Issuu

065 671 9021

clareecho.ie

editor@clareecho.ie

‘Dangerous’ M18 exits set for review PÁRAIC MCMAHON

news@clareecho.ie

UTURE tragedies on the M18 must be avoided following a safety review, according to a Clare councillor whose cousin died following an accident on an M18 junction. East Clare Councillor Pat Hayes insists that a safety review of junctions on the M18, which have been initiated by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), must lead to the prevention of further road tragedies in the county. At Clare County Council’s December meeting, the Fianna Fáil councillor sought a review of junctions 12, 13 and 14 on the M18 for safety and traffic purposes. The motorway exits subject to the review which have been described by some lo-

Full story PAGE 9

FASHION

MOTORING

Check out

Aoibhín Garrihy’s

LOVE CLARE column inside Aoibhín’s top 5 Ways we can protect Clare 12

facebook.com/clareecho

twitter.com/ClareEcho

21 Feb 2019

READY TO RUN...

cals as “sudden and short” and “highly dangerous” - include, Ennis, Tulla/Scariff and Barefield. Cllr Hayes referred to the high amount of accidents at the junctions and felt the possibility of an Ennis Date Centre being located close to junction 13 necessitated “an overhaul”. In a letter to the local authority, TII confirmed that they have “initiated a safety review of junctions 12, 13 and 14 on the M18 as requested”. Prior to Christmas, a cousin of the local politician died following an accident on an M18 junction. It is another in a list of fatalities and Cllr Hayes is determined to stop such tragedies reoccurring. “It’s close to my heart but it is an issue that I’ve raised previously. “What we need to do is avoid any more tragedies and I’ll be fighting this case through to when we get a resolution that people will be happy with”.

photo by Vagelis Art

AOIBHÍN GARRIHY

Fashion in Clare

New Polo hits the Golf where it hurts 30

lREADY TO RUN: Pictured at the launch of the seventh and final LIT sponsored Hurley Hoey, Charity Run/Walk, Cycle are, Kevin Phelan, Samarithans Ennis and Clare, Jimmy Browne, LIT, John Hoey and Fiona Norton, Clare Crusaders Children’s Clinic. The popular event will take place on Saturday March 9, 2019 in Gurteen, Doora, Ennis. It was set up in 2012 in memory of well-known Doora Barefield sportspeople - Eilish Hurley and Ger Hoey. All funds raised from this year’s Hurley-Hoey Memorial Run/Walk/Cycle will go to local charities, namely the Clare Crusaders and Clare Samaritans. To take part in the final Hurley-Hoey Memorial Run/Walk/Cycle, participants can register on-line. Google HurleyHoey2019 for more details. Photo By Alan Place

2 NEWS

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

Index NEWS

AOIBHÍN GARRIHY

2-11

12-13

ENTERTAINMENT

FASHIION IN CLARE

17-25

PROPERTY

28-29

MOTORING

30-33

NAOMI CARROLL CLASSIFIEDS

34 36-37

The Square, Ennis, County Clare Telephone: 065 671 9021

NEWSDESK

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

SALES

Email: ciara.farrell@clareecho.ie or ger.naughton@clareecho.ie

lREADY TO REPRESENT: Ennis golfer Mairead Moroney and her playing partner Jean Molony met with Europe Ryder Cup captain, Padraig Harrington at the Portmarnock Links Hotel as they prepare to tee off in Abu Dhabi for the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games. Harrington offered some words of wisdom to Team Ireland as they continue their preparations for Abu Dhabi and he also signed some golf balls that they will in the World Games in March. Harrington said “This March, all eyes will be on Abu Dhabi when our inspirational Team Ireland athletes will be teeing off to achieve personal bests on a world class golf course Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

104 jobs thanks to Clare LEO STUART HOLLY

editor@clareecho.ie

ITH a net gain of 104 jobs last year, there are now 1,270 people employed by 239 Local Enterprise Office supported companies in Clare. 2018 marked the 5th year of employment growth for the Local Enterprise Offices nationally, with 3,656 net jobs created nationwide last year. The Local Enterprise Offices now support over 36,000 jobs in 7,000 LEO client companies all over Ireland. Since the LEOs were established in 2014 their clients have created over 18,000 jobs in small businesses across the country. Last year was a particularly strong year for Local Enterprise Office Clare. In 2018, LEO Clare paid out approximately €700,000 in grant aid to 44 businesses across the county. In 2018, LEO Clare grant aided 33 businesses for Trading Online Vouchers. LEO Clare also facilitated businesses throughout the county through a comprehensive Training and Development Programme, while it also hosted the Student Enterprise Programme, the Clare stage of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) and the Clare Women in Business Network. Padraic McElwee, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Clare, commented, “These figures highlight the important role that Local Enterprise Office Clare is playing in creating jobs and sus-

taining small businesses in the region. The LEOs are the first engagement any entrepreneur or small business owner should have when they want to develop or grow their idea or company. Every day Local Enterprise Offices help small businesses to get off the ground, overcome challenges, hire new staff, fund innovation, prepare for Brexit and plan for the future.” Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey praised Clare LEO for their continued success since establishment. “This is the fifth year of employment growth for Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) and it is clear that the local LEO operation is a hugely important part of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Clare. “Clare LEO does Trojan work and these 2018 jobs figures highlight the significant contribution they make to the local economy. Not only are they helping small businesses to plan, start and grow, but they are also working closely with their 239 client companies here in Limerick to minimise their Brexit exposure. “The LEOs will continue to play a key role in 2019 and beyond, ensuring that every small business has access to the support it needs. “It is particularly pleasing to see them grow in ambition and scale. Operated in partnership with Enterprise Ireland and the local authorities, they provide expert training, mentoring and financial assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses who may want to start, develop or grow their company.”

HomeGallery-Linen-Ennis2019.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 14:29 Page 1

BEDDING & LINEN EVENT

ALL BED LINEN HAS BEEN REDUCED 30% TO 50% OFF

50% OFF

ONLY

COLOURS AVAILABLE

Deauville Double bed & 2 lockers was €1195 NOW 595

30%

Albus double bedframe was €1195 NOW €895

30%

Ziggurat Double Duvet Set was €45 NOW €31.50

Brushstroke Double Duvet Set was €45 NOW €31.50

OFF

Newquay Double Duvet Set was €28 €19.50

SOFIE 4’6” BED WAS €595 NOW €295

30%

OFF

€79

OFF

Kyoto Double Duvet Set was €45 NOW €31.50

NOW

30%

OFF

LOCKER WAS €149

Embroidered Blossom Double Duvet Set was €45 €31.50

30% TO 50 % OFF

Meadow double duvet set was €50 NOW €35

Open Mon - Sat 9.30am - 6pm SUNDAY 1pm - 5pm

50% OFF

I N T E R I O R S Acanthus Kingsize Duvet Set was €160 NOW €80

Fabian Double Duvet Set was €180 NOW €90

Kilrush Road, Ennis Ph: 065 6797040

NEWS

'Elderly abuse remains a problem in 2019'

PÁRAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

LDERLY abuse continues to be a problem in 2019, the President of Active Retirement Ireland (ARI) has outlined. Shannon’s Kay Murphy has been the President of ARI since April 2017, becoming the first Clare person to serve in the role. In representing the organisation, one common question is posed to her, “I’m always asked what part of Dublin are you from and I’m very proud to correct them”. Kay was addressing elected members of the Shannon Municipal District where she outlined the amount of work done locally. The voluntary organisation has a membership of 25,000 people with 560 local associations, members range in age from 50 to 100. “Abuse of elderly people can be mental, physical and financial, we need to always monitor it,” she flagged. “I brought the AGM to Clare last year at The Falls Hotel in Ennistymon, it was worth €80,000 to the region. Clubcrest Embroidery in Shannon were appointed for the cresting of all jackets and clothes,” Murphy said of how she has helped Clare since taking the position. A native of Glin in West Limerick, Kay lived in Newmarket-on-Fergus with her five chil-

lVOICE FOR THE ELDERLY: President of ARI Kay Murphy Photo by Martin Connolly

dren until moving to Shannon where she set up its local retirement group which has 150 members. “We have to meet monthly at the Oakwood, it is a lovely hotel but we have no premises”. The group partakes in aerobics on Mondays, bowls on Tuesdays and exercises every Friday. “We are non-political, non-denominational, non-racist, everybody is welcome”. At a national level, the ARI lobby the Government, she outlined, “We’re out there for the benefit of all older people. If you don’t talk up and you’re not heard, you’re just bypassed”.

Kay claims 82 per cent of older people want to live at home while one per cent want to live in a nursing home. Regarding the upcoming park in Shannon Town, she expressed her hope for “wonderful exercise units will be provided for all”. Fianna Fáil’s Cathal Crowe maintained older people were the heartbeat of communities in many locations across Clare and mentioned Seamus Spaight of Meelick as one example, “but for them a lot of organisations wouldn’t function”. On their lack of a premises, Cllr Crowe suggested, “More community organisations need to open up their facilities, there is GAA clubs and scouts halls everywhere, it would be lovely if ye could combine with other groups”. Cllr Pat McMahon added, “I know Kay for most of my adult life, she has a drive and a connection with people. This organisation fulfils a gap. People are now living to 80-plus but there’s still a thought in Government that 65 is the cut off point where you can be thrown to the wolves. People now have better health when they retire." He revealed that he met the individual against whom Kay was contesting for the Presidency at Áras an Uachtaráin three years ago, “I told him he hadn’t a hope if running against Kay again, you can’t tell lies about the truth”.

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

Big Kilush challenges highlighted VARIOUS challenges facing the town of Kilrush have been highlighted in a draft report by the Southern Regional Assembly. Despite requests by Clare County Council, Kilrush was not included as a key town in a Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) for the southern region of Ireland. Its omission comes down to the fact that 21 other towns in the district have a larger population. “Cork County Council and Clare County Council have indicated consideration of an enhanced role for Bantry and Kilrush as service centres for West Cork and West Clare within their Development Plan reviews,” the draft document noted. According to the strategy, the main challenges facing Kilrush include the prevalence of building vacancy, the “demise of the historic vibrancy and vitality of town and village centres; loss of services including schools, pubs, shops, garda stations and post offices; lack of available sites and services in these settlements. The preference for many people to live outside settlements”. Praise was extended to the Council’s rural development strategy 2026. The Strategy has a ten-year 4,000 jobs creation target with a particular focus on social enterprises. "In parallel, the Clare Economic Development Strategy will provide the economic conditions and supports for the growth of enterprise and employment across the whole county. The Economic Strategy will focus on the further growth of the high performing Ennis-Shannon economic corridor to the benefit of all of Clare.”

NEWS

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

€2.8m for Seaworld & Lahinch PÁRAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

OME €6.8 million in funding has been secured for five Clare rural regeneration and development projects. Loop Head, Lahinch, Doolin, Kilrush and Holy Island were the successful Clare County Council projects that have been granted aid under the €1 billion Rural Regen-

eration and Development Fund (RRDF), a key component of Project Ireland 2040. All RRDF projects applications were prepared and submitted to deliver on the targets of the Clare Rural Development Strategy. This involved collaboration across various Council departments, Municipal Districts, local communities and specific partnerships with Kilrush Amenity Trust and Lahinch Seaworld as stakeholders. €2,860,000 has been set aside for

the Lahinch Seaworld and Town Upgrade Project. This project is a substantial upgrade of the Lahinch Seaworld community-run facility and associated public realm works in the town. It includes: The retrofitting of the Seaworld building; new public toilets; public realm works; completion of building of new Surf Rescue and Training Centre, Lahinch sports field, new car park and amenity area. Vandeleur Estate, Kilrush will receive €1,720,000 to restore part

of its historic estate which has been in existence since 1808. The project will include a new museum and development of arts and crafts facilities to promote local heritage. A detailed design for a visitor centre and new boat landing point including visitor trails and the production of an interpretation strategy for Inis Cealtra Island will be developed on the back of the awarded €920,500. Funding worth €465,571 will see Clare County Council develop a masterplan for a new visitor and tourist centre at Doolin Pier. A separate Clare project has also benefited from funding totalling €666,300. Fáilte Ireland will devise a plan to solve critical congestion and visitor management issues along the Wild Atlantic Way at

Corofin Traditional Festival

Poster2019:Layout 1

1/2/19

12:23

Page 1

Co .Cl are

18th Annual

Concerts, recitals and 30 sessions with hundreds of the country’s best musicians

15 key locations within the counties of Clare and Kerry. Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council's Rural Development SPC, Cllr Pat Hayes was pleased with the allocations especially for Inis Cealtra. "I'm glad to hear today that Holy Island received €920,500 for the development of tourism facilities under the rural regeneration fund. Let's hope this is the start of an exciting tourism project in East Clare." Junior Minister, Pat Breen said, “These projects are ambitious and strategic in nature. The funding will transform communities by delivering projects in sectors such as tourism, agri-food and recreation.” General Manager of Lahinch Seaworld and local election candidate, Joe Garrihy declared it was "a great day for Clare". "Working together as a region is the way to the future so I look forward to working with all communities of North Clare with a focus on this approach". ADVERTORIAL

4 tricks to speed up mortgage application

NO MATTER how old you are, the phrase “mortgage application” can be a bit scary for some. And sure, the process involves saving and filling in paperwork, but it doesn’t need to be stressful. In fact, there are ways to speed up the application, so today Ann Marie Hartigan, EBS Ennis mortgage master, shares her tips. SHOW YOUR SAVINGS One big misconception around applying for a mortgage is that savings must be in tip-top shape. People think if they’ve had a flutter at the Grand National, or are in their overdraft, their application will fail! But that’s not the case at all. “You need to show you can afford your mortgage repayments,” confirms Ann Marie. “Let’s say you’ve used a mortgage calculator to show your repayments will be €900 per month. You need to actually prove you can repay that and a little more, in case interest rates go up.” Get a big folder and track your spending and your savings and keep a hold of all relevant receipts. We can help applicants to prove repayment capacity when we have all the information. DON’T TAKE OUT ANY NEW LOANS Your mortgage should be the focus of your saving, so don’t decide you want to save for a wedding or new car as well. “If you want a new car, wait until after you get the mortgage and your budgeting has settled down” stresses Ann Marie. “If you have just taken out a car loan you’re going to be paying off for the next five years, that’s going to impact the decision on your mortgage.” Likewise, if you have any residual debts like a credit card that needs clearing, focus on paying those off before you apply. Most lenders will see it as a positive if you can clear your debt. MEET YOUR MINIMUM REPAYMENTS Ann Marie has a word of warning for those who owe money on loans or credit cards. “You should really try to avoid any missed payments or direct debits,” she stresses. “I see loads of people who are doing great with their savings – maybe €600 per month or more. But they are missing the minimum payments on their credit cards and that undoes all the good of saving.” Your credit rating is one of the things your advisor takes into consideration while processing your application. IF YOU’RE BUILDING, THE SITE IS YOUR DEPOSIT Did you know that EBS is the go-to bank for build mortgages? We are masters at advising borrowers on how to structure their build loan. We arrange stage payments, deal with engineers directly and issue many stage payments, making repaying the mortgage while it’s under construction, more manageable. Ann Marie says “applicants are often surprised to learn that the site constitutes part and sometimes all, of the deposit. EBS finances up to 100% of the cost of construction, depending on the site value and on the final value of the property.” Book an appointment with Ann Marie Hartigan by calling 065 68 99600. EBS Ennis is located at Abbey Street Car Park in Ennis.

