Month: September 2008

AN Inagh based artist 1s to open her home and studio to the public in a unique new slant on the artistic exhi- bition. Ashley O’Neal, who has spent most of her career in New York, is this month inviting small groups into her home on the foot hills of Mount Callan to experience her work in a homely setting. She has transformed her home into Baunsheve Studios, and hopes to offer people a unique exhibition experience.

‘Throughout the month of Septem- ber, and possibly on from that, I am Opening up my studio to the public

by appointment. People can call me and arrange a time to come to the studio and see some of my work,” she said.

“When you go into a gallery people can sometimes be very intimated and besides that they don’t get the chance to meet the artist behind the work. I am offering people the chance to come in and chat about the work and what they see.

‘“[’m very open as an artist and I enjoy talking about what people are seeing and feeling when they look at my work.”

As a landscape painter, Ashley be- lieves that living in north Clare, on

the border of the Burren, has had a huge influence on her work.

“IT moved to Clare from New York City about two years ago now. I have set up a studio in Inagh and have spent the last while taking in the lo- cal lore and a lot of the landscape of the place,” continued Ashley.

‘For me it was amazing just to go out in the landscape, seeing as I am a landscape painter, after spending a lot of time in such an urban area. You can go to a place out here and find that no-one else is with you, it gives you a very individual and personal experience of your area.

‘Most of my work starts as realistic

landscape painting but by doing the painting itself it can actually move into the abstract. I find that people can tend to come back to paintings after they have seen it with new ideas about it.

““T really want this to be a casual en- vironment where people can come a have a one-on-one with the artist, to meet the real deal.”

People interested in having a look at some of Ashley’s work should con- tact O85 1437131 or check out www. ashleyoneal.com for more details.

IT may be a bad time for the econo- my but increases in oil and electricity prices have made it a golden age for the matchmaker, with scores flocking to Lisdoonvarna looking for someone to keep them warm this winter.

That is the opinion of legendary matchmaker Willie Daly, who is also on the look out for a farmer on the dole to take an American millionaire off his hands.

‘This year has been good so far, it’s only been getting warmed up really but all things are starting to get into

it’s stride,” he said.

“The matchmaking is going well. I think with the promise of a cold win- ter coming up everyone wants to be with someone. With electricity and oil prices getting higher it’s easier to have a nice partner to keep them warm for the winter. With the high costs of living, it’s better to have two people than one to help with the run- ning of a house.

“We still have a lot of foreign people taking part but not as many Americans as in other years. There is agood amount of German and Eng- lish people the whole time but some

of the English would be more there for the dancing and the craic as for the matchmaking itself.”

This weekend, Lisdoonvarna will play host to a rich oil baroness from America who is looking for an Irish farmer to take home to Texas with her.

“There is young woman coming from Texas who is an oil baroness. She is going to spend about five or six days in Lisdoonvarna starting this weekend. She has fallen in love with Ireland – she visited here when she was 11 and it has always stayed in her mind,’ continued Willie.

“She has become a little disillu- sioned by American men and wants to try her hand with an Irish man. She has been in contact with me di- Kore AYAE-NOLOMAUG DN MOL oMCCO) UNDONE O(osKommN BION] an older woman. Hopefully now we want to keep her in Clare and not let her off somewhere else. She is look- ing for a man who will give her a lot of time so I was thinking maybe of a nice small farmer from off in west Clare, maybe someone who is on the dole and would have time for her.”

For more on this years Match Mak- ing Festival check out www.match- makerireland.com

ELECTED representatives have as little power as “the begging bull” – according to a Shannon councillor.

Councillor Gerry Flynn (Independ- ent) made the claim during a debate on a contentious footpath that has been erected through a green area in Finian Park, Shannon.

A letter, signed by three residents in Finian Park, called for a meet- ing with Shannon area councillors, where they could air their concerns.

Councillor Flynn said that there

had been a mistake “in so far as con- sultation didn’t take place. We had a duplication of a path which there was no need for.”

He said that local residents should have been consulted.

“It shows residents the actual pow- ers we have as elected representa- tives, which are so limited. . . We have the power of the begging bull, nothing else,” he said.

However Fine Gael Councillor Tony Mulcahy asked had we reached a stage where residents had to be consulted before every piece of work

would be carried out.

However, Councillor Flynn said when he pointed out the concerns to the engineer, the concrete had not been put in place, but it was later added, without the residents being consulted. “It just shows that solo runs can be dangerous,” he said.

