Category: Uncategorized

FEAKLE claimed the top spot in Group two as they held off previous- ly unbeaten Clarecastle with a bat- tling second half fightback. In truth, they were full value for the win and would have been kicking themselves had they not secured all the points after a bucketful of poor wides over the hour.

For forty minutes, in similar mis- firing fashion to their Junior B side earlier that afternoon, Feakle were woeful in front of the posts. Miss

after miss frustrated the east Clare side and with the Magpies dogged throughout the field, they grabbed a crucial goal after 20 minutes when full-forward Eoin Brennan collected a pass from Dean Power and soloed at the heart of the Feakle defence be- fore offloading to John Reidy to hit to the net on their way to a 1-5 to 0-4 half-time advantage.

Feakle shuffled the pack at the break bringing on Colm Naughton to full-forward and it was to prove an inspired change as Feakle began to turn the screw. The wides continued

to mount up but they finally found their range to slice the lead to the minimum before Naughton blocked down a Kieran Lynch clearance, gathered possession and slammed to the net to give Feakle a 1-7 to 1-5 advantage.

Gathering momentum and with Henry Hayes in inspired form at centre-back, Feakle pummeled the Clarecastle rearguard in search of further scores and they were re- warded in the 50th minute when Stevie Moloney kicked their second goal to push five points clear. Clare-

castle tried valliantly to pull back a goal but their efforts were in vain as Feakle held out for all the points and more importantly maintained their unbeaten record ahead of this week- end’s quarter-finals.

CLARE County Council has con- firmed it was awaiting approval from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to carry out a wide range of accessibil- ity works in 17 towns and villages throughout the county.

Finance totalling €371,000 has been allocated for the proposed works under the Disability Strategy Funding for 2009.

The prioritised works awaiting ap- proval were identified as part of a countywide accessibility audit of all

public buildings, facilities and amen- ities owned or controlled by Clare Local Authorities.

An integral part of the audit proc- ess was the consultation through workshops and at local level with the various stakeholders – people with disabilities, disability groups, carers of people with disabilities and the elderly.

According to Mayor of Clare, Councillor Tony Mulcahy, “I warmly welcome the fact that the proposed works are spread throughout the county and include the provision of drop kerbing and tactile paving in

seventeen different towns and vil- lages.

‘Elsewhere, improvements will be made to disabled car parking facili- ties at Drumcliffe Graveyard, and at Lahinch and Killaloe where the works will be carried out by Clare County Council staff,”

Mayor Mulcahy added, “I also wel- come proposals to expand the audio stock, DVDs and number of large print books for use through the lh- brary service, which continues to be a vital resource to the people of CET rome

Commenting on the scheduled

works, Mr Tom King, Chairman of Disabled People of Clare, Chairper- son of the National Policy for the Centre of Independent Living, and National Director of People With Disabilities in Ireland said, “It is reassuring to learn that despite the current economic climate all fund- ing allocated to Clare under the Dis- ability Strategy Funding in 2009 will be spent on accessibility measures in the county.

“T am also delighted that the works included in the proposals awaiting Government approval have been ex- tracted from priority measures iden-

tified in the access audit.”

Mr King continued, “Especially in view of the difficult economic circumstances, I fully support and welcome the use of the council’s own staff to execute the proposed works.

Mr King said, “In addition to assist- ing with maintaining local employ- ment, the execution of these works will also provide training in terms of accessibility works and serve to in- crease awareness of the principal of universal accessibility and the obliga- tion on service providers to meet the needs of those living and visiting our feta ae

that classes will be

commencing at the end of this week at the new gym.

In recent times, pole dancing has

been synonymous with strip bars and gentlemen’s clubs.

However, Mr O’Malley said that “pole dance fitness is huge on the continent but has taken a while to spread to us here. It is a great fitness class with a huge emphasis on fun. We have clients of all ages signed up and there is a great buzz about the class.”

