Month: August 2007

FINAL preparations are being made for this year’s Annual Connemara Pony Show, which takes place in Clifden this weekend. A large Clare contingent is expected at the show, which takes place this year for the Jes Ke NEN ALon

Organisers of the show have claimed that sales of Connemara po- nies could double over the next five years if a proper marketing plan can be implemented. Marketing the Con- nemara Pony at home and abroad is the primary focus of the Connemara Pony Breeders Society.

In 2006 the three main annual pony sales in Clifden Mart yielded a turno-

ver of €5 million. “This is a fantastic achievement,’ said Tom MacLoch- lainn, President of the Connemara Pony Breeders Society.

“However, with the development of a focused marketing plan we believe that this figure can be increased to €10 million by 2012.

According to Padraig Heanue, Manager, Clifden Pony Sales, there iS an ever-increasing interest in the Connemara Pony from a sales per- spective. This year sees the biggest ever entry for a one-day mart with 320 ponies already catalogued for sale at Clifden, this Friday, August 17.

‘There is a very good mix of fillies, in-foal mares, riding ponies, broken

and ridden geldings and young colts from one year upwards. Guide price for a young mare in-foal is between €7,000 and €10,000 while riding ponies, broken and ridden geldings four years and upwards fetch be- tween €3,200 to €5,500,” he said. The temperament, stamina and versatility of the Connemara Pony marks it apart as an unique native breed and a desirable animal for multi-purpose use. The week-long schedule of events from August 13 to 17 includes a mixture of in-hand, performance and educational events that highlight the potential and dis- position of the Connemara Pony. Events throughout the week include loose jumping, dressage demon-

stration and the new worker hunter classes where the ponies will be challenged over a particular course of fences.

A new stallion list will be launched on August 15 while the highlight of the week is undoubtedly Show Day on August 16. Apart from the pony events there will also be a dog-show, domestic arts show, Irish Dancing and a photography competition.

MORE than 300 representatives of the western seaboard’s biggest busi- nesses, tourism concerns, unions and politicians came together on Friday with one message for Aer Lingus — hands off our Shannon slots.

Among the powerful names to con- tend with at a closed but reportedly heated two-hour meeting in the Park Inn at the airport on Friday were GE, Element Six, Westpark, Aughinish Alumina, Digital River and Lufthan- 8

Smaller business interests were also represented. Among these were the Old Ground Hotel and Limerick Travel.

The trade unions turned out in force with representatives of SIPTU, Aer Lingus workers and IMPACT and the Limerick Institute of Technology were also present.

The meeting was also attended by politicians from each of the regions affected, including Minister Moira Hoctor, MEPs Marian Harkin and Sean O’Neachtain, deputies Timmy Dooley, Michael Noonan, Dan Nev- ille, Jan O’Sullivan, John Cregan, Peter Power, Jiummy Deenihan, Tom Hayes and Noel Coonan, as well as elected councillors from Clare, Lim- erick and Tipperary.

A spokesperson for Shannon De- velopment, which organised the meeting, said it was a “mark of the seriousness with which this decision is regarded that such high-profile business people have taken so much

time out to be here in person and the huge attendance is reflective of the concern that people feel on the 1s- sue.”

In a press conference held after the meeting, business and union repre- sentatives announced they intend to form an alliance and elect a steering committee of six key people repre- senting the various sectors to orches- trate a campaign and ensure there is a Shannon-Heathrow route going forward.

Shannon Development’s John Brasil said that the strategic alliance group will look at every possible solution. It will be calling for an EGM of Aer Lingus shareholders to ask that the decision be reversed.

It will also be calling on the Gov- ernment to issue a statement in sup- port of the Shannon Region and it will be seeking to have the Dail re- called.

“Key information in support of our cause is being put together by IBEC and we want everyone affected to write to the Taoiseach and the min- ister,’ said Brasil.