However Shannon Town Manager Ger Dollard replied, “The decision that was made certainly wasn’t a solo run. The decision was made in good eis 0 ee

Clare County Council Senior Exec- utive Engineer Donal Hogan said that

this area was included in a schedule of footpaths to be put in place, un- der the town commissioners’ grants scheme, in 2006.

As a result of a survey carried out at the time, he said that a map was produced and this included the pro- vision of a footpath across a green area.

He said the council would be fool- ish to employ people to do work if they were going to be “hamstrung.”

“We can’t consult everybody about everything. There has to be some trust,’ he said.

ALTHOUGH major honours eluded Shannon in the national Tidy Towns awards, the committee is celebrat- ing its sizable increase in marks this year.

Shannon increased its tally by 12 points, to 266. Although that was significantly less than the 300 marks achieved by the county winner En- nis, the Tidy Towns committee in Shannon was thrilled by the increase and is optimistic that the points will continue to increase over the coming years.

Of particular pride was the increase in marks for the overall development approach, where Shannon scored 46

marks out of a possible 50. Although points were lower in the areas of wildlife and natural amenities, litter control and roads, streets and back areas, the town received eight points out of 10 in the ‘general impression’ category.

The adjudicators were impressed by the schools in the town, particu- larly St Aidan’s – which displayed a ereen flag – but said that St John’s school in Drumgeely was in need of some attention as weeds were grow- ing in the gutters. St Caimin’s Com- munity School was commended for its shrubbery.

Several buildings were also praised, including Murphy’s Cottage restau- rant, the shops in Ballycasey Cres-

cent and the river walk.

“The Pope John Paul II Jubilee Garden outside the church of SS John and Paul is a fantastic feature, with a suitable sculpture of Pope John Paul II and the area was adorned with an excellent floral display. The sculp- ture of the fish cut in stone at Bal- lycaseymore is an attractive feature,” stated the adjudicator’s report.

The adjudicator suggested that a notice board be erected at the en- trance to the river walk, outlining details of the huge amount of wildlife and the visiting birds that migrate to the area. The report also noted that while litter was well controlled over- all, isolated bits of litter were noticed in the river walk.

Overall, the adjudicator was pleased with the efforts being made to keep Shannon clean.

“It was a pleasure to spend a few hours driving and walking around Shannon. I feel that other towns could learn a lot from what has been achieved at Shannon,’ stated the re- port.

Secretary of the Tidy Towns com- mittee in Shannon, Tess Barry, was encouraged by the remarks, but said a lot of work remains to be done.

“We have to do the roundabouts and our approach roads are not up to scratch yet. However, the county council has done a lot, particularly in relation to lights and footpaths,’ she said.

MAJOR population growth in New- market-on-Fergus and Sixmilebridge should put the possibility of building a secondary school for the area on the agenda.

That’s according to Newmarket-on- Fergus based Councillor Pat McMa- hon (Fianna Fail), who said the pos- sibility should be explored.

Several new housing estates have been built in both villages over the past few years and there is a belief that educational facilities should increase, to cater for the increasing numbers of residents.

Speaking at a meeting of Shannon area councillors last week, Cllr Mc-

Mahon said he accepted, even if con- firmation was given, it would take more than a decade for the project to be completed.

“They are two areas of growth. They should be now looking for a secondary school for that area for the future. Some person may wake up in the department and investigate it and send down a team,” he said.

His calls were supported by Sixmi- lebridge Councillor John Crowe (FG), who pointed out that the pri- mary school in Sixmilebridge has become heavily populated in recent years.

“Within three years, there will be 600 pupils in Sixmilebridge Na- tional School. That’s bigger than a

lot of schools in the country. There are at least three buses a day going from our area alone to the schools in Shannon,” he said.

‘These children have been born in Sixmulebridge. There are an extra three prefabs in Sixmilebridge this year,” he added.

Shannon-based Councillor Gerry Flynn (Independent) pointed out that some schools in Shannon had closed their books as they were full.

“It’s down to the proliferation of houses. Houses do not make commu- nities. Infrastructure and community facilities do. The problem in Limer- ick is that community facilities were not put in. That’s what it’s all about, a bit of joined-up thinking,” he said.

Fine Gael Councillor Tony Mulc- ahy said that thousands of new hous- es have been built over the past few years, adding, “where the schools are going to come from is beyond me.”

Saying he would support the mo- tion, he said, “I wish ye well, but re- alistically it is hard to see where it is going to come from.”

