sliothar down to where the stranger was standing. He pucked the sliothar high again. This time, everything got quiet, even though the wind still blew as hard as ever.

The sliothar again went straight over the black spot. The kids were stunned. One kid pucked the sliothar toward the stranger again.

The stranger lofted the sliothar up in the air the same way with the same result. One kid asked, ‘Who are you, man?’ The stranger said, ‘I’m just passing through. Want to learn how to play hurling?

I’ll show you how.’ The stranger worked with each kid showing him how to improve his hurling.

Every kid improved immediately.

It got so the kids couldn’t miss.

Suddenly, the stranger disappeared. Three of the four boys looked around and saw only an empty green field. One of the kids mouth had dropped wide open.

He was frozen in place. They were sure they had seen a ghost. Suddenly, the stranger re-appeared out of thin air. ‘I am not a ghost.

I do what the manager tells me to do. Today I am a teacher, teaching you how to play hurling and other things about life. I taught you how to play hurling but I also taught you about more important things than hurling. Remember, I taught you if you don’t have a goal, you don’t have a game. I taught you that, unless you pass the sliothar and share the scoring, you lose.

I taught you that, if you do not follow the rules, you cannot win.

I taught you that you have to be honest with yourself. You need to know what you can and cannot do. I taught you to develop the part of your game you do best. I taught you to play defence against the bad things of life and play attacking to keep the good things going. I taught you to improve your game and improve your character. I taught you not to re-

peat mistakes in your game but to eliminate the mistakes as soon as you can. You must quickly eliminate the mistakes, so the mistakes do not become a habit. I taught you to put others before yourself.

‘One more thing, you must always talk to the manager. If you don’t talk to the manager, the manager won’t talk to you,’ he said before disappearing again.

The boys froze. One kid said, ‘I think my mother sent this guy.’

Another kid said, ‘No, your mother wouldn’t send a strange guy to teach us to play hurling. She’d send a Ger Loughnane, or a Davy Fitzgerald, or a Fr. Harry Bohan, or some other famous hurling star.’ They all kind of laughed but the kid persisted and said, ‘No, my mother is always praying for me.

My mother is always talking to the manager about life.’

A Prayer Poem for Hurlers “A Hurler’s Prayer” written by Seamus Redmond and recited

by Tony Keady’s son at the Great Tony’s funeral a few years ago. I thought it was worth sharing at this time of the year especially since our Clare Hurlers have started with a win and are preparing for more battle’s on the great hurling fields of Munster and Ireland

this coming summer. A HURLERS PRAYER - “Give me O’Lord a hurlers skill. With strength of arm and speed of limb. Unerring eye for the flying ball. And courage to match them whatever befall. May my aim be steady - my stroke be true. My actions manly - my misses few. And no matter what way the game may go. May I part in friendship with every foe.

When the final whistle for me is blown. And I stand at last at Gods Judgement Throne. May the great Referee when he calls my name.

Say you hurled like a man, you played the game. Amen”. An Clar Abu. Thought for the Week As your thought for this week, see where you need help from your manager. Listen to what is been told to you and try your best to get a good result. Believe in yourself to always play well on the playing fields of life! Let me finish with one of my favourite sports prayers that I prayed before football and hurling matches when I played a bit when younger, “Dear God, Thank you for this new day. It is such a privilege and a blessing to play football and hurling. Please fill us with energy and passion as we push ourselves

to do well. Help us all to compete with fairness in our hearts and minds and give us the grace to accept success or defeat. Protect our health and bodies as we challenge, tackle and run today. Watch over all those present, the spectators young and old, and our nearest and dearest families. May this game celebrate sport, and be enjoyable for everyone. Thank you O God for giving me a body which is fit and strong, and for making me able to use it well. In my training, help me never to shrink the discipline which I know that I need and that I ought to accept. In my leisure and in my pleasure, help me never to allow myself any indulgence which would make me less fit than I ought to be. When I compete with others, help me, win or lose, to play fair. When I win, keep me from boasting; When I lose, keep me from making excuses. Keep me from being conceited when I succeed, and from being sulky when I fail. And help me always with good will congratulate a better person who beat me. Help me so to live that I will always have a healthy body, and a healthy mind. This I ask for Your love sake. Amen”

Community

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

WEST CLARE

COMMUNITY 21 CONTACT NEWSDESK

065 671 9021 news@clareecho.ie

ENNIS

MILTOWN MALBAY-SOCIETY GUIDED WALK We do hope that you will be able to join us for the first of our guided Summer 2019 outings next Sunday (26th May) as we head to Liscannor village to learn more about the Pope’s Parish.

Departure from Miltown (Church Car Park) at 2PM or meet at Liscannor Harbour at 2.30PM.

l OUT AND ABOUT: Kilmihil National School kids on their

school trip to Leinster House (that’s the bit behind the scaffolding). With Principal Carmel Browne Coughlan and teacher Meadhbh Chambers they met their local TD Dr. Michael Harty.

EAST AND S. EAST CLARE FEAKLE Ciúnas Centre are a not for profit centre offering affordable wellness therapies and counseling in a fully accessible centre in Feakle. We are looking for self employed qualified Massage Therapists, hours to suit. We are also looking for a part time (job share) receptionist, but as we do not directly employ any paid staff at the centre you would need to qualify under the Community Employment scheme. If you are interested or know of anyone who would be please contact Máire Bourke via email at management.ciunas@gmail.com CRATLOE CEILE The Cratloe Set Dancers recently presented cheques totaling €5,000 to three charities. This year the three charities selected were, Adapt Domestic Abuse Services, The Alzheimers Society and Cratloe Benevolent Fund.

They were each presented with a cheque during last week.

The Cratloe Set Dancers are a group who meet every Monday night from September to April in Cratloe Community Hall to learn and dance sets under the instructions of Mike McInerney who gives of his time free such is his love of set dancing.

GORT SUCCESS OF THE HEART OF GORT FESTIVAL Throughout the weekend, an art exhibit drew viewers down Boland’s Lane to Michael Kennedy’s Studio, the Harvest Studios and the Gort ICA Guild with art from a range of artists.

The Festival’s final event kicked into the wee hours of Sunday as a world music DJ played in Sullivan’s Hotel to a Brazilian beat for a mix of Irish and Brazilian dancers.

The festival organizers, Burren Lowlands, ICOMOS Ireland, Galway2020 and the Galway County Council, want to extend HEARTfelt thanks all the volunteers who worked the traffic, helped with safety issues and both put up and took down the tent in Canon Quinn Park. The festival’s success was a real community effort!

l SING IT: Suara Women’s Community Choir will present their first lunchtime concert at the Gallery in Glór on Tuesday 28th May at 1.15. The choir have been in existence for over a decade and, in September 2018, were joined by composer and conductor Fiona Linnane as their musical director.

This has been a year of growth for the choir and their hosting of their first lunchtime concert is sign of the great things to come from this wonderful group. The programme includes rounds, popular songs and lots of beautiful sounds!

This is a family friendly concert with free admission.

ENNIS FREEDOM BOOK FESTIVAL Remembering the International Brigades’ which took place at Simms Lane and Lucas Bar on Saturday May 18th was a huge success. The Festival brought people from all over Ireland and from Liverpool and Catalonia to Ennis on a Saturday in May. To see Ennis on the Map of International Brigade memorials is a huge tourism attraction and will add to the town’s attractions.

CLARE MACRA A.G.M. & INFORMATION NIGHT Clare Macra held their AGM in The Temple Gate Hotel last Friday night. Newly elected Munster Vice President Sean Wallace and Training and Development Officer Debbie Donnelly were also in attendance.

Chairperson Cillian Griffey said ‘It was a very successful year on the Clare Macra calendar. A stand out moment for the County was the setting up of a new Macra club in Kilrush.

Members did themselves proud from across the county in numerous National competitions and more will be entered in the year to come.’

Anyone interested in joining the organisation can message the Clare Macra Facebook page or call/ text Debbie on 086-7808987.

22 COLUMNISTS

REELING IN THE YEARS

with Cian O’Broin

1982 S

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

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

The excavation of Cahercommaun Fort

TEPPING back over a quarter of a century in Clare’s history takes us to a place not too unfamiliar from our own. Replace Trump and Varadkar with Castro and Haughey, mix in some religious unrest coupled with the East Clare tradition of a travelling grocery shop.

Similar to your Tesco delivery service but not quite as up market.

To top it all off, a farmer from Ballyea accidentally unearths a collection of rare coins stowed away on his land for generations. Let us begin.

THE TRAVELLING GROCER He went by the name of Andy McNamara. That’s what everyone along the roads of East Clare knew him by. Coasting gently along the high hill of Tulla in his travelling grocery shop is where Andy found himself most comfortable. At the time, Andy had been making this journey for thirty-three consecutive years. Along with his daughter Anita, Andy set out each morning with the intention of serving the needs and wants of the people living in the rural areas of East Clare. Elated customers stocked up on all the basics, most notably tea and sugar. Oftentimes, Andy would sway the customer to add in a few biscuits into their shopping cart. His thick Clare accent bore bought charm and cunning. He was after all, an age-old entrepreneur. On 27th May 1982, Andy featured on a special edition of ‘Ireland’s Eye’ broadcast on RTE. On this particular run, Andy makes a call to fiddle player Michael Dinan. Michael treats his company to a special tune hosted by himself and his ninety-one-year-old mother Bridget, who holds her own gracefully on the concertina.

CASTRO AND HAUGHEY

No matter how familiar you are with the trials and tribulations of communism, it’s a well-known fact that Fidel Castro’s influence ripples throughout time itself. Despite his lifelong struggle against the spearhead of American capitalism, Castro still found time to visit Co Clare. In 1982, Shannon was on his hit list as he made a stop over on his way to the USSR for the funeral of Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev in November of that year. This fact remains contested amongst historians, as most of his movements were undertaken in secret. This was due to the nature of the communist struggle.

Accompanying Castro in Shannon was President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua. Another facilitator of communist ideals, which adds weight to the USSR theory. Castro left a gift for Charles Haughey, acting Taoiseach at the time. His favourite cigar was the famed Cohiba Coronas Especiale, which he left at the airport to be passed on to Mr. Haughey.

FARMER’S LUCKY COINS Johnny O’ Brien was the name of the farmer from Drumquin, Ballyea who uncovered a bag full of James II half crowns, buried on his land. A total of twenty-eight coins were stowed away in this bag. These coins were produced in Ireland between the years 1689 and 1691, at a time coined as the Jacobite or Williamite Wars. These coins were utilised as tokens of base metal which were later to be exchanged for coins following James II’s retaking of the English throne. These coins established mints at both Dublin and Limerick and came in the form of crowns, halfcrowns, shillings and sixpence. A total worth of 1,100,00 pounds is said to have been accumulated with this coinage. These coins found by Ballyea farmer, Johnny O’ Brien were probably produced in Limerick prior to the Battle of the Boyne. The production of these coins was terminated in late July 1960.

