Category: News

A NEWMARKET-ON-Fergus national school hit the national airwaves twice last week – thanks to the good spelling practices of its young pupils.

Scoil na Maighdine Muire took part in the Ryan Tubridy Show Eason’s Spelling Bee, a nationwide compe tition aimed at encouraging young people to focus on their spelling. More than 600 schools participated and the Newmarket school was one of 12 schools selected for the final stages last week.

To mark the achievement, the Tubridy Show on 2FM broadcast the Munster final live from the school last Wednesday, in which one of the school’s pupils 12-year-old Amy O’Halloran competed with students from Cork and Kerry in a spelling competition. Amy won on the day and sealed a place for herself and her school in the national final of the competition. She travelled to Dublin with her parents Des and Bernie, along with classmates, school principal Ann McMahon and Amy’s sixth class teacher Eamon Curley. She took part in the national final on Friday in the RTÉ studios. Although she was not the outright winner, Amy did her family and school proud.

She received a € 200 voucher for Eason’s and a commemorative medal for the school, in honour of her achievement.

As part of the selection process for the prestigious competition, schools were invited to write a 200-word explanation as to why they should be selected. Mark Corbett, a sixth class student, wrote a piece based on the flood in the school on St Stephen’s Day, which destroyed the library, entitled ‘Reading is a good thing especially on a wet day.’

Ann McMahon paid tribute to both Amy and Mark. “In the eight years that Amy has been in the school, she has never missed a spelling in her spelling tests. We are so proud of her and so proud of Mark,” she said.

“It was a wonderful opportunity for the school. What a high to finish the year on. We are absolutely thrilled,” added the principal.

The group, which travelled to the capital by bus, thoroughly enjoyed the day in RTÉ and all students received a special pack from the state broadcaster as a memento of the special occasion.

THE estimated 2,000 people who took part in the Tour de Burren cycling race over the weekend were able to drink the local tap water when they were finished after a decision by Clare County Council and the Health Service Executive (HSE) to lift a boil notice on the North Clare village. North Clare locals reacted angrily last year when the 2010 Tour de Burren, one of the areas biggest annual tourist events, was marred by an outbreak of pollution in the local water system. A number of boil water notices have been in place in the area over the last 12 months – the latest one lasting from February of this year until just last week. However, after the completion of the Ballyvaughan Water Supply Scheme, which collects the local water system to the Ennistymon water system, the boil water notice was finally lifted. “It is great news to have a new water supply for Ballyvaughan, we are delighted. It was a long trek for the businesses and people up here but now we have a fresh water supply coming from Licheen Lake, thanks to the council and all the work by the engineers. The funding was made available to the scheme and now the businesses have good water – we really welcome this development, it’s great news,” said Patrick O’Donoghue of the Ballyvaughan Community Development Group and the Burren Cycling Club.

“This time last year we had a boil notice and the council supplied us with a tank. This year we have the fresh water supply which is even better.”

The removal of the boil water notice applies to all water consumers on the Ballyvaughan Public Water Supply as well as people on the Muckinish, Gleninagh, Gregans, Knocknagrough and Newtown group water schemes.

In a statement last week, Clare County Council welcomed the completion of the € 5 million scheme.

“Clare County Council continues to work towards provision of sustainable services, which meet the highest standards expected and required by our customers. We are obliged to comply with the Drinking Water Regulations of 2007 as well as the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive,” it said.

“A major element in the Council’s overall water strategy is the Water Conservation Strategy, which sets out the need to conserve water in order to minimise costs of wastage as well as reducing the demand on sources. This strategy is being implemented through the Council’s Water Conservation Programme, which is continuing its work of identifying and rectifying major leakages in the water distribution system. Assistance, as always, in conserving water is greatly appreciated and contributes to a more efficient service to all.”

HE’S the Government’s assistant Chief Whip, thanks to Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s latest round of key appointments to his Fine Gael/Labour coalition, but another honour has come Deputy Joe Carey’s way this week.

