CLAREGALWAY N.S. - European Year of Education
through Sport (EYES 2004)
Congratulations to Claregalway N.S. on receiving an award for their
project based on Our Active Week/Our Active School, an initiative organized
for the European Year of Education through Sport. This initiative, which was
sponsored by Allied Irish Banks plc, was organized by the National Agency, Leargas,
which co-ordinates E.U. programmes in the field of Education. It entailed a
full week of sporting activities covering all strands of the Revised Curriculum.
Claregalway was one of twelve schools from around the country which attended
the prize-giving ceremony in St. Patrick's Training College, Dublin on December
6th. Project organizer, Enda Flaherty; Principal, Pat Coen and teacher, Patricia
Carton, accompanied by thirty pupils, represented the school at the ceremony.
President Mary McAleese was in attendance to view the projects and present the
prizes. She thanked the organizers and sponsors and urged all present to continue
to 'be active' and to ensure daily physical activity ' away from the television
and play station'.
Two Claregalway pupils, Sean O Discin and Cliodhna Nic Mhatuna, accepted the
award from President McAleese. A cheque of €750 will follow to aid the
purchase of extra sports gear for the school.
The award for Claregalway N.S. was the second National award received by the school in the space of a week. On the previous week-end the school was the recipient of an award and a cheque of €650 at the Roadstone/Cumann na mBunscol Awards ceremony in the Berkley Court Hotel, Dublin. Claregalway was one of three schools which were nominated for the promotion of gaelic games in the Large Schools Category. School Principal, Pat Coen, was presented with the award by the Minister for Education and Science, Ms. Mary Hanafin.
A memorable week for parents, pupils and teachers in Claregalway N.S.
JOHNNY O'CONNOR
Johnny O’Connor, who lived in Cregboy as a small child, has played rugby
for Ireland Under 21, Under 25, Connacht and the Ireland A team.
Playing flanker for London Wasps for the last few years to great acclaim, he
has recently achieved the ultimate success by playing for Ireland.
He was capped twice this autumn, playing no. 7 against South Africa and Argentina.
Claregalway Traffic Congestion
Official figures now show that the number of vehicle movements in Claregalway
daily are 29,000. “Rush Hour” extends from 4.00pm to 9.00pm with
little improvement over week-ends.
Frustrated motorists can draw attention nationally to this problem by informing
AA Roadwatch of delays. The problems will not go away if tolerated in silence.
Why not use your mobile to tell AA Roadwatch about delays while you sit and
wait!
Contacts for AA Roadwatch are tel: 1550 131 811 and email roadw@aaireland.ie
TREATMENT OF COLD SORES
Cold Sores:
Cold sores are a recurrent infection around the lips and mouth caused
by the Herpes simplex type 1 virus (HSV-1). They are very common, about 80 %
of the population are carriers, 20-25% of these suffer, on average two outbreaks
a year. Once contracted the virus is never eliminated from the body. Following
attacks, it regresses lying dormant until one of several trigger factors or
lowered immunity allows it to break out again. Cold and the sun are the two
most common trigger factors.
Up to 24 hours before any visible signs appear a tingling burning or itching sensation is felt. This is followed by the formation of painful fluid-filled blisters, which break down, to weeping ulcers. These then dry and form crusts, which are shed; the area heals within about 7 days. Total length of attack is between 10 to 20 days.
Aciclovir 5% cream ( Zovirax or Soothelip) is the anti-viral treatment of choice. It works best at the tingling stage but can reduce the length of an attack by up to 33% if started later. It is usually applied five times a day for 5 days. Other preparations treat the symptoms, i.e. the pain and discomfort. Blistex cream, Cymex cream and Lypsy cold sore gel are popular. Lypsyl has a local anaesthetic, which is useful for painful cold sores. For suffers whose attacks are triggered by sunlight, a UV- blocking lip salve is an effective prophylactic.
Claregalway Pharmacy is open late Monday to Friday until 8PM.