HYDE PARK BOMBING A kilrush man was arrested in 2013 and charged with conspiracy to murder as part of the Hyde Park bombings of 1982. This IRA bombing placed an even darker shadow over the morale of the IRA at the time, as the Hyde Park incident violated the ‘Good Friday Agreement’ with the British government. Four members of the Household Cavalry were killed in the attack. The arrest in 2013 rubbed Sinn Fein president Gerry Kelly the wrong way, as he felt it would tarnish the reputation of the republic. In 2007, Kilrush man John Downey received a letter emancipating himself from any possible entanglement with British law enforcement. John had travelled to England on several occasions since then. Sentiments of the past still stung the hearts of the Tory government in London it seems.

Be sure to pick up next week’s Clare Echo as we step up to the year 1983. Until then, take care.

H

l HISTORIC: An overhead view of Cahercommaun Fairy Fort which was excavated in the 1930s I ALL,

For those of you who follow my fortnightly article, you may recall a time when my Grandson and I took a trip to the magical landscape of Cahercommaun Fairy Fort (R476 via L5096) where we met Mick, who informed us of earlier settlers.

Well yesterday, we happened to catch up with Mick again on a return visit. This time he advised us that back in 1934 this site was excavated by a team of archaeologists who discovered that it was once a triple stone ringfort. “You know,” said Mick, “what you see here today is only a shell of the original structure, but never the less of great historical importance.”

Following a six week period of excavation, prehistorians discovered that although the fort was built during the 9th century, there were also finds which dated back to the 5th and 6th centuries. It was thought that the inner most domain which forms an almost complete circle, being 5ft thick and 4ft high, was the principle structure, perhaps a domestic dwelling which was occupied by the chief of the Tuath. It contained three other chambers - one of which contained a southerrain [underground structure] clearly built to protect and defend at times of attack, which consisted of a low narrow passage that ran north from the dwelling through an opening in the ring fort and onto the adjoining cliff edge. At this point, having had a rope they would have been able to escape down the narrow

vertical fissure of the 12ft high cliff face and onto the safety of the wooded area beneath. It was also possible that this area could also have been used as a coldroom to store food items.

However, the two outer enclosures which only formed a semicircle were poorly constructed and consisted of nine other chambers which possibly served as domestic use rather than defensive. Within these, the excavators also unearthed a suite of other structures in which other finds strongly suggest the inclusion of sheds, workshops, corn drying kilns and animal shelters. The embankment that circled the fort was built for defence purposes, and was thought to consist of a fringe of earth, thus presenting a barricade of black/white thorn bushes, hence making it difficult to breach (the higher the bank, the higher the status of its owner). This was necessary so as to keep marauding animals such as wolves from attacking the family’s livestock. Cattle raiders were also common back then.

When Mason questioned Mick about the wolves, he informed us that these wild animals were in Ireland up to 1786, but are now extinct.

Throughout the course of the dig they uncovered implements which were dating back to the 5th and 6th century, late Neolithic/early Bronze era. Among these items were utensils such as a saddle quren (a simple hand mill for grinding corn), fragments of bone points which would have been used as spindle whorlswhich would suggest the husbandry and the

organized process of wool in the region at that time. Also present were small metal pins, brooches irons, knives and shears. Mason then asked if they found gold, which we’re informed there wasn’t, except for traces used to decorate other materials, such as silver brooches or jewellery made from iron.

There was also an abundance of domesticated animal bones such as cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, which would indicate that this settlement was by all means a self sufficient production centre. Also found were skeleton bones of wild animals namely badgers, foxes, pine martens and red deer which would indicate a more wooded landscape perhaps of pine, hazel, and black/white thorn. Surprisingly large tracts of fertile ground rich in calcareous grassland could be found in which to practice tillage farming. This may well have decided their chosen location.

We will never know for sure, however there have been no signs of occupation past the 10th century. “I suppose that’s when the fairies moved in Mason, so make your wish now and I’ll talk to you the next time you are up in Carron,” said Mick. Unfortunately I think it’s also time for us to journey on, so until next time.

PS: As with all historical sites, take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprints.

ELECTION POLLING DAY: FRIDAY, MAY 24

Local Elections

2019

THE 51 CANDIDATES ENNIS LEA

7 seats l 15 candidates

Candidates

Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) Frank Cullinan (Ind) Cllr Pat Daly (FF) Alfonso D’Auria (Ind) Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) André Hakizimana (Ind) Dermot Hayes (Ind) Cllr Mary Howard (FG) Chris Kirwin (SD) Amanda Major (Ind) Donna Deirdre McGettigan (SF) Mark Nestor (FF) Cllr Ann Norton (Ind) Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) Seamus Ryan (LAB)

ENNISTYMON LEA

KILLALOE LEA

4 seats l 7 candidates 5 seats l 10 candidates

Candidates

Joe Garrihy (FG) Roisín Garvey (Green) Joe Killeen (FF) Noeleen Moran (SF) Martin O’Loghlen (FF) Cllr Bill Slattery (FG) Shane Talty (FF)

Candidates

Cllr Pat Burke (FG) Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) Beckha Doyle (SD) Joe Floyd (Ind) Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) Seán Naughton (SF) Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF) Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) Barry O’Donovan (Green) Ger O’Halloran (FG)

KILURUSH LEA

SHANNON LEA

5 seats l 9 candidates

7 seats l 10 candidates

Cllr Bill Chambers (FF) Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) Cllr Ian Lynch (Ind) Noereen Lynch (Ind) Cillian Murphy (FF) Mike Taylor (FG) Joseph Woulfe (Ind) Violet Anne Wynne (SF)

Cllr Michael Begley (Ind) Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) Cllr John Crowe (FG) Cllr Gerry Flynn (Ind) Eugene Long (FG) Cllr Mike McKee (SF) Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) Garret McPhilips (FG) Cllr PJ Ryan (Ind) Betty Walsh (SD)

Candidates

Candidates

POLLING STATIONS OPEN: May 24, 7am-10pm * ANSWER TO QUESTION ON PAGE 12: Cllr Pat Daly

Tá mé anseo: three councillors attend every county council meeting PÁRAIC McMAHON

T

paraic@clareecho.ie

Three councillors attended all ninety nine meetings of Clare County Council from 2014 to 2019, The Clare Echo can reveal.

Retiring Independent Cllr Christy Curtin not alone was present at every single full Council meeting over the five years of this term and of the three was also the only elected representative to be present at every official meeting of their respective Municipal District.

Fianna Fáil duo Cllr PJ Kelly and Cllr Bill Chambers also recorded a one hundred percent attendance at the meetings of Clare County Council from June 2014 to May 2019.

Cllr Kelly is the longest serving councillor in the county while Cllr Chambers became the first Cooraclare person to serve as Mayor of the County when assuming office in June 2016. They are both seeking re-election in the Kilrush electoral area with Cillian Murphy joining them on the party ticket.

Four councillors attended less than ninety percent of County Council meetings, namely Cllr Bill Slattery, Cllr Michael Hillery, Cllr Mike McKee and Cllr Ian Lynch. Kilrush’s Lynch on eighty four percent was absent more than any other councillor.

According to the Independent, work and

family commitments don’t tend to suit the set times for meetings. “When I came into the Kilrush Town Council we had agreed to have our meetings at 7pm, I tried to introduce that when I came into the County Council especially with the SPCs I asked that they wouldn’t be held on the same day as the Council meetings because it was too much time. It was agreed at one meeting and then I came back to another meeting and it had been changed again. Our West Clare Municipal District meetings we couldn’t always get a late evening meeting because it didn’t suit everyone. It is difficult,” he told The Clare Echo.

However Cllr Lynch if successful in his election bid will bring forward a previous motion to use “a certain amount of ” video conferencing for meetings to suit elected representatives in full-time employment. “Some days you just can’t be there but you can do it from the desk at work and it’s better to be in some presence than not there at all. It is demanding, there is a lot of meetings and Cllr Curtin had a motion in two years ago and we’d over 370 meetings in the year, that’s averaging out at a meeting a day which is very difficult. I’m lucky that my employer understands the role but it does put extra pressure on me, if I’m gone in the day I’ve to work it back in the evening which means I’m gone from my family. My family and my employer are very supportive of it so for the next five years I’ll be able to give as much as I can and be able to fulfil the role”.

CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL ATTENDANCE JUNE ‘14 - MAY ‘19 100% Chambers Bill (FF) Curtin Christy (IND) Kelly PJ (FF) 99% Breen James (IND) Flynn Gerry (IND) 98% Colleran Molloy Clare (FF) Cooney Joe (FG) 97% Keating Gabriel (FG) 96% Begley Michael (IND) Burke Pat (FG) Flynn Johnny (FG) Howard Mary (FG) 94% McMahon Pat (FF) Murphy Paul (FG) Ryan PJ (IND)

93% Daly Pat (FF) Hayes Pat (FF) McNamara Tom (FF) Nagle Richard (FF) Norton Ann (IND) 92% O’Callaghan Alan (FF) 91% O’Brien Tony (FF) 90% Crowe Cathal (FF) Crowe John (FG) 88% Slattery Bill (FG) 85% Hillery Michael (FF) McKee Mike (SF) 84% Lynch Ian (IND) 84%

2019

Local Elections

Colleran Molloy tackles crime with marking machine

SAFETY MEASURE: At Ennis Mart trying out the machine is Cllr Colleran Molloy with members of the Council’s Rural Development directorate Michael Keogh, Joe Spellissy, Siobhan O’Reilly and John Treacy

Photo by Martin Connolly

STUART HOLLY

C

editor@clareecho.ie

OUNCILLOR Clare Colleran Molloy, Mayor of Ennis, has helped to roll out a property marking machine which it is believed will have a significant impact in the reduction of thefts and burglaries in County Clare.

The barrister and Fianna Fáil councillor visited the Mart recenty where the new machine was being demonstrated to the farming community by members of the Rural Development Directorate.

Cllr Colleran Molloy explained that the machine, which is free of charge to use for members of the public, marks property of value with its owners eircode, thereby enabling gardai to identify the true owner of the property. It can be used to mark anything from farm machinery, to golf equipment and even your mobile phone.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s local election, Cllr Colleran Molloy told The Clare Echo that she spearheaded this project to tackle the rise in thefts and burglaries in the Ennis area and that the initiative must be a joined-up programme between Clare County Council and the Gardai.

“We have had substantial increases in thefts and burglaries,” said the Ballybeg councillor. “In fact, the increase in the theft of construction equipment has gone up by more than 30 per cent in recent times. My own brother in law is building a house and all his equipment was stolen. If he had used this property marking machine to mark all his property with the eircode; if the gardai retrieved it, they would have been able to return it to him.”