He said that all of the concerns at- tending the meeting were 100 per cent supportive of the decision the fight the ending of the Heathrow slots.

“The overriding concern is_ that we have to find a solution. We can no longer go from crisis to crisis in Shannon’.

Michael Houlihan, lawyer and Chairman of the regional tourism board, said the possibility of mount-

ing a legal challenge to the decision is also being examined.

Brian O’Connell, Chief Execu- tive of Westpark and Chairman of Atlantic Way, said that while it was certain that current jobs are being endangered by the decision, it is the creation of future employment and investment in the region which is also causing major concern.

‘The severance of these slots is the collapsing of a bridge — I am asking the Taoiseach and the Government to re-build that bridge, not just to protect the thousands of jobs in the region but to ensure that we can con- tinue to grow and attract investment and job creation.”

Ken Sullivan of Element Six said that there has been “incredulity” in the business community over the decision while David Silk of Nortel said his directors “see this as being one of the most significant issues we’ve had to deal with since setting up here.

“We bring 150 customers in through Shannon every year. The way we market ourselves with regard to ac- cessibiliity to Shannon via Heathrow is vital.”

Pat Shanahan told the gathered me- dia that the board of Shannon Air- port had met on Friday morning and looked at costs which Aer Lingus have in Shannon.

“If these costs are addressed by Aer Lingus and the airport addresses the landing charges in Shannon, then I believe there is an extra saving of €4 million on the route,’ he said.

ALMOST 500 pilots at Aer Lingus are to stage a two-day strike next week in protest at the airline’s plan to employ pilots at its new Belfast base at lower pay rates.

Next week’s strike will affect all Aer Lingus services.

Staff at Aer Lingus in Shannon are “furious” at the way they heard of the loss of the Heathrow flights, and are now concerned that the transatlantic flights will follow the same fate.

Workers say they first heard ru- mours about the loss of the slots from Dublin.

‘Mike’, one of the employees who did not want to publish his full name, checked the Aer Lingus website.

“On the Thursday night/Friday morning, I checked the Aer Lingus website. Normally, it goes way ahead into next year.”

He picked the date of March 30, 2008, which is in the summer sched- ule, but could not get a flight out of Syat-vepeleyey

“The proof was already on the Aer Lingus website that Thursday,” he PHO

“It also wasn’t available on the Shannon Airport website, so who told who what is a very intriguing Lb a (eye

“It was a done deal by the time we were advised of it officially on Tuesday morning here at the meet- ing,’ said Geraldine Morrissey, who has more than 30 years’ experience working with the company.

There is still no summer schedule finalised for transatlantic flights ac- cording to staff, and they now fear that the Chicago route 1s at risk.

“We have huge concerns over the Atlantic. We could be in here in a few months’ time, hanging on with our fingernails to the last airplane leaving the airport. That is what we will be doing,” said Brian Slattery, ground operations.

The Quin man who has been work- ing with Aer Lingus for 16 year said he was concerned about “unhelpful, misleading comments made by Min- ister Dempsey”.

“Firstly Minister Dempsey has stated that we may be ‘exaggerating the crisis in Shannon caused by Aer Lingus’ decision to axe its Shannon- London-Heathrow route’.

‘He is grossly misleading the pub- lic with this comment and his opin- ion that another airline may take up the route is without research or fact. The huge cost of any precious slot into Heathrow is approximately 20 million pounds sterling, which would deter any new airline from bidding for these slots, slots which we must stress are very hard to acquire and are under control of the British Air- port Authority,” he said.

The workers argue that Dublin Airport is saturated with flights into Heathrow and that not all of those slots are busy.

“Dublin afternoon slots are always light in load,” according to Ms Mor- rissey, who argued that Aer Lin- gus could have taken one of those flights.

“We place this problem right back at the Government. They promised us they were going to enshrine and protect the slots and they did not do it,” said Padraig Geraghty, Aer Lin- gus maintenance.

