Month: October 2007

PAT COSTELLO stood in midfield — panting, out of breath but exhila- rated at the same time as his back was Slapped every few seconds. Men, women and children — all decked in black and red or black and orange slapped his back so hard that he was nearly out on his feet.

A standing count later and he fi- nally summoned up the words to explain his greatest day in Bally- vaughan’s football history that dates back to 1890. “F***ing brilliant,” he said. “Forgive my language but that’s the only way to describe it. It was rine brilliant by them.”

Fitting really. Primal stuff on a day when a football game went to the heart of what the little corner of Clare that is Ballyvaughan and Fanore is about. “It was guts,” said Costello after drawing breath again. “It was determination and it was be- cause of Michael Greene,’ he added.

Michael Greene was the man who died with his boots on, playing a jun- ior game for Ballyvaughan in Doon- beg five years ago. He was young, in

his early forties, and with many more years to give to football in his belov- ed Ballyvaughan and district.

But, that day he was called away, his work done. Immediately the ba- ton passed to those he had nurtured. Those kids just out of Ballyvaughan and Fanore National Schools, those coming up through the ranks of the club. Other officers and mentors in the club. Teachers in the schools too.

‘“Ballyvaughan always wanted to be Senior,’ roared Pat Costello above the din. “It was a vision Michel Greene had for Ballyvaughan. We’ve car- ried on that for Michael Greene and achieved what he set out for us.

‘Michael Greene started with many of those young lads at 12 years of age. We’ve been in 21 county finals — we’ve won 16 of those and drawn two. We’ve won another today day, but this is our greastest day. I can’t believe it.”

It was true though, as the slaps con- tinued to rain down on Pat Costel- lo’s back as he moved from midfield across towards Cusack Park’s Ard Comhairle for the presentation of the Talty Cup.

“The winning of this was two years hard work,” said Costello on his jour- ney. “I said it on the radio that we had a five year plan and | wasn’t bluffing. That’s the truth of it. We had five- year plan but after two years of hard training at intermediate we made it.

‘Today what did it for us was that we kept it. They missed a few chanc- es at the start of the game but we never panicked at all today. We had a younger team with an average age of 22 years and they’ve been training with two years for this.

“We’re going to celebrate this one. It will be the party of all parties.”

The party had already started — it will go on for the rest of the year and beyond thanks to the bragging rights that go with beating their neigh- bours in the biggest game in Bally- vaughan’s history.

Some of the Cusack’s players will join in as they drown their own sor- rows.

WHEREVER Anthony Daly’s ca- reer path has taken him over the years, success has invariably fol- lowed. Whether it was with his na- tive club Clarecastle or with Clare, Daly always led from the front and this weekend, he hopes to add anoth- er title when he takes charge of Kil- moyley in the Kerry County Senior Hurling Championship final against Lixnaw.

Kilmoyley, along with fierce ri- vals Ballyduff, are the aristocrats of Kerry hurling but despite winning four-in-a-row from 2001 to 2004, they have since fallen on hard times due largely to their ageing side. John Meyler was the man in charge dur- ing that successful era at the begin- ning of the decade, but after getting the Wexford senior job last year, the club went in search of Daly who had himself left the Clare position.

The way it turned out was ironic really as Daly’s Clare inadvertently played a part in the vacant position in Wexford after beating them in two successive All-Ireland quarter-finals, thus opening the door for Meyler.

Kilmoyley are firm favourites to

win on Sunday after comprehen- sively beating Ballyheigue in the semi-final, but Lixnaw managed by another former Clare manager Ea- mon Cregan, will be no pushovers and Daly feels that the game could ome aALoNe

“It’s going to be close. A lot of people are making us favourites on the basis that we have won our two games well, but they won the cham- pionship two years ago so obviously they have a good team as well. Now they haven’t had them together with the football and that, but they won the football semi-final with Feale Rangers last weekend so they will be totally focused on the hurling for the Leto

‘This is one to look forward to any- way because they are die hards down there, they are fanatical about their hurling,” he said.

Daly originally got involved with the club through his love of grey- hounds and as aresult, he knew some of the Kilmoyley board who invited him down last year to give their mi- nors a training session before the m1i- nor final.

When Meyler left, they immediately thought of Daly who had just vacated

the Clare post and from there, the el- ements just seemed to fall in place. However at first glance, the Kiul- moyley job was a huge undertaking as the side had suffered a few very lean years and had a number of play- ers who appeared to be approaching

their end but Daly came in and re- vamped the side, beating bitter rivals Ballyduff in the quarter-final which gave them untold confidence.