Ms Colleran Molloy explained that she was motivated to do something in her power to tackle criminal activity in the county town after her own family fell vic-

tim to a recent theft, when her husband’s new ride-on mower was stolen from their locked garage.

She explained, “It was pushed out of the garage, you could see the scrape marks on the garage floor, and it was pushed up into what we learned subsequently was a white Hiace van. A couple of weeks later, Senator Robbie Gallagher from Co Monaghan, who is an ex-garda, sent literature and I zoned in on this property marking machine which was rolled out in the Cavan Monaghan Division.

“Cavan-Monaghan is one division for garda purposes but they only did property marking in the Monaghan side. The wannabe thief would see signage indicating ‘property marking in operation in this area’ and they would just avoid the area. That was bourne out by the figures, where the drop in burglaries on the Monaghan side was substantial versus the Cavan side.”

Cllr Colleran Molloy explained that ahead of a conference visit to Monaghan, she asked the local mayor to bring along the machine. “Cllr Christy Curtin and Cllr PJ Kelly were there, both of farming interest, and they thought this had super potential. So I suggested that we buy it in Clare, and every councillor chipped in their little bit of discretionary monies, so it all cost the councillors about €200 each.”

Cllr Colleran Molloy added that while the Rural Development Directorate are rolling out the machine amongst the farming community, it will soon be made available for anyone to use.

“Fifty per cent of all burglaries in Clare take place in Ennis so we need to roll this out. That’s where residents associations, GAA clubs, soccer clubs, will all be able to feed into the County Council to get their property marked.” She added, “Anything can be marked. Leather, a laptop, tractors, trailors, golf clubs, anything can be marked no matter what material.”

Local Elections

2019

Flynn encourages people to use vote

ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE: Cllr Johnny Flynn at the construction of the new development at CBS Ennis, which he played a role in helping to secure

STUART HOLLY

C

editor@clareecho.ie

OUNCILLOR Johnny Flynn has vowed to continue building a stronger and safer community for the Ennis Municipal District Area if elected this

weekend.

Cllr Flynn (Fine Gael) was first elected as a local councillor in 2004 and told The Clare Echo that he hopes to continue his work for Ennis and the surrounding areas by standing in the local election on 24th May 2019.

The former chief fire officer said that he understands that he needs to work hard to gain the support of Ennis voters and promises to continue his work on the platform of “no expenses”, nor go on taxpayer-funded junkets abroad and not to accept any “top-up payments” as an officeholder is promised again if he is elected for the coming five years.

Cllr Flynn, who was the third candidate to win a seat in the 2014 election, commented, “If the people of Ennis want me to continue to work on the issues important to them, it’s essential they get out and vote.

“As a husband and father of four, my focus throughout the years is to build a stronger, safer and just community for all families and individuals of Ennis and the surrounding areas.

“I believe that my strategic and proactive work impacts positively not alone on today’s residents but also helps to build a successful future for Ennis and Clare. The

projects I have been involved in have had an emphasis on affordable and social housing, education, improved health services, recreational and sport facilities, infrastructure, safeguards and renewal of Ennis town centre.”

As an investor and advocate for renewable energies, Cllr Flynn supports the implementation of policy changes in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals to ensure the environment is protected for the future.

He was instrumental in stopping production of fracked gas in Clare and is lobbying to stop imported fracked gas being allowed to be used in the National energy streams and any future Data Centre in Clare. Another service that he has proposed to help reduce the town’s impact on climate change is an electric powered Ennis Town bus service to reduce transport emissions.

Cllr Flynn continues, “I’m asking the people of Ennis and the surrounding areas for the continued support to help shape a sustainable future for Ennis.”

Over the course of his term, Cllr Flynn has called for a town bus system to be set up in Ennis and more recently for a 24 hour A7E Unit to be reopened at Ennis General Hostpial. Johnny is active on project teams that have delivered Scoil Chríost Rí Cloughleigh’s €6million development and CBS Ennis’ €10, development, which is under construction.

The Ennis councillor declined a request from his party to contest the 2016 general election instead opting to stay local, as their biggest vote getter in the area.

2019

Local Elections

Howard leads way in mandatory Inquest for all maternal deaths

E

NNIS Councillor Mary Howard says it has been an “emotional few days” after a Bill was passed in Dáil Éireann to ensure mandatory inquests for all maternal deaths.

Cllr Howard (FG) had proposed a motion at Clare County Council requesting the Minister for Justice include in the Coroner’s Bill provision for “Automatic Inquest for ALL Maternal Deaths”. This motion was passed by Clare County Council, and shortly after the concept gained momentum and 23 other councils followed suit.

Cllr Howard, in a statement to The Clare Echo, said, “I got involved in public life because I wanted to make a difference, a positive difference and effect change.

“While attending a conference a number of years ago I became aware that when a healthy, pregnant woman enters an Irish Maternity unit and comes out in a box, she has absolutely no entitlement to an inquest. If you or I die in a road traffic accident, or fall off a bridge and die, we are entitled to an inquest, but a healthy pregnant woman dies suddenly there is no entitlement to an inquest. Once I became aware of this I was incredulous and shocked.”

Ms Howard continued, “This is not solely a “woman’s issue”, it is a man’s issue too, as they are left picking up the pieces while the death of their loved one is disregarded and only gets an “internal report” that is quickly consigned to a dusty shelf. These men have been left with new born babies (as all the babies did not die), and often dealing with other children who want their mammy to come home. Can you imagine the heartbreak and upset? Grieving, rearing babies and young children while being disregarded and getting no answers while fighting to get an inquest.”

This past week in the Dáil, the Coroners Bill 2018 passed. “We finally have included in the legislation provision for automatic inquests for all maternal deaths. It has been an emotional few days as we think of those who have lost loved ones within our maternity services.

“Mandatory inquests will ensure that families have full detailed knowledge about the deaths of their loved ones and are absolutely crucial to prevent avoidable tragedies in our maternity services.”

Ms Howard moved to thank Martina Hynan of The Elephant Collective “for opening my eyes three years ago, Dr Jo Murphy-Lawless Professor of Midwifery at Trinity College and of course Clare Daly TD who took personal interest in this issue and did trojan work to bring this legislation to fruition”.

“It has been an emotional few days since the legislation has finally passed we are thinking of the eight beautiful women that the Elephant Collective exhibition was based on. Sally Rowlette, Jennifer Crean, Bimbo Ananugo, Dhara Kivlehan, Nora Hyland, Tanis McCabe, Evelyn Flanagan and Savita Halappanavar.”

VOTE No.

1

Cllr. PAUL

MURPHY LISTENING, ADVISING, DELIVERING 087 839 6757 barntickfarm@yahoo.ie Cllr Paul Murphy

CLLR. JOHNNY

FLYNN CLLR. MARY HOWARD

VOTE 2, 3 in order of your preference

Local Elections

2019

Hayes hits out at Council over Ennis town vibrancy and housing crisis STUART HOLLY

editor@clareecho.ie

E

NNIS District election candidate, Dermot Hayes, insists that the current “Rip Van Winkle approach” in Clare County Council needs to end and that if he is elected, he will ensure that the revitalisation of Ennis is top of Clare County Council’s agenda.

While acknowledging that Ennis is a unique and vibrant town with a proud history and an exciting future to look forward to, Independent candidate Hayes insists that Clare County Council has allowed Ennis to fall “way behind” compared to the vibrancy of Galway, Limerick and Athlone.

The former Labour Party member added that the ideas are there already – what is lacking is the “can do it attitude” and “a sense of urgency” to get things done.

The popular disability rights activist, in a statement to The Clare Echo, said that his priority is to breathe life into Ennis Town Centre.

“Ennis has it all – lovely streetscapes, heritage, culture, business, retail, tourism etc and it is capable of so much more. Up to 20 per cent of the shop units and upstairs spaces are vacant.

“We have a housing shortage and need more businesses creating more jobs in En-

nis. We need more shoppers and tourists in the town centre.”

He continued, “We don’t need to wait for years for big money from Dublin – for minimal additional money, we can start on a pilot basis, learn from our experience and build our confidence – then we can grow our ambitions.

“O’Connell Street has 25,000 footfall on a quiet Friday and Saturday in winter time – what can we achieve during the summer season?”

Hayes said that if and when he is elected to Clare County council he will actively push Clare County Council to: l Pedestrianise O’Connell Square, O’Connell Street, Salthouse Lane and High Street every Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday during July and August. He noted that this is already feasible during the weekends before Christmas. l Encourage restaurants to put tables outside, encourage pop-up shops in some of the vacant premises. l Attract stall holders, music, culture, art. l Tap into the vast volume of tourists who bypass Ennis going to West Clare and the Cliffs of Moher. l Be ambitious, get Ennis back on the destination map. l At no additional cost, use the existing rental subsidy and other schemes to actively encourage owners of vacant buildings to create accommodation for tenants. l Use the existing rates remission scheme and other incentives to encourage business-

es to occupy vacant shops.

Meanwhile, Mr Hayes also criticised the Clare County Council for doing “greater damage” to the housing market than vulture funds.

Hayes maintains there are just nine houses currently for rent in Ennis, and has laid the blame for both the lack of properties and high rental costs firmly at the door of Clare County Council.

Citing official figures from the Rebuilding Ireland Progress Reports, the Ennis Municipal District candidate has revealed that the Council took 2,234 houses out of the private rental market through house acquisitions, HAP and other schemes from 2016 to 2018, during which time they built just two houses.

Hayes has branded the current policy a disgrace, saying that “it is providing cushy income for investors and pushing rents into the stratosphere for the few properties that remain available.

“The 25,000 people of this town have just nine properties available to them because Clare County Council have taken over 2,000 houses out of the supply chain in three years.”

He questioned the role of sitting councillors, claiming that “they are colluding in a failed process, presiding over a failed market and refusing to exercise one of the key powers available to them.”

“They have spent the campaign attacking national bodies over which they have no influence or role and yet are silent on the biggest scandal in the very organization that pays their wages.

“Clare County Council has taken as many units out of the local market as the country’s biggest vulture fund has done nationally.

“If they had built houses instead of cannibalizing private housing, then up to 2,234 extra houses would be available for sale or rent, providing accommodation for over 5,000 people. There can be no greater argument for change on Clare County Council.”

Nesto Nestor Mark

VOTE No.1 VOTE No.1

VOTE No.1

Mark

Mark

Nestor

Local Election Candidate | En

Local Election Candidate | Ennis

087 248 4552

087 248 4552

Mark Nestor for Clare C marknestorff@gmail.com

Mark Nestor for Clare County Council Local Election Candidate | Ennis

087 248 4552

marknestor

marknestorff@gmail.com

Mark Nestor for Clare County Council

2019

Local Elections

André promises TV station and school of economics PÁRAIC McMAHON

A

paraic@clareecho.ie

NDRÉ Hakizimana has pledged to establish a school of economics and TV station in Clare if successful in his bid to be elected to Clare County Council.

