Month: February 2008

EAST Clare people who are wonder- ing whether their carbon footprint is a neat size four or a massive size 12 can now find out.

A special ‘Carbon Clinic’ in Killa- loe can even tell people who are not in the ecological know how to reduce their footprint and save money into the bargain.

Energy management expert, Vin- cent Carragher, who hosts the clinic at the Family Resource Centre says he has been asked advice on every- thing from saving on the heating bills to how to future-proof new homes.

“People can be conscious of the need to reduce their carbon footprint,

but they may not know or be just too busy to research how to do that. If they come to the clinic, I can work out what size that footprint is, based on things like car usage or how well a home is insulated. Or sometimes, people just want to know if there is a grant for things like solar panels and who is a good supplier for them. If someone is building a new home and wants advice about conserving energy, I can talk to them about bet- ter insulation. Any of these issues that people want to know about, I’m qualified to talk to them.”

The clinic is becoming busier as time goes on, with the price of oil soaring and as a result, the price of fuel for home heating and motoring.

‘Fuel is so expensive now that it’s being measured by the milligram. By reducing their fuel consump- tion, householders can save money as well. We try to give them the best advice we can in whatever situation they are in and with whatever their issues are.”

There are advice leaflets available during the week from the centre and Vincent is available on Friday after- noons but will also try to accommo- date queries outside that.

Vincent, who studied biochemis- try and carried out a study of how a community in Ballina was able to reduce it’s carbon footprint and save money, believes that at a time “when more and more environmental scien-

tists are talking about Irelands three- planet lifestyle it is becoming imper- ative that people are introduced to principles of sustainability through the educational system from an early age, and that these principles are reg- ularly reinforced and built upon.”

Vincent believes that the “bottom- up” method of cutting emission, in which individuals keep watch on their own carbon footprints is the best.

Anyone who would like to talk to Vincent can reach him through the centre on O61 374741 and there’s more information available at www. ul.ie/lowcarbonfutures.

NEIGHBOURS in O’Briensbridge and Montpellier are coming together later this month to consider how they might be able to tackle global change at a local level.

The two communities are getting involved in the Kulyana Project, which looks at how small groups can make a difference by acting locally on climate change.

Kulyana is a Hawaiian word mean- ing both privilege and responsibility and the O’Briensbridge Community Group has organised two nights for local people to hear about the project and talk about how they can get in-

volved.

“Everyday, we hear about ‘climate change’, ‘global warming’, ‘care for our environment’ and ‘fossil fuel de- pletion’. How these things affect us, or even more importantly, how we can live with and possibly change these things can be answered all the more effectively when we work as a team.

“Rural communities are more likely to find the solutions required for climate change than urban com- munities because the answers le in our natural resources and most of these are rural,” a spokesman for the project said.

The meetings are being held at

Montpelier Community Hall at 8.30pm on Wednesday, February 13 and the following Wednesday, Feb- ruary 20.

Everyone is welcome with as many people as possible being asked to at- tend.

The first evening will include a short explanation of the project and a slideshow presentation and the second evening will also allow peo- ple to ask questions and make sug- gestions.

“It’s a way of seeing what we can do as a community and with the two communities so close together, there are bound to be a number of good Suggestions for how we can make

a difference,’ said Mick Murtagh of the O’Briensbridge Community Group.

“This project should be something that will benefit the majority of the community, provide a focus for en- gaging in sustainability and pro- vide inter-community support,” the project spokesman said.

The Kulyana Project is adminis- tered by the Clare Association of An Taisce and is funded by Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partner- ship Fund 2007 facilitating sustaina- ble development at community level from Clare County Council and the Department of Environment, Herit- age and Local Government.

FINDING hotel rooms for more than 100 cats is not a job most people would relish.

But for two ladies from Killaloe, it’s a labour of love. Carmel Byrne and Shirley Ward of the Midlands Cat Club have been doing their bit in staging the club’s annual show for the last ten years

Shirley is chairwoman of the club and Carmel is show organiser and, says Carmel, the show gets bigger and better every year.

“This year we have more than 100 cats and they are coming from all

over Ireland and the UK,” said Car- mel. Siamese, Ballinese, Bengals, Burmese, Snowshoes, Abysinni- ans, long-haired, short-haired, lilac brown, chocolate and plain old love- able household pets – the show has a place for all of them.

Carmel got involved with cats af- ter a friend gave her a present of a Tonkinese. “I thought I should get a little friend for him, a Ballinese and I started entering shows. Well, he took first prize and never came second af- ter that.”

Carmel still has Rossie, her cham- pion cat, who is now II years old but she doesn’t enter her own cats in

shows anymore.

“After a while I got involved in helping to oranise shows and from there I became show organiser. Peo- ple organising don’t enter their cats, it wouldn’t be seen as fair.”

