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IT IS time the Government called Michael O’Leary’s bluff and abol- ished the €10 travel tax to see if Ryanair services would be restored at Shannon Airport.

That’s the view expressed by Clare Fine Gael TD Pat Breen who, in last week’s Dail debate on the Finance Bill, said he was hugely disappointed that no transitional measure was in- cluded in the Bill to abolish the air travel tax.

‘This tax has been a disaster. When

three airlines – Aer Lingus, Cityjet and Ryanair – plead with the Govern- ment to abolish it, something is seri- ously wrong. Passenger numbers are collapsing at Shannon,” he said.

“3.6 million passengers went through the airport in 2007. This fell to 3.16 million in 2008 and while the 2009 figure has yet to be published, I understand it will be approximately 2.9 million. Only last week, Ryanair announced that several of the desti- nations which were well supported from Shannon, such as Alicante, Faro, Barcelona and Lanzarote, will

move to other Irish airports.

“The situation regarding the future of Aer Lingus in Shannon is also very uncertain. I have heard no commit- ment from the new director general that Aer Lingus is in Shannon for the long haul. It will be catastrophic for the region if these services go. The Government cannot just tax its way out of the recession. More innovative ideas are important as the recession deepens. It must introduce a policy that works and admit it got it wrong with regard to this tax.”

Referring to the rise in unemploy-

ment among the under-25 age group, Deputy Breen said that over the past two years the unemployment rate for this age group has grown by 137 per cent, from 808 in January 2008 to 1,215 in January 2009.

“The Government must deal with the situation and put in a stimulus package for these young people. If not, they will become despondent or do what they are doing, namely, leav- ing these shores in their thousands.

“There is huge potential for energy and the development of renewable energy projects in the mid-west re-

gion. We have the Ardnacrusha and Moneypoint power stations and the gas pipeline runs from Limerick to Galway and along the Shannon estu- ary. There is so much untapped po- tential.

“Denis Brosnan and his team on the Mid-West Task Force stated that a compelling case could be presented to attract mobile international invest- ment but it is not just international investment we should target. We should also reward small and medi- um enterprises that invest in research and development,” he said.

STUDENTS at Knockanean Nation- al School got a glimpse of the future this month with an up-close look at one of the country’s first electric ve- hicles.

Representatives from the ESB visited the Ennis school earlier this month to speak on renewable energy and showcase one of the company’s new electric vehicles.

On Friday, February 5, Paul Mul- vaney, MD Electric Vehicles ESB and Sean Hegarty of ESB Wind Development, visited the school to give a talk on renewable energy and climate change. Afterwards all the pupils had the opportunity to see one of the ESB’s electric vehicles.

ESB is leading the way in develop- ing a network infrastructure to pave the way for electric vehicles and sup- porting Ireland in meeting its climate change targets.

The visit by the ESB came as the school continues its efforts to earn a second Green Flag.

The Green School Committee was set up in 2007 and its primary ob- jective was to increase awareness in Cnoc an Ein about litter, waste and other environmental issues. Pupils from third to sixth class became in- volved and the first Green Flag was awarded by An Taisce in May 2008.

The level of wet waste going to landfill was reduced by 30 to 40 per cent and more emphasis was placed on reducing, reusing and recycling. The pupils from fifth and sixth class look after the composting and the refuse bins on a bi-weekly basis and take responsibility for a better school environment.

The goal now is to achieve a second Green Flag based on the theme of en- ergy. The children on the committee spread the word about saving energy in their respective classes and turn off lights, computers, music centres, etc when not in use at lunch time and break times.

Parents like Sean Hegarty came onboard to highlight the important

themes surrounding energy, sustain- ability and to help pupils understand its importance in everyday life. Fur- ther to the presentation, a visit will be arranged for the pupils to one of the ESB’s wind farms in the area. The aim of Green Schools is to increase students’ and participants’ awareness of environmental issues through classroom studies and to

transfer this knowledge into positive environmental action in the school and also in the wider community.

, which will be launched on

the night of the dinner. Among the 37 contributors to the book is Sr Brid Hogan, a woman who

has been part of the school since it first opened. She was there in 1929 to enrol as one of its first pupils, and later returned as one of its longest serving teachers.

