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DOONBEG, the five star golf resort in West Clare, has been selected as the European Golf Resort of the Year for its “exceptional contribution to the world of golf travel’. The prestigious award was made by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (LAGTO) whose more than 300 golf tour operators cast votes for this an- nual award. Doonbeg’s sister proper- ty on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, won the North American Golf Resort of the Year Award. The awards were presented at the [AGTO awards gala dinner which was held in Malaga last night (19 November 2009).

Previous winners of the European Golf Resort of the Year include Turnberry (Scotland), Druid’s Glen (Ireland), Praia D’El Rey (Portugal), Dona Filipa & San Lorenzo (Por- tugal) and Carton House (Ireland). The awards scheme was inaugurated by IAGTO in 2000.

[AGTO’s 300+ golf tour operators, representing 49 different countries, cast their votes prior to the awards dinner. Each operator was asked to nominate what they consider to be the best performing golf resorts of the year enjoyed by their golf trav- elling clients. There are over 1,000 golf resorts in the USA alone and an estimated 2,000 in total worldwide. The golf resort in each of the three- categories — Europe, North America and the Rest of the World — with the

most number of votes receives the 2010 Golf Resort of the Year acco- lades.

Operators were asked to consider the resorts under the following cri- teria: Customer satisfaction, quality of golf course/s and accommodation, value for money, accessibility to tee times, speed of communication and quality of service of the golf resort sales, marketing, reservation, admin- istration and management staff

Speaking of the award Mr Joe Rus- sell, general manager, Doonbeg, said that they were delighted to win such a prestigious award. “We rely on the Golf Tour Operators to provide us

with a great deal of business and the award is acknowledgement that we are providing the kind of service that they and their clients require. In ac- cepting the award I do so on behalf of all of the staff at Doonbeg. We pride ourselves on our attention to detail and the service we give and I believe this award is an endorsement of both.”

Doonbeg, in County Clare Ireland, is a luxury resort destination featur- ing five star accommodations, a Greg Norman-designed championship links golf course, restaurants, pubs and a state-of-the-art spa. Overlook- ing the Atlantic Ocean on the mag-

nificent crescent-shaped Doughmore Bay, Doonbeg allows for whole-own- ership cottages and suites as well as a private residence club managed by Timbers Resorts, the word’s leading creator of deeded property interests. For all other inquiries, contact Mike Touhill, Doonbeg Director of Pub- lic Relations, 843 768-6529, Mike _ Touhill@KiawahIsland.com.

THE managing director of a north Clare-based electronic display man- ufacturer said yesterday that the company is aiming for break-even this year after sustaining its worst ever year last year.

Paul Neville of Data Display Hold- ings Ltd was commenting after com- pany filings showed that it incurred a pre-tax loss of €898,000 to the end of December last year. This com- pared to a pre-tax loss of €69,094 in 2007.

Established in 1980, the Irish- owned company is based in Ennisty- mon and employed 167 at the end of December last.

The company includes the New York Subway, the London Un- derground and the French SNCF amongst its customers, with 92 per cent of its products exported.

Revenues last year dropped 27 per cent from €19 million to €13 mil- lion with Mr Neville conceding, “It was probably our worst year ever.”

He said, “This year is much bet- ter and I believe that we have turned things around and we are heading for usr Gao te

“We were affected earlier by the re- cession, but we are hoping to recover a lot quicker.”

He said that the sales this year are up 10 per cent on 2008 revenues.

“We are leaner now, but we haven’t let anyone go. That is some achieve- ment ina very difficult environment,” he added.

Mr Neville said that the order book looks reasonable for 2010.

“The environment is still very chal- lenging. That is what you are dealt with and you get on with it.”

Mr Neville explained that the com- pany has grown organically since etree

Data Display paid dividends of €35,600 to its shareholders last year.

The directors’ report attached to the accounts state, “In common with the economic climate in general, the group experienced a drop in turnover as some significant customer projects were delayed in 2008. The directors anticipate a return to profitability in PAU Oia

The company had an operating loss of €761,696 compared to €113,543 the previous year.

The accounts show that at the end of December last, accumulated prof- its stood at €2.49 million while shareholder funds amounted to €6.7 million.

FLOODING may have postponed the visit of two of the biggest names in Irish soccer to Clare this week but one World Cup hero 1s expected to be in the county on Friday.

Football Association of Ireland (FAT) chief John Delaney along with the Technical Director Packie Bon- ner were due to attend a workshop in Ennis tomorrow to launch Clare’s hosting of the 2011 FAI Annual Gen- eral Meeting.

However in an email last night Clare District Soccer League secre- tary, Oliver Fitzpatrick, stated that the event has been postponed due to bad weather.

The occasion would have marked one of the first public appearances

for Delaney since the FAI’s request to have the controversial World Cup play-off between Ireland and France replayed was knocked back by FIFA.

One man on his way to Clare is Ray Houghton. The hero of Giants stad1- um in 1994 will at the Clare Inn to officially launch the new website of Ennis Town football club.

Houghton will also present players with the club’s new jersey. The man who famously ‘put the ball in the English net’ visited Ennis last year.