Wishing everyone a Happy Christmas.
John Duffy MPSI.
CLAREGALWAY BASKETBALL NEWS
The new season has taken off to a flying start and with an expanding schedule
of challenge matches and tournaments it is sure to be an exciting year for the
club.
One of the highlights so far this year has been our basketball marathon, which took place on Sunday 21st November and was a tremendous success. The day commenced at 9.00 a.m and ran through to 9.00 p.m that night with all age groups from u/9’s upwards - both girls and boys participating. Even the adults had a go later on in the evening - which was a real display of talent never seen in these parts!! The aches and pains lasted the rest of the week in some cases!!
To date the event has raised €2,650 with some sponsorship cards still to come in. This is a fantastic achievement for our Club and will go towards hire of the hall and club insurance for this year.
The committee would like to say a big Thank You to everyone who supported this event, in particular all the people who sponsored the children, to the people who dropped in food and refreshments, to the parents for your support of the day and of course to the children who were the STARS on the day.
Mile Buiochas ...
Michelle Rohan
UPDATE FROM LOCAL COUNCILLOR JIM CUDDY
Response from Minister re School Transport
You will recall that a year ago I wrote to the Dept. of Education in relation
to a request for a school transport system for children from the Carnmore and
Claregalway area who area attending the Oranmore SecondarySchool.
On November 1st. after repeated reminders to the Dept. by me through Noel Grealish T.D. I have received a very negative reply.
I had made the case for the 97 children from this area attending the Oranmore Secondary School which is the nearest to this area and asked that this area be treated as a dual catchment area.
The relevant part of the reply is as follows;
"Catchment boundary lines are drawn up by the Planning Section of my Department and this is done in consultation with the school management authorities. Any request to have the boundary lines altered, or to have areas designated dual catchment areas would need to be referred to that section at Portlaoise Rd, Tullamore."
I cannot understand why after a year the Minister did not refer this matter to the Planning Section.
It is now my intension to write to the Planning Section as suggested and see what happens then.
Update on Claregalway Sewerage Plant
At the November meeting of the County Council I had a Notice of Motion down
to ascertain the status of the Claregalway Sewerage Treatment Plant. The reply
was;
"The Council is currently finalising details in relation to the acquisition
of land and wayleaves in relation to this scheme. The scheme is being bundled
with a number of other schemes for the preparation of contract documents and
a brief has been submitted to the Dept. of the Environment, Heritage and Local
Govt. for approval to appoint consulting engineers in accordance with the brief."
A Library Service for Claregalway
In order to get a definite answer from the County Council in relation to the
provision of a library service for Claregalway I put down a notice of motion
question to the Council and the following is the reply received;
"A Library Development Plan covering the period 2004 to 2008 is currently
under preparation. The provision of a pubic library service in Claregalway is
being considered as part of the preparation of that plan"
Claregalway By-Pass
On November 23rd. a meeting took place in Dail Eireann between the NRA and the
Oireachtas members from this area to discuss the much needed Claregalway By-Pass.
The meeting was arranged by Deputy Noel Grealish. Further work will have to
be done to convince the NRA of the urgent need for this by-pass. Since then
Deputy Grealish arranged a meeting with the County Manager Pat Gallagher and
members of the Claregalway Action Group. That meeting was also attended by Deputy
Frank Fahey.The meeting was a good one and further discussions are to take place.
Carnmore Cross
I am delighted to see that the long awaited traffic lights have been installed
at Carnmore Cross. This will certainly improve the safety for all motorists
and will do away with the long delays at the crossroads.
Christmas wishes
May I take this opportunity of wishing you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas
and all the best wishes for the New Year.