Sr Brid is not unique in her long- term association with the school as many of those who joined as students and teachers have found it difficult to leave it behind, and have become part of the unique history of this seaside secondary school.

Among those who have a strong identification with the school are the current principal and deputy principal Mary Crawford and Harry Hughes.

Mary remember when the school was still a girls-only day school and boarding school. When she was in second year in 1969 the first male teachers were employed at the school,

among them Harry Hughes. Eight years later in 1977 the school went coeducational and a year later board- ing at the school ceased as transport for pupils improved.

There was an influx of students again in 1985 when the vocational school in Miltown Malbay closed. Practical subjects such as woodwork ANOCOMNOloLE-VA\ LOU LoJKom NA SOMENINKOLOLEeer6! to the Spanish Point school.

The school building has also seen many changes over the years.

Initially the Sisters of Mercy began the school in Woodbank Cottage. As the school extended it moved to cur- rent building in 1959. While Wood- bank Cottage is now used for other purposes, Seaview House, which was home to generations of boarders, is still part of the school.

Today 350 students occupy the

newly-refurbished school. With pop- ulation decline a constant battle in the west, maintaining the size of the school is not easy.

As well as teaching teenagers, the 80-year-old school also _ provides Back to Education and FETAC class- es, with parents, children and even grandparents often attending the school at the same time.

Generations of past and present pu- pils are expected again to meet and celebrate the history of the school at the gala dinner, tickets for which are available at the school.

THE Kilrush Farmers’ Market is back this week after its winter use e

Just like the long evenings, the farmers market has become another indicator of spring in the west Clare Cree

For many locals the return also signals the start of the new year’s foodie calendar.

The highly successful market is widely regarded as a source of lo- cal, high quality, seasonal food and TbOtea Keren (oN

The market will begin again this Thursday at 9am and finish up at 2pm in the town centre.

Many of the regular stallholders are returning to provide the shop- ping experience that promises some- thing for everyone.

Among the produce on sale is a se- lection of fresh vegetables; organic produce; local Clare cheeses; fresh fish and seafood; freshly-baked bread and cakes, savoury lunchtime treats and French-style pancakes; jams, pickles and chutneys; tea, cof- fee and fruit juices; plants and flow- ers; and a variety of locally-made

craft products.

Kilrush Farmers’ Market control- ler Hilary Gleeson has hailed the market a complete success.

“I think the farmers’ market is a great way to buy quality fresh food produced here in Ireland. People can be confident of the origins of the food and are able to get to know their lo- cal supplier – often with a chance to sample before they buy.

“Our market has become more and more a part of people’s weekly shop- ping habits and it’s great to see it thriving,” she said.

The farmers’ market is ever chang-

ing, regularly recruiting new stall- holders who offer quality food and new craft ideas.

Many of the stallholders take or- ders for their goods while others provide a delivery service.

“Buying local also has many ben- efits, including supporting local growers, food producers and arti- sans which creates business locally, promotes a sense of community and also does its bit for the environment by helping to cut down on the dis- tance food and produce travels,” said the PRO for the market Mark Wil- son-Pierce.

THERE was good news on the dou- ble for Gort Community School last week when it was announced that the school has been granted funding to construct three new classrooms and has also been chosen to take part in a new high-tech school programme.

The announcement of the new classrooms was made last week by local TD Noel Treacy (FF) who said the new classrooms and changing rooms will come as a big boost to the staff and students.

Meanwhile, the school has also been chosen to take part in a pilot programme to test the benefits of high-speed broadband and _next-

generation technologies in the class- room.

In the coming weeks the school will be kitted out with new, super high-speed broadband and will also receive 31 laptops and 25 digital pro- jectors.

The pilot project, which has been launched by the Department of Com- munications, Energy and Natural Resources, will see a wireless LAN connection installed in the school, allowing high-speed internet to be received anywhere in the school elena euneres

The new technological investment, which will total around €50,000, will also allow the school to create a mobile computer suite, with the

wireless broadband enabling them to bring the laptops to any room in the school.