All because the assistant chief whip has been voted the sexiest Clare TD in Dáil Éireann, with the Clarecastle deputy topping the poll in the Clare constituency when it comes to sex appeal.

Deputy Carey, who has been a member of Dáil Éireann since 2007, edged out his government party colleagues in the county for the title of Mr Clare Dáil Éireann in an on-line opinion poll that rates the sex appeal of all 166 members of the lower house of the Oireachtas.

The www.sexytd.com rates Deputy Carey, who turns 36 this Saturday, as the 45th sexiest member of Dáil Éireann, a rating that places him ahead of party colleague Pat Breen, who also in the top 50 with a rating of 49.

Hot on Deputy Breen’s heels is Labour’s Michael McNamara – the first time TD, who was in the same St Flannan’s College class as Deputy Carey, coming 52nd in the sexy TD roll of honour, while Fianna Fáil Timmy Dooley, much like that party nationally received a disappointing poll rating, coming at 106 in the online survey.

THREE Clare schools had their ingenuity rewarded when they collected silver awards in a national engineering competition.

Shragh National School, Kilrush, Scoil na Mainistreach in Quin and Parteen National school were given silver cert awards to mark the fact that they made it to the final and were in the top 20 schools in the country in the Engineers Ireland Xperience Engineering Competition 2011. The finals took place on Thursday last in The Helix in Dublin.

Parteen National School were entered in the final with their project entitled ‘Inventions in Sewage – the Toilet’.

Scoil na Mainistreach, reached the final in the junior category for their project entitled ‘Engineering a cleaner world with windmills’.

Shragh NS, in the same category for their project entitled ‘Wind Farms’.

Congratulating the teams, John Power, Director General of Engineers Ireland, said, “The Xperience Engineering project has a long history with schools around Ireland.

“This is the third year of the competition and each year I’m delighted with the level of interest and enthusiasm as well as the high calibre of projects that were entered.”

Last December all registered primary schools were sent out a pack from Engineers Ireland highlighting the theme for this year’s competition which was ‘Engineering a Cleaner World’. Over a four month period participants worked on their projects.

The competition is divided into two categories, the first targeting third/ fourth class and the second focusing on fifth/sixth class.

“As Ireland moves out of recession and progresses as a nation in areas including engineering, science and technology it’s important that we continue to nurture our students and provide them with the right environment to develop their talents.

“With this in mind I’d like to thank all the teachers who helped their students to develop their ideas to enter the competition.”

THE phrase ‘give us this day our daily bread’ will have particular significance at one mass service in Ennis over the coming months.

Renovations to Fahy Hall in Roslevan means that from June 25 onwards, Saturday mass will be held at O’Connors Bakery on the Tulla Road, Ennis.

A note in the Doora Barefield parish newsletter explained that final mass took place in Fahy Hall on Saturday, June 18.

It added, “Fahy Hall will then close until further notice to facilitate major development. From Saturday, June 25, onwards. Mass will take place each Saturday at 6pm at O’Connors Bakery, Tulla Road, Ennis. Ample parking available.”

Speaking yesterday, parish priest Fr Jerry Carey confirmed that Saturday mass would now be said on the grounds of O’Connors.

He explained, “O’Connor’s are facilitating us by welcoming us into a building attached to the main bakery to facilitate 6pm mass on Saturday.”

Work on Fahy Hall is expected to be completed by December. The project will see the complete re-development of Fahy Hall, including the addition of a kitchen, meeting rooms and toilets. Fr Carey explained that a new oratory would essentially provide a “24/7 church” for the local community.

The oratory, which will accommodate 95 people, will be linked with the community hall to facilitate larger crowds for Saturday mass and other, larger church services.

Fr Carey added, “The community centre will then be retained, almost as a separate part of the building, for the rest of the week.”

The project involves renovating and extending the existing community hall for community and ecclesiastical use, constructing a new site entrance, access road and carparking together with all associated site development works and services.

