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Doolin ferries row puts the wind up council

MORE than three hundred people took part in a street protest in En- nis in opposition to a proposal by An Bord Snip Nua to end the Rural Transport Programme.

Members and supporters of Clare Accessible Transport (CAT), who were participating in a nation-wide day of action against the proposal, claim that any funding cuts would have a detrimental impact on rural communities throughout Clare.

Addressing a crowd in Ennis town centre on Friday, Mayor of Clare, Councillor Tony Mulcahy under- lined the valuable contribution made by CAT to communities across the County.

He said: “The McCarthy report advocates the total abolition of the rural transport programme. This rec- ommendation has been made with- out due consideration being given to the considerable effect that such a cut would have on the lives of many thousands of people. CAT has a net- work of routes that facilitate people in remote areas who wish to avail of local services.

These communities will be denied access to such vital services if CAT is denied funding.”

Mayor Mulcahy noted that helping disabled persons and the elderly re- tain their independence was only one aspect of rural transport.

“It is very much a part of the fab- ric of the community, enabling com- munity groups, after school projects,

family resource centres, and the Health Service Executive to provide access to their programmes. I would appeal to Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Eamon O Cuiv to carefully consider this fact before making any decision regard- ing the Rural Transport Programme,’ he concluded.

The Feakle-based CAT service makes 3,000 passenger trips a month all across Clare, employs 21 people and now caters for a broader range of

people than ever.

30 per cent of our passengers are under 25 years of age and we cater for tourists as well,’ a spokeswoman for the service said.

“We get emails from Japan and Italy, lots of places, booking trips. We want to support tourism through sustainable transport.”

On the road for seven years, CAT provides flexible transport for any- one who wishes to join. The service is free to travel pass holders and is

reduced for under 16s.

For many living in isolated parts of the county with no car, the service is their only way of getting to and from doctors appointments, doing their shopping, attending to business and having some social contact in their day.

COSTELLOE Estate Agents has an attractive family home on its books, located at Abbeyville off the Limer- ick Road (opposite the West County Hotel), which has just been further reduced in price to €215,000.

No. 50 Abbeyville is a four bedroom semi-detached property offering 1,292 sq. ft. of internal accommoda- tion. This appealing house comprises an entrance hall, living room, kitch- en/dining room, utility and en suite bedroom all on the ground floor. Up-

Stairs, there are three bedrooms, in- cluding the en-suite master bedroom, together with the family bathroom.

Finishes include a mix of timber, tiled and carpeted floors, a qual- ity fitted kitchen with integrated electrics, fitted wardrobes in the bedrooms, quality tiling in the bath- rooms, painted doors, skirting and architraves and quality coving in the reception and living rooms.

Externally the property features a walled lawn and parking area to the front, with an enclosed south facing rear garden with garden shed.

The house was recently redecorat- ed and is on the market in ‘walk-in’ condition. It will appeal to a family as it offers plenty of space and is very close to all key amenities, including schools, in Ennis town centre. It is also just a few hundred metres from the by-pass interchange on the Lim- erick Road.

For full details, contact Costelloe Estate Agents on 065 6821299.

Gormley being led into water fight

SHERRY Fitzgerald McMahon has a stunning Georgian two-storey house, centrally located in Kilkee’s West End, on its books at a reduced ask- ing price of €575,000. This property, called Bayview House, originally went on the market priced at over €800,000, so the reduction is very significant.

The five-bedroom property offers 246 sq metres (2,652 sq. feet) of ac- commodation including five bed- rooms. It has some very elegant pe- riod features including a fn light over the solid main entrance door, and in-

side there are lofty high ceilings.

On the ground floor is the main liv- ing room, which has a feature fire- place and a bright sunroom to the side. The spacious kitchen is well fitted and off this room is the dining room. There’s a further family room PLM N Oval od e

The high sash windows ensure that lots of natural sunlight filters through the house, making it very bright.

The selling agent said that the prop- erty “could do with some modernisa- tion, but 1s a most attractive house, very well priced, not to be missed”.

Carbon-copy crashes at junction

OF course Muhammad Ali was the star turn, charming everyone with- out opening his mouth — his mere presence being enough to bring the county capital to a standstill for a few hours.

However, he wasn’t the only Ali to charm his Ennis public — Lonnie Ali also did her part to steal the show when addressing the Ennis Town Council Civic Reception in Water- park House.

“Are there any relatives of Mu- hammad here?” she asked. With that up stepped Imelda O’Grady,

Mary O’Grady-Gormley and Mary O’Donovan with gifts for “The Greatest’ — an O’Grady family crest, a ‘céad mile failte’ plaque and an al- bum of photographs from the Turn- pike.

“It’s a rare opportunity that we get to come to Ireland and especially to Ennis,” said Lonnie. “The people of Ennis, you have been so overwhelm- ing in your outpouring of love to this ynarenee

“We are sincerely appreciative and thankful to everyone of you and now that we know that Muhammad is an ‘Innisman’, we will be back.”

It was the way she said it — adopt-

ing Ennis-speak and the vernacular of a true Townie. It’s something that wasn’t lost on ‘Townies in the Town Council audience, or those in the crowd watching the telecast that was beamed onto a big screen at Abbey Street carpark.

And there was more from Lonnie.

“IT have never seen anything like this before and neither has Muham- mad. He was overwhelmed by it, re- UMAR Laon

“It was better than any medicine you could give him. He was excited and surprised by the outpouring of people, even the children who were out on the street.

“It’s interesting that when you look at Muhammad and his _ pugilistic skills and his loquacious ways, that if his great grand father were alive he’d swear that it came from him. And if he were alive today he’d be in every pub talking about it.”

