Month: June 2007

A NEW facility for skaters in Ennis will be officially opened on Saturday, June 16. Mayor of Ennis Joe Reidy will officially open the skateboard park, which is the latest addition to facilities at the Lees Road sports and amenity park.

Sports Surfaces Ireland Ltd, the contractor responsible for the design of the skate park, has arranged for a skateboarding exhibition as part of the official programme of activities for the opening.

The development consists of a modular skate park on a 30m x 20m

concrete surface complete with two- metre high perimeter fence and ac- cess gates. Now that a specifically designed and purpose built skate- board park has been provided, Ennis Town Council intend to introduce new bye-laws prohibiting skateboard in public spaces around Ennis.

The new byelaws will mean that skateboarding can only take place at the new facility at the Lees Road sports and amenity park. According to Ennis Town Council, the statu- tory process will commence in the next few weeks. The council is also seeking input from the general pub- lic throughout the process with the

draft budgets and any submissions received to be considered by the council in the autumn.

The announcement of the official Opening of the skate park was made at the June monthly meeting of Ennis SKon stm Oxeltbntene

At that meeting, councillors raised concerns over safety measures in place at the park and any potential liability risk to the council.

Green Party councillor Donal O’Beara said those using the park must be aware that safety equipment must be worn at all time in the park.

He said, “It is very important, in terms of reducing the liability risk to

the council, that safety gear is worn by people when using the facility.”

This sentiment was echoed by Inde- pendent councillor Tommy Brennan who also asked whether the council could rent out safety equipment.

“The people who looked for the skate park should be notified that safety equipment must be worn. Is it possible that this equipment could be rented out.”

The need for a new skating facility in Ennis first emerged in 2005 when the council proposed the introduc- tion of bye-laws that would prohibit the use of skateboard, roller blades or any other vehicle in any park.

A 50TH birthday with a difference will be celebrated in Shannon later this month.

‘The Big 50s bash’ is the multiple birthday celebration for dozens of Shannon men and women who are turning 50 this year.

The event will be twofold – it will mark the special occasion and will also form part of a reunion for many of those who have lost touch over the years.

The celebration is the brainchild of Gail Fean, who has decided that, as she turns 50, she should get back in touch with many of her former schoolfriends!

“We needed to do something like

this for years. There are at least 50 of us going to be 50 this year,’ she CrHTOR

“IT thought that we needed to locate people who have been and gone and try to get them back for one bash. We were the babies of Shannon and we are now the parents of Shannon,” she PALO

Gail grew up in Shannon and moved to Cork for many years. Although she returned to Shannon in 1994, she never regained contact with many of her former friends.

“We haven’t met up in years. We would have been the class of 1969 – 69 in St Senan’s, when there was very, very little to do. It was so tight that fifth and sixth classes shared the same room back then. After leav-

ing there, we had the choice of the Comp’ or boarding schools away from the town. People split up then. The bulk of us stayed in Shannon, but commitments pulled many oth- ers in all directions,’ she said.

“We were all very close, but we drifted,” she added.

Ms Fean said there are also plans to make this event an annual celebra- nee

“It is good to have a different out- let. I think we will do something every year to keep the spirit going. Let’s hope this is the first of many reunions in Shannon,” she said.

A number of those who will attend on the night are also planning to walk the Clare People 10k, on June 23. Participants in the 10k are given

the opportunity to donate to a char- ity of their choice and the Shannon group will donate to kidney dialysis units.

The party will take place at the Oakwood Arms Hotel, at 9pm, on Saturday, June 23. Tickets, at a cost of €30, are available from committee members Gail Fean, Fergus Cough- lan, Heather Halton and Claire Mc- Cracken or by phoning 087 4160876 or 086 8206557.

A FEASIBLE shopping alternative – different to what is planned for Coon- agh in Limerick – should be planned, in an effort to attract shoppers in to SJetvevaleyey

In general, Shannon town council- lors endorsed the need for a major change in the town, to incorporate more shopping and an_ attractive Streetscape.