The Roscommon man moved from

Dublin to Shannon in 1995 so he could live in the west of Ireland, hav- ing worked with the company since IW e

“We are in trouble too — as Aer Lingus take their services out of Shannon, there will be less aircraft to maintain. They then won’t fly the aircraft to Shannon to do the mainte- nance as it won’t be viable.

“This is just a test case. They cer- tainly will go after slots in Cork and Dublin. This is all about money now. It has nothing to do with the Irish people or the Irish assets. They’ll go from Heathrow to JFK direct, they will do anything, but the slots will leave this country, make no mistake they will go,” he said.

The most senior member of the cabin crew in Shannon, John O’Shea, said, “If they can take slots out of Shannon, they can move the Aer Lingus brand to anywhere else. They don’t have to maintain it in Ireland. It is a private company now.

“And this is the type of arrogance they’re coming out with. This is only testing the waters. This is only a drop in the ocean of what Aer Lingus think they can do. They think they have

ANGRY Aer Lingus passengers tak- ing flights between Shannon and Heathrow this week flayed Aer Lin- gus management for their decision to axe the connection.

Mike Spellacy from Shannon, who used the service regularly for busi- ness before his recent retirement, described the decision as “dreadful. People will just stop doing business with this part of the country. No-one is going to come here unless they can get in and out in a day and, whatever chance there is of British business connections finding another way, if people need an onward connection, they just won’t be able to get it.”

“Crazy. Lunatic. Absurd. It’s not like they’re losing money. These flights are bloody expensive yet you still have to book weeks in advance,” said Michael Ryan, who travels sev- eral times a year to see family in Tip- OLEAN

He arrived with his sister, Carol and daughter, Rebecca and says that because his visits are for family rea- sons, he will have to find another FN

“From Shannon, I’m in Tipperary in 40 minutes. But Gatwick isn’t at all convenient. I suppose we’ll be coming into Dublin and making our way down.”

Frank Fahy from Mayo makes the journey through Shannon on busi- ness several times a year. “I can’t believe they’re going to close this route. How is anyone going to get from London to the west of Ireland without a Heathrow-Shannon link? It’s a terrible blow to business people who need that connection.”

Frank Fahy from Mayo is a regu- lar user of the route and says that he “can’t believe they would stop flying from Shannon. There’s no way I can use Shannon for business flights if I can’t get into Heathrow.”

Colin Barton, whose family is from Mayo, is living in London and says that he and hundreds of other people of Irish descent living in London will be at a complete loss for getting to the west now.

‘This was easily the most conven- ient way home for me and for a lot of other people living in London.

“By pulling that route from the air- port, Aer Lingus are pulling up the route. And Aer Lingus needn’t think that people will follow them to Bel- fast or Dublin. For business travellers who need to be able to connect inter- nationally, this is terrible but people travelling in their own time will opt for the cheaper carriers.”

Businessman Donan Kelly says he will simply “go elsewhere” to do business instead of going to Galway but added that he is “very angered” at the decision.

Margaret Doyle from Carrick-on- Suir makes a point of flying out of Shannon whenever she goes away and is a regular traveller, currently taking a year’s career break to see the world.

“IT come to Ennis to my daughter’s house and fly out of Shannon but, un- less I can get into Heathrow to con- nect with other flights and particu- larly long-haul destinations, then I’ll have to go from somewhere else”’.

The well travelled grandmother says that she dreads going to Dublin to fly as it’s “such terrible hassle.”

AFTER one of the most worrying weeks in recent years, farmers all over Ireland are breathing a sigh of relief as the Foot and Mouth threat appears to have subsided.

After a brief halt in animal move- ment, the live export trade resumed through France on Friday with French authorities satisfying them- selves about the safety of Irish beef.

Even a short cessation of the live export trade through France could have had a huge effect on the beef market in Ireland as nearly all of the countries 138,000 head of live-ex- port cattle travel through France.