As always Jim can be contacted at (091) 798136 or Mobile (087) 6360242
CLAREGALWAY SCOUTS GET INTO CHRISTMAS
SPIRIT WITH SHOEBOX APPEAL
Children from Claregalway Scouts got in the Christmas spirit recently
when they gathered over 50 boxes full of presents for the Christmas Child Shoebox
appeal. Children who take part in the shoebox appeal cover a shoe box in Christmas
paper, fill it with goodies such as cuddly toys, notepads, toothbrushes, sweets,
etc. and the boxes are then forwarded to impoverished children in eastern Europe
and Africa. The appeal is co-ordinated by Samartians Purse and last year over
200,000 gift-filled shoe boxes from Ireland will go to Eastern Europe, Belarus,
Ukraine, Armenia and Mozambique. Operation Christmas Child started in Wales
in 1990 and has grown to be the worlds largest Christmas project.
Tom McCann
SPECIAL NEWS
Welcome to baby Rory, a son for Geraldine and Liam Glynn, Carnmore,
also a brother for Ellen and Jane. Rory was born on the 11th November. Wishing
you all lots of happiness and hopefully not too many sleepless nights!!
Wedding congratulations to Eileen Carr, Carnmore and Mark Johnston, Dublin who wed on the 27th November.
Birthday wishes to the following who all celebrated
21st birthdays recently:
Paul McNulty, Cregboy on the 26th November.
Cathy Casserly, Cregboy, on the 3rd December.
Orla McKiernan, Kiltulla, on the 12th December.
Twins Sheila and Dermot Hession, Claregalway.
Stephen Cunniffe, Cloonbiggeen.
Birthday greetings also to Ryan Coyle, Cregboy, who was 4 on the 2nd December.
Congratulations to Celia and Tom Lennon, Cloonbiggeen on their 25th wedding anniversary on the 8th December. A great party was held in the Claregalway Hotel to mark the occasion - a night thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. Wishing you both many more years of health and happiness.
Congratulations and best wishes to Annette Noone, Cahergowan who got engaged to Liam Qualter, Bawnmore on the 12th December.
R.I.P.
Eamonn Golding, Bawnmore.
EDITORIAL
Click here, and you can read all about ”Appeals
Board Quashes Irish Language Condition for Claregalway”. It would be nice
to think we were all Irish speaking in Claregalway but reality is very different.
We are by all accounts less fluent than our neighbours in Oranmore. Even though
we have bi-lingual townland names dotted all over the place, we are still not
recognised as a Gaeltacht area. In fact, we could be classed as multi-cultural
- we have an influx of all nationalities in Claregalway which is educational
in itself. This is what makes for a good community - learning from different
cultures and interacting appropriately.
Until next time, Josette.
CARNMORE N.S. FUNDRAISER A
GREAT SUCCESS
Over three hundred people attended the hugely entertaining show "Who
Wants to be a Thousandaire". The show was held in the Claregalway Hotel
on Friday Nov. 26th and all proceeds when to the Carnmore N.S. building fund.
The fundraising committee would especially like to take this opportunity to
thank the committee members Bernie Killilea, Michelle Grealish, Geraldine Glynn,
Joe Hennessy, Tim Hynes, Denise Holland and Majella Devery for all their hard
work in making the night such a success. A special word of thanks also to Marion
Nugent, Siobhan Leonard, Audrey Conneely, Muriel Keane, Philip Kyne, John Reilly,
Aine Lyons, all the school staff and indeed to all the parents who helped by
selling extra tickets, getting sponsorship and helping with the raffle on the
night. Thanks also to our panel participants, to Noel Grealish T.D. and Councilor
Jim Cuddy for being such good sports on the night.
A special word of thanks to Roddy Grealish our M.C. for the night who overcame
his chronic shyness and quietly kept the show moving. Thanks also to the Claregalway
Hotel for providing an excellent venue and for being our main sponsor. Indeed
to all our sponsors which are to numerous to mention. However we would particularly
like to thank the following for there generosity. The Conneely Brothers, Noel
Grealish T.D., The Claregalway Agricultural Show, Liam Glynn, Geraldine Walsh
and Nellipak.
Apologies if we have forgotten anybody.
But finally to the big news - our event has yielded €30,000
Well done to all concerned.
