The Clare Echo 30/05/19

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30 May 2019

‘DONALD TRUMP IS GOING TO HEAVEN’ DOONBEG PRIEST BACKS U.S PRESIDENT AHEAD OF VISIT

Full story PAGE 8

2 NEWS

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

Index NEWS

2-11

AOIBHIN GARRIHY

12-13

ENTERTAINMENT

14-15

ELECTIONS

18-29

SUMMER CAMPS

31-34

PROPERTY

36-40

SPORT

41-43

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 HER BIGGEST FAN: Kelli-Ann Masterson, as Vespetta and Rory Dunne, as Pimpinone seen here in rehearsal for the Irish première of Telemann’s Opera Pimpinone which they will sing in St Flannan’s Cathedral this evening (Thursday), 7.30pm with a Matinee Friday 31 May, 3pm as part of the Killaloe Chamber Music Festival in partnership with Opera Collective Ireland

Photo by Arthur Ellis

RTÉ special on Shannon Free Zone’s 60th STUART HOLLY

editor@clareecho.ie

N

ATIONWIDE on RTÉ One television will this Friday broadcast a special programme to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Shannon Free Zone. The largest multi-sectoral business park outside of Dublin, Shannon Free Zone is managed

by Shannon Group’s property company, Shannon Commercial Properties.

The Zone was founded in 1959 and was the brainchild of Dr Brendan O’Regan. In an effort to entice foreign direct investment to the region, and provide much-needed jobs, Dr O’Regan came up with the concept of developing a special industrial zone with tax incentives adjacent to Shannon Airport.

Six decades later, Dr O ’Reagan’s legacy means there are now over 170 companies located in the Zone, employing over 8,000 people.

Presenter Mary Kennedy explores how the Zone has grown and developed, meeting Ray O’Driscoll, Managing Director of Shannon Commercial Properties, part of the Shannon Group, who

fills her in on the history of the Shannon Free Zone, current developments and future plans.

Commenting on the programme Ray O’Driscoll said: “We are delighted to get the opportunity to showcase our 600 acre business park and companies located here. The Zone is home to over 60 aviation companies, Ireland’s largest aviation cluster. It is also the base for some of the world’s leading companies in the ICT, engineering, medical devices, manufacturing and financial services sectors. We are thrilled that the programme highlights the current development programme being undertaken in the business park to deliver 21st century commercial property solutions for 21st century companies.”

Ms Kennedy also visits Atlantic Aviation Group, where she talks to CEO Shane O’Neill and employee Kate Gallagher about how the company has evolved since its inception in 1962 by Aer Lingus, changing hands several times over the years, only to come full circle and back into Irish ownership since 2014. Zimmer Biomet and Ei Electronics, two of Shannon’s big success stories, will also feature on the program.

4

NEWS

15 years for Ennis Farmers' Market

hung up posters in local businesses, and it just grew from there by word of mouth and the support of the shops around the market. We have a lot of loyal cuseditor@clareecho.ie tomers that have been shopping with us from the start.

T WILL be a lively atmosphere at the Ennis Farm- They are more like old friends now.”

The Friday market started with ten stalls of local ers Market on Friday as they celebrate a big anniversary. For 15 years, Ennis Farmers Market has farmers and food producers in the Market area in Enprovided a place to buy a range of local products, nis. Customers could pick up everything from organic vegetables to plants, jams to bread, there was even a supporting local food producers and farmers.

One of the founding stallholders, Jason Horner from cookie stall. Now located in the Roslevan Shopping Leen Organics, reminisces, “When we started this Cente on the Tulla Road, Ennis Farmers Market still market, we didn’t use social media or smartphones. We has a variety of local food stalls, including hot food and a coffee cart. Now it’s not just a place to come to shop; the atmosphere makes it a great place to l CELEBRATION: Founding members of Ennis Farmer meet a friend and sample the local food.

Market, Chris Marsh, Jason Horner and Marese Tuohy Jason Horner continues, “We have a core of traders that have been selling at the market for years plus we always have new food producers joining us, which creates a great blend of products for customers. We now have a baker that sells Sour Dough Bread and cakes, artisan cheese van, free-range pork products, organic beef, a beekeeper with honey, vegan salads and meals, hot falafels and vegetarian food, savoury pies, mustards, chocolate, and of course, organic vegetables and fresh eggs.”

Celebrate with Ennis Farmers Market on Friday 31st May from 8am-2pm in Roslevan Shopping Centre where there will be a cooking demonstration from Happy Food at Home at noon, live music, food samples and lots of atmosphere! Special thanks to Liddy’s Eurospar for the support.

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

STUART HOLLY

I

SHANNON CAR FERRIES MARKS 50th PADDY Histon, born and reared in Tarbert Island, Tarbert in the Wheel house of the 'Shannon Heather' in June 1969, on her maiden voyage from Killimer to Tarbert. The other captain at the time was Gerry Brennan from Cappa. It was consequential that both were from either sides of the River Shannon. He was one of three brothers that were pilots, and he worked on the Limerick Steam Ships transporting Cargo and Live Cattle to England and Europe before this for most of his life. He retired in 1973 from Shannon Car Ferries and died in 1974 and buried in Kilrush. This year Shannon Car Ferries marks its 50th year in business.

Photo courtesy Pat Kelly

6

NEWS

UL PRESIDENT’S DINNER

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

‘Social housing threshold must be higher’ CIAN O'BROIN news@clareecho.ie

THE issue of social housing raised great commotion at the last Clare County Council meeting before the local elections last week, with Councillor Gerry Flynn of Shannon recognising the motion as “a box ticking exercise that we have to embrace”. The issue arises from the difficulty that people have in qualifying for social housing support, with specific mention to Clare residents’ earning threshold in relation to qualifying for social housing.

Councillor Gerry Flynn said, “The nuts and bolts of it is that Limerick, which is only across the river has a threshold of €35,000. Clare is €25,000. This is certainly a proposal that needs to be reviewed. The current earning limit is at €528 per week. People that earn above that cannot get on social housing support. It’s putting Clare applicants at a huge disadvantage. There’s huge anomalies there.”

Flynn’s disapproval didn’t fall on deaf ears and was seconded with great sincerity from PJ Ryan, “I fully support this motion. It’s eight years old now. Nothing has happened. Limerick and Galway have higher thresholds than County Clare.

Due to changes people who used to fit criteria no longer do.

People will be homeless because they can’t get accommodation. It’s just not available at the moment. Private renters wont rent to certain people.”

The council spoke of a submission for a social housing site in Gaurus, Ennis as well as another in Shannon. A master plan of the site has been finalised.

One subsequent worry espoused amongst the council was the process of decentralising families to Shannon and Ennis. The council stressed the importance of social housing throughout the county, whether rural or urban.

ADVERTORIAL

l DRESSED TO IMPRESS: Incoming Student President Ciara Jo Hanlon and Jack Scanlon, Cratloe, attend the UL President Dr Des Fitzgerald Dinner at Adare Manor Hotel Limerick; (right) Mayor of Clare Cllr Michael Begley and his wife Fidelma attending the event and (below) Sandra Marsh, Aer Lingus and Rose Hynes, Chairman Shannon Group

Photos by Arthur Ellis

Sofa sale - up to 50% off at KMC Home Trends

K

MC Home Trends located on Parnell Street Ennis are having a fantastic Sofa Sale with up to 50% off all Sofa’s. With Superior Leather, Fabric, Microfibre and Modular Corner Sofas to choose from, there is something to suit every taste and budget without compromising on quality or comfort.

Noteworthy is the luxurious “Arlene” 3+1+1 Sofa, all reclining was €1,995 now only €1,395, fantastic value

with exceptional comfort.

Huge savings are also available across a wide range of compact 2-Seater Sofas, 3-Seater Sofas and Reclining Arm Chairs.

All can be purchased separately at Sale prices with FREE Delivery and FREE recycling of packaging.

For Quality, Service and Value don’t miss out on the Up to Half Price Sofa Sale as Sale must end Saturday 1st June at 5.30pm so don’t delay.

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

Gruesome find on Doughmore

PÁRAIC McMAHON

O

paraic@clareecho.ie

NE week ahead of Donald Trump’s visit to West Clare, a gruesome discovery was made on Doughmore Beach.

Security measures have intensified in Doonbeg prior to the arrival of the US President next week but with all the attempts to have the area in splendid condition, one location very close to where Trump will be based seems to have been neglected.

Walkers at Doughmore Beach were horrified when they came upon a dead calf by the sea. “We made a pretty unfortunate discovery,” one of the individuals told The Clare Echo on Tuesday. It appears that a calf had been washed up, after its carcas partially rotted or had been interfered with by sea life.

An Bord Pleanála are still considering an appeal to Clare County Council’s decision to grant planning

for a 38,000-tonne rock barrier at Doughmore Beach which aims to prevent coastal erosion at three golf courses at Trump International Golf Links and Hotel Ireland.

Shannon Airport is set to welcome Donald and Melania Trump next Wednesday as they begin a three day visit. In anticipation, security has ramped up with all visitors entering Trump Doonbeg being subject to Garda checks. Cree residents have been informed that restrictions will be in place from 7.00pm on Monday next until 7.00am on Saturday June 8th and a special pass is needed to gain access to the area.

Three security zones are to be setup with the hotel, golf course and nearby Doughmore Beach completely locked down. There will be local road closures and diversions and Garda throughout. Companies based in Shannon have been advised to get their employees to bring official identification to their place of work during the course of Mr Trump’s stay in Co Clare.

l GRIM: The shocking discovery made at Doughmore Beach just a week ahead of Donald Trump's visit Photos by Elaine Tubridy

Green light for Ennis Train station upgrades ENNIS Councillor Johnny Flynn (FG) has welcomed the development of planning permission being granted for necessary upgrades at Ennis Train Station which will make travel more convenient, particularly for elderly passangers.

Cllr Flynn, who was last weekend returned to Clare County Council, said that on his recent election canvas the issue was raised with him on more than one occassion.

"On my recent election canvas I met a number of old age pensioners who have informed me of them missing trains to get medical appointments in Dublin due to lack of personal in a ticket office or a facility to print off a OAP Specific ticket at the vending machine," Flynn told The Clare Echo.

"I'm delighted to see recent planning permission applied and granted for lifts and improve accessibility at the station. This is an issue I’ve been in contact with Irish Rail about in the last few years in their customer surveys. Similarly I have included a request for the investment necessary to do this work in my submissions to the NDP and NPF Ireland 2040 processes."

Cllr Flynn added, "I would ask that a solution be put in place to resolve this lack of ticketing facility at Ennis Rail Station as a lot of AOPs are not in a position to book on the internet in advance."

NEWS

7

8 NEWS

Greenway decision is due shortly THE Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has said that a funding decision is in the pipeline for the West Clare Greenway, a cycling route which it's believed would attract thousands of tourists to West Clare every year.

In a parliamentary question to Minister Shane Ross, Kilmihil TD Dr Michael Harty asked for an update on the status of the proposed West Clare Greenway.

In his reply, Minister Ross stated, "As the Deputy may be aware, my Department held a funding call for Greenways last year which closed on 30th November. During this funding call, twenty two applications were submitted by fifteen Local Authorities and one State Agency. Among these applications was one from Clare County Council for the West Clare Greenway.

"Over the last few months, my Department officials have been assessing each of the 22 detailed applications received during the funding call based on the criteria laid out in the 'Strategy for the Future Development of National and Regional Greenways' launched by my Department last year.

"For this particular round of funding we are focusing on projects which have planning permission in place and are ready to begin construction in the very near future.

"I expect to announce the successful projects shortly."

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

'Trump is going to heaven and protesters should leave us be' PÁRAIC McMAHON

A

paraic@clareecho.ie

DOONBEG priest has warned protesters “to leave us alone” ahead of Donald Trump’s visit to Co Clare next week and he believes the US President’s "love of his neighbour" will secure his place in heaven.

From 1995 to 2009, Fr. Joe Haugh served as Parish Priest of Doonbeg but for the last decade has been Assistant Priest in the parish where Donald Trump now owns a world renowned hotel which employs 305 people between full and part-time work.

Fr Haugh told The Clare Echo there has been a considerable increase in activity in Doonbeg since word first broke that Donald would be visiting West Clare for the first time since becoming the 45th President of the United States of America.

“It’s great. We have to realise there are 260 people working

here in the summer time, there is no place else like that and three top restaurants,” said Fr Haugh.

He stated one has to have admiration for Donald Trump considering the employment he has maintained in the region.

“Anyone that does that for any place is worth respect. Last night in a restaurant here in Doonbeg, 150 people came in for a meal, 150 people - that’s not happening everywhere and that’s only one night”.

Subsequently to the employment generated, Haugh said Mr Trump is “most welcome” and he expressed his annoyance with people that had considered protesting in Doonbeg during his stay. “They should leave us alone, we don’t interfere with their lives, leave us in peace.

We’re law abiding citizens down here in Doonbeg”.

Futureproof Clare are set to hold a protest in Ennis when the billionaire arrives but as long as it is not in Doonbeg, the priest is nonplussed. “Ennis is nearly 30 miles away. I’m not too bothered

lOUTSPOKEN: Fr Joe Haugh

about what goes on in Ennis”.

Around Doonbeg, it is said that Fr Haugh is a regular follower of FOX News. “I like FOX news. I want to get a balance but I watch CNN and judge what is the news then. I don’t care what way he is portrayed by the international or national media, he’s doing a good job for America”.

In May 2014, the Coolmeen

native spoke with Trump when he visited his West Clare resort.

“When we were leaving he said, ‘get me to heaven’,” Fr Haugh recalled of their conversation.

When asked by The Clare Echo if he thinks Donald Trump will in fact ‘get to heaven’, he replied, “I certainly do, he loves his neighbour, he’s done a lot for his neighbour”.

According to Joe, his main interests and hobbies are, “saving people, my main interest in life is saving people for the next life. My hobbies would be playing golf, I play golf and meeting people”.

Both of which are connected to the Trumps, as he is an honorary member at Doonbeg Golf Club, something Eric Trump continues to provide, “He gives me free golf every year, I’m an honorary member”.

Donald and Melania Trump are due to arrive in Shannon Airport on Wednesday, when they get to Doonbeg, Fr. Joe Haugh is hopeful he will get to pick up where they left off in 2014 should he get the opportunity to speak with the US President.

Cliffs of Moher operate shuttle bus for summer months

AN OFFICIAL Cliffs of Moher Shuttle Bus will run throughout the summer months for visitors who wish to undertake the coastal walk or fancy a car free day out.

The bus is operating from May 30 to August 31 and will offer two routes - Lisdoonvarna, Doolin to Cliffs return and Ennistymon, Lahinch, Liscannor to Cliffs return (see attached timetable, p9). The bus service aims to reduce traffic in the area while also make life convenient for those who wish to walk the Cliffs of Moher coastal route, with pick-up and drop-offs at each end of the trek. Those who use the service will also avoid the busy summer queues.

The comfortable, modern busses include free WiFi and those who book online at www.cliffsofmoher.ie will save up to 50 per cent, while online booking also guarentees entry. The centre opens from 8am-9pm every day from June to August however visitors are urged to visit before 10am or after 4pm during the hectic summer months for a better experience.

See cliffsofmoher.ie for information and booking.

lSTUNNING EXPERIENCE: The shuttle bus gives visitors a unique chance to explore every inch of the cliffs Photo courtesy Clare County Council

NEWS 9

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

Galvin back in mix for Tipperary showdown PÁRAIC McMAHON

I

paraic@clareecho.ie

AN Galvin has returned to contact training giving joint managers Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor an extra option in attack for Sunday’s Munster senior hurling championship tie with Tipperary in Cusack Park.

Galvin who is the younger brother of midfield general, Colm has been absent since sustaining an injury away from the hurling field. The Clonlara attacker has returned to training in the last week and his form has certainly caught the eye of management who will not have forgot the UL student was the man that scored the decisive goal against Tipperary last year, a strike that would ultimately kick start their run to the All-Ireland semi-final.

Another forward used to popping up with valuable goals is a doubt for Sunday’s game.

Cratloe’s Cathal McInerney has a slight hamstring strain and is

20 asylum seekers in Miltown

THE arrival of 20 asylum seekers who have been accommodated in Miltown Malbay can only be successful if necessary support systems are put in place, according to Clare's Independent TD, Dr Michael Harty.

The Dept of Justice confirmed that the 20 spaces have been provided on an emergency basis because of "unforseen" pressure in the direct provision system nationwide, and fears have been expressed that this shortage of capacity could become a long-term problem.

Dr. Harty said locating asylum seekers in community settings can only work if the necessary support systems are provided. He added that Miltown has a good record in welcoming asylum seekers and noted that last year a local group organised a weekend for residents of the Knockalisheen Centre.

Currently, Clare is home to two direct provision centres, one at Knockalisheen in southeast Clare and the other which is run at the King Thomond Hotel in Lisdoonvarna, both of which have been reported to have been over capacity in recent months. In response to Dr Harty, the Dept of Justice said the Miltown Malbay situation is an interim arrangement until spaces are found within accommodation centres.

to undergo a fitness test in the lead-up to the clash. The Harty Cup winner memorably slotted home two goals against Wexford in 2013 to rescue Clare’s season as they prevailed in extra time to book their spot in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

McInerney’s clubmate Conor McGrath lined out in his first competitive game of the year on Friday impressing for Cratloe in their 2-25 1-10 Clare Cup win over Newmarket-on-Fergus. The All Star has not linked up with the county panel since and is not expected to do so. A spokesperson for the Clare senior hurling management told The Clare Echo there is an “open door” for McGrath to return should he wish.