“We all know that live exports are essential and the resumption of nor-

mal conditions shows that the health and quality of our herd is recognised by all the relevant authorities,” said Jackie Cahill, President of the IC- MSA.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Ag- riculture and Food, Mary Coughlan TD, has described Friday’s confir- mation of a second case of foot and mouth disease in Surrey as ‘disap- pointing but not surprising’.

Minister Coughlan has been hold- ing daily Foot and Mouth update meeting with her chief advisers and confirmed that a complete ban was being maintained on the importation from Great Britain of cattle, sheep, pigs and goats, meat – including fresh and minced meat as well as meat preparations and meat products

from such animals, milk and dairy products and some other animal products.

In certain circumstances, some meat and dairy products as well as other animal products may be ex- ported from Great Britain 1f accom- panied by a health certificate and, in Some instances, an endorsed com- mercial document.

The ban on British beef and other products will remain in place until August 25 at the very earliest. This was confirmed by the European Commission, who now have the power to extend the ban even further, in the event of new cases.

It has been confirmed that tests on two farms in Surrey, where foot and mouth had been suspected, have been

returned negative.

It is as yet still unclear where the outbreak originated but a deliberate leak from the nearby Pirbright labo- ratory has not been ruled out.

The British government moved to relax conditions for the movement of animals over the weekend

Animals within the UK can now be moved to slaughter in all areas except the 10km protection zone around the affected farms in Surrey.

DAYS after the announcement of the new REPS 4 package, the Min- ister for Agriculture and Food, Mary Coughlan TD, has come under fire from the ICSA farming organisation because of alleged shortcomings in the scheme.

ICSA President, Malcolm Thomp- son, attacked the REPS 4 package on Friday, saying that it does not pro- vide anywhere near enough money for farmers whose lands have been designated as environmentally sensi- tive.

“There are many extra costs and inconveniences associated with hav- ing your land designated as an SAC /

SPA,” he said.

“Although the overall REPS 4 pack- age, which provides for a 17 per cent across the board increase, is attrac- tive to farmers in general, farmers such as those in the Shannon Callows or commonage areas have gotten no special recognition.

“The REPS 4 payment structure is Set out in a way whereby in real- ity, the compensation per hectare is at maximum €77 extra and on the higher acreages is less than what is available under the basic REPS package.”

Earlier in the week Minister Cough- lan launched the €3 billion Rural Environment Protection Scheme to protect the rural landscape, increase

biodiversity and improve water qual- ity.

The new scheme was approved at the EU’s Rural Development Com- mittee on July 24 as part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme af- ter long, detailed and challenging negotiation with the European Com- mission.

‘For generations, farmers and farm families have been the keepers of Ireland’s rural landscape and rural environment,” she said.

‘Modern farmers are very con- scious of their responsibility for this heritage and they want to maintain it and pass it on to future generations. REPS helps them to do is. While the payments are made directly to farm-

ers, the benefits are for society as a whole.”

The scheme is co-funded by the EU and the Irish taxpayer and Minister Coughlan highlighted the record level of funding – some €3 billion – provided for REPS over the seven years 2007-2013.

“IT am particularly pleased that the European Commission was able to accept my proposals for a mixed grazing measure which will benefit sheep farmers.

‘IT had also been anxious to extend REPS to the more intensive farming sectors, including dairying, and I am very happy that this will now be pos- sible under REPS 4,” the Minister said.

BUSINESS leaders in Ennis have welcomed the opening of the latest phase of the Ennis N18 bypass and called for a swift completion of the project.

