JUNE 2001

Claregalway Skin Care & Aromatherapy Clinic,
Kiniska, Claregalway and Main Street, Clarinbridge.

Face Up to a Facial
The delicate skin of your face is exposed to everything that living in today’s world can offer - extremes of heat and cold, dust, dirt, pollution, exhaust fumes, bacteria, and viruses. So it’s not surprising that problems should sometimes occur. Some skin conditions, such as cold sores or chapped lips, only occur on the face. Other conditions may also occur elsewhere on the body, but some conditions such as acne, broken veins, wrinkles, unwanted hair, etc. looks worse on the face, because this is the area that we have on show and we want to keep it in peak condition. To do this we need to have a regular facial.

The Sothys Institute Facials

1. Each facial is specific to a particular beauty theme.
   
2. Each one is composed of a set of professional products reserved exclusively for such a purpose.

For further information, please contact Evelyn Kitt at (091) 798485 or 776824

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GARDENING WITH BOSCO

Midway through the year, your garden should be beginning to look good. Having done all the hard work in March, April, May; be it your vegetable garden, lawn, shrub borders or bedding plants, they should all be thriving now.

Your lawn should continue to be mowed weekly as growth is at its peak. You may still apply a lawn, weed and feed such as the Golden Vale 3:1. If you are still having problems with weeds in your lawn, you could apply either Verdone or Shell D50 for effective control. Use a grass box to collect your clippings.

In the shrub border, you should keep an eye out for greenfly or any other pests as they occur. Greenfly will seriously affect flowering and growth. Greenfly and Aphids thrive at this time of the year and particularly on soft new growth. They always occur on the underside of the leaf and can be difficult to detect. One of the symptoms is curling of the leaf. Aphids suck the sap out of the leaf and hence it curls up. Take preventative action by spraying with any general insecticide.

Roses should be sprayed with any fungicide for blackspot and mildew, use anything like Roseclear, Benlate, Captan, Nimrod T. etc. Remove any suckers from the rootstocks of roses. These are readily identifiable as they are usually more vigorous than any other growth and look like the stem of a wild rose.

Your vegetable garden should be coming along nicely now with early spuds nearly ready for harvesting in another 2-3 weeks. Onion sets are well up and you could sow a second flush of them now as well. Onions in trays, in plugs are also a handy and quick way of sowing a second crop now also. These could be pulled early as salad onions or left to form a bulb onion. Ice-berg lettuce, Lollo Rossa lettuce (nicest flavour and colour of them all) and butterhead lettuce would be nearly ready for harvesting now if sown earlier. You can now sow a second crop from the trays. Other vegetables that could be planted now would be Broccoli, Cauliflower cabbages, round cabbage, all of which we have in trays. Courgettes and marrows in pots and a range of tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. The greatest satisfaction a child or adult who doesn’t do much gardening can get, is by sowing some vegetables, watching them grow, harvesting them and eating them, a great joy.

Bedding plants can still be planted. A lot of the planting has already been done due to the very fine weather we had early on in May. Continue to water and feed anything you already have planted. Take care to water and feed in the early morning or late evening, so as to avoid the sun scorching the plants. This would also apply to house plants inside on sunny windows. You can feed with any liquid feed such as Tomato feed, Miracle Gro, Phostrogen, Bio, etc. These are all basically the same. You could also feed with Osmocote. This is a slow release granular fertiliser which can feed plants over different lengths of time; 2-4 months, 6-8 months, 9-12 months. Osmocote is used by all good nurseries and garden centres in the compost that they mix for plants. They are small yellow bull like pellets of fertiliser. A common mistake people make is to think that they are the eggs of some insect in the compost and try to remove them. Don’t do this and don’t be embarrassed if you have as it is a common mistake.

Finally, I was asked recently what mix we put in our own hanging baskets. It’s a mix of peat, potting compost, osmocote, basiler ( a fungicide) and swellgel. Swellgel is a granule or granules that you can mix in your own compost. It absorbs water and can hold many times its own weight in water and helps to prevent drying out, a common problem in hanging baskets.

That’s it for now, for those who will be taking holidays soon, make arrangements for someone to water everything while you are going and avoid the tears and cost of replacement when you get back.

Bosco McDermott, Jnr.,
Glynn’s Garden Centre,
Lydican.

