Month: February 2009

THE Scariff Show will be celebrat- ing 65 years on the go this year, and plans are already afoot to make it the biggest and best show yet.

It’s hoped to hold the landmark event in the showgrounds again this year. A spokeswoman for the show committee said, “Most of our suc- cess is down to the support and en- couragement we receive from our sponsors and the local support of people who come on the day.

“This will be an important show because it is the 65th birthday and we have a couple of members who remember the first Scariff Show, so that will be very special.”

As well as the usual show dance, this year the committee is marking the special birthday with a dinner dance later on in the year.

“We’re hoping to make it bigger and better than ever,’ the spokes-

woman said.

There are loads of activities at the planning stage this year. Last year, the committee introduced bouncy castles, a funfair and some new trade stands along with all the old reliables. The vintage display was a particular hit last year as was the crowning of the Queen of the Plough, a compe- tition kindly sponsored by Michael Ryan of Scariff.

One of the most popular events is the dog show, with lots of novelty classes as well as the usual variety classes and the indoor section has classes for adults and children.

The horse classes include mare and foal, young horses, jumping, show hunter and working hunter, pony classes, side saddle, donkey and sheep sections.

The Donkey Derby, best dressed lady, best dressed child and fancy- dressed child as well as the bonniest baby are all great fun on the day.

THE chairman of East Clare Young Fine Gael has called for texts or emails to be sent to people when they turn 18 to congratulate them and re- mind them they can vote.

After a discussion last week about getting young people to exercise their franchise, Cillian Griffey said, “Getting more young people on the voting register was discussed and the tedious process that has to be gone through to get on the register. It was suggested that it should be linked in with the PPS system. We saw in America how they expressed so much pride in their voting rights there were long queues of people waiting to elect their leader. The voting system here should be made simpler and a more important emphasis should be given to voting. This might start to instil confidence and pride back into electing public representatives. Also, a text message or e-mail should be sent to a person when they turn 18 as a congratulatory token explaining that they can now vote.”

The east Clare branch also has elected a new Officer Board.

Elected were: Chairperson, Cillian Griffey; Vice chairperson, John Mc- Namara; Honorary Secretary, Re- becca Gregan; Joint Honorary Treas- urers, Johnny Pilkington and Sean Brody; Membership Officer, Ciaran Murphy; Organiser, Donal Carey and PRO Caimin Griffey.

“The average age of this committee is 20 years. The meeting was well at- tended and matters arising included the 23rd Young Fine Gael National Conference. This will take place on Friday, February 20 to Sunday, Feb- ruary 22 at the Sheraton Hotel, Ath- lone, County Westmeath,” a spokes- man for the group said.

“The conference is where Young Fine Gael’s policy platform for the coming 12 months is decided. It gives the membership a chance to interact with Fine Gael’s TDs and senators and it allows the party lead- er, Enda Kenny TD, an opportunity to meet with the Young Fine Gael membership,” the spokesman for the party said.

The highlight of the weekend is the gala banquet dinner to be held at 8pm on Saturday, February 21.

The party leader, Enda Kenny TD, will host the banquet and it’s planned for a number of Clare representatives to attend the conference.

Also discussed at the AGM last week were the local and European A Ceol aoe pe me NN lon

It will be interesting this year as Ennis, for the first time, will be split into two. The east Clare area of Kil- laloe will have its number of seats in- crease from four to six seats on Clare County Council.

that when his party leader, who was the first to take a voluntary pay cut in October, decided on this course of action he supported him and followed suite.

“The economy was in a bad way, many people were losing jobs and we shouldn’t lose sight of this,’ he said when asked why he reached the decision.

Minister for State at the Depart- ment of Agriculture and Fisheries, Tony Killeen (FF) will also receive a smaller paycheck this year. As a jun- lor minister, his €139,266 salaries have been cut by 10 per cent.

As part of the October budget cuts, the Minister for Finance, Mr Lent- han, announced all cabinet ministers – including ministers for state – would give up 10 per cent of their total pay.

At the time he said, “Other public servants in leadership and senior posi-

tions may wish to consider whether it iS appropriate for them to make a sim- ilar move in current circumstances.”

Clare TDs Timmy Dooley (FF) and Pat Breen (FG) decided against such a move. Deputy Dooley told

KILMALEY Voluntary Housing Association and Clare County Coun- cil’s Arts Office have commissioned traditional singer, John Tunney, to work with the clients and residents of Kilmaley Daycare Centre to com- pose new songs in a traditional style inspired by the people and place of Gtr

The songs will be performed for the first time in public by John and the Daycare Centre clients at a special recital in the Kilmaley Inn at 8pm on Friday, February 20 next.

