October 2003

YOU know the year is reaching its twilight when Compántas Lir, the Claregalway-Carnmore drama group stage their annual offering of twin plays at Carnmore.
This year the format has changed somewhat with the group staging their Autumn Theatre over three nights on October 15, 16 and 17 with the fare commencing each night at 8.30 pm.
Wine, drinks and refrsehments will be served during the interval on each night.
The Autumn Theatre is the main fundraising event for Compantas Lir who this year celebrate their 21st year of existence and audiences who will see this year's plays are set for a great night's entertainment.
The first play is produced by Brid Conneely and is called "The By-Election." Its cast includes Kevin Duffy, Mike Hession, and Patsy Cahalan and is described as a riotous comedy set in the heart of local politics.
The second offering is a brand new play by Declan Varley.
Called "No Butts" it is set in a pub in Carnmore on New Year's Eve next when then new smoking ban is set to come into operation.
The play is produced by Mary McCarthy and its cast includes Fidelma O'Rourke, Adrian Moran, Terry Brennan, Eddie Fitzgerald, Mick O'Dwyer, Paddy Greaney and Liz Hession.
Tickets for this years' Autumn Theatre are €10 each and represent great value in that audiences are guaranteed over two hours laughs and entertainment.
Tickets for the Autumn Theatre are available from John Brennan at (087) 2302448 or (091) 798708.
The twin-play offering by Compántas Lir has proved to be most popular over the past decade and a half and tickets are expected to sell very quickly.

Infestation with head lice is common and affects schoolchildren usually at ages 5 to 11 years. Girls are more likely to be affected than boys. Transmission is by head to head contact, as the lice cannot fly or jump but can crawl quickly. Sharing of personal items such as brushes, combs or hats can possibly spread the head louse. Shaven heads and hair gels act as a physical deterrent. Itching is the most common symptom, the louse feeds by sucking blood and injecting saliva, thus causing an itch. The head louse is a pale reddish-brown insect; most infestations consist of less than 10 lice. A fine-toothed comb should be used to aid detection of live lice. Special attention should be paid to the area near the ears and nape of the neck where most of the eggs are laid.

Treatment:
It is appropriate to start treatment as soon as possible after the diagnosis has been made. There are two basic treatment options for which there is some scientific evidence of efficacy: (1) topical insecticides, e.g. Malathion, permethrin and phenothrin, and (2) wet combing. Herbal products containing tea tree oil, battery powered combs and other shampoos are also used to help treat and prevent infestation.

Wet combing used in addition to insecticides provides the best attack on an infestation. The rationale behind wet combing is that lice do not move to another host within 7 days of hatching and do not reproduce within 10 days of hatching. Therefore, if all young lice are combed out within a few days the infestation can be eradicated. It is done with wet hair and added lubricant (e.g. hair conditioner.) and continued until no lice are found. Combing is repeated every three days and should be continued for two weeks after initial infestation is detected.

SPECIAL NEWS
Congratulations to the following couples who got married recently:
John Geraghty, Claregalway and Siobhan O’Regan, Knocknacarra, Galway were married on the 25th July.
Grainne Kavanagh, Cregboy and John Deely 13th September 2003
Gemma Fleming, Cahergowan and Michael O’Brien, Cork 19th September.
Vicky Henry and Pat Cafferty, Lackagh Parish on the 20th September.

Congratulations to Cora and Michael O’Dwyer, Lakeview on the birth of their baby daughter Caoilfhionn - a sister for Tomas, Micheal and Tadhg. She will be well minded by her big brothers!!!
Congratulations to Noel and Michelle Grealish, Rock Road on the birth of their baby daughter Emma, sister for Nicole and Daniel.

Congratulations to Celia Varley, Lakeview who celebrated a very special birthday recently.

Welcome to Gerry and Josephine Kilcoyne and their children Kevin, Rachael, Ian, Claire who recently moved into their new home in Rock Road

Congratulations to Winnie and Padraic Heneghan, Loughgeorge who celebtated their 50th wedding anniversary recently. Wishing you both many more years of happiness together.