Sheila Holland Fox - Chairperson
Hilda Murray - Secretary
MY COMPUTER
Hello and welcome to the new computer section of the Nuacht Chláir.
This article will be an advice and help section. If you are thinking of purchasing
a computer, wish to know more about using one or are having problems with it,
then email me (mycomputer@claregalway.net) and I will do my best to help and
advise you. Each month in this article I will include the answers to the most
relevant and popular questions along with general advice and reviews.
Choosing a Computer
A computer for basic use (internet, email, typing, spreadsheets, simple audio/video
tasks) can be bought for about €700 - that is with a normal monitor.
If you require more power i.e. for creating home DVD's, editing video, AutoCAD
or intense multimedia games then invest in a package with a better processor
such as the Intel Pentium or AMD Athlon 64.
Extra Hardware
You can also splash out on optional extras like sleek flat LCD monitors, CD
writers, cordless mouse and keyboard, printers, scanners, digital cameras, web
cameras, microphones, speakers, USB storage keys.
High powered computers may also offer DVD-writers, improved graphics (video)
card and more system memory (RAM) as extra's.
Software
All new computers will now come with Windows XP Home Edition and the software
to get your extra hardware working. However Windows itself does not come with
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel etc) or with a decent program for working with
images, so ask what bundled software comes with each package or you may end
up having to pay extra to suit your needs.
Watch out:
Basic inkjet printers now cost under €100 but replacing the ink cartridges
can be an expensive task - so check how many cartridges are needed and their
cost when choosing a printer.
Not all DVD players will play DVD's made by DVD Writers so check what type of
writer you are getting.
To connect to the internet using a normal phone line, you require a modem in
your computer (usually standard).
To use ISDN you will need an ISDN modem plus an ISDN line
For Broadband you will need a network card plus a Broadband line.
Please email all comments, questions and queries to mycomputer@claregalway.net
Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and Merry New Year.
Joe O'Connell
CARNMORE CAMOGIE CLUB
Chairman - Ger Crowe - 087-6390010
Treasurer - Mary Thornton - 087 -2242318
Secretary - Packie Fox -087-2517486
U-12 - Our under 12’s won the City League on the 27th
November last. What a year they have had, winning the double, i.e. the Championship
and City League in 2004.
A big congratulations to you all, and to your team managers Declan Walsh and
Mary Thornton.
U-16 - Our under 16’s are awaiting news of when they are playing their U16 City League. It has gone very late in the season for these games . This is completely out of our control unfortunately.
As the curtain comes down on 2004 the club have had a very successful year, this is as a result of a lot of hard work, commitment and determination from all our team managers and all our players.
All the girls have done themselves, their families, our club and parish very proud and we all wish them well in the upcoming 2005 season.
Thanks to all their parents who supported us through 2004. Over the Christmas period there will be a presentation night held for the successful teams of 2004. Also on this night special time will be given to thank our sponsors.
We are all looking forward to the wren day in the club, so no doubt but you will see much singing and laughter on that day as our girls tour the parish raising funds to help the club and no doubt having a bit of fun as well.
Seasons greetings to one and all.
Gerard Crowe,
P.R.O. for Carnmore Camogie Club.
APPEALS BOARD QUASHES IRISH LANGUAGE
CONDITION FOR CLAREGALWAY
(TUAM HERALD)
An Irish language condition attached to planning permission for a
development in Claregalway has been quashed by an Bord Pleanala, despite the
town's Gaeltacht status.
The proposal by local business man Michael Hughes to construct a single storey
extension to the rear of the existing commercial development and to construct
two separate two-storey blocks with retail units on the ground floor and apartments
at first floor level, was passed by Galway County Council with 22 conditions
attached.
One of these conditions (Condition 22) ordered the applicant to enter into a
legal agreement with the planning authority "to restrict or regulate the
development … for the exclusive use of occupants who have an appropriate
competency/fluency of the Irish Language."
Mr. Hughes appealed the condition to an Bord Pleanala who agreed that Condition
22 as outlined in the County Development Plan was not warranted in this case.