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CLAREGALWAY LEISURE CENTRE
Another successful season is drawing to a close. The centre has been in continuous use throughout the year since last September, and a break is very welcome.

The committee are currently working on a calendar, to be launched towards the end of the year, as a fundraising venture for the refurbishments to be undertaken in the centre. It is being planned around photographs of the parish taken by local photographer Ger Mooney. The committee hope for the support of the local community as the planned improvements to the toilets and showers in the centre are likely to prove costly. An update on the project will be given in the Nuacht Chláir later in the year.

Siobhán Lynskey

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Congratulations to our First Holy Communion Children
Church of the Assumption & St. James, Claregalway
Saturday, May 26th 2001.

CLAREGALWAY SCHOOL
Stephen Fee, Aoife Greally, Jonathan Healy, Karen Hurney, Áine Keenan, Ruairí Lynch, Helen Moran, Laura McHugh, Árann McMahon, Clíodhna McMahon, Ciara Newell, Melissa Noone, Angela O'Connor, Brendan O'Dea, Rachel O'Dea, Emma Shaughnessy, Céri Staunton, Stephen Walsh, Darragh Whelan.
Teacher: Ms. Moylan.

Stevie Maloney, David O'Connell, Eleanor O'Reilly, Shane Ryan, Michelle O'Halloran, Hannah Loughnane, Leona McGuire, Kate O'Donnell, Rachel Farrell, Shauna Fleming, Amanda King, Áine Brennan, David Madden, Shannon Moran, Kevin Keaney, Andrea Coyle, Seán Diskin, David Waldron, Emer McManus, Stacey Dolan.
Teacher: Mrs. Carton.

CARNMORE SCHOOL
Michael Cummins, Darragh Kirwin, Dean Spellman, Lourena Quinn, Jenny Brennan, Brian Grealish, Orla Grealish, Gary Grealish, Aoife Fox, Alan Byrne, Shannon McGough, Ciarán Fox, Ciaran Fahy, Emma Devaney, Sarah Hanley, Lisa Martyn, Cathal Hanley, Kassie Conneely.
Teachers: Ms. Melia & Mrs. Mannion

Priests: Fr. Noel Mullin & Fr. Ian O'Neill.

Congratulations to the girls and boys who received the Sacrament of Confirmation on Saturday the 12th May in the Church of the Assumption and St. James.

Carnmore children who were confirmed: Shane Fox, Enda Cooney, Adrian Thompson, Edward Quinn, Ronan Kelly, David Hanley, Niamh Thornton, Demelza Glynn, Aoife McCarton, Edel Grealish, Stacey Doolin, Sarah Fox-McDonagh.

Claregalway children who were confirmed: Aine Casserely, Grace Casserly, Carol McKiernan, Sarah Carton, Nicola Newell, Orla Fahy, Sinéad Diskin, Julianne Harrington, Alice Moore, Lorraine Crowe, Kate Corrigan, Jean Monaghan, Patrick Farrell, Joseph Monaghan, Mark Loughlin, Emmet McDonagh, Alan Duggan, Gerard Walsh, Robert Burke, Michael Reilly, Christopher Carton, Shane Brennan, Padraig Noone, David Giles, Dara Glynn, Conall Lambert-MacMichael, John Moran, Jonathan Brennan, Tara Moran, Caroline Burke, Fiona Dillon, Lorna Dillon, Mary Kelly, Eimear Skelly, Siobhán Crowe, Michelle Quinn, Niamh Greally, Doreen Hughes, Suzanne Dolan, Triona Reid.

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The Draft Development Plan for Claregalway is a blueprint for the development of the village for the next six years. This is a critical period in the development of the village as it moves from an era where little growth or change took place to the present time with pressure for housing, community facilities , new roads etc. This is the first time that a Development Plan has been prepared for the village of Claregalway. Prior to this, Claregalway had a land use zoning map in the County Development Plan but did not have a detailed framework to guide the future development of the village.