On the subject of booking hotel rooms for cats, Carmel can’t say enough about the Kilmurray Lodge Hotel in Castletroy, where the show has been staged for five years now.

“They are absolutely fabulous to us and can’t do enough. They ac- commodate cats and owners and not every hotel will do that. They’re so efficient that all I have to do is to put names on the rooms.”

Carmel explained that owners do their bit to keep the good will of ho- tels by ensuring that the feline stars stay in the bathroom for the dura- nO)

The show is sponsored by Royal Canin pet food manufacturers and it goes ahead this year on Sunday, February 17. It’s open to the public from 12.30pm to 5pm and anyone interested in entering can get details from Carmel on 065 6821616.

STUDENTS from Colaiste Muire will head next week to Dublin to take part in the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras Festival.

Rehersals are already well under- way at Harmony Row, Ennis for the event which takes place on Febru- ary 9 at the National Concert Hall in Dublin.

The also get the rare opportunity to receive one on one specialist tuition from the renowned American con- ductor and arranger Sandra Dackow.

An annual American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers

(ASCAP), award winning arranger, Dr Dackow has generated over sev- enty published works for orchestras and is an author of the Orchestra Ex- pressions curriculum.

She is active as a guest conduc- tor, adjudicator and clinician across the nation and Canada, in England, Hong Kong, Singapore, Ukraine, South Africa and throughout Aus- tralia and Ireland

The event is part of the annual youth orchestra festival that features the best ensembles in the state. In a unique collaboration, Colaiste Muire will play with two schools from Lein- ster in an all Mozart programme.

The orchestra has a busy time in February as they will host a visit by guest conductor, Malcolm Greene, director of Limerick Choral Union and cellist with the Dolmen String Quartet for an afternoon workshop at Colaiste Muire

The Colaiste Muire’s orchestra is growing rapidly. Its ranks were boosted this year with the addition of a bank of cellos and double basses as part of the Board of Management’s and principal Jean Pound’s policy of investment in music.

Orchestra director Cathy Des- mond has initiated a novel cello & double bass programme to enhance

the orchestra and to encourage more students to experience ensemble playing.

The orchestra members range from prize-winning music students to be- ginners. It is open to students of all Ao ise

The orchestra plays at a range of events in the school and recently received an enthusiastic reception from residents and staff at Carigoran House nursing home in Newmar- ket-on-Fergus. Future plans include a chamber music workshop to en- courage ensemble playing in smaller eroups and a collaboration with the school choir.

STUDENTS from Ennis Commu- nity College proved to be the bright sparks at the 2008 National Elec- tronic Engineering Quiz.

Rebecca Murphy, Victor Aku- jobi, Shona Ni Meachair and James Philips came first in the regional round of the 2008 National Elec- tronic Engineering Quiz in GMIT before narrowly missed out winning the overall prize.

The annual quiz took place in si- multaneously in University College Cork, Dublin Institute of Technology and Waterford Institute of Technol- ogy and the Galway Mayo Institute

of Technology on January 26. The quiz attracted schools from across Ireland and this year the standard of entry was again very high

Having won the regional round in GMIT, the Ennis team was tied with a team from Cork for the national wa Con

It came down to one question; what was the record time for winning the Dublin City Marathon?

The closest answer deciding the BUONO Coe

Unfortunately for Ennis Commu- nity College, their opponent’s answer was closer and the Ennis team had to settle for second place.

All teams from the four simultane-

ous events were competing for the national title and a national prize worth €2,000 donated by MIDAS Ireland to the winning school.

MIDAS Ireland (Microelectronic Industry Design Association) is a joint industry and academic organi- sation, which defines and develops the future direction of Integrated Circuit design in Ireland.

MIDAS as an organisation was launched in February 2001 by the Minister of Enterprise, Trade & Em- ployment Mary Harney TD.

It is a national cluster consisting of the microelectronics design com- panies and third level institutions in Ireland, building on the already-

strong relationships between them.

The quiz success is just the latest for Ennis Community College. In 2006, Victor Akujobi, who repre- sented Ennis Community College in GMIT, won a gold medal at the Irish Science Olympiad. Victor qualified for the competition based on his ex- cellent results in junior certificate maths and science.

IRISH language group, Glor hInse has won first prize, €50,000, in the annual Glor na nGael awards.

Comharchumann Rath Cairn, County Meath, won the second prize of €12,500, while Cumann Forbar- tha Ghaoth Dobhair, came in third place, winning €7,500.

Praising the work of Glor na hInse, Glor na nGael director, Lorcan Mac Gabhann, described the commit- tee as an example for Irish groups throughout the country.

“The committee enjoys broad rep-

resentation from the community and uses an effective planning system. The adjudicators were particularly impressed its strategic plan and the work arising from it,” he said.

