The Clare People Archive

THE gymnastics club in Shannon has been basking in glory after one of its members won a medal at a prestigious international event.

12-year-old Becky O’Donnell won a bronze medal, after she came third in the Coimbre Open in Portugal.

Becky, who is one of the top eight tumblers in Ireland, was selected to participate in the event in the wake of a string of impressive performances in Clare and the wider Munster area, over the past year.

She was delighted to come third in the Coimbre Open, where she fought off stiff competition from more than 10 other entrants, in the under-13

category.

This follows on from her success last year, when she competed in Lithuania and was placed in the top ten in a world cup event in Poland.

Her coach Elaine Ryan said Becky deserved the honours and everyone in the club was thrilled for her.

“She has been building up, with good performances in past competi- tions,’ said Ms Ryan.

“This is the first international med- al the club has every got. We are very proud,” she added.

Becky travels from her home in Kildysart for training at the Shan- non club and hopes are high that her fine achievements will encourage her club colleagues.

“There are 80 members in the club and hopefully this will encourage the others,” said Ms Ryan.

The club has been busy over the past few months and after being without a permanent home, it has re- cently secured a new base.

It is currently located at the Stone- hall Business Park, but will move to a permanent home near Newmarket- on-Fergus later this month.

“We are delighted with this. There is a great backing from the parents,” said Ms Ryan.

“Children travel from all over to the club, from as far as Gort and from Raheen in Limerick, three to four times a week,” she added.

While Becky is still absorbing her

latest success, she is already plan- ning her next trip and is hopeful that she will be selected for future inter- nationals which are due to take place throughout the year.

Her ultimate aim promises to be a huge challenge, which she is ready to tackle. “She will be hoping to go to the world championships in 2009,” said her coach. No doubt she will do her best to ensure qualification for this event.

A RESIDENTS association in Shan- non has played a key role in buying a defibrillator for a local primary school.

The Gleann an Oir residents as- sociation raised more than €3,000 and bought the defibrillator for St Conaire’s National School, which is located close to the housing estate.

All of the 40 houses in the estate sold tickets for the worthy cause. Not

only did it raise the money, but the initiative also raised the profile of the local residents group, which was formed last year.

The group had hoped to raise €2,000, but when this was surpassed by 50 per cent, they decided to also donate money to the neo natal unit at the maternity hospital in Limerick.

This was in memory of a young baby from the estate who died.

PRO of the residents group, Michelle Hayes explained the think-

ing behind the idea.

“Our chairman Mike Fleming had been talking to people at the school and they said they wanted to raise money for a defibrillator and that was where the idea came from,” said Ms Hayes.

“This will raise the profile of the residents association in the area,” she added.

“It is important to have a defibrilla- tor. A lot of young children die sud- denly and every school should have a

defibrillator,’ added Ms Hayes.

She said that locals are pleased with the success of the residents as- sociation, since its formation.

“The estate is kept very clean and tidy. It is good to have a residents group, for initiatives like tidy towns and grants which may be available,’ she said.

“It is also good to get to know the neighbours as a lot of the residents are young families,’ Ms Hayes add- ed.

is the 26th publica- tion of the local GAA club and has just hit the bookshelves at a cost of oe Compiled by the club’s chairman John Guilfoyle, PRO Robert Meehan and Games Development Officer Brian O’leary, the 28-page glossy booklet outlines details of the club’s successes and activities over the past IPB rtenndetcy Not only does it contain details about the GAA, the booklet also focuses on the wider community in

Newmarket-on-Fergus, with space also dedicated to the local Macra na Feirme Club, Newmarket Celtic soc- cer club, the local ploughing associa- tion, the handball club and the four parish schools.

Pride of place in the booklet goes to the parish’s under-18 hurlers, who won the Minor A championship last year. Their success is highlighted through photographs and several ar- ticles.

The club’s decision to honour Kay and the late Fergus Marren last year for their decades of service to the club, is also marked in the publica- nen

There are also tribute articles to former player, the late Michael Considine and the late Dr Brendan O’Regan, who lived in the parish for

many years.

History plays an important role in the local area and an article on the monument at the Fair Green, writ- ten by local woman Mary Grogan, 1s also included.

John Guilfoyle said the scope of the publication had expanded over the years, since the first one was pub- lished back in 1983.

“Tt initially came out as asole GAA publication. It has evolved over the past couple of years, to include other groups,’ he said.