John has worked closely with the staff and clients of the Daycare Cen- tre over the last six months to create the new songs. Spancilhill photog- rapher and accordion player Christy McNamara was also commissioned to work with the Daycare Centre cli- ents to capture this unique process in photographic images.

John Tunney has been living in En- nis for the last eight years and hails from County Donegal where his fam- ily were steeped in traditional song, music and storytelling. He has been working at the Daycare Centre since September last. During this time he and the clients have been singing and learning songs from each other’s repertoire.

Christy McNamara has _photo- graphed many musicians, including U2, The Pogues and a range of tradi- tional musicians and his protographs of the Kilmaley project will be show- cased at the singing recital.

The project is funded through the Per Cent for Art Scheme which Is spe- cifically aimed at the commissioning of new contemporary art projects in connection with the development of Capital Construction Projects, in this case the development of Kilmaley Daycare Centre in 2003.

“It is one of the first Per Cent for

Art projects in Ireland to use the traditional arts — traditional song in this case — as the primary artform. Per Cent for Art projects in the past have traditionally yielded Sculptures but the Kilmaley Voluntary Housing Association Committee were very creative and now we have a beautiful project which is a prototype for other projects and artists in Ireland” says Clare Arts Officer, Siobhan Mulc-

AN OMs

Carmel O’Brien, a Day Care Cen- tre Committee member who has been working intensively on the project and a talented singer herself is delighted with how the project has developed. “The housing scheme and Daycare Centre have become a central aspect of the parish life of Kilmaley. This project has built on the community spirit among the

residents and Daycare Centre clients which we now want to share with the wider community and the rest of the county at the song recital night’, says Carmel.

CLARE will be taking part in an immense celebration of books and reading, World Book Day on Thurs- day March 5.

Clare County Library is inviting children from primary and post pri- mary schools across the county to enter a poetry competition in recog- nition of this event.

Entries will be judged by poet and dramatist Terry McDonagh who has published several collections of po- etry, a book of letters and a novel for young people. He has written in Australia, Asia, several European countries and in Ireland where he was resident writer in Coole Park in 2006.

Now living in Mayo, Terry has toured Clare libraries during last year’s Children’s Book Festival and has presented creative writing work- shops, courses for teachers and po- etry readings for children and adults throughout Ireland.

Competitors can write a poem of any length on any subject and send it to: WBD Poetry Competition, Library Headquarters, Mill Road, Ennis. Entries must be received by Monday, February 16 and must show the name, age, school and class, home address and home telephone number of the poet.

There will be four categories for the poems to be judged under: primary fourth class and under, primary fifth to sixth, post-primary Junior Certifi- cate and under, post-primary Leav- ing Certificate and under. Twenty finalists will be selected from each category.

A reception will be held for final- ists at DeValera Library Ennis on World Book Day at 8pm when each finalist will have the opportunity to share their winning poem with an audience. All forty poems will be published in a book to mark World Book Day 2009 by Clare County L1i- brary. Copies will be stocked in all branches of the library.

THE Friends of Coole and its partner organisations continue with the bian- nual series of cultural events at Coole Park this week.

These events are part of the Spring 2009 Cultural Programme at Coole Park, which is now in its second month. All events are free. The aim of the programme 1s to integrate arts, culture, heritage and education with a series of events for adults, young people and families.

On Thursday, February 12 from

8pm to 9pm, ‘A Stitch in Time’ will be presented by Loughrea Heritage Project. Joe Forde of Loughrea Her- itage Project will introduce this film, about the Dun Emer Guild. It tells of an extraordinary collaboration that produced an important native arts and crafts collection. It marked one of the high points of the Irish artistic renaissance.

Founded in Dundrum in 1902 by Evelyn Gleeson, with Susan and Elizabeth Yeats, the Dun Emer Guild, through the active involve- ment of WB Yeats, was employed by

Loughrea Cathedral to produce em- broidered Sodality Banners. Leading Irish artists such as Jack B. Yeats, Mary Cottenham Yeats, AE (George Russell), and American artist, Pame- la Colman Smith, provided designs for 24 banners featuring Irish saints, which were embroidered by Susan Yeats and her apprentices.

The heritage programme contin- ues on Monday nights from 8pm to 10pm, with the local history publica- tions course. This course provides participants with an introduction to local history and how to go about

producing a local history publica- tion.

Speakers include both local and na- tional experts in their fields, all hav- ing an in-depth knowledge of their subject.

It is intended to present best prac- tice in the production of a local his- tory publication for both individuals and community groups.

This is an action of Galway County Heritage Plan 2004-2008. Contact Coole Park if you have any queries as it may be possible to attend if there 1s not full attendance on the night.

since September. This is the 14th year the school has put on a musical; the last show took to the stage in 2005. The main cast this year is from Transition Year, with some members also coming from second and third

year. The chorus is provided by the second-year students.