David Conroy of St Josephs Doora/Barefield has been ruled lRETURN: Ian Galvin has returned to training with the Banner ahead Photo by Martin Connolly out with a broken finger. The of their crunch tie with Tipperary 24 year old has yet to make his championship debut but was included amongst the substitutes in Clare’s one point win over Waterford more than two weeks PAGE 41 ago.

Official Cliffs of Moher Shuttle Bus Serving Ennistymon, Lahinch, Liscannor, Doolin, Lisdoonvarna and the coastal walk

EchoSport

OUTWARD 1A Ennistymon to Cliffs

1A

1A

1A

1A

1A

1A

1A

1A

Ennistymon Church Lahinch Bus Stop Liscannor Main Street Hags Head Kilconnel Cliffs of Moher Visitor Exp

8.15 8.25 8.30 8.35 8.45

9.45 9.55 10.00 10.05 10.15

11.40 11.50 12.00 12.05 12.15

13.30 13.35 13.45 13.50 14.00

15.00 15.05 15.15 15.20 15.30

16.50 16.55 17.05 17.10 17.20

18.05 18.10 18.20 18.25 18.35

19.35 19.40 19.50 19.55 20.05

RETURN TIMETABLE 1B Cliffs to Ennistymon

1B

1B

1B

1B

1B

1B

1B

1B

Cliffs of Moher Visitor Exp Hags Head Kilconnel Liscannor Main Street Lahinch Bus Stop Ennistymon Church

8.45 8.50 9.00 9.10 9.15

10.15 10.20 10.30 10.40 10.45

12.15 12.20 12.30 12.40 12.45

14.00 14.05 14.15 14.25 14.30

16.15 16.20 16.30 16.40 16.50

17.30 17.40 17.45 17.55 18.05

19.00 19.10 19.15 19.25 19.35

21.05 21.15 21.25 21.40

Lisdoonvarna to Cliffs

2A

2A

2A

2A

2A

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Lisdoonvarna Failte Car Park Doolin Hotel Fisher Street House Cliffs of Moher Visitor Exp

8.10 8.20 8.25 8.35

9.50 10.00 10.05 10.15

11.50 12.00 12.05 12.15

13.30 13.40 13.45 13.55

15.00 15.10 15.15 15.25

16.40 16.50 16.55 17.05

18.10 18.20 18.25 18.35

19.35 19.45 19.50 20.00

RETURN TIMETABLE 2B Cliffs to Lisdoonvarna 2B

2B

2B

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Cliffs of Moher Visitor Exp Fisher Street House Doolin Hotel Lisdoonvarna Failte Car Park

10.15 10.25 10.30 10.40

12.15 12.25 12.30 12.40

13.55 14.05 14.10 14.20

16.15 16.25 16.30 16.40

17.30 17.40 17.45 17.55

19.00 19.10 19.15 19.25

21.05

OUTWARD2A

Tickets available ONLINE ONLY at

www.cliffsofmoher.ie

8.35 8.45 8.50 9.00

Go green, stay local, enjoy for longer, walk more and leave no trace

21.15 21.25

10 NEWS

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

USA pre-clearance to be extended at Shannon Airport STUART HOLLY

editor@clareecho.ie

U.S. CUSTOMS and Border Protection (CBP) announced that it will introduce an out-ofhour’s preclearance service at Shannon Airport, Ireland, beginning the 1st of June 2019.

Clint Lamm, Director Preclearance said: “The Preclearance Field Office continues to look for new and innovative ways to provide a secure and efficient transborder process for our closest international partners. There have been requests for CBP to provide enhanced services for business travellers and private aircraft, so we are very pleased that our longstanding relationship with Shannon Airport will once again allow us to deliver.”

Welcoming the initiative, Andrew Murphy, Managing Director, Shannon Airport, a Shannon Group company said: “This is a very welcome development as it will allow us to extend our US Preclearance service for both our commercial and in particular our business aviation operators.

“Currently US Preclearance in Shannon Airport operates from 09:00am to 17:00 daily, but with the new agreement we will now

be able to extend these hours and offer an out of hours service to our customers when required.”

The extended hours of operation will be available from the 1st of June 2019 and will initially be between the hours of 08:00 to 09:00 and from 17:00 to 21:00 locally.

“We are very pleased to see the additional hours added to Shannon Airport Preclearance to help facilitate our member’s needs when returning to the U.S. Business aircraft provide companies with the flexibility to set their own schedules and this additional capability at Shannon allows a full business day in Europe before returning home.” said Sarah Wolf, Sr. Manager, Security and Facilitation, NBAA. “Pre-clearing in Shannon also improves efficiency by limiting additional stops after a long oceanic flight back to the U.S,” added Ms. Wolf.

Shannon Airport was the first airport in Europe to offer U.S. preclearance services for commercial carriers, initiated in 1986, and subsequently the first in the world to offer full preclearance for private aircraft since 2010.

Today, Shannon remains the only airport in North America, Europe and the Middle East providing this unique service.

l OUT OF HOURS SERVICE: Niall Maloney, Airport Operations Director, Clint Lamm, Director of Field Operations, Preclearance Field Office, Andrew Murphy, Managing Director, Shannon Airport, a Shannon Group company and Michael Balero, Assistant Director of Field Operations, Preclearance Field Office

Photo by Arthur Ellis

SUSTAINABLE LIBRARIES TOP OF THE AGENDA

T

HE Western Regional Section of the Library Association of Ireland held its annual seminar on Monday May 27th at Shannon College of Hotel Management, a College of NUI Galway.

The theme of the seminar was ‘Sustainable Libraries: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally’ and heard from speakers from libraries and local authorities.

Speakers included Cora Gunter from Clare County Libraries who spoke on the impact of the removal of fines in the public library services and Ann Byrne from UCC who talked about their award-winning Green Library project.

Highlights included a World Café-style discussion on Open Science and the response from libraries and a presentation of the Shannon Development Photographic Collection by Ken Bergin and Sinéad Keogh from UL. Speaking after the conference, Ailish Larkin, College Librarian said “We are delighted to host the WRSLAI summer seminar in Shannon College of Hotel Management for the first time this year. The Library Association of Ireland (LAI) is committed to the principal of open scholarships through its groups and CPD activities. We are thankful for the support of the LAI who supports and guides its members in relation to new and emerging ideas on an ongoing basis”

SHANNON COLLEGE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT: Pictured are Kris Meen, Michelle Breen, Sinead Hanrahan, Stephanie Ronan, Sinead Keogh and Ailish Larkin.

Pic Arthur Ellis

KING AND QUEEN OF SWEDEN JET HOME FROM SHANNON

T

HE King and Queen of Sweden have joined the list of monarchs to visit and fly through Shannon Airport, a Shannon Group company, as they completed their three-day visit to Ireland at the weekend.

King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia are the latest royals to have flown through Shannon, adding to the likes of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall in 2015, right back to the likes of Princess Grace of Monaco in the 1970s and others including King Hussein of Jordan and King Juan Carlos of Spain.

The Swedish royals began their visit on Wednesday as guests of President Michael D Higgins in Áras an Uachtaráin where they were welcomed by an Irish Air Corps fly-past and 21-gun salute.

The couple then visited the Garden of Remembrance, where the king laid a wreath to honour all those who died for Irish freedom, before they went to Croke Park, where Queen Silvia tried here hand at our native sport, hurling.

After a visit to Leinster House for afternoon tea with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, the couple headed west.

For the final day of their trip on Friday, the couple enjoyed a visit to the Marine Institute in Oranmore and

then onto the Burren in County Clare for a programme which included a visit to the Burren Smokehouse.

The royal couple then made their way to Shannon Airport for their return flight home. There to greet them was Rose Hynes, Chairman of Shannon Group and Andrew Murphy, Shannon Airport Managing Director.

Said Ms Hynes, “We were delighted to welcome the Swedish Royals here. They had a busy three-day programme, ending in the West of Ireland and departing from Shannon. We have a long history of welcoming dignitaries to Shannon. We have welcomed heads of state from across the globe and this was another proud day for Shannon Group and Shannon Airport in that regard.”

Said Mr Murphy, “Shannon has, from its very origins, been a crossroads for some of the world’s most famous people, from all US presidents since John F. Kennedy to stars of stage, screen and sport and, of course, royalty. That’s one of the many privileges we have here at this special airport and it was our pleasure to welcome and spend time with the Swedish Royals. We look forward to adding their photo to our airport photo gallery in our transit lounge.

ROYAL WELCOME: Pictured greeting King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia at Shannon Airport, a part of the Shannon Group, was Rose Hynes, Chairman of Shannon Group.

Pic Arthur Ellis

12 COLUMNIST

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

Aoibhín Garrihy

LOVE

CLARE

The race is on

THE NOTEBOOK

S

mom with the perfectly baked buns for the cake sale was refreshing!

We also hosted a unique BEO Business event in association with Bank of Ireland, Limerick last week and we were delighted to welcome local businesses as we talked Wellness in the workplace and heard from financial well-being coach, Linda Ryan.

UNDAY wrapped up another series of BEO in Dublin and we were delighted to welcome a new face to the couch, Dr Ciara Kelly as she shared her views on the way in which the state views women’s health, the drink culture, being ferocious when it comes to your kids and more. As a relatively new mom I look at someone like Ciara (mom to four and a self proclaimed workaholic) and I just think how?! But hearing her very honest depiction of how she gets by day to day, surrendering to the fact that the house BEO BUSINESS: Unique BEO may not be clean, birthday parties event in association with Bank of may be missed and she won’t be the Ireland

COVET IN

CLARE

LOOK THE PART If you’re training there’s no better motivation than some stylish clobber and these Capri Nike leggings from Lifestyle Sports are just that! Just €50 and seriously comfortable.

Win, Win.

SELF-CARE If you haven’t managed to join us yet why not make plans to put yourself on your own to do list this Autumn and attend BEO at one of the six locations across the county. Hear from a host of industry experts who will inspire, motivate and empower. For more see beowellness.ie

This weekend I am gearing up for the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon on Sunday. Last year I was there in a cheerleading capacity and so I’m really looking forward to taking part with Ailbhe, Doireann, Mom and all the ambassadors this weekend. Not before I venture to Bloom in the Phoenix Park on Saturday though...maybe I’m getting old but it’s my idea of the perfect festival! A feast for the senses! So much to admire, gorgeous artisan food, entertainment, arts and crafts and a really lovely, sensible day out!! I’m no green fingers but I may be inspired!

Next week, I’m taking a little family road trip to the Kingdom in a camper for our annual staycation to Dingle and I can’t wait! It’s our first time camping with the little one but here’s to fun and frolics and plenty of memories.

GIRL POWER: (top) cheering on in last years VHI Women’s Mini Marathon (below) Dr Ciara Kelly talks being a mother with Aoibhín in Dublin last Sunday

CAN I DO IT ALL AGAIN? If ever a dress makes you want to be a bride again...this is it! Whether you are a laid back bride looking for something more budget friendly or looking for something just as jaw droppingly wow Day Two, look no further than this beauty at willow.ie for just €160.00

HAPPENINGS KILLALOE CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL

The annual Killaloe Chamber Music Festival promotes chamber music and chamber opera for the benefit of the the local community.

Performed by outstanding, professional musicians from home and abroad, the festival welcomes people of all ages to enjoy a variety of events and concerts that take place in this historic town.

AL FRESCO Be the host with the most and keep your guests happy with this BBQ essential.

Complete with clip fastening lid and functioning tap it will keep your cool drinks fresh. Available at Meadows and Byrne for just €34.95

ANIMALISTIC For something a little different this summer, why not embrace your force of nature with this Cluse green alligator style strap watch with white and gold watch face. Available at Kilkenny Shop and online for €99.95

DOONBEG INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL

The Doonbeg International Jazz Festival will be inviting old friends and new to come together and celebrate 20 years of Jazz in Doonbeg, and, once again, the June Weekend promises to be a great one for Jazz fans. With excellent bands from Germany, USA, Scotland and all over Ireland, and a full programme of performances throughout the weekend, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.

Come along and enjoy a fantastic weekend of Swing, Dixie and Jazz music. All performances are free.

COLUMNIST 13

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

Top 5

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Things you should know about this weekends Vhi Womens Mini Marathon With the largest all female event of its kind taking place this weekend in Dublin, I thought I would share the Top Five Things You Should Know About This Weekend’s VHI Women’s Mini Marathon

SUPPORT:

Whatever the reason you’ve decided to take part in the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon this year (and there are so many special causes represented on the day) you deserve support for your efforts. Cue the VHI Wall of Support which allows your friends and family to give you a shout out at the 7km mark! Simply share your race number and urge them to log on to vhiwallofsupport.ie. It could be just what you need when that wall hits!

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CASHBACK:

If you are doing this year’s Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon and you are a current Vhi customer, why not claim back your €25 registration fee! It couldn’t be simpler to get your cash back, take a snap of your registration fee receipt and send it via the Snap & Send process in the Vhi App.

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WOMEN WITH IMPACT:

This year’s event theme is “Women with Impact” and I don’t know about you but hearing inspirational women’s stories can be just the motivation I need ahead of a challenge like Sunday’s and so if you are looking for that inspo too, log on to the VHI Womens Mini Marathon website to hear the stories of this year’s “Women with Impact Ambassadors”, every day heroes in every county across the country, who will truly motivate you before the main event.

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RELAX:

Wondering what to do once you have completed this year’s Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon? Meet your friends and family in the Vhi Relax Arena which will be located on Merrion Square. Recharge your batteries with the complimentary drinks and snacks while relaxing and listening to some music. The Refresher Rooms are also located in the Vhi Relax Arena where participants can change if they are going out to celebrate their achievement or change into their finisher t-shirt in the changing rooms and can also freshen up using the toiletries provided.

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ENJOY:

And finally, in terms of the last few days prep ahead of the race, lower intensity right down, get some light runs in, drink lots and lots of water and make sure you fuel up the night before and morning of. Finally, enjoy the buzz! It’s the most amazing day full of emotion and electric energy.

Entertainment

NEW ALL-ISLAND INITIATIVE TO ENHANCE CLARE’S REPUTATION FOR FOOD AND DRINK

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VER fifty businesses and individuals from Clare today attended Fáilte Ireland’s Taste the Island workshop in Hotel Doolin. This is part of a series of workshops taking place across Ireland over the next number of weeks to develop a strong programme of food and drink experiences that can be included in the Taste the Island initiative.

The workshops have been organised by Fáilte Ireland for the industry to learn more and provide them with the opportunity to shape the development of a programme.

Fáilte Ireland have produced a number of promotional videos for the workshops that can be viewed on their website.

Globally, Ireland is known as a nation with a vibrant culture with green fields and pristine waters together with a mild wet climate which gives us bountiful, sustainable and high-quality food produce.

To enhance this reputation and to secure a greater reputation for Ireland in 2020 and beyond, a new all-island initiative – ‘Taste the Island – a celebration of Ireland’s food and drink’ has been developed by Fáilte Ireland, in collaboration with Tourism Ireland, Tourism Northern Ireland and a range of stakeholders.

The new initiative, Taste the Island, will showcase Ireland’s world-class food and drink culture across the island of Ireland from September to November by providing visitors with access to authentic food and drink experiences, high quality local ingredients and world class Irish food and drink produce. In 2018 food and drink consumption accounted for around €2.6bn, or 35% of visitor spend and this expensive programme will seek to create an awareness and renewed appreciation at home and abroad of the strength and richness of Ireland’s food culture today.

Commenting at the workshop, Tracey Coughlan, Fáilte Ireland’s Food Tourism Strategy and Programmes Manager, commented: “The range and quality of food and drink businesses and experiences from Clare that we met at the workshop here in Hotel Doolin today are really world class and have the potential to drive a lot more tourists to this area. We know that there is scope for growth around food and drink for tourists and aligned with our world-famous seascapes and landscapes, we have an incredibly strong offering to motivate tourists to visit here.

Taste the Island is designed to showcase

Pictured were. Sinead Hennessy (Fáilte Ireland) with Danny Craughwell (Executive Chef Hotel Doolin).

Photograph by David Rufflesl

Ireland’s fantastic food and drink across September, October and November and I look forward to seeing some really strong ideas coming out of today’s workshop.

What’s really important now is that people submit their proposals outlining what they are going to do for Taste the Island for what’s shaping up to be a chock full season of food festivals and events all showcasing our world class produce.

Commenting on the Taste the Island initiative, Hotel Doolin’s General Manager, Dónal Minihane, said: “Hotel Doolin are delighted to be hosting the Fáilte Ireland ‘Taste the Island’ workshop this week. Hotel Doolin have long been supporters of local and artisan food producers in North Clare and we’ve recently launched our new restaurant, Glas. We’re looking forward to meeting and networking with other producers and providers, hoteliers and restauranteurs at the Taste the Island workshop which is a wonderful new initiative in food tourism from Fáilte Ireland.”

Ms Coughlan continued: “This initiative supports Fáilte Ireland’s strategic imperative to address seasonality and grow revenue by driving increasing bed nights outside of the summer season

while also driving visitors to explore lesser-known locations across the country and will, in the long term, enhance Ireland’s international food and drink reputation before they get here.”