Mr Mac Gabhann said the win re- flected the strong gaelic movement that existed in Ennis. He said

‘“T congratulate the people of Ennis and Clare for this Glor na nGael win, achieving first place in the competi- tion for the third time, a feat achieved only once before.”

“Ennis enjoys a strong Irish gaels- coil movement. As well as that, the committee manages to exert influ-

ence on all the schools in the area through drama, debating and other major events.

“There has been significant growth in participation of Ogras. From the start of the year till the end, young people are supported through Féile na hInse, schools’ drama and a sum- mer camp.

He praised the large number of events organised by Glor na Gael throughout the year. He said, “A large number of events are also or- ganised for adults such as a reading circle and public lectures.

“The Irish language is central to

other cultural events such as an Flea- dh Nua. The committee received particular praise for organising Fili an Chlair.

“The committee is working suc- cessfully with the state sector, par- ticularly with Clare County Council and has achieved much. A demand for state services in Irish 1s advanced and encouraged.”

In total, Glor na nGael announced awards to the value of €141,950, giving recognition the work being carried out by many committees to promote the Irish language at home ~NOlemr-lesKers(en

THE show might have changed, but the dedication to rehearsals remains the same for Ennis Musical Society.

Under the direction of musical di- rector Cormac McGuinness, chorus mistress Mary Curly and rehearsal pianist Dylan Walsh, preparations are already well underway for the Society’s annual show.

Instead of performing one show, this year, Ennis Musical Society will present a double bill of musi- cal entertainment over four nights in March.

Shows on March 4, 6 and 8 will

reunite performers past and present as they bring the audience on a trip down memory lane, singing hits from shows the society has produced over the past 50 years.

On March 5 and 7 there will a be a change of direction for the second half of this double bill, when Ennis Musical Society will pay tribute in verse and song to the great Irish en- tertainer, Percy French.

The decisions to break with tradi- tion was taken at a meeting of the society was taken at a meeting of the group back in November 2007.

Ennis Musical Society PRO Fr Feargus McEveney ofm explained

the cast have been busy putting in the hours in preparation for March.

He said “Mary Curly, Dylan Walsh, under the direction of our musical director, Cormac McGuinness have everyone going full steam ahead to make sure a certain amount will be ready by the time last year’s pro- ducer, Alan Kinsella, comes down to set some of the solos and choruses of the production due to open in Glor on March 4”.

Among those appearing are award winning singers Maretta O’Hehir and Edel Heaney, society stalwarts, Anna Monahan, Emer O’Flaherty and Mary Heal.

They will be appearing alongside stars from the past such as Vincent de Placido, Tom Lillis and John Lil- lis, and a host of other great perform- ers backed by the chorus of the musi- cal society.

Songs from shows such as the ‘Mer- ry Widow’; ‘La Belle Heléne’; ‘Show Boat; ‘Oklahoma and ‘My Fair Lady’ etc, will be enough to ensure a most enjoyable evening of musical neKossOu lone

Patrons and supporters of the soci- ety are invited to attend to make sure to keep dates between March 4 to 8, free so as not to miss a great night, if not indeed two great nights.

The 75-year sex offender at the cen- tre of a political storm last year is set to be released from prison next weekend after serving five years and three months in jail.

Bachelor farmer, Joseph Nugent, from Dromellihy, Cree is due for release from the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise on Saturday, February 9.

The possible early release of Mr Nugent was the subject of separate representations to the Munister for Justice from Minister of State Tony Killeen and Fine Gael Deputy, Pat Bue

Last year, Minister Killeen apolo- gised to Mr Nugent’s two victims af- ter a Freedom of Information request found that his constituency office made two separate representations in 2005 seeking early release for Nu- gent on the grounds of his “age, bad health and fear for his life”.

Minister Killeen said that he did not have any knowledge of either let- ter sent to the then Minister for Jus- tice, Michael McDowell.

In October 2006, Deputy Breen ta- bled a Dail question enquiring into the possibility of Mr Nugent being eligible for an early release.

In response, Minister McDowell said: “In view of the very serious na- ture of these offences, I am not pre- pared to authorise any form of early release in this case.”

Nugent is now in the last week of two concurrent sentences of six years and one sentence of three years in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise.

The cases against him involved two young boys. Imposing a sentence of six years in November 2002, Judge Brian McMahon said he had acted in a “premeditated and predatory na- ture for his own self-gratification and beastly pleasure” and that the abuse on a neighbour, who was aged eight when the abuse started involved the use of physical violence by an adult on a young child.

In the ensuing political controversy, Deputy Breen blamed the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell and sections of the media for causing an unnecessary storm.

