Month: February 2010

THERE was good news on the dou- ble for Gort Community School last week when it was announced that the school has been granted funding to construct three new classrooms and has also been chosen to take part in a new high-tech school programme.

The announcement of the new classrooms was made last week by local TD Noel Treacy (FF) who said the new classrooms and changing rooms will come as a big boost to the staff and students.

Meanwhile, the school has also been chosen to take part in a pilot programme to test the benefits of high-speed broadband and _next-

generation technologies in the class- room.

In the coming weeks the school will be kitted out with new, super high-speed broadband and will also receive 31 laptops and 25 digital pro- jectors.

The pilot project, which has been launched by the Department of Com- munications, Energy and Natural Resources, will see a wireless LAN connection installed in the school, allowing high-speed internet to be received anywhere in the school elena euneres

The new technological investment, which will total around €50,000, will also allow the school to create a mobile computer suite, with the

wireless broadband enabling them to bring the laptops to any room in the school.

The investment will also allow the school to further enhance the use of technology while teaching music. The school’s music students already use the music notation software Fi- nale Print Music which can be used instead of pen and paper to notate music.

This software also allows students to compose and arrange music the way they want it to sound which can then be transposed to any key and for any instrument. Through this technology, students can also play a MIDI keyboard with a metronome and watch their music appear on

screen in real time.

“We are taking online learning out of the confines of the computer room. In classrooms and corridors, students and teachers will poten- tially be able to carry out interactive chemistry experiments and access demonstrations and exhibitions from all over the world,’ said Eamon Ryan (GP), when launching the scheme last week.

“A class learning French could talk in real time with a class in France. A Leaving Certificate physics stu- dent will be able to take part in Ivy League lectures and experiments. With this level of connectivity, the opportunities for interaction and col- laboration are unlimited.”

THE Kilrush Farmers’ Market is back this week after its winter use e

Just like the long evenings, the farmers market has become another indicator of spring in the west Clare Cree

For many locals the return also signals the start of the new year’s foodie calendar.

The highly successful market is widely regarded as a source of lo- cal, high quality, seasonal food and TbOtea Keren (oN

The market will begin again this Thursday at 9am and finish up at 2pm in the town centre.

Many of the regular stallholders are returning to provide the shop- ping experience that promises some- thing for everyone.

Among the produce on sale is a se- lection of fresh vegetables; organic produce; local Clare cheeses; fresh fish and seafood; freshly-baked bread and cakes, savoury lunchtime treats and French-style pancakes; jams, pickles and chutneys; tea, cof- fee and fruit juices; plants and flow- ers; and a variety of locally-made

craft products.

Kilrush Farmers’ Market control- ler Hilary Gleeson has hailed the market a complete success.

“I think the farmers’ market is a great way to buy quality fresh food produced here in Ireland. People can be confident of the origins of the food and are able to get to know their lo- cal supplier – often with a chance to sample before they buy.

“Our market has become more and more a part of people’s weekly shop- ping habits and it’s great to see it thriving,” she said.

The farmers’ market is ever chang-

ing, regularly recruiting new stall- holders who offer quality food and new craft ideas.

Many of the stallholders take or- ders for their goods while others provide a delivery service.

“Buying local also has many ben- efits, including supporting local growers, food producers and arti- sans which creates business locally, promotes a sense of community and also does its bit for the environment by helping to cut down on the dis- tance food and produce travels,” said the PRO for the market Mark Wil- son-Pierce.

, which will be launched on

the night of the dinner. Among the 37 contributors to the book is Sr Brid Hogan, a woman who

has been part of the school since it first opened. She was there in 1929 to enrol as one of its first pupils, and later returned as one of its longest serving teachers.

Sr Brid is not unique in her long- term association with the school as many of those who joined as students and teachers have found it difficult to leave it behind, and have become part of the unique history of this seaside secondary school.

Among those who have a strong identification with the school are the current principal and deputy principal Mary Crawford and Harry Hughes.

Mary remember when the school was still a girls-only day school and boarding school. When she was in second year in 1969 the first male teachers were employed at the school,

among them Harry Hughes. Eight years later in 1977 the school went coeducational and a year later board- ing at the school ceased as transport for pupils improved.

There was an influx of students again in 1985 when the vocational school in Miltown Malbay closed. Practical subjects such as woodwork ANOCOMNOloLE-VA\ LOU LoJKom NA SOMENINKOLOLEeer6! to the Spanish Point school.

The school building has also seen many changes over the years.