1 TONY O’CONNELL, BRID HARPER AND CYRIL O’DONOGHUE THE FRIEL SISTERS TOMMY FITZHARRIS, DONAL MCCAGUE AND BRIAN MCGRATH RONAN O’FLAHERTY, CONOR CONNOLLY (TG4 YOUNG MUSICIAN 2019) AND PADRAIC O’REILLY THE HIGH SEAS (CAITLÍN NIC GABHANN, CIARÁN Ó MAONAIGH AND CATHAL Ó CURRÁIN) THE CONIFERS (BRYAN O’LEARY, CONOR O’LOUGHLIN, MARTY BARRY, FELIX MORGANSTERN AND CATHAL Ó CURRÁIN)

27th February to 3rd March 2019 WWW.COROFINTRADFEST.COM

086 2647552 COROFINTRADFEST@GMAIL.COM JOIN US ON

2 3 4

The content of this article is expressed in broad terms and is limited to general information purposes only. Readers should always seek professional advice to address issues arising in specific contexts and not seek to rely on the information in this article which does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by EBS d.a.c.

UP TO

NEW FOR

2019

BACK IN CASH

ON YOUR NEW MORTGAGE SEARCH EBS MORTGAGE MASTERS

If you’re looking to buy a new home EBS Ennis are ready to help

Drop in, call us on (065) 689 9600 or email ennis@mail.ebs.ie IMPORTANT INFORMATION Warning: If you do not keep up your repayments you may lose your home

Warning: You may have to pay charges if you pay off a fixed-rate loan early

Warning: The cost of your monthly repayments may increase

Warning: If you do not meet the repayments on your loan, your account will go into arrears. This may affect your credit rating, which may limit your ability to access credit in the future. WARNING: YOUR HOME IS AT RISK IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP PAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER LOAN SECURED ON IT. WARNING: THE PAYMENT RATES ON THIS HOUSING LOAN MAY BE ADJUSTED BY THE LENDER FROM TIME TO TIME. Lending criteria, Terms and Conditions apply. For eligible customers 2% will be paid into your current account. Additional 1% paid on the 5th anniversary of the EBS mortgage. EBS. d.a.c. is an authorised agent and servicer of EBS Mortgage Finance (a wholly-owned subsidiary of EBS d.a.c.). EBS d.a.c. & EBS Mortgage Finance are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. A typical €100,000, 20 year mortgage for an Owner Occupier Residential Property with Loan to value greater than 80% will have a variable interest rate of 3.7% and Annual Percentage Rate (APR) 3.8%, and 240 monthly repayments of €590.29. If the APR does not vary during the term of the mortgage, the total cost of credit i.e. the total amount repayable less than the amount of the loan would be €41,884.48 (inclusive of valuation report fees of €215.00). The total amount repayable would be €141,884.48. The effect of a 1% increase in interest rates for such a mortgage will add €53.21 to the monthly repayments. Note: The above notice in respect of adjustments to repayment rates will not apply during any period when the loan is at a fixed rate. If you or your dependants intend to use the property as a principal place of residence, you must show evidence of mortgage protection insurance, unless you are exempt under the Consumer Credit Act 1995. Maximum loan to value of Owner Occupier Residential Properties - 90% of purchase price or valuation whichever is lower and 80% loan to value on one bedroom properties. Lending levels are subject to monthly repayment burden, typically not exceeding c. 35% of borrower’s disposable income and will vary according to individual circumstances. Mortgage loan requests are considered on the basis of proof of income, financial status and demonstrated repayment capacity (including capacity to repay at higher interest rates). Loans not available to people under 18. Mortgage loans are secured by a first legal mortgage/charge over your property. The property must be within the Republic of Ireland. Offer valid until 31st December 2019.

NEWS

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

These issues will affect my generation, says activist (17) PÁRAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

N ENNIS student who skipped school to protest for climate change is hopeful her actions will “demonstrate to people in power that we really care”. On Friday, Eleanor-Dagnell Wise took to O’Connell Monument in the county town where she stood for “a couple of hours” as part of a global movement where students left school to demonstrate against climate change. At Parliament Square in London, thousands of teenagers took to the streets of the English capital while in Manchester they came with handwritten notes from their parents authorising their actions to the sounds of ‘Where is the Love’ by the Black Eyed Peas and The Backstreet Boys’ ‘I Want It That Way’. Although she was the sole Clare student to strike, Eleanor was

encouraged by the comments of passers by. “I had several people come up to me, people of all generations, people my age who were out of school for some reason, were happy I was doing it and they believed in the cause too. People with young children coming up to me because they are concerned for their children’s future. These issues will really affect my generation and the generation after me. People of the older generation - which I didn’t expect as much - [were] coming up and saying it’s really good to see people standing up for what they believe in and actually taking a stand”. She was not surprised to be the only Banner teenager involved in the movement. “I hadn’t spread much awareness beforehand, I only decided the day before I was going to do this. I only realised the day before I should be doing something and going out there showing my support for the cause. I mentioned it to some of my friends and they presumed I was joking, they didn’t understand that I was going

to do this. Now that I’ve proven it is possible, I’m hoping I will get more support in the future and it will inspire people to go out and do the same”. Explaining her reasons for “taking a stand”, the 17-year old told The Clare Echo, “I saw the movement happening around the world, it’s a global movement and I realised that I should be taking part in it because it is something that I believe in and I wanted to show strength of this feeling. Leaving school shows that you really care about what you’re doing and I wanted to demonstrate to people in power that we really care about these issues and I wanted to help make a change”. A fifth year student at Coláiste Muire in Ennis, Eleanor confirmed that she is not a member of the school’s green committee. “I’m not a part of that but I do believe in a lot of the issues they fight for”. As the day of the strike arrived, Dagnell-Wise handed in a note signed by her mother Jess to her teachers at the Ennis school informing them of her plans. “I think they

were just a bit confused. If you’re not paying attention to the news, not a lot of people would know what you meant when you were saying going on strike for climate action,” she said of their reaction. It’s over a year and half since she moved to Co Clare and she flagged that as a teenager in the county she is not too aware of efforts here to tackle climate change. “I don’t hear too much about it and that is one of the issues, that I don’t really know what is happening. I don’t know what is being done because I don’t hear very much about it. "We need to have more discussion and talk about climate change and what we are doing to combat it especially in our local areas. “After my protest on Friday I joined a group of youth organisers in Ireland who are trying to organise a national strike like the one in England... I’m amazed by the amount of people that turned out”. This group that Eleanor is now in communication with plan to hold a further demonstration in April.

l ACTIVIST: Coláiste Mhuire student Eleanor-Dagnell Wise

A VAN WITH A PLAN...

l MONEY MATTERS: The EBS Mortgage Cafe is visiting Ennis this Friday 22nd of February, so from 8 am to 8 pm you can drop by for a coffee, a query, or just a chat about buying, building or switching. The EBS Mortgage Cafe will be located in Abbey Street Car Park

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

M18 junctions need review to ‘avoid more tragedies’ PÁRAIC McMAHON

paraic@clareecho.ie

SAFETY review of junctions on the M18 has been initiated by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) which it is hoped will prevent further road tragedies in the county. It comes on the back of a motion from Cllr Pat Hayes at Clare County Council’s December meeting. The Fianna Fáil councillor sought a review of junctions 12, 13 and 14 on the M18 for safety and traffic purposes. He referred to the high level of accidents at the junctions and felt the possibility of an Ennis Date Centre being located close to junction 13 necessitated “an overhaul”. He was seconded by Cllr Joe Cooney. In a letter to the local authority, TII confirmed that they have “initiated a safety review of junctions 12, 13 and 14 on the M18 as requested”. The motorway exits that will be now be subject to the review include, Ennis, Tulla/

Scariff and Barefield. Speaking to The Clare Echo, Cllr Hayes stated he “was happy to a point” with the correspondence from the TII but wants to see all the Clare junctions subject to the safety review. “It is official that they are reviewing it, in my mind that says there is an issue when they have taken on board the call for a review and let’s hope they come up with a satisfactory solution. From the feedback I’ve been getting people are very anxious that we solve these issues and these safety measures would be improved, particularly at the Tulla Rd junction”. A proposed Ennis Data Centre which Clare County Council is hopeful will result in an investment of €500m would be located close to the junction for the Tulla Rd. Hayes reiterated his stance that this development requires improvements to junction 13. “If there is a data centre to opened in the Tulla Rd area I think it definitely needs works to improve the junctions and it might be a God send in terms of doing that but at the same

lSAFETY REVIEW: Councillor Pat Hayes is satisfied that a review he requested is being initiated for junctions 12, 13 and 14 of the M18 Photo by Vagelis Art

time I don’t think it will hinder it, proposals should be put in as part of this overall plan for the area to improve the junctions as well”. Prior to Christmas, a cousin of the politician died following an accident on an M18 junction. It is another in a list of fatalities and Cllr Hayes is determined to stop reoccurring. “It’s close to my heart but it is an issue that I’ve raised previously, it has been raised in Council

meetings over the years. Originally I remember a long debate in the Council saying it wasn’t up to the standard and the NRA said it met all requirements but they were the minimum requirements, I would like to think they would look at the junctions. What we need to do is avoid any more tragedies and I’ll be fighting this case through to when we get a resolution that people will be happy with”.

NEWS

‘Best year’ for Trump International AN INCREASE in revenues for 2018 combined with a drop in operating losses at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Doonbeg Ireland in what has been hailed the “best year” for the West Clare resort. Last year revenues rose to €11.4m which is a 48% hike on 2014 figures. This comes on the back of improved income for green fees (13 percent), food and beverage (8 percent) and accommodation (3 percent). Operating losses for 2018 fell to an estimated €100,000, down 70 percent on 2017. Peak season employment numbers have gone up from 235 to 290 under the ownership of the Trump family since 2014. Speaking to The Irish Examiner, General Manager of the Clare resort, Joe Russell claimed 2018 was its most successful year. “The Trump Organisation investment and involvement has supported and improved the business overall allowing for a year on year increase each year to our best year of trading in 2018 since opening full facilities in 2006”. Plans for coastal protection works at Doughmore Beach adjacent to the golf club are currently before An Bord Pleanála while Clare County Council have requested further information from TIGL Ireland Enterprises Ltd on their €40m application for 53 holiday cottages, a ballroom/function room, a leisure centre and a new restaurant.

NUACHT

DÉ DEARDAOIN, FEB 21 2019

Gaelcoláiste students take teachers to school

Transition Years find novel way to promote Gaeilge KATIE DE FAOITE

Gaelcoláiste An Chláir

INETEEN Transition Year students from Gaelcholáiste An Chláir are providing weekly lessons to teachers of both their school and the neighbouring facility, to tackle the decrease of gealgóirí in their town. With their YSI (young social innovators) project “I rish I knew Irish” the students have taken it upon themselves to try and promote the language. The youngsters, who are aged from 15 to 16, have also been doing more outside of campus gates to promote the use of Gaeilge in the community. This includes speaking Irish among themselves and to customers while running the Ennis St Vincent de Paul shop at Christmas, to encourage others who know the language to embrace it. They also volunteer at a primary schools and homework clubs helping children when it comes to Irish and showing that it can be a fun subject to learn. Gaelcholáiste An Chláir is a small unit with four classrooms and two prefabs. Students share their facilities and teachers with

the Ennis Community College. It being one of the only schools in the country to share a teaching staff with its neighbouring school, one challenge is the use of Irish through all subject. With this in mind, the Gaelcholáistes students are attempting to address this with their teaching project. Head teacher at the Gaelcholáiste an Chláir, Ann Considine says that the YSI, which was intoruduced this year, has already had a positive impact on the school. She stated, “It’s amazing that they have the confidence to help adults improve their speech in Irish, considering people have lots of reasons for not accessing education through Irish, be it lack of confidence, or sometimes lack of awareness of the opportunities that it offers.” They are not the only group working on bringing back the Irish language to Clare. The Coiste Forbartha Gaeltachta Chontae an Chláir whose main focus is promoting the Irish language and to restore the gaeltacht that was once in the west of the county. Based in West Clare, it is in an area which was once part of the Gaeltacht where many communities were speaking the native tongue. Parts of County Clare were recognised as Gaeltacht areas following recommendations made by Coimisiún na Gaeltachta 1925. But as time went on the number of native Irish speakers in Clare decreased so signifi-

LÉIRMHEAS SCANNÁN AS GAEILGE

BLACK’47

l IONTACH AR FAD: (left to right) Dara Ó Diarmada, Jake Mac Lochlainn , Mathew Mac Chonmara, Abdu Jolloh, Bartosz Martyka, Tomás Ó Cearbhalláin , Kiráin Ó Chatháin, Andrew Ó Beacháin, Fionn Ó Múrchú, Magdalena Doyle, Katie De Faoite, Teresa Ní Riain, Leah Ní Thailtigh, Sarah Ní Cheallaigh, Elena Sanz, Ríona Fertear, Year head Martina MacNamara. Missing; Cian Mac Coisteala, Tadhg Mac Coisteala , Hannah Ní Cheit

cantly that in 1956 Clare was taken off the list for the Gaeltacht, but was kept on the list for Gaeltacht housing act list till 2001. However a signal of the Irish language’s decline in Clare were clear when the last native Irish speaker from the county, Doolin native Seanchaí Paddy Pháraic Mhíchíl, passed away in the early 1990s. The first all-Irish schools in Clare were es-

tablished in the 1980s, when three opened their doors. Out of the ones open today the oldest one is Scoil Iosef Naofa based in Lahinch which was established in 1981. However with no secondary school for gaelgóir students to attend, in 1993 Gaelcholáiste an Chláir was established, and more than 25 years later in the region of 150 students attend.

A HELPING HAND...