He pointed out that “pole danc- ing is now regarded as a recognised form of exercise and can be used as both an aerobic and anaerobic work- out. Recognised schools and qualifi- cations are being developed as pole

dancing increases in popularity.”

He confirmed that the poles have been ordered to specification and that each pole will cater for four participants at the classes.

“We have a policy here of offering the very best service to our clients and this includes keeping up with current fitness trends.”

Mr O’Malley said that partici- pants are advised to dress in short pants, with no creams on the legs or Web hcaatce

According to Mr O’Malley, the pole dancing fitness “involves danc- ing sensually with a vertical pole

and is now a leading way of getting PUMA OD ome Ma DOcas REN Dla

“Advanced pole dancing requires strength, flexibility and endurance. The dancer may simply hold the pole, or use it to perform more ath- letic moves such as climbs, spins, and body inversions. Upper body and core strength are targeted and vastly improved during training Sessions,’ he said.

THERE was further bad news for Shannon Airport this week with revelations that the airport services provider, Servisair, 1s looking to put staff on short time.

Servisair workers received a letter from the company’s human resources manager in Ireland to say that hours were being reduced “in order to re- main competitive and viable in an ever-challenging environment”’.

Full-time staff are being reduced to a three-day week, while part-time staff will go on a 20-hour week.

Servisair could not be reached for comment on the matter, but a SIPTU representative confirmed that “cer- tain proposals” are being made by management which the union and esexO MELB D OTSA

Servisair staff look after most of the baggage handling operations at Shannon Airport but a spokeswoman for the airport authority said that the

matter is not affecting any operations at the airport.

Meanwhile, the Aer Lingus deci- sion not to use the US Customs Pre- Clearance Facility at Shannon until 2010 for operation reasons has again attracted criticism.

Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey has said that management at Aer Lingus “have questions to answer”.

He said: “It beggars belief that any company operating at a loss in the current climate would not avail of

opportunities to increase revenue and add value to its business. I cannot un- derstand the Aer Lingus decision to snub the US Pre Clearance Facility at Shannon, particularly when other major airlines have jumped at the chance to use the service.”

His party colleague Pat Breen has blasted Aer Lingus for having al- legedly sacked staff over the phone, with a text followed by a phone call and called on the company to im- mediately review its communication

procedures.

The airline sent text messages to telling around 60 staff that a sig- nificant jobs announcement was due, before informing them by telephone that their positions were being termi- nated.

A spokeswoman for the airline said the situation has been taken out of context.

She said the contracts do not affect any Shannon staff and applied only to Dublin and Cork crews.

VISITING Minister, Eamon O Cuiv would not be drawn on whether he has been given any indication as to the future of his department.

During last week’s visit to New- market on Fergus, he said that he is “confident” community and volun- tary groups will still be facilitated by whichever body is given responsibil- LAAs Koma elo 00

But he was giving no guarantees as to what funding will be there for these groups once the recommenda- tions of An Bord Snip Nua have been Tbenetorneronicoee

The Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs minister was in the Banner County to officially open the extension to the Obair community facility.

Being quizzed by reporters on what will happen to community groups such as Obair if his Department gets the chop under Bord Snip, the Min- ister said it is “not who delivers the service that matters but that the serv- ices are delivered”.

“IT don’t get over-exercised about the construction of Government de- partments…it’s business as usual for us. We have to make the budget fit. But if my Department is gone then the new departments will continue to run the functions for groups such as

this as long as there is money there for it.”

But the Minister could not com- ment on how many jobs might be lost or which areas of funding cut in his

Department. “It is too early for that”, |aTemcy- HOR

Louis Creaven, chairman of Obair thanked the minister for performing the official opening but said there is

‘‘a dark cloud behind the silver lining and I have to tell you that the board of Obair is seriously concerned about the future. It is not an exaggeration to say that our services may have to

shut down if the Government imple- ments a recommendation…to abolish the Department.”

Obair’s manager, Pat Cronin, said that the organisation “has come too far to be abolished at one stroke of an economist’s pen’.