Belated happy 21st birthday to Ann-Marie Madden, Cregboy on the 5th October. Hope you had a great day Ann-Marie.

Welcome to Charlie Chan and his staff at the new Royal Villa Restaurant in Hughes Shopping Centre. Look out for an article on Charlie, his restaurant and staff next month.

SKIN CARE AND AROMATHERAPY CLINIC
1. KINISKA, CLAREGALWAY (091) 798485
2. MAIN STREET, CLARINBRIDGE (091) 776824

Healing Oils: The Natural choice
The next time you have a cold or headache, don’t forget to try out the essential oils - distilled from herbs, flavours, roots, woods and resin, each has its own healing properties:
Lavendar has remarkable healing effets on burns and cuts. Six to seven drops of lavendar in a bath will have the household insomniac sleeping like a baby. The same treatment soothes menopausal stress and eczema outbreaks.
Tea Tree oil is also known for its antiseptic properties. It’s a great all round cure for skin problems, for athletes foot apply 3 drops directly on the area twice a day. The same method can be used on cold sores, boils, rashes and insect bites and stings. It also acts as an insect repellent. To clear up colds and coughs, mix 5 drops of euculpytus oils into a bowl of hot water, put a towel over your head and around the bowl and inhale for 10 minutes, or for a more portable cure, add a few drops on a tissue and sniff.

Colour for this Autumn
Gardening is all about forward planning, the sowing and reaping principles, and particularly true with spring flowering bulbs, which must be planted in mid October for good colour from January onwards.

In flower at the moment are the beautiful cyclamen. An autumn variety the cyclamen flower from mid September to late Novemberr and create a welcome display when many of the summer flowering border plants have gone over.
Cyclamen plants can be planted now for some really great colour.

Tulips, narcissus, daffodils, snowdrops, winter aconite's, anemones, and bluebells can be planted in the garden now in containers or directly into flower borders, grass areas or shrub borders to give welcome colour for next season.

Scented hyacinths are always welcomed in or out of doors in early spring. The heaven scent adds extra interest to flower borders and shrub beds in early spring. Hyacinths are now available in many colours.

Muscari armeniacum give a beautiful show in march and April, the deep blue flowers are ideal mixed through low growing shrubs and heather's or naturalised in borders, rockeries and woodland areas.
Muscari can also be potted now left out of doors until late December and brought into a cool area indoors they will flower in February as a touch of spring.

Chionodoxa are available in pinks, blues and whites a lovely spring flowering border plant at home amongst rockery or low growing plants and can also be mixed in containers for additional spring colour.
Chionodoxa are low growing approx.6ins high and look great when planted in groups of the one colour.

Blue bells are a welcome sight in any garden, the light blue flowers open in early summer and continue the spring colour up until summer bedding time.
Bluebells are most noted for naturalising in woodland areas or around broad-leaved trees in lawn areas.
Plant all spring flowering bulbs now for a super show neat spring.

Remember Horkans Lifestyle & Garden Centre's in Castlebar, Galway and Sligo are open seven days sun 12 to 6.

Quality Garden Plants to Plant Now!
Cotinus ' purple smoke bush '
One of the most outstanding foliage plants for summer colour, cotinus or purple smoke bush offers deep purple foliage colour from spring to early winter. The foliage is rounded in shape and very striking when mixed with bright foliage shrubs like choisya sundance or escallonia gold Brian.
Plant cotinus now if you need additional foliage colour to add contrast and colour to existing shrub borders.
Cotinus will grow in all soil types and forms a neat full clump of dark purple contrast.

Cone Shaped Boxwood
Boxwood is an evergreen shrub with distinct dark green rounded leaves. The plant is relatively slow growing and ideal for container planting or for use in lawn or shrub areas. Boxwood forms a full conical shape, which is ideal for the centre of planted tubs or as a focal point in your garden.
Summer bedding plants can be added to create additional colour.