Initially the Sisters of Mercy began the school in Woodbank Cottage. As the school extended it moved to cur- rent building in 1959. While Wood- bank Cottage is now used for other purposes, Seaview House, which was home to generations of boarders, is still part of the school.

Today 350 students occupy the

newly-refurbished school. With pop- ulation decline a constant battle in the west, maintaining the size of the school is not easy.

As well as teaching teenagers, the 80-year-old school also _ provides Back to Education and FETAC class- es, with parents, children and even grandparents often attending the school at the same time.

Generations of past and present pu- pils are expected again to meet and celebrate the history of the school at the gala dinner, tickets for which are available at the school.

STUDENTS at Knockanean Nation- al School got a glimpse of the future this month with an up-close look at one of the country’s first electric ve- hicles.

Representatives from the ESB visited the Ennis school earlier this month to speak on renewable energy and showcase one of the company’s new electric vehicles.

On Friday, February 5, Paul Mul- vaney, MD Electric Vehicles ESB and Sean Hegarty of ESB Wind Development, visited the school to give a talk on renewable energy and climate change. Afterwards all the pupils had the opportunity to see one of the ESB’s electric vehicles.

ESB is leading the way in develop- ing a network infrastructure to pave the way for electric vehicles and sup- porting Ireland in meeting its climate change targets.

The visit by the ESB came as the school continues its efforts to earn a second Green Flag.

The Green School Committee was set up in 2007 and its primary ob- jective was to increase awareness in Cnoc an Ein about litter, waste and other environmental issues. Pupils from third to sixth class became in- volved and the first Green Flag was awarded by An Taisce in May 2008.

The level of wet waste going to landfill was reduced by 30 to 40 per cent and more emphasis was placed on reducing, reusing and recycling. The pupils from fifth and sixth class look after the composting and the refuse bins on a bi-weekly basis and take responsibility for a better school environment.

The goal now is to achieve a second Green Flag based on the theme of en- ergy. The children on the committee spread the word about saving energy in their respective classes and turn off lights, computers, music centres, etc when not in use at lunch time and break times.

Parents like Sean Hegarty came onboard to highlight the important

themes surrounding energy, sustain- ability and to help pupils understand its importance in everyday life. Fur- ther to the presentation, a visit will be arranged for the pupils to one of the ESB’s wind farms in the area. The aim of Green Schools is to increase students’ and participants’ awareness of environmental issues through classroom studies and to

transfer this knowledge into positive environmental action in the school and also in the wider community.

IT IS time the Government called Michael O’Leary’s bluff and abol- ished the €10 travel tax to see if Ryanair services would be restored at Shannon Airport.

That’s the view expressed by Clare Fine Gael TD Pat Breen who, in last week’s Dail debate on the Finance Bill, said he was hugely disappointed that no transitional measure was in- cluded in the Bill to abolish the air travel tax.

‘This tax has been a disaster. When

three airlines – Aer Lingus, Cityjet and Ryanair – plead with the Govern- ment to abolish it, something is seri- ously wrong. Passenger numbers are collapsing at Shannon,” he said.

“3.6 million passengers went through the airport in 2007. This fell to 3.16 million in 2008 and while the 2009 figure has yet to be published, I understand it will be approximately 2.9 million. Only last week, Ryanair announced that several of the desti- nations which were well supported from Shannon, such as Alicante, Faro, Barcelona and Lanzarote, will

move to other Irish airports.

“The situation regarding the future of Aer Lingus in Shannon is also very uncertain. I have heard no commit- ment from the new director general that Aer Lingus is in Shannon for the long haul. It will be catastrophic for the region if these services go. The Government cannot just tax its way out of the recession. More innovative ideas are important as the recession deepens. It must introduce a policy that works and admit it got it wrong with regard to this tax.”

Referring to the rise in unemploy-

ment among the under-25 age group, Deputy Breen said that over the past two years the unemployment rate for this age group has grown by 137 per cent, from 808 in January 2008 to 1,215 in January 2009.

“The Government must deal with the situation and put in a stimulus package for these young people. If not, they will become despondent or do what they are doing, namely, leav- ing these shores in their thousands.

“There is huge potential for energy and the development of renewable energy projects in the mid-west re-

gion. We have the Ardnacrusha and Moneypoint power stations and the gas pipeline runs from Limerick to Galway and along the Shannon estu- ary. There is so much untapped po- tential.

“Denis Brosnan and his team on the Mid-West Task Force stated that a compelling case could be presented to attract mobile international invest- ment but it is not just international investment we should target. We should also reward small and medi- um enterprises that invest in research and development,” he said.