“IT just think its great in counties like Clare; so many youngsters are given the opportunity to play soccer, which wouldn’t have been the case quite a few years ago. It’s changed dramatically”, he said at the time.

Clare lakes hold the Ice Age secret

COLM Honan’s reaction to Clon- lara’s shock county final defeat to Cratloe was to let his players go. His reckoning was that the mileage in their legs to reach county final day would have to do, because the stom- ach for getting back to the grind just wouldn’t be there.

However, lack of appetite for train- ing could in no way be construed as being equal to lack of interest — Ho- nan wanted this and so did his play- ers, simply out of a fear of the dam- age a second big-game defeat could do.

“Tt would have been very very hard to take another loss. Playing in two county finals and to lose both would have been a disaster for us,” admits Honan.

“We didn’t really drive them on for this game. We didn’t make a huge

deal of it beforehand but at the same time once we were out on the field we were very anxious to win it. I thought that they played fairly well at times.

“We hadn’t met at all after the county final, apart from meeting on Friday night for a chat. There are a lot of leaders on that team and it showed at various times during the game when we wanted it most.

“We won the last three puck-outs having conceded the goal. They were puck-outs that were hard to win against the wind but we won them. They got a few chances but our workrate put them under savage pressure. We finished out the game strongly.

“The pitch was in beautiful condi- tion, but conditions were very diffi- cult. Fellas found it very hard to turn, Sometimes the ball would bounce, other times to would just go plop. First touch was difficult, passing was

difficult. It was hard to judge where it was going to end up so it was a bit of a lottery at times.”

Clonlara won that lottery and so in part exorcised some of their county final demons — of course they will never fully go away until Canon Hamilton is back where they feel it belongs, but Honan for one is look- ing forward to trying to meet that challenge.

“You don’t get too many chances to win county finals,’ he admits, “but having said that this Clonlara side are young enough. There’s a young enough squad there and they’ll come back strong again. I know they’ll come back again in the champion- ship. It’s onwards and upwards, go for a few pints and winter well and come back again next year”’.

A NEW website which promotes Clare as a value-for-money destina- tion for visitors will be launched on Friday at a landmark tourism confer- ence in Ennistymon.

The conference in the Falls Hotel, is the 21st all-Ireland conference for those involved in the tourism busi- i entoe

Up to 300 people will attend the conference over the course of the weekend and one of the first orders of business will be the launch of the website.

www.clareoffers.com is a compli- mentary website to the existing clare. ie site, which showcases everything there is to do in Clare.

‘The new site 1s an opportunity for people to publicise their special of- fers. It gives them a forum and show- cases Clare as a value for money destination – that’s important in the current climate. Value is what peo- ple are looking for,’ said Maureen Cleary of the Clare Tourism Forum.

The forum is responsible, in con- junction with Clare County Council, for setting up the site, which carries offers on packages for hotels, spe- cial menu offers for restaurants, and money-oif and discounts at business-

es all over Clare, from Durty Nellies to the Russell Art Gallery.

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will open the weekend conference, which is being organised by the Clare Tour- ism Council.

The site 1s open to anyone who is a member of the clare.ie site. New members are welcome to join at any mbeaten

Key-note speakers include Brian Simpson, MEP who is head of Trans- port and Tourism with the EU. Coun- ty Manager, Tom Coughlan will also address the conference.

This is the 21st year that Ennisty- mon has played host to the confer- ence and the theme – ‘Promoting Partnership in Tourism, 21 years of progress’ – reflects the milestone.

Participants have signed on from all over the country, including Northern Ireland.

Anyone who would like to join and avail of the new website can contact Maureen Cleary, Marketing Execu- tive with Clare Tourism Forum on 065 6846462.

THE biggest and most important day in the history of Spa GAA Club is about to dawn.

With the days, minutes and hours to Sunday’s Munster intermedi- ate football final in Mallow ticking away, it’s almost show-time for Sean Moynihan’s men who are now just 60 minutes away from their place in lo- cal football folklore.

Not only is this the first time that a team from the club has contested a provincial football final, but Spa are also the first East Kerry club to compete in a Munster intermediate decider.

Having watched Cratloe at first hand, Moynihan is aware of the task I OT-LMrEhY ECDL ACM OD CHESS LO (OR

“They looked impressive. They are a small bit like ourselves — a young team, lively, extremely fit and they wouldn’t have any stars but have a massive work-rate,’ says Moynihan.

“Cratloe look like a really good side. They use the ball very well. They actually seemed to play better against the wind than with it and, overall, I was impressed with what Sa

With no injury worries to report, Spa will look to their star duo of Mike ‘Stam’ O’Donoghue and Niall

O’ Mahony for scores, with the former being the main source of scores.

“The likes of Mike O’Donoghue and Niall O’ Mahony have got us over the line on numerous occasions but I have always stressed that we are very much a team effort,’ he adds.

‘There have been days when the two boys might have an off-day and that’s when Tomas Lynch could step up, or if he had an off-day, Conor Glesson or Cian Tobin or Pa Murphy or one of the other lads could step up to the plate.