LE KATIE DE FAOITE

IS SCANNÁN Gaeilge é le Béarla measctha roimh é. Tá sé faoi fear Éirneach atá neamhláithreacht gan chead as arm na Breataine chun briseadh ar Thiarna Talún as láthair i ndráma drámhar ach léargasach, is e seo plota don scannán seo. Leis an Réalt James Frecheville ón Astráil a thugann feidhmíocht láidir agus scéiniúil. Tá sé bunaithe san iarthar sa bhliain 1847, an bhliain is mease sa gorta in Éirinn. Fhaigheann sé amach cad a tharla go dtí a chlan agus é imithe san airm ( níl sé rud maith). Théann se amach ar rampage ag lorg díoltas ó gach Thiarna Talún agus gná daoine a bhí i gceist. Taispeánann an scannán seo na streachailtí agus cruatan i rith an am sin leis sonraí i gach rud ón slí a leabhairt agus amhráin a chanter go dtí na cultacha agus an fearas, agus an fírinne sa nath cainte “Is í slánú na Gaeilge athghabhail na saoirse”. Is e seo scannán iontach lán le gaeilge, stair agus aicsean ach seo comhairla duit. Féach air. Beidh tú buíochas a ghabháil dom.

l SOME DAY, I WILL PLAY FOR CLARE: Iarla Kelleher from Bodyke lends a hand to the Clare U14s at their training session in Clarecastle last weekend Photo by Martin Connolly

NEWS BRIEFS 11

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

Corofin Trad Fest kicks off next week

FIRST held in 2001, the Corofin Trad Fest kicks off in North Clare next Wednesday. Demand is already high for tickets and spots in the workshops while accommodation is sold out in Corofin, Kilnaboy and surrounds. Regular Doolin performer Christy Barry will receive a lifetime achievement award on the first night of the festival. The Teach Ceoil is the setting for all concerts and according to Musical Director, Damien O’Reilly the converted cottage provides a warm atmosphere. Conor Connolly who at the weekend was named as Gradam Ceoil Young Musician of the Year is one of the tutors at the workshop, he will be joined by Cathal Ó Curran, Caitlín Nic Gabhann, Clare Friel, Bríd Harper, Anna Friel and Síle Friel. O’Reilly estimated in excess of 150 people will attend the Corofin Trad Fest each night. “All our accommodation is booked out so the village gets pretty busy, there is at least 150 plus every night. We do sell out our concerts every year, we have a proud tradition of doing that. We’ve never expanded because we feel you would lose the intimacy of the venue and you would take from the performance because traditional musicians prefer playing acoustically, we only record the concerts for posterity and archive purposes. We have a loyal following coming to the festival for the last 18 years”. Damien outlined its importance to the village of Corofin. “We’re very excited to go ahead with this year’s festival after we had to cancel due to the snow last year... to get the festival off the ground this year is a major achievement and greatly in part to Conor O’Loughlin who has managed to get younger musicians involved”. “During the year there would be four or five main events held in Corofin and it’s very important that they keep going, otherwise circumstances like social isolation would nearly take over the village where it’s just harder and harder to get people out. “It can be a long winter in Corofin, the summer season does do well in the village but it’s important with our timing that we have the festival at this time of year to try and kick start the season,” the button accordion player concluded.

Gaelic4Girls on way

AN exciting program aimed at girls who would like to try Ladies Gaelic Football for the first time is coming to Clare. Girls who take part on the 8 week Gaelic4Girls program will find that it’s focused on fun and participation, developing basic skills in a non-competitive environment. It will be held indoors in St Flannan’s Sports Hall every Wednesday from 6pm to 7pm. Hosted by the Banner Ladies Football Club, girls will get the chance to continue on with training at the end of the 8 weeks if they wish to do so. The cost for the pro-

gram is €10, and each girl who takes part will be presented with a Gaelic4Girls jersey and certificate. We will wrap up the 8 week program with a mini blitz, where girls will be able to show off their new skills. “Girls do not have to join a Ladies Gaelic Football club to take part,” explains Dororthy Meenaghan of the Banner Ladies. “The programme is open to all girls, regardless of experience, who would like to learn the basic skills, have some fun and make new friends in the process.” For more information contact Dorothy Meenaghan on 087 9543538.

Rhys is best in show ENNIS showjumper and U14 European champion Rhys Williams from PARC Stables, was brought to the KClub to be presented with his Irish Field Star of the month award. To much surprise, it was later announced that he had also won Junior Irish Showjumper Of The Year. His name is now added to the list of showjumping greats of years gone by, such as Jessica (Chesney) Kurten, James Kernan, Billy Toomey, and Shane Breen. The only other Co Clare name on the trophy is Tom Costello who won it in 1979. Mr Louis Mulqueen, Principal of Rice College and year head Ms Claire Culligan kindly reorgainsed two of Rhys’s Junior Cert Mock exams to facilitate Rhys’s attendance last week.

Treacys hosts Darts

THIS weekend will see Darts enthusiasts travel to Treacys West County Hotel, Ennis for the Tuburg INDO 2019 All Ireland Inter County Darts finals. Over 700 players including the top players will battle it out for the title of the best in the land. 2018 Men’s champions Meath are expected to mount a strong defence of their title while the ladies competition is also expected to be very competitive. The men’s championship will commence Saturday at 11am followed by the ladies at 11.15am. Much of the competition will be streamed live on the INDO’s facebook page. The ladies championship final will be played at 5pm and the Men’s Final at 8pm. Speaking ahead of this weekend’s event, Patrick Treacy, Owner of Treacys West County Conference & Leisure Hotel said he “is really looking forward to welcoming back so many of the country’s top Darts players and their supporters to the West County Hotel.”

12 COLUMNIST

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

Aoibhín Garrihy

LOVE

CLARE

Fun in the sun

THE NOTEBOOK

AST week I discovered the beauty of holidaying with Nana and Grandad!! Having extra hands made for a very relaxing break for mom and dad indeed! We were in Tenerife for a few days and had such fun. It’s also been a while since I was even away with my parents and so it was lovely to spend some quality family time and having Hanorah there made things all the more special. On Monday I had my first London Fashion Week experience as I checked out Paul Costelloe’s AW19 collection at Simpson’s on the

l MEETING PAUL: (above) Meeting Paul Costelloe at London Fashion Week. (left) some of the fashion that was on show at Paul Costelloe’s AW 19 collection.

Strand and it was fabulous! I was really in my element soaking it all up. His creations are a total work of art and meeting Paul himself and his lovely daughter Jessica

HAPPENINGS ENNIS BOOK CLUB FESTIVAL

A unique mix of readings, discussions, comedy and chat in one of Ireland’s friendliest towns returns from 1st-3rd March. See ennisbookclubfestival.com for all the festival has to offer!

was such a highlight. The street style was also a feast for the eyes and some may say invasion on the senses!! It was just a flying visit but one I’ll remember!

COVET IN

CLARE

MAGPIE ME I’m obsessed with hoops. I wear them all the time and these “Nova” beauties from Knight and Day Jewellery at just €36 are my kinda hoops! Available online and at stockings Nationwide.

ON BLUEBERRY HILL PRESENTED BY FISHAMBLE: THE NEW PLAY COMPANY

Following the critically-acclaimed world premiere production as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival 2017, Olivier Award-winning Fishamble, and current Laureate of Irish Fiction Sebastian Barry, reunite for the revival tour of On Blueberry Hill on Saturday 23rd Feb 8pm at glór.

BACKPACKS ARE BIG It’s this season’s must have accessory and happens to suit busy ladies (moms in particular) very well! This gorgeous black leather one is from Caroline Donnelly’s new “The Edit” collection for Dunnes Stores and is €79.

This week I had my first shoot with the little one! They say never work with children or animals and this was one I was slightly nervous about but Hanorah was a total pro! It was another experience I’ll always remember and shots that I will hopefully always cherish. I’m really looking seeing the end result. Watch this space!

MIND MANUAL I’ve recently got my hands on The Positive Habit by Fiona Brennan and already I’m hooked! It’s the ultimate manual for the mind helping us to transform negative thoughts to positive emotions and it comes with a free audio hypnotherapies that will help to retrain your brain while you sleep! Available from March 1st at all good bookshops.. PUCKER UP Nothing says “She’s ready to take on the world” better than a strong statement lipstick and this new “Rouge Velvet” range from Bourjois is packed full of options to do just that! Available at pharmacies countywide!

TOO CUTE The adorable Moover prom from Little Ones, Ennis is lovingly crafted from wood sourced from sustainable sources designed to develop toddlers motor skills confidently and at their own pace. Let the hours of fun ensue! €74.95

COLUMNIST 13

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

Top 5 Ways we can protect our Clare coast

With global warming become more and more apparent and the warmest ever day in February recorded last Sunday I’ve noticed more and more people heading for our coast earlier and earlier in the season. This is great of course but it can also take its toll on our coastline and our ocean. We need to be aware of the impact we are having and so this week’s Top Five is very much eco focused.

REDUCE YOUR USE OF PLASTIC PRODUCTS AT HOME AND BY THE SEA: Plastic eventually ends up in the ocean destroying habitat and killing thousands of marine animals each year. There are so many ways you can limit that use for example: Commit to using a reusable water bottle, store food in nondisposable containers, bring your own cloth tote or other reusable bag when shopping and recycle whenever possible.

BE AN ECO FRIENDLY PET OWNER: Always clean up after your dog on the beach but do so with eco friendly poo bags. They are now widely available. Also familiarise yourself with your pet food labels ensuring seafood sustainability when purchasing your pets meals.

LEAVE NO TRACE:

Whether you are walking the beach, swimming or playing always clean up after yourself. Why not even go a step further and “take three for the sea” which means taking three plastic debris that may have been washed up away with you when you leave. If you want to go even another step further why not organise a beach clean up with family and friends in your local area.

CONSIDER YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT AND ENERGY RATING:

Why not leave the car at home when you can (it’s not just better for the environment, it’s great for you too!) and become more aware of your energy use at home by switching to energy saving light bulbs, taking the stairs and layer up to avoid always reaching for the heating system.

MAKE SAFE, SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD CHOICES:

With global fish populations rapidly depleting due to demand, loss of habitat and unsustainable fishing practices we should all consider choosing seafood that is sustainable to reduce the demand on overexploited species. We should all be trying to educate ourselves as much as possible on the impact we are having on our environment. The more we learn about the issues facing our oceans, the more we will want to help ensure its health.

14 THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

Ronan Scully

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK Author spreading the word of positivity

“SPRING” FORWARD IN FAITH

IMPLE joys have always been important to me. The onset of spring is no exception for the start of spring is always exciting. New life is all around, and there’s that faint promise of summer in the air. And just as there are seasons in the world around us, so there are in our interior life. Spring is here and it is a time of life reflections, change, birds singing brightly in the air, rebirth, renewal, refocusing and growth. It is an occasion to reflect into the oasis of one’s beautiful soul, mind and heart, and carry out a spiritual loving spring cleaning with lots of self reflection. It is a time to energise one’s aspirations, hopes, goals and dreams, to fulfil one’s purpose, mission and vision for one’s life. Spring is a time of the dawning of new light, new life, new spirit, new birth, new beginnings, new momentum and new hope. It is a time of waiting, of expectation, a time of preparing new ground, planting new plants, nurturing new seedlings, tending new shoots, protecting new buds. It is a time of dreaming new dreams, thinking new thoughts, making new plans, growing new goals and welcoming a new hope. It is a time of holding tight the fragile, embracing the vulnerable, nurturing the young, protecting the old, saving those on the edges of our communities and a time to recommit and begin again the work of our lives of caring for one another as we ourselves would like to be cared for on our daily journey through life. The weather is changing, plants and flowers are blooming and more. The season of spring is now beginning to show itself in full bloom and hopefully please God it might give us a sweet taste of the warm summer days to look forward too. Hopefully it will give us a new spring in our step. I love the season of Spring. It brings days of new warmth and gives obvious signs of awakening and renewal wherever we look. It amazes me how the evening’s start to lengthen and how the warmth comes back into the air. But nothing is as beautiful as all the trees, flowers, shrubs and bushes that are in bloom or start budding lots of green shoots. It is truly a beautiful, magical and wonderful time of our year. Its resurrection time in our lives so to speak. It makes me think about the many blessings that spring showers upon us such as the freshness in the air, wonderful breezes, singing of the birds, lots of growth, baby

animals of all kinds emerging, fresh water flowing, trees, plants and flowers budding and starting to blossom, and of course the oncoming of Easter. Spring always brings a sense of renewal and changes. It is a time to look around and look within and reflect on all that has passed and to consider what may come. Spring cleaning does not have to be limited to cleaning around the home. Although cleaning out the closets and cleaning the house and cleaning or redecorating the garden a bit more then usual may be a good idea and a healthy one at that! This spring, in addition to the typical spring cleaning, I have decided to rid myself of some thoughts and behaviours that no longer help me or cause me to feel down and so I am looking at a spiritual form of spring cleaning as well. Spring Change Spring is the time of year when many people take on “spring cleaning” projects inside and outside their homes and offices. But what about inside your heart and inside your soul? Since we put so much time and effort into cleaning our homes, offices and outer self at this spring time of the year, shouldn’t we also do some spiritual spring cleaning of our heart, soul and inner self? There comes a time when we must clean out the wardrobes of our life so that we may have room for items that will enhance our life. Let’s search the wardrobes of our lives and make a trip to the rubbish bin. Throw away any hatred that may be lurking there and be sure to toss out jealousy, bad attitudes, dishonesty, complaints and hypocrisy. Before you finish, throw away that grudge you’ve been carrying against someone. Make room to add love, honesty, forgiveness and kindness and not to mention thankfulness for all God’s blessings. Go on and make room for reverence and respect for God from whom all good gifts come. Stand back and look: Your life’s wardrobe is looking better, isn’t it? Take a moment today to spring clean your heart and soul. Ask God to come in and if He finds anything else that should not be there, take it out so that you can live a life more loving and caring. Try and change those behaviours that have not helped you to achieve your targets or aims in life. Look at replacing old ways of thinking and reflecting, that hold you back, with new thoughts that will inspire you and

help you to enjoy more this journey called life. If something in your life is not fulfilling you as it should be, maybe set limits or determine if it is time to move on and discover things that do fulfil you. Also consider if you can whether your thoughts and behaviours are a reflection of the real you and always especially at Springtime which is a good time to reflect on things try to renew and refresh your aims and purpose to look towards a better future and give your life some momentum again. Spring is the perfect time to effect a positive change in our lives because the ever-lengthening days of warmth and light and all of nature’s responses to them are powerful cues for new growth. Spring urges us to plant some, grow some and bloom some. Spring brings us new hope that one day those of us searching for the light at the end of our tunnel will see the light shine through claiming victory over our burdens and worries. Somehow the battle feels less overwhelming when the spring warmth of the sun shines through after the winter hardness’s in our lives. It’s as though God is telling us he is here to help us find the courage to keep our spirits upbeat and feel younger. It will hopefully bring us our resurrection moment!! For me there is no more invigorating time of the year than Spring. Thought for the week As your thought for the week, I pray that as the signs and the magic of spring begin to show themselves all around us and that you will remember that each new day is like a cleared field ready for planting. Your thoughts, attitudes, and actions are the seeds you plant. Plant three rows of peas: Peace of mind, Peace of heart, Peace of soul. Plant four rows of squash: Squash gossip, Squash indifference, Squash grumbling, Squash selfishness. Plant four

rows of lettuce: Lettuce be faithful, Lettuce be kind, Lettuce be obedient, Lettuce really love one another. No garden should be without turnips: Turnip for meetings, Turnip for service, Turnip to help one another. Water freely with patience and cultivate love. There is much fruit for your garden. Because you reap what you sow. To conclude our garden. We must have thyme: Thyme for God, Thyme for study, Thyme for prayer, Thyme for loved ones, Thyme for each other, Thyme for friends. This Spring and always, choose only the seeds that will produce a bountiful harvest of love, joy, health, kindness, care, prosperity, and peace. And may you give thanksgiving not only for the springtime around you, but also for the springtime within you. Why don’t you this Spring, clean out hate and replace it with love. Clean out pride and replace it with humility. Clean out anger and replace it with self control. Clean out unbelief and replace it with faith. Clean out revenge, and replace it with forgiveness. Clean out complaining and replace it with praise. Clean out evil thoughts and replace them with pure thoughts. Clean out gossip and replace it with encouragement. Clean out laziness and replace it with caring. May the blessing of the Gatherer of Hope, the Bringer of Springtime, the Brightener of Seasons, be upon me as I set forth today. Laughter of the running hours be mine, love be the circler of my soul, and with the leave of lightness, may I come home in joy. Amen. Happy Spring cleaning everyone!!