Blue Hydrangeas
Summer flowering hydrangeas are always welcomed and suit or milder climate along the west & northwest region. They are ideal to provide long-lasting flower in mixed shrub beds, large planted containers or as larger specimens in you lawn or shrub areas. Blue hydrangeas are now available from Horkans packed with flower buds ready to explode into colour in your garden.

DWARF CORONET APPLE TREES ARE AVAILABLE FROM HORKANS GARDEN CENTRE
October is the ideal time to plant summer fruiting apple trees. Horkans selection of dwarf apple trees will produce fruit next summer for you. The perfect variety to plant now is the Irish bred Coronet.

"Cornet " is a new group of fruiting apples bred for their compact habit and fruiting ability, even as young trees, so much so that they are guaranteed to fruit in their first growing season.
" Cornet " is ideal for the smallest of gardens and is even suitable for growing in pots.
There is a range of varieties to cover a fruiting period from July to November and offering a range of flavours from sweet to tangy.

All the cornet varieties have been tested for the Irish climate and proved very successful in all trails.
Popular varieties include the beautiful Katy, red skinned apple packed with flavour, and the tangy "jonagold" is popular for the super flavour and good holding qualities.
" Egremont russet " and " fiesta " remain excellent choices for something different.

"Cornet " should be planted now and will fruit this summer giving you instant results.

October Gardening List
1. Plant Japanese onions now for tasty scallions in early spring and large full sized onions in early summer. Japanese onions are hardy and grow throughout the winter.
2. Time to plant Hedging Plants including Evergreen Laurel which is now available in 3ft and 5ft bushy plants, ideal for replacing damaged hedges of for instant shelter and screening.
3. Strawberries can be planted now to give you sweet tasting fruit in early summer. Pick the variety elsanta for superb flavour and a high yield.
4. Fruit planted now will settle in very well and reward you with some tasty offerings in mid summer. Plant coronet apples, gooseberries, blackcurrents and blueberries into well prepared soil.
5. October is the perfect month to plant some evergreen climbers choose from the beautiful pyrcanthas with their large winter berries or the bright and cheerful evergreen ivies like paddy's pride or gold heart.
6. Keep your lawn in good condition by applying sulphate of iron and autumn lawn feed now to give a rich green colour throughout winter. Sulphate of iron will eradicate moss and lawn weeds and should be applied to all established lawns throughout winter.
7. Clean up the garden now of annual and perennial weeds by applying a dressing of RAMBO which will kill off existing weed growth and help prevent excessive weeds seeds next spring and summer.
8. Gardening is all about forward planning - sowing and reaping principle so plant some winter and spring flowering bulbs now to give you super colour next season. Bulbs are ideal for all locations and are superb in pots and containers.
9. Add colour to the garden this winter and spring with winter flowering pansies, polyanthus, winter heathers and great foliage plants. Planted containers are ideal for patios, graves or to brighten up any corner.
10. Remember our garden wildlife this winter with some wild bird food and feeders packed with high protein peanuts and wild bird mix. Wild birds need your help this winter and spring.
Remember Horkans Lifestyle & Garden Centres open 7 days sun 12 to 6pm. Galway, Castlebar and Sligo.

Horkans Lifestyle & Garden Centre
Castlebar Galway Sligo
Open 7 Days
Phone: (091) 739957/58/59 Fax: (091) 739956
email: horkangalway@gardencentre.ie

Hello and welcome to our October issue of Nuacht Chlair. Time is moving on at a great
speed with Halloween just around the corner and dare I mention “Christmas” fast approaching!! Yes, it has been mentioned and some shops are already stocking up for same. It seems like no length since last Christmas.

We’ll be spoilt for choice in Claregalway with all the restaurants opening - Taste Buds and Royal Villa being the latest and both proving hugely popular. Not before time most certainly.

Our Gripe Corner this month covers a topic which had cropped up time and time again in Claregalway over the years - lack of a Community Council. It is of paramount importance to have a Community Council in a rapidly expanding area - a voice for the people. Why is it so difficult to implement? Perhaps now is the time? Do we want a village spiralling out of control from lack of interest? As mentioned in the article, there are a lot of vibrant groups operating in the area - why not get a representative from each group and form a Council? Food for thought?