OE Ticet Orelireia an eel mn Ome arne ecutive Engineer John Bradley said the shopping centre at Coonagh will have a huge impact on the Shannon and Limerick areas and Shannon needs an “alternative option’.

Reacting to last week’s presenta- tion by Murray O’Laoire architects, Labour councillor Greg Duff said, “We have had numerous presenta-

tions since the 70s, but what we have been left with is a private mall that has been dressed up as a town centre. We’d be better off if we got the folk village in Bunratty and transported it vo

He said over the years, development in the town has been “solely develop- er driven. We keep on repeating the same mistakes.”

The Mayor of Shannon, Councillor Tony McMahon (Labour) said this was a “unique” opportunity to do something that was “neglected previ- ously in relation to streetscape.”

“That is the most important thing the people of Shannon would be anx- ious to have,’ he said.

Councillor Gerry Flynn said an arts centre must be an integral part of the plans and should be located in a “prime position,’ while adequate

public parking must be made avail- able.

Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Independ- ent) said a “living centre” is required, and overnight accommodation and facilities should also be addressed.

She noted that the land was owned by a small number of landowners and expressed concern that there would be no opportunity for others to “buy rhe onae

“It’s not just about putting in devel- opment. It’s also about putting in a centre, that there’s going to be a life there,” she said.

Cllr Sean Hillery, who runs a chem- ists in the town centre, said, “If I had my time over again, I don’t think I’d be in the town centre and that is a hard thing to say. The rents keep go- ing up.”

He said the last thing Shannon

should do is try to compete with oth- er major shopping centres, “because they would wipe the floor with us.”

“We need to do something unique. It’s most important that people would be in control, not the multinationals. I’m not against them but they are transporting our money out of here. We can have a traditional town. That’s what the people want,’ he said.

Councillor Tony Mulcahy (FG) said that a piece of land was left out of the plans and said it must be put back in.

“We deserve an answer. Somebody took it out. These guys (architects) didn’t get the correct mapping. This is the same bull we went through two years ago,” he said.

Mr Bradley replied, “I inherited this project. Those were the lands I know are there. Your concerns have been noted on the report.”

PLANS for a major overhaul of Shannon ‘own Centre, to include a traditional streetscape, have been drawn up – they will go to the public and key stakeholders in the town, to allow them to have an input into the finished product.

The aim is to create a new ‘urban retail environment’ and a ‘living cen- tre’, a task described as ‘challenging’ by the firm of architects overseeing the project.

The plans – for a site across the road from SkyCourt – include a develop- ment focused on ‘people-orientated places’ with ‘daytime and evening vibrancy’, featuring a mix of town

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A presentation on the plans was made by Murray O’Laoire architects to town councillors last week. Vari- ous stakeholders, including council- lors, the business sector and local groups, will be consulted, before a draft design will be put on public dis- play later in the year. A public infor- mation evening will also be held.

Senior Urban Designer with Mur- ray O’Laoire, Daibhi Mac Domhnaill told councillors the plans – if imple- mented – would add to the image of the town and would “redefine how people view the town”.

“The objective would be to have a draft plan by September 2007 and if itis approved, it would go forward for

adoption,’ said Mr Mac Domhnaill.

“You would like to make the town centre accessible for young teens and elderly. There should be routes that would be safe at day time and after dark,” he said.

“Shannon hasn’t a great street- scape,’ he added, to responses from councillors who pointed out that there are no streets in the town.

“That is something we would want to bring to the project,” he contin- ued.

John Murray, of Murray O’Laoire told councillors the biggest challenge was to “integrate it successfully with the existing town centre”.

Clare County Council Senior Exec- utive Engineer (planning), John Bra-

dley said the council was working on a “very tight schedule”.

“There are a couple of major plan- ning applications in at the moment. Developers don’t waste time. We want to get it right. We are looking at something that will bring devel- Opers in and who want to develop in this area. This is going to be the hub of your town. At the moment a large amount of employees don’t use the town for shopping,’ he said.