The overall strategy is to ensure that Claregalway develops as a balanced settlement with residential growth supported by an adequate range of community, amenity and commercial facilities. This strategy is based on the provision of a focal point centered on the historic ruins to the north of the village. The present village centre from the junction with the Oranmore Road to the Nine Arches would become the commercial heart of the expanding village providing a range of shopping, restaurants and community facilities such as libraries etc. Lands to the rear of the school would be acquired and developed for community facilities such as park and playing pitches. Lands along the banks of the River Clare would be developed to form a linear park with walkways and cycleways which would be accessible to the entire community. While this riverside linear park may not be fully achieved during the period of this plan, it will provide a unique feature, which will link the historic ruins, the restored Nine Arches Bridge and the river, to existing and future residential areas. It is envisaged that future residential development would occur in a balanced and compact way around the village core as opposed to extending in a linear form along the approach roads to the village. A limited area is provided for enterprise and employment type development to the south of the village close to the intersection of the Oranmore and future by-pass roads.

The preparation of a more detailed design concept for the future development of the village centre was agreed between County Council officials and community representatives at public meetings in Claregalway. This design study has been undertaken by the Consultants, Brady Shipman Martin and is virtually completed.

A plentiful and reliable water supply has been provided recently by the extension of the Tuam Regional Scheme to Claregalway. This has linked the village to one of the biggest and most up to date water supply schemes in the country. Plans are well advanced to provide a sewage scheme which was delayed somewhat as the County Council investigated the possibility of linking Claregalway to the Galway City sewage system.

The Draft Development Plan therefore, sets out a vision for the future development of the village. The effective achievement of this vision is in the hands, not just of Galway County Council, but the community at large, including individuals, community representatives, public representatives and landowners. I look forward to working with all of the people of Claregalway towards implementing the objectives of this Plan, which I believe will ensure that Claregalway continues to be an attractive place to live and visit.

If any one has any questions or suggestions regarding the above project, please feel free to call Cllr. Noel Grealish on the following numbers;

Home; 091 794991
Mobile; 087 2648607
Email; ngrealish@cllr.galwaycoco.ie

Noel will be available, by appointment, on Wednesday evenings, in his home,
between the hours of 7.00pm - 9.00pm.

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E.S.B. POWERLINE PYLONS,
ARE YOU AWARE OF THE "REAL" COSTS?

Are they coming to a town near you?????

Are you aware that 1 in 3 people in this country will develop cancer?

Are you aware that the air you breathe within 500 metres of high voltage powerlines can seriously damage you health?

Are you aware that recent conclusive evidence links childhood leukaemia with high voltage powerlines?

Are you aware that mouth cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer, depression and other illnesses are associated with high voltage powerlines?

Are you aware that E.S.B. are using old discredited technology in the form of pylons to transmit power?

Are you aware that modern technology buries powerlines? (ie. Australia, America, Sweden, Germany, and Denmark).

Are you aware of the unsightly monsters that will be marching across our beautiful countryside?

Are you aware that they will significantly devalue your property?

All this in the middle of a Celtic Tiger? Who is reaping the benefits or do people no longer matter? Are we paying taxes for the improvement of our tomorrow? They say we are part of Europe, well, in Europe and other countries, powerlines are insulated and placed safetly underground, why should Ireland accept anything less?

We are demanding that the E.S.B. bury those powerlines before they bury us?

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SPECIAL NEWS
Belated birthday wishes to Margaret Langan, Rooaunmore and to her son Kevin who celebrated their birthdays on the 25th and the 26th May last. Hope you both had a great day.

Congratulations to Geraldine and Thomas Callinan, Cregboy on the birth of their son Thomas Patrick born on the 26th May. Also belated wishes to his sister Emma who celebrated her 2nd birthday on the 30th May.

Congratulations to Marc Delehanty and Matthew Dolan, Cahergown won the NTL National University and Schools Website Competition. Marc designed the website and Matthew wrote the content. Their site can be visited at http://www.astronomytoday.com Well done lads!

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CLAREGALWAY AMENITY GROUP Claregalway Amenity Group is grateful to Councillor Noel Grealish and Councillor Jarlath McDonagh for their financial contribution towards the “Welcome to Claregalway” stones. A lot of work has gone into the sourcing of these stones and we feel we have depicted the historical aspects of Claregalway with these stones, superbly designed by Natural Stone Design in Tubber, Boston, Co. Clare. Our sourcing started in Roadstone , Galway and ended up in Co. Clare, where we were very impressed with the range on display. Let’s hope it’s just the start for our village and that in time to come, we will have more local input into making our village one to be proud of. It’s the baby steps that make the prints!!! Josette.