Entertainment

‘There will always be hope for Irish’

OME is where the heart is and it is the Kilnamona roots in Doireann Ní Ghríofa that invade her creative space when it comes to writing, she tells Páraic McMahon.

Her upcoming return to Clare for the Ennis Book Club Festival (EBCF) coincides at a time when her reputation is on the rise in Europe. Lies: Poetry & Music sees the poet’s work read aloud accompanied by world renowned musicians Barry Guy and Maya Homburger at St Columba’s Church. Doireann, a bi-lingual writer of prose and poetry describes EBCF as “the jewel in the crown of the literary events that happen in Ennis”. Having collaborated with the RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet and Leanne O’Sullivan on a similar performance, she is hopeful that their finished product “will be really pleasing and moving to the audience”. With four children under the age of ten, Doireann has a busy home life which forces her to “try and find islands of time where I can just work in very concentrated almost like feverish way”. No such problem exists for the former Gaelcholáiste an Chláir student when it comes to sourcing inspiration. “I’m so pressed for time all the time that what I found I always have an eye out for gathering little sparks so when I do get the time to sit down and really think about them and make something of them that I have all my sparks ready to go”.

Regularly she returns home with family still living in Kilnamona and Doolin, “I feel really lucky to have such deep roots still in Clare and those roots bring me back the whole time.” It comes then as no surprise that it is here where many of her “little sparks” ignite. “I have such a strong sense of belonging to where I am from that a lot of what I’ve written and the wells I draw on are at home in Kilnamona.” 2016 saw Doireann win the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, several other accolades have followed and preceded that, such as a Seamus Heaney Fellowship to Queens Univeristy and a Lannan Literary Fellowship. Despite this success, she would never admit to being one of the leading writers in the country, let alone beyond Ireland. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt like I’m very good at this. Even though it might seem on paper like someone is having a lot of success as a writer or has been given certain awards, you’re still faced everyday with the blank page and the struggle with having to fill it up with words. I’m so happy that more readers are coming to my work and that there is that measure of success there.” A new wave of filíocht as Gaeilge is emerging and the Cork resident credits the Gaelscoil system for this. “There are so many young people coming to the language, the fact that we lost Irish as a first language - a language ón cliabhán as we

l HIGHLIGHT: Doireann will perform at St Columba’s Church Photo by Brid O’Sullivan

would say in Irish, from the cradle that’s gone with a few generations - means that people like me who learned Irish through the Gaelscoil system are coming to it with fresh eyes and it’s not our ordinary daily language that we had when we were kids. It does seem exotic and there is great potential in it for onomatopoeia and things like that. In school we learn rain is báisteach, we can come to words and hear another for rain which would have been used by our ancestors in Clare like claggarnach. When you say the word claggarnach out

loud you can practically hear the hail and rain tumbling down on the roof over you. I do find that inspirational in the poems... it’s not that long ago that our people were walking down the same roads and using very different words to articulate the same things. I feel that there is a real importance in those words and that sense of deep roots that we’re very lucky to have in this place”. Looking towards the future, Doireann was confident the Irish language would remain popular and vibrant. “Irish was gone from my family and I was enrolled in the Gaelscoil in Ennis and given such an extraordinary education and such an easy love for Irish, there was no sense of having to learn it in an active way...I feel there will always be a hope for the Irish language as long as there is such a brilliant Gaelscoil system thriving in Clare.” In a previous interview, the qualified teacher revealed that she would be like to be remembered for bringing ‘light and joy’ through her work, for her it is still a case of finding joy when she searches for a book. “I feel like there is a place in literature for bringing joy to people and the joy is in that sense of imaging the life of another and being allowed a little portal into someone else’s life for as short amount of time it takes to read a poem or as long an amount of time it takes to read a novel.”

Something for everyone at Ennis Book Club Festival...

FESTIVAL DATES: FRIDAY 1 – SUNDAY 3 MARCH 2019 THE full programme of events for the 13th Ennis Book Club Festival programme is now on sale at glór Box Office. As usual the Ennis Book Club Festival has assembled a stellar line up of authors and contributors, combined with an eclectic mix of special events to suit all tastes, many of them free of charge or very pocket friendly. In the Queens Hotel on Friday March 1, poet and playwright David Butler will talk about the many non-Dublin locations of Joyce’s Ulysses, the Queens Hotel being the location where Leopold Bloom’s father took his life. Also on Friday, Tomás Mac Conmara will explore the fascinating history of the Black and Tans and the Irish War of Independence using oral recordings documented with Clare’s oldest citizens. The Irish Times Book Club with Kevin Breathnach in The Temple Gate Hotel will see Martin Doyle, Irish Times books editor, interviewing author Kevin Breathnach on his debut novel, Tunnel Vision. The Long Subtraction with American poet and undertaker Thomas Lynch will celebrate the mighty voices of Lynch’s generation of poets including Dennis O’Driscoll, Seamus Heaney and Phillip Casey. In the glorious setting of St. Columba’s Church, Lynch will explore the power of their poems. Notes to Self by Emilie Pine is an Irish Book Award winner. Uncovering many taboos in Irish culture, the book has been described as ‘honest, brave, searing’ by The Sunday Times. Emilie Pine will chat to Dr. Tina O’Toole in glór about one of the most talked about books of the last year. In an ancillary event, the Temple Gate will host a pop-up book club with lunch, where readers will discuss Notes to Self in small groups, and then Emilie will join in the discussion to respond. The acclaimed EBCF Beyond Borders Book Club, exploring books from other cultures will culminate on Saturday 2nd when poet Sarah Clancy interviews the four presenters: Malgorzata Buchalik, William Wohlgemuth, Deirdre Yelverton, Evgeny Shtorn, who will revisit books from Poland, Hungary, South Africa, and Russia. An event fusing poetry and music takes place in St. Columba’s Church with world renowned musicians Barry Guy and Maya Homburger providing the music, while award winning bilingual Irish writer Doireann Ní Ghríofa provides the poetry. Clare based writers will be introduced in New Clare Voices. This year the writers include Niall Allsop, Grace Wells and Margaret Hickey in Clare Museum. Mis by Biddy Jenkinson in Danlann an Chlair is a tour-de-force retelling of an Irish medieval romance. It is acclaimed as one of the ‘most exciting and compelling poetry collections this side of the millennium.’ (Stingingfly.org) In the Festival’s Debut Authors Event on Saturday, Sarah Davis-Goff, Anne Griffin, Caoilinn Hughes will read and discuss their work with novelist Paul Lynch. Thrillers with author of The Girl Behind the Lens, Tanya Farrelly and New York Times bestselling author Michelle Richmond hosted by Nessa O Mahony in The Old Ground will explore what makes a great psychological thriller and how a writer can make the hearts of their readers’ race. All events now booking on 065 6843103.

16 COMMUNITY

Community COROFIN

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

CONTACT NEWSDESK

065 671 9021 news@clareecho.ie

the cast and the always phenomenal support of the community of Sixmilebridge and Kilmurry. We’re ready and we simply cannot wait for Friday night!” CHESS MINDS CONVERGE IN BUNRATTY The Bunratty International Chess Festival returns to Clare this weekend. The Festival, now in it’s 26th year will be held once again in the Bunratty Castle Hotel from the 22nd to the 24th of February. Bunratty is the strongest weekend chess tournament in the world and attracts hundreds of competitors from over a dozen countries to the village of Bunratty every February. Bunratty has a unique atmosphere where ordinary club players and members of the public get to mix freely with Grand Masters. An event not to be missed. For full details see www.bunrattychess.com.

NORTH/WEST CLARE

l READY FOR ROAD: GETTING ready for the Corofin tractor run are (back) Ronan McMahon, Thomas Carroll, James Shannon, Timmy Carroll, Conor Leyden; (front) James Shannon Jr, Patrick Morgan, Iarlaith Shannon, Tiarnán Leyden. The Corofin Tractor Run will take place on Sunday, February 24. A day of family fun is promised with trucks, bikes and vintage cars all ready to take part in the fundraiser at Corofin Hall, Gort Rd, Corofin. A family fun day will include a kids disco, a bouncy castle, face painting, and a kids pedal-tractor. All those taking part are asked to register from 11.30am and the event begins at 12.30pm sharp. Registration fee is €20 and all vehicles must be road-worthy and insured on the day. There will be refreshments after in the hall and a fundraiser raffle. Contact Conor on 087 6237872 with enquiries. Tickets cost €8 for each of the 8pm shows, with SOUTH/EAST CLARE the 6pm Saturday matinee offered at a reduced PANTO AT THE BRIDGE rate of €5. Tickets are available in local shops, IT’S nearly the end of February and, in Sixmilethe village post office and from youth club membridge, that can mean only one thing - it’s panto- bers. A limited supply of tickets will be available mime season once again as the local youth club at the door on the nights, although patrons are takes to the stage for ‘Puss in Boots’. advised to purchase their tickets in advance to This is the 18th consecutive year in which Sixavoid disappointment. milebridge Youth Club has staged its customary As with every preceding panto, this year’s show panto, with more than 60 young people from is written, produced and directed by Franthe parish set to display their talents to packed ces Downes, with assistance from Lorraine houses at Sixmilebridge GAA Hall over the next Naughton, Sharon Kennedy and Ciara Downes, two weekends. and choreographed by Lauren Kelly and Tara Opening night is this Friday 22nd February, with Maxwell. Audiences can expect plenty of witty the curtain being raises at 8pm. There is an comedy, some captivating dance routines and a early evening show on Saturday 23rd beginning magnificent standard and variety of singing. at 6pm, with the remaining shows taking place A club spokesperson said, “We’re indebted on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd March, both of to the tireless work and unselfishness of the which commence at 8pm. production team, as well as the dedication of

SIPTU TO ADDRESS NORTH CLARE MEETING Division organiser of the Public Administrative and Community Division of SIPTU, Adrian Kane will address a meeting of the North Clare Labour Party next month. In his role, Kane has responsibility for the development of industrial policy for the public-sector union member within SIPTU. The former Kildare County Councillor will be the guest speaker at a gathering of the North Clare Labour Party at the Falls Hotel, Ennistymon on March 1st at 8pm. FARMER IT COURSE IN ENNISTYMON Farmer IT/Smartphone Course, getting online with Limerick Clare Education and Training Board, course starts 28th Feb, Thursdays from 6.30pm-9.30pm at Ennistymon Vocational School . Contact Hilary Gleeson, Clare Local Development to book your place 087 6009607 or hgleeson@cldc.ie

ENNIS DOORA BOOK CLUB A newly formed Doora Book Club will hold their first meeting at Doora Community Hall on Thursday February 28th at 8:30pm. BUSINESS NETWORKING A group of Co. Clare business and professional people are forming a new service organization designed for our modern social media times. The new group wants to first focus on having fun and getting to know each other through networking then choose those local charitable needs that they feel strongly about and on which they can have a huge impact. The new group is open to all adults but is initially focussing on young professional and business people who want to increase their profile in Clare as well as develop their personal and vocational skills. It is sponsored by the Ennis Rotary Club which has ceased to function after over 35 years in Ennis. One of the organisers is Rebecca O’Gorman of AIB who commented: “I have been looking for a volunteer opportunity that will actually use my knowledge and professional skills to help local charities. I look forward to meeting others who feel the same.” There will be an initial introductory gathering for a brief presentation on Thursday, 28 February at the Rowen Tree Café Bar from 6 to 7 P.M. Anyone who can not make this date can contact Michael Shepherd to receive notice of future events. Email paroshep@gmail. com or text 087 454 3619. FLANNANS RUN RIOT Last Friday the Munster Schools Cross Country were held in Waterford, there were many Clare Athletes representing their individual schools. Pictured here is Dean Casey 1st and Mark Hanrahan 2nd who led the Intermediate Boys Race from the start. They along with Dylan Casey 5th, Luke Griffin 6th, Barry Conway, Conor Shanahan, Jack Power, Jack Warren won Gold for St. Flannans with 14 points ahead of St Brogans Bandon on 88.