“It is a mixture of everything, with several colour pictures,’ added Mr Guilfoyle.

He explained the decision to pub- lish the booklet at this time of year.

“We used to bring it out at Christ- mas, but there was so much much

happening coming up to Christmas. Five years ago we decided to go for St Patrick’s weekend and we then de- cided to bring it out for Easter,” he rE nLem

500 copies of the booklet have been printed and it is currently on sale in local shops and schools in the New- market-on-Fergus area.

Last year was a successful one of the club, particularly with the minors winning the county title and the un- der-21s reaching their county final. The club is now hoping that details of the achievements will be widely read in this publication.

A CLARE County Councillor has called for measures to be put in place to ensure that the taxpayer will not have to pay for security operations at Shannon Airport when expected dig- nitaries do not arrive.

The Green Party’s Brian Meaney wants to know who will pay for the security operation at Shannon last weekend when US President George W Bush was expected on a refuelling stop, and how much was spent.

“This is the second time Mr Bush has failed to land here, despite costly security operations being undertak- en. I appreciate there is a reciprocal protocol between states to provide security for visiting dignitaries but where that dignitary does not turn up, their government should pay the bill, not the Irish taxpayer,” he said.

Air Force One was expected to land at Shannon at 4pm on Sunday but the Presidential jet overflew Shannon while a second support aircraft, Air Force 2, believed to have been carry-

ing senior US officials, made a tech- nical stop at the airport.

Security around the airport was tight from early morning with over 200 personnel from the Garda and Defence Forces drafted in, although it had never been confirmed to gardai or Shannon authorities that Mr Bush would definitely land. He was re- turning to Washington from a NATO summit in Bucharest and a visit to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s holiday retreat on the Black Sea.

The operation involved the US Se-

cret Service, Gardai, Army and Aer Corps. Gardai were posted at loca- tions around the airport while all access roads to the aerodrome were closely monitored by mobile patrols. Checkpoints were also mounted while an Aer Corps helicopter car- ried out aerial surveillance.

A team of garda motorcycle outrid- ers from Dublin Castle was sent to Shannon in case the President had to be taken from the airport for any rea- son. A mini-cavalcade, comprising one of the President’s official cars as

well as personnel carriers for Secret Service agents, was also on standby.

The security operation was wound down shortly after 3pm following confirmation that Air Force One would not be landing at Shannon. It is estimated that the deployment could have cost as much as €250,000.

On May 10, 2005, a security op- eration was mounted in anticipation of a similar stop by the President. However, that was cancelled just two hours before his plane was due to touch down.

AFTER just one year’s work, Ire- land’s first ever e-town has now opened in Miltown Malbay.

Those curious to see what the new homes – that promise work-life bal- ance – look like can go along and see for themselves this weekend.

The €4 million e-town project is the first of its kind in Ireland and construction work on the 12 com- bined home/work units in the scheme have just been completed.

The e-towns initiative will allow people to work from home and has been designed by Shannon Develop- ment as an innovative way of helping people find a better quality of life.

This unique integrated develop- ment combines living and office space with high-tech broadband ac- cess.

E-towns are not just for those wish- ing to find work and a lifestyle out- side the urban rat race. It also gives an opportunity to the students of Miltown Malbay to return home and set up a business when they have re- ceived their qualifications.

The e-town is expected to attract micro-businesses to the area and cluster them so that they in turn could grow from each other and pro- vide further employment.

“With many commuters facing reduced quality of life due to the ever lengthening commute times to work, Shannon Development saw the need to generate a new 2\st-century solution to this growing problem. In launching our first pilot e-town in Miltown Malbay, we feel it is an ideal location in which to live, work and raise a family. It has everything you could possibly want on your

doorstep, including stunning scen- ery, top local amenities and a superb quality of life,” says Paul Ryan, E- Town Project Leader with Shannon Development.

As part of the Cuirt na dTonnta Miltown Malbay e-towns project, people who want to work from home have the option of work units either attached or adjacent to each house on the two-acre, high-tech courtyard site. Developed as either detached, three story and/or town houses, the units are wired for broadband with office space. They are designed to aesthetically complement the exist- ing townscapes, the house sizes aver- age 2,000 sq. ft., with business units ranging from 750 to 1,000 sq. ft.