The investment will also allow the school to further enhance the use of technology while teaching music. The school’s music students already use the music notation software Fi- nale Print Music which can be used instead of pen and paper to notate music.

This software also allows students to compose and arrange music the way they want it to sound which can then be transposed to any key and for any instrument. Through this technology, students can also play a MIDI keyboard with a metronome and watch their music appear on

screen in real time.

“We are taking online learning out of the confines of the computer room. In classrooms and corridors, students and teachers will poten- tially be able to carry out interactive chemistry experiments and access demonstrations and exhibitions from all over the world,’ said Eamon Ryan (GP), when launching the scheme last week.

“A class learning French could talk in real time with a class in France. A Leaving Certificate physics stu- dent will be able to take part in Ivy League lectures and experiments. With this level of connectivity, the opportunities for interaction and col- laboration are unlimited.”

ORGANISERS of the Clare Burren Marathon Challenge are aiming to top 2,000 participants for this year’s event – which would make it one of the largest adventure marathons ever to take place in Ireland.

Detail of this year’s event, which is organised by the Ballyvaughan/ Fanore Walking Club, were an- nounced last week with May 22 be- ing pencilled in as the date for the third running of the competition.

The event will also see timing chips being offered to everyone who takes part over the age of 16. Every- one who finishes the marathon with a chip will receive an official text telling them their exact finishing time minutes after they complete No OTE KoIOTXeR

“We get a lot of people back year after year and this new chip will al- low these people to get their time texted right to their mobile after the race. It’s the usual thing, people would be trying to better their time from other years,’ said organiser Kevin McCormick.

“We are hoping to get more than 2,000 people to take part this year. It would be great going if that hap- pens but that is our hope and expec- tation. We had almost 1,700 people taking part last year which was al-

most double what we had in the first year.”

Over the last few years, the Clare Burren Marathon Challenge has pro- vided a major early season boost for the tourism industry in north Clare. This year, the challenge will once again run in tandem with the Burren in Bloom Festival, which has itself become a major tourism boost for north Clare.

“We get people from all over tak- ing part. We have a lot coming from England and America and a lot from Germany and Holland as well. A lot of these people just happened to be in the area when the marathon took place in previous years and now they are coming back each year to take part. They bring back more friends each year and it grows then by word of mouth,” continued Kevin.

“It’s a massive tourism boost for the area. And it is well needed, es- pecially the way things are going at id otomsneKeyee ley 0 line

The walk will also take in some of the most dramatic scenery in Europe and includes portions on road, green road and Burren trail. This year’s event is being supported by the Logues Lodge, Clare Spring Water and the Clare Sports Partnership.

For more information check out www.clareburrenmarathonchal- lenge.com.

PEOPLE in north Clare are going back to the future by learning how to use the ancient form of cob building to construct sheds and other struc- ebdeny

Cob building involves mixing clay, straw, sand and water which is then worked into a wall in a proc- ess known as cobbing. The process, which has been used in Clare since pre-historic times, has been regain- ing its popularity in recent times as people look for environmentally- friendly ways of building structures.

This has prompted the Boghill Centre in Kilfenora to begin a new

course on cob building. The course, which begins later this month, will guide people in how to use the tech- nique.

“Cob building is very low-tech, re- quiring only simple tools and a large amount of time. Unlike conventional modern building with heavy cement blocks, cob is a very democratic building material. You can pick up large or small handfuls of the mix- ture meaning that anyone can join in, the elderly, small children, it’s not the exclusive domain of well-mus- cled young men,” said Kim Harrison from the Boghill Centre.

“The really nice thing about this material is that it is easily sculpted,

so you don’t need to have any hard edges and space-wasting corners. Your creativity 1s unleashed as you shape an_ aesthetically pleasing structure, curving and undulating in whatever way you wish.”

Besides being an inexpensive way of building, cob also provides sound insulation, 1S non-toxic and non-al- lergenic.

“Not only does it require little ener- gy to construct compared to modern building methods and materials, but sourcing the materials locally means it has a very low environmental im- pact,” continued Kim.