Ennis bridal boutique making a splash in 2019

ITH three years of continued growth since opening, it’s fair to say that Ennis Bridal Boutique is certainly not the bridesmaid when it comes to bridal fashion. The classy O’Connell Street establishment, owned by Linda Kelleher, is one of Ireland’s leading bridal boutiques with a large selection of designer wedding dresses to suit all shapes, sizes and budgets. They also carry a wide selection of bridesmaid dresses, flower girl dresses and wedding accessories such as veils, belts, headpieces and jewelry to complete the entire look. With a dedicated and passionate bridal team that will help brides select the dress of their dreams – and with no time limit for bridal appointments – a one-to-one bridal appointment ensures not only confidentiality, but a friendly and relaxing experience for the bride and her entourage. Complimentary champagne and chocolates for all brides when they purchase their dress with Ennis Bridal Boutique is just an added bonus! The team also commits to steam the dress for the bride to ensure it is in perfect condition prior to the wedding day and assist the bride with putting on the dress the morning of the wedding if necessary. But don’t take our word for it – 2019 is already shaping up to be a marquee year for the Ennis Bridal Boutique. Hundreds of businesses and wedding specialists gathered at The Crowne Plaza Hotel last month for the Irish Wedding Awards where Ennis Bridal Boutique was deemed to be the west’s wedding boutique of the year. Speaking to The Clare Echo, Victoria O’Connell, a bridal assistant at Ennis Bridal Boutique maintained the recognition was testament to its hard-working owner Linda Kelliher. “We have stiff competition and at the end of the day we were surprised and we’re absolutely delighted. It’s recognition for the brand and for Linda who works ridiculously hard seven days a week, this woman could be opening the shop at nine in the morning and fin-

l PROUD OWNER: Linda Kelliher

l DRESSED TO IMPRESS: L-R. Aisling Duffy, Ava Matthews Sarah Maher, Wayne Walsh,(Mr.Ireland), Laura Cunningham Lorraine McInerney and Audrey McGrath modelling some of Ennis Bridal Boutiques amazing dresses

ishing at nine at night and it doesn’t phase her one bit to be here all hours of the night because she loves it that much”. Kilrush native Victoria is confident the win will result in a bumper year for Ennis Bridal Boutique. “It creates awareness for us, we’re building a brand here for four years and we’ve finally won an award that we truly do deserve. One of the unique selling points at Ennis Bridal is there’s no limit on anything, there is no time limit on your bridal appointment, some can be an hour others are three hours, we have no limit on how many dresses a bride can wear, Linda has put no limit on anything so that’s what our unique selling point is and this is something that we can finally say we won this award and we deserve it because we do go the extra mile”. It follows on from a story that made national headlines in 2018, when Ennis Bridal featured on the Joe Duffy as a bride to be was left distraught due to her veil that was accidentally given to a different bride. The bride-to-be called Joe Duffy on Liveline on RTÉ Radio 1 to seek help with her problem and owner of Ennis Bridal, Linda heard about the situation and called the Joe Duffy show to offer the bride a free veil to replace her own for her wedding in two weeks. Linda said on the show that she would travel with a selection of veils so that the bride could choose one. The bride was thrilled with Linda’s offer and the story made headlines on the Irish Examiner, The Vow.ie and many more websites. The situation was resolved in Ennis Bridal Boutique the night before the wedding at 11pm with both parties ended up having a laugh even though they entered the shop in tears.

18 FASHION IN CLARE

Beauty’s skin deep By Michael O’Doherty founder of Bioenergy Healing in Ireland

OUR skin which is the largest organ of your body is made up of several different components, including water, protein, lipids, and different minerals and chemicals. Its job is to protect you from infections and other environmental assaults. The skin also contains nerves that sense cold, heat, pain, pressure, and it also grows really fast. In 1 inch of skin, you have about 650 sweat glands, 20 blood vessels, 60,000 melanocytes (the stuff that makes melanin and gives your skin its colour.) and 1,000 or more nerve endings. Doctors who are experts in caring for skin are called dermatologists. Derma is the Greek word for skin. Dermatologists treat just about everything that can happen to skin, including rashes, dry skin, acne, and skin cancer. Stress-related skin problems which are the most common can range from eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, vitiligo, and much more.

There are 3 key factors that directly relate to your skin health

1.Your environment.

In the winter, the role your environment plays on your skin is obvious. The combination of cold temps outside and warm air inside often creates dry, itchy, irritated skin. Other external factors that can affect your skin include: public spaces, air conditioning chemicals, or minerals in household products, and even your pets. So, if you live in a country like Ireland that is damp and cold for at least six months of the year your skin is going to take a battering. Thankfully there are lots of ways that you can look after your skin and apart from the usual care of cleansing, toning,

moisturising and hydrating salons and skin specialist clinics provide treatments that can help repair damaged skin.

2. Stress affects your skin

Stress is one of the biggest factors in skin related conditions and effects your entire body as well as your hair, nails, and skin. While stress is a normal part of life, what matters is how you handle it and no matter what you do, if you don’t learn to deal with stress you are not going to fully recover from whatever your skin condition is. Stress causes a negative chemical response in your body and this can make skin more sensitive and reactive. It can also make it harder for skin conditions to heal. Stress causes your body to make hormones like cortisol, which tells glands in your skin to make more oil. Oily skin is more prone to acne and other skin problems. Stress also affects your hormones and hormone related skin conditions can be more difficult to deal with.

3.Food and skin

Stress can often change your behaviour with regard to your food and many people have a tendency to eat more sweet foods and drink more coffee etc. which only exacerbates skin condition as these foods create more inflammation in the body. Sugar, dairy, processed foods, alcohol and fizzy drinks are the things to cut back on or eliminate for a while to enable you to recover or manage your skin health. Gut health is critical and many skin conditions are directly related to the gut and the microbial activity in the gut. The diversity of what you eat directly affects all of your body and of course your skin. If you want better skin health you need to take control and learn ways to transform your stress, make better choices and guard against environmental damage. When you combine this with regular skin care advise and treatments in your local salons and clinics you will look amazing. You deserve it, go do it. info@michaelodoherty.com www.michaelodoherty.com

CD2 has you sorted for his special day

T Lower Market Street, Ennis, CD2 offers excellent quality clothing for young boys and teenagers (8 – 16yrs). Whether it’s casual or formal, CD2 have what you’re looking for with brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Gant, Farrah, Lyle & Scot, Losan and Converse to name but a few. With Confirmations and Communions coming up, CD2 have smart Jackets, Chinos, Shirts and knits to suit your son on his special day. The friendly staff will help you choose the best colour and style for the occasion.

l DRESSED TO IMPRESS: Robbie Keane and his son enjoying his communion day

riVer SPa

& aQua Centre relax and unwind with our range of

Spa Rituals     

Bathing Ceremonies Exfoliation Treatments Facials Body Wraps & Floats Massage

SpEnd TiME in our rElaxaTion rooM & ThErMal SuiTE Enjoy a lighT lunCh or aFTErnoon TEa

Relax in Style!

our Spa guESTS alSo havE Full uSE oF our aqua CEnTrE and ThE FolloWing FaCiliTiES:

    

20m pool jacuzzi Steam room & Sauna hydro Therapy pool outdoor hot Tub Full gyMnaSiuM WiTh aTTraCTivE MEMBErShip paCkagES

Please contact 065 707 0937 for more details!

Relax, Revive, Restore

at the fallS hotel, enniStYMon

riverspa@fallshotel.ie

20 FASHION IN CLARE

Top Hair Tools

Y hair is something I really struggle with. For years I had really long thick hair that would look great on a night out but was too much to manage every day. Heated rollers were the easiest for me to use and had the best result by far – big bouncy curls with minimal damage. I never got the hang of GHD curls. Curling wands I could manage just not at the back of my head. I found with the heated rollers even if I applied them in uneven sections the result was still perfect. In April of this year I gave the cocochoco treatment a try and I haven’t looked back since!

COCOCHOCO HAIR STRAIGHTENING TREATMENT This treatment involves the application of keratin which is the main protein found in hair, skin, and nails to improve your hairs texture, elasticity, and condition. A side effect of this treatment is that your hairs curl/frizz is greatly reduced. I had very curly hair and it is now completely straight with a quick blow dry! The time spent blow-drying my hair has been cut from 45 mins to 15 mins and I have no need for a straightener. This treatment has saved me so much time in the mornings. It is effortless to look presentable before work

in minutes! Before getting this treatment, my hair was such a chore that I dreaded. Curls are gorgeous, but I would rather straight sleek hair within minutes than curly hair which when left natural takes hours to dry and is still somewhat frizzy and untidy. I can’t recommend this treatment enough. If I feel like having my curls back, I leave it dry natural. I find my curl a lot less frizzy and more tamed since the treatment. This treatment is free from formaldehyde and ammonia, therefore, it does no damage to your hair. I have had two treatments this year and my hair is in perfect condition, especially because there is no need for a straightener anymore.

HEATED ROLLERS I have only ever tried the BaByliss ones and swear by them! The results are as good

FASHION IN CLARE

& Treatments as a curly blowdry. I am the type of person who can’t straighten the back of my own head but I can manage these no problem! Everyone should give these a go! Sets cost approx 60€ but prices vary depending on how big a set is needed. I noticed little to no damage in my hair after using these at weekends compared to the effects of a curling iron or hair straightener.

untangle my hair. It comes in a 150ml spray bottle and is approximately 15€. Well worth it! It lasts ages too. Very little is needed at one time. It also provides heat and colour protection, controls frizz, and helps to repair dry damaged hair.

WETBRUSH DETANGLER

UNIQUE HAIR TREATMENT BY REVLON PROFESSIONAL When my hair was really long it was next to impossible to brush and it tangled so easy! This spray with 10 benefits was the only spray that worked to

Since finding this hair brush it has been noticed that I do not scream anymore when brushing my hair. So, it must be good! With such a sensitive scalp and hair that tangles so easy a gentle brush is a must for me. I recommend these for children too. by Jodie Finlay

22 FASHION IN CLARE

Runway Hits

HE winter sales have disappeared and we’re well underway with experiencing the new season staples we’d like to spice up our spring wardrobes. Wondering where to begin? We’ve discovered 10 of the key trends that have made their way into your social media feeds and magazine covers over the past number of weeks. Shades of sage were all over the spring/summer 2019 runways this year, so whether you prefer mossy or mintier hues, this subtle shade is one to buy into. Boilersuits were the stealth fashion favourite for autumn, and they’re set to hit the big time for spring. An all-in-one wardrobe solution? Never has springtime dressing been simpler. With fashion’s eighties love-in enduring, it was only a matter of time before the era’s dominant denim hue crept back, acid wash is set to be the surprise jean genie for girls in the know. Thought bows were prissy and girlish? Think again. This season they came big, bad and bouncing, exploding from the busts of gowns and trailing dramatically from shoulders. Keep your hippie haute with tie dye tailoring this Spring/Summer. No longer the preserve of surf bums and ageing hippies, tie dye was seen on the backs of the savviest street style stars at the end of 2018, and if the spring/summer 2019 catwalks have anything to do with it, the psychedelic swirls are going from far out to totally in this summer. Cycling shorts were one of the standout street style trends of last year. Those that loved them will be pleased to know the trend is set to pedal harder into 2019. For those that thought they were the worst thing ever, fear not, for this summer all sorts of shorts are coming to the fore. Will the ‘80s obsession ever end? It looks not! The winter saw us partying in white heels and puffball dresses accessorised with diamante drop earrings and padded Alice bands, and the spring collections plundered the l THE TIE DYE TEE: decade once again. The Tie dye t-shirt is makes a comeback

FASHION IN CLARE

UNDERCOVERED

S we hit peak season for weddings and you have the perfect outfit planned, remember it is so important that you get your underwear perfect to give you a clean silhouette. As we have all seen the wrong underwear can ruin any outfit. Shapewear is the solution for everybody and every size. With sizes starting at XS to 6XL Its purpose is to create an even and smooth finish to any outfit giving you that confidence to enjoy your day. Never under estimate the real benefit and assistance that properly fitted shapewear can be in creating the most flattering look and giving you that super confident feeling in your outfit. There are many types of shapewear and no such thing as one fits all. Each of us are shaped differently and need help in different areas. It is so important to get it right. Here in la jolie femme we are Renowned for our knowledge of what will and wont work on an individual person. We have something to suit everyone , Call in and let us solve your wardrobe dilemmas with our experts in-store. In my 13 years measuring, fitting and Selling shapewear here are a few of the important lessons that people need to know:

Do not buy the wrong size. Squeezing into smaller sizes only creates additional problem areas if it feels to tight then very possibly it is the level of control and not the shareware itself that is the issue.

If you have a large middle section go right to the bust. Shapewear that sits in the waist, such as a brief can create the dreaded muffin top if you find this category are of the fear of this make sure that you choose a high waisted version to give you that ideal silhouette.

3 4

Properly fitted shapewear does not ride up, rolldown or create a VPL.

Do not put on shapewear over your head. It is designed to be tight fitting with latex grips. Your hair and dignity demand that you always stand into shapewear.

Remember you will have to visit the bathroom: Therefore, ensure when deciding what to wear for that special occasion that you know where all the fittings and practicalities of the shapewear you have chosen are located.

Most important of all do not avoid fitting room: shapewear now comes in a wide variety of styles, shapes and designs. It is an industry that is continuously creating products to fit all of those different problem areas that everybody might have. Iit also comes in various levels of control. It is an important purchase but also a purchased that you need to ensure is the right fit and shape for you, your dress and your confidence. by June, La Jolie Femme

24 FASHION IN CLARE

Giving your brain a boost during exams This can harm your ability to learn by decreasing your mood. And, if you over-study, you’re not getting enough sun or fresh air, which are vital. “All-nighters or depriving the brain of the sleep it needs significantly reduces cognitive function. This is when things start going in one ear and out the other.”

Feed your brain

R Daniel Jones, Director of Research & Development at Revive Active, shares five tips for improving your test-taking performance.

Work out your mind

When stress starts to interfere and studying becomes overwhelming, a burst of energy can have a beneficial impact on your brain. “Even as little as 20 minutes a day of physical activity can have a profound impact on our brain’s ability to function and process information. Go for a walk in the morning to jumpstart the brain, then another at midday to recharge and give yourself a break.”

Healthy technology habits

“Social media bombards the brain with a huge amount of information, causing the brain to use a lot of energy to process and store this,” says Dr Jones. “It fatigues the brain and you won’t be able to study as efficiently. Phones can be a major distraction during study, so turn off your phone and lock it in your drawer” Dr Jones says spending too much time in front of screens in the evening can impact a student’s mental performance and sleep schedule, “Constant bright lights can impair the body’s desire to sleep and visuals can bombard the brain with stimulation, reducing its ability to calm and hindering concentration levels the next day.”

Less over-studying, more sleep

“Over-studying pushes the brain,” says Dr Jones. “If you give the brain too much information, it becomes fatigued.

The optimal time to study is when your brain is recharged and well-fed. “We need to consume at least 1.5 to two litres of water a day to keep hydrated. Dehydration makes you tired and affects your concentration. “Make sure you have a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner. When you want to snack, go for a simple carbohydrate or fruits like strawberries or blueberries. Or, healthy fats that we find in nuts or seeds and the occasional piece of dark chocolate.”