He said that the land in question is owned by four landowners – the main one which is Clare County Council – all of who are being consulted with.

‘We have to flesh out what is possi- ble. What will attract the investors to invest in Shannon?” he asked.

FINE GAEL has continued its trend of electing younger representatives to public office with the election of Paul Murphy to succeed newly-elect- ed TD Joe Carey on Clare County Council.

Mr Murphy was elected ahead of Tony Mulqueen on Friday night to take the place of his fellow Clarecas- tle man.

Despite pleas from the Mulqueen camp that experience be considered

over youth, the majority of the hun- dred-plus delegates voted to elect 29- year-old Mr Murphy.

Earl Mulqueen, nominating his brother, described the family’s long history in the party, going back to his erandfather, Thomas, who took the side of Collins after the “tan war”.

He told delegates that his brother’s lineage in Fine Gael went back to Cumann na nGael, and that he be- lieved faithfully in the party’s motto of integrity and decency.

“Forget parish loyalties. This is not

a contest between young Fine Gael and old. It is about preparing for 2009,” he said.

Ennis Town Cllr. Johnnie Flynn, who replaced Mulqueen’s cousin Anna Mulqueen in the council in 2004, seconded the Ennis man’s nomination.

“I believe this party wronged him in 2004,” he said, referring to Mr Mulqueen’s 40-vote loss at the local ere nen se

“I believe this party let him down in 2004. If he does not get support

tonight, he would be let down again,” said the Ennis councillor.

When Clarecastle’s Pascal Russell pulled out of the council race just minutes before nomination, it left just one other candidate, Paul Mur- phy, a supporter of outgoing council- lor Joe Carey. He was proposed by Willie Halpin.

“In 1999, we were in a small little room upstairs and we nominated Joe Carey to go for the county council. He was 23 years of age then. Nine years later, he was elected as a TD.

If you invest in youth you will reap the rewards.”

Una Lynch, from Young Fine Gael, was equally sure of his ability and dedication when she seconded his nomination. The two candidates then introduced themselves to the del- egates, before the votes were cast by secret ballot.

The chairman of the convention and director of elections, Paul Bu- gler, confirmed that Mr Murphy was elected by an undisclosed majority vote.

MOUNTSHANNON Park was re- cently covered in graffiti with the blessing of local authorities as part of an initiative to fight boredom among young people.

John Damsell, one of 50 people currently studying for a diploma in community development locally, ap- proached a group of local children and teenagers to put their artwork on display because he feels that there are not enough outlets for them in the community.

“The graffiti project came about because there was a minor problem with vandalism and we decided to turn that energy into something positive. They painted up panels and

hung them up in the park. Martina Lamas and myself met with some young people and one of the things that came up was that they would like a space of their own that they could decorate and maintain.”

This space could be the eventual site for a local skate-park – an idea which was put into practice during the recent Iniscealtra Arts Festival when teenagers built a temporary ramp in the park.

“They were there all day queuing up to use it and they looked after the area themselves. The next day there were kids there collecting litter. It got a brilliant response- if they have the control and responsibility, they take it seriously. Even the older kids were watching out for the younger

ones,” he added.

Mr Damsell hopes to eventually form a formal lobby group to raise funding to buy a piece of land, equip and insure a skate-park like success- ful projects in towns like Galway and Loughrea.

“As part of my course I will be formulating a proper presentation for funding and we will try to make a model that could spread to other youth projects. There is already a eroup working to get a playground locally but older kids need some- thing as well. The facility would be good for biking and rollerblading as well as just a place to go and meet up.”

Mr Damsell said that a skate-park would have other benefits for tourism

in the area.

“What I have found out from talk- ing to tourists is that they research an area and come to where there are facilities for kids. It would be more commercial and valuable in that ie Nall

He also thanked graffiti board spon- sors- Finsa Forest Products, Citizens Information Centre Ennis, Tuohy’s builders’ merchants and PJ Macs.