AS IT strives for overall excellence in the national Tidy Towns competi- tion, Kilrush must do so without the litter being cleared from the streets at the weekend.

Street Sweeping is just another service that has become a victim of cuts to local authority funding and staffing levels.

Town manager Nora Kaye has promised, however, to have a clean- up service back on the streets of the west Clare capital for the summer eau lOlee

The issue was highlighted in a motion by Cllr Paul Moroney (Ind) at the February meeting of Kilrush Town Council, in which he asked that the county council would reverse its decision that did not allow the street cleaners to work at the weekends in OT tatt ee

As the independent councillor was unable to attend the meeting due to other council business, a statement from him relating to the motion was read into the meeting by Cllr Maire- ad O’Brien (Ind).

In the statement the councillor said, “Over the Christmas period, the

Clare County Council staff who look after our streets so diligently and professionally, were not allowed to work over the weekend periods. This is from 4pm on Friday evenings to 8am on Monday mornings.

“This is to do with a block on over- time.

“This, however, was sorted be- tween the Clare County Council and the staff by working the weekend for time in lieu.

“This, however, was not good enough for Clare County Council. This is a pity for Kilrush and our chances of winning the overall gold

medal in the Tidy Towns awards. This decision needs to be reversed,” the statement said.

“Also we must remember that the tidy up after a horse fair, which is es- sential, is also overtime.

“We owe it to the people of Kilrush to have clean streets at all times.”

The town manager informed the meeting that while the staff and un- ions agreed to work time in lieu, it was becoming impossible for people to take their time back.

‘Then it was agreed at the coastal towns to cut back the street cleaning at the weekend during the winter,’

she said.

Ms Kaye added that the council would be re-introducing the weekend clean for the summer, “possibly from May on”.

“We are endeavouring to review street cleaning in Kilrush and other towns during the winter months and will revert to the council in due course,” she said. ;

In the interim, neither FAS nor the Tidy Towns committee can clean the streets at the weekend on a voluntary basis, as this could cause further 1s- sues with the unions representing the staff, the meeting was told.

THE jury in the trial of five brothers accused of assaulting a cousin — who was allegedly “kicked into a state of unconsciousness” – has been dis- charged, after a half day’s evidence was heard.

The five men had denied assault causing harm to John McDonagh at John Paul Avenue, Ennis, on March 28, 2009. They also denied a charge of violent disorder on the same date.

The accused were Michael (36), Edward ‘Ned’ (33) and David (24) McDonagh, of 20 John Paul Avenue; Gerard McDonagh (26), Bramble Lane and Jason McDonagh (25), Dun na hInise, Ennis.

One of the accused, Michael Mc- Donagh, also denied having a spade, at John Paul Avenue. He also denied producing a knife in the course of a dispute at Shalee Drive, Ennis, on WeComct- NO sloMOFsIKom

Edward McDonagh denied a charge of possession of a plank of wood, at John Paul Avenue.

In the opening statement of the trial at Ennis Circuit Court last Tues- day, Counsel for the State, Stephen Coughlan told the jury of 11 men and one woman it would be alleged that Michael McDonagh arrived at his wife Rose McDonagh’s home at Shalee Drive, on the date in question ‘and did certain things, namely that he produced a knife unlawfully to in- timidate her”’.

“The allegation is that he took two knives from the drawer in the kitch- en. The wider family became aware of matters,” he said. Mr Coughlan said that later on that day Rose’s par- ents John and Kathleen McDonagh went to a house in John Paul Avenue “with a view to preventing any fur- ther outbreak of violence and to bro- ker some sort of peace between the parties”.

‘There ensued a series of events that led to injury,’ said Mr Cough- lan. John McDonagh was struck to the back of the head with a spade and was knocked to the ground. “While on the ground, he was hit with a plank of wood and kicked into a state

of unconsciousness,” he said.

Rose McDonagh told the trial that her husband Michael called to her house at Shalee Drive, Ennis, on the afternoon of March 28. She was there with Mary Molloy and a number of children were also present. She said her husband ran into the kitchen and then ran upstairs with two knives.

“He was roaring and _ shouting ‘Come back to me.’ He held the two knives over his head. He stabbed the wall over my head in the hall. He backed me into the children’s room,” She said.

She said her husband said to her, “TI kill you. If I can’t have you, no- one else will have you. I’ll stab you.

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“Mary Molloy was screaming and shouting. He was saying to her, ‘Ill kill you.’ He had two knives still in his hands,” said Rose McDonagh.

She said that Mary Molloy ran down the stairs and out the door and Michael McDonagh also left the house after some of his brothers ar- rived.