On Friday, Clare County Council announced the opening of section two of the bypass. It is anticipated that up to 10,000 cars per day will use the road, significantly reducing traffic congestion in the town. The Skm wide single carriageway, which forms part of the N85 western relief road, runs from Clareabbey to Clau- reen and opens a new bypass to the south and west of the County Capi- re

In a statement, CEO of Ennis Chamber of Commerce Rita MclIner-

ney said, “the bypass has had a posi- tive impact on the town and Ennis Chamber welcomes the opening of the Limerick Road to Kilrush Road and Kilrush Road to Lahinch Road portion of the Western Relief Section of the Ennis N18 Bypass. The East- ern Section of the N18 Bypass has been a huge success since its opening in January in the movement of traffic as part of the Atlantic Road Network and the reduction of congestion in Ennis Town.”

She added, “The opening of these links is particularly welcome in ad- vance of the Tour of Ireland Stage End arriving in Ennis on Friday, Au- gust 24.

“Furthermore, Ennis Chamber 1s urging the completion of the Ennis Interchange on the Eastern Section

to the Limerick Road portion of the Western Relief Section as well as the Tulla Road link as soon as possible”.

According to Paul Moroney, Project Resident Engineer, Clare County Council, “The completion of this section of the Ennis Bypass fin- ishes another part of this large road project. The remaining section will see the completion of the whole of the works and is currently scheduled for mid-autumn of this year.”

He continued, ““This section of the bypass ties in to the old N18 at the Limerick road in the vicinity of Clar- eabbey. The roundabout at this tie in is called Clareabbey roundabout. The new bypass will provide relief to traffic wanting to bypass Ennis to the south and west of the town. It will in particular provide welcome relief to

traffic wanting to travel to Kilrush, Kilkee, Ennistymon and Lahinch and to the people of west Clare.”

“Roundabout junctions are pro- vided at the Rocky road and Kilrush road, at Beech Park and on the exist- ing N85, at Claureen. New bridges are provided over the N68 Kilrush qO}-(6 MHOC MN OSM OAM GNEALUNKC oI eOO)IE cluded Mr Moroney.

The Ennis Bypass project is funded by the Irish Government and part-fi- nanced by the European Union under the National Development Plan and Transport 21.

The scheme is co-financed at 85 per cent by the cohesion fund of the Eu- ropean Union. This project is help- ing to reduce economic and social disparities among the citizens of the Union.

THE summer may have been a wash out but that hasn’t stopped the En- nis Farmer’s Market from thriving. Located in the upper Market Street public car park on Friday mornings, the market is a hive of activity. Traders offer a wide range of foods, fresh produce, cut flowers and crafts. The Farmer’s Market has been up and running since 2004 and consists of a eroup of dedicated food producers and traders with a wide range of lo- cal, artisan and organic foods includ- ing meats, cheeses and local honey,

to name but a few. Most of the pro- duce is sourced in Clare with some coming from nearby Tipperary.

Market trader Aoife Ni Giollacudda said, “A special atmosphere exists on market day.

Customers love coming down to the Farmer’s Market as much for the atmosphere as for what’s on sale. It’s bright and cheery whether there’s rain, hail or sunshine’.

She added “the producers and stall- holders love to chat to customers and will answer any amount of questions about their produce. A lot of it is or- ganic but is not necessarily so. How-

ever, there 1s one common thread throughout, it is nutritious, fresh and completely traceable.”

Traders pride themselves on offer- ing a wide range of fresh and nutri- tious products that are directly trace- able back to producers. A wide range of products can be found at the Mar- ket. They include: local goat, sheep and dairy cheeses; organic beef and lamb; organic seasonal vegetables; free range pork, rashers and sausag- es; homemade breads and cakes; free range eggs; handmade chocolates; local honey; homemade jams; olives; sun dried tomatoes and pesto; fair-

trade tea coffee and crafts; pottery; cut flowers and garden plants.

Aoife said, “The experience of shopping in a farmer’s market is much more enjoyable than shop- ping in a supermarket. So take a trip down sometime to sample what’s on offer”.

THE galleries of north Clare will be a hive of activity this month with two major exhibitions due to launch.