It was after his first count elimination in the 2016 General Election that the Ennis economist decided he would put his name on the ballot paper at the next local election. In such terms, he was the first candidate in the Ennis Municipal District to declare but in reality he was last of the 15 in the running to publicise his plans.

He has published two books, ‘The Irish Economy: Past, Present, and Future’ and ‘Understanding Everyday Governments Ways of Job Creation’. Since moving to Ennis in 2004, the Rwanda

native has obtained an honours degree from NUIG in sociology, politics and economics, in 2011 he completed a masters in economics at UCC. Regarding the economic policies of Clare Co Council, André noted, “Today the problem they have is that they have no power, it is the Government who decide”. Though he maintained national policies are dictating the goings-on at local level, he was confident of having a say in the Council’s economic policy “because I know the language of economics and I know what they mean”.

“I’m now ready to set up a school of economics in Ennis,” Hakizimana said of his activity between the General Election of 2016 and Friday’s local election.

The father of four has also committed to setting up the United Europe Irish TV Station if elected. “If elected I’m going to set up the United Europe TV station of TV in Ennis, I am going to do it, it is my debt to the people”.

With three weeks of campaigning behind him, André is confident it will be enough. “Because I know the people want change I am confident. If the people want change, I am confident they will decide to change”.

3rd Level Campus.

Secure the future of Ennis & its surrounding communities.

The associated third level population will increase the need to reopen our A&E in Ennis General Hospital.

Support Sole Traders, Business, Enterprise & Innovation.

Drive Tourism Opportunities in Ennis & surrounding areas & more importantly Tourism Spending.

International, National, Local Festivals, Events & Concerts in Cusack Park.

Tackle Parking issues Well Being & Mental Health - Working on a Pilot Scheme project that can be rolled out across Clare Schools & Nationwide.

Increased investment in Clubs, Sporting, Recreational & General Amenity Facilities for all ages. Avail of capital funding for facilities & clubs.

Volunteers are the heartbeat of our Community, Children & youth are the future of our Community. So lets support them as we build our EMD Community.

Open to other ideas and suggestions from the public.

Keep Clare Tidy

Local Elections

2019

‘North Clare needs its own municipal district’ - Moran STUART HOLLY

T

editor@clareecho.ie additional reporting by Páraic McMahon

HE neglect of North Clare is set to continue, according to local election candidate Noeleen Moran, as it has been confirmed that West and North Clare councillors will sit as one municipal district.

In a statement to The Clare Echo just days ahead of people going to the polling stations across the Ennistymon area, Moran said, “With West Clare having five councillors and North Clare just four, there will be a permanent inbuilt majority in favour of West Clare when it comes to allocation of funding etc.”

The Sinn Féin candidate continued, “The division of the area into two local election areas appears to have been designed purely to accommodate the larger parties for electoral purposes.”

Ms Moran, who collected more than 4,000 first preference votes in the 2016 general election bid, argued that the neglect of North Clare is a theme which has been

continued for a number of years.

“There has been historically a pattern of neglect in North Clare when it comes to investment in our roads, housing and basic infrastructure it is not good enough that this is being allowed to continue.

“North Clare needs its own municipal district with a separate budget to redress years of neglect.”

Looking ahead to the election; affordable housing and tackling homelessness are the main issues of concern to Moran on the campaign trail. Noticeably quieter in her dealings with the media and fellow Sinn Féin candidates in the county, the Ballyvaughan woman will be tested by the arrival of Martin O’Loghlen.

A future bid for the Dáil is already confirmed and to build on her result of three years ago, being a councillor would be a step in the right direction.

Her father, Noel unsuccessfully contested the 1991 election for the PDs when Tony Killeen topped the poll - she now has her chance to gain some revenge by defeating his cousin Joe at the end of May.

RÓISÍN

Our Council, Our Future, Your vote

GARVEY

Garvey’s the the 11 to to get get things things done! done!

Garvey’s 086 1043528 roisin.garvey@greenparty.ie

2019

Local Elections

Municipal district meetings: Six councillors record 100% attendance MUNICIPAL DISTRICT MEETINGS ATTENDANCE JUNE ‘14 - MAY ‘19

PÁRAIC McMAHON

S

paraic@clareecho.ie

IX of Clare’s 28 councillors attended all Municipal District meetings over the last five years.

For the current Council term, Clare had four Municipal Districts (Ennis, Killaloe, Shannon and West Clare), monthly meetings were held in Ennis with bi-monthly gatherings for Killaloe, Shannon and West Clare.

63 Ennis Municipal District meetings took place with only Paul Murphy holding a 100 percent attendance record. James Breen, Pat Daly and Mary Howard missed two meetings each while Ann Norton had the lowest record of the eight elected representatives (88 per cent).

Four of the six elected officials from the Killaloe Municipal District were present at every meeting, namely Pat Burke, Joe Cooney, Pat Hayes and Tony O’Brien. Of their 39 official gatherings, the record for Alan O’Callaghan was 97% and 95% for Michael Begley.

Shannon’s Municipal District was

the only one whereby every councillor missed a meeting. The attendance of their six councillors ranged from PJ Ryan and Gerry Flynn (both 98%) to Cathal Crowe (87%) - Crowe’s turnout was the poorest of all county councillors at MD level.

Retiring councillor Christy Curtin was ever present at all meetings of the West Clare Municipal District. Equally the Miltown Malbay representative attended every meeting of the County Council recording a 100% attendance at 149 meetings over the course of five years. Gabriel Keating and PJ Kelly missed a meeting each in the West Clare MD while Bill Slattery was bottom of the pile (88%) in terms of appearances.

ENNIS MD: Murphy Paul (FG) 100% Breen James (IND) 97% Daly Pat (FF) 97% Howard Mary (FG) 97% Colleran Molloy Clare (FF) 95% Flynn Johnny (FG) 95% McNamara Tom (FF) 92% Norton Ann (IND) 90%

KILLALOE MD: Burke Pat (FG) 100% Cooney Joe (FG) 100% Hayes Pat (FF) 100% O’Brien Tony (FF) 100% O’Callaghan Alan (FF) 97% Begley Michael (IND) 95%

SHANNON MD: Flynn Gerry (IND) 98% Ryan PJ (IND) 98% McMahon Pat (FF) 96% Crowe John (FG) 89% McKee Mike (SF) 89% Crowe Cathal (FF) 87%

WEST CLARE MD: Curtin Christy (IND) 100% Keating Gabriel (FG) 98% Kelly PJ (FF) 98% Chambers Bill (FF) 94% Hillery Michael (FF) 94% Nagle Richard (FF) 94% Lynch Ian (IND) 92% Slattery Bill (FG) 88%

VOTE #1

Cllr. Pat

HAYES

Keep Clare Bus locally operated Killaloe District

Maghera, Caher, Feakle, Co. Clare  hayespatrick@eircom.net  087 682 0167

Cllr Gabriel

Local Elections

2019

KEATING Local Election Candidate 087 256 4833 gabrielkeating1@gmail.com

The man who gets things done

2019

Local Elections

Shannon Airport not getting fair crack of the whip, says PJ Ryan PÁRAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

I

T TOOK three attempts for PJ Ryan to win a seat on Clare County Council and at the conclusion of the weekend he is hoping to have retained that seat for the third election in a row.

1999 and 2004 saw PJ run as a Fianna Fáil candidate unsuccessfully, despite being a member of the party for 30 years they opted against putting him on the ballot paper in 2009. The home heating oil distributor went Independent and was elected on the final count.

He described the pain of losing out as “disheartening” but felt it showed he was “there or thereabouts” to winning a coveted place on the local authority.

Subsequently his old party have made several requests for him to return but he has declined on each occasion.

During his decade as a county councillor, the Cratloe father of five insisted the highlight is getting the job done for the communities he represents. “All politics is local, it

doesn’t come down to big achievements it comes down to getting the road repaired for some people, getting hedges trimmed for others, looking after the water situation, at the end of the day everything comes down to what you can do for your local community. I’ve been involved in the community organisation both in Sixmilebridge and Cratloe over the years, all politics comes down to is what can be done locally”.

Shannon Airport is in his opinion “not getting a fair crack of the whip” but felt Shannon Group plc are not prioritising the Airport in their portfolio.

“I’ve always been a massive supporter of the airport, it’s what I refer to as our golden veil, it has created many jobs and quite a lot of people in our county and adjoining counties have survived because of Shannon Airport.

“It’s present situation, I would not be happy with, there seems to be an awful lot of emphasis on the heritage and business side of it in the industrial estate but we seem to be having a problem trying to draw extra passengers in through the airport. I have a suspicion that

l AIRPORT CONCERNS: Councillor PJ Ryan it’s a problem created in Dublin because aviation policy dictates through Dublin Airport, Cork Airport and also Shannon Airport even though it’s independent the Minister still dictates what happens

Photo by Gary Collins

there and I’ve a feeling that Shannon is not getting a fair crack of the whip”.

With a permanent successor to Matthew Thomas yet to be appointed as CEO of Shannon Group

Cllr.

plc, Ryan stated what the goal should be for his replacement.

“Their main thing needs to be to attract business to Shannon Airport, I fear they can’t do that with one arm tied behind their back and that’s what is happening. I’ve had discussions both with Neil Pakey and with Matthew Thomas, both of them will tell you they are operating in a restricted area, they are controlled through the Irish Aviation Policy from Dublin which is a major problem”.

At a Council meeting in February 2017, PJ revealed that attending suicide prevention classes had helped him to save a life and called for one to be organised for elected representatives in Clare, no such class has taken place two years later.

“It definitely hasn’t been progressed. The training I had at the time, I obtained it through a voluntary organisation the Shannon and District Lions Club that I’m a member of for forty years, they undertook to train their members.

“It certainly helped me in one or two occasions and I’m fairly sure I saved people’s lives because of it,” he added.

BEGLEY, Michael INDEPENDENT

Mayor of Clare; Cathaoirleach of Clare Co. Council

PLEASE VOTE NO. 1 Vote for ME – to Work for YOU 087-2413433 mlbegley@clarecoco.ie mlbegley@outlook.ie

Municipal District of SHANNON Local Election – Friday May 24th 2019

VOTE BEGLEY, MICHAEL NUMBER

1

European Elections

2019

Minehan says politics needs massive overhaul STUART HOLLY

E

editor@clareecho.ie

UROPEAN election candidate Liam Minehan was canvassing in Clare this week with many voters still undecided ahead of this week’s European elections.

Clare falls under the incredibly competitive constituency of Ireland South, which takes in all of Munster along with Kilkenny, Carlow, Laois, Offaly, Wicklow and Wexford, where 23 candidates are battling it out for just five coveted MEP seats. There is an extra seat however this won’t be taken up until Brexit is enforced.