“The thick walls, usually around 24cm, have a high thermal mass –

this means they have the ability to store heat within the wall and release it very slowly. This makes cob build- ings easy to keep warm in winter and cool in summer. Heat is soaked up by the wall in the daytime, travelling at one inch per hour, then continues its journey through the wall heating the inside air during the night, leaving the walls cool again for the follow- TU NTSaKO Ne

“The combination of cob and pas- sive solar heating as heat from sun- light entering through large south- facing windows can create a house that requires little additional heat- rhea

Visit www.boghill.com for details.

THE recession is stifling Irish third world charity Bothar’s ability to send Irish cattle to some of the world’s poorest rural communities. The char- ity currently has more than 500 fam- ilies awaiting animals in Rwanda, Albania and Kosovo but, because of a downturn in cattle donations, they do not have enough cattle in stock to meet the demand.

The international development agency normally flies between 400 and 600 cattle out of Shannon Air- port each year. The receiving fami- lies have each qualified for the Both-

ar programme by growing enough fodder to feed the animals over the last nine months.

They are also required to build an appropriate cow house and undergo a training course in cow husbandry.

“This drop-off is probably because of the economic recession. We have noticed in recent months that the flow of heifers has been slowing down. We would like to urge farm- ers to consider donating a heifer to a poor family in the developing world as however bad our circum- stances might be, these people are much worse off altogether,” said Al- lison Mc Namara, Marketing and PR

Manager of Bothar.

“One dairy cow would not change the lives and indeed the future of an entire family here in Ireland. Howev- er, in Our project countries, one good dairy cow can be better than winning the Lotto.

“In fact, receiving a dairy cow does a lot more for our recipient families than providing them with food and income. It goes on to give them a great sense of pride in their work and restores their dignity as human be- ings. It gives them great hope for the future as it will enable them to send their children to school and pay for day to day family necessities.”

The next Bothar airlift 1s scheduled to take place at the end of March and the organisation is asking farm- ers to donate an in-calf dairy heifer. The are also asking the non-farming public to donate the cost of an in-calf dairy heifer or to donate what you can towards this airlift.

Anyone who wishes to donate should contact Maria McCormack at maria@bothar.ie or freephone 1800 PA eee

THE Government has been accused of “blackguarding” the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coastguard by misleading them as well as elected officials about the ring-fencing of funding for a new coastguard facility in north Clare. This follows the revelation that more than €1.5 million promised by government for the development of the rescue centre is not ring-fenced, and the Irish Coastguard will have to make a case for the money to the Department of the Marine.

Speaking at last nights meeting of Clare County Council, Cllr James Breen (IND), accused successive ministers of deceiving both himself and the Doolin Coastguard.

“The minister has blackguarded the people up in Doolin for the last few years and he has no intention of putting forward this development,” he said.

““T raised this matter on a number of occasions when I was in the Dail and I was always happy with the answer I got back. But what has been done’ He has done absolutely nothing.

“It is not good enough for the vol- unteers up there to be operating out of a building which is essentially a cow shed. I am calling on the min- ister to honour what has been prom- ised and make sure that this facility goes ahead soon.”

A deputation from the Office of Public Works (OPW) met with mem- bers of the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coastguard in January to show them a number of proposals for the new facility.

It had been expecting that planning for the facility would be lodged to-

wards the end of last month but no application has yet been submitted to Clare County Council.

Speaking on a motion calling on the Government to clarify its position on funding for the project, Cllr Martin Conway (FG) said that the members of the Doolin Coastguard were not being treated fairly.

“These people are risking their lives to go out there and bring in 30 or 40 bodies a year and they deserve more than what they are getting at the moment,” he said.

For the last number of years, volun-

teers for the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coastguard have been working out of a 150-year-old shed for a number of decades and are forced to store much of their equipment off-site. This could potentially cause delays in emergency situations.

The proposed new centre has been delayed for years as the OPW had difficulty in obtaining a site locally. A source close to the coastguard ad- mitted that it would be “very unlike- ly” that the coastguard could raise enough money to proceed with the project by themselves.

Shannon transport hub hits snags