Wild Honey, the fourth ‘Burren Annual’, opens in the Burren College of Art in Ballyvaughan this Satur- day, August 18. Curated by Michael Dempsey, this year’s exhibition fo- cusses on the urban/rural divide and the position of the west of Ireland as a central driving force in forming the identity of the modern Irish.

The exhibition is to be opened by Mike Fitzpatrick, Director/Curator of Limerick City Art Gallery, and

runs daily until September 29.

It will feature work by Stephen Brandes, Dorothy Cross, Blaise Drummond, Patrick Hall, Ronnie Hughes, Fergus Martin, William McKeown, Isabel Nolan and Niamh O’Malley, all artists who have at some stage based their work outside The Pale.

Meanwhile, US Democratic Con- eressman, John Yarmuth, was in La- hinch last Saturday to launch a new exhibition by Pat and Jan Maher at Kenny’s Lahinch Art Gallery.

The Kentucky congressman has be- come a regular visitor to west Clare in recent years and is a member of

Doonbeg Golf Club.

Pat Maher is an accomplished painter in oils and watercolours. He has won a number of awards for his paintings, which capture the essence of the lovely southern Irish coun- tryside through a variety of themes, ranging from Sweeping evocations of the landscape around his home near Tullow, County Carlow, to more inti- mate interiors and still-life studies.

His latest exhibition, entitled °*Pic- tures of Clare and Other Stories’, will show in Lahinch until August 25 and features a collection of paintings of Lahinch and surrounding areas.

Joining Pat for this exhibition will

be his wife Jan, who will be exhibit- ing arange of watercolours as well as pen, ink and graphite drawings.

Jan trained at Epsom School of Art, UK where her tutors included distin- guished watercolourist Leslie Worth. Following a period working as a graphic designer in the 1970s she has concentrated on fine art since 1980, and has found an increasing demand for both her meticulous drawings, and her luminous watercolour land- scape and floral paintings.

The exhibition will run daily until August 25. A selection of the art can be viewed on www.lahinchartgal- lery.com.

THE hills of North Clare will once again be alive to the sound of music this September, as the 14th annual Burren Ramble takes to the moun- tains around Fanore.

Bad musical puns aside, this year’s ramble will feature a very special treat for walkers, as the ‘Lismora- haun Tenors’ will perform at the foot of Slieve Elva.

Following the success of a perform- ance last year by the “Lismorahaun Singers’ in a natural amphitheatre in the heart of the Burren, the ‘Lis- morahaun Tenors’ will take up the

mantle of musical entertainment, entertaining the walkers while they stop for lunch.

The Tenors feature rising star Pe- ter O’Donghue, and special guest Soprano, Naomi O’Connell, both of whom are natives of north Clare, and learned their trade under Archie Simpson with the Lismorahaun Sing- ae

‘Base camp’ for this year’s ramble is O’Donohue’s Pub, Fanore. Regis- tration stars at 12.30pm and the walk will set out around 1.30pm. It’s about a six mile walk in total and this year we will be making our way to Sheve Elva,” said organiser Joe Queally.

“There is a great contrast on the walk between the Burren stone and the bogs.

“The walking route takes in great views over Galway Bay and the Aran Islands. It 1s a very relaxed walk, something that everyone would be able for and it will take in parts of the Burren that most people will nev- er have seen”.

Over the years the Ramble has raised more than €300,000 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institu- tion (RNLI). “All proceeds from the walk will all to help support the work of the RNLI. There has been so many tragedies and near tragedies

along the Clare coast over the last 12 months and the RNLI really do great work at these times. The sup- port that the RNLI has received from the people of Clare over the years has been great. If you look at someone like Tomsie Sullivan from Lahinch who has been a devoted member of the organisation for 43 years now,’ Loy eT Ube LeCsre MN Letom

Anyone interested in taking part in this year’s ramble can contact Joe for sponsorship cards at 087 6260301. The Burren Ramble takes place on September 9 and is being organised by the Ennis and Lahinch branches of the RNLI.