Support the learning process

“Even if you follow a healthy diet, there may be certain recommended daily requirements of nutrients you might not be getting,” explains Dr Jones. “Some micronutrients such as copper and vitamin K, are essential and we don’t often get from our normal, routine diet. Using a drink supplement such as Revive Active’s Mastermind can help to fill in these gaps. “Mastermind helps to support brain function, cognitive function, mental performance and the nervous system, through a range of ingredients including vitamin B12 and zinc. Mastermind also contains omega 3 DHA, which not only contributes to maintenance of normal brain function, but it is sourced from marine algae, making it suitable for vegetarians. “Exam time is a unique point in a student’s life where they will need to learn, store and recall so much information within a short amount of time. Their bodies are young, but still require essential fuel to help support them.”

Mastermind

Mastermind is available in a 12-sachet box to purchase in all good pharmacies and health food stores, retailing at €19.95. Students only need to take three sachets per week – Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

FASHION IN CLARE

Putting a big smile on Clare faces

OCATED in Westgate Business Park, Ennis Orthodontic Practice was established by Dr Jeeves Kochhar in 2004. Our Specialist practice prides itself on its high quality of care and expertise, and enjoys a strong reputation among patients and referring dentists. We invest in state of the art equipment in order to provide our patients with cutting edge treatment and outstanding service, in a caring environment. The latest addition to our practice is a 3D Scanner which enables us to take 3D digital scans of your teeth. These images help us to precisely assess your specific case, and show you a simulation of your treatment including the finished result, before it has even started! We offer a wide choice of orthodontic appliances for both children and adults, and take a personal interest in all of our patients, resulting in a strong trusting

relationship throughout their treatment. These factors, combined with our commitment to quality, mean that you are assured of the best possible Orthodontic care at our practice. Dr Jeeves Kochhar is a registered specialist with the Irish Dental Council, which allows him to use the term ‘Specialist’ when referring to the treatment he provides and the practice. If you are investing in Orthodontic treatment for yourself or your child, we believe you deserve to see an appropriately qualified, recognised and more importantly registered ‘Specialist’ provider. While most people remember braces as being associated with misaligned teenage teeth, the rapid technological advances, reduced treatment times and inconspicuous braces have resulted in an ever-increasing number of adults undergoing treatment. At Ennis Braces we have several different braces options that we use for

teeth straightening including removable, tooth coloured, lingual ‘invisible’ and Invisalign. Jeeves has treated several thousand patients and successfully fixed the most severe alignment problems. This means you can be confident that you get the best possible advice available. If you would like to find out more about our Orthodontic practice you can visit our website www.ennisbraces.com, or call the practice.

26 BUSINESS

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

BUSINESS

Shannon Group honour Ei Electronics

HANNON Group - through its subsidiary Shannon Commercial Properties – has acknowledged the remarkable contribution to the MidWest economy of Shannon Free Zone’s largest employer, Ei Electronics with a presentation to mark two special anniversaries. Employing over 700 people today at Shannon Free Zone, the company over recent months has celebrated not alone 55 years of operations here but 30 years since it became a fully-fledged Irish company after a management buy-out under the direction of CEO Mick Guinee. Shannon Commercial Properties Managing Director Ray O’Driscoll has hailed the company’s success and impact, stating that the global leader in the design and manufacturing of Fire and Carbon Monoxide detection products for the residential market is one of the region’s great success stories. “While Ei Electronics started out life under GE, we see this as a fantastic home-grown success. 30 years-ago, its CEO Mick Guinee recognised an opportunity to lead a management buyout of the business from GE and it has become one of the most important employers in Shannon and the wider region since.” “Mick and his team initially set a goal of maintaining manufacturing jobs in Shannon and thirty years later it is clear that this goal has, through the hard work and commitment of everyone at Ei Electronics, been achieved.

They are celebrating an anniversary on the double and I have no doubt but we will see the growth trajectory of this company continue into the future.” Presenting Ei Electronics CEO Mick Guinee with a commemorative sculpture by Irish artist Liam Butler, Shannon Group Chairman, Rose Hynes, applauded the company’s commitment to the region. “Ei Electronics is an integral part of the manufacturing industry here in Shannon. Under the vision and stewardship of Mick and its management team, it has become a key global player in this market. I wish Mick and everyone here the very best and I want to thank them for their contribution to Shannon and this region. Mick Guinee commented; “I am delighted to receive this acknowledgement from Shannon Group at our recently opened Centre of Excellence today, here in Shannon. The Ei success story has been a wonderful journey over many decades. Our aim at the outset was to maintain valuable manufacturing jobs in Shannon, and build a successful and sustainable international business. Today, after 55 years, we are the largest employer in Shannon. Our recent anniversary celebrations were a great opportunity to celebrate these achievements with our local community, and pay tribute to employees, past and present.” “Our success is a tribute to the dedication of very many people over several decades. We are particularly proud of the fact that over the years we have made a valuable contribution to our local community and this region,

l MILESTONE: Shannon Commercial Properties MD Ray O’Driscoll, Ei Electronics CEO Mike Guinee and Shannon Group Chairman, Rose Hynes Photo by Arthur Ellis making it a better place to live and work for the current and future generations.” Commenting further, Rose Hynes said; “EI Electronics is an acknowledged market leader and is one of Ireland’s largest indigenous electronic companies. The Company has achieved continuous growth

through the development of a stream of innovative new products manufactured in a state of the art, vertically integrated facility, and delivered to the highest customer service standards. This is very impressive by any standard. We in Shannon are all very proud of their achievements.”

Engineering showcase for Shannon

l CONFERENCE: Lauren Mayenbrg, Aoife Lee and Emma Brennan from Desmond College, Newcastle West, Co Limerick at the launch of the 2019 Limerick for Engineering Showcase which is taking place in Shannon Airport early next month Photo by Sean Curtin/True Media

OW in its fifth year, the Limerick for Engineering Showcase will take place on Thursday, March 7 from 5:30-8:30pm at the Shannon Airport Departures Hall. This free event, open to all, aims to encourage school leavers – with a particular focus on female students – to consider a career in the engineering sector. Brought to life by the Limerick for Engineering consortium, the showcase will feature stands from almost 50 leading companies based in the Mid-West region, including Cook Medical, Johnson & Johnson, Analog Devices and Ei Electronics. Third-level students, apprentices, graduates and professionals will also engage with visitors, in-

viting them to partake in a variety of demonstrations that will allow them to momentarily experience a day in the life of an engineer. The event will highlight the connection between academia and industry while specifically referencing the vital alliance between the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, LIT and UL and their collective role in producing talented graduates. The Showcase is free and free parking is available at Shannon Airport for visitors on the evening. The event is an industry-led collaboration between almost 50 leading companies in the MidWest; the region’s education providers; IDA and Enterprise Ireland. Visit www.limerickforengineering.ie for further information.

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

RECRUITMENT

BUSINESS 27

PRINT DEADLINE InterTradeIreland is working with a number of innovative SMEs in Ireland and Northern Ireland that are currently looking for motivated individuals to undertake a 12 or 18 month innovation project as part of our FUSION programme.

Copy will not be accepted after Tuesday at noon. Email sales@clareecho.ie for enquiries

Great local opportunities currently available:

ERP Software Implementation Project Manager Location: Shannon

Salary: €36k - €40k

Modular Automation is an award winning Irish company that combines innovative engineering design with the highest quality machine build to deliver high tech smart automated equipment for leading Medical Device and Technology manufacturers.

Process and Systems Analyst Location: Shannon

Salary: €29k - €36.7k

Eirtech Aviation Services (EAS) is a world-leading specialist Aviation Services Company providing tailor-made engineering services, advanced composite repair services, and asset management solutions that ensure regulatory compliance to International airlines, private operators and aviation leasing companies across the globe.

The door to a great career is open, the rest is up to you. You will receive mentoring throughout from the company and from Ulster University. In addition, you will have the opportunity to gain a fully-funded Postgraduate Diploma in Business and Management at Queen’s University, Belfast. For more information and to apply – check out current vacancies at www.intertradeireland.com/graduate-programme Completed application forms should be received no later than 12 noon on Friday 1st March 2019.

intertradeireland.com

InterTradeIreland – The Trade and Business Development Body is committed to equality of opportunity and welcomes applications from suitably qualified candidates irrespective of religious belief, gender, disability, race, political opinion, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or whether or not they have dependants. As part of our affirmative action programme we particularly welcome applicants from the Protestant Community. All applications will be considered strictly on the basis of merit.

Have an empty seat that you need to fill? CALL THE CLARE ECHO TEAM TO PLACE A RECRUITMENT AD 065 671 9021

Beautiful homes all over the County UNLOCK YOUR DREAM

Property Superb Investment Opportunity

Super Location

12 SHANNON PARK, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

15 MILL HOUSE, MILL ROAD, ENNIS, CO. CLARE

ELEN Gallery Auctioneers and Valuers are delighted to bring 12 Shannon Park to the market. This home is ideally located in a popular mature area within minutes walk of Ennis town centre, Rice College, The CBS National School, Tim Smyth Park, local shops, St Joseph’s Church and all other amenities. Built in the 1960’s this property offers bright spacious rooms with separate living room, dining room, family room (ground floor bedroom), kitchen and wet room on the ground floor. There are three good size bedrooms on the first floor and a shower room. The back garden is very private and fully enclosed with the front garden having off street parking and mature shrubbery. This property could make an ideal home or investment property. Price: €175,000

RIGHT, spacious, newly decorated, two bedroomed apartment, centrally located in the popular Mill House development within minutes walk of Ennis town centre and all amenities of Ennis Town. The accommodation is very spacious with an open plan kitchen/dining/ living room with access to a balcony to the front, bathroom and two double bedrooms to the rear which are bright and have extensive built in wardrobes in both. Finishes include laminate timber flooring in the living area, dining room, hallway & bedrooms, tiled kitchen and bathroom floors and a fully fitted kitchen with new appliances. Ideal as a starter home or investment property. Viewing highly recommended.

Further details Helen Gallery Auctioneers and Valuers,

68 Parnell Street, Ennis

065 6829481 & 086 250467

Location Location are delighted to release the Last Remaining Residence at 1 Radharc Na Bhoirne, in Barefield Village

arefield Village has long been a sought after address and offers exceptional local amenities in a stunning setting with the added strategic benefit of easy access to the Barefield M18 Interchange, Ennis town Centre and Shannon Airport. Here at the heart of it all is Radharc Na Bhoirne an exceptional development of only extra large detached houses brought to you by Drumquin Construction that has created many of Co. Clare’s finest addresses.

Radharc Na Bhoirne is one of Clare’s finest new addresses and occupies an truly spacious site directly off the Gort Road, in Barefield Village, walking distance to the local national school with easy access to all the great amenities of Ennis. Here Drumquin Construction are creating a private enclave of large superior quality family houses each with an expanse of private garden, set in richly landscaped grounds. Living in Radharc Na Bhoirne presupposes a lifestyle of comfort and elegance in a place conducive to relaxing, refreshing and recharging, surrounded by a wide selection of premier and unique amenities. This exceptionally large five bedroom home extends to approximately 315.87 sqm. (3400 sq ft) The spacious accommodation is situated over three floors offering generous room proportions throughout. It is often said that the kitchen is the heart of the house, while at Drumquin Construction they say it is the heart of family living, and so at 1 Radharc Na Bhorine the team has redefined the kitchen as an expansive living, dining and kitchen space with adjacent sunroom & utility, it is one big open plan that flows easily and casually opens to embrace the paved patio and elegant gardens beyond. The large reception is located off the entrance hall to offer a formal reception room, the configu-

ration of these rooms provide flexible options for your family depending on your requirements and stage of life, easily transforming to an entertainment room or perhaps one room for adults and one for children or teenagers. The study at garden level and provides an ideal home office, private hobby/ play room or den/bedroom and bathroom. Upstairs a large feature landing leads to four large elegant double bedrooms. These large bedrooms provide each Racharc Na Bhoirne resident with uncompromised comfort and each with their own quality private space. The generous master suite consists of an exceptional large bedroom space, a large en-suite and a walk-in wardrobe. The Second-floor is a real luxury offering a spacious cinema/games room, fifth bedroom & bathroom. 1 Radharc na Bhoirne is the pinnacle of an uncompromising vision that delivers contemporary living informed by a deep rooted appreciation of traditional aesthetics, quality craftsmanship and contemporary technologies. Contact: LocationLocation Tel: (065) 682 3718 Address: Unit 2, Summerhill, Market Place, Ennis, Co. Clare

MOTORING

MOTORING EXPERT NEIL BRISCOE GIVES HIS VIEWS

WHEN IS GERMAN NOT GERMAN ENOUGH

FACTS & FIGURES

CAN OPEL’S FAB INSIGNIA GSI COMPETE WITH THE LIKES OF BMW AND AUDI?

OPEL INSIGNIA

GSI BI-TURBO

HEN is German not German enough? After all, Opel is actually about as German as they come. In spite of having been owned by the Americans (General Motors) for most of its life, and more recently taken over by the French (by the PSA Group, which also owns Peugeot and Citroen) Opel is most definitely a German car maker. Its headquarters and its main factory are in Russelsheim, just outside Frankfurt. The problem, for Opel, is that most buyers don’t quite consider it German enough, or at least not sufficiently German that it can take on the Teutonic big boys of the premium car world, BMW, Audi, and Mercedes. It probably doesn’t help that the Opel range is full of models such as the Astra and Corsa and Grandland that are very much affordable family cars, but surely it doesn’t have to follow that Opel can’t stretch itself to mix it with the premium brands? Let’s see, shall we? This is the Insignia GSI, a casual glance may not be able to tell it apart from a basic €27,995 family-friendly Insignia, it’s rather more tasty than that. Which it needs to be, because as it sits in front of you, the range-topping GSI costs pretty much twice the price of the most basic Insignia.