THE process of t ur ning the Vandeleur Walled Garden into a haven for Clare craftworkers has moved closer this week following t he news that funding may be available for creating an enter prise centre on the old landlord estate adjacent to Kil r ush.

To mark the Year of the Craft 2011, Kil r ush Town Council has backed a proposal by t he for mer town mayor, Cll r Tom Prendeville (FF), to play host to a craftworkers’ exhibition at t he conference cent re in the walled garden and to follow this up by seeking expressions of interest for the est ablishment of permanent on site craft units.

“This council, in association wit h the West Clare Task Force, has identified job creation opport unities in the area. The creation of a craft /micro-enter prise village within the garden has employment potential,” said Cll r Prendeville in launching his blueprint for new employment.

“Similar enter prises in Spiddal and Kil kenny have been an outstanding success. Stagi ng an exhibition of the best craft products i n Clare would be a first step in realizi ng t hat potential,” he added.

“Ar rangements are al ready being made to host a craft display in the Vandeleur Walled Garden during the summer,” responded town clerk John Cor r y.

“It is hoped at this display to gauge possible i nterest from members of the Clare Craftworkers Association to working from small craft units at the walled garden facilit y.

“Investigations are presently t aking place to deter mine the feasibility and cost of providing such units. We have also approached the CLDC re possible funding for such a proposal and t hey have indicated t hat they may look favourably on an application for funding for such a development,” he added.

“Maybe this craft exhibition could be held during the summer or maybe late aut umn,” said Cll r Prendevil le. “We should contact the Clare Craftworkers Assocation for thei r views on the matter,” he added.

THE race to succeeed Mary McAleese in Áras an Uachtaráin is getting congested, but when it comes down to the home straight it could be between two contenders from Clare, and even more parochially than that, candidates from the same parish.

They are Labour’s Michael D Higgins, who secured his party’s nomination to contest the election on Sunday and Pat Cox, who launched his campaign for Fine Gael nomination on Friday.

Higgins originally hails from Newmarket-on-Fergus, while Cox played his Clare card at the launch of his bid for the Park when talking about the years he spent living in Shannon when his family moved there in the 1960s.

Back then the emerging Shannon town was in the parish of Newmarket-on-Fergus, hence the real pros- pect of the contest of the presidential office turning into a very local affair if Cox manages to secure the Fine Gael nomination ahead of Máiréad McGuinness, Gay Mitchell and possibly Avril Doyle.

Already this week, Clare Fine Gael senator, Tony Mulcahy, who is Shannon’s first ever Oireachtas member told The Clare People he won’t be backing Pat Cox. “I will be either going for McGuinness or Mitchell,” he said.

However, Cllr Joe Arkins has said “for me Pat Cox is the candidate who has the knowledge, the experience and the judgement to be a candidate for the presidency. Cox is only electable Fine Gael candidate. He is the most able candidate presenting to Fine Gael”.

Councillors, parliamentary party members and members of the national executive will have a vote in deciding the Fine Gael candidate.

THE family of an Ennis woman who died in hospital two-and-a-half years ago has taken legal action against the HSE.

Mother-of-thirteen Tina Sherlock (39) from Childers Road, Cloughleigh, Ennis, died at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick on December 11, 2008, due to multiple organ failure, secondary to sepsis.

An inquest into her death last week returned a verdict of medical misadventure.

Ms Sherlock’s family contend that her condition was never properly diagnosed and have begun High Court proceedings, which will take place next month.

A solicitor for the Sherlock family said, “She had presented to the health services in excess of a dozen times, including five in-patient stays between June and December 2008 complaining of abdominal pain. As a consequence of complications, she miscarried in July 2008, developed post operative complications following subsequent surgery in November and December 2008 and died of multi organ failure secondary to sepsis on 11th December 2008.”