Councillor Patricia McCarthy (In- dependent) suggested that a feasibil- ity study should be carried out and this would ascertain the needs in those areas, given that some Shan- non schools were full and the in- creased population in Sixmilebridge and Newmarket-on-Fergus. “Maybe the VEC should be involved,’ she SHOE

THE Going Strong club in Newmar- ket-on-Fergus 1s appealing to the lo- cal community to get on board and help with its efforts to build a garden for senior citizens.

To coincide with its 10th anniversa- ry, the club has decided to assemble a seniors’ garden beside the family centre in the village.

Volunteers will donate a variety of items, such as plants and shrubbery,

to be positioned 1n the garden and the committee is appealing for people to donate 12 railway sleepers. According to the chairperson of the eroup, Kay Murphy, the committee decided to open the garden as part of its plans for the 10th birthday cele- brations of the formation of the club. “When the garden is built, the sen- ior citizens will decide what goes into it. We will try to accommodate whatever they suggest. It will be therapeutic for them,’ said Ms Mur-

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“We are hoping that it will all be donated, especially the sleepers for the garden. We only need 12. If we were to buy them, they would cost €600,” she added.

The 40 members meet every week and engage in activities such as bowling and day trips, while they also host talks on fire safety, legal, health and financial advice.

A committee of eight people over- sees the work of the group which has

grown significantly in size since it was established in 1998.

During its initial stages, there were just four senior citizens in the club, but as word of mouth spread throughout the village, that quickly increased over the years.

The group is resuming its activities for the autumn, having taken a well- CFeWw OLex6 MB) Kore HGR DOMMLUN WiAr- Dele MPaNUESAU Kye

All senior citizens in the Newmar- ket-on-Fergus area are invited to at- tend its meetings every week.

AS part of European Shiatsu Week which runs until next Sunday, the East Clare Co-op in Scariff is host- ing a special local event for people to try out Shiatsu, a traditional form of Japanese massage.

According to the World Health Or- ganisation, Japanese people topped the world table for longevity with a life expectancy of 86 amongst the women and 79 amongst the men. Contributing to these statistics is the integral role played in society by Shi-

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There will be an opportunity for people to enjoy taster sessions of the massage that works with the energy pathways of the body to re-establish balance and was a favourite of Mu- hammad Ali and Marilyn Monroe.

Simply drop by the Co-Op in Scar- iff between 9am and 5pm and experi- ence the many health benefits of Shi- atsu for yourself at the hands of local practitioner Joseph Kennedy.

A major study conducted by the University of Leeds found that 85 per cent of shiatsu clients reported a sig-

nificant reduction in tension, stress and problems with muscles, joints or body structure, including back pain and posture. It has also been found to be effective in the treatment of a va- riety of asthma, insomnia, digestive problems, migraine, joint pain and is becoming an increasingly popular natural pain relief tool in labour. Often described as ‘acupuncture without needles’, Shiatsu is a tra- ditional hands-on therapy. With its origins in Traditional Chinese Med1- cine dating back 2,000 years, Shiatsu uses the same energy channels of the

body or “meridians” as those used in acupuncture.

Aimed at rebalancing the body’s energy system, the therapist uses fingers, thumbs, palms, elbows, forearms and feet to specific points (called tsubos). In addition they gently stretch and pull the client to stimulate their flow of energy (ki) and innate ability to heal.

Different to more conventional massage in that there is no oily kneading of muscles — Shiatsu clients lie in loose clothing on a padded mat or futon on the floor.

A HUGELY popular music project which has run in the east Clare area for the past eight years is resuming WOT Were) @

‘Music World’ is hosted by Scariff Community College and is open to the wider community in east Clare. Seven teachers tutor a variety of in- struments including piano, fiddle, guitar, accordion, traditional flute, tin whistle, keyboard and classical voice training.

The classes are run each evening and are open to young music enthusi- asts right through to adults.

While the classes have always at- tracted much interest, the develop- ment of a new state-of-the-art music

room at the school last year signifi- cantly increased interest in music in the east Clare area, and more than 100 people are poised to attend this year’s classes.

The room is fully equipped with a range of musical instruments, in- cluding drums, electric guitars, and a piano, while a specially designed stage gives students the opportunity to exhibit their talents.

According to John O’Brien, who is a music teacher at the school, there is a huge demand for music classes in the wider community, while the new state-of-the-art music room also helps examination students.

“Up to 50 per cent of the Leaving Certificate (music) can be for per- formance,’ said Mr O’Brien.

The new room is a hive of activity throughout the year. A talent show was launched in the school last year and much of the activities for this also takes place in the room. The East Clare Musical Society helped to fund the room and also use it, ensuring that the entire community benefits.