Opel hopes, by stuffing the Insignia full of technology, high-tech handling aids, and a more powerful engine, it can justify a BMW-like price tag. How much, exactly? Well, brace yourselves, this Insignia costs €53,950. OK, that requires a little context. First of all, our test car came with only two options; a wireless charging port for a mobile phone, and a heated windscreen. The combined price of those was a mere €350. The remaining €53,600 buys you more than a little in terms of standard kit, including an eight-inch infotainment screen with the latest IntelliLink software, which can act as a wifi hotspot for as many as eight devices, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are thrown in. It also included a premium Bose sound system, dual zone climate control, cruise control, a heated steering wheel, heated seats in the front and back, high-performance LED headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport tyres, a lane departure control system, forward collision alert with automated emergency braking, and traffic sign recognition. Oh, and don’t forget the gorgeous, high-backed bucket seats, specific to the GSI, and which are some of the best incar pews you’ll ever place your buttocks onto. More importantly, that price tag also gets you the GSI’s amped-up engine and chassis. You can have a 260hp petrol version, but our test car used the 2.0-li-

tre twin-turbo diesel model, with 210hp and a very healthy 480Nm of torque. That’s channeled to all four wheels by a computer-controlled four-wheel drive system, and there’s torque vectoring so that power can be shunted side-to-side between the rear wheels, depending on which one can handle the grunt the best. There’s also Opel’s Flexride electronically-controlled suspension dampers, which can stiffen up or soften out quicker than you can blink, and, to keep all the power under control, massive Brembo brakes tucked in behind those big alloy wheels. Whatn you’ll be wondering at this point is, even with all of that equipment, and the sportier chassis, can the Insignia really live up to that lofty price tag? The answer is most definitely yes. Ireland is replete with country backroads that provide a more stern test for the handling and ride of cars than almost anywhere else in the world. The Insignia GSI was, boasts Opel, developed at the fearsome Nurburgring race track in Germany, but the ‘Ring ain’t got nothing on a vicious Irish boreen. Yet, even so, the GSI takes to the worst/best of our roads like a duck to a pond. That Flexride suspension system is just amazing — even with the big wheels, it never lets the Insignia become crashy or uncomfortable over bumps. In spite of which, the GSI feels immensely taut and entertaining on a twisting road. The steering’s a touch slow, but you can use the four-wheel

Model tested: Opel Insignia GSI 2.0 BiTurbo Diesel Auto 4x4 Pricing: €53,950 as tested; Insignia starts at €27,995 Engine: 2,0-litre twin-turbo diesel four-cylinder Transmission: eight-speed automatic, four-wheel drive Body style: five door fastback CO2 emissions: 184g/km (Band E €750 per annum) Combined economy: 39.7mpg (7.1 litres/100km) Top speed: 233km/h 0-100km/h: 7.9 seconds Power: 210hp at 5,500rpm Torque: 480Nm at 1,500rpm Boot space: 490-1,450 litres Safety: Euro NCAP rating for Opel Insignia: Five stars: 93 per cent adult; 85 per cent child; 78 per cent pedestrian; 69 per cent safety assist

drive system’s torque vectoring to help point the nose where you want it to go, and the levels of grip, balance, and composure are impressively high. Think an Opel can’t mix it with BMW or Mercedes? Think again… The only weak area is the cabin. Oh, it’s nicely laid out, roomy, mostly well-made, and has those glorious bucket seats, but the fact is that for a €50-odd-thousand car, we’d like to see slightly higher overall quality, sharper instruments, and less cheap-feeling black plastic. That’s a small glitch, though. What the Insignia GSI proves, beyond a doubt, is that Opel has the chutzpah to swim in the deep end with the big-budget German luxury brands. The badge may have ways to go yet in terms of public perception when it comes to just how German it is, but the GSI shows that Opel is German in all the best ways possible.

YOUR NEW BABY IS READY FOR DELIVERY. ŠKODA KODIAQ available now from €339 per month.

Introducing the New KODIAQ, it’s not only ŠKODA’s largest SUV but its first car with 7 seats. It delivers on ŠKODA’s usual qualities of practicality, thoughtful design, as well as innovative connectivity solutions that are sure to make family life that little bit sweeter.

Al Hayes ŠKODA Gort Road, Ennis, Co. Clare. Tel: 065 682 2400 • www.alhayesskoda.ie Typical Example: KODIAQ 7 Seater 1.5 TSI 150 BHP Active OTRP €34,245. Deposit €10,599.51. 36 monthly payments of €339 including service plan of €12.99 per month. Optional final Payment of €13,398. Total hire purchase price €35,883.87. APR 2.9%. Total cost of credit €1,638.87. Minimum deposit is 10%. Subject to lending criteria. This offer is made under a hire purchase agreement. Volkswagen Bank GMBH branch Ireland is authorised by the federal financial Supervisory authority (BaFIN) in Germany and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules. Offer available on all orders taken before 28th of February and registered before the 31st of March 2019. Picture for illustrative purposes only. Price includes delivery and related charges. WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) combined fuel consumption for KODIAQ in l/100km range from 5.3 to 9.2. WLTP combined CO2 emissions in g/km range from 128 to 217.

skoda.ie

MOTORING

MOTORING EXPERT NEIL BRISCOE GIVES HIS VIEWS

NEW POLO HITS THE GOLF WHERE IT HURTS VW’S NEW SUPERMINI IS SO GOOD YOU MIGHT JUST BUY IT INSTEAD OF A GOLF

VOLKSWAGEN POLO

ORTY-ODD years on from the launch of the original Polo, I’d say VW has finally gotten it just about right. The Polo and I have a little, shall we say, history. Years ago, a company I worked for in London used a mid-eighties ‘breadvan’ MkII Polo as the office hack-about and I used it to drive the literal length and breadth of the British Isles. It was not, shall we say, a pleasant experience. Fast forward a few years, and I was taking (then) brand new Polos out for test drive, which is all fun and games, until you pull into the overtaking lane of the motorway in a 55hp 1.2 Polo and try to accelerate. And you swiftly realise that it just doesn’t actually do accelera-tion, and all you can suddenly see is the word ‘Scania’ looming larger and larger in the rear view mirror. Terrifying. Oh yes, the Polo and I have history. Thankfully, because of this, the sixth-generation Polo, I think we may also have a future. You’d expect the latest generation of a product, any product, to be the best one ever (that is, of course, the point of latest generations) but the Polo goes further than that. It’s not only the best Polo yet, it may just be better than the Golf. Well, it’s certainly the same size as the Golf. Just like mobile phone screens, alloy

wheels, and my own stomach cars keep getting bigger, and now small cars are the same size as what we would once have considered medium cars. So this Polo, in spite of sharing the same name as generations of cars that have always been considered small, is actually roughly the same size as a 1991 MkIII Golf. It’s so roomy and spacious, that it actually has a boot that very nearly matches that of the current Golf for cubic capacity — 349-litres of it. That is almost by itself a game changer for the Polo. The last version which I test drove, a very fine car in many respects, still felt small and slightly cramped inside, especially if one had just stepped out of a Golf or similarly-sized C-segment hatchback. The Polo, though, has acres more space in its cabin and this is especially noticeable in the back seats. Where before, you’d have had to squeeze adults and small children with big car seats in, now there is lounging room, even for reasonably tall types. And it doesn’t come with the compromise of space in the front. You don’t sit high, narrow, and perched-up as some small cars still demand. You sit low, laid back, and totally comfort-able. It’s this above all that makes you think you might not need that upgrade to the Golf af-ter all. There’s even very little in terms of a compromise when it comes to interior quality and lay-out. OK, so our test car was a very well-specced (VERY well-specced) Comfortline model, which clocked in with an on-the-road price of just over €20,000. But

then, this is where the model is heading. VW reports that more and more buyers, funding their purchases with low-rate PCP plans are going for high-spec models and ladling on the options. Our Comfortline test car would once have been the narrow point of the wedge of the Polo range. Now it’s mainstream. Mainstream means a trip computer, forward collision alert with pedestrian monitoring, an eight-inch touch screen infotainment system (which is one of the very best in the business, it must be said) and proper sense of hewn-from-solid quality. OK, if you want to quibble, then poke around in the lower reaches of the dashboard and the doors, and you’ll find plas-tics of a quality that would never get next or near a Golf production line, but for the most part the Polo’s cabin is an exceptionally pleasant place to be. Comfortable seats, a sensible driving position, reasonable refinement. One feels that a trip from here to the other side of any continent you might car to pick wouldn’t be too much of a stretch. The steering isn’t especially sharp nor the dynamic performance especially memorable, but it’s pleasant, sta-ble, sure-footed and comfortable — for 99 per cent of people, that will be enough. Ah, but it would be a bit of a stretch for the engine. The Polo has come a long way from that sluggardly 55hp model that had a near-run-in with that Scania, but power is a long way from the top of its priority list. The little 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine is a paragon of refinement and quick

FACTS & FIGURES

Model tested: Volkswagen Polo 1.0 65hp Comfortline Pricing: as tested €21,049; Polo range starts at €16,795 Engine: 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol Transmission: five-speed manual, front-wheel drive Body style: five-door supermini CO2 emissions: 108g/km (Band A3, €190 per annum) Combined economy: 60.1mpg (4.7 litres/100km) Top speed: 164km/h 0-100km/h: 15.5 seconds Power: 65hp at 5,000rpm Torque: 95Nm at 3,300 to 4,500rpm Boot space: 349-litres (seats up), 1,125-litres (seats down) Euro NCAP rating: five-star; 96 per cent adult, 85 per cent child, 76 per cent pedestrian, 59 per cent safety assist

revving, and it claims a very impressive 60mpg on the combined cycle, but quick it ain’t. At low speeds, and jogging around town, it feels fine and even quite responsive, but up the pace and head out onto bigger roads and it soon starts to feel breathless. In fact, to keep up with traffic on a flowing main road, you have to work it so hard through the lower gears that I just don’t think you’re ever going to see that fuel economy figure. An upgrade to the 75hp version is probably a good idea. The Polo is brilliant, a genuinely terrific small car that might be a touch pricey, but which justifies itself in almost every area. And yes, it might even be a better car, all-round, than the Golf.

Drive your future forward with the 191 Polo. From €159 per month. Technology Upgrades

0% APR PCP Finance*

What drives us, is driving you into the future and the Polo is the supermini that can fill your future with day after day of adventure. That’s why we’re offering PCP finance from 0% APR* and a Technology Upgrade that includes 15-inch ‘Sassari’ Alloys, Front Fog lamps and a Multifunction Steering Wheel.

Request your quote online or visit us before February 28th to avail of these offers.

Western Garages, Volkswagen Clare, Quin Road, Ennis, Co Clare. T. 065 682 8505. W. www.westerngarages.com Model shown is for illustrative purposes only. Polo Range Fuel Consumption l/100km (max. – min.): combined 7.3 - 4.9. CO2 emissions g/km (max. – min.) 165-121. The specific fuel consumption and emission values are the official figures obtained from tests under standardised EU test conditions in accordance with the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP). To discover exact values please configure your desired vehicle at volkswagen.ie/build. *Typical Finance Example: POLO TL 1.0 MPI 65HP. Recommended OTRP €17,770. Deposit/Part Exchange €5,248. 36 monthly payments of €159. APR 0%. Optional final payment €6,798. Total cost of credit €0. Subject to lending criteria. Total cost of credit includes acceptance fee (€75) and completion fee (€75). No minimum deposit requirement. This offer is made under a hire purchase agreement. Volkswagen Bank GmbH Branch Ireland is authorised by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority in Germany and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules. Offers available on orders before 28th February 2019. These offers are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time. These offers do not apply to fleet sales.

EchoSport

Omission from Irish squad ‘heartbreaking’ for Naomi with PÁRAIC McMAHON

APPED 110 times in international level hockey, Naomi Carroll has represented her country at schools level in soccer while also lining out at all grades for Clare in camogie and ladies football. She blows the term dual player out of the park and sat down with The Clare Echo in the first instalment of the ‘Can’t See Can’t Be’ fortnightly sports series. In primary school it was her close friend Maire McGrath, herself a future All Star, who encouraged Naomi to participate in sport. As the years passed, she began secondary school at St Patricks Comprehensive in Shannon, where any available opportunity was spent playing sport. Last year Naomi’s typical training week would read; Monday – running, Tuesday – gym and hockey, Wednesday – running, Thursday – gym and hockey, Friday – recovery, Saturday – match, Sunday – training in Dublin. Then rinse and repeat. However a trademark sidestep of hers last August resulted in a tear on her anterior cruciate ligament and a sprained medial ligament which has restricted Naomi to the sidelines. “It was nothing out of the ordinary no contact, my knee just went from under me. The physio looked at it and it seemed okay, I tried to get up and it just went from under me again and I just knew then there was a good bit of damage done”. Four months since the operation, the 26 year old says of her recovery, “In terms of strength and where I want to be that is going well, I’m back running and changing direction but the range of motion is yet to come, it’s a little bit off which is frustrating. I’m just hoping it will come back and I’m doing everything I can”. Naomi’s rehabilitation can be tracked on a blog that she has started since the setback. She praises reformer pilates at Excel Physiotherapy with helping to improve her range of motion. Irish rugby international Josh van der Flier has been in contact since reading the blog while Podge Collins has “been really good” with his advice, himself a cruciate victim in 2015. Not until she is “fit and ready” will Carroll return to action, which she’s hopeful will be in June or July. 2018 will forever more be remembered as a breakthrough year for hockey in Ireland as the female international side reached the World Cup final for the first time. Naomi

In the first of a Clare Echo series focusing on important figures in female sport we speak to international hockey star Naomi Carroll, who is part of a generation of the most gifted sportspeople to emerge from Cratloe l MULTI-TALENTED: Naomi, below in action for Ireland, during her interview with Páraic McMahon at the Inn At Dromoland Photo by Martin Connolly

made her first appearance for her country in 2012 and in February last reached the milestone of 100 senior appearances. However her involvement for the World Cup was as a reserve member which according to the Cork Harlequins player was “really difficult”. “To be honest it was heartbreaking. It was fantastic to be a part of it and to be a reserve but at the same time it’s completely different. It’s only now that I’m recognising that I was a part of it. It’s hard when it’s happening and it is great to be over at the key matches and involved in the homecoming. You’re there up to the day they go and you’ve put in the same amount of time and work, it is hard. There are two feelings, you’re obviously feeling absolutely delighted because you’re a part of it and you’ve seen what you’ve gone through and what ye have come to but at the same time, you want to be out there.” While she’s played with clubs in Limerick, Cork and Dublin, the Mary Immaculate graduate stated it is more difficult for play-

ers outside the capital to make the national team. “You’re not being seen as much. The EYHL (hockey league), it’s a good opportunity for players to be seen more but it’s difficult still because we’ll say if you’re from Limerick or Clare y ou’re travelling to Cork for training so you’ve to look at the pros and cons of that and ask yourself what you’re actually getting out of driving for two hours to training, are you benefiting from the session in itself ”.

And on reflection, Naomi admits that realistically, that commitment isn’t sustainable. “Looking to the future I don’t know what I’m going to do yet. There is no point in me making a decision until I’m at the stage where I’m getting closer to getting back and I’ll definitely be looking at playing closer to home”. Though injured, the Cratloe native has returned to both the county camogie and ladies football squads. Respective managers, Ger O’Connell and James Murrihy have been in constant contact, on the other hand Irish hockey manager Graham Shaw has been more distant and she will only be back in his plans when back to full fitness. Along with Maire and Conor McGrath, Conor Ryan, Podge and Sean Collins, Liam Markham and Cathal McInerney, Naomi is from a generation of the most gifted sportspeople to emerge from Cratloe. For this, she credits the local school and mentors. Both her and Maire would have played with the boys hurling team before transferring to Na Piarsaigh’s camogie side. An Irish and maths teacher at Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh, Naomi is adamant sport has a positive role on education. “It has a massive role in it. It’s how you organise yourself, the different skills that you learn from it massively help with education, your everyday life such as organisational skills, discipline, time management”. As she continues her recovery, all going well Naomi will be available for selection as Clare commence their All-Ireland campaigns in camogie and football where it is hoped both will have strong pools of support. On the subject of attendances for such games, she said; “It is brilliant to be able to retweet but people need to get out go to the matches and bring somebody with them. If you put it in your diary that you’re going to go to one ladies match, it is very easy for people to plan their Saturdays and go to the mens ... but if they could say ‘instead of going to all the men’s matches I might go to one camogie match or one ladies football match just to see the difference’. “It is being played at a higher standard, female athletes are very fit, they work as hard as male athletes do”.