We look forward to hearing from you with comments/views. Please use contact names on the opposite page.
Until next time, Josette

TIME TO GET FIT

It’s that time of year again when the nights are long, cold and dark and people feel like curling up in a chair watching t.v. Why not think of an alternative? The gym was never as popular as it is now - just check out your local gym and see for yourself. All ages are working out and enjoying the benefit of added energy and that certain glow. The biggest step is going in the door and to reception. After that, you are hooked .... guaranteed!

This article has been put together to help you get the most out of your workout. More and gym members are enjoying programmmes worked out for them. This increase in gym popularityh may be due to a better understanding that gym programmes will not typically result in a muscle bound physique but will produce a leaner, healthy stronger body.

1. It is really important that you warm up. A warm up will prepare your mind and body for the exercise to come and also help prevent injury. Warm up with a rhythmic aerobic activity (e.g. cycling, running, walking etc.) starting easily and building up to a level that feels somewhat hard. Follow this up with a variety of gentle stretches making sure you pay particular attention to the muscle groups you are going to train.

2. Start with weights that you perceive as “somewhat hard” and progress to “very hard”. Beginning at too hard an intensity will increase your risk of injury and maintain correct technique and so gain maximum benefit from each movement.

3. Design a balanced workout to avoid creating postural problems or putting too much stres on a particular muscle, e.g. if you work your biceps make sure you also work the opposing muscle the triceps.

4. Cool down after your workout by training with a fairly light load, followed by some light stretches. This helps your body recover from your workout and reduces possible aching and soreness. Stop immediately and seek advice from a qualified person if you experience any pain. The “no pain no gain” philosophy is a myth.

CELEBRATE YOU
You are worth celebrating,
You are worth everything.
You are unique.

In all the whole world, there is only one you.
There is only one person with your talents, your experience, your gift.
NO ONE CAN TAKE YOUR PLACE

God created only one you, precious in His sight.
You have immense potential to love, to care, to create, to grow, to sacrifice,
If you believe in yourself.

It doesn’t matter your age, or your color, or whether your parents loved you or not.
(maybe they wanted to but couldn’t)
Let that go.
It belongs to the past. You belong to the now.

It doesn’t matter what you have been, the wrong you’ve done, the mistakes you’ve made,
The people you’ve hurt. You are forgiven. You are accepted. You are o.k.
You are loved in spite of everything.
So love yourself and nourish the seeds within you.

You cannot deserve this new life. It is given freely, gift.
That is the miracle called God who loves you.

GRIPE CORNER
Why is Claregalway without a community council?

Do we want a say in the way our village grows and expands?
Do we want those decisions to be made by people who neither work nor live here?

If so we should get together and form a community council. This way we can address issues that concern the residents of Claregalway.

Over the years we have seen the village develop from a simple crossroads to a significant suburb of Galway, but our main claim to fame appears to be "the main Bottleneck on the N17". Planning and development of our village should include those who live and work in it.

The formation of a Community Council would give us that opportunity.

There are numerous voluntary groups doing great work in the community. These groups give their time and effort to help develop our Youth, our heritage and our Village. Individually they offer challenges, however as a group under the umbrella of Community Council they would form a greater voice for there own organisation and the development of the Village.

Recent announcements have highlighted the growth plans for Claregalway, with an estimated 500 new houses to be build, This coupled with all the Commercial development will change the shape and character of the Village.

Areas such as Roads, Parks, Lighting, Amenities and Community spirit are all going to change. If our village is to retain its independence if must fight back now. A vote for Community Council would ensure greater public awareness and a voice for the Village.
Name and Address with Editor

Autumn Theatre from Compántas Lir	Editorial
Treatment for Head Lice	Time to Get Fit
Special News	Celebrate You
Skin Care and Aromatherapy Clinic	Gripe Corner
Gardener's World