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CHOOSING A CAREER - BEAUTY THERAPIST

The Work of a Beauty Therapist
The Beauty Therapist is a trained beauty expert. He/she may give treatments such as face and body massage, skin care, make-up, electrolysis, waxing, manicure and pedicure. Beauty Therapists are employed in beauty salons and health clinics and may also work in hospitals in the treatment of scars, birth marks, and post plastic-surgery treatment. Positions for Beauty Therapists may arise in the make-up departments of film and theatre productions and also in Beauty Schools as lecturers and instructors.

Persons working in the cosmetic departments of chemist shops and major stores are usually employed by cosmetic firms to market their preparations and are trained by the manufacturers as Beauty Consultants or Beauty Advisors, mainly for the purpose of selling their particular brand. Preference is usually given to persons with sales experience.

Educational and Other Qualifications
The minimum required age is seventeen years. Leaving Certificate standard, preferably with a Science subject, is essential for Beauty Therapy training. Biology is a useful subject.

Personality, maturity, and a sympathetic nature, a well-groomed appearance and an ability to get on well with others are essential requirements for the job. Good health is also essential as the work can be strenuous.

How to become a Beauty Therapist
Persons who are interested in this career should follow a training course leading to a recognised qualification in Beauty Therapy. Appointments as Beauty Therapists are usually obtained by personal application.

Training
Courses of training are available in private Beauty Schools and some Vocational Education Colleges. They cover the practical and theoretical aspects of beauty therapy. The usual length of a course is between six months and one year although shorter courses dealing in specialised subjects are also available in modular form. Training includes practical work to develop poise, confidence and ability, as well as instruction in the various beauty treatments and in the therapeutic aspect of beauty culture.

Examinations in Beauty Therapy are conducted by the Confederation of International Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (the examining body of a professional organisation known as the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology Ltd) and the International Therapy Examination Council (ITEC). The qualifications obtained upon successful completion of these examinations are internationally recognised. CIDESCO (Comite International d'Esthetique et de Cosmetologie) is the worldwide organisation which has approved schools for beauty therapy training in many countries, including Ireland, and the prestigious CIDESCO diploma is recognised worldwide.

Employment and Promotional Prospects
The demand for trained Beauty Therapists is increasing. Promotional prospects depend on ability, experience, and personal ambition. They include instruction posts in Beauty Schools. The Beauty Therapist may also start in a private business as a consultant. Beauty Therapists with a knowledge of business may obtain managerial posts in salons or health and fitness clinics.

Where to go for Further Information
Further information may be obtained from private Beauty Schools, Salons or Health Clinics (consult the Golden Pages and telephone directories) Your local FÁS Office.

Supplied by FÁS

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Interior Design - Hints and Tips

Decorating the Nursery
The arrival of a new baby is a very exciting time and the child’s first room is a special place. A nursery needs to be safe, practical and flexible - good planning will help to achieve this. It doesn’t have to be the smallest bedroom, if a bigger room is used, it can be adapted over the years as the child grows up. This can save money and time in the long run. If you plan to have more than one child, maybe use a smaller room and move the older child into the larger one. If possible have the nursery close to your own bedroom, so that you can hear the baby crying and that you don’t have so far to walk at night. A baby alarm can be used to keep in touch from other parts of the house.

Safety, temperature, and hygiene are import considerations in a baby’s room. Make sure the room is accident-proof. Have sockets tightly fixed and covered with plastic covers when not in use. There should be no trailing wires or light fittings which can be knocked over. Don’t overheat the room, the correct temperature is important for the baby’s comfort, have good ventilation and place the cot away from direct heat. Windows need to be secure, fitted with safety catches, so they can be opened without a child being able to squeeze through. If you have double glazing it should be possible to remove it easily if there is an emergency. Furniture should be stable, without any sharp corners or rough surfaces, if using free standing pieces, fix them to the wall. The last thing you want is for an item of furniture to fall over on a small child. Hygiene and cleanliness is important, particularly for a small baby, so have surfaces that are washable, particularly near the changing area.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money when decorating a nursery, with a bit of imagination and some planning a lot can be achieved. There is a wide range of furnishing fabrics, wallpapers and decorative details available but think carefully before decorating a room with a baby’s theme such as teddy bears or nursery rhyme designs as a child will out grow the room very quickly. Themes are more practical if the room is likely to be used for second and/or more children. If you use pastel colours you will not tire of them so quickly and they will go with whatever you put with them. Plain painted walls will allow you to add and change pictures, stencils, mobiles, paper borders etc. as the child grows and in some cases allow you to change curtains and soft furnishings without repainting the walls.