A new Toolkit guide (website www. failteireland.ie/tastetheisland) on how the industry can deliver and maximise the opportunities in food and drink tourism, including a step by step guide for their business built around these 5 pillars: . Taste – pubs, restaurants, cafes, hotelseverywhere you can taste our fantastic food and drink . Meet the maker – our passionate and innovative food producers . Make it yourself – our wonderful interactive food experiences, cookery schools and educational facilities . Trail/Networks – over 30 trails or clusters of businesses working together to enhance the visitor’s food and drink experience all over the country . Festivals and Events – We are building a programme full of festivals and events throughout the Taste the Island from September to November 2019

Pictured were Siobhan King (Fáilte Ireland), Dave Murrins (Ailwee Caves), Adrian Healy (Treaty City Brewery), Sarah McDonnell (Burren Smokehouse) and Tracey Coughlan (Fáilte Ireland) .

Photograph by David Rufflesl

Pictured were. Siobhan King (Fáilte Ireland),Brigitta Curtin (Burren Smokehouse), Pictured were. Siobhan King (Fáilte Ireland), Joan Tarmey (Tourism Officer, Clare Co Council), Nicholas O’Connell and Cathal Quinn (both Queens Hotel, Ennis) and Tracey Coughlan (Fáilte Ireland) with Fiona Haugh (Market House, Ennistimon) Photograph by David Rufflesl Tracey Coughlan (Fáilte Ireland).

Photograph by David Rufflesl

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2018

ENTERTAINMENT

ROUGH MAGIC AND GLÓR PRESENT CLEFT

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LÓR and Rough Magic are thrilled to premiere new Irish writing in a major co-production between the two organisations. Cleft, written by Fergal McElherron will premiere in glór, Ennis this June, before transferring to Galway International Arts Festival in July and to Kilkenny Arts Festival in August.

Directed by Lynne Parker and starring Ennis actress Simone Kirby, along with Penny Layden, Cleft is a dark, funny, folkloric tale of two sisters bringing up a child in a peripheral rural community.

Twin sisters Fea and Caireen, living on a harsh, remote island, are raising a boy together.

Abandoned by their mother at a young age and left in their teens to fend for themselves by their troubled father, the women have created their own emotional ecosystem. While Caireen embraces motherhood Fea struggles as she watches the boy grow in the likeness of his father whose body lies buried beneath the hawthorn tree.

Cleft – a visceral story of one family’s unrelenting will to survive – and ultimately to make choices based on instinct.

Once again, Clare’s flagship Arts Centre, glór is placing theatre squarely at the heart of its programme, having premiered Jacinta Sheerin’s Sweet About Me in March, and now presenting Cleft in a major co-production with one of the country’s most respected theatre companies. ‘glór and Rough Magic have been working to bring this project to fruition for some years now. We are so proud to collaborate with one of Ireland’s pioneering theatre companies to premier new Irish work in Clare, with one of Ennis’

finest actors, Simone Kirby sharing the lead,’ says glór’s Interim Director, Patricia Callaly.

Cleft will bring together some of the best creative talent working in the Irish Theatre industry, with direction by Rough Magic’s award-winning Artistic Director Lynne Parker; lighting design by Zia Bergin-Holly and an original score and sound design by Cameron Macaulay.

‘Rough Magic is delighted to fulfil a true creative partnership with our colleagues at glór in bringing this extraordinary play to the world stage,’ says Lynne Parker Cleft is a co-production

between Rough Magic and glór, in association with Galway International Arts Festival and Kilkenny Arts Festival, kindly supported

by Creative Ireland.

ABOUT FERGAL MCELHERRON

Fergal McElherron has worked extensively as an actor with companies including The Abbey Theatre, Druid Theatre, Replay Productions, Rough Magic, Storytellers, The Royal Exchange, (Manchester), The Tricycle, (London),

The Corn Exchange, Performance Corporation and Landmark Productions. To Have and To Hold, commissioned and produced by Kabosh, led to a nomination for the prestigious Stewart Parker Award. All three of his radio plays have been produced by RTÉ: In the Blink of An Eye; Prodigal starring Domhnall Gleeson; and the award-winning Chopped Liver, starring Charlene McKenna. McElherron is currently working on his first novel.

ABOUT ROUGH MAGIC

Since its foundation in 1984 Rough Magic has built an organisation characterised by continual regeneration. Its adherence to artistic excellence, pluralism, and the creative ensemble has delivered over 50 Irish premieres, the debuts of many theatre-makers, and the pioneering SEEDS programme. Based in Dublin, Rough Magic regularly tours in Ireland, the UK and beyond. The company continues to serve as a creative hub within Irish theatre, providing support to emerging theatre-makers and sharing resources with individual artists and independent companies. With each project we undertake, the aim is firstly to make great theatre, but also to advance and contribute to the cultural life of Ireland.

CLEFT WRITTEN BY FERGAL MCELHERRON DIRECTED BY LYNNE PARKER │ STARRING SIMONE KIRBY & PENNY LAYDEN GLÓR │ PREVIEWS THURSDAY 6 JUNE 8PM RUNS FRIDAY 7 – SATURDAY 8 JUNE 8PM

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THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

Ronan Scully

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK Author spreading the word of positivity

A PRAYER FOR EXAM WISDOM

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HE month of June is upon us and the end of the school year has come. What does this mean? “Summer exams” and I mean the Junior Cert and Leaving Cert which are a ‘part and parcel’ of life especially here in Ireland. No student or parent living in Ireland can escape them; they are inevitable. We all remember the following scenario, “Put your revision notes away. It’s time for you to take the exam,” says the assigned teacher to your school exams hall. You feel paralyzed by fear. Your stomach churns and tightens. Your head feels full. Your palms get sweaty. Your feet ache.

As your assigned teacher places the exam paper on your table, your mind goes blank. Sound familiar? Sweaty palms. Shortness of breath. Goosebumps. Visions of blanking out. Yes, these are my memories of examinations in mine and most likely in all adults memory of their Irish childhood.

At this very moment there are thousands of young people, God bless them, across Ireland about to take the Leaving Cert or the Junior Cert exams. Each of these young people have studied and sacrificed for the past several months and indeed for the last 5 or 6 years of secondary school just to get them to this very moment, a 2 week or so exam called the Junior or Leaving Cert that will test their proficiency in the many subjects which they have been studying for. Over the coming weeks part of my daily prayer will be for every young person taking each of these exams and I will be lighting my daily candle and praying for them along with the many other people who want the best for their loved one’s during exam season.

Exam Time We all know now that we have entered exam season especially if you have a son or daughter or grandchild or nephew or niece doing exams this month. I remember well the stress and tension, the constant reminders from teachers that ‘these are the most important

exams you’ll ever take’ and the feeling that you are going to do nothing but spend the next two or three weeks of your life getting the right answers down on paper to the questions you have been asked to answer on the examinations leaflet. But in doing these exams whether it is your Junior Cert or Leaving Cert and which is a time of stress and tension for you and your parents, I want you to hear some positive messages that are not based upon whether you have achieved A’s, B’s or C’s or whatever in your exams. This isn’t about taking away from the importance of exams, or going against what your teachers are saying! These exams are very important, revision and study is vital, but what I’m trying to say is that there is more to life than just these exams, although you might not see that now as it is hard to see the wood from the trees when you are in the middle of the forest at times. My good and great friend’s Dick and David have mentioned this in our weekly conversations to me at various times about this journey through life.

Firstly, before you take your exams each morning, remember this simple fact, you are a truly amazing, unique and genuine young person and you are so loved and adored by your family and friends no matter what may befall you.

They adore you in all respects and no doubt you love and adore them too. You have great gifts, savvy, skills, intelligence, knowledge, flair, know-how, talents and abilities that are unique just to you and only you. You have something to offer our community, our city, our county, our country and our world, something that cannot be taken away, or added to, by these exams. Please always remember that. Your worth, your value, your youth, your personhood, your life in God’s eyes and in the eyes of the people who love you and adore you is not affected by your performance over these next few weeks. He and we and your loved ones already think you are amazing and one of a kind. Also

please don’t give up on your faith or whatever and wherever it is that you connect with God, please don’t give up on it. Right now, in this intense period of your life you need God more than ever, and you need the support of those around you especially your family, your friends and your community, to pray for you, to light a candle for you, to offer up a petition for you and to support you. I promise you that they are already doing those things in their own unique ways because they love and care for you so much. You also need times of fun, times of laughter, times of complete relaxation to not only enjoy yourself but also to help your brain process what you’ve been revising and also helping it to rest and to get you ready for the next upcoming exam. It is natural to pray before difficult situations, and many people have found comfort in prayer before an exam or test.

The Black Spot Exam One day a professor entered the classroom and asked his students to prepare for a surprise test. They waited anxiously at their desks for the test to begin. The professor handed out the question paper, with the text facing down as usual. Once he handed them all out, he asked his students to turn the page and begin. To everyone’s surprise, there were no questions.

Just a black dot in the center of the page. The professor seeing the expression on everyone’s face, told them the following: “I want you to write what you see there.” The students confused, got started on the inexplicable task. At the end of the class, the professor took all the answer papers and started reading each one of them aloud in front of all the students. All of them with no exceptions, described the black dot, trying to explain its position in the middle of the sheet, etc.

After all had been read, the classroom silent, the professor began to explain: “I am not going to grade on you this, I just wanted to give you something to think about. No one wrote about the white part of

the paper. Everyone focused on the black dot – and the same happens in our lives. We have a white paper to observe and enjoy, but we always focus on the dark spots.

Our life is a gift given to us by God, with love and care, and we always have reasons to celebrate, such as nature renewing itself everyday, our friends around us, the job that provides our livelihood, the miracles we see everyday. However we insist on focusing only on the dark spots, the health issues that bother us, the lack of money, the complicated relationship with a family member, the disappointment with a friend and many other dark spots in our lives we focus on. The dark spots are very small compared to everything we have in our lives, but they are the ones that pollute our minds. Take your eyes away from the dark spots in your life. Enjoy each one of your blessings, each moment that life gives you. Be happy, try your best and live a life positively!

Believe in Yourself So when a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully. When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light. Dare to be the best you can be. Always remember that every morning is a fresh beginning. Every day is the world made new. Today is a new day. Today is my world made new. I have lived all my life up to this moment, to come to this day. This moment-this day--is as good as any moment in all eternity. I shall make of this day--each moment of this day--a heaven on earth. This is my day of opportunity. Dare to be the best you can be during these weeks of examinations and the very best of luck with everything.

Thought for the week As your thought for this week, dare to dream, but, even more importantly, dare to put action behind your dreams and be the best you can be in your exams over the coming weeks. Parents, Grandparents, loved ones and friends say this prayer written by Bill Turnball each morning for your loved one before they head off to

the exams hall as my Nana Scully use to say for me - ‘Dear Lord, You have given wisdom to those who seek knowledge and you have blessed us with strong, healthy minds that hunger to learn. Bless my children this day, and this week, as they see the fruits of their labours culminate in the writing of exams that are designed to test their knowledge. I praythat you would guide them to study those areas most important. Help them to discern wisely what time they spend on each subject and when it is necessary to put the books away and just rest. I pray that as they sit at their desks, with pen in hand, that you would give them pause to breathe, to concentrate and to recall all that they have learned.

Help them to not be flustered or panicked. Give them sharp minds and clear focus. Sharpen their memories and give them the right words to lay out on that paper to answer the questions before them. I pray that you would bless the work of their minds over this past year and that all of their late nights, long projects, marathon reading and difficult questioning would not be in vain but that you would multiply what they already know into good marks for solid effort. Give them peace about finishing and handing in their completed exams , knowing that they did what they were asked to the best of their abilities. And help them to shake off any concerns or worry so they can focus on the next. And Lord, bless their summers, that they would be renewed in mind and body and challenged for the next years’ work. And bless all those who are graduating and writing for the last time. I pray that they would be filled with humility at all that they have learned and understand that this has been the groundwork laid for what is to come but not the end-all and beall of their lives. Bless all that they do, that they would use their gifts, talents and knowledge to bring goodness and peace to our world.

Amen’

COLUMNISTS 17

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

with Cian O’Broin

Eoin Neylon

An inside look at Clare’s political spectrum

1983 A T HIS year we take a look at social issues that reign true to this very day. The introduction of an I.D card system to help combat the drug and alcohol abuse amongst minors as well as local delinquents forming a nefarious ‘Skull Gang’ in Newmarket on Fergus.

So terrified were local residents that they requested immediate action of the Chief Superintendent. Adding to the troubling times of 1983 in Clare, was a foreign invasion in the form of a fishing trawler from the UK into Kilrush harbour. Time to read on...

I.D SYSTEM FOR LOCAL MINORS? A motion to introduce an identification system for minors received strong support in a survey conducted in Ennis in 1983. The crux of the issue boiled down to a lack of facilities for the younger populous of the town. On top of this, there were suggestions to remove gaming machines from licensed premises, another encouraging factor in the purchase of alcohol for youths.

The damage caused by excessive alcohol consumption was highlighted in a string of advertising campaigns and lectures throughout schools and social clubs. Another deterrent that made its way out of the interviews was a reduction in pocket money for teenagers and increased parental control.

The interviews were conducted by Ennis Junior Chamber under a national initiative termed ‘Active Life’. The overarching message of the campaign was to identify drug and alcohol abuse in the town of Ennis, with hopes of rectifying such societal misgivings.

NEWMARKET SKULL GANG

Lowering ourselves to a deeper rung in society, we are greeted with a deputation sent to the Gardai by the people of Newmarket on Fergus concerning a so called, ‘Skull Gang’. The efforts of the local police force were not enough to thwart the activities of this malicious band of youths. Two patrol cars operated throughout the village on weekends.

The members of the gang had threatened to harm local schoolchildren and said they would burn houses to the ground. Initiation into this gang was gained by having a member of the Gardai call to your door. It may not be Mexican Cartel level, but it nonetheless caused great consternation amongst Newmarket residents. These people were afraid to contact the authorities as they wished to avoid having their homes burned to the ground. The gang comprised of five individuals in total; three men and two juveniles. Each member held previous convictions. Fear of support amongst the youth and a skewed idolization of their rebellious acts haunted Garda Tuohy in 1983. The Skull gang of Newmarket on Fergus were considered thieves and robbers. A large issue amongst the tight knit group of delinquents was drug abuse, which following an investigation by Chief Superintendent Michael Griffin of Ennis one of the mothers admitted that her son had a problem. She was unaware that her underage son played a part in this ‘Skull Gang’ and had never heard the term referred to locally.

FARMER’S LUCKY COINS Cappa Pier in Kilrush was the site of great controversy in the year 1983.

A mass conclave of fishing trawlers was hotly contested by the Irish Government at the time. These Spanish trawlers were registered to a British company and made their way to Cappa without a blessing from the Minister for Fisheries. Twenty-four trawlers in total were expected to arrive in the second half of the year and would be fishing within their rights, without exceeding the British EEC Quota. The arrival sparked a widespread call for employment including tenders, engineers and lorry drivers as well as repairers and suppliers of electronic marine equipment. The first landed at Kilrush harbour in June of 1983 despite a four-month campaign of protest.

The 130ft ‘Ciudad de Valverde’ made this bold move following loopholes being exploited in the E.E.C Fisheries Regulations. Local road dockers in Kilrush aided in offloading the cargo on to trucks bound for the continent.

Local government commended these landings, declaring their inevitability an economic benefit to Kilrush which had been badly hit by unemployment in recent years. Minister for Fisheries Paddy O’Toole had other ideas.

Following a dismissal of his kind rejection to the landing of the trawlers, he sought to implement new legislation to discontinue the operation forthrightly. Locals in Kilrush bypassed these sentiments held by the bigwigs in office in the capital and heartily welcomed the men aboard the trawlers.

Come back next week as we make our way towards the halfway mark of the eventful eighties. If you love reading any of these stories or have any historical input yourself, feel free to contact us via email. We would love to hear. Until next time!

Garvey emerges as biggest story of local elections

A DRAMATIC weekend in Treacy’s West County Hotel saw the long process of whittling the 51 hopefuls down to 28 Councillors for the next five years take place. Firstly, we all should be grateful for those who put themselves forward. Having done so myself, I now know all too well how hard it is to give up your life for months just to see those efforts fall short. Those who lost out should be commended for their bravery. Politics is a blood sport and one in which there is little by way of thanks. But thanks is not why people get involved, they do so to effect change. Even though 23 candidates missed out on election, the issues they highlighted in their campaigning gained attention that they may not have otherwise. The community should be thankful for that.

With all votes counted, it proved to be a good day for Fianna Fáil in ‘Dev Country’. The party ran 14 candidates and saw all but one of these elected - Timmy Dooley’s Parliamentary Assistant Martin O’Loghlen failing to make the grade in the Ennitymon area.

Substantially, the party has elected much needed fresh faces in Ennis, Ennistymon and Kilrush where retirements had looked to put the party under pressure. In fact, the party took roughly half of all first preference votes along the Atlantic coast and a third of the vote in the remainder of the county. The strong showing in the West allowed FF to take an additional seat there with the party winning three of those on offer in the new Kilrush area where it had entered with just two sitting Councillors.

Overall, FF increased it’s vote share by almost three per cent to 38.6 per

cent from the 2014 election. This is much better than the 30.8 per cent the party scored in Clare in the 2016 General Election as well. The trend is upward for Míchéal Martin’s team in the Banner county.

The same cannot be said for Leo Varadkar’s charges who remain stagnant compared to five years ago. Having lost four seats in 2014’s election in Clare, Fine Gael failed to make any of the gains they had eyed up. There was some confidence in FG ranks in the last few weeks of

‘‘

The Greens in Clare may well be regretting not contesting Ennis and Shannon where their urban appeal could have been met with more success

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REELING IN THE YEARS

potential gains in Shannon, Killaloe and Ennistymon but none of these materialised. Their 31.7 per cent of the first preference vote was only 0.2 per cent up from the last local elections. Significantly however, it is almost six per cent better than the party scored in the 2016 General Election. That will be of scant consolation to Bill Slattery who lost his seat to running mate Joe Garrihy. Garrihy comes from a family background that is steeped in FF so his decision to run for FG, having reportedly been approached by Senator Martin Conway, was thought a strange one by many.