Rose McDonagh said that her par- ents John and Kathleen then arrived at the house. She said they told her to remain where she was “and they would go up (to John Paul Avenue) and sort things out”.

However she was alerted, a short time later, to an incident at John Paul

Avenue and she went there. “My fa- ther was there, trying to talk to them. We heard a load of screaming. My father was thrown on the road. They were all around him,” she said. She said she could not say exactly who was around her father as she “got mesmerised”’. She said her father was unconscious on the ground and “he took a big gasp of air”. She said that her mother was also on the ground.

Under cross-examination, Rose McDonagh told the court that she had been married to Michael McDonagh for nearly 10 years and they had five children. Asked had there been ten- sion between them, she replied, “He had a very bad drug problem.”

It was put to her by Michael Mc- Donagh’s barrister that her evidence was a “concoction”, but at that point the case was adjourned to Wednes- day morning after the barrister be- came unwell.

On Wednesday, Judge Gerard Grif- fin discharged the jury, after hearing a submission in the absence of the jury. “An issue has arisen which I have had to rule on in relation to a legal issue. I must discharge you as a jury. This trial will not proceed any further,” the judge told the jury.

travel programme

came here last year and they are

coming again in a few weeks times,” he told the gathering.

Mr Ryan said that the development

agency 1s expecting “some very good

news’ as a result of talks which they

have been having with the Go Voy- age charter people.

The region can also expect some positive feedback from a planned visit by journalists from six radio Stations in Northern Ireland, Mr Ryan said.

In addition, Shannon Development will be building on links with its American Connection committee.

Shannon Development will also be selling the region for its many events and festivals and pushing the area with the domestic market in conjunc- tion with Failte Ireland through the Discover Ireland online campaign.

“The indications for the next two years are that there won’t be mas- sive growth. Numbers of overseas visitors will grow, but it’s predicted that their spend will be down,” said Mr Ryan.

A TOURNAMENT featuring clubs from Clare and across Europe may form part of the schedule for the Football Association’s of Ireland (FAT) 2011 annual general meeting.

Outlining details of the event, which will comprise a weeklong festival of football events and the association’s AGM, FAI Director of Football Services; Gerry McDermott urged club’s to submit their own ideas for the event.

He said the tournament, which would involve local teams and clubs from towns twinned with towns in Clare, could help boost tourism in the County

“It’s an idea that Jim Madden (CDSL Chairman) put forward and it’s the kind of things we are looking to do for the week. I would love to see it extended to a bigger competi- tion to be played during the week. I think something like would really benefit the tourism connection in the county”, he said.

McDermott was addressing mem- bers of Clare’s soccer fraternity as well as representatives from the busi- ness and tourism sectors at the AGM launch in the West County Hotel, En- nis, last Thursday.

Outlining details of the event, which is due to be held in Ennis from June 27 to July 2, FAI events manag-

er Siobhan McKenna said that a local organising committee would meet once a month prior to the event, to draw up a festival of football sched- Wa on

The AGM will be co-coordinated between a number of agencies in- cluding the FAI, local authorities; lo- cal sports partnerships, Shannon De- velopment and other tourism bodies.

“We want to get and meet as many people as possible and see as many clubs as possible and to raise the pro- file of soccer in Clare’, she said.

McKenna added that the FAI hoped

to “takeover” large areas of towns for football activities including tour- naments, coaching clinics and work- shops.

Clubs, said McDermott, would be critical to the event’s success. He urged local teams to apply for fund- ing through the FAI’s club support eyuescau:besbesles

He said that grants totaling €100,000 would be available to clubs to improve facilities and the purchase of equipment.

Cheques will be presented to suc- cessful applicants during the week- long series of events. The meeting also heard that since 2007, the FAI has invested €218,342 in developing facilities and programmes in Clare.

“T would encourage clubs to think and plan out their applications. Hope- fully the festival of football will help concentrate minds and get people fo- cused to apply”, said Mr McDermott. He added, “We see it as a celebration of football in the wider community”’.

OVER a thousand workers lost their jobs on the Shannon Free Zone last year, according to figures released by Shannon Development yesterday.

At the Shannon agency’s end of year briefing in Limerick, chief ex- ecutive Dr Vincent Cunnane said that net job losses on the Free Zone amounted to 787 after the creation of 260 new jobs was factored in.

The 11 per cent drop reduces the number of people employed on the Free Zone to 6,320 with job losses at Element Six and Molex accounting for much of the decline.

Dr Cunnane defended Shannon De- velopment’s record on the Free Zone, stating that the figures were “on a par with what happened nationally with the IDA last year”.