Month: June 2011

TWO mothers are hitting back against the recession by setting up Ireland’s first ever online craft fair.

Fondelifair.com is the brainchild of Alice Quinlan who decided to set up the website to offer craft-makers in Clare and around Ireland a place to meet, talk and sell directly to customers.

Crafters can sell everything from photographs to jewellery to knitwear.

Originally from Killaloe but now living in Ennis, Michelle Harding is Fondelifair’s creative director.

Michelle, a former Clare FM presenter, said, “We had absolutely no chance of getting a job and, both being keen crafters, we couldn’t find anywhere online where we could sell our crafts. This site is for anybody who would be good enough in their craft that they could sell online. There are people out there who might be at home, feeling down and depressed at the moment because they can’t get work, and this is a great opportunity for crafters to get back to their pas- sion and sell their goods.”

The site provides information on upcoming craft shows and events taking place around the country. Members can also upload images of their products.

Michelle explained that while members to date have enjoyed free membership, following the website’s launch, crafters will pay an annual fee of € 25 and have only to pay Fondelifair.com a five per cent commission on their sales to cover running costs.

Michelle added, “We are averaging approximately three new sign-ups a day since the site went live and that was before we launched officially on Monday. And we haven’t even advertised either. We have had huge interest and we’ve been very busy. It’s going brilliantly so far. We really need to be looking after each other in these tough times and this interactive web community is a great way for people to buy and sell their own unique goods.”

Since going live two weeks ago, the website has so far attracted 177 members.

THE taxi industry in Clare is “dying”, a well-known taxi driver has warned.

Martin White, of Ennis-based AAA Taxis and the Irish Taxi Driver’s Federation, said the high number of taxis in Clare allied to a reduced level of business is putting serious pressure on the industry.

He explained that in many cases earnings are down “60 to 70 per cent” while drivers often earn as little as € 30 for a typical 10-hour shift.

He said, “Fridays and Saturdays are good days but you can forget about it for the rest of the week. Most days we’re just sitting here on the rank looking out at the river.”

He explained that since regulation was introduced to the industry in 2000, the number of taxis operating in Clare has risen from 20 to 230.

“It’s like everywhere. Everyone is suffering. 90 per cent of drivers are self employed. They don’t get any hand outs, no medical cards. It’s hard to make a living out of it at the moment, hard for fellas that have to pay a mortgage…This is a dying trade.”

Mr White said that recent revelations of alleged bad practices in the taxi industry and at a National Car Test (NCT) centre in Dublin were not reflective of the vast majority of drivers.

He said incidents highlighted in RTE’s Prime Time expose “were not happening in Ennis” and that taxis undergo “rigorous tests” every year at the local NCT centre.

He added, “Most of the taxi drivers in Ennis are honest, hardworking guys, trying to make a living but its a dying trade.”

Mr White said the industry would be aided by a “buy back scheme” that would allow drivers to claim back the cost of a taxi license when they finish driving and by the presence in every county of an enforcement officer. “You’d have no nonsense in the industry and no cowboys,” he said.

The taxi industry is due to be discussed at today’s meeting of Ennis Town Council. Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) has submitted a motion seeking support from councillors to contact the Minister for Transport regarding the operation of the NCT and the regulation of taxis.

THERE have been calls for the town of Ennis to be made available to rent.

In a motion to be debated at today’s meeting of Ennis Town Council, Green Party councillor Brian Meaney is asking that the Council give consideration to make Ennis available to rent.

Speaking yesterday, Cllr Meaney explained that the Council, working in conjunction with businesses and civic groups, should come together to make all of the amenities in the town available to use to a person or group for an agreed period of time.

He said the proposal would be at- tractive for international conferences and similar large-scale events.

Cllr Meaney added that the initiative could also involve re-naming the streets of Ennis after the person who was renting the town and allowing them to graze “cattle, sheep or goats on the post office field”.

“I think it is an innovative means by which you can market the town and bring more tourists in,” he said.