A spokesperson for the Sherlock family told The Clare People , “Martina’s heartbroken family are relieved that the inquest is now concluded. It is the family’s wish that no-one again should have to suffer what Martina went through and that no other family should have to endure the agony of losing a loved one in such circumstances.”

AMID fears that a radical overhaul of local representation to include the abolition of town councils and drastically reduced numbers of county councillors, Clare’s first citizen has leapt to the defence of local government in the county.

Speaking to The Clare People this week, Mayor of Clare, Christy Curtin has said the key to the survival of local government in the county lies in the development of closer links with the community.

“Going forward, in this time of scarce resources, local government must change,” said Cllr Curtin. “It must bond with the community more, become closer with the local community. That’s the way forward. I always believed in the concept of local government and I believed in the representation of people at that level.” He made his comments ahead of this Friday’s ceremony to mark Clare’s distinguished history in local and national politics. Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Eamon Gilmore unveil a roll of honour in Áras an Chláir to those who have represented the county in the Dáil and Seanad as well all those elected to Clare County Council since the first post-independence election in 1925.

“There was a need to mark these people – those public representatives who have worked for the people, particularly those since the foundation of the state,” said Mayor Curtin.

“They were the first crop of politicians in a free Ireland and it was right to mark their contribution. As Mayor of Clare I felt I had to do that. This was one of the projects I set out for myself.

“For posterity it was only right that we put a record of service in county Clare. Putting it in Aras an Chlair, the premier civic building in the county. There has been some legendary characters to represent the people of Clare. They all had their own style, their own character and all made their own contribution in their own way. They had the supreme mandate from the people, that’s the vote,” added Mayor Curtin.

FINE GAEL’S Bill Slattery and Seán McLoughlin were co-opted to Clare County Council, at its monthly meeting yesterday.

Last Monday, the co-option of both men was postponed for a week as the council meeting was adjourned due to a number of bereavements.

Both men were welcomed to the council yesterday, where they were wished well in their new positions. The seats were vacated after their party colleagues, Tony Mulcahy (Shannon Electoral Area) and Martin Conway (North Clare Electoral Area) were appointed to the Seanad.

Cllr Slattery, whose grandfather served as a TD, said he was nervous on the special occasion.

“I will liaise with Martin Conway and my fellow members to ensure I work to the best of my ability,” he told the meeting.

He recalled his younger days in school when his then teacher, the current mayor Christy Curtin (Independent), dissected a rabbit in class. “I hope now that you don’t allow me to be dissected here,” he quipped.

Councillor John Crowe (FG) pro- posed Seán McLoughlin, who has been a Shannon town councillor since 2004. He paid tribute to his work over the years, particularly in 2007 when he served as mayor of the town at a time there was public outcry when Aer Lingus pulled the Heathrow slots from Shannon Airport. His party colleague Sonny Scanlon said that Cllr McLoughlin was joining “a very pragmatic and collaborative team” in the Shannon Electoral Area, where Cllrs Patricia McCarthy, Pat McMahon, John Crowe, Gerry Flynn and PJ Ryan were working very well. Cllr McLoughlin said he intended to work with councillors in the Shannon Electoral Area over the coming years and said he will focus on Shannon Airport during this time on the council. “Shannon Airport is still suffering. That’s something I’m going to be fighting for,” he said. Several councillors warmly welcomed the newcomers to the chamber. Fianna Fáil councillor Richard Nagle said that Mr Slattery has been a “tremendous community activist and has made a huge contribution to the life of North Clare”.

Independent councillor Patricia McCarthy congratulated her neighour in Shannon, Cllr McLoughlin. She said he worked well with her during the Aer Lingus Heathrow issue in 2007 when she was mayor of the county and he was mayor of Shannon town.

Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) said the two new councillors had “a very hard act to follow” and said the two newlyelected Senators were “great team players”.

Tributes were also paid yesterday to Fine Gael TDs Pat Breen, who has been appointed the Chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Trade and Foreign Affairs and Joe Carey, who has been appointed the assistant government chief whip.