He had a phone conversation with one of Nugent’s victims and in a let- ter to a second victim, who he also met, Deputy Breen stated that the issue “would never have been the subject of public debate 1f it had been handled in the normal way.

“However, the Minister for Justice in his Dail reply provided unusual and extensive detail about the case which clearly identified those in- volved. This directly led to it becom- ing a public issue because certain sections of the tabloid media saw an opportunity to create sensational headlines without showing any re- gard for the pain and suffering it would cause to the victims.

Critical comments by Cllr Madeleine Taylor Quinn and Joe Carey ITD, two of Deputy Breen’s general election running mates, prompted Deputy Breen to issue a letter threatening libel proceedings.

At the time, Deputy Breen said that he tabled the Dail question after be-

ing approached by a relative of Mr Nugent to inquire into the question of early release.

“IT was not making representa- tions on behalf of Mr Nugent and I wouldn’t be in favour of an early release in the case. It was a terrible case.” he said

Deputy Breen said that he was aware that Mr Nugent was a sex of- fender but wasn’t aware of all of the facts in relation to the cases.

NO AER Lingus flight between Bel- fast and Heathrow is booked out be- tween now and the end of the month, despite some seats being offered at eee

Airline boss, Dermot Mannion said last week that the airline’s bookings on the Belfast routes have improved, although no official figures are yet available for the Belfast/Heathrow route.

After a slow December for the air-

line flying from Belfast Internation- al, with just over one quarter of the Seats full, Mannion said the airline had “a good January in Belfast and the figures are improving al the time. The Aer Lingus brand has now been brought to the attention of the entire public in Northern Ireland and we’ve been very well received. These are very early days.”

The airline boss was speaking at the launch of its partnership with US budget carrier JetBlue. The deal will allow customers to book JetBlue’s 40

routes across the US on the Irish car- rier’s website and vice versa.

The service will be available on both airline’s websites from April One

Mannion said he is “confident” that the new service between Belfast and Heathrow will prove a success.

But customers wishing to fly from the Belfast airport to Heathrow in the slot which replaced the Shannon/ Heathrow flight can find availability any day this month, indicating that none of the flights are fully booked.

Mannion said that the partnership with JetBLue will “bring Dublin as a destination and Shannon as a des- tination to a very large database of customers that we don’t have access to at the moment.”

Aer Lingus pulled it’s Shannon to Heathrow flights last month, despite a huge swell of opposition to the move from the business community and the travelling public.

The airline said that moving the routes was a commercial decision, despite the fact that the route was

well supported out of Shannon and profitable.

But there has been some specula- tion that the decision might be recon- sidered in light of the slow take-up on the route out of Belfast.

According to figures published in a national newspaper last week, fllights from Belfast to Amsterdam took off in December with just 27 per cent of the seats filled, Aer LIngus Belfast to Barcelona flights had 44 per cent of seats filled and the Geneva route sold 39 per cent of seats.

A GROUP set up in Shannon last year to integrate newcomers to the town is Set to expand.

‘Le Chéile na Sionna’ has sought to encourage people from a multitude of nationalities to get together and mingle.

Since its inception a year ago, the eroup has attracted people from a wide range of nationalities to join vheR

Representatives of a number of countries, including Egypt, France, Germany, Mauritius, England, Neth- erlands, Pakistan, China and Africa, have attended the monthly meetings

and regular social gatherings organ- ised by the group.

Now, 12 months on, the group is poised to expand, through its link with the Shannon Family Resource Centre. Its co-ordinator Marie Ro- land is hopeful that Le Chéile’s scope can now be expanded.

“Le Chéile will be coming under the umbrella of the family resource centre. We will be looking for fund- ing, through the resource centre,’ said Ms Roland.

“We are encouraging people to get involved. We are hoping to expand the programme further,’ she added.

The group was set up by Trish Fal- lon-Barry, who is welcoming new

members to join.

“The more diversity the better. People can make it their own club. The group includes all different na- tionalities and traditions. It has real- ly taken off and has been very posi- tive,’ she said.

‘People have interacted with each other in the group and network and offer friendly advice to each other,” she added.

Le Chéile participated in last year’s St Patrick’s Day parade in Shannon, where it won the ‘Best New Entry’ section.

It hopes to enter an entry again this year, to include a wide variety of na- aCoyet- Lele

“We are encouraging people to come along and show a splash of diversity for the parade. They are a part of the Shannon community, a welcome part,’ added Ms Fallon- Breas

The dates for the forthcoming meetings of the group are tonight (February 5), March 4, April 1, May 6 and June 3. The starting time is oe 0) 080

The group also meets at the food court, SkyCourt, every Saturday, from 2pm to 3pm.

Anyone interested in joining the eroup, or taking part in the parade, should contact Ms Fallon-Barry on 087 6743796.