“The development is designed for people who currently have long com- mutes to work each day and wish to set up a business and could easily

work from home. It would ideally suit micro-businesses in the traded Services sector, or businesses such as graphic design, consultancy, web design, publishing and professional oss ohe

“It is also ideal for people who have already set up a business from home but find their current home is no longer suitable for their growing business needs,” said Mr. Ryan.

To introduce the scheme to the peo- ple of County Clare, Shannon Devel- opment has issued a special invitation to come and view an e-town house at Miltown Malbay at weekends from 2pm to 4pm or by appointment. Just contact Bernie Lynch at 061 710349 and email: lynchb@shannondev.ie.

EIRCOM has finally rolled out broadband to Ireland’s first e-town. As part of its nationwide broad- band rollout programme, Eircom announced it has broadband-enabled the exchange at Miltown Malbay. Commenting on the launch of broadband in Miultown Malbay, Michael Kennedy, Marketing Direc-

tor, Eircom said, “Eircom is delight- ed to announce the roll out of broad- band to Miltown Malbay in County Clare. Eircom is 100 per cent com- mitted to making broadband avail- able to as many parts of the country as we can.

“The enablement of this exchange and the planned enablement of an ad- ditional 20 exchanges across County Clare demonstrates we are deliver-

ing on our commitments.”

A statement from Eircom said that the Miltown Malbay announcement was part of Eircom’s public commit- ment to broadband-enable over 400 exchanges across Ireland, including a further 20 exchanges in the Clare area.

“Our determined efforts to increase broadband availability nationwide means that more than 900 exchang-

es, representing 96 per cent of the working telephone lines in Ireland, will be connected to a broadband ex- change within the next two years.”

Eircom said that it would pro- vide numerous services through its broadband to meet everyone’s needs, including a music portal, live sports and games online, Internet security, file storage and sharing, and wireless connectivity.

THE old telephone exchange sits at the back of the Cooraclare post office, just metres from the new high-tech computer. For retired postmistress Moria Garry, both objects represent the huge change her career has taken during the past 41 years.

On March 31, Moira stood down as the local postmistress, but she will

never be too far away from the core of the small but busy post office, as she continues to assist the new post- mistress Gerardine Donnellan.

Moira took over the reins of the post office from her aunt’s husband – Martin Joe O’Doherty – in October Teter

A year later, she married Michael Garry and the post office was to play a central role in their lives and that of

their family for years to come.

Moira Garry has quite literally seen and heard it all as the centre for in- formation, services and advice for the rural west Clare village and sur- rounding area.

Up until the late 80s, the exchange was central to the services provided by this busy post office.

Moira remembers how her late hus- band Michael would get up in the

middle of the night to answer the ex- change. “We had a bell for it outside our bedroom door,” she recalled.

The exchange was a 24-hour day job, with Moira providing the only connection for many an ex-Pat and the family back home.

She always had the emergency numbers at hand – the doctor, the priest – and hers was one of the few exchanges in the country that had a minister on the local exchange – ““Co- oraclare 40”.

Just as the post office played a cen- tral part of Garry family life, so too did Moira Garry play a central role in the lives of other families.

Little Jessica O’Gorman was the fifth generation of the Gallagher- O’Gorman family to get a stamp from the former postmistress. “I put the stamp into her little hand. I have a picture with her,” said Moira.

Moira laughs as she recalls how she still continues to provide the local in- formation at the end of a phone line.

Since evening Mass has been shared on a monthly basis between Coora- clare and Cree churches, she often answers the phone to the question, “Is Mass above or below tonight?”

As well as the usual post office du- ties, Moria also dispenses 135 cop- les of

A €10 MILLION retail development will need the support of three quar- ters of Clare County Council mem- bers in order to proceed.

Tom Lavelle and Adrian Callanan’s plan to construct 56 units at Boherar- oan, Newmarket-on-Fergus materi- ally contravenes the County Devel- eo) eee lm ate

The plan includes 16 commer- cial units, 22 duplex apartments, 11 apartments, a medical facility and six office units, and the council noted that the site is zoned for commercial non-retail purposes.

They state: “While the principle of a mixed use commercial and resi- dential development is acceptable on site, it is also considered that it is contrary to the zonings of the site. Consequently, a material contraven- tion would be required.”

As a result, the planning applica- tion will need to go before a council meeting in the coming months. The developers have been requested to lodge a revised design for the scheme ‘as any development should have re- gard to the character of the existing village”.