Anyone interested in volunteering or donating funds can contact Mr Damsell on 087 7615851.

CARERS in east Clare can now meet up regularly with others in the same situation with the set up of a local Support group.

The second meeting of the group, open to both current and past car- ers, will be on Thursday, June 14 at 7pm in the East Clare Community Development’s (ECCD) premises in Scariff.

Teresa Hickey, a carer for nine years and secretary of this local

branch of Caring for Carers, said that the group is a response to the needs of carers in the area.

‘“T noticed that there was no support eroup for people in east Clare and so carers had to go to Ennis for meet- ings. I called Susan Hogan of Caring for Carers, she came out for an open meeting and we just went from there. We will now have monthly meetings with guest speakers and get sugges- tions from members for what they would like to do.”

She added that the eight people

present at the first meeting elected Sean Connell as chairman and Cath- erine Patience as treasurer.

“We have secured financial support of €1,200 from Caring for Carers with the option of more money from ECCD if needed. We will use that to provide things such as manual or computer training, first aid, arts and crafts- anything people want. We have only started but we are very de- termined to keep it going because it is SO important.”

Ms Hickey outlined some of the is-

sues affecting carers.

“Carers want their role to be rec- ognised in society. Most would be caring full time and are isolated because of this. This is a rural area and they might not know who else is a carer, let alone meet with them. Government support has improved but the means test for carers allow- ance 1s still a huge issue. We can now collaborate with Ennis’s lobby group as well.”

For further information, contact Teresa on 087 9709121.

YOGA has stretched its way to a prominent position in east Clare as well as many exercise regimes with people coming from all over the world to the family-run, East Clare Yoga Centre.

The Tuamgraney-based centre, opened in 2004, is one of only four facilities in Ireland to run residential courses in Iyengar yoga as well as other workshops and classes.

Owner and teacher Susanne Sturton explained that Iyengar Yoga 1s a par- ticularly traditional and intense form of the exercise technique, which is a combination of meditation and phys- ical posturing.

“People’s pace of life is faster so they want something to integrate different facets of being – mind and body. The style is very distinctive and there is a lot of emphasis on al- lignment and precision but it is tai- lored to suit the individual. You real- ly have to apply yourself but people see a real difference from a keep fit class or running on a treadmill.”

The business is truly a family affair and is based in the home. Ms Stur- ton’s husband Paul and his parents, Rod and Pheme, create and cook the vegetarian menus at the centre. The one and a half acre property is also op N ROOST DUST EABD SLO

The Sturtons were living in Lon- don when they discovered something

that would draw them to east Clare shew OLR

“We have two daughters, Holly and Hazel, and moved here because I found out that there was a flagship Steiner Wakldorf School, Raheen Wood, in Clare. It was definitely what we wanted and we are just a 10 minute walk away from it now and we really enjoy living here.”

Setting up a yoga centre was part of this plan and it has gone from strength to strength since opening, running at least four full weekly classes, a monthly workshop and 10 courses a year. “It has been hard work and we have long waiting lists so we could be doing more. People have come from England and as far

away aS New York as well as from all over Ireland. It’s nice that they are bringing these techniques back to where they’re from.”

She added that Clare was the per- fect site to practice yoga.

“There is a huge demand and it is very popular. It is about lifelong learning and many people keep it up for years. Some of the guest teachers we bring over from the UK mostly have two or three decades of experi- ence. We are aiming to create a cen- tre for excellence.”

www.eastclareyoga.ie

BEACHES at Ballycuggeran and Mountshannon on Lough Derg have regained the prestigious Blue Flag status which was lost last year due to algal bloom on the lake.

The beaches were among two of seven in Clare to be awarded the international stamp for good water quality, safety and services as well as environmental management, in- formation and education.

The Blue Flag jury said that wa- ter quality at the beaches had vastly improved and was now in line with

Bathing Water Directives.