You can be braver with colour in a child’s room than other parts of the house. The bigger the room the darker the colour it can take, although ochre yellows or lavender blues can make a small room look cosy. Greens will soften pinks and yellows. If using a strong colour choose a multi-coloured fabric, that has these colours within it. The more grown-up the fabric you use the longer it will be suitable and the more economical it will be. Stripes or ginghams are always fresh-looking and will not be too babyish as the child grows.

Surfaces - Wall and Floor covering:
Flooring is an important part of the decor in a nursery, because from an early age a child spends a lot of time on it, learning to crawl, exploring and playing, so they need a surface that’s comfortable, hard wearing and hygienic. Wood, cushioned vinyl, cork, or carpet are good choices, Wooden floors are attractive, warm and easy to maintain, but can be noisy. They should be splinter-free, they can be painted, stenciled or varnished and go great with a washable rug. Avoid deep or shaggy pile carpets, which are harder to clean. Carpet adds warmth, sound insulation, colour as well as comfort to a room. Choose a neutral shade so it will be easy to change the room’s decor. Cork and cushioned vinyl are quite, warm underfoot and easy to keep clean.

Walls need to be hard wearing in a child’s room so it needs to clean easy and be fairly robust. Painted walls are easier to maintain than papered ones, also it is easier to re-paint than to re-paper. If you use silk vinyl emulsion it can be wiped clean of grubby finger-marks etc. Use a washable wallpaper and a small scale print which is easier to live with, if you choose to use paper. Make sure it’s stuck on well, so that a child cannot remove it easily.

Furnishings:
Use an unfussy window treatment, sill or full length curtains can be draped back with holdbacks (e.g. little teddy bears) or co-ordinated tiebacks. It may be better if they do not drop fully to the floor as a toddler may climb or swing on them. A blackout roller blind may be used with them to block out unwanted light.

A baby doesn’t need a lot of furniture but it should be practical and easy to clean, but also fun as well as functional. For about the first three months, a Moses basket, carrycot or pram top can be used, but later you’ll need a bigger cot, so it the budget permits invest in a good quality one. Another essential is a place to change nappies. Special trolleys or changing tables are available but any flat surface about waist-height will do. Baby clothes tend to fold rather than hang, so a chest of drawers is useful and by placing a changing mat on top, it can be used as a nappy changing area. It can be given a new look later on with paint or stenciled. Remember to have a comfortable chair for nursing or feeding your baby, one that allows your feet to rest on the floor with back support. A chair with a wide seat and low or no arms allows room to move. Later on you need a small wardrobe as the child grows, so plan for it now. You can add a second rail lower down or pull-out baskets or shelves. A small sink in the nursery can be very useful now and in future years e.g. washing hands, rinsing out paint trays, or when the room becomes a quest room.

Lighting/Accessories:
Ceiling lights or wall-mounted lights are safer than table lamps, but if used make sure they are out of reach of a small child and that there are no trailing cables. A dimmer light switch lets you adjust the level of light and a nightlight provides reassurance later for a child who is afraid of the dark. Make sure there is enough electric sockets for the future.

Babies love to have something to look at, so hang pictures, mobiles and mirrors (safety ones) in the room. You can make your own pictures by cutting out designs from wrapping paper or posters and frame them in ready made colourful frames. You can change the pictures as the child grows. You could have a go at painting a mural, these are not difficult if you keep the design simple, one that the child will be interested in until they are four or five. Baskets, boxes, and bags will look attractive and help to keep things tidy. Store baby toys and first books in a large basket on the floor, it will be easy for a sitting baby to reach. Use a peg rail to hang wall pockets, nappy bag, toy bags etc. - made in fabrics to co-ordinate with the colour scheme. A peg rail can also be used to hang clothes, a beautiful dress can be put on display, even if it was bought too small as a present. Display toys on open shelving so the child can see them and take comfort from having their treasures and belongings around them.

When decorating a nursery, remember little babies grow into toddlers, big children, teenagers and eventually adults, so the room you decorate today may have to accommodate all these different stages, so allow for this. But just remember all the fun you and your child will have decorating it over the years.