As rehearsals reach their peak dur- ing the last weeks, nuns and soldiers can be seen walking around the school as students get into character.

The lead performers on the night will be Mairead Clancy who will play the part of Maria, with Robert Finnu- cane playing the part of Captain Von Trapp and Ellen Downes playing the part of the Mother Abbess.

Teachers and students from all dis- ciplines are also getting involved in the show.

The woodwork, home economic and art classes are working on the set, costumes and make-up.

“It is a whole school endeavour

When it comes down to the last number of weeks,” explained Martin Moloney, history teacher and one of the musical directors.

Claire Carroll has taken on the role of the second musical director, with English teacher Niall Williams pro- ducing the show.

“We are very grateful to the peo- ple who have sponsored ads in the programme and costumes. We are thankful to the whole community and the parents who have helped out so much,’ said Mr Moloney.

Mr Moloney believes that the show broadens the students’ educational experience.

“We see a Side of the students that we did not know was there, and the

students didn’t know was there. They see something in themselves that they didn’t know was there,” he said.

“It also gives people who have nat- ural talent the chance,” he said.

‘For many, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Many will never go on stage again.”

The show will take place in the Community Hall on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8pm. Tickets for adults cost €10 and students €7. Booking is essential at (086) 2432060.

WerLMm OO CoMBEU aC! helicopter would cater for the west coast of Ireland. It is hoped that the service will then expand to cover the whole country requiring three to four helicopters.

He said the idea was based on an initiative in the United Kingdom, which has proven very successful and saved lives.

‘Trustees and fundraisers are busy raising funds to ensure that this life- saving service will be operational

very soon,” he said.

“It is planned to launch the first of the air ambulances as soon as funds are available and progress the service to cover the whole of Ireland. To en- able the charity to achieve this, they need to hear from volunteers who would be happy to join the team of fundraisers who are already actively aueCeue-NISon Toa

“The air ambulance will attend road traffic collisions, horseriding accidents, medical emergencies and any incidents or accidents where rap- id transport to hospital is required or where a remote location makes access to the patient by a conven- tional ambulance difficult,” said Mr Howkins. “It is already proven that air ambulances help save lives and are an essential way of transporting seriously ill or injured patients to the most appropriate hospital to their needs in record time,” he added.

The air ambulance will be at the Shannon Shamrock in Bunratty at 11.30am and Ennis Fair Green from 1.30pm on Tuesday next.

All are welcome to attend the pub- licity launch of the air ambulance and see the helicopter for themselves.

THE people of Spanish Point and Miltown Malbay came out in force on Sunday to support a local hotel’s initiative to clean up the beach.

Rubber gloves at the ready, and woolly scarves and caps on to keep out the cold, more than 100 people scoured the beach for three skip fulls of rubbish.

Among the unpleasant items col- lected was a large amount of house- hold waste and heavy-duty plastics that seemed to be washed up in the tide.

The sun shone down on the employ- ees and management of the Armada Hotel who, joined by more than 90 volunteers, reclaimed the beach from litter and debris.

Spearheaded by Noralynn Murrihy from the Armada Hotel, the clean-up kicked off at 4pm with young and old braving the cold as they reclaimed the natural beauty of the area.

Within 90 minutes, the beach was restored to its former glory with bags of all forms of rubbish collected.

The hard-working group managed to fill one skip every hour, taking thousands of items of litter and rub- bish off the beach.

This was the first voluntary beach clean-up of the year.

Commenting on the success of the event, Ivan Tuohy, General Manager at the Armada said, “We are very proud of our environment and the fact that our hotel overlooks Span-

ish Point Beach. It’s a privilege to put something back into the community that has supported us so well over the years.”

June Burke Curtin, Guest Relations Manager at the Armada, was also on hand to ensure that all volunteers received complimentary hot drinks and food afterwards at the hotel.

She also expressed her thanks to all the volunteers, the local schools, local media and the Clare County

Council for their support on the day. She said the beach clean-up would now be an annual event.

THE trial of a 19-year-old student, accused of murdering Ennis school- boy Michael Doherty, will enter its fifth day today.

John McGovern, of Ballyduff, Barefield, Ennis, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Michael Doherty (14), outside Supermac’s restaurant, O’Connell Street, Ennis, on June 23, 2007. He has also pleaded not guilty to producing a knife in the course of a dispute, on the same date.

The case is being heard at the Cen- tral Criminal Court sitting in En- nis. Over four days last week the trial heard from 47 witnesses. These included gardai, forensic experts, friends of the accused, friends of the deceased and independent witnesses, who were in Ennis on the night of Mr Doherty’s death. The prosecution is expected to conclude its evidence to- day (Tuesday).

The trial, before Mr Justice Paul Carney and a jury of eight men and four women, is due to conclude later this week.