The O’Gradys doing the talking on Tuesday were Muhammad Ali’s relatives — you could say they were reeling with the welcome given them by both Muhammad and Lonnie. “I can’t believe that I got to meet Mu- hammad,” said Mary O’ Donovan. “It was a dream come true for me and I was crying. We had lovely photo- graphs taken with after the recep-

nena

“I’m very emotional over it,’ said Imelda O’Grady. “It’s been a real roller coaster over the past few weeks, looking forward to the visit and now that it has happened and I got to meet Muhammad Ali is unbelievable,’ she added.

Meanwhile, Mary O’Grady-Gorm- ley was lost for words. “I don’t know what to say,” she said. “To meet him, to hold his hand and be photographed with him. It must be the highlight of TUOh Yas become

Muhammad Ali and Lonnie Ali had just made their day. Everyone’s CPAs KOvMmner-limeet lito) m

GARDAI are reminding drivers to respect speed limits and road mark- ings after a spate of “replica” acci- dents were observed at the Captain Mac’s cross junction in Ennis.

At least four major collisions have occurred in the area, along with a high number of smaller less serious

accidents, according to one local businessman.

Shop manager David Crimmins said the junction has been the scene of a high number of collisions be- tween cars travelling to and from the town centre.

‘The incidents are always the same. Cars coming past Flannan’s (College) and go to make a right turn down to-

wards the bus station and cars going out the Clare road, from Ennis, crash into them. They’re all replica acci- dents,” explained Mr Crimmins.

He added, “They’re almost identi- cal, all the crashes. It’s spooky how similar they are. They nearly all hap- pen at the exact same spot on the road. They end up in the same spot afterwards. You could nearly take

out a measuring tape and measure out where it happens.”

Mr Crimmins, manager of a Londis shop located at Captain Mac’s cross, said the incidents involved local drivers and tourists passing through the town.

He said that on one occasion in July, a major incident was narrowly averted when a car almost crashed into a petrol pump located in the ga- rage forecourt.

‘There was one where one of the cars actually came into the garage. It came in about 100 yards off the road. I was sitting in the office and I heard this great bang.

He continued, “There have been four major ones in the last 12 months, but they would be the big ones. But there have been a lot of smaller, sim- ilar-type incidents. You would just hope that people would be a bit more aware. You would hate to see some- one get seriously hurt.”

Gardai in Ennis say that while they are unaware of any high incidence of accidents at the junction, they would remind drivers to observe speed lim- its and respect road markings.

‘At very busy junctions, you expect maybe more accidents but other than that, we are not aware of it. We would encourage all motorists to respect speed limits and road markings,” a spokesperson said.

He added that anyone with con- cerns should contact gardai. “If peo- ple want to send in submissions on the matter, that it is something we would welcome and consider.”

MICHAEL Corley took his seat in Waterpark House and waited. He’d waited for seven years and so 30 or sO minutes more didn’t matter. Muhammad Ali was in one of the anterooms of the Ennis Town Coun- cil headquarters — he would be out in his own good time, meantime Michael Corley could reflect on the

significance of this Civic Reception for Ennis Town Council and greater J Spay AbESe

“It means the realisation of a dream that we had back in 2002,” he says. ‘To me and to nearly everyone, Ali was an icon. I grew up with him and to have him now in Ennis is really incredible.

“Back seven years ago when I put a motion to the council calling for

him to be made a Freeman of Ennis, I thought that Ali would come — the enthusiasm that was there with the initial proposal, made me believe it would happen, but as the time passed I realised the difficulty of organising SUONE- Hace le

“It did take the Alltech Group to bring him and I’m delighted that the council did the next thing and reached out and honoured him in this

way. The significance of Ali getting this award is huge — it’s great to think that there are genes in Ali that origi- nated in Ennis 150 years ago. It is indeed a welcome home for Muham- mad Ali and I would hope that Ali looks on it like that, because part of him originated in Ennis.

“Ennis people are fantastic for meeting an occasion — whether it’s the great occasions of the hurling

teams in the ‘90s or whether it’s St Patrick’s Day parades organised by the council, people are great to come out. They’ve come out today.”

The day was only beginning and Michael Corley was soon on his feet as Muhammad Ali finally came into view, Stood motionless for a few sec- onds, sat down and took the applause. It was sustained.

The Greatest had landed.

THE Clare Youth Service has an- nounced details of a new programme of events aimed at encouraging young musicians.

The CYS Music Project is offer- ing some fantastic opportunities to young people interested in music over the next two months, including recording, gigging and training op- eLeyaaED OD LOL ene

As well as auditions for a com- pilation CD, there will be a bands competition open to all young bands throughout Clare as well as beat box and rapping workshops.

The bands competition is being held on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, with judges announcing the winners on the Sun- day night. The competition 1s open to all young bands under 18 years from

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Bands must perform three songs, at least one of which must be an origi- nal piece.

Entry for the competition is €15 and completed forms must be re- turned to Jean Tierney, CYS by Fri- day, September 11.

Prizes will be awarded for: Best Original Song, Best Band, Runner- up and Best Cover/Adaptation.

On September 26, the Music Project are holding auditions for musicians who would like to be part of a CYS compilation CD.

Auditions are open to all musi- cians, bands, acoustic etc and each act has to perform one original song. The CD will be launched at the end of the year.

Clare Youth Service with Kerryni- ni are running beat box and rapping workshops from Friday, October 9 to

Sunday, October 10.

The workshop will focus on vari- ous aspects of beat box and rapping, including, developing your _ tech- niques, looping and sampling, DJing and scratching, MCing and rhyming. The workshops costs €45 and places

are limited.

Musicians interested in participat- ing in any of the events should con- tact Jean Tierney, Clare Youth Serv- ice, Carmody Street, Ennis on 065 6845356 or 086 1568650 for further information or application forms.