SPORT

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

Clare cant exploit early dominance Cork 1-20 Clare 0-20

National Hurling League At Pairc Ui Rinn

Hurling JAMES MULVIHILL

ORK got off the mark in this campaign following a hard-fought win over Clare in Pairc Ui Rinn on Saturday evening, with Patrick Horgan scoring 0-16 which included 15 frees. Clare will be disappointed having outplayed the Rebels for most of this game. The return of star player Tony Kelly from suspension was a welcome boost and the former hurler of the year was in fantastic form scoring six points from play. John Conlon and Ian Galvin made excellent contributions scoring eight points from play between them. However Clare’s discipline will need to improve if they are to progress any further in this campaign, as they host Davy Fitzger-

ald’s high-flying Wexford in Cusack Park this weekend. Wexford will be looking for their third victory of this campaign following wins over Cork and Tipperary. Clare led by 0-06 to 0-03 midway through the first half thanks to scores from John Conlon (2), Diarmuid Ryan, Tony Kelly (2) and Ian Galvin, while Patrick Horgan kept the scoreboard ticking over from placed balls. Cork then scored the only goal of the contest when a long delivery by Seamus Harnedy went all the way into the net, thanks to some confusion in the Clare square. Although Clare continued to control possession, they failed to establish any dominance on the scoreboard. Points from Peter Duggan (free), Ryan and Con-

lon were all answered by Patrick Horgan to leave the score at the interval 1-06 to 0-09. Horgan picked up where he left off in the first half with two frees, both of which were followed by lovely Tony Kelly points to keep the sides level. The match continued in this see-saw vein for some time, with Horgan (free) levelling the sides for the 10th time to leave the score at 1-13 to 0-16 just over halfway through the second half. It seemed that every time either side crept into the lead, the response was swift as the scoring sequence continued with a Peter Duggan 65; Patrick Horgan free; John Conlon point; Patrick Horgan free. However the sequence was then broken largely thanks to Clare’s ill-discipline, with Horgan adding another two points from placed balls to give the Rebels a two-point lead going down the home straight. Clare hit back through the

Kelly: Frees drained us

BY PÁRAIC McMAHON

N THEIR second defeat of the 2019 Allianz National Hurling League, Clare paid the price for indiscipline and basic mistakes according to Tony Kelly. When it came to wides, Clare had 11, Cork only seven. But most costly off all was the frees, Cork were awarded 22 over 70 minutes and Clare seven. Kelly hit six points from play, while Clonlara duo John Conlon and Ian Galvin scored four points each however Patrick Horgan slotted 16 points, 15 of which were from placed balls. Tony admitted affording free after free to the Glen Rovers sharpshooter was unsustainable. “Some aspects of our play were very good and others not, maybe at half-time we probably should have gone in ahead. We squandered a lot of ball, not even wides but misplaced passes and the finer things to our game. That second half it was the frees that stuck out in my mind - just gave away too many of them and you can’t be giving Patrick Horgan free shots at goal, you’d be doing well to come out of a game and give him 15 frees. “Once they went one or two up we found it hard, made the wrong decision once or twice, we could have levelled it. Things to learn and take for the next two games and that is a positive in itself, we can work on the finer part of our game for next week for Limerick and Wexford”. While Clare’s backs left a lot to be desired when it came to discipline, the former Hurler of the Year pointed out that mistakes up front need to be eliminated. “We left chances after us, if we scored our chances we would be coming out of here with a different result and we mightn’t take as close a look at the frees. It might do us no harm and get back to the training field and work on our finer things. There was a lot of positives to take from it and our back play especially in the

first half - maybe that sloppy goal we gave away. I think they only got a point from play which was a good return in the first half. It was the frees that drained us in the second half ”. Next weekend he will line out in Cusack Park for the first time in this year’s league and the Ballyea man maintains that improving on that area will be a step in the right direction for the visit of Wexford. “From our own point of view we’ve to work on it a bit harder to make our frees. That’s taking nothing away from Cork, they’re not the ones giving their own frees, they are just putting over what they get and if we took our chances we still should have come away with a draw or a win. It’s definitely one area we need to get down on and if it’s the only thing we need to cut out for next week ... going forward it will be a big step in the right direction”.

l GRIPPING STUFF: John Conlon is held back by Cork’s full back Damien Cahalane as the Rebels continue their dominance Photo by Martin Connolly unmarkable Tony Kelly before Cork scored the last two points of this game through Tim O’Mahony and Patrick Horgan to end a tight tussle. The sides were level on 13 occasions in a game watched by 4,747 patrons. Cork: Anthony Nash; Sean O’Donoghue, Damien Cahalane, Stephen McDonnell; Christopher Joyce, Tim O’Mahony (0-1), David Griffin; Cormac Murphy, Bill Cooper; Daniel Kearney (0-1), Seamus Harnedy (11), Conor Lehane; Jamie Coughlan (0-1), Aidan Walsh, Patrick Horgan (0-16,15fs).

The Scorecard in association with

KILRUSH GOLF CLUB

ENNIS GOLF CLUB

Wed 13 Feb Senior Mens Scramble. 1. Michael McNamara, Bernard Coleman Dermot Hammond 61pts 2. Michael Ryan Pat Shannon (Cranny) Tom Cleary 61pts 3. Pat Shannon(Cappa) Matt Fitzpatrick, Tom O’Dea

14 Hole S/f Re-entry 6 - 12 February 2019 1. Mary McMahon (21) 27pts 2. Flor Coffey (19) 25pts 3. Nuala D’Auria (36) 24pts

Tue 12 Feb 2019.Senior Ladies Scramble 1. Imy Kerrigan, Colette Glynn, Loretta Browne. 44.78 2. Margaret Hehir, Margaret Griffin, Ann McMahon. 45.67

Mon 11 to Sun 17 Feb 12 Holes Weekly Singles 1. Bernard Coleman 29pts 2. Michael McNamara 28pts (Back 9)

WOODSTOCK

Club Singles 17/2/19 1st Ian Birchall(21) 38 pts 2nd Tom Dormer(16) 37pts Spring League Team of 4 Scramble 1st Ross Darmody, Colm O Callaghan, Brendan Arthur, Ray Hallahan 44.2 pts

l WORK TO DO: Clare management will look to improve discipline Photo by Martin Connolly

Subs: Luke Meade for Murphy (48 mins), Darren Browne for Griffin (59 mins), Alan Cadogan for Coughlan (59 mins). Clare: Keith Hogan; Rory Hayes, David McInerney, Jack Browne; Cathal Malone, Conor Cleary, David Fitzgerald; Shane Golden, Colm Galvin; Peter Duggan (04,3fs,1 ‘65’), Tony Kelly (0-6), Diarmuid Ryan (0-2); Ian Galvin (0-4), John Conlon (0-4), Podge Collins. Subs: Ryan Taylor for Golden (52 mins), Colin Guilfoyle for Duggan (61 mins), Mikey O’Neill for Collins (63 mins), Aidan McCarthy for Fitzgerald (64 mins). Referee: Johnny Ryan (Tipperary).

Senior Ladies Scramble Tuesday 12 February 2019 1st Carmel Verling, Jean Moloney, Mary Woulfe, Mary McMahon 2nd Eileen Corry, Liz Kelly, Mairead Caveney

Men’s Seniors Social Group Thursday 14th February 2019 (A fantastic number of 86 Seniors played) 1st Tony Lawlor, Pierce Cahill, Michael Butler 49 Points 2nd Conor Murphy, Brian Considine, John Guilfoyle 48 Points 3rd Tom Saunders, Liam Pyne, Seamus Hanrahan 47 Points 4th Ger O Brien, Paul Kenny, Eamon Murphy 47 Points 5th Paul Mockler, Joe Carmody, Jim O Connor 47 Points 6th John R Cullinane, Tom Pilkington, Aidan Lynch 46 Points

36 CLASSIFIEDS

Classifieds ACCOUNTANCY

BEDS

CARER REQUIRED

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

CONTACT SALES

065 671 9021 sales@clareecho.ie

FIREWOOD

CARER REQUIRED

Practical, patient, reliable, kind and caring person to live-in with elderly man for assistance 1,2 or 3 days a week, near Gort. Beautiful home & surroundings with own room and bathroom. Wifi and Sky package. Duties include: help with dressing and washing, preparing meals and night checks. Experience ideal but not necessary. Driving licence a plus.

Enquiries to: 087 6173021

CLEANING & POWER WASHING CAR REPAIRS

GOLF

MEMBERSHIP OFFER! CONSTRUCTION

CONTACT GERRY FOR MORE INFO:

065-682-4074 | info@ennisgolfclub.ie WWW.ENNISGOLFCLUB.IE

The Clare Echo Classifieds

Contact 065 671 9021 I.T mbs-clare-echo.indd 1

18/12/2018 22:08:41

The Clare Echo Classifieds Contact 065 671 9021

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

Classifieds KITCHEN UNITS

MAINTENANCE

The Clare Echo Classifieds

CLASSIFIEDS 37 CONTACT SALES

065 671 9021 sales@clareecho.ie

WINDOW AND DOORS

Contact 065 671 9021 RELIGION

PAINTING JOB OPPORTUNITIES

ROOFING

The Clare Echo Classifieds Contact 065 671 9021

STORAGE

ALL GAMES (HTTP://PUZZLES.BESTFORPUZZLES.COM/CATEGORY/ALLGAMES/) Game

› Word › Best Daily Word Se… (http://puzzles.bestforpuzzles.com/category/word/)

PUZZLEPAGE 38 (http://puzzles.bestforpuzzles.com)

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

Best Daily Word Search

THIS WEEKS PUZZLES FEB 21

Best Daily Word Search: 13 February 2019

6 4

9 6

2 3

4 5

2 1 9

2/13/2019

. Doorway () E () http://puzzles.bestforpuzzles.com/games/best-daily-word-search/#!201902 22

CROSSWORD ANSWERS D

) 6(

A 22

R D

M V

A E

) 6( t e

A 81

I T

N P

C 4

t s uj - tl u ciffi d o ot t

9102 yraur

A 7

Down

1/1

More Puzzles

. Access () . Approach () . Casement () . Chimney ()

13 February: In and Out

) 8( r

7.Suitable (11) 1.Impetuous (4) 8.Small crustacean (6) 2.Short fast race (6) 2019 9.Garden hedge plant 3.Non-commissioned (6) officer (8) 10.Be unsteady on 4.Let fall (4) one’s feet (6) 12.Heavenly spirits (6) 5.Manufacturing (6) Solve (/games/best-daily-word-search/? 6.Wake-up signal (8) 13.Dolt (3) 11.Eastern (8) now puzzleDate=20190213) 14.Motor fuel (6) 16.More courageous 12.Fire-resistant min (6) eral (8) 18.Patron saint of 15.Layers (6) Scotland (6) 17.Astounded (6) 20.Frightened (6) 19.Timber (4) 22.Star-gazers (11) 21.Gaelic (4)

FEB

)

Solution

Across

JAN

2019

Reveal

Save

Check

The Clare Echo Crossword Clear

00:01

C E H D L E N N U F

O R

O L P E C N A R T N E T

C V

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.

T P S O

HOW TO PLAY

ANSWERS

C G D S E O T T E X

How to play

Y H O O U R G A T E H Y C C L

T P T L H T U C P F A S

E C

L V L M M E P B A L A W Y P L

E N N N N V F O U R E Y

L D R N A R A

C E

O C C

T B N N Y E F

E L A T A F Y A N T P

I M G P S C G W

U C W R W E T

E N P Y R R W B M Y A E D T W

N T S C O T N E M E S A C D W

E W

R F N P O Y O A P S L S

V R P E D O E Y S S E R G N

How to play

B A P R N A

SUDOKU

2/13/2019

1/1

T M A M V Y S T

. Access . Approach . Casement .Access Chimney . Doorway Approach . Entrance .Casement Entry .Chimney Escape .Doorway Exit . Flue Entrance . Funnel .Entry Gate .Escape Hatch . Ingress Exit . Opening .Flue Orifice .Funnel Outlet . Portal Gate . Slot .Hatch Vent .IWindow

1/1

WORD SEARCH

In and Out

ficult - just

)

WORD (H

S 3

R 2

QUIZ 39

THURSDAY, FEB 21 2019

The Clare Echo Quiz THE IRISH LANGUAGE IN CLARE

in clare was not once part last native Clare Irish speak1 Where of the Gaeltacht? 8 The er died on the early 1990’s, and Ennistimon, Lisdoonvarna, Feakle

his name was Seanchaí …… what?

was clare taken of the list 2When for the Gaeltacht?

Christopher Nugent, Paddy Pharaic Mhichil,

1956, 2001, 1952

Uilliam Ó Domhnaill (William Daniel)

what year was Clare covered will try some translations 3 Till by the Gaeltacht (Housing) Acts? 9 We now. What is the Irish for chal1962, 2001, 1989

Where is the Coiste Forbartha 4 Gaeltachta Chontae an Chláir situated? East Clare, South Clare, West Clare

How many all Irish Primary schools can be found in Clare?

2, 4, 7

lenge?

Iarracht, Iarraidh, Dúshlán

10The Irish for environment is? Timpeallacht, Macalla, Íomha

lQUESTION 1: Where in Clare was not part of the Gaeltacht?

many all Irish secondary 6 How schools can found in Clare?

ANSWERS

2, 4, 1

10.Timpeallacht 9. Dúshlán

4. West Clare

8. Paddy Pharaic Mhichil

3. 2001

7. Festival of Fun (FUF)

2. 1956

6. 1

1. Feakle

Festival of Fun (FUF), Festival Pig Racing, It wasn’t established at a festival

5. 4

During what festival was the “Club Leabhar Chill Mhíchíl” (Kilmihil irish Language Book Club) established?

OLD IMAGES OF COUNTY CLARE

Clarecastle, Main Street, Ennis, Co. Clare

Image NLI.ie / Collection: The Lawrence Photograph Collection