“We will need an unbelievable ef- fort from all the lads on Sunday if we want to win the Munster title. It’s what we want. We know how close we are but there is a seriously hard game of football ahead of us. We have to match their intensity other- wise we will be in trouble.”

His team is on a high at the moment and the spirit is great, as Moynihan explains.

“There is a serious belief in our squad at the moment. The work-rate is there, the determination and a de- sire to achieve something special. There is a special spirit there.

“Even away from the football, they are all good friends. They head off out on the town together and just get os aer VORA oll E

“The camp is buzzing and I think

that will stand to us on Sunday. When you are representing your county wearing the Spa jersey, well, that’s the ultimate for these players. Focussing on the game is not a prob- one

“We are up against a team that put out the favourites so we have it all to do. This is very much like the Cur- row game (the county intermediate final) when we both went in with ht- tle to choose between us. Whoever performs on the day will take the trophy and that’s going to lend itself to a fantastic game.”

Interestingly, under Moynihan, Spa have never lost a final. A lucky omen ahead of Sunday, perhaps.

“We have played four finals since we took over as a management team and we haven’t lost one yet. Touch wood,” he says.

“We won back-to-back East Kerry leagues, we won the county interme- diate and we won Division Two (of the county football league) outright as well so that’s four trophies.

“We know how to win together and that will be invaluable in a big exh on

CLARE County Council is to be asked by Kerry County Council to support a motion to have rural rep- resentatives appointed to An Bord Pleanala, as proposed by Kilbaha- based Irish Rural Dwellers Associa- intone

The IRDA has posted a booklet on this topic to every elected member in Ireland and at this month’s meet- ing of the Kerry local authority, Cllr Jackie Healy-Rae (Ind) called for the association to be supported.

The IRDA has also called for a sworn enquiry into how it is that farming and rural issues are official- ly represented on the board by two senior planning inspectors. “These inspectors were employees of the board up to the minute they were appointed on the board by Minister Noel Dempsey on January 1, 2002. They will be there until 2012 with a possible reappointment until 2017; at least 10 years and possibly 15, of rural representation on the board, by planners. These are the bare facts and from a rural perspective they are shocking enough in themselves but what is even more disturbing are the step-by-step details of the ap- pointment process as explained by the IRDA in their booklet,’ said Clir

Healy-Rae.

The IRDA maintains that An Bord Pleanala is inextricably linked to the Department of the Environment, and as the department controls the ap- pointment process as well as all other aspects of planning, the board can- not be considered truly independent, is not a balanced group with diverse backgrounds and is, in the view of the IRDA, undemocratic in its con- stitution.

‘These are very serious statements, but they have never been challenged since they were published. They paint a picture of an appeals process which is functioning in the exact opposite way to what was intended when it was established by the Oireachtas in 1977,’ said the councillor.

“An Bord Pleanala doesn’t live on a different planet. Councillors who spend up to 80 and 90 per cent of their time on planning matters must have total confidence that decisions appealed to the board are going to a completely independent body, whose members are a balanced group with diverse backgrounds and a_ body which is democratic in its constitu- tion – not the other way around.”

Kerry County Council also agreed to write to all of the other council’s in the country seeking support for the IRDA proposal.

“ANOTHER one bites the dust.” One of Queen’s signature tunes that could easily describe the significant number of teams who have fallen on Cratloe’s powerful sword. Despite the hurling season coming to an eventual end last weekend in Waterford the footballers have at least one more big day out after this stirring victory. “Tt’s absolutely wonderful,’ ex- claimed jubilant selector Ger Lawlor afterwards. “We showed great char- acter and heart out there. We fought hard and gave them nothing easy. I’m so pleased with this fantastic result.” And who would blame him? Crat- loe’s achievement of taking another scalp along their road to success can’t be underestimated. They were the better side overall and only for a brief period of wind aided domi-

nance for Rovers this game would have been long wrapped up before the final whistle.

“The start of the second-half saw them take some control and they started getting on top,’ admitted Lawlor, “however we responded per- fectly. We didn’t lie down and then Padraig Chaplin came on and took his goal well. Then a few minutes later and McGrath got our third. They say goals win matches and they certainly helped us today. They re- ally killed off their challenge in the end.”

His post match analysis was very accurate indeed. Chaplin’s and Mc- Grath’s goals in the final quarter se- cured progression into next week’s Munster final against Kerry champi- ons Spa. What an amazing bonus for the Munster Club of the Year. They were so close in reaching a similar

position with the hurlers but now the footballers have dealt with this sem1- final hurdle and only one more game stands in the way of yet another his- toric final success for Cratloe.

“What a great year we have had? And now we have a Munster final to look forward to next week. Hope- fully our much congested year will be rewarded then. It’s not going to be anyway easy of course. I don’t think a bad football team has ever come out of Kerry and I don’t next weekend we will come up against the first. With a bit of luck we will be cel- ebrating again this time next Sunday as well.”

That would definitely be the icing on the cake. For their efforts alone this year in both codes they deserve another piece of silverware. It could happen, because this Cratloe team doesn’t seem to entertain defeat.

Dont let it go all to waste