Nevertheless, it paid off

for the Lahinch native, much to the chagrin of Slattery. There was further heartbreak for Ger O’Halloran as he once more narrowly missed out on a seat. The drama was in Shannon this time though as FG missed out in a Titanic battle between FG’s Garret McPhillips and Cllr Gerry Flynn. A tightly fought battle for the last seat there saw a couple of recounts and even talk of legal action. Ultimately the sitting Independent Councillor held out to keep his seat. FG will look at the poor vote transfer between their candidates as being responsible for the party failing to add to their numbers in County Hall.

The biggest story from this election for me though, is the election of Róisín Garvey (pictured) in North Clare. The Green Party’s performance in Clare mirrored the Green tide seen across the country and saw the party’s vote share rise from one per cent to four per cent in five years in Clare. This despite only contesting two LEAs. Garvey was slated to do well, but no pundit predicted her election ahead of these elections. Environmental concerns should be of paramount importance to Clare and Garvey will be a solid and steadfast voice for greener policies on the council.

Barry O’Donovan also polled well in Killaloe and the Greens in Clare may well be regretting not contesting Ennis and Shannon where their urban appeal could have been met with more success. Garvey’s election also sees a fourth female Councillor elected to County Hall and the only one outside of Ennis.

A step in the right direction but still far away from gender parity.

Finally, where Clare leads, Ireland follows and for Sinn Féin, their national melt down was also evident in the Banner county. SF were looking at making gains in Clare but instead, almost saw their only seat lost with Cllr Mike McKee just holding out in Shannon. Noleen Moran did not make the breakthrough Sinn Féin were expecting in Ennistymon, instead getting washed away by the Green tide. The party also suffered very poor results in the other three LEAs, especially in Ennis where the party put on a huge social media campaign.

It just goes to show that corriboard trumps tweets when it comes to getting votes and that’s something Cllr Mark Nestor can attest to. Social media sees you preach to the already converted. Posters speak to everyone. Looks like old school campaigning is here to stay and I for one am glad of it. Long live the election poster, the burnt shoe leather and the shaking of hands and face-to-face conversations. It’s Irish politics at its purest.

ENNIS

18 LOCAL ELECTION REACTION

Howard on a high STUART HOLLY

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editor@clareecho.ie

OUNCILLOR Mary Howard referred to politics as a “blood sport” as she reflected on being the first ever female to top the polls in Ennis on route to her election on Sunday morning.

Celebrations weren’t muted despite Mary knowing well in advance that her seat was safe: “I did [know] but the reality is that this game is a blood sport and you’re always thinking, ‘is the carpet going to be pulled out from under me?’.

Being in the No 1 position – that was never [in my thoughts] – I just wanted to retain my seat because a woman has never headed the poll in Ennis, this is the first time it’s ever happened so I’m absolutely delighted it’s me.

Ms Howard (FG) told The Clare Echo, “Yesterday listening to the radio in the morning and getting reports from the girls that were here, I was in fourth position and I was delighted with that. Next thing I heard on the news at one o’clock

that I’d topped the tally poll, I was overwhelmed, I just burst into tears. I was delighted and those people who voted for me, I won’t let them down. I will work very hard for the next five years.

“I have a great team behind me who really kept my spirits up, it’s tough going out there, knocking on doors day in day out and being in top form, but they kept me going, they really were great.

They were so positive, and we had a lot of fun as well.”

Mary’s canvassing team wore yellow jackets at the count centre, and Mary was quick to credit her tight-knit team for keeping her spirits high throughout the canvass.

“We’re known as the pink gang when we go canvassing, I got a number of pink hi-vis vests a number of years ago when we were canvassing and I got a couple of blue ones [for the guys] but it transpired that they wanted the pink ones too, they wanted to be identified in the pink gang. When we came to the count yesterday, I was wearing yellow as it fits in with my literature and they said, sure we’ll all wear yellow. It was great, they wanted to strongly identify l EMOTIONAL: Councillor Mary Howard admitted that she burst into tears upon hearing that she had topped the poll Photo by Martin Connolly with me which is a real complement.”

Relief for returning Ennis councillors

S

IX of Clare’s sitting council- do and they came out to support him lors were reelected to the as well as me. He’s thrilled too.

Ennis Municipal District on Fine Gael’s Johnny Flynn, who was Sunday, May 25 following standing in an election for the fifth the local elections. time, told The Clare Echo, “As you go Fianna Fail’s Clare Colleran Molloy, along it gets more difficult because all current Mayor of Ennis, polled well to the new candidates were fantastic. be elected on the eighth count, and Hopefully they’ll keep going because articulated her joy following her selec- they are all community based people. tion: “You can never know what will “It’s great to have competition behappen with eliminations. cause it makes you improve.

“It’s such a relief, I don’t know if I “To increase the vote by over twenty can thank people enough. I just want percent was actually fantastic. It’s very to give a shout out to all those people motivating because it means with rewho gave me their vote, I really appre- newed energy, I’ll continue working on ciate it. I’ll do my best to serve them the issues people have asked me to well over the next five years. work on their behalf.”

“I had so many people helping me throughout the whole district. From Toonagh, Inch, Barefield, Clarecastle...I was confident I was going to do well even though I lost about 200 votes in Quin and Clooney when they were redefined and put into the Killaloe district. So I’m just thrilled.

Ms Colleran Molloy also paid tribute to her husband Tony, who was thrown up in the air in celebration for good measure.

“He fought them so hard not to go up in the air. My husband is key, he’s such a great guy. I love him l CHIT CHAT: Cllr Johnny Flynn chats to Fianna Fáil TD Photo by Martin Connolly dearly. Loads of people Timmy Dooley

ENNIS

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Hayes labels Ennis ‘very conservative’ STUART HOLLY

editor@clareecho.ie

D

ERMOT Hayes voiced his frustration at Treacy’s West County Hotel on Sunday after learning he failed to get elected to the Ennis Municipal District.

Mr Hayes was eliminated on the final count, missing out on a seat to returning councillor Pat Daly and Ann Norton.

“I’m very disappointed I didn’t get elected, despite the fact that I increased my numbers by two and a half times,” said Hayes.

He told The Clare Echo, “Ennis goes to show it’s a very conservative town compared to the rest of Ireland really. Nothing has changed in politics in Ennis. That’s the sad reality

despite the social issues that need pressing such as politics, social housing and the whole environmental issue. So, I’m just wondering in terms of the next five years where it’s going to be at.”

Hayes did take time to praise his campaign team, who helped the disability rights campaigner every step of the way.

“Nonetheless, I had a great team behind me. We worked very hard. We’re at this since the beginning of March and obviously we are working off a very small budget and I think we did exceptionally well despite the number of candidates, that we feel were well able. I have a disability myself and to be able to get around to knock on all the doors is difficult for me but nonetheless I did extremely well and my family and

my friends, I’m very proud of what they have done. It goes to show how it transferred into work.”

Hayes lamented the number of votes he lost to other independents who also failed to get elected.

“I was surprised by the number of people that got such high votes really. ‘Pinky’ Cullinan and Enzo (Alfonzo D’Auria) got such a high vote, fair play to them.

But Mark Nestor stole the show really for the whole election. That’s the story for the election.

The former Labour Party member added, “Then again, he had a machine behind him. It’s all about the machine in this election. Not just in Ennis but all around the country, Fianna Fail, Fine Gael. For any independent or anyone on the outside, it’s very hard to break through.”

Position – Name – Party – Count – Final Tally

Ennis Municipal District 7 seats Turnout: 51% Electorate: 22,744 Quota: 1,430 Valid Votes: 11,436 Spoiled Votes: 163

1: Mary Howard (Fine Gael) - (elected count 6) - 1484 2: Mark Nestor (Fianna Fáil) - (elected count 8) - 1576 3: Johnny Flynn (Fine Gael) - (elected count 8) - 1551 4: Clare Colleran Molloy (Fianna Fáil) - (elected count 8) - 1437 5: Paul Murphy (Fine Gael) - (elected count 10) – 1444 6: Ann Norton (Independent) - (elected count 10) - 1396 7: Pat Daly (Fianna Fáil) - (elected count 10) - 1293 8: Dermot Hayes (Independent) – (eliminated count 10) - 1170 9: Alfonso D’Auria (Independent) – (eliminated count 7) - 958 10: Frank ‘Pinky’ Cullinan (Independent) – (eliminated count 5) - 604 11: Seamus Ryan (Labour) – (eliminated count 4) - 588 12: Donna Deirdre McGettigan (Sinn Féin) – (eliminated count 3) - 288 13: Amanda Major (Independent) – (eliminated count 3) - 229 14: Chris Kirwan (Social Democrats) – (eliminated count 2) - 174 15: Andre Hakizimana (Independent) – (eliminated count 1) - 35

l UNLUCKY TO MISS OUT: Dermot Hayes pictured with one of his supporters, David McCarthy at the count centre last weekend Photo by Martin Connolly

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PICTURES

l JOY AND THE PAIN: (clockwise from left) Alfonso D’Auria; John Crowe enjoys the moment with his little grandson; Mark Nestor rides the crest of a wave; Tony O’Brien with Conor Hayes during the election count on Saturday night Photos by Martin Connolly

Nestor Mark

Nestor Mark

Local Election Candidate | Ennis

I would like to marknestorff@gmail.com Mark Nestorthank for Clare County Council everyone who voted and Local Election Candidate | Ennis supported me 087 248 4552

087 248 4552

marknestorff@gmail.com

Mark Nestor for Clare County Council

PICTURES

l ELECTION DRAMA: (clockwise from top) Garret McPhillips during the dramatic election count for Shannon LEA; Cllr Cathal Crowe after topping the polls with a massive vote; Cllr Michael Begley celebrating his success; the Green Party’s Róisín Garvey embraces her brother Eamon after winning a seat in the Ennistymon LEA

Photos by Martin Connolly

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ENNISTYMON

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Slattery ‘ousted’ by some FG members

PÁRAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

A

S THE only sitting councillor to lose their seat, Bill Slattery’s final count elimination in the Ennistymon LEA came as a shock, more frustrating than the defeat for him was the actions of so-called party colleagues.

“It has been a huge blow to me and my family, it is devastating that a job that I liked... I wouldn’t say I was defeated but ousted by certain members of my own organisation. I’m gutted that I lost the seat because I was looking forward to another five years of doing the work that I had been doing for the last eight years. It’s very disappointing that I have nothing to look forward going forward from here as regards helping the people within and outside my community,” Slattery told The Clare Echo on Wednesday morning.

“People had come to me for lots of different things and I was as helpful as I could be and I think people appreciated that from all the calls I had got for the last three days, it has been heart lifting as such because it’s very hard to lift my heart at the moment, just the appreciation of work that I’ve done for them and a lot of them are devastated themselves that I’m no longer available as a councillor to do that type of work”.

Having been involved with Fine Gael since 1978, Bill is annoyed with his former running mate, Martin Conway who he blames for adding Joe Garrihy to the ticket. A claim, the Senator is denying. In December, the Lahinch man was the only individual to express an interest in representing the party, at the time he told The Clare Echo he was “quietly confident” of retaining his seat, but now admits he didn’t predict certain tactics would develop within the party in the following six months.

“That confidence had to drop because I felt my work ethic up to then would get me over the line if the area had been left to myself. I felt I would get that seat and I had no problem in retaining that seat but unfortunately I understand that Senator Conway got Mr Garrihy to go which he is in denial of”.

Slattery is a Director of Lahinch Seaworld since 2011 where Garrihy has been manager for the past six years, in a very tightly contested area, Joe took approximately 159 votes in Bill’s strongest areas of Lahinch and Ennistymon. “I knew that if Joe was put on to the ticket that I was going to be in trouble, I asked Joe not to go, I told him he would dilute my vote and I went to Jim McMahon our regional organiser and I asked him to call a meeting of the Fine Gael Executive with my fellow councillors and he refused to call that meeting. When I look back on it now, I’m very sorry I was too naive or too weak, I should have got the branches in North Clare to go to Dublin to the National Executive to block this nom-

ination because Joe had never been a member of Fine Gael and especially the area he was coming from beside me. I understood that this happened in other parts of the county where other people were going to be imposed on by other candidates, they didn’t take it lying down and it was blocked. I’m so annoyed that I didn’t try to get this done at National level. Senator Conway thinking with the power that he has, he went ahead and got Joe Garrihy added”.

Senator Conway canvassed for Bill as he secured 1,769 first preference votes in 2014 running in the West Clare Municipal District. This time round, the Ennistymon man rowed in behind Lisdoonvarna’s Garrihy. “He went with Joe this time round and I didn’t want Martin Conway canvassing with me when I knew that Joe Garrihy was on the ticket because I felt it was Martin that put him on the ticket even though he is in denial of that”.

This is not the first time Slattery and Conway have clashed. In 1999, Bill defeated him in a Fine Gael selection convention but then party leader John Bruton would make the decision from headquarters to add Martin to the ticket. Both men would be the first two candidates eliminated but helped to elect Joe Arkins in a six seat Ennistymon area.

“I had said this was the very same thing happening again putting a man in on top of me at local level, I had experience of it with Martin Conway himself and now they put a man in beside me who I work with in the village of Lahinch which I think was an absolute disgrace...I feel very hard done by”.

Over the coming weeks, the small farmer will take time to decide on his political future but confirmed the past few weeks have tainted his view of Fine Gael who he first contested an election for in 1985. “It came across at the doors that people weren’t happy with Leo Varadkar and the role he was playing as Taoiseach and the decimation of rural Ireland with no sympathy or compassion shown to rural Ireland by any of the Ministers because they are nearly all urban or Dublin based, that was coming across very strong on the doors and sometimes you couldn’t deny it.”

l BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT: Bill Slattery who failed in his reelection bid

ENNISTYMON

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Talty ‘overwhelmed’ STUART HOLLY

editor@clareecho.ie

P

OSTMASTER Shane Talty says he is “overwhelmed” after delivering the first big story of the 2019 local elections in Clare by landing a knockout on the first count in Ennistymon LEA. Talty, a first time runner, was the sole candidate elected on the first count in Ennistymon with 1,977 votes and was raised above the shoulders of his supporters to chants of ‘Olé Olé’ on the announcement at Treacy’s West County in Ennis.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Talty spoke of his elation. “It was fantastic – unbelievable there tonight. We had the tallies from early this morning which gives a fair indication and we were fairly confident that we were polling strongly but it’s not until it’s announced on stage… it’s elation for myself and everyone involved.

“It’s overwhelming really, it’s a challenge in itself that you get that response from the community that for the years

l ELATION: Shane Talty celebrates being elected on the first count last Saturday night

Photo by Martin Connolly

ahead you have to perform and will be held to account.”

Talty, whose late father Francie served

Position – Name – Party – Count – Final Tally

Ennistymon Local Electoral Area 4 seats Turnout: 62.6% Electorate: 13,920 Quota: 1,720 Valid Votes: 8,598 Spoiled Votes: 112

1: Shane Talty (Fianna Fáil) - (elected count 1) - 1977 2: Joe Killeen (Fianna Fáil) - (elected count 4) - 1781 3: Joe Garrihy (Fine Gael)- (elected count 4) - 1650 4: Róisín Garvey (Green Party) - (elected count 4) - 1647 5: Bill Slattery (Fine Gael) – (eliminated count 4) - 1579 6: Martin O’Loghlen (Fianna Fáil) – (eliminated count 3) - 1039 7: Noeleen Moran (Sinn Féin) – (eliminated count 1) - 575

as secretary of the Comhairle Ceanntar in North Clare and the Lahinch Cumann for many years, credited his strong team

of 56 canvassers for getting him across the line first. However he also admitted he was “absolutely” surprised by the strength of the public reaction.

“I was confident we would potentially poll well. We had a fantastic response on the canvas, but we would never have dreamed the extent to which that came out on the day, to get over 1,900 votes was beyond the wildest expectations.

“I had 56 canvassers in different locations, each one covering their own townland, their own neighbours, their own friends, and that had a big effect that you were getting a local endorsement every couple of miles. As you moved along there was a local endorsement, be it family or relations of my own or just friends and contacts that I have and that was key to the canvass.”

Asked about his first intentions as an elected councillor, Talty sighed, “Honestly, I have absolutely no idea. Genuinely, it’s overwhelming tonight, I’ll enjoy this tonight, but certainly come the week again we’ll focus into the queries and issues that have come to the light during the campaign, we’ll try and give our attention to immediately.”

Garvey elected by hard work, not Green wave PÁRAIC McMAHON

T

paraic@clareecho.ie

WENTY years ago Roisin Garvey made a promise to her then unborn son that some day she would run for election, that day came and resulted in her winning a seat on Clare County Council on Saturday.

It was the “appalling” condition of the health service when pregnant with Corrán that led to the Inagh woman making the promise, however she is dismayed to see no progress in two decades. “Friends are having babies twenty years after me and they are going through the same, they are being mistreated like I was”.

Her success was the first time a Green candidate was elected to the local authority since Brian Meaney in 2009 and Garvey is the first female candidate in North Clare to become a county councillor. However she’s not happy with the amount of female councillors that will be joining her. “The news shouldn’t be it’s the highest amount in 30 years, the news should be that it’s an absolute disgrace we’re still only one seventh of the representation yet we’re 51 per cent of the population. Maybe the more we get more people would encourage to run”.