Three of the four sitting MEPs are in the running again - Deirdre Clune FG, Sean Kelly FG and Liadh Ní Riada SF. They are among the favourites to succeed, however will face strong opposition from the likes of Billy Kelleher, who has heavily canvassed County Clare, along with the Green Party’s Grace O’Sullivan and Mick Wallace.

Among the 11 Independent candidates in Ireland South is Liam Minehan, from near Nenagh in Tipperary. Liam, who comes from a farming background, told The Clare Echo of his Clare links while campaigning in Ennis on Tuesday. The father of four is married to Clonlara native Marian Hayes, while he has distant cousins based in Quin.

However Liam’s claim to fame is having two

grand-uncles who have All-Ireland medals with Clare from the famed 1914 side.

Speaking about his reasoning for contesting the European elections, Liam admits he previously had no political tendencies until he was approached about the Shannon pipeline going through his land in Tipperary.

“Irish Water proposed taking a pipe from the Shannon to Dublin across my land.

We investigated the logic of this and what we found out was a little bit scary. Nobody wanted a pipe, only engineers and consultants. The people in Dublin didn’t need it, the people of Tipperary and other farmers were going to be destroyed by it, and the Shannon was going to be destroyed by it. So the only people who needed it were Dublin Chamber of Commerce and engineers Ireland. We realised that Ireland is run by consultants for consultants. These people have a grip on our main political parties that’s a little bit too strong... it’s about time somebody did something about it and that is why I am letting my name go forward.”

He added, “We have to make changes and the change we have to make is to completely and totally overhaul politics.

“Everything is funnelled to Dublin...that seems to be the policy for Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Labour Party. I don’t think that’s what the majority of the people of Ireland want, but it’s been brought in by stealth by the people who control the parties, and somebody needs to cry stop. And that’s me.”

ADVICE / COLUMNISTS 35

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

Eoin Neylon

An inside look at Clare’s political spectrum www.cahirsolicitors.com

36 Abbey Street, Ennis

Will Wars: you can be part of the solution

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E HAVE all heard of turf wars but it’s worth acknowledging that Will wars also take place. I have over the last six months shared the Wisdom of Wills throughout Clare with the Clare Older People’s Council. Everyone I spoke with had heard of an acrimonious story in the neighbourhood arising after a death. Everyone had a view as to how it could have been avoided by planning ahead.

Hindsight may be 20:20 vision but foresight in the area of succession is the key to clarity.

Ask, Ask, Ask is my recommendation - share what you want to do, ask for advice as to how best to achieve it. You can choose to be part of the solution or part of the problem.

Advance planning and consultations can give you the information you need to support your wishes. Below addresses some queries that have arisen over the last few months.

ADVANCEMENT – PREVIOUS FINANCIAL BENEFIT TO A CHILD Section 63 of the Succession Act 1965 deals financial benefits previously given to any of your children in your lifetime. Very simply put, if you have given a child or children a previous financial benefit in cash or property you should make it very clear in your Will if you intended to advance that child a portion of their inheritance in your lifetime or if they are to have received that money or property in addition to the gift you are leaving them in your Will.

That lack of clarity can cause contention if other beneficiaries see there was an inequity and you have not been clear at the time of making your Will and Estate plan. The onus of proving the advancement is on the person asserting there was an advancement made to one child previously. As the person that will object is likely to be a sibling, you can see how this would cause contention in the absence of clarity. Be open and transparent about what financial benefits you may have given individual children in your lifetime when making your Will so the information can be noted by a solicitor for future reference if the matter is queried after your death. A solicitor's notes at the time of taking instructions and execution of your Will are invaluable to confirm the historical position of prior gifts given and add clarity if queries are raised or contention arises.

BEQUEST HOUSE OR LAND Where you make your Will to give a gift of land or a house especially within your farm or grounds you own, clarity again is key.

Unclear boundaries can cause disputes, especially if family members must agree the dividing boundaries. You should identify the specific area you wish to gift and identify it as such in your Will by way of attaching a marked map. Avoiding the obvious may leave ambiguity if it falls to the Executor and beneficiaries after your death to clarify rights of way, roadways and access paths that are not as clear as they could be. You know your assets best so being clear with a solicitor allows them to make provision for what will best support agreement in the end.

Advanced planning and discussion can be worth it’s weight in gold. Seek a consultation with an expert for clarity. I tell my clients I am their sounding board. They share what

success is to them in the outcome they wish and I share where their plan for succession may become unstuck. We seek to find a solution in their lifetime for harmony after their death. Another example arises when a person wishes to leave a site to someone but fails to mark the specific location or area on a map attaching to a Will for clarity. “I leave a site to my cousin John in the fields to the front of my farmhouse”. So what size, will any location do or will a specific desired area a beneficiary wants hinder another area being given to a different person? The more specific you can be, the greater the success of your wishes being fulfilled.

HOUSE AND MORTGAGE There are considerations that can cause a challenge when you bequest a house in your Will. If there is a mortgage on a property, your wish to bequest must be specific as on whether the beneficiary is to get the house free from the debt or with the debt associated with that property. Maybe there is a life policy to repay the debt or maybe you wish a specific fund or bank account to repay the debt from your Estate - be clear as to your intentions. Your Will made today deals with the current circumstances. When you die you may not have any mortgage or debts so your assets may pass unencumbered.

Remember the day you make your Will, you plan with the assets and liabilities that are in existence at that time. You may have different wishes for different properties; a family home, an investment property, an overseas holiday home, a boat - each asset has different considerations.

FAIR DEAL SCHEME When planning for succession, thinking of the different ages and stages you will pass through can help. In the Third Act as I like to call it, our care in senior years is important to consider. In the event your care needs require you to use the Fair Deal Scheme, you should ask about it at the time of making a Will, even if long-term care is something you are not contemplating. Understanding how the Fair Deal Scheme will work in relation to your net worth and assets at the time of creating your Will is important so you can understand the concept of a deferred payment under the scheme and how it might affect a bequest you may have in your Will regarding a house or land you own.

CONTENTS & PERSONAL ITEMS Have you contents you wish to specifically gift? One person’s tat is another person’s treasure. I regularly hear “no, they are not worth anything”. The value of specific contents can be more sentimental than financial so it is important to consider if there are contents you wish to bequest to a person. Make a list and like Santa, check it twice. Women may have jewellery, men may have paintings or both may have heirlooms handed down from generations. A family member or friend may have a sentimental attachment to a specific item. Make it clear in your Will. Asking is awkward, so beware small details that can cause big challenges.

Contact Sharon Cahir to discuss your Will.

Visit www.Cahirsolcitors.com or call in by appointment at 36 Abbey Street, Ennis

Defeat more common than victory in politics

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HIS Friday is the D-day for the 51 brave souls who have put their lives largely on hold for months as they knocked doors, canvassed matches, attended meetings, dropped leaflets and held coffee mornings all in the hope of winning one of 28 seats on Clare County Council.

For the majority of people, this would seem like borderline insane behaviour to willingly put yourself through such an ordeal.

However, for those of us, some 2,000 people around the country, that have put ourselves forward in the local elections, we do so in order to try make a difference. Local government is not glamourous. The pay per hour is less than minimum wage; the abuse can be savage and largely unwarranted; the expectations placed on councillors often enormous; and the invasion of privacy, especially in the age of social media, is rife. So, each one of the 51 Clare people who have put themselves forward deserve to be commended.

Regardless of policy points or development ideas we may disagree on, one thing all candidates have in common is a willingness to put their community above themselves and sometimes their family.

That is a rare quality but for those of us who choose to do it, we cannot but try do anything and everything in our power to change that we don’t like in our locality.

That said, with only 28 seats, that means there is going to be 23 disappointed people after the dust has settled and the votes are counted.

In politics, defeat is way more common than victory in the grand scheme of things. It’s a thankless world but some of us are drawn to it. There’s definitely a psychology thesis in why people get involved in local politics and I certainly am not qualified to even begin to discuss what that question.

All I know is that, for me, it’s a sense of community and

wanting to do best by those around me that have always been so kind to me.

In 2014, I attempted and failed to get a nomination to run in the Ennis LEA. That time, it was a lack of services for young people, the potential for increased tourism and riverside amenities, and regeneration of some of the towns lesser cared for streets.

On moving to Dublin, I’d no intention to get involved in

‘‘

there’s no getting it out. Low and behold, I found myself once again contesting the Fianna Fáil local nomination in my adopted home of Ballyfermot-Drimnagh in Dublin, but this time, getting the backing of the local membership.

What has transpired in the last four months since starting the campaign is that, despite being involved in political campaigns for various other candidates at all levels of politics down through the years, I have found that once it’s your name on the ballot, it’s a completely different prospect.

If the 51 Clare candidates are anything like me at this stage, they’re exhausted, their feet are killing them, they’ve met more people in the past few months than they have in the past few years, and their family have not seen very much of them.

If you can’t wait for the election campaign to be over, you’re not alone.

Almost all candidates are the very same.

So if you do have a candidate call in the last few hours of the campaign, be kind. They’re in it for the right reasons; they care about the locality as much as you; the issues you have likely affect them or their family too, and at the end of the day, their powers to fix it are very limited but they’re the motivated ones trying their best to make the place we live a better place.

So, in a world where there is little thanks, maybe, if you do meet some of your local candidates this week, thank them for putting themselves forward and offering us a democratic choice. True democracy is still a rarity in the world. People died here for the right to vote and people are still dying today all over the world to try win the same right. Do right by them and get out on Friday between 7am and 10pm and use your vote. If you don’t, you by default effectively vote for the winner anyway.

What’s more, you’ll have no right at all to complain about the winner for the next five years when you’ll next have the ability to choose our local representatives. Waxing lyrical from the comfort of a bar stool never changed anything; voting does. Use your vote!

If the 51 Clare candidates are anything like me at this stage, they’re exhausted, their feet are killing them, they’ve met more people in the past few months than they have in the past few years, and their family have not seen very much of them. If you can’t wait for the election campaign to be over, you’re not alone. Almost all candidates are the very same

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065 6828 383

politics again. Nevertheless, having found myself in a brilliant, welcoming community, I couldn’t help but feel aggrieved that the area suffered chronic under-investment, a lack of community facilities and environmental concerns. Quickly, I found myself back involved in the residents’ committee, starting the local tidy towns group and coaching underage rugby.

There’s definitely something in the blood that once it gets in,

Farming €100M BREXIT FUND MUST BE TARGETTED AND PAID URGENTLY STUART HOLLY

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news@clareecho.ie

FA President Joe Healy said it is essential that the €100m Brexit beef package is targeted to the farmers who need it most. It must be paid without delay and there must be no strings attached.

“This fund was secured after a lot of hard work and lobbying by IFA. It’s for farmers - not for factories, agents or dealers. We will insist it is paid quickly and directly to farmers.”

Joe Healy said the allocation and targeting of the €100m to the farmers who need it most is critically important. “It must take account of the farmers who incurred the beef price losses and

the income situation.”