Cllr Meaney said a similar initiative exists in Lichtenstein, where the entire principality is available to rent to private clients for $70,000 a night.

Cllr Meaney said, “It has a population of around 25,000 people so it’s quite similar to Ennis in that sense.”

A CAMPAIGN to make Ennis the friendliest town in Ireland would be boosted by a twinning arrangement with the American city of Charlestown.

That’s according to local Fine Gael councillor Johnny Flynn, who is calling on Ennis Town Council to investigate and consider the potential benefits of a possible twinning with Charlestown, South Carolina, America’s friendliest and “best mannered” city.

In a motion to be discussed at today’s meeting of Ennis Town Council, Cllr Flynn states that the ar rangement should be considered in light of the Council’s adopted resolution in 2010 to request the Government “to assist in the development of a National Irish Centre of Welcome in Ennis at Glór (or such similar alter native) and which could be used for other possible re- lated functions including issuing of cer tificates”.

Cllr Flynn explained that the proposal should also be considered in light of “Ennis Chamber and Ennis Development For um’s recent job creation and enterprise initiative to seek to position Ennis as Ireland’s friendliest town.”

The Create the Magic campaign, which was launched in Ennis in March, is aimed at raising the standards of customer service in businesses in Ennis and around Clare.

The Create the Magic initiative was developed by the Ennis Development For um and Ennis Chamber with the aim of making Ennis and Clare, Ireland’s friendliest town and county. Spearheaded by local businesswoman Aoife Madden, the project is cur rently in pilot phase with an initial 25 local businesses taking par t.

Launching the campaign in March, customer service expert and former Clare businesswoman Kathleen O’Sullivan urged Ennis to follow the example of Charlestown, which has been named America’s friendliest town for 14 of the past 30 years. She said the city had reaped a huge tourism benefit from its status.

Entrepreneur and Dragon’s Den panelist Bobby Ker r gave his backing to the campaign at a public meeting attended by over 150 business owners in Ennis last month.

AN INITIATIVE by students at one Ennis primary school to encourage the re-use of household items has been given the thumbs up by Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

Holy Family Senior School was the overall winner in Clare County Council’s ‘Give and Take’ competition, in association with the Free Trade Ireland website.

On Friday last, a delegation from the school attended the County Council offices for a presentation from the Mayor of Clare, Christy Curtin. The school received a new laptop while sixth class student Aoife Flouch won the overall students prize of a € 100 One-for-All voucher.

Teacher Eilís Sheedy explained, “Following this success, we were invited to Castlebar to the official launch of the Free Trade Ireland website. A delegation travelled to Castlebar on May 30. There, we were privileged to meet the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, who commended Aoife and the school on our success in the competition.”

FreeTrade Ireland is a web service designed to facilitate and encourage the reuse of household and business items.

There was also success for the Holy Family in the latest round of the Green Flag awards. The school received its second Green Flag at a ceremony in the Galway Bay Hotel on May 25. The school was commended for its initiatives on energy conservation. The school’s green code is “Wasting energy is not cool, turn off the lights and save our fuel.”

An Taisce awarded 14 Green Flags to Clare schools under the Green Schools programme

Clonmoney NS was awarded its first Green Flag for its work on litter and waste. A further 13 schools received Green Flags for their work on energy, water and travel including: Dangan NS; Holy Family Junior School, and Holy Family Senior School, Ennis; Lissycasey NS; Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna; Scoil na Mainistreach, Quin; Tubber NS; Clohanes NS; Colaiste Muire, Ennis; Scoil Realt na Mara in Kilkee; St Caimin’s Community School, Shannon; Querrin NS and Drumdigus NS.

UNEMPLOYED males in the Newmarket-on-Fergus area are invited to take part in a focus group for a local community needs assessment.

Community group Obair is carrying out a community needs assessment, with a view to putting together a range of events for locals. The aim is that those who are struggling with any aspect of their lives will be helped out. It is also envisaged that the findings will play a key role in shaping the future of the village.