Flan Garvey, her father was a Fian-

na Fáil councillor from 1974 to 2009, one Monday a month she would have to wait in the Council gallery for him at monthly meetings when her secondary school day drew to a close.

For the course of the campaign, Flan put down the Fianna Fáil flag and instead supported his daughter.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, 45 year old Roisin stated, “He played his part in certain ways, we’d lots of people playing integral parts.

“You have to give credit where it’s due, I’ve been working and campaigning for 20 years, people say it’s the Green Wave or my father but I’d actually say it’s me and all the people that came behind me because they saw the work I have done in the past and they wanted to see is it possible to get a community activist who has genuine care for the people of North Clare into office as opposed to a big machine”.

On her decision to use posters, the Green councillor elect said, “The poster issue was a non runner, I tried to organise a poster ban but none of the other candidates agreed to it.

I had to spend money on recycled plastic, no other candidate spent extra money on recycled plastic and all the posters I used are recyclable are are going to be used by the relay for life in Ennis which does great work on cancer research. As Kermit the Frog said ‘it’s hard being green’. It’s everybody’s challenge now.”

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KILLALOE

Stepping down from GAA right thing to do PÁRAIC McMAHON

editor@clareecho.ie

N

OT alone was Joe Cooney the first candidate elected in the Killaloe Municipal District for the third time in a row but yet again the O’Callaghans Mills man secured the highest first preference vote in Clare as he has previously done in 2009 and 2014.

His weekend first preference of 2697 was more than the other poll toppers Cathal Crowe (2575), PJ Kelly (2147), Shane Talty (1977) and Mary Howard (1311). According to Cooney, the reason for the result is simple, “hard work”.

“Without a doubt it is a fantastic achievement but I have to say in fairness I wouldn’t be doing that without the support of the people of the Killaloe Municipal District and the East Clare area.

When you are elected by the people to represent them you have to get out there and represent them, you have to get out and deliver, you have to get out and work hard. They are putting their confidence in me, they have done that over the last fifteen years and I did get a big vote again but it is the hard work and good canvass I have done over the last number of months and five years that has allowed me achieve what I have done”.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, Cooney acknowledged that the success is underpinned by the team of people behind him and his most important team, family.

“Anywhere I wanted people to come out canvassing with me someone always made themselves available and that

er over the last six months, that’s why I announced at the convention that I would be stepping aside after the month of January.

PJ McGuane the Vice Chairman has conducted business very well over the last six months, in fairness without his help and support I wouldn’t have been able to step aside and I think it was vital and important that’s the name of the game and I’m delighted I did step aside and give PJ his opportunity to lead Clare GAA”.

Voters in the Killaloe Municipal District opted against changing their elected representatives and the father of three is looking forward to continuing from where they left off. “All ten of us put our name on the ballot paper, only five can get elected. We’ve no l BACK IN THE HOTSEAT: Joe Cooney was first to celebrate being elected to the Killaloe longer six seats in the Photo by Martin Connolly Killaloe Municipal DisLEA trict, we’ve only five but gives a great support as well. Without stepped down temporarily from his role them people, I wouldn’t have achieved as Chairperson of Clare GAA which he we all put our name there to get elected what I have, I would like to thank them felt was the right move. “I wouldn’t say by the people to represent them. Now and my own family for the support they it was essential to get elected but it was it’s down to what the people have decidhave given over the last few months. the proper thing to do in the interests of ed. I’ll be working with the other four to Canvassing is a tough game”. working for the people. I didn’t want to represent and deliver for the people of Prior to beginning his campaign, Joe be mixing the GAA and politics togeth- the Killaloe Municipal District”.

KILLALOE

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Hayes says it’s now time for General Election PÁRAIC McMAHON

E

editor@clareecho.ie

LECTIONS bring out a mix of emotions and that was certainly the case for Pat Hayes who was delighted first and foremost to be the second candidate elected in the Killaloe Municipal District but disgusted with the ongoing treatment of East Clare especially regarding Clare Bus. On Saturday morning, Hayes admitted “Earlier on in the day I was a bit nervous when the boxes were opened in different areas but what was great was the spread of votes right across East Clare and getting them in places like Sixmilebridge and Clooney that I might not have normally got them and was really important to me having had to fight to regain the 280 votes I had lost in North Clare. I’ve a great team of committed people, not a huge big team, I physically did a lot of work myself, I made the effort to sit and talk to the people and now we have to deliver for those people”.

This Fianna Fáil continuity in East Clare is positive he maintained but felt change in other parts of the county for the party would be welcome. “We have a lot of new blood and it’s good to see that, we need to get more new people and maybe encourage others to retire, I’m going into what

is 20 years as a councillor and I still consider myself young, maybe I’m young at heart now but at 56 years of age I still feel I can contribute a lot to the county and I hope to do that going forward”.

Maghera’s Hayes has been in election mode for the past few months but declared to The Clare Echo at the count centre that the time has come for Micheál Martin to end the confidence and supply agreement with Fine Gael and call a General Election.

“There is no doubt the west of Ireland, rural Clare and Shannon Airport are left in a total disgrace, Minister Shane Ross’ behaviour has been abysmal to the people in Clare Bus and to Shannon Airport. The sooner we have a General Election and get people like him out of office whoever is put in there can’t be any worse than him. This whole Dublin centralised policy where you have the Taoiseach, the Minister for Health, the Minister for Housing and Shane Ross all in the one bank not representing the people that I represent definitely and the feedback I’m getting on the ground is to pull the plug”.

Pat has been a vocal advocate for Clare Accessible Transport and that support was reciprocated with the group calling for voters to support Hayes before heading to polling stations. “I committed because if we lose five or ten jobs in Feakle that’s like losing a hundred in a city...The total mismanagement of what has gone on by the NTA is bordering

Position – Name – Party – Count – Final Tally

Killaloe Municipal District: 5 seats Turnout: 63.7% Electorate: 16,040 Quota: 1,687 Valid Votes: 10,121 Spoiled Votes: 103

1: Joe Cooney (Fine Gael) - (elected count 1) - 2697 2: Pat Hayes (Fianna Fáil) - (elected count 4) - 1899 3: Pat Burke (Fine Gael) - (elected count 6) - 1577 4: Alan O’Callaghan (Fianna Fáil) - (elected count 6) - 1565 5: Tony O’Brien (Fianna Fáil) - (elected count 6) - 1536 6: Ger O’Halloran (Fine Gael) – (eliminated count 6) - 1287 7: Barry O’Donovan (Green Party) – (eliminated count 5) - 981 8: Joe Floyd (Independent) – (eliminated count 3) - 659 9: Beckha Doyle (Social Democrats) – (eliminated count 2) - 221 10: Seán Naughton (Sinn Féin) – (eliminated count 2) - 208

l NERVES: Hayes, pictured with his Mam Peggy, was glad to get over the line Photo by Martin Connolly on criminality, this is a voluntary body Clare Bus that are fighting the case behind the scenes and then this to happen, it is like a death in the family to the people of East Clare.”

Tony retains council seat for first time TEN years on from losing his seat on Clare County Council, Tony O’Brien capped off a special weekend with his election to the local authority for the third time, writes Páraic McMahon.

In 2009 the Fianna Fáil representative was unsuccessful in his bid to be re-elected as the party ran a reduced three candidates and former member Michael Begley prevailed as an Independent. Such an experienced has stood to him and the weekend was the first occasion in which he retained his seat following a Council term.

“You come in here and it’s one of the biggest educational experiences you will get and that’s why I feel for Ger O’Halloran and his family today, it’s a lonely place you can feel on your own and very alone but I’m sure Ger will get back into his community, he’s a grafter and a hard worker on behalf of his community and I wish him well as I do for all the others”.

Although he did lose 67 first preference votes in the space of five years, the Killaloe man initially polled in third place but was the last of the five councillors elected. “Any day you go before the public it can be a fickle business and I’m just delighted with the first preference vote and the way the transfers went. I feel for Ger O’Halloran and I mean that very sincerely, like all the other candidates he put himself forward to represent their communities, only five of us can be successful and I’m fortunate enough to be one of those five”.

His success along with that of Joe Cooney, Pat Hayes, Pat Burke and Alan O’Callaghan ensured the people of the Killaloe Municipal District kept faith with their representatives for the past five years. Speaking to The Clare Echo, O’Brien explained why he felt change was rejected in East Clare.

“I think it’s a reflection on the work we have done over the last five years, there is a lot more to be done. I’m not sitting on our laurels or anything like that and I’d include Michael Begley in that, we were a six seat constituency and we’ve went down to five.

“We worked extremely hard on behalf of the communities of east Clare, I’m happy and proud that they have responded accordingly and told us to ‘get back in there and represent us for another five years’, it’s an honour and a privilege to be selected to represent them”.

Tony was not the only reason the O’Brien family were celebrating as his eldest grand-daughter also made her First Holy Communion in Bridgetown over the weekend with relations from the UK back for the occasion in what transpired to be double the festivities.

KILRUSH

26 LOCAL ELECTION REACTION

Ninth life for Kelly l ROMPED TO VICTORY: PJ Kelly scored more than 2,000 first pref votes, which represents his biggest haul since his first election in 1975 Photo by Martin Connolly

PÁRAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

A

N ELECTED representative since 1974, PJ Kelly has been ever present on Clare County Council but 2019 saw him receive his highest ever backing from an electorate.

With 2,147 first preference votes to his name, PJ eased home on the first count in the Kilrush Local Electoral Area. “I don’t get carried away by things. Naturally if I wasn’t elected I’d be disappointed but I did my homework, I looked at it in a realistic way, I followed a reasonable campaign, 90 odd percent of the campaign on my own, outside areas I got assistance from good canvassers who showed me around, the line between north and west would wobble here and wobble there. In places like Labasheeda and Coolmeen other people helped me, I didn’t go far west, I work in an area where I’ve a high concentration of votes and I was returned,” he explained to The Clare Echo.

Although he topped the poll in 1991, Sunday was unique in that it was the first in which he was returned on the opening count. As well as his seat, the Lissycasey representative retains the title as the county’s longest serving councillor. “I don’t know if I’m the most experienced, I’ve been around but I’ve a lot to learn yet. I’m a good listener, I try to think things out before I open my mouth”.

His own Fianna Fáil party has added new blood to the local authority with Mark Nestor (Ennis), Shane Talty (Ennistymon) and Cillian Murphy (Kilkee) winning seats. “It’s nice, it’s

a good mix, maybe we’ll have more balanced views and more people will come in on the side of common sense. Common sense is becoming an endangered faculty”.

Though he concentrated on a particular part of the Kilrush LEA, it is reported that PJ burnt second car out of his Toyota jeep and €110 from his pocked each week on fuel such was the condition and length of certain roads on the canvass.

This campaign was one the retired teacher was reluctant to contest but having approached six different people to run in his place, all of who declined, Kelly opted “reluctantly” to go again. “I was reluctant but I’m delighted, I realised the obligation and the workload that’s before me and I pray God will give me the strength and life to meet it, I certainly will be continuing very much on the lines I’ve been on regarding rural development, helping people to help themselves, getting rid of many of the chains of bureaucracy and so on and so forth”.

During the last term, the father of three was most vocal on the issue of planning, he has no intention of quietening down when he returns to his position at the front of Áras Contae an Chláir.

“Planning controls the destiny and future of an awful lot of people, we’re doing some crazy things at the moment, trying to put houses into holes in the ground and saying ‘they’re interfering with the landscape’. On one occasion recently I had to say they we were not in North Korea but North Munster, we should have freedom of expression, freedom of thought and that’s the main thing in Ireland today how people express themselves down through the years and we’re leaning towards a bureaucratic dictatorship”.

KILRUSH

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Woulfe will continue to huff and puff as voice of rural Clare PÁRAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

J

OSEPH Woulfe’s first entry into politics caused quite the stir with the Quilty farmer coming 184 votes shy of causing the shock of the election.

“I loved every minute probably not losing it but every other part of it. I’m very excited by how many people came out and voted for me, it’s a big vote to finish with 1299 so you couldn’t be sad about that,” the Quilty farmer told The Clare Echo of his campaign which began in April.

He added, “The whole lot was a lesson, it was my first time ever doing it. I only tackled into it about a month ago, it was all new but a lot of building blocks were there, being known with people being self-employed for 17 years and knowing that whole area, it all stands to you. I have an unusual name Woulfe, if you heard it once you don’t forget it”.

Certainly the Woulfe name is now

known in the Clare political bubble with political parties taking note of the thirty six year old as he topped the poll in Connolly, Cree, Miltown Malbay, Mullagh and Quilty.

According to the farmer, there is now concern in Miltown Malbay as the area has no representative on the local authority. “Christy Curtin’s retirement sent a shockwave through that area, they had Christy and Michael Hillery living in Miltown Malbay, it’s going to be quite a shock to the area and it backs up the point that voting is so important, everyone should get out and vote. I’m only out by a small amount, 185 people that’s not a lot”.

Clare’s Chairperson of the Beef Plan will continue to speak up for farmers in the county and will put his name forward again for election if necessary.

“I’ll do whatever is needed. Rural areas need a voice and I’m there for them”.

“It’s all connected, you might not see it at first light but quite quickly you will see it. It’s like the post offices going, the pubs and I threw the idea of pubs

operating as cafes too, becoming a restaurant would be a big step but people want to socialise they genuinely do.

When you walk into pubs, it tends to be a lot of men, there’s a lot of women out there too half the population is female.

To be down in Cree or Quilty having a cup of tea with your friends and soulmates is a great thing to do”.

Voters need to be informed better when it comes to boundary changes and he felt Clare County Council could have done more in this area. “It is hard to tell would I have got in if I started earlier because the area has changed, a lot of people even though I canvassed them believed I was in the wrong area.

I think there is an onus on the Council as a mark of respect to them people that if the area changes write to them, there is no good giving a polling card in the last week when they’re supposed to be voting and they find out they are looking at the wrong candidates. That’s on Clare County Council but it probably swings back to Government, why are they tactically doing these changes”.

Position – Name – Party – Count – Final Tally

Kilrush Local Electoral Area 5 seats Turnout: 51.6% Electorate: 18,104 Quota: 1,530 Valid Votes: 9,176 Spoiled Votes: 160

1: P J Kelly (Fianna Fáil) - (elected count 1) - 2147 2: Bill Chambers (Fianna Fáil) - (elected count 2) - 1683 3: Gabriel Keating (Fine Gael) - (elected count 2) - 1627 4: Cillian Murphy (Fianna Fáil) - (elected count 6) - 1513 5: Ian Lynch (Ind) - (elected count 6) - 1483 6: Joseph Woulfe (Ind) – (eliminated count 6) - 1299 7: Mike Taylor (Fine Gael) – (eliminated count 5) - 527 8: Violet-Anne Wynne (Sinn Féin) – (eliminated count 5) - 417 9: Noreen Lynch (Ind) – (eliminated count 2) - 83

l DETERMINED: Woulfe won’t give up on a life in politics just yet Photo by Martin Connolly

28 LOCAL ELECTION REACTION

SHANNON

Fine Gael not taking legal action following election controversy PÁRAIC McMAHON

G

paraic@clareecho.ie

ARRET McPhillips has stopped his Fine Gael party from taking legal action following the outcome of a recheck in a dramatic Shannon Municipal District election count on Sunday.

Upon the conclusion of the sixth count in the Shannon MD which were the transfers from Eugene Long (FG), returning officer Pat Dowling who is also the Chief Executive of Clare County Council, deemed Pat McMahon (FF) 1,232, Mike McKee (SF) 1,217 and Gerry Flynn (IND) 1,200 elected having not met the quota of 1,406.

At this stage Garret McPhillips was on 1196, four votes shy of Flynn and he along with his Fine Gael campaign team requested a recount which was granted at 5:15pm on Sunday.

Seventy one minutes later, Dowling called both McPhillips and Flynn into the middle of the count centre, Fine Gael TD Joe Carey and member Edmond Jennings were denied access to the discussions by the Returning Officer. Here,

Dowling outlined that followaccount from the discusing the recheck there was “an sions, “We both cancelled equality of votes”, in such an out each other, there was instance where candidates a discrepancy with one of are level they refer to the first mine and one of his, it was count which saw Flynn ahead just a case of cancelling out. of McPhillips.

It goes back to legal, I didn’t McPhillips then shook want to go down the legal hands with Flynn and acceptroad. Where it says I’m entied the result, however when tled to a full recount it means his colleagues became aware a full recount of the whole that a recheck as opposed to Shannon District where at the requested recount was the moment the recount that done, his decision subsewas done, I don’t know I quently changed. need more clarity, it is what “On reflection I should have it is. I congratulate Gerry 100 consulted with the older heads percent and Mike especially in the party before shaking with his health at the moment hands but that’s inexperiand all the other candidates”. ence,” the first time candidate During the recount there later told The Clare Echo. was a noticeable shift in the Further negotiations folatmosphere at the count lowed between Mr Dowling centre with tensions runand executive members of l CENTRE OF ATTENTION: Cllr Flynn, pictured with Malty McDonagh, ning high. Of what became Photo by Martin Connolly strained relations between the Council, he made phone came out on top in a battle with McPhillips calls to receive legal advice him and Flynn, Garret said, and then upon consulting with Flynn an- Fine Gael contacted the majority of their “I do and don’t see where he is coming tally men and women that had been on from, there was no dirty politics or mind nounced there would be a full recount.