Joe Healy said it is very clear that the farmers who sold finished cattle since last September and suckler producers are the two groups who were hit the hardest.

IFA National Livestock Chairman Angus Woods said IFA has already met with EU Commission officials on the details of the €100m package, which he said was essential for winter finishers given the horrendous losses they have taken. He added that under no circumstances can Minister Creed allow a cent go to factory owned cattle or factory feedlot cattle.

“Farmers who sold finished cattle through the marts must be eligible and not agents and dealers.

The Department of Agriculture has all the data and information on the AIMs system,” he said.

ENNIS MART TUESDAY, MAY 21 Good size sale again with 700 head on offer. Some lovely quality Autumn born weanlings about. A full clearance was achieved in the calf ring with 160 on offer and a very solid trade for these. Again suckler pairs were much sought after with a top call of €2,120. The bull and heifer weanlings maintained the strong trade with shippers and farmers active in the bull ring and heifers dominated by farmer activity.

Lambs a tougher trade and back about €7/hd generally making €110 to €115 with a tops of €125 for 53kgs. Cull ewes maintained a good trade and made to €114. Ewes with lambs made to €230.

WEANLING BULLS: 2 CH 290kgs - €860 - €2.96/kg 2 LMX 340kgs - €1,075 - €3.16/kg 2 LM 260kgs - €775 - €2.98/kg 1 CH 350kgs - €1,070 - €3.06/kg 1 CH 390kgs - €1,125 - €2.88/kg 2 CHX 412kgs - €1,150 - €2.79/kg 1 LM 395kgs - €1,120 - €2.83/kg 1 LM 415kgs - €1,095 - €2.64/kg

l NOT WELCOME HERE: A SIGN which can be seen at the gates of Tony Henchy’s farm in Doonbeg. With the Local and European elections taking place this Friday, Mr Henchy made his feelings clear to Government party candidates who were campaigning the area as they look for votes in the West Clare.

WEANLING HEIFERS: 1 CH 265kgs - €815 - €3.07/kg 1 CH 385kgs - €1,080 - €2.80/kg 2 LIM 290kgs - €815 - €2.81/kg 4 CH 377kgs - €1,010 - €2.67/kg 1 CH 245kgs - €720 - €2.94/kg 1 CH 350kgs - €990 - €2.83/kg 1 LMX 545kgs - €1,300 - €2.38/kg 1 LIM 400kgs - €1,090 - €2.72/kg

PROPERTY

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

OPEN VIEWING SATURDAY 25TH MAY 11.00-11.30AM

8 COLLEGE PARK, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

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Contact: Helen Gallery, 68 Parnell Street, Ennis.

Tel: 065 6829481 & 086 250 4671 PSL 002433

OPEN VIEWING THURSDAY 23RD MAY 5.00-5.30PM

€180,000 14 LISSANISKA, LAHINCH ROAD, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

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.

37

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€170,000

BALLYGRIFFEY NORTH, RUAN, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

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€425,000

ISSANISKA is ideally located just off the Lahinch Road within a short walk of Ennis Town Centre, national & secondary schools and all other amenities afforded by the town. The development is within minutes drive of the M17 & M18 with easy access to Limerick, Shannon and Galway. No. 14 is a bright, spacious, modern end of terrace, three bedroomed home on a corner site with landscaped gardens to the front and rear.

Finishes include modern shaker kitchen, tiled flooring throughout the ground floor, tiled bathroom and en-suite, built in wardrobes in all bedrooms, floored attic with stira and velux window, oil fired central heating, enclosed fully landscaped private rear garden and much more. Viewing of this very fine home is highly recommended.

N exceptional architect designed family residence enjoying a lovely position, tucked away on a quiet, mature c 1.25 acre site in Ballygriffey North, within a ten minute drive of Ennis and the Limerick/Galway M18 motorway. This exceptional executive home enjoys all the benefit of country living but yet is within easy access of all amenities. Features including light filled spacious open plan living accommodation, high level of insulation, zoned underfloor heating, high ceilings, Aga range in the bright light filled kitchen, imported Travertine stone floor in main living areas, natural slate roof, and much more. The site is enclosed and includes sun terrace with wind screen, fruit trees, a small enclosed field suitable for a pony and a detached garage.

Viewing of this fine home is highly recommended.

Contact: Helen Gallery, 68 Parnell Street, Ennis.

Tel: 065 6829481 & 086 250 4671 PSL 002433

Contact: Helen Gallery, 68 Parnell Street, Ennis.

Tel: 065 6829481 & 086 250 4671 PSL 002433

38 BUSINESS & RECRUITMENT

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

Inaugural Children and Loss Conference to be held in LIT this June

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Olive Foley, Children’s Grief Centre Ambassador and widow of the late Munster rugby hero Anthony Foley, will present the opening address at the International Children and Loss Conference in Limerick next month.

Pictured at the launch at LIT were from left Jennifer Moran Stritch, LIT Loss and Grief Director, Beryl Carswell, CGC Volunteer. Carol Fitz Gough, CGC Volunteer, Olive Foley, Ambassador, Katrina Morgan, Fundraising Cor-Ordinator CGC, Sr Helen Culhane, CGC Director, Theresa Kavanagh, CGC Support Worker, Anne English, CGC Administratior , Phil Mortell, Chair of Board of Management CGC and Dr Niamh Hourigan , Vice President of Mary Imaculate College.

Photograph by Eamon Ward

HE June 14th event will also mark the 10th birthday of the Children’s Grief Centre, which has helped more than 1,300 children affected by loss through death, separation and divorce.

The opening address will be presented by Children’s Grief Centre Ambassador Olive Foley.

Olive Foley, Children’s Grief Centre Ambassador and widow of the late Munster rugby hero Anthony Foley, will present the opening address at the International Children and Loss Conference in Limerick next month.

The event, which will also mark the 10th birthday of the Children’s Grief Centre, will take place at the Millennium Theatre, LIT, Moylish Campus, Limerick on Friday June 14, 2019.

The Children’s Grief Centre has supported more than 1,300 children as they deal with family separation, divorce and death.

Among those speaking at the conference will be Daniel McConnell, Political Editor of the Irish Examiner, whose mother died when he was very young.

Dr. Elizabeth Nixon, Trinity College Dublin, will share the most up to date research and expert advice on the impact of parental separation on children, while Jennifer Moran Stritch Director of the Loss and Grief Research Group at LIT will facilitate a workshop on “The Benefits for Care Professionals of Education on Loss and Grief”.

There will be four breakout workshops in total to choose from, as well as a panel questions and answers discussion at the end.

The conference is open to every one including care professionals such as psychologists, social workers, youth workers, social care practitioners, teachers, and SNAs, as well as the general public such as parents, grandparents and family members.

Founder of the Children’s Grief Centre Sr. Helen Culhane said the conference was an expansion of the work that takes place at the centre, by raising awareness around bereavement and loss in childhood.

Sr Helen said, “We see the work we do as very important work as we are supporting children who are impacted by loss due to bereavement, separation and divorce. The centre is unique in that it is volunteer led and to-date we have seen over 1,300 children, two thirds of which are referrals due to loss by separation or divorce. The remaining one third are referrals due to loss by the death of a family member or close friend for the most part.

“The conference will help raise awareness around bereavement and loss and the resultant emotional turmoil experienced by children and enable the Children’s Grief Centre to continue to help address their feelings of loss in a positive way. We are delighted to be celebrating our 10th anniversary since the centre’s foundation and we are looking forward to the conference.”

Speaking at the launch of the June conference, Sr Helen paid tribute to the centre’s ambassador Olive Foley.

“Olive is a highly respected and valued member of the community and her recognition of the work being done here at the Children’s Grief Centre is truly humbling. Together we will continue making a difference in the lives of children and young people.’

Olive said she was honoured to be Ambassador for the Children’s Grief Centre.

“The Children’s Grief Centre is very close to my heart. After losing my husband suddenly in October 2016, giving my children the best support possible at this time was an absolute priority. I was put in touch with Sr. Helen at the Children’s Grief Centre and from the very first time I brought my two boys in, I knew we were in the right place. There was empathy, understanding, compassion and all delivered through conversation, art and play,” she added.

“The Children’s Grief Centre has helped my children and those of countless other families deal with and process the sudden loss of a loved one or the break-up of their parents.

It is now my privilege and honour to come on board as an ambassador, to do whatever I can to support this amazing project. In my role as an ambassador, I hope to help raise awareness of the incredible work done

by Sr. Helen and her team and, in doing so ensure that more and more children get the same light shone on them during their darkest hours.”

The inaugural Children and Loss Conference will be officially opened

by LIT President, Professor Vincent Cunnane.

Jennifer Moran Stritch, director of the Loss and Grief Research Group at LIT, said, “We are absolutely delighted to be hosting the Children and Loss Conference in cooperation with the Children’s Grief Centre. Helen Culhane has been a frequent guest lecturer for our social care students over the years and we’re also conducting postgraduate research with them about the benefits of creative therapies for children and families who’ve experienced loss. This conference will be a great chance to learn more about how to support children during difficult times and to celebrate the wonderful work of the Centre over the last decade in Limerick and the wider Mid West region.”

The conference will take place on Friday June 14 from 8.30am to 1.30 pm in the Millennium Theatre, LIT. It is supported by LIT, LIT GRO, the LIT Loss and Grief Research group, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Mercy Congregation –South Central Province.

Tickets for the event are available from Eventbrite.ie

BUSINESS & RECRUITMENT 39

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

Put your heart into your work at Home Instead

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S Ireland’s population continues to age, demand for home care services is reaching an all-time high. Home Instead Senior Care in Clare is seeking CAREGivers to work all over the county and help provide clients with the excellent level of service that the company is renowned for.

If you are a caring and compassionate person, you might be wondering what’s involved in the job - If you’ve ever cared for

Care to Make a Difference?

We’re looking for compassionate and caring people to light up the lives of local seniors an elderly relative or neighbour, you’ll already have some idea, or you may already have experience working within community care.

Working with Home Instead Senior Care will enable you to play a vital role in your local community, and light up the lives of local seniors and people with disabilities every day.

Home Instead CAREGivers provide a range of non-medical services that help seniors and people with disabilities to remain in their homes, among their

friends and in their communities.

They provide companionship services that stimulate, encourage and assist an individual, and offer additional services, including light housekeeping, personal care, meal preparation and medication prompting.

So, if you’re looking for a job that you can truly put your heart into, why not join our team? Visit our Website – www.HomeInstead.ie/Become-a-Caregiver, email clarejobs@homeinstead.ie or call 065 679 7505 today.