As Daly recalled, “It was more a question of trying to reignite the players. There were some of them

that were very good players but had just lost enthusiasm, they’d been on the road so long. But I suppose a new voice was a help and once you got them going and once they started to bind, it came together. But they do have a few new bodies as well.

“There are a few young lads com- ing through and they won last year’s Under 21 and they are in the minor final as well on Sunday. They are a very good club and they really look after their young lads. But I guess there were a few lads there alright that were around the 32-33 age group and were possibly considering chuck- ing it and just decided to give it a lash for the year and so far so good.”

In addition, if Kilmoyley win on Sunday, they will equal Ballyduff’s record of 21 county senior titles, a milestone which they are eager to reach on Sunday and with Daly at the helm, they will conceivably never get a better chance.

ENNIS’ Valerie Hassett will fly the Clare flag on the Irish team that contests the Irish Seniors Home In- ternationals this week. Hassett won her place on the team after finishing joint-ninth behind Alison Murdoch in the Irish Seniors Strokeplay Champi- onship in Ennis early last month. Hassett was a member of the Ennis Senior Cup team that made history

in the centenary year of the club by winning the All-Ireland title for the first time thanks to a 3 1/2 to 1 1/2 win over Royal Portrush in the final at Miltown.

The Irish team in full that will compete in the Home Internationals at Royal Tara from this Tuesday to Thursday reads as follows:

Carmel Cahill (Hermitage) Valerie Hassett (Ennis) Marilyn Henderson (West Rhine)

Eileen MacMullan (Donegal) Mary McKenna (Donabate) Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) Sheena O’Brien Kenney (Grange) Reserve: Pamela Morgan (Lahinch) Team Captain: Rhona Fanagan (Milltown) Team Manager: Roma English CR Taite

Meanwhile, Gort were denied AlIl- Ireland glory at the weekend when they had to give second best to En-

niscorthy in the AA Insurance Jun- ior Foursomes final in Athlone GC. They were beaten by 2 1/2 to | 1/2. The scores were as follows:

Teresa Gill and Josephine Cummins halved with Ann Nolan and Joan Millar

Josie Collins and Celine Fahey

lost to Julie McCarthy and Pauline Byrne by 2 holes

Maureen Brennan and Margaret Whelan lost to Michele Browne and

Ursula Cousins 7&5

The former president of the IMO was referring to the HSE announce- ment about cancer care during the week.

“In one paragraph, they talk about the orderly planned transfer of pa- tient care which will take place over

the next nine to 12 months. And d1- rectly underneath it, they say that as a consequence the following hospi- tals are to cease these proceedures with immediate affect and a long list that includes Ennis.

“I fear for Ennis hospital and I am familiar with the ‘golden hour’ and the far reaches of west Clare,’ Dr Roan UAYARy-B (OR

““T don’t believe that when and if the centre of excellence is up and run- ning in Limerick that people will want to see the A and E close here in Ennis as I believe you are still going to have the geographical difficulties.

“And certainly there is a lot to be said at being able to stablise a pa- tient, intervene at a level if necessary and maybe oviate ther necessity to travel,’ he added. “Nobody would be reasured by what is happening in the health service.”

Dr Reilly said that the minister’s vi- sion of a GP-led accident and emer- gency could work but man power would prove problematic.

“And I haven’t noticed the towns of west Clare or Ennis overbrimming with GPs who are stretched to the limit to do what they are doing at the minute as it is.

“Now, if she was to double those numbers, I would have no problem. I would say yes, these are very skilled clinicians who are making a very valuable contribution,” he said.

THERE was a mixed reaction to the third Milk Quota Trading Scheme announced by the Minister for Agri- culture, Mary Coughlan, last week.

Reacting to the new scheme, Macra na Feirme national president, Cath- erine Buckley, said she was disap- pointed with the imposition of a 3:2 ratio on the amount of quota a young farmer could receive from the prior- ity pool relative to category one sup- pliers.

Ms Buckley said this could reduce the levels of allocations to young farmers in some co-op pools.

“This could put a greater financial burden on progressive farmers who are trying to expand their business

by acquiring quota. On the exchange young farmers will find it difficult to compete for quota against larger and more established farmers who have ereater resources,’ she said.

“In certain co-op areas some young farmers did indeed receive high lev- els of quota compared to category one producers in the last two exchanges, however these allocations were the product of ring-fencing.”

The Chairman of ICMSA’s Dairy Committee, Dominic Cronin, wel- comed the changes to the exchanged describing them as ‘broadly positive’. Cronin said he was delighted to note that the minister appeared to have acted on some of the ICMSA’s rec- ommendations concerning the short- falls of the existing system.