The Clare Echo understands that this duty earlier in the day to tally the re- games, trickery with what me and Gerry is the first time an “equality of votes” oc- count. Legal advisors to the party also or the other candidates went through. I travelled to Treacys West County. curred in an election in Clare. think I’m a nice guy, I went up to shake Following a further discussion with his hand, I shook his hand earlier on Before the recount recommenced, McPhillips and Flynn, the Returning Of- and when I went to congratulate him in ficer at 8:38pm confirmed the elected the end he wouldn’t shake my hand”. candidates in the Shannon MD were; Although disappointed with the final Cathal Crowe (FF), John Crowe (FG), outcome, the father of four was more Michael Begley (IND), PJ Ryan (IND), than content with his showing. “To come Pat McMahon (FF), Mike McKee (SF) out with over 900 first preferences was and Gerry Flynn (IND). Upon confirma- massive and unbelievable. tion of the result, Flynn refused McPhil“I’ve been getting text messages from lips’ offer to shake hands and also de- people saying I should be very proud of clined a similar approach from Fine that and I am very proud of, for over 900 Gael TD Joe Carey. people to come out and vote for me is a No numbers of the recount were an- massive thing especially in the town of nounced but Dowling confirmed to The Shannon where only 3,500 people tend Clare Echo the differences for both can- to vote so I’m thankful to the 26 percent celled each other out. of people there that did come out and Advisers to McPhillips encouraged vote for me and gave their twos and him to take the case further however the threes.

Shannon candidate declined to pursue “I was trying to promote an extra voice the matter and accepted the outcome. for Shannon, unfortunately it didn’t work Speaking in the moments after ac- out that way.” cepting the result, Garret outlined his

SHANNON

LOCAL ELECTION REACTION

PJ Ryan credits hard work for big vote PÁRAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

SUNDAY saw PJ Ryan receive his highest vote in politics contesting his fifth local election, the third occasion in which he was successful.

Ryan polled 1,238 first preference votes in the Shannon Municipal District, a sharp rise on his previous tallies of 825 (2014), 1,013 (2009), 700 (2004) and 452 (1999). The oil distributor credits “hard work” with the surge in his support. “At the end of the day that’s what it takes to increase your vote, you have to work hard for your constituents”.

“It’s the highest vote I’ve got in politics, it was great. Some of my friends were joking saying ‘you won by a landslide one vote’ but what it does mean is I got the fourth seat in a seven seater which is very important,” PJ told The Clare Echo.

Getting over the line certainly put a smile on the face of the seventy one year old but retaining his seat in 2014 will always hold a special place in his heart. “Once you achieve it no matter what way it’s sweet, realistically the last election (2014) was my second time being elected and that was very important because anybody can be a one trick pony but when you have to do it the second time or when you do the second time it’s very important. I would consider the second one the most important, if I haven’t made it this time it wouldn’t have been as important but definitely the second election is very important. When I look at my colleague Cllr McMahon, he’s 42 years in Clare County Council, I’m only a novice”.

When he returns to the Council Chamber, the Cratloe resident will be joined by some younger ‘novices’, of their future impact he stated, “Clare County Council is a team and if you take on new subs they have to work with the team that’s already there, it’s as simple as that. We have to serve the needs of the Clare people”.

A former member of the Fianna Fáil party, PJ maintained his colleagues would be reliant on Independent candidates like himself when the new term of office begins. Despite the retirement of long serving Independent duo James Breen and Christy Curtin, he is confident the smaller amount of Independents will continue to deliver.

“We still have some very strong Independents who are still in Clare County Council, we’ll fight our corner. One of the main parties is going to need us anyway, one way or the other, at the minute it would look like Fianna Fáil have 13 seats and Fine Gael have 8, none of them will have a major majority without support from Independents, it is important we are there”.

Position – Name – Party – Count – Final Tally

Shannon Municipal District 7 seats Turnout: 50.7% Electorate: 22,647 Quota: 1,406 Valid Votes: 11,241 Spoiled Votes: 143

1: Cathal Crowe (Fianna Fáil) – (elected count 1) - 2575 2: John Crowe (Fine Gael) – (elected count 2) -1429 3: Michael Begley (Ind) (elected count 3) - 1423 4: PJ Ryan (Ind) – (elected on count 5) - 1407 5: Pat McMahon (Fianna Fáil) – (elected on count 6) – 1232 6: Mike McKee (Sinn Féin) – (elected on count 6) - 1217 7: Gerry Flynn (Ind) – (elected on count 6) - 1200 8: Garret McPhillips (Fine Gael) – (eliminated count 6) - 1196 9: Eugene Long (Fine Gael) – (eliminated count 5) - 991 10: Betty Walsh (Social Dems) – (eliminated count 2) - 649

Thanks to all the constituants for your support • CRATLOE • SIXMILEBRIDGE • BUNRATTY • MEELICK • SHANNON • NEWMARKET-ON-FERGUS • SHANNON BANKS •WESTBURY • ARDNACRUSHA • PARTEEN • CLONLARA

29

30 COMMUNITY

Community WEST / NORTH CLARE ENNISTYMON BASKETBALL GOES TRANSATLANTIC Ennistymon Basketballers,of the vintage type, arrive in Breezy Point NY on Saturday June 1st to celebrate the 27th Annual Frank Gallery Basketball Tournament.

Dan Leary, who played with Claremont Admirals in 1982 and led them to success in the National League Qualification is the host for the event at Breezy Point. All visitors will be accommodated in the community.

Breezy Point and nearby Rockaway took a severe hammering from Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. On October 30th a storm induced fire raged through the close-knit neighbourhood and the following morning over 300 homes were burned to the ground or totally flooded. The community showed its resilience and has bounced back in a remarkable way. The GPA (Gaelic Players Association) and Aer Lingus combined to provide a work crew and they completed major reconstruction work in 2013 and was the subject of a TG4 documentary. Irish Government funding was also provided and the Gym where games will be played was completely rebuild as well as the Sugarbowl where the tournament reception will be held.

Over the 27 years the tournament has been graced at different times by all of the club’s former U.S. collegiate players: Dan Leary (U of Rochester) Kevin Darmody(South Carolina) Luke Murphy(Hofstra),Curtis Gibson(U of Missouri Rolla) and Ed Randolph(Roger Williams). Ed continues to live in Ireland and is father of current Ireland Soccer goalkeeper, Darren Randolph.

A travelling party of 22 will descend on Breezy Point on May 31st. The tournament format will have a 3v3 tournament on Saturday June 1st with mixed teams made up from the visitors and local Breezy and Rockaway hoopers and on Sunday Claremont Admirals Old Stars will play a Breezy Point Select for the Frank Gallery Trophy 2019.

The Graybeards, drawing players from Breezy and Rockaway came to Ennistymon in 2004 andwhile they did not win the tournament Kevin Boyle took the MVP trophy across the Atlantic! It is well time to return the visit. The event certainly has unique elements to it: a small club keeping the game alive in the area having the cheek to bring their game to the home of basketball! Many friendships will be renewed and the bonds between the communities and players further strengthened.

FUNDRAISER IN LAURA’S MEMORY Elaine Leonard is raising money for Sláinte an Chláir, Kilnamona in memory of the amazing Laura Brennan. Elaine got to know Laura through their shared love for their dogs and Elaine’s “constant varying hair colours”.

Elaine says, “When I was given the opportunity to dye my hair teal (the colour for cervical cancer awareness), I felt privileged for the change in memory of Laura.”

Elaine has a donation page set up at www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/11377390_pink-to-teal-for-cervical-cancer-awareness.html.

Elaine is aiming to deliver the cheque on June 5th hopefully being accompanied by her parents and members of Laura’s family.

ENNIS RICE COLLEGE STUDENTS BAKE SALE FOR BOTHAR Rice College students from Mrs. Ronans 2nd year and 5th year Irish classes, after being inspired from a guest speaker during Catholic Schools Week, organised 2 Bake Sales to raise funds for Bóthar. A total of €600 was raised as a result of the Bake Sales. The students were able to send an in-kid dairy goat to an impoverished family in Rwanda, they named the her Ispíní. They also gifted a flock of Chickens and three hives of honeybees to families in Africa.

Maureen Purcell from the organisation kindly visited the school to accept the cheque.

Bóthar is an Irish Aid Agency that provides poverty stricken families with the means to solve their problems permanently through livestock in Development Aid. The students at Rice College are very proud to have been able to contribute to such a hard working and effective Irish organisation. A special word of thanks to Mrs. Ronan for making it all happen.

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

CONTACT NEWSDESK

065 671 9021 news@clareecho.ie

SHANNON

LEGENDS MAKING FRIENDS IN SHANNON Outside the Shannon Springs Hotel is staff members, members of Shannon Town FC and former Irish internationals Ronnie Whelan, Ray Houghton and Kevin Sheedy who took part in a legends game against Shannon town at the weekend Photo by Joe Buckley

ENNIS

SWIMMING SUCCESS FOR ENNIS The Aldi National Community Games Finals were held in UL over the weekend. Ennis Swimming Club members had great success at the swimming finals which took part over two days on Saturday & Sunday.

First up were the boys on Saturday where the U13 relay team (right) made up of Leo Liu, Stephen Wang, Ferdia Hayes, Rhys Williams and Tadhg Conway came 2nd and took home Silver medals.

Tadhg Conway also took 4th in the in 25m backstroke, while there were finals for numerous Ennis SC members. A delighted Sean Conway took home the Gold medal in the U10 Backcrawl.

On Sunday Silver medals went to Leanna Liddane in the U14 Butterfly, Sybil Perkins in the U16 Butterfly & Leah O’Connor in the U10 Freestyle.

Great performances also from Elin Blake 9th & Jodie Perkins 8th in their respective finals & also the relay teams.

Illusionist Keith Barry teams up with Starcamp ahead of summer

B

E UNDER no illusion, the official launch of Starcamp 2019 was pure magic!

Keith Barry was on hand at the weekend to remind children of the Starcamp ethos, “Believe in yourself and you can achieve anything!”

As Starcamp kicks off their biggest and best summer camp line-up to date, they have teamed up with the renowned mind magician to send out a national reminder to parents everywhere that the use of the imagination, courage and self-esteem are incredibly positive tools for children for life.

“Children simply need to play, pretend, dream and be happy in a safe environment, where they are encouraged and praised” said Aideen O’ Grady, Starcamp Director.

“Starcamp is for everyone, not just the born performers” Keith Barry says.

With over 40% boys now in attendance, it truly is a camp with broad appeal and its benefits are reaching boys and girls everywhere.

Parents who had concerns about their child enjoying it have been mesmerized by the impact. The growth and number of return children annually prove this, along with the thousands of testimonials received over the past 12 years.

Starcamp 2019, as always will include singing, hip-hop, acting, arts & crafts, confidence building, news-reporting, camp games, super-

heroes, star olympics, surprises galore – but there will be a special focus this year on Magic, the use of the imagination and comedy!

Staff at Starcamp HQ work all year round to ensure the most wondrous experience possible for all who attend. A little insight into this year’s line-up shows Toy Story 4, The Lion King, Mary Poppins and David Walliams’ Gangsta’ Granny for the older kids.

Starcamp was a memorable winner on Dragon’s Den, has won numerous awards and is widely recognised for leading the way in what it does.

With a number of camps already booked out, don’t delay in securing your place. Every child receives a Starcamp T-shirt, cert and lots more.

Starcamp will run in over 220 towns nationwide for a week at a time. The camp runs for five days from 9:30 – 2:30pm and children aged 4-12 will be sub divided into their own age groups for advancing programs.

For a limited time, they offer an instalment option whereby €20 will secure your place.

Ennis 1-5 July / 8-12 July/ 12-16 August Kilrush 15-19 July Shannon 29 July – 2 August BOOK YOUR LIMITED PLACE NOW AT www.Starcamp.ie OR CALL 021-4377900.

l BENEFICIAL: The Starcamp encourages imagination, courage and self-esteem

6 big benefits of kids joining a summer camp IN summer, kids are free from the pressure of school. Parents see joining summer camps as an opportunity for their kids to improve their talents and acquire new skills. The camp is viewed by children as a place where they can play and have fun. Both are correct.

While in school, children are judged based on their grades or scores; in the camp, they don’t have to worry about being judged. They are free to express themselves. By joining summer camps, children will learn practical life lessons far beyond what they can learn from inside the classroom. In fact, parents and teachers alike notice how much the children who attended camp grow over the summer.

Free from technology distraction, children have time to relax, talk, listen, and reflect. Additionally, joining summer camps helps children develop the much-needed skills that would be beneficial to them when they become adult.

Primary Benefits of Joining Summer Camps 1. Build friendships “Camp provides children with a ‘blank slate,’ allowing them to try on different behaviors and identities.” At first, it may be frightening for some to meet new people. But at summer camp children are encouraged to interact with each other.

2. Develop resiliency Children who have been in “secure” environment learn to get out of their comfort zone at camp.

Camps can be a safe place for kids for exploring and learning through activities.

Joining summer camps helps children boost their self-confidence, and this could translate into overall improved performance in school.

3. Physically active Many children find it hard to live without the gadgets. Many parents leave home in the morning with their children sitting in front of the computer or busy with their smartphones and they often find them

in the same position doing exactly the same thing when they get home in the evening.

In joining summer camps, children are always on the move, they are always walking, playing team sports.

4. Appreciating nature Many kids lack appreciation for mother nature, that’s because they are not exposed to the natural world. By joining summer camps, children are given the chance to see what they are missing, the beauty of nature and its healing power—exactly what they need for their health, development of their senses, and creativity.

5. Develop leadership skills Summer camps are known for building leadership skills in youth.

Leaders have distinct qualities that make them capable of taking the reins.

They are confident, compassionate, creative, are good at decision-making, and many more.

6. Continued learning in the summer In summer camp, it’s not just cognitive learning that is being enhanced but emotional learning too. If a child connects to something on an emotional level—that is, he enjoys doing a particular lesson—he is likely to learn more.

Peter Duggan teams up with Cúl Camps A

LL-STAR hurler Peter Duggan is teaming up with Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps in Clare this summer, where attendees will be provided with the opportunity to meet their GAA hero and get advice from him first-hand.

Clooney-Quin man Duggan told The Clare Echo he is delighted to be an ambassador with Cúl Camps this summer, where a team of high-quality coaches will provide boys and girls – between the ages of 6 and 13 – with an action-packed and fun-filled week of activity during the summer holidays which revolves around maximising enjoyment and sustaining participant involvement in Gaelic Games Activities are player-centred with a Games Based approach with a strong emphasis being placed on personal development and well-being. Activities are also organised in an age-appropriate manner with a view to optimise learning, enhance friendships, improve physical & psychological well-being, amd promote school and club links.

Duggan, who will line out this Sunday at Cusack Park against Tipperary, will be visiting different Cúl Camp groups as they happen across the county throughout July and August.

Peter said, “I’m delighted to be teaming up with Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps in Clare this summer. The main objective of Cúl Camps is for kids to have fun, to meet up with their friends in the summer outside of school and develop their skills in a relaxed environment, while also giving clubs and players access to expert coaches. Having worked with Cúl Camps first hand, I know it’s a brilliant environment for youngsters to flourish and further develop a great love for the game - and have as much fun as possible.”

The camps are structured so that a different aspect of the game is worked on each day. The programme involves coaching specific skills of the game and provide the opportunity for children to put into practice what they have learned through small sided games. During the camp week, a blitz is organised to provide each child with an introduction to competitive games.

Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps - are organised throughout the summer from Monday to Friday, 10.00am to 2.30pm, in all 32 Counties and overseas. Attendance is open to primary school children aged 6 years to 13 years.

l CAMP AMBASSADOR: Duggan in action for Clare

Photo by Martin Connolly

BUSINESS 35

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

BUSINESS

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

New Chinese Ambassador visits

S

HANNON Group, Deputy CEO, Mary Considine and Shannon Airport Managing Director, Andrew Murphy, had a “very positive” meeting last Friday with the Chinese Ambassador designate to Ireland H.E. Mr He Xiangdong, on what was his first visit to Shannon Airport and his first tour outside Dublin since his arrival in Ireland this month.

Commenting on the meeting Ms Considine said: “Shannon Group was delighted to welcome the Ambassador designate to Shannon. The visit was even more special as this year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Ireland.

“We had a very positive meeting during which we discussed the very close ties between our region and China, as well as the opportunities that exist to deepen these in the years ahead. We would like to thank His Excellency, Dr. Yue Xiaoyong, whom Mr. He Xiangdong succeeds, and wish him well.”

During his visit the Ambassador des-

ignate, who was accompanied by his wife Mme. Xia Lining, received a comprehensive briefing on Shannon Group companies - Shannon Airport, Shannon Commercial Properties and Shannon Heritage and the Group’s positive impact on the regional and national economy.

The Ambassador designate’s Shannon tour included a visit to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, which is operated by Shannon Heritage, and Shannon Free Zone, which is managed by Shannon Group’s property company Shannon Commercial Properties. This year Shannon Free Zone is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its establishment.

Shannon’s relationship with China dates back to 1980 when Jiang Zemin - then an official who would later become president of China - led a delegation to study the Shannon Free Zone. So impressed was he that the Shannon Free Zone model was adopted in China and led to the development of their hugely successful special economic zones, which inspired China’s economic boom.

l POSITIVE MEETING: Mme Xia Lining, Ambassaador HE Xiangdong, Mary Considine,Deputy CEO, Finance and Corporate Services Shannon Group and Photo by Arthur Ellis Andrew Murphy, Managing Director Shannon Airport

Legacy Award for Roche

ROCHE Ireland, Clarecastle, has received a Legacy Award in recognition of its programme for preparing employees for life post the site closure in March 2020. The Award was announced at the Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) Lean Forum Annual Awards 2019 and presented by Professor Peter Hines, WIT and SA Partners.