Join Ireland’s largest non-medical home care provider and work across County Clare

We Offer: • Competitive pay • CAREGiver support • Smart scheduling

Drop into our office for a chat between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday: Unit 16 First Floor, Roslevan Shopping Centre, Ennis Or contact us at the details below:

HomeInstead.ie/Become-a-CAREGiver 065 679 7507

clarejobs@homeinstead.ie

MOTORING

MOTORING EXPERT NEIL BRISCOE GIVES HIS VIEWS

HONDA’S HYBRID MAKES A WELCOME RETURN HONDA’S ROOMY CR-V GAINS HYBRID POWER HONDA CR-V HYBRID

I

F it seems like years since Honda was in the hybrid game, well.. it is. You see, Honda was actually the first car maker to get a hybrid on sale to customers in Europe. Its original Insight hit the market here in 1999, just a few months ahead of the original Toyota Prius. Unfortunately, while Toyota had created a sensible fourdoor saloon for its hybrid, the Insight was a tiny two-seater with concept-car looks, and although it was clever, it was expensive and it kinda sank without sales trace.

Honda decided to have another go in the noughties with the second-gen Insight — a much better car, a fast-back five-door very much in the same mould as the second-generation Prius. It was frugal and surprisingly good fun to drive. So much so that Honda actually spun-off a coupe version, the hugely underrated CR-Z, but again both cars kinda got run over by the Toyota hybrid sales juggernaut, and Honda gave both its hybrid models (and the Civic saloon hybrid) the bullet, so as to concentrate on petrol and diesel models.

Welcome, though, to 2019 and the sudden scramble for electric power. Honda has promised that by 2025, every single car it sell will be at leats partially electric. In the case of new models such as dinky-looking Honda E city car, some will be all-electric, but this year marks Honda’s return to the hybrid market, as the CR-V SUV gets the battery ball rolling again with this Hybrid model.

You may not notice it from the outside, though, as there’s precious few visual differences between this and the standard petrol model.

Underneath though, it’s all change.

Out goes the 1.5-litre 180hp petrol turbo VTEC engine, and in comes a 2.0-litre petrol, with no turbo, running on the Atkinson combustion cycle. That leaves the inlet valves open a fraction longer than a conventional engine, which means that the engine runs on a leaner fuel burn. That’s great for economy and efficiency, but bad for power. Ah, but that’s where the electric motor, with its 315Nm of torque, kicks in to assist the engine. Combine the two, and you get — theoretically — 184hp of smooth, frugal, power.

It’s normally at this point that we complain that the CVT gearbox allows the engine to rev too high when you’re accelerating, ruining refinement and driver enjoyment. Except we can’t. Because the CR-V doesn’t have a CVT gearbox. In fact, it really doesn’t have any gearbox at all, and instead uses a single fixed ratio transmission, which effectively makes the electric motor the ‘gearing’ for the car, speeding up and slowing down as needed. In fact, most of the time the petrol engine is essentially a generator to keep the batteries charged and the electric motor turning, although of course there’s a bypass clutch to allow it to directly drive the wheels for maximum acceleration.

Honda does this because, so it says, the single-gear idea is smaller and lighter than a CVT, and it allows for smoother switching between electric and petrol power.

That’s something that the CR-V does a lot. Honda estimates that in most urban driving situations, you’ll be running on

silent electric-only power for around half the time, dropping to one third of the time when you’re on bigger, faster roads.

As a package, it works pretty well. There is still a bit of that hybrid high-revving effect when you want maximum acceleration, but the engine’s inherent smoothness and good sound isolation means that it’s never much of a chore. Fuel economy is decent, but perhaps not exceptional. We squeezed an average 6.7-litres per 100km from the CR-V Hybrid — not bad, considering that most of our mileage was on motorways (never the best place to drive a hybrid) and commendably close to Honda’s claimed figure. If we’d been mostly driving around town we’d probably have done a lot better.

To drive, the CR-V Hybrid is an exemplary cruiser — quiet, refined, comfortable, capable. The cabin is exceptionally roomy and beautifully built. Not everyone’s going to love the (obviously fake) wood trim in the cabin, but it adds a touch of visual warmth so I’m OK with it. The seats are great, and there’s stretching room in the back (no seven-seat option though, as the hybrid batteries take up too much space under the boot floor).

If there’s a flaw, it’s that the CR-V Hybrid doesn’t live up to Honda’s usual sporting credentials when the road gets truly challenging and twisty. It’s a little too softly-sprung for that and doesn’t like being hustled around corners. A shame, but perhaps not that many of us will really notice.

We’ll be more concerned with things like cabin space, and economy, and on those fronts the CR-V Hybrid scores well.

FACTS & FIGURES

Model tested: Honda CR-V Hybrid Pricing: Hybrid from €38,000 including VRT rebate; CR-V range starts at €33,500 Hybrid system : 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with twin electric motors and lithium-ion battery Transmission: single-speed reduction gear, all-wheel drive Body style: five-door, five-seat SUV CO2 emissions: 126g/km* (Band B1 €270 per annum) Combined economy: 51.4mpg* (5.5 litres/100km) Top speed: 180km/h 0-100km/h: 9.2 seconds Power petrol: 145hp at 6,200rpm, electric motors 184hp, quoted system maximum 184hp Torque petrol: 175Nm at 4,000rpm, electric motors 315Nm, quoted system maximum 315Nm Boot space: 497-1,694 litres Safety: EuroNCAP Rating for CR-V: Five-stars: 93 per cent adult; 83 per cent child; 70 per cent pedestrian; 76 per cent safety assist *figures are quoted as NEDC-correlated from WLTP testing

EchoSport

‘Most unusual’ day as Newmarket claim cup PÁRAIC McMAHON

Clare Cup Final

@ Frank Healy Park, Doora

Newmarket Celtic A 3 Newmarket Celtic B 0

N

EWMARKET Celtic A won a historic eight Clare Cup title in a row overcoming their friends, neighbours and clubmates Newmarket Celtic B on Friday evening.

“It was an all Newmarket day” was the comment of then Newmarket Celtic Chairperson Kevin Arthur when their A and B sides contested the 1980 Munster Area Junior Cup Final, the same was applicable 39 years later as they faced off in the Banner Carpets and Flooring Clare Cup Final, the first instance where two teams from the one club met in the decider.

Arthur’s sentiments were visible at Frank Healy Park with past, present and future players of the club among the crowd along with the parish priest, current and former teachers of the village’s primary school, club committee members of today and yesterday not to mention the family, friends and supporters of Newmarket whose loyalty was certainly divided, for ninety minutes at least.

For Newmarket Celtic, the season began with celebration of their fiftieth year, to cap off the campaign there was no more fitting way for it to conclude than their two adult sides going toe to toe in the only competition in which they could meet one another.

An easy victory is suggested by the final score but in reality that was not the case. As two of the three members of the A squad to collect their 8th medal in a row, it was fitting that captain Darren Cullinan (23rd minute) and Eoin Hayes (53rd minute) would score the goals to put them on their way.

Inevitably it was a nervy and tense start by both sides with neither recording any meaningful shot on goal in the opening moments. Paudie Hayes a coach to the A team and centre half to the Bs had a flawless start to the final anchoring the defence well with captain Eoin Kelly. However poor communication from his teammates would lead to Cullinan breaking the deadlock, Hayes was dispossessed from behind by David Reidy who found Eoin O’Brien in space he teed up Eoin Hayes to cross to a free Cullinan beyond the back post with the captain tucking

l KEY MOMENT: Eoin Hayes clebrates after putting his side up 2-0 Photo by Mark Hayes

the ball away in the bottom right corner of the net.

This setback didn’t deter the Bs, Ronan McCormack himself a former A team attacker and holder of four Clare Cup medals was moved up as their sole striker and seconds after the switch he forced an excellent save from Shane Cusack. McCormack came close again from a free with the shot narrowly missing the head of a teammate and drifting wide.

If they were to cause an upset, the Bs needed to get a rub of the green. Three minutes from half-time it became clear they weren’t going to get that bit of luck. A strike from Ronan McAuley hit the elbow of Paddy Purcell inside the box but referee Shane Hayes did not award the penalty infuriating the majority of the crowd in the process.

On the restart, the Bs started brightly with an Alan Kelly effort blocked out for a corner kick. McCormack managed to get a foot to a Shane Cusack clearance and the subsequent spin narrowly evaded McAuley.

Liam Murphy and Davy Ryan’s As showed why they are one of the strongest teams in the province seamlessly working defence into attack, the result being Eoin Hayes’

goal to effectively kill off the game. A free was caught by Shane Cusack, the custodian launching the ball upfield to Kieran Mahony, he controlled the ball before finding Hayes and the FAI Junior International of the Year would make no mistake to slot past Kieran Eyres.

While the Bs had no joy with their shouts for a penalty in the first half, there were no such problems for the As with Tino Nzvaura adjudicated to have been fouled inside the box. The penalty from Mahony was dispatched neatly to the net leaving Eyres with no chance on 78 minutes. Testament to their honest nature, the Bs under the stewardship of Mark O’Malley and Kieran Ryan kept plugging away with Monty Mulqueen and Daniel Kotsulyak coming close.

A catch-22 scenario presented itself for the B team management before a ball was kicked in this outing. Go all out attacking with little or no support for your defence against the sharpest strikers in the county or provide the security at the back with one man to carry a high burden of work up front? They went for the latter, their defence could not be faulted but the lack of options up front limited their amount of goal

chances. Nonetheless they gave the A team a tougher test than most outfits in the county have done all year with Alan Kelly, Ronan McCormack, Paudie Hayes and Jamie Cronin impressing.

Having garnered big support in Newmarket-on-Fergus down through the years, the A team had the unusual position of playing second fiddle to the Bs in terms of followers.

The celebrations for each goal were toned down but they were to do a job and they did just that. Kieran Mahony, Tino Nzvaura, David Reidy and Shane Cusack when called upon were best for the winners as they won the Cup for the eighteenth time in the club’s history.

Some but not all soccer clubs were watching from the sidelines. While the Cup can form a fairytale story, the progress of the Bs is no such story, were they in the Premier Division a top four finish would be very much achievable.

For the Ryan family it was a very peculiar scenario to be in. David was Joint Manager of the As alongside Liam Murphy with his younger brother Kieran fulfilling the same role with Bs side by side with Mark O’Malley. One sibling that could not lose regardless of the result was Johnny who had a foot in both camps as goalkeeper coach. There was the extra connection with their father Christy ensuring Frank Healy Park was in tip top shape through his work as groundsman.

“It’s the most muted I’ve ever been on the line because I don’t think I celebrated any of the three goals. Anyone involved in the club and the committee will say the real winners are Newmarket Celtic football fans,” David commented following Friday’s eight in a row success for the As. He admitted that preparing for the game and being on the sideline was the “most unusual” experience he’s had in his decade plus stint in management.