Mary D. Kelly
Decorating Options

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FATHER’S DAY
We cannot forget Father’s Day on June 17th and hope you all made an effort to make it a memorable day for Dad—it’s the little things that count, remember! The following is an extract from Journalist’s Fergal Keane’s collection of articles. His heartfelt message addressed to his newborn son, attracted huge response and will evoke lots of sentiment I’m sure.

Letter to Daniel, Hong Kong, February 1996

Daniel Patrick Keane was born on 4th February 1996.

My Dear Son,

It is 6 o’clock in the morning on the island of Hong Kong. You are asleep cradled in my left arm and I am learning the art of one-handed typing. Your mother, more tired yet more happy than I’ve ever known her, is sound asleep in the room next door and there is soft quiet in our apartment.

Since you’ve arrived, days have melted into night and back again and we are learning a new grammar, a long sentence whose punctuation marks are feeding and winding and nappy changing and these occasional moments of quiet.

When you’re older we’ll tell you that you were born in Britain’s last Asian colony in the lunar year of the pig and that when we brought you home, the staff of our apartment block gathered to wish you well. “It’s a boy, so lucky, so lucky. We Chinese love boys,” they told us. One man said you were the first baby to be born in the block in the year of the pig. This, he told us, was good Feng Shui, in other words a positive sign for the building and everyone who lived there.

Naturally, your mother and I were only too happy to believe that. We had wanted you and waited for you, imagined you and dreamed about you and now that you are here no dream can do justice to you. Outside the window, below us on the harbour, the ferries are ploughing back and forth to Kowloon. Millions are already up and moving about and the sun in slanting through the tower blocks and out on to the flat silver waters of the South China Sea. I can see the contrail of a jet over Lamma Island and, somewhere out there, the last stars flickering towards the other side of the world.

We have called you Daniel Patrick but I’ve been told by my Chinese friends that you should have a Chinese name as well and this glorious dawn sky makes me think we’ll call you Son of the Eastern Star. So that later, when you and I are far from Asia, perhaps standing on a beach some evening, I can point at the sky and tell you of the Orient and the times and the people we knew there in the last years of the twentieth century.

Daniel, when you let out your first powerful cry in the delivery room of the Adventist Hospital and I became a father, I thought of your grandfather and, foolish though it may seem, hoped that in some way he could hear, across the infinity between the living and the dead, your proud statement of arrival. For if he could hear, he would recognise the distinct voice of family, the sound of hope and new beginnings that you and all your innocence and freshness have brought to the world.

A FATHER IS

….. An ordinary man doing his best to stand in for Superman.

…..a source of good but usually expendable advice.

….. A very-nearly expert.

….. A man who knows—but would like to look it up just to be on the safe side.

….. A man who goes down fighting.

Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into adventurers, story-tellers, singers of songs.

Dads can do anything. The youth of dads was packed with excitement and their minds are packed with anecdotes.

They have sound views on politics, dogs, sport and saving the environment.

They have drawers and boxes and sheds full of valuable gadgets. And string.

They can tell unforgettable stories.

There really is a touch of magic in a dad.

They are no longer ordinary men.

They are special.

You know a man is an established father when you see him carrying a potty through a parking lot.

Dads know more about things than you’d credit. Only it’s best to check before you hand it in as homework.

Thank you Dad, for making me feel important, to you and to the world. Thank you for helping me believe I can do something well.

Thank you for changing other people’s “You obviously can’t do it” to “You obviously can’t do it. Yet .. Let’s take another look.”

Thank you for walking the path beside me—pointing out the potholes and the slippery patches.

Thank you for recognizing the moment when I could work things out for myself—and letting me go on alone. But never completely alone.

Knowing you were there—at the end of a phone. At a place where I could always find you.

We looked to you for justice and advice in everything from the internal combustion engine to baking cakes—and we got it. And announced with confidence, “My Dad says …..”

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ROWING - ANOTHER SPORT

When someone tells you that his or her sport is rowing you might conjure up a vision of a small wooden boat paddling up the Corrib on a nice Summer’s day, and wonder where is the challenge in that. Or you might think of the currachs in Kinvarra during the Cruinniú na mBád festival. Or you might, perhaps, consider the recent exploits of Steve Redgrave, arguably the greatest Olympian of all time, and of the legendary Emmets oarsmen from Menlo back in the 1930’s..
Then you might think that rowing is a sport for the city folk, or is in some way an exclusive pursuit. You might even think that it is not in the gaelic tradition. Not so. The Tailtean Games in the 1930’s – a celebration of Gaelic sports - included rowing as one of the key events, and the villagers of Menlo took it to their hearts and excelled in winning the Irish Senior championship in 1929 and 1931.