Presenting the award Prof Hines said: “Through their LEAN programme Roche has created an environment for learning that is the closest I have seen in 30 years to a true Learning Organisation.”

Darrin Taylor, principal lead at the WIT Academy of Lean Enterprise, congratulating Roche Ireland, Clarecastle on this accomplishment added: “Roche Ireland, Clarecastle exemplifies such Servant Leadership and, at our 7th Annual WIT Lean Enterprise Excellence Forum, we were delighted to have a 15-person Roche team share their stories with an enthralled audience on how the company created an environment for true learning and how this was personally experienced by individuals at various levels within the company...After the Roche plant closes, I am certain that its employees will be snapped up by various organisations seeking such experience, capability, humility, and ideal behaviours.”

Roche Ireland, Clarecastle, managing director Gerry Cahill, fulsome in his praise for the recognition attained by the Clarecastle team added: “I am so proud of the Roche Ireland group that presented the site LEAN story at the WIT Lean Forum. Professor Peter Hines presented the group with an award for the tremendous work done in LEAN, supporting people with developing new skills whilst developing one of the best Learning Organisations he has seen. Massive credit to Roche for supporting people and allowing them to grow whilst also delivering exceptional business results.”

Make a difference with Home Instead

H

OME Instead Senior Care in Clare wants to talk to people with an interest in home care, who would like to join its growing team. This well-known home care company, which already employs more than 4,000 CAREGivers nationwide, is expanding fast, and is inviting applications from people who want to make a difference in the lives of older people and people with disabilities.

Home Instead’s dedicated CAREGivers carry out tremendous work in local communities all over County Clare, where they help senior citizens and people with disabilities to live independently in their homes. They provide busy families with peace of mind in the knowledge that their loved ones are being looked after by professional CAREGivers, who provide support to older people.

Home Instead is a preferred care provider for

the Health Service Executive (HSE) and supplies home care packages on behalf of the HSE throughout County Clare. The Home Instead brand is recognised nationally and globally, which means that the training and experience you get can be carried all over the country or indeed the world.

Home Instead offers competitive pay rates, flexible scheduling and opportunities to earn supplemental income. CAREGiving with Home Instead is a genuinely rewarding job, a great way to meet new people, and suited to people from a range of backgrounds.

Care to Make a Difference?

We’re looking for compassionate and caring people to light up the lives of local seniors Join Ireland’s largest non-medical home care provider and work across County Clare

• 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

Call Home Instead Clare on 065 679 7507, email clarejobs@homeinstead.ie or apply directly online at HomeInstead.ie/Become-a-Caregiver

We Offer:

clarejobs@homeinstead.ie

36

PROPERTY

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

5 22 WESTWOOD, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

L

5 €224,950 BARNTICK, CLARECASTLE, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

OCATED immediately opposite Ennis Golf Club in the popular Westwood housing development, No. 22 is presented for sale in very good condition, tastefully decorated over the years by its current owners. This property is very well proportioned with a spacious entrance hallway leading to the main reception, which features the bay window and cast iron surround fireplace and the open plan kitchen diner with modern kitchen units which further lead to the separate utility. Also at the Ground Floor level and immediately off the entrance hallway is the ground floor WC and the main hallway also gives access to the ground floor bedroom which has been very smartly fitted out with separate access to the side of the dwelling to facilitate a studio apartment finished with fully tiled en-suite, fitted kitchen, tiling and timber flooring ideal for additional rental income or for any disability requirements.

Contact: Douglas Hurley, DNG O’Sullivan Hurley, 74 O’Connell Street, Ennis Tel: (065)6840200 PSL 002295

F

3 €339,000

OUR Double Bedrooms, Master En-Suite and Walk-in Wardrobe, One Bedroom on Ground Floor, Main Reception, Formal Dining Room, Kitchen/Breakfast, Separate Utility, Downstairs Shower Room.207.95 - sqm (2238 - sqft Located in one of Ennis’ more affluent suburb areas of Barntick, this c. 2,500 sq. ft. family home with adjoining garage offers an excellent opportunity to acquire a substantial family home within easy access of Ennis Town and the surrounding amenities, the M18 for those commuting to Limerick, Shannon and Galway and set on a site of approx. 0.5 acres with wonderful views its from south facing rear gardens, the spacious entrance hallway leads to an equally spacious main reception which further connects to the formal dining again connected by double doors to the itchen/Breakfast and can also be accessed from the Entrance Hallway.

Contact: Cormac O’Sullivan, DNG O’Sullivan Hurley, 74 O’Connell Street, Ennis Tel: (065)6840200 PSL 002295

3 COLLEGE ROAD, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

N

€229,000

O. 3 offers a very rare opportunity for the prospective buyer to acquire a private bright and spacious 3 bedroom detached bungalow on a stunning site offering the ultimate in privacy in in-town living. The property has retained many of its original features with the 2.75 meters ceiling to floor height, tiled surround feature fireplace in the bedrooms and traditional skirting and architraves. The property features 3 double bedrooms, main reception, open plan kitchen/dining, separate utility and main bathroom. Of particular note are the rear gardens which offer a wonderful private space which gives the property 2 aspects - countryside living to the rear and town living at your doorstep. This is a must view and strictly by prior appointment with sole selling agents.

Contact: Cormac O’Sullivan, DNG O’Sullivan Hurley, 74 O’Connell Street, Ennis Tel: (065)6840200 PSL 002295

38

PROPERTY

64 ABBEY COURT, LIMERICK ROAD, ENNIS, CO. CLARE V95 AKR5 €212,000

3

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

LISMUINGA, RUAN ENNIS, CO CLARE V95 FW0X

5

T

S

Contact: Danielle Kavanagh Sherry FitzGerald McMahon Phone: 065 6867866

Contact: Diarmuid McMahon Sherry FitzGerald McMahon Phone: 065 6867866

HIS immaculately presented 3 bedroom semi-detached residence is offered for sale in excellent condition throughout.

Ideally located within walking distance of the town and all amenities.

The property is nestled within an established, safe residential community and overlooks an open green area. Accommodation comprises 142 sq.m. (1,528 sq.ft.) approx and includes a contemporary open plan kitchen and dining area, living room, utility room, bathroom, 3 bedrooms, one of which is ensuite and a garage (this may have potential as a 4th bedroom). Externally, the grounds are mainly in lawn, meticulously maintained and bound by mature hedging and shrubbery. Due to the size and location of this property it would make an ideal family home. Viewings are highly recommended to appreciate what is on offer.

€339,000

ET on an attractive site this spacious five bedroom detached house is presented to the market in excellent condition. The accommodation is well proportioned making it an ideal family home.

The property is situated just outside the village of Ruan, a ten minute drive from both the Barefield & Crusheen exits of the M18 motorway and a 15 minute drive from Ennis.

Accommodation downstairs comprises an entrance hall, sitting room, office, double bedroom, open-plan kitchen/ dining area, a utility room, downstairs WC and a living room. On the first floor there are four double bedrooms (one with an en-suite and walk-in wardrobe and a bathroom. This beautiful property has been finished to an exceptional standard throughout.

FORMER PITCH AND PUTT COURSE, ZONED RESIDENTIAL LAND, CLARE ROAD, ENNIS, CO. CLARE €450,000

LOT 5 RESIDENTIAL SITE, FOUR SEASONS’ DRIVE, ROSLAVAN, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

.66 hectares (1.63 acres) approx. of zoned residential land. This is a fantastic residential development opportunity in an excellent residential location in Ennis. The property is made up of the former pitch and putt course at the rear of the Halfway House pub adjacent to the West County Hotel.

Access to the property is through the existing Hawthorns development. The land is part of Folio CE17730. It is zoned for residential development in the Ennis Area Development Plan 2017 to 2023 and is referenced as part of residential area R42 in the plan. Adjacent land in R42 currently has new homes under construction.

The property is being sold by Best Bids.

Bidding documentation and rules are available from Sherry FitzGerald McMahon.

For Sale by Public Auction on Wednesday the 12th June 2019 at 2pm in the Old Ground Hotel Ennis.

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Contact: Diarmuid McMahon Sherry FitzGerald McMahon Phone: 065 6867866

AMV: €90,000

F

ANTASTIC opportunity to purchase a site zoned for a residential development in an outstanding residential location just off the Tulla road in Roslevan. Zoned LDR9 in the Ennis area development plan 2017 to 2023. Just a short distance from the M18 Tulla road intersection.

The site is located at the very end of the cul de sac.

The site is made up of Folio CE3629F. Lot 5 is one of 8 lots for sale on the day.

Solicitors: William E. Leahy, Leahy Reidy Solicitors, Park Manor, Upper Mallows Street, Limerick. 061221800

Contact: Diarmuid McMahon Sherry FitzGerald McMahon Phone: 065 6867866

EchoSport

Clare must clean up dirty ball Martin Daly

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GAA ANALYSIS F RECENT history is all we have to go on, there are two contrasting memories for the Clare footballers who line out at Cusack Park on Saturday evening around the same time Liverpool and Spurs face off in the Champions League final in Madrid.

Two years ago is the one you’d have fonders memories of. With Kerry visiting Cusack Park, things were looking good for us when, leading by 1-8 to 0-10, Jamie Malone went up the middle and rasped the ball off the crossbar. If that went into the net, it would have put us four points up midway through the second half and it Kerry may have faced a difficult task to claw that back. It didn’t materialise that way, however and we were beaten by six points.

Unfortunately for us, Kerry were at the beginnings of an improving team then and they’re still an improving team now. Last year, you saw a different animal in Kerry at Fitzgerald Stadium. They had home advantage, they came with a different approach, and offered youth and pace that we could not live with; when they’re on form like that and facing a team beyond the confines of Division 1, Kerry are going to rip you open. 32 points to 10 is how it

finished that day.

It’s 27 years since Clare’s famous victory over Kerry at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. We’ve failed to beat them since, and there’s nothing to indicate that this will be the year we buck that trend. Kerry, on an upwards curve, will be entirely focused on stopping Dublin’s five in a row. They will have watched Dublin destroy Louth by 26 points last week; the Dubs showed no mercy and Kerry will look at that and come with the same approach. If the chance presents itself to win by 20 points, they will do that without taking their foot off the gas.

They’ll bring 120 per cent intensity, and those young players from last year have that bit more experience now and an increased understanding of each other’s game. That’s all bad news for us.

So what’s the good news? Sean O’Donoghue, David Tubridy and Cathal O’Connor are all passed fully fit, and that’s significant if Colm Collins’ men do plan to curve the green and gold tide. To begin with, there must be an attacking platform and that’s where our big men such as O’Connor and Gary Brennan come into play. Our newcomer goalie Stephen Ryan was afforded free reign on his kickouts against Waterford, who put everyone behind the ball, and I can have no criticism of his debut outing. However he’s in for a true baptism of fire on Saturday. Kerry will pressurise us as they did last year in Killarney - every man will be marked and young Ryan is going to find it extremely

hard to find his target men. It will inevitably lead to long-range kickouts and the 50/50 balls which killed us last year, when Kerry had it read and disrupted every single dropping ball. They then had a couple of men cleaning up the dirty ball every time which led to attack after attack and the game was over after 20 minutes.

Brennan and O’Connor are up there with the best fielders of the ball in the country, but you’re also dealing with men of 6ft3 in Kerry’s midfield who, if they’re not fielding the ball, they’ll make sure you’re not catching it. So they’re going to try and repeat last year’s tactic - it’s up to Clare to learn from that and be more alert to the breaking ball. Our only hope of staying in touch is by building a platform from the middle, because we’ll find it virtually impossible to keep possession from short kick-outs.

The Scorecard in association with

EAST CLARE GOLF CLUB Men’s Singles 1st Brendan McGill (9) 40pts 2nd Noel Early (20) 39pts 3rd Dean McKenna (19) 38pts Men’s Seniors 1st Pat Moloney, Neil Scully, Steve Symes 2nd Pat Carney, Paul Truss, Aileen McDonnell 3rd John Brett, Donal Salmon, Ted Harrington Ladies Green Jumper 1st Peg Hanrahan 41pts 2nd Deirdre Cooney 40pts 3rd Siobhan Shanahan ENNIS GOLF CLUB St Flannan’s Past Pupils Union May 25/26 1st Seamus Hanrahan (21) 41pts 2nd Philip Brigdale (20) 40pts Gross: Martin O’Neill (6) 33pts 3rd Peter Quinn (17) 39pts Staff Prize: Donal Vaughan (6) 34pts ENNIS MEMBERS 1st Dave Kenneally (12) 41pts 2nd Joe Carmody (16) 40pts 3rd Tony Flynn (15) 39pts FRIDAY OPEN SINGLES 1st Mark O’Reilly(15) 38pts 2nd Master Matthew Whelan(4) 38pts Gross Jerry Keohane(8) 28pts 3rd Senan Ryan(8) 34pts 9 Hole open singles 1st Cian Guilfoyle(19) 20pts 2nd Gary Greene(15) 15pts 3rd Ciaran Coote(12) 14pts KILRUSH GOLF CLUB Bank of Ireland Ladies’ Singles 1st Mary O’Sullivan (22) 66 Back 9 2nd Muriel Kiely (28) 66 3rd Margaret Donnellan (18) 70 Back 9 Best Gross Anne Gallagher (10) 86 Front 9 Miriam Saunders (24) 31 Back 9 Mary G Nolan (19) 35.5 Friday Vice Captain’s Mixed Team 17/05/2019

l A STEP AHEAD: Kerry’s full forward Paul Geaney skipping past Cillian Brennan in last year’s demolition job at Fitzgerald Stadium

Photo by Martin Connolly

If you were an optimist, you might take hope or inspiration from Roscommon’s win over league champions Mayo last weekend.

However I am a realist and understand that Roscommon are a step above Clare and Mayo are not in the same bracket as Kerry, or even true All-Ireland contenders, so the gulf widens even more and the chance of an upset becomes thin.

I’m an out and out football man, I played for Clare for a long time and of course I’m going to watch with my fingers crossed that we can get a great result and Clare’s management and players will have to believe they can win. However look at history and the recent formbook, and with the best will in the world you can’t see anything but the Kingdom winning well. A good result at the weekend would be a performance and to be within seven points of Kerry.

1st Declan O’Donovan, Michael McNamara & Anne Marie Donnellan 34.22 2nd Alan Howard, Shane Lillis & Mary G Nolan 35.22 3rd John McNelis, Ger Brennan & Joan O’Malley 35.33 Best Gross Tom Clancy, Michael Hogan & Mary Young 35.44 Lady Vice Captain Ms Anne Marie Donnellan’s Prize 25/05/2019 1st Mary Lyons (17) 44 pts 2nd Geraldine Burke (18) 40 pts 3rd Agnes Shannon (20) 37 pts Best Gross Anne Brennan (13) 24 pts CAT I Fiona Kinsella (13) 32 pts CAT II Margaret Hehir CAT III Margaret Clune (34) 34 Lady Vice Captain Ms Anne Marie Donnellan 9-hole Prize for Ladies Freda Moran (33) 16 pts Lady Vice Captain Ms Anne Marie Donnellan 9-hole Prize for Men 1 Michael Hogan (17) 23 pts 2 Jim Kelly (21) 22 pts (Back 6) 3 Denis Hassett 22 pts Paddy Ryan Trophy Men’s Open Singles 26/05/2019 1st Tom Clancy (11) 42 pts 2nd Mark Shannon (7) 38 pts (Back 9) 3rd Tony McMahon (16) 38 pts (Back 9) WOODSTOCK GOLF CLUB OPEN SINGLES WEDNESDAY MAY 22ND. WHITE MARKERS. S/FORD 1ST JASON DORMER (7) 39 PTS (B9).

2ND PAUL SHERLOCK (16). 39 PTS. 3RD JASON CONSIDINE (2). 38 PTS. MONTHLY MEDAL SAT 25th & SUN 26th MAY. 1st. JOHN MULCAHY (6). 65 Nett.

2nd. CORMAC WALSH (5). 68 Nett.

Best Gross. BRIAN GILLIGAN (0). 74 (B9).

3rd. NICKY RYAN (5). 70 Nett.

Nobody has tested Tipp system But they still have enough to overcome Clare

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NE of Clare’s best days in recent years was their Championship win over Tipperary in Thurles last June. This was evident in the RTÉ studio after the game where Ger Loughnane was in his element. Ger revelled in the victory and was relishing the chance to stop in every pub in Tipp on the road home from Thurles that evening. Perhaps having to sit beside Ger in this form was the motivation Liam Sheedy needed in order to tempt him back into the Tipperary hotseat for this year’s Championship.

Since then, Sheedy has had a marked effect on this Tipperary team. Currently, they are being talked up as hurling’s form side after some fine displays against Cork and Waterford. Sheedy set his stall out early this year and it is clear they have a huge amount of work done. Last year, John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer, cut a despondent figure when only seeing the last five minutes of action after being introduced as a substitute.

This year, he is one of the most in-form hurlers in the country and a real driving force behind Tipperary’s first two victories.