Newmarket Celtic A: Shane Cusack; Eoin O’Brien, Paddy Purcell, Stephen Kelly, Darren Cullinan; Tino Nzvaura, Cathal Hayes; David Reidy, David McCarthy, Eoin Hayes; Kieran Mahony. Subs: Colin Smyth for C Hayes (66), David O’Grady for Cullinan (77), Ian Collins for E Hayes (79), Daithí O’Connell for Reidy (79), Seamie Lawlor for Purcell (79).

Newmarket Celtic B: Kieran Eyres, Jamie Cronin, Eoin Kelly, Paudie Hayes, Oisin Cavanagh; Ronan McAuley, Martin ‘Monty’ Mulqueen, Alan Kelly, Ronan McCormack; Gavin O’Donnell; Ciaran McCoy. Subs: Daniel Kotsulyak for O’Donnell (70), Danny Conway for McCoy (83), Seamus Considine for Mulqueen (83), Lee Cronin for McCormack (92).

Referee: Shane Hayes

SPORT

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

43

Ennis U13s claim North Munster glory

E

NNIS took on the amalgamation of Richmond+St Marys+UL Bohs in the final of the U13 North Munster Cup in Thomond Park’s Side pitch and happily came away on the right side of the scoreline.

It was an extremely tense opening half with Ennis drawing first blood through some great work from the pack nicely finished off out wide on the left wing by Jack Meskill. This five-point lead was short lived though as the limerick side hit back quickly with a well worked move finishing under the posts making it 5-7.

This was a temporary setback for Ennis though as they hit their stride coming to the end of the half. Some big carries from Seanie McMahon and Odgran Flynn sucked in the oppositions defense leaving a gap in the midfield. Quick ball from Seán Queally at 9 saw James Hegarty slip through this gap to dot down with 5 to go in the half. Hegarty slotted the conversion and Ennis ended the half 12-7 up.

As the second half got under way Ennis were well and truly in their stride and wasted no time at all in putting more points on the board.

With Richmond+Marys+UL Bohs trying to work their way out of their half, James Hegarty read the play to perfection and intercepted a long range pass to go under the posts. Some great defence from Marco Cleary, Evan Casey and Conal O’Donovan meant the limerick side had to throw long passes to get out wide and Ennis’s leading try scorer for the season, Andrew Cahir Wheelan, read this to perfection picking off one of these passes to go in unapposed making it 26-7.

With changes coming in from the Ennis side you would have expected a break in momentum but nothing could be further from the truth. The pack were not happy with all the scores coming from the backs so they held on to possesion for a while and big carries from Halpin, Dillon and Smith which helped Cillian McInerney force his way over under the posts to finish the game off at 33-17. Captain Evan Casey stepped up to raise the cup at the end of a wonderful evening for this group of players.

l TEAM EFFORT: The Ennis U13s on their way to victory over the Richmond-St Mary’s-UL Bohs amalgamation side at Thomand Park’s side pitch earlier this month in the North Munster Cup final

Club selection on a windy day

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ECENTLY I played a long Par 5 that was straight into a strong head wind. I couldn’t reach the green in two, so I laid up to leave myself 128 yards to a flag that was tucked on the front of the green just beyond a bunker. Normally a solid gap wedge would be my choice from this distance, however with a strong head wind of 20mph I selected to hit a solid nine iron, thinking it would be plenty of club to get my ball past the bunker and carry on to the front of the green.

To my surprise my ball caught the lip of the bunker and came up short, so I decided to drop another ball and hit an eight iron from the same spot. My ball landed perfectly, pin high level with the flag. When I walked up to the green I realised the difference in carry distance between my nine iron and eight iron was only five yards. On a calm day, the difference between these two clubs is 12 yards, however into this stiff breeze this was reduced. This got me thinking, how much does a strong head wind effect the distance between each club? Later in my round I had to play a long par three into a similar strong head wind where the flag was 198 yards from the tee. This distance for me is a solid five iron therefore I decided

to choose a smooth four iron to counteract the strong breeze. I struck it nicely but to my surprise my ball flew over the back of the green. I got a really low penetrating flight because I swung smooth and in the air, the wind didn’t seem to be affecting the distance of my ball flight much at all, unlike it did with my more lofted clubs.

I dropped another ball and I hit a five iron hard.

When I reached the green I noticed the distance between both golf balls was very similar to the distance I would normally see if I wasn’t playing into a wind. Later on that night I started thinking about when you play a lofted club versus a longer less lofted club into a strong head wind.

We create far more backspin on the golf ball with our wedges compared to a long iron, therefore into a strong wind you might loose 25-30% of distance with your wedge but only 5-10% with a long iron. This also explains why sometimes when we hit a solid drive into a head wind why our ball still travels almost as far as when it’s calm. The average back spin with a pitching wedge on the PGA Tour is 9,300 revolutions and it is 4,600 revolutions with a three iron. Looking at these spin rates you can see why a golf ball with a higher spin rate can be further exaggerated playing into a strong breeze.

Next time you’re playing into a head wind if you are using a more lofted club don’t be afraid to try at least two or three clubs extra and try swinging smooth to achieve a lower penetrating controlled ball flight, however with your longer less lofted clubs one extra club should be enough to reach your target because these lower spinning clubs won’t be affected as much on a windy day.

Ennis: Gearoid Barry, Jack Meskill, Andrew Cahir Wheelan, Marco Cleary, James Hegarty, Seán Queally, Conal O Donovan, Odhrán Flynn, Geard McWeeney, Cilian Mcinerney, AJ Bray, Seánie McMahon, Evan Casey(C) Adrian Maloney. Replacements: Darren Halpin, Dean Marrinan, Jack Dillon, Ben Smith, Patrick Phelan, James O’Dwyer, Krystian Zimny, Oisín O’ Donoghue

PGA Golf Professional

#PadraigKnowsGolf

Padraig McGrath

GOLF ANALYSIS

The Scorecard in association with

EAST CLARE GOLF CLUB Men’s Captains prize to ladies 1st Brid Hayes 39 pts 2nd Mary Hogan 37pts 3rd Pauline Nugent 36pts Men’s Seniors 1st Ger Shortt,John Nihil, Allie McDonnell 2nd Gerry O Brien, Paddy O Brien,Tim McGrath 3rd Charlie Stuart, Stephen McGrath, Jim Bradley Ladies Wednesday 1st Mary Hogan, Mgt. Lynch,Mary Farrell 2nd Noreen Skehan, Mare A Kelly,Kathleen Redden, 3rd Pauline Nugent,Patsy King, Ursula Hogan Friday Scramble 1st Brendan Moloney,Helen Downey, Mary Stillman 2nd Tim Walsh, Margaret Lynch, Ben Ritweiger, 3rd Evelyn Skehan, William McLysaght, Bridget Minogue ENNIS GOLF CLUB TUESDAY EVENING FOURBALL May 14 1st Alph Duggan & Joe Griffin 37pts 2nd Brian Higgins & Tony Lawler 36pts 3rd Walter o’ Brien & John Coleman 32pts Friday Open Singles May 17 1st Andrew Hester (16) 42pts 2nd Gary Tyrrell (17) 39pts Gross Sean Myatt (1) 34pts 3rd Brendan Pyne (11) 39pts 9 Hole open singles 1st Gary Byrne (9) Galway Bay 22pts 2nd Niall Hannon (12) 19pts Cahercalla Cup 2019 May 18/19, sponsored

by Daly Insurance 1st Michael M Vaughan(19) 67nett 2nd David Pender(9) 67nett Gross: Sean Myatt(1) 70 gross 3rd John Coleman(18) 67nett Cat A: David O’ Connor(6) 71nett Cat B: Noel O’ Connor(17) 67nett Cat C: Philip Brigdale(20) 70 nett KILRUSH GOLF CLUB Brendan Daly Ladies Singles 16/05/2019 1st Mary G Nolan (20) 39 pts Back 9 2nd Anne Gallagher (11) 39 pts 3rd Ailish Lorigan (17) 38 pts Geraldine Burke (18) 36 pts CAT I A M Donnellan (16) 35 pts CAT II Ursula Lineen (22) 35pts CAT III Rebecca Brew (30) 34 pts Friday Mixed Team 17/05/2019 1st John Hehir, Tom O’Dea, Michael Studdert, Marie Bartlet 36.17pts 2nd Tom Cleary, Claire Pyne, Sean Moran Muriel Kiely 36.17 pts (Back 9) 3rd Shane Lillis, Alan Howard, Lucy Blake 37.11pts Paddy Shannon Trophy Men’s Matchplay Final Winner: Anthony Gilmartin Runner Up: Tom McGrath Sat 18 May: Shannon Ferries Team of 2 1st John Saunders Miriam Saunders 44 pts (Back 9) 2nd Finbar McMahon & Tom O’Dea 44 pts (Back 9) Sun 19 May: Shannon Ferries Open Singles 1st Colm Murphy (19) 41 pts 2nd Declan O’Donovan (9) 40 pts (Back 9) 3rd John Saunders (14) 40 pts Hole in One: George Nolan on Hole 8

44 CLASSIFIEDS

Classifieds ACCOUNTANCY

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QUIZ 47

THURSDAY, MAY 23 2019

The Clare Echo Quiz GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

2

Which of the following TV shows was mostly filmed in North Clare?

Mrs. Brown’s Boys, Father Ted, Love/ Hate

Which internationally renowned 3 TV show was partly filmed in the Burren?

Game of thrones, Vikings, Peaky Blinders

Clare is known as ‘The Banner 4 County’ for which reason?

Support banners at GAA games, The banning of Irish culture during the English reign, Support banners at political rallies

Donald Trump owns a hotel and 8 golf course in which West Clare village? Miltown Malbay, Doonbeg, Kilbaha

County Clare was named after 9 which of the following?

The infamous De Clare family, A

plank placed across the river Fergus, An abbreviation of Clarecastle Town.

The first Rose of Clare was 10 announced in which year?

1968, 1973, 1994.

by Cian O’Broin l QUESTION 1: Muhammad Ali Visited Clare for which reason?

5

Shannon airport is infamous for its invention of…

Serving alcohol to passengers during flights, Duty Free Shopping, Tax-free flights to Europe.

ANSWERS

The Clare colours are…

6 Yellow and Blue, Amber and Blue, Saffron and Blue.

Which of the following was a 7 Clare paper published between 1885 to 1936?

l QUESTION 6: The Clare colours

are…

6. Saffron and Blue 7. The Saturday Record 8. Doonbeg 9. A plank placed across the river Fergus 10. 1968

nis, To unveil a statue dedicated to his life’s work, His grandfather was from Ennis.

The Saturday Record, The Clare Compendium, The Clare Record.

1.His great-grandfather was from Ennis 2. Father Ted 3.Vikings 4. Support banners at political rallies 5. Duty Free Shopping

Ali Visited Clare for 1HisMuhammad which reason? great-grandfather was from En-

OLD IMAGES OF COUNTY CLARE

Bridge, Killaloe, Co. Clare

Image NLI.ie / Collection: The Lawrence Photograph Collection