There are five rowing clubs in Galway, and about eighty throughout Ireland. The local clubs are of the secondary schools, the “Bish” and the “Jes”, from NUIG, and the two “commercial” or non-institutional clubs, Tribesmen Rowing Club and Galway Rowing Club. Corrib, Commercial, the Royal, the Hibernian, Emmets and others are, sadly no longer active today.

The rowing outrigger is so called because the point at which the oar is attached to the boat is via an aluminium rig, which reaches well outside the hull of the boat. This is necessary because the boat is so narrow that the oar could not effectively connect directly to the hull. The boats, which cater for 8, 4, 2 or 1 rower can be up to 60 ft (20m) long, and no more than 18” wide. The boats are generally of a very sophisticated construction, with the hulls made from a plastic skin internally and externally, with a honeycomb material between. Fixtures and fittings may be of aluminium, timber plastic, carbon fibre or combinations of all of these. Oars are no longer of a wooden construction but are lightweight carbon-fibre constructs.

Because these boats use a sliding seat, most of the power comes from the rower’s legs rather than the arms and shoulders as might often be assumed. Because of this, a tall boy or girl often has a distinct advantage. Indeed, many rowers will tell you that they were passed over for many of the more popular ball games only to find their niche in rowing. That’s not to say that they fell back on an easy sport – the training demands of rowing, and the fitness levels and technical skills required of an aspiring champion are in excess of most other sports.

There is continuity between the past and present. A number of lads from Ballindooley, Clogher, Cloon, Rooaunmore, and Cregboy are rowing with Bish from the clubhouse in Woodquay which is built on the location of the Emmets club. Indeed the author can remember the front walls of the Bish club with the letters ERC and CRE (Emmets Rowing Club/ Club Rabhiocht Emmet) cast into the concrete. The current Bish captain hails from Rooaunmore, and current and former presidents of Tribesmen and Galway RC reside in Castlegar, Cloon and Clogher. And not to be overlooked, a number of young ladies from these areas are also active in Tribesmen.

Within this article it is possible to give only the most cursory introduction to Rowing. If further information is desired, the author can be contacted through the editor.
The website http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~crew/rowingfaq.html may also be of interest.
“Jock”

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Carnmore Juvenile Hurling Club
Indoor Hurling
Yet again we have completed another successful season of indoor hurling with an attendance of 86 boys from U8 to U10 age groups. Although our season started late and we met with interference with the F&M crisis it made everyone involved very proud to see the turn out for our recently run blitz. The blitz is now becoming a fitting climax to the annual indoor season. With 61 U8/U10’s taking part in the blitz run over the final 5 weeks, the finals on the final night were extremely exciting with everyone involved wanting to come out winners.
Many thanks to Thomas Grealish and John Carr (Chairman) who presented the medals on the night. Also sincere thanks to all coaches and parents that came along and helped in making it another successful season.

Outdoor Hurling
Outdoor hurling has resumed for U8’s and U10’s at the Carnmore pitch at 7pm every Wednesday. All are welcome with coaching for beginners to improvers. Parents are always welcome to attend and participate with the coaches.

U12 City League
Carnmore had a good start to the season and gave a very good account of themselves by qualifying for the City league final against Clarinbridge. Carnmore went into the game with a number of injuries but fought to the finish against a very strong Clarinbridge side. Unfortunately they were overpowered on the day. Looking back on their run, Carnmore youngsters can be proud of their achievement and no doubt success will come in the future with the enthusiasm and effort being put into the under age at the club.
After the game a party was hosted for the teams at the community center and many thanks to those who gave their time to organise it. Donal Devery

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Claregalway/Lackagh Community Games
Art
There was a very high level of participation this year and the competition was very hard to judge, as the standard was extremely high. Well done to all competitors who took part and Thank You to all the teachers and schools who helped out.
The winner in each category participated in the County Final in the Mercy Convent on Saturday 28th April. Resulting from this competition congratulations goes to Ryan Harrington who received 2nd place in Boys U10 and Claire Kearney who received 3rd place in Girls U12.

Results of other events continued next month

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