Obair is inviting residents in the village and surrounding areas to take part in the survey, particularly unemployed men.

Co-ordinator Kirsty Horner has been working on the project for the past few months and is hoping to have all the information gathered over the coming months. A public meeting will then be held and locals will be encouraged to attend this and present their ideas for the future of the village.

Focus groups have been carried out involving single parents and those representing people with disabilities and their findings will be made available at a later stage.

“We still require unemployed males, within Newmarket-on-Fergus, to come forward and be part of a focus group for the community needs assessment. It is important that we have their input so that it is a balanced piece of research.

“Their point of view matters, and is important in moving the needs of the community of Newmarket-on-Fergus forward. It will allow us to iden- tify the issues faced by unemployed males in Newmarket-on-Fergus,” said Ms Horner.

“We are targeting specific groups, for example one-parent families, people with disabilities, unemployed males and the elderly. The aim is to create a profile of Newmarket and find out what the needs are in the village and what is here already. . . what needs to be improved and what needs to be added,” she said.

“We will form a social inclusion committee, where people who have never been on a committee before will be involved,” she said.

“It is important that people get involved. It’s a chance for them to have their say,” she said.

Anyone wishing to get involved in the project should phone Kirsty in Obair on 061 368030.

A CLARE actress stars in an acclaimed new play that comes to Ennis next month.

Written and directed by Mick Donnellan, ‘Sunday Morning Coming Down’, tells the story centres on the McGuire family: Theresa, the long suffering mother; alcoholic father Joe and their sons Chris and John.

Based in the Mayo town of Ballinrobe, the drama follows the trials and tribulations of the McGuire family combining humour with moments of poignancy and emotional turmoil.

For Ballyvaughan actress Theresa Leahy, who first encountered the play when a friend emailed her a copy of the script, playing the McGuire ma- triarch has been one of her greatest experiences on stage.

She said, “She’s like a mother you’ve seen. She’s trying to hold the family together. She’s a proud strong woman who really believes in the sanctity of marriage. She’s religious and is just going to stay with this marriage. She’s trying to create a home in difficult circumstances with her husband’s drinking. I suppose she’s the most poignant part of it because you really see the effects of it on her. It’s the sadness against the hilarity of what’s going on in the pub and the stories that are going on outside.”

Theresa continued, “There are actually some very funny moments. That’s what so great about the play. One minute you are laughing you’re head off and that next minute you’re like, ‘oh what’s happening.’ It’s great.”

Theresa believes that the story, which sold out on its first run in Galway, strikes a particular chord with Irish audiences.

She explained, “Everyone has seen this, in friend’s houses, in villages. It’s a story that is everywhere but it’s never been written about. Everyone recognises the characters. The language is real. You know Theresa. You know what kind of person she is. You know Joe, you know that type of drinker. They are all recogniseable characters. It’s something in the soul of Irish people. It’s something that when you come and see the play, you’ll say you know these people.”

An active member of the theatre scene in Clare since moving to Ballyvaughan from Dublin 10 years ago, Theresa also studied science at Trinity College Dublin.

The mother of four has performed with the Burren Players and has helped guide Clare’s young actors and writers through her involvement with Clare Youth Theatre.

Last December, Theresa co-directed with Mairéad Ní Chonduin Canadh le Cheile, a project that saw 400 children from five schools in County Clare perform two unique concerts with original music and script.

Theresa said, “I think Clare is a real ‘can do’ county. If you can contribute someway then you can con- tribute. People are really happy to let you do that.”

Truman Theatre’s production of ‘Sunday Morning Coming Down’ comes to Glór on this Saturday, June 11.

Meanwhile another Clare actress Aoife McMahon, from Knocknamanna in Clarecastle, has landed the female lead in The Abbey’s forthcoming production of Brian Friel’s ‘Translations’.

The play, set in an Irish Hedge School in the early 19th century, begins on the famed Abbey Theatre stage on Thursday, June 23, with Aoife playing the part of Maire. Aoife (37) and a RADA graduate, previously starred in the TV series Random Passage .