The proposed development is locat- ed about 200 metres east of Lough Gash turlough candidate Special Area of Conservation (CSAC).

The council states: “The proposed development has the potential to have significant effects on the SAC and its conservation objectives.”

The retail plan also faces opposi- tion from local resident, Patrick J Hannon, who owns land to the rear of the development.

Mr Hannon pointed out to the coun- cil, “No details are submitted with the application to the retail impact the proposal will have on the village

of Newmarket-on-Fergus. I contend that there is a substantial need for the retail development proposed and the applicant has failed to show this.

“As elsewhere, out of centre retail developments should not be allowed as this development is likely to lead to a reduction in the range of local facilities in the town that will affect the diversity of shops and lead to a loss of general retailing from the vil- lage centre.

“It would appear as an aggressive and incongruous feature in the area, contrary to the requirements of the development plan.”

He added, “The proposed develop- ment has an unduly monolithic form, arising from the absence of any re- lief from fenestration thus producing an unattractive facade to all public views.”

A decision is due on the application next month.

IN a close contest, last year’s event winners, Patrick Ellott/Paul Good- man (Subaru WRC) edged out Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Subaru WRC) on a tie-break to win the Fels Point Hotel Circuit of Kerry Rally, the second round of the Dunlop se- ries. On the final stage, they finished

two seconds ahead of Maguire/ McLaughlin, that gave both crews an identical overall time and El- liott/Goodman got the verdict on a tie-break – as they were fastest on the final stage. It was the second event in succession that a round of the Dunlop National Rally championship went to a final stage decider.

Seamus Leonard/John McCafferty

(Subaru) finished third overall — 29 seconds further behind, that was also decided on a tie-break with Michael Barrable/Dermot O’Gorman (Ford Focus WRC) finishing fourth. As a result of his victory, Elliott moves to top spot in the Dunlop series. The Group N category was won by Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy (Mitsubishi), they were tenth in general classifica-

tion.

Top Clare crew Anthony O’ Halloran /Charlie McEnery punctured on stage four after clipping a rock on the inside of a corner and had to stop to change the wheel. They lost about six minutes which pushed them well down the leaderboard but they even- tually went on to finish 35th. overall.

The top Clare Crew were Alan

O’Callaghan/Gerard Murphy from Ssixmilebridge who battled through the very wet and slippy conditions in their Subaru Impreza to finish 20th overall.

NUMBERS unemployed in Clare have reached an 11 year high accord- ing to the latest figures from the Cen- tral Statistics Office (CSO). The live register now totals 5,126 — the high- est number since March 1997 when 5,253 were unemployed.

The figures show that the unem- ployment rate has increased by al- most 20% in the past 12 months, the lowest level having been in October 2000 when only 2,778 were on the live register.

The slowdown in the Clare con- struction sector in recent months is believed to be responsible for a large

slice of the increase.

It’s not all bad economic news for Clare, however. Ennis has proved to be one of just two towns in Ireland that are bucking the national trend of a shopping slowdown.

According to a _ just-published Retail Excellence Ireland review, O’Connell Street saw an increase of 39% in terms of hourly footfall be- tween March 2006 and March 2007. The number of people shopping in the street was up from 1,917 per hour to 2,658 per hour.

Responding to the unemployment figures, Deputy Joe Carey (FG) called for the fundamentals of bal- anced regional development to be

implemented to ensure Clare is well- positioned should the economy re- bound later this year.

“There is little doubt that the in- ternational banking and credit crisis has impacted on the Irish economy, fuelled by a downturn in the housing market, and I believe that sustained investment in the mid-west is vital for the region,’ he said.

On recent job losses in Clare, Dep- uty Carey commented: “We have seen these at companies such as Aer Lingus, Tyco Electronics, John Crane Ltd and Thompson Financial. We have also seen companies going on three-day weeks, unsure of what their future 1s.

“We have not seen this rate of in- crease for a very long time and there is nothing to indicate that either the rate or overall number will abate in the near future.

“So, as far as the region’s econom- icS are concerned, we need to start boxing clever”

Sinn Féin spokesperson Cathy McCafferty reacted to the CSO fig- ures, “The blame for this increase lies squarely with Government. De- spite unprecedented tax returns over a number of years the Goverment failed to plan ahead, deciding in- stead to rely on construction and the spending boom to keep the economy on track.”