“There were specific anomalies in the old system that we had identified and to which we suggested the rem- edies. Those suggestions appear to have been acted upon,” he said.

“We’re particularly happy that the category one suppliers will now have a better opportunity of receiving an allocation from the 30 per cent fixed pool with a specific allocation now allocated to them.

“We also believe that the changes announced will address the problems thrown up in the northern counties — problems which again we had high- lighted previously.”

The third scheme will again be run in respect of each co-op area, and will again be comprised of a priority pool and a market exchange. Howev-

er, the method of distribution of pri- ority pool quota will be refined and a mechanism aimed at increasing the amount of quota traded on market exchanges in particular co-op areas will be introduced.

“T have listened very carefully to the views of the farming organisa- tions and ICOS in the course of a Summer of consultation on the op- eration of the Milk Quota Trading Scheme,” said the minister.

‘The very clear message has been that the scheme has functioned ex- tremely effectively. However, some farmers have continued to experi- ence difficulties getting access to quota, and some co-op areas have experienced trading problems due to supply and demand factors.”

AS the dust began to settle on the an- nouncement of the third Milk Quota Trading Scheme last week, the Min- ister for Agriculture, Mary Cough- lan, went on the attack in Europe, calling for an increase of three per cent in milk quota’s in the EU Coun- TOY Pb toncwio dale ule

The demand was made at the meet- ing of EU agriculture ministers in Brussels on Thursday and was ech- oed by a large number of other mem- ber states. Coughlan commented that she was very pleased with the level

of support for this idea as she had been in contact with a number of her counterparts in recent weeks to build such support.

The Commission undertook to analyse carefully the demands for in- creased quotas and to bring forward a report before the end of the year.

Minister Coughlan said that she was very pleased that the debate had now commenced on an appropriate and early EU response to the current buoyancy in the dairy market.

“We have been looking very care- fully at developments in the dairy market, including future trends,” she

said.

“Our conclusion is that the buoy- ancy now evident has given a whole new impetus to the wider dairy sec- tor following the implementation of the Luxembourg agreement and the virtual removal of market support mechanisms that have resulted from the reform.

“We have entered a new period of trade in which worldwide supply is no longer responding sufficiently to increased market demand. Dairy farmers and the dairy industry must have the opportunity to benefit from the new demand situation by increas-

Th orcae loin Uae

The minister said that the Commis- sion should not wait for the health check to respond to the clear signals that the market is now giving. If the EU hesitates now in its response, our competitors will take the market op- portunities that we are best placed to Tos ais Leon

“The milk quota system has served Ireland well over the years. At the same time, it must be responsive to developments in the market and an increase of three per cent from April next would represent an appropriate response.”

ALMOST 5,000 people gathered in the square in Ennis on Saturday af- ternoon to see a former patient of En- nis General Hospital tear up a once prized photo of herself and Taoiseach BTUs owaUNOUIe

Maureen Hall, originally from Newbridge in Kildare but living in Doonaha with her husband Richard since the 1990s, brought the early afternoon protest to a close with her personal demonstration.

Mrs Hall told the crowd how she was ill and rushed to Ennis General Hospital; a hospital that, due to its lo- cality, saved her life.

Among those protesting for a 24- hour consultant-led accident and emergency service in Ennis were Clare People with Disabilities, Ennis Active Retirement, SIPTU, Shannon Aer Lingus Workers, Kildysart Agri- cultural Show, District Daycare Cen- tre Clarecastle, Birth Choice Clare, Clare Sinn Féin, the INO, The Lions Club and members of Clare’s locals PAu ieee ele lone

Notable by their absence were Clare’s two Fianna Fail TDs, Minis- ter Tony Killeen and Timmy Dooley. Marian Harkin MEP and Fine Gael deputies Joe Carey and Pat Breen were among the most senior politi- cians lending their support.

At midday, a crowd estimated by gardai at almost 4,000 left Cusack Park in Ennis and marched through

the town demanding that the HSE re- tain 24-hour accident and emergency at Ennis General Hospital and reo- pen the mammography unit.

People joined the march to the sound of the Tulla Ceili Band while those gathering in the square listened to the Ennis General Hospital Com- mittee’s fundraising CD.

The protest march was led by a cof- fin carried shoulder-high with the

slogan “20 deaths each year”’.

Once in the square, the crowd were addressed by a dozen speakers in- cluding the Chairman of the Ennis General Hospital Development Com- mittee, Peadar McNamara, for more than an hour and a half.

