This article is from page 29 of the 2007-08-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 29 JPG
THE EAST Clare Walking group are taking to a pilgrim route in Spain to help answer the prayers of children in Mountshannon who need a play- ground.
Seven walkers are dividing the 1,000 miles of the El Camino Way of Santiago pilgrimage route between them to raise cash towards providing the playground.
While they’re walking in Spain, fund-raising will be on-going at home.
“We got an allocation of €41,500 from the county council and we raised €850 packing supermarket bags,” said Jane Murray, the Mount-
shannon woman behind the push to provide play facilities.
Jane began her campaign at the be- ginning of the year when she took on the provision of a playground as her practical project in her NUIG Diploma Course in Community De- (oJ Ce) oyaeto elm
She took on the project just two weeks before the deadline for appli- cations for county council funding and produced a very comprehensive proposal for a playground in the Ai- stear Park.
In compiling it, Jane researched playgrounds all over the county and sent a questionnaire to pupils in the national school to find out what their ideal play facility would be.
Children drew pictures on the back of their questionnaires and the best in each class won and easter egg for their help with the research.
But while the allocation from the lo- cal authority was a huge boost to the scheme, there is still up to €70,000 needed before the happy laughter of children playing on slides and swings can be heard in the Aistear.
So Jane is sending out a letter to every household in the area, asking people to support the fund.
“I’m asking people to donate what- ever they can, however big or small,” said Jane.
“We have a long way to go but peo- ple can help by making a donation through the Mountshannon Play-
eround Fund at the Bank of Ireland in Scariff or by putting money in one of our collection buckets,” said Jane.
The account number for anyone wishing to donate is 64555064, sort code, 90 44 13.
Collection boxes have been left at Callura Pottery, the Mountshannon Hotel, Cois na hAbhna, Keane’s Bar, O’Brien’s Post Office and the Bridge Bar.
Mountshannon was one of a number of areas around the county which were given cash to get their playground projects off the ground.
Parteen and Meelick also got a cash boost towards the provision of play facilities and are now in the planning SRR Sxen