Before the official ceremony took place, Obair clients told

A CLUB that reaches out and lends a hand to newcomers arriving in Shannon has just regrouped for its third year in existence.

New research shows that there are almost 1,500 people who are not from Ireland living in Shannon town alone, with others living in the sur- rounding area.

With the non-native population erowing steadily in recent times, Le Chéile international club in Shannon was set up two years ago. Its aim is to cater for the needs of the foreign population living in the town.

There have been many changes since its inception. While some new people have come to the town from a

range of countries worldwide, many others have left Shannon and trav- elled home.

Co-ordinator of Le Chéile, Trish Fallon-Barry has put a lot into the organisation and is keen to ensure that integration plays an important role. “We are just trying to grow the club and reach more people. There are plenty more people we can reach. I feel having Le Chéile in the town just shows there is a welcome,’ she said.

She said that a meeting between Garda representatives and people from several countries, held last week, was very positive and gardai are keen to help those not familiar with issues in the town as much as they can.

“Some communities may be cau- tious of somebody in the uniform. They (gardai) want to show they are here to help. Community policing is a great idea,” she said.

The meeting followed a meeting between community gardai in Shan- non and Le Chéile in recent weeks.

“It is good to network. On one hand we are celebrating people’s ethnic origins and the other is in- tegration. It is two sides to a coin really. Integration is much better than assimilation. It is important to celebrate a person’s ethnicity. We all have things to learn from each other,’ said Ms Fallon-Barry.

Polish-native Anna Kulikowska moved to Shannon five years ago and has joined Le Chéile. She very

much believes in the need for such a group, which reaches out to every nationality. “It is very positive. It is important to have meetings. I think it is good we spoke to the gardai. It presents them as human beings,” she SE AOe

Dipali Singpurwala, a native of In- dia, also lives in Shannon. Through her work as a yoga instructor, she meets many people every week and believes that a strong sense of com- munity is important. “Community effort 1s very important, as some people may have nothing to do and may not have a focus,” she said.

Le Chéile meets at the Respond Building, Rineanna View, Shannon, on the first Tuesday evening of the month.

SURFERS from across the country are set to descend on Lahinch next weekend for the West Coast Surf Club Longboard Classic in Lahinch — the only event of its kind in Ire- land.

The two day competition on next Saturday and Sunday has become one of the most hotly anticipated competitions in the Irish surfing cal- endar since it was first held in 2003 and attracts surfers from all over Ire- land.

The 2008 event, which was blessed with good weather and perfect surf- ing conditions, saw a record number of local entrants, the overall winner being Stephen Kelleher from Lahi- ie eF

“As in previous years, we are de- lighted to have a custom-shaped Cequential Quad surfboard from our local shaper Ian Johnson for our first prize” announced Cliodhna Fawl. Further prizes will be kept a surprise and announced on the day.

Subject to weather and swell con- ditions, it is anticipated that the 19th September will see the initial heats and quarter finals run off with the semi-final and finals possibly stretch- ing into the 20th September.

WCSC Chairman Dave Flynn “We’ve always been greatly im- pressed with the level of interest and Support we’ve attracted since the inaugural event in 2003,” said Dave Flynn, chairman of WCSC.

AN INFORMATIVE gathering at Shannon library for voluntary and statutory service providers in the south Clare area is to take place on Thursday, October 1, at 10.30am.

This is a joint initiative between Shannon Public Library and Clare Adult Basic Education Service.

The information morning presents

a rare opportunity for the voluntary and statutory service providers of south Clare to meet, become ac- quainted, learn and become updated about each other’s services and work. Several groups work for the benefit of the community in this area and it is important that the good work they do is known to residents in those parts of the county.

The event will be facilitated by

librarian Carmel Daly, along with Maire Dempsey, of the adult learn- ing centre in Shannon.

This will be the seventh annual in- formation morning of its kind.

“It has proved valuable to all the service providers who attended in the past, whether from education, health social, financial or other departments or interests,’ said Ms Daly.