“Not only is it a classroom, it is also a community room. It is a great facility for the school and goes way beyond the classroom,’ said Mr O’Brien.

While much of the music curricu- lum is focused on theory, the advan- tage of the special music room is that students who are keen to progress in playing music are afforded a good opportunity to do so.

“A lot of younger children, aged six and upwards, who aren’t in the school, come and attend lessons.

‘There is a huge interest 1n music. It is fabulous. Setting up the talent competition last year was a big thing. That will take place again this year,’ added Mr O’Brien.

The classes are resuming this week and there are still a number of places available. Further information is available on phone 061 921083.

THE Mountshannon based Irish Steiner Kindergarten Association will host it’s annual national con- ference later this month. The theme of this years conference is Working With the Very Young and will take place on September 27 in Dunshane, County Kildare.

The keynote speaker for the con- ference will be Danish expert Helle Heckmann, who has been a teacher for more than 20 years. Heckmann founded the Nokken Kindergarten in Copenhagen and was also a founding

member of the Worldwide Initiative for the Early Childhood Care.

Currently she travels the world giv- ing lectures and workshops on the subject of Steiner education and will give two talks; entitled ‘Balancing the needs of Young and Olde Children in the Kindergarten’ and “Working with the very young child’.

The conference will also be ad- dressed by Ulrike Farnleitner, head of the Irish Steiner Kindergarten As- sociation, who will give the opening address and welcome to the confer- Neen

Principal of Raheen Wood National

School in east Clare, which has re- cently been granted official state recognition by the Department of Education and Science, Marguerite Devane will also play a role in the eK Neer

Marguerite is a member of the ISKA council and is the Irish rep- resentative on the International As- sociation Council. She will perform Cearca Friompa a Puppet Play in Irish for the council delegated.

Earlier this year Raheen Wood Na- tional School an Mol An Ojge Na- tional became the first two steiner national school in the country to be

granted official state recognition.

Indeed the Clare schools are two of only four Steiner primary school currently operating in the island of Ireland. Other school are located in Gormanstown in County Kildare and Holywood in County Down.

The Irish Steiner Kindergarten As- sociation is the representative body of Steiner Early Childhood Carers and Educators in Ireland and was founded in 1992.

The association was formed out of a common wish to support and learn from other and will continue to de- velop in that spirit.

THEY are going to have a lot to shout about in Kilkishen next weekend.

The third annual Clare Shout Festi- val takes place over three days in the east Clare village from Friday next September 19 to Sunday September 21.

While the highlight of the festival will be the Clare Shout Competi- tion on Saturday night, a packed programme has been organised for the whole weekend, starting with a cheese and wine reception in the lo- cal GAA clubhouse on Friday night at 7.30 pm.

The opening lecture will be de- livered by Seamus MacMathuna of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann on ‘Clare Heroes of the Bow and the Caman’, a tribute in song, in music

and in words to the hurlers and mu- sicians of the Banner County. That takes place at 8.30 pm on Friday in the local GAA clubhouse.

The main event of the weekend will, of course, be the Clare Shout Competition on Saturday night in the village street. This year there will also be a competition for those under 16 and that takes place on Sunday be- tween 2 and 6 pm in the local GAA nto ee

Other events of the weekend will in- clude traditional music and singing, a spectacular fireworks display, photo competition, puppet show, novelty races for children and for their par- ents, a dog show, magician, fortune teller, hurling skills competition, turf packing, clothes line dash, parade led by Tulla Pipers’ Band, face paint- ing, welly throwing, snail racing and

much more.

The history of the Clare shout is shrouded in mystery but is believed to date back to pre-Celtic times in Ireland. Older people in parts of Clare recall watching people of an even older generaton facing the set- ting sun on fine autumn evenings while giving vent to a double-echo shout. This has led to the theory that the Clare shout may have been a form of autumnal worship in pagan times.

The shout is unique to Clare. It was a rallying cry that echoed around Clontarf when Brian Boru led the clans of Dal gCais into battle against the Danes on Good Friday 1014.

It was also raised as a war cry by the men of Clare’s Dragoons at Fon- tenoy and on other European battle fields. In later years it greeted the great Liberator Daniel O’Connell

when the people of Clare elected him as the first Catholic member of the British House of Commons.

The Clare shout was a particular favourite of the former President and Taoiseach Eamonn de Valera, TD for Clare for over 40 years, who was fas- cinatd by its unique double echo.

The famous shout got a great re- vival as Clare hurling shot to the top once again in the mid-nineties.