However, the most striking difference in Tipperary under Sheedy’s tutelage has come in the way that the team is setting up. Clearly concerned by weaknesses in his full-back line, he has developed a far more defensive style than we are used to seeing with Tipperary - expect to see more of this against Clare this weekend. Padraic Maher will line out at centre back and on face value will be marking Tony Kelly. However, Padraic’s primary role will be to offer help to his full-back line and be in constant support against Clare’s inside threat of John Conlon and Shane O’Donnell. Maher will be charged with cutting out

l TACTICAL BATTLE: Podge Collins putting Donagh Maher under pressure during last year’s historic victory at Semple Stadium

Photo by Gary Collins

any direct ball into the lads and constantly offering cover in front of the ‘D’ for the breakdown.

As Maher will be otherwise engaged, I would expect one of Tipperary’s half forward line to mark Tony Kelly. This will likely fall on Dan McCormack’s shoulders. Whoever is given the task, you can be sure Sheedy will not give Kelly the freedom he was afforded in Walsh Park two weeks ago. The defensive style that Tipperary have adopted seeks to bring the midfield and half forward line back towards their own goal in order to crowd out the opposition. Obviously, this leads to their forwards being outnumbered on the other end. However, in their two previous games, the accuracy and quality of their striking has allowed them to find their forwards and cut out the extra covering defenders.

Tipperary scored some mag-

nificent points against Waterford from long diagonal balls into their forwards. Frequently, they cut out two or even three extra Waterford defenders. Such is the skill level of Forde, McGrath and Callinan that if they got to the ball first, they generally won possession and had the ability to shoot points from any angle. So, how can Clare combat this?

From a defensive point of view, it will be crucial that the Clare full-back line play their men from the front. If Tipperary are dropping men back the field, it will leave Clare with a numerical advantage in the backs.

The covering defender must be disciplined, he cannot get drawn out the field and must be mobile enough to get to the breakdown when the ball is delivered in.

When playing with the luxury of an extra man in defence, it is crucial that each of the backs

is super aggressive in attacking the ball. When Tipperary win turnovers in defence they will look for long diagonal ball to set up attacks. Clare’s backs will have to anticipate this and play their men from the outside.

Sheedy’s main concern will be shutting down the threat of our inside line. As Maher will be offering this cover, it is crucial that our own delivery to our inside line is top quality. John, Shane and Podge have shown that they can time their runs well to create and exploit limited space inside.

This will be to no avail if the delivery from our half backline is not pinpoint. The temptation will be there to shoot from out the field. However, this team has shown in the past that this is not a winning formula. Two seasons ago, Clare were racking up an average of 17-19 wides per game.

This is not a sight that we want

to re-visit. This was creeping into our game against Waterford and it is something that will have to be stamped out before it festers.

Poor shot selection and consistent fouling has been a downfall for this team in the past. While we were let off the hook in Waterford by poor free taking, we can’t expect the same courtesy from Jason Forde.

The return of Conor Cleary will force management into a decision. While it is hard to mess with a winning formula, many would expect Cleary to slot back in at centre back, freeing Jack Browne to take up his position at half back. Jack has played some of his best hurling for Clare at wing back and is even a scoring threat from this position.

Tipperary and Clare are the only teams left in Munster who have a 100 per cent record, but something will have to give this weekend. In my opinion, no one has put serious pressure on Tipperary’s new system yet. Cork were not Championship ready in their first game and Waterford capitulated in Thurles. At the same time, Clare were not overly impressive in beating Waterford.

They didn’t put them away and the amount of frees conceded remains an issue. My feeling is that Tipperary have shown better form and it is hard to look past them. One thing is for sure, this game will give us a clearer picture of where both teams are at.

On another note, it is great to see Conor McGrath returning to action with Cratloe and it will be interesting to see whether Conor is brought back into the Clare set-up. Conor was one of the top performers in last year’s club championship and would offer an option to Donal and Gerry in attack. If not, we should acknowledge the great career he has had and celebrate his contribution to Clare hurling.

Bennett will be licking his lips

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Fouling could be sword Clare fall on

HESE are the weeks you miss playing the most.

The slog of winter training comes into the rearview to be replaced by the thrill of hurling in the sunshine. In three days time, my former teammates will pull on the new Clare shirt for the first lashes of Championship hurling in 2019. The Munster opener sees Clare do battle at a sold-out Walsh Park in front of a charged Waterford team looking to right a few wrongs and injustices from last year. Fuelling them on will be 11,000 fans who have waited 23 years to witness provincial hurling on home soil. That’s as hot as it gets.

As a player, I relished challenges like this one. In my first three Championship seasons, we faced Waterford in the Munster opener each time in neutral territory and regardless of the form book, there was no telling who would come out on top. This Sunday will be no different and you can only hope Clare can hit the ground running.

There has been an eight-week block of training since Clare’s last game and the intensity will have turned up a notch since the league - higher tempo, shorter sessions. Over the last two weeks focus would have turned to skill levels, ensuring that the lads are razor sharp and the eye is in.

Looking back on the league, there were areas of major concern - principally Clare’s discipline. We fouled our way through games, and although it was acknowledged to the media that it had to stop, the problem continued. We handed a win to Cork, kept Kilkenny in a game and gave Limerick every chance to equalise; all through ill-discipline and consistent fouling.

Every county side today has top class free-takers and Stephen Bennett will be licking his lips

at the sight of Clare unless we improve. If it is an area that has not been corrected for Championship, it will be the sword we fall on.

There are positives, too. Last year, management gave the same 17 or 18 players all the game time as they looked to build familiarity among key personnel; this year we saw experimental line-ups as the threat of relegation was removed from the league. Diarmuid Ryan emerged as an excellent prospect and one who will stake a claim for a starting spot this weekend.

Diarmuid is similar in style to his brother Conor, my schoolmate at Ardscoil Rís and teammate in 2013. He is athletic and aggressive, with tremendous work rate. With David Reidy unavailable, Clare will need to replace his scoring threat and Diarmuid looks the man to do that from wing forward.

The full extent of Clare’s panel will be tested. From last year’s team, Clare will be missing David Reidy, Rory Hayes, Darragh Corry, Ian Galvin, Jamie Shana-

han, Conor McGrath and Conor Cleary for the Waterford clash.

As a result, we are unsure as to how the team will line up. Cleary has been a constant at centre back during Dónal and Gerry’s

time at the helm and he will be a loss following what many feel was an unfair suspension - he will be raring for road for the next game. In the meantime, he provides a selection headache for management and an opportunity for a defender to step up.

My own club man Oisin O’Brien has been one of the most consistent performers through

the club championship in recent years and putting him in the full back line could free David McInerney to come out and fill six in Conor’s absence. In the tight confines of Walsh Park, centre back will be pivotal and someone with David’s striking ability could have a major influence in setting up attacks. I’ve always thought that David would do his best hurling from the halfback line however, it also wouldn’t surprise me to see them opt for Jack Brown at centre back.

As I hinted, Waterford will arguably be the team to benefit most from the new home and away format, the other being Clare.

Every team will have championship experience in the Gaelic Grounds, Pairc Ui Caoimh and Semple Stadium, but Walsh and Cusack Park are both intimidating venues and will be a new experience for many. Walsh Park is quite a narrow field, and often the home team will find space more easily than the visitors. When players are comfortable in their surroundings, they will exploit every available blade of grass. We regularly see visiting teams bunch much more and stay away from the baying crowd.

This makes it easier for defences to get on top.

The tight pitch will also magnify the importance of the puckout strategy. Dónal Tuohy and Stephen O’Keefe will be desperately trying to find space with their puckouts for forwards to run onto however, it will be hard to come by. The majority of puckouts that go long will be won by the first man in on the break. Clare will be hoping that Galvin and Golden in midfield will read the game better than their counterparts and win more breaking ball on the ground. If Clare can dominate on puckouts and get Galvin on the ball this will give them the platform they need to go on and win.

So what’s the verdict as Clare begin their 2019 Munster Championship odyssey? Last year, we paid the price for a slow finish against Cork in the opening Championship fixture when Clare appeared to lose concentration when it mattered most. You would hope that won’t happen again and psychologically, Clare certainly will not fear Waterford.

We beat them comprehensively last year in Ennis, however this game is going to be a very different affair. Waterford have embraced a more attacking style of hurling that has seen the Bennet brothers flourish in their inside line as a result. They also have more strength in depth available to them this year than on the equivalent fixture last year.

From Clare’s perspective, on our last visit to Walsh Park we were without John Conlon and Shane O’Donnell. They are playing well by all accounts and Clare will hope they can replicate last year’s form and put Waterford on the back foot. Ultimately, Clare will need to have corrected the indiscipline evident in league and will need to compete hard on puckouts in order to come away with a win. If not, we could be under pressure to qualify in our remaining games.

SPORT 43

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

Sport can heal your life, says running champ Rita with PÁRAIC McMAHON

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EW female Clare athletes have represented their country at the other side of the world. Rita Kierce is in the minority who have; she’s clocked up a lot of miles since doing so in March 1988 and has faced difficult races in her sporting and personal life.

Athletics played a critical role for Rita in the toughest race of her life, that being batting and beating mouth cancer following a 1991 diagnosis where she was told she had months to live.

Two years earlier having never drank or smoked, the discovery of a little ulcer on the side of her tongue would subsequently be confirmed to be mouth cancer. A series of procedures followed including one which removed three quarters of her tongue.

A seventeen and a half hour operation at the Mater Hospital was instrumental to keeping her alive but Rita also pointed out the role of athletics in assisting her to maintain a positive and determined outlook when fighting cancer.

“It was a lifesaver,” Rita begins, as she is joined by The Clare Echo at her home in Kilnaboy. “So many people had known me and knew what was happening that they were saying their prayers. It’s amazing all the bits of leaflets, prayers and ribbons that came in the letterbox and I don’t even know where they came from”.

Returning to running would take time as the mother of two worked to add some weight.

“I’m thin now but I was six stone, I was only skin and bone even though they tell me that’s what I am now. I couldn’t do as much, I had a problem eating and had a pump in my stomach putting in fluids. To eat, everything had to be liquidised in small amounts very often, I wasn’t getting enough food into me. I began to build up exercise gradually and I did get back there. They keep telling me I need to put on more and even the consultant when I go to home he’ll ask how much have you put on but I tell him you can’t fatten a greyhound, he gets a great laugh out of that. Once we’re healthy, that’s all that matters”.

Describing it as “a miracle” that she is still alive, the Miltown Malbay native stated, “Sport can heal your life and that’s what brought me through my illness. I had been competing at a high level, I was up in the Mater Hospital with all my tubes and as soon as I was able to move I was moving. The determination, fitness and fighting spirit is there”.

This determination has always been evident in Rita’s life on and off the track. In March 1988 she represented her country on the Irish Worlds Cross-Country team that travelled to Adelaide. “That was a fantastic trip. I finished sixth overall in a race in Ballyhaise in Cavan so the first six were automatically chosen to

This week, we speak to Irish international cross country runner Rita Kearse, who says that her love for athletics and sport helped her battle through her cancer diagnosis which came three years after representing Ireland

Clare countryside and she advocated for men and women to take little steps be they walking or running to exercise outdoors.

“If people haven’t been in sport I think they need to just get out in the fresh air, nature is just amazing, we don’t stop, think and sit half enough, everybody’s life is so busy it’s only when something happens that you realise it’s time to slow down and there’s more to life.

“I think it’s a necessity in life nowadays, surely you can take ten minutes out to go for a walk, you can bring the children because you have to do it, the best things in life are free, the fresh air and nature we just don’t realise it. It doesn’t have to be running, just to be out in the lawns if it’s only pucking or hitting a ball, running around the place, it’s an essential part of life”.

The St Mary’s clubwoman started athletics while a student at St Josephs Spanish Point, while Gaelic football was another hobby growing up. “Tom Malone, God rest him, whoever had two feet he had them signed up. I wasn’t great at the football but I was on the team. Athletics was my first love and that’s what I was doing so well at so I wanted to stay with”.

Over four decades later she l FORCE OF NATURE: Rita Kearse continues to run and admits her children joke that she’s never going to retire Photo by Martin Connolly has stuck with the running and is delighted to have done so. Injuries have not increased with represent Ireland so I was very lucky. On that Clare Champion is a cherished prize. “I was particular year, there was a 16km world road nominated for the athletics, there was hurl- her years, while she has to deal with remarks championship in Adelaide in Australia so ers, footballers and all the other sports, it was from her husband Thomas, daughters Emer then some of us participated in that as well as like an election, people had to take the clip- and Sharon regarding the constant stretchping from the paper and vote for the person. ing. She’ll continue to do what it takes to do the cross country run.

“Running in the heat of 35 degrees in Ade- That particular year I was going so well that what she loves.

“I was with the physio on Monday and laide, I wasn’t used to that but I ran it anyway my name was out there a bit and I topped the they can’t get over how flexible I am. I was and it was the trip of a lifetime. We were there poll”. for 12 days so you can imagine trying to acA winner of four national cross-county ti- saying it to my husband when I came home climatise after the long flights, I’d say it took tles, Rita continues to train four to five times and he said ‘isn’t it any wonder shur anytime me the whole year to recover afterwards but a week and has her eyes set on the Nation- I see you, aren’t you stretching here or there’. it was a fantastic experience”. al Master Track and Field Championships The girls would say ‘Mam what are you doKierce also represented Ireland in France, which take place this summer. “From over 40 ing now’ when I could be up against the wall Spain and Belgium, not alone did she get to I competed in the indoor and outdoor, I have stretching, they don’t even watch me stretchrepresent her country on several occasions been successful in many runs. I’m preparing ing at this stage. I find now that more stretchbut it allowed her to visit some very popular now for the outdoors in August, that will be ing and I’ve joined the gym which I never did tourist spots. “With those trips they might be my final year in the over 55s so I’m aiming and should have done years ago. A little bit of about ten or twelve days so you had a bit of God willing that he leaves me in my health weights and that to keep the strength up. I’ve time for touring, they brought you to all the until I’m over 60 because I want to compete been lucky”.

“I thank God everyday that I’ve come this touring spots, you had time for relaxation”. in that one. After that I’m telling them I’ll reSecuring selection for the Irish cross-coun- tire but they say ‘Mam, you’re never going to far and please God that he leaves me in my health to continue, running, walking. I’m ty team in 1988 “was the be all and end all retire’”. of my athletics career,” she admitted but winWhether it’s walking or running, the Kil- slowing down a bit in the running getting ning a 1979 sports competition run by The naboy resident absorbs the beauty of the niggles but I’ll still be active”.

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Sudoku is a logic puzzle where you have to populate the grid with numbers. A number can appear only once in each row, column and house. Each puzzle can be solved using logic from the given information and requires no guesswork.

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The Clare Echo Crossword

ACROSS DOWN 2019 (8) 1 Hazard (4) 1 Answer 3 Insensibility (8) 2 Personnel (5) JAN FEB MAR APR MAY

9 Not deep (7) 4 Ailing (6) 10 Debate (5) 5 Explosion (5)

11 Tender (5) 6 Intellectual (7) 1 Solve (/games/best-daily-word-search/?

12 Missive (6) Best Daily Word Search

- 23 May

7 Observed (4) Season of growth now14 puzzleDate=20190523) 2019 -Simply Red 8 Old two-shilling coin

(6) (6) 16 Wax light (6)

13 Beaten (8) More Puzzles 19 Husband or wife . redact () 15 Facsimile (7) (6)

17 Period before n . redbud () 21 Worth (5)

24 Star sign, the Ram Christmas (6) . redcap () 18 Underground room (5) ()

. redcoat (6) 25 Lengthiest (7) m 20 Distressed (5) 26 Break (8)

22 Blood-sucking 27 Outhouse (4) . redden ()

worm (5) d () 23 Young cow (4) puzzles.bestforpuzzles.com/games/best-daily-word-search/#!201905 1

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CROSSWORD ANSWERS D

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QUIZ 47

THURSDAY, MAY 30 2019

The Clare Echo Quiz CLARE SPORT

The 2019 Irish Open will take 1Newmarket place in which Clare Village? on Fergus, Lahinch, Kilkee

Ryan Nolan of Shannon plays for 2 which internationally renowned Soccer club?

Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus

3

Noel Ryan of Clare played for which league of Ireland team?

Limerick F.C, Cobh Ramblers, Cork Celtic

Which Clare Hurler was voted All4 Star Hurler of the year in 1995?

Jamsie O’ Connor, Brian Lohan, An-

5, 7, 8

Ennis born Desmond Michael 9 Lynam presented which sports programme between 1988-1999?

The Sunday Game, Match of the Day, Sky Sports News

Emma Barrett won bronze at 10 the 2019 Special Olympics in which sport?

Swimming, Basketball, Running.

by Cian O’Broin

thony Daly

In what year did Clare reach the 5 All Ireland Football Final?

1917, 1932, 1954

l QUESTION 4: Which Clare Hurler was voted All-Star Hurler of the year in

1995?

6

In what sport did Doonbeg born Pat Mc Donald win a gold medal for the United States in the 1912 Olympic Games?

100m Sprint, Javelin throw, Shot put

ANSWERS

8

How many All Stars did the Clare Hurling Team achieve in 2013?

l QUESTION 10: Emma Barrett won

bronze at the 2019 Special Olympics in which sport?

6. Shot put 7. Italy 8. 8 9. Match of the Day 10. Swimming

Italy, Wales, France

1.Lahinch 2. Inter Milan 3.Cork Celtic 4.Brian Lohan 5. 1917

Kilmihil native Edel Mc Mahon obtained her first international rugby 7 cap against which country?

OLD IMAGES OF COUNTY CLARE

Church of St. Seamus, Ruins, Scattery Island, Co. Clare

Image NLI.ie / Collection: The Lawrence Photograph Collection