Afterwards, participants are more

easily able to contact fellow opera- tors in the area and better serve their community as a whole.

If your voluntary or statutory or- ganisation is interested, or if you wish to make a recommendation, or seek further information, please contact Maire Dempsey at the Shan- non Adult Learning Centre on 061 364595, or Carmel Daly in Shannon library on 061 364266.

FEARS have been raised that the Royal Air Force (RAF) have been secretly using Shannon Airport to transport goods and possibly weap- onry to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Photographs taken earlier this month by the Shannon Watch organ- isation show a number of contain- ers clearly marked property of RAF waiting to be loaded onto a Omni Air International plane in Shannon.

The containers were also marked property of Brize Norton, increasing speculation that their cargo inside was bound for conflict in Afghani-

stan or Iraq. The Brize Norton RAF base in Oxfordshire is one of the main staging posts used to transport troops, weaponry and equipment to various war zones.

It is also home of the RAF’s strate- gic air transport (AT) and air-to-air refueling (AAR) forces. It is the most important British military base for maintaining the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.

‘This raises further serious ques- tions about Shannon’s role in the oc- cupations of Iraq and Afghanistan,’ said a Shannon Watch spokesperson.

“What might an American civilian plane – that looks like it is carrying

US troops – be doing with RAF con- tainers? Is Ireland now part of the re- supply chain for all of the belligerent NATO forces around the world? And if so, is it being done with our gov- ernment’s approval or without it?”

The incriminating photographs were taken in Shannon Airport in the morning of Saturday, September Dee

According to a spokesperson from the Department of Foreign Affairs, British military aircraft rarely land at Shannon Airport and no and offi- cial landings have taken place so far in 2009.

Permission for the landings by

foreign military aircraft are usually granted provided that the aircraft is unarmed, carries no arms, ammuni- tion or explosives, and does not en- gage in intelligence-gathering, and that the flight in question does not form part of a military exercise or ey oro lnleyee

According to Shannon Watch, pro- testers are normally removed from the airport when they attempt to photograph Omni Air International planes at Shannon Airport.

However, they say that on the day in question last Saturday no attempts were made to remove the photogra- phers from this part of the airport.

FOR saffron and blue supporters it was a venture into the unknown — a first All-Ireland Under 21 final for them as well as for Clare as a hurl- ing county.

And, as with all dawns there was excitement — it was new and some- thing different and that’s why Clare Supporters out-numbered their Kil- kenny counterparts by two or three to one.

It was 1995 and ’97 all over again — and like those years Clare support- ers expected.

“We’re definitely going to do it,” said Michael Brennan from Killaloe beforehand.

‘“We’re not up here just to make up the numbers and become anoth- er mouse killed by the Cats. These players have bottle and that’s what will win them their medals. Kilken- ny won’t know what has hit them.”

James Murphy from Ennis was more cautious, but still confident. “It’s going to be a tough one. There is no denying that. There are two great teams fighting for this honour and I can’t see more than a couple of scores separating them at the end. It might even be a draw. Clare by one or two I’d say!”

Murphy nailed it and seconds after the final whistle, he and thousands of others were storming the field. “Amazing, absolutely unreal,’ ex- claimed Barry Corbett from Cloon- OMe “It was a brilliant performance from all of them but especially Tuo- hy and the full-back line. Conlon up front as well. The serious discipline the whole team showed entitled us to this win,’ he added.

He echoed the thoughts of all eve- ryone in saffron and blue, as the Clare Shout, for so long silent ech- oed around Croke Park for the first time in a dozen years.

“The Cats couldn’t stop Clare making history. Great win,” roared Stephen McNamara from Kilmaley, before more Clare Shouts again ech- oed around him.

And, like 95 there was talk of Bid- dy Early too — the curse that’s been a crutch to bear in recent years was banished once more.

And, in its place was a bright new era with a nod to the past achieve- ments of Clare teams made by Inagh farmer Tom Mackey when he pro- claimed loudly to everyone around him that “there’ll be no goats milked for the week”.