Each speaker outlined his or her fears for the local health services un- der current Government policy, most notably the so-called Hanly Report.

‘We are here in the square which has been a historic rallying point in Clare from O’Connell’s time right down to de Valera. Numerous politicians of all shapes have spoken here seeking our rights. We are in the same position. We pay taxes,” said Mr McNamara.

BISHOP of Killaloe Dr Willie Walsh has lent his support to a campaign to retain accident and emergency serv- ices at Ennis General Hospital.

The leader of the Catholic Church in the diocese told the rally that ‘as Christians we need to provide a health care system that is universal’.

“Many of us here have health insur- ance but it is not right that any of us can get preferential treatment just be- cause we can afford to pay a private health insurance,” he said.

“It is a challenge to all of us to com-

mit ourselves to building a society that cares for our sick anything else is less than Christian.”

Mayor of Clare Cllr Patricia Mc- Carthy (Ind) told the crowd that the minister for health confirmed to the five mayors of the county that the development of the hospital would go ahead, that any retiring consult- ants would be replaced and that she wanted a higher level of activity at the hospital.

Among the other commitments given was that the accident and emer- gency department would be consult- ant-led but “going into the future it

would not be consultant-led for 24 hours. The model to be put in place during the non-consultant-led pe- riod has not been defined or agreed. Mammography services will not be part of the radiology service to be provided.”

“IT welcome the commitment of the minister for the improvements that she outlined for the delivery of health services in the county.

“However, in view of the isolated and dispersed nature of many of the communities in the county…it 1s 1m- portant that any changes do not take place within the existing services un-

til such time as promised improve- ments in the delivery of services… are in place and delivering a safe and best practice service,’ said the county mayor.

“While welcoming the roll out of BreastCheck and the commitment to centres of excellence and improved cancer treatment services, I am not convinced that going forward it is not possible to provide a mammography service at Ennis General Hospital.

“Modern technology in my opinion can and should be used to provide a safe and efficient mammography service at Ennis General Hospital.”

A WEST Clare GP outlined in clear terms the uphill battle facing the people of the county if it loses its 24- hour accident and emergency serv- ice. Dr Michael Harty, Chairman of the Clare branch of the Irish College of General Practitioners, was also clear on the current challenges faced by Ennis General Hospital and laid the blame squarely at the door of the HSE and the Government.

“This systematic starving of the hos- pital of resources has led to the lower- ing of morale among the staff work- ing in the hospital and has eroded the confidence of the general public

in the hospital. These are the facts of the situation but as professionals we are not supposed to mention them as we might further undermine the con- fidence in the hospital. The time for such niceties has long passed,’ he told the protesting crowd on Saturday.

‘The vision of the Government and the HSE for the future of the Irish health service does not include En- nis General Hospital as a provider of 24-hour acute medical care. The minister for health has indicated that the consultant-led accident and emer- gency services will be limited to day time services only and there will be no consultant service at night.”

Dr Harty outlined the knock-on ef-

fects of this policy. “There will be no intensive care services, there will be no coronary care services, there will be no medical or surgical staff on duty at night. There will be no radi- ology or laboratory services. Ambu- lances will be directed to Limerick with all emergencies.

‘There has been a concerted cam- paign by consecutive governments, the health board and now the HSE to undermine Ennis hospital,’ said Dr Harty.

“One of the fundamental problems in the Irish health service 1s the short- age of beds. Nationally we are short 3,000 beds. In the mid-west region, this 1s equivalent to 250 beds.

‘To put Ennis in context, there are times, when Ennis operates at 117 per cent capacity, that there are 15 extra beds in Ennis over and above the 88 they are allocated.

“General hospitals such as Ennis should operate efficiently at 85 per- cent capacity. Thus at times Ennis is operating at 32 per cent above opti- mum capacity.

‘The fact that Ennis operates at 117 per cent capacity proves that there is a demand for acute services in Ennis. When acute services close in Ennis where will the replacement services be? Limerick Regional Hospital is already operating at maximum ca- pacity as well,” he said.

THREE and a half years of planning paid off this weekend as the crowds gathered in the west Clare village of Quilty for the first ever Leon XIII oneal

Even the weather played its part as musicians dancers and singers enter- tained those gathered to remember the final voyage of the ill fated ship 100 years ago.

The local fishermen men who car- ried out the dramatic rescue of its crew were remembered by a special currach race, which saw local people including the local priest training for the last year.

On Friday evening, anew commem- orative plaque and lectern featuring the Leon XII story was unveiled by relatives of the Quilty fishermen of IONE