“The jury acknowledges the excel- lent management efforts Clare Coun- ty Council undertook to monitor the bathing areas at Ballycuggeran and Mountshannon, sending out press releases to the media about the algal blooms and warning the public.

‘The council must have a fast re- sponse time to get the flag down and ensure the public is adequately in- formed.”

The awards, handed out on June 5 by environmental minister Dick Ro- che, is a significant boost to tourism in east Clare and has been welcomed

locally.

Sean Ward, Senior Engineer for the Environment and Emergency Services Directorate said that an early warning system had been put in place, minimising the effects of algal bloom.

“It is safe to swim in Lough Derg. There has been no algal bloom so far this year,’ he said.

He expressed his disappointment that Doonbeg beach was one of only three Irish beaches that had lost a flag before adding that the decision would be appealed.

Councillor Patricia McCarthy,

Chair of Clare County Council’s En- vironment, Emergency Services and Consumer Protection Strategic Pol- icy Committee said that the awards were achieved through hard work and collaboration between commu- nities and local authorities.

Meanwhile, the 2007 Clare Beach By-laws were announced. From June 1 to August 31, no dogs or horses are allowed onto beaches between llam and 6pm. If on a beach outside of these hours, dogs must be on a eo

Detailed restrictions are available to view on www.clare.ie.

THERE’s been no time to pause and reflect. Since his re-election to the Dail almost a month ago, it’s been non-stop for Deputy Pat Breen. Plan- ning meetings, parliamentary meet- ings, Council of Europe business in Paris. The work may officially be- gin for the men and women of the 30th Dail this week, but in reality it all started as soon as the counting stopped and the seats were secured.

The political landscape locally and nationally may have changed but the problems and the issues remain the same.

The campaign trail brought prom- ises and plans for the future. Now it’s back to the grind. The future of En- nis General Hospital, a key election battleground, sits high on Deputy Breen’s list of priorities.

To him, the situation in the ancient building is bad and getting worse.

‘“T was over at the hospital the other night and to me that situation is an awful lot worse. There is terrible overcrowding in the surgical and male wards and terrible problems in the elderly care unit as well. It’s just not right. People have to go over and see it for themselves. In this day and age, to have that kind of overcrowd- ing in general wards is unaccept- able.”

With planning documents for the long-mooted re-development of the site now lodged with Clare County Council. Deputy Breen is skeptical about the merits of building a new

facility on a greenfield site.

The idea was a cornerstone of Breen’s party colleague and Dail newcomer Joe Carey’s pre-election manifesto.

But for now Deputy Breen believes the issue surrounding Ennis Gen- eral Hospital can only be addressed through the current strategy.

“Joe Carey, my colleague, has run

that idea for some time. I have said that in principal I have no problems in supporting it or supporting him on it. But the reality is I don’t see that hap- pening with any Government. The

Fianna Fail-led government is there for the past 10 years and that never happened. As I said before, Our La- dy’s Hospital was the ideal place for a greenfield site but that didn’t hap- pen. And now that the planning ap- plication has been lodged with Clare County Council for the first phase of the development plan, I would hope that we could get that speed- ily resolved. Of course, for planning for the long term, a new hospital is something that has to be planned for. But the fact that we are geographi- cally located between Limerick and Galway doesn’t help our cause.”

However, Breen also believes both he and Deputy Carey will be reading from the same page when it comes to big issues and problems in Clare.

“Over the past five years, it’s been a huge challenge to cover every cor- ner of County Clare. Clare is a huge geographic area to cover from Loop Head to Whitegate and from Ard- nacrusha right up to Bellharbour. I have a new colleague and I know that we’ll work very closely together on issues in relation to County Clare. Since the election the workload hasn’t eased off. I would hope that some of the workload could be eased and Joe and myself could share some common platforms in relation to 1s- sues in Clare, particularly the health issue and the challenges that Open Skies brings to Shannon”.