STRIKE actions at Clare’s most popular tourist destination will not take place this week following an agreement by both staff and management at the Cliffs of Moher Visitors Centre to return to the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) in an effort to resolve the ongoing dispute.

The dispute centres around the work conditions and status of the staff employed at the flagship tourism hotspot.

Union leaders claiming that staff at the cliffs should have same right and entitlements of Clare County Council employees, while the management of the facility claim that they are a separate company, owned by Clare County Council.

According to the Company Registrations Office (CRO), the Cliffs of Moher Centre Limited is a company, owned by Clare County Council, which lists Clare County Council’s director of services Ger Dollard and Clare County Council senior executive officer Carmel Greene as its directors.

In a statement to The Clare People , Katherine Webster, Director of the Cliffs of Moher Visitors Experience, said they were looking to find an “agreed resolution” to the dispute.

“Management at Cliffs of Moher Centre met with union representa- tives following SIPTU’s notification of industrial action. A productive meeting took place on Wednesday [June 1],” she said.

“Both sides have agreed to enter a process with the Labour Relations Commission to seek an agreed resolution to the dispute.”

According to local SIPTU spokesperson Tony Kenny, the dispute had resurfaced after management failed to uphold a Labour Court recommendation to grant parity of pay for workers in the centre with other local authority employees.

“Following three years of local discussion, three Labour Relations Commission (LRC) conciliation conferences and a Labour Court hearing that found in favour of our members, the employer has refused to honour its findings,” he said.

The Cliffs of Moher Centre employs 24 people in the North Clare area, 17 of which are members of SIPTU.

THIEVES are turning up the heat on home-owners with reports of thefts of copper heating cylinders and home heating oil.

A combination of the rising cost of heating oil and the increasing value of copper is leaving householders in hot water as criminals target both commodities around the county.

Thieves have targeted homes in East Clare and syphoned off large quantities of home-heating oil from unlocked tanks.

A Garda spokseperson said that oil is now so expensive that it is worth the thieves while to wait for the cover of darkness to get at the tanks.

In some instances oil was stolen while the householder was at work or it was taken from unoccupied holiday homes.

Gardaí are advising that people whose tanks are outdoors and accessible should consider extra security precautions, such as gettig a lock for their tank.

The fact that most tanks are in back gardens and, in rural areas in particular, often easy to get at while the house is empty is making oil theft easier.

In other incidents, copper cylinders have been removed from homes in the county, mostly while the houses are empty.

And to add to the householder’s difficulties, removing the cyclinder can result in serious flooding. Gardaí believe that the cylinders are being stolen for re-sale or for the valuable copper.

SEVERAL stretches of road across Clare will be improved, after funding was injected into various schemes.

Some of the routes were earmarked for funding after concerns were expressed by local residents, who were anxious that improvement works be carried out.

In total, funding amounting to € 230,000 has been allocated for the projects under the Low Cost Safety Improvement Works on Regional and Local roads. The works are expected to be completed this year.

Junctions at local roads in Bodyke and Kilnoe in East Clare will receive € 40,000, while Monument Cross near Newmarket-on-Fergus will receive € 40,000.

A stretch of road at Clonderlaw in West Clare will receive € 30,000 for improvement works, while the R474 at Inch and the R487 road near Carrigaholt have also been included in the scheme. A stretch on the Kilrush Road, Ennis, has also been included.

The funding was allocated after Clare County Council compiled a list, which was then submitted to the National Roads Authority, which in turn granted the allocations.

According to Clare County Council, the scheme is designed to improve road safety at various locations around the county where it is believed there is a genuine safety risk. The Council makes submissions to the National Roads Authority, which decides on whether to grant funding.

“We make applications based on crash statistics and volumes of traffic. It looks at the history of locations,” said Clare County Council’s road safety officer Barry Keating.

“We make numerous applications,” he added.