Welcoming the decision GMIT lecturer Donncha O hEallaithe said Claregalway is
not Irish speaking by any stretch of the imagination. "According to the
last Census returns, there is a greater proportion of people in Oranmore (16
per cent) who claim to use Irish on a daily or weekly basis than in Claregalway
where the figure is 11 percent. Oranmore is not in the Gaeltacht", he said.
The population of Claregalway grew by 48 per cent between 1996 and 2002.
According to recent census figures the frequency of use of the Irish Language
by residents of Claregalway aged 20 years and over compares poorly to other
Gaeltacht areas, and even Galway City has greater frequency of use of the Irish
language.
Information compiled from Roinn na Gaeltachta, who are responsible for issuing
grants to Irish speaking families in Gaeltacht areas, shows only one family
in Claregalway qualify for a grant out of a total of 1,169 families in the county
in receipt of assistance.
The boundaries of the Gaeltacht area were defined by the Government in 1956,
when 80 per cent of the population in the region spoke Irish as an everyday
language. According to the inspector Claregalway no longer reflects its location
within the Gaeltacht. "It displays none of the characteristics of the stronger
Irish speaking communities. The road signs, directional signs, housing estate
names and shop signs are in English, which is in marked contrast to the other
stronger areas of the Gaeltacht. The area lacks any definable entity as a Gaeltacht
area. "The establishment of such an identity for the village, through the
use of signs in Irish and the provision of services through the medium of Irish,
would be a significant proactive first step and would be more beneficial as
a tool towards safeguarding the status of the Irish language in the village
than curtailing the occupancy of residents," she said.
Mr. O hEallaithe said Galway County now has to face this problem in dealing
with language preservation in the Gaeltacht, under the Planning Process.
Since the new Planning and Development Act came into force, it is the statutory
duty of planning authorities with Gaeltacht areas, to have as a planning objective
"protection of the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Gaeltacht and
the promotion of Irish as the community language." A very hard task is
an area such as Claregalway, in which Irish has long ceased to be the language
of the community," he said. "Including Claregalway and the other areas
east of the Corrib, such as Annagdown, Clonboo and Carnmore, in the Gaeltacht
only serves to make a mockery and distort the real Irish speaking areas and
make it more difficult to devise a workable strategy for maintaining and strengthening
Irish in those areas."
NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS THAT
YOU WON'T BREAK
We've all made them and, yes, we have all broken them. New Year's resolutions
usually include improving your lifestyle such as losing weight and exercising
more, quitting smoking or drinking. These resolutions are positive and make
us healthier both physically and mentally, so why are the majority of them broken
before the middle of January? Unfortunately most of us tend to make resolutions
that are vague, unrealistic and don't have a plan.
It is recommended you write down what success factors you want to achieve such
as sleeping better, having more energy, and losing weight. The more specific
you can be about the results you want, the more likely you will achieve the
result you seek. It is also important to create a support system to help reach
your goal - friends and family can be a great support system such as joining
you in the gym or at a fitness class.
Whether it's looking better for your sun holiday next summer or just having
more energy, here are some simple tips that will get you started on your way
to a leaner and healthier 2005! They aren't difficult and don't require hours
upon hours of working out.
Lose fat & Prevent Illness with Hydrotherapy -
Few of us drink enough water every day in fact many of us are constantly dehydrated.
Water is involved in every bodily function and makes up 70- 75% of your total
body weight. Water aids in digestion, helps to maintain body temperature and
metabolize body fat, lubricates and cushions organs, transports nutrients, and
flushes toxins from your body.
The average adult should drink at least eight glasses per day, more if you exercise
or are overweight. Your blood is approximately 90% water and is responsible
for transporting nutrients and energy to muscles and for taking waste from tissues.
If you are not getting enough water (dehydration), your body will react by pulling
it from other places, including your blood. This causes the closing of some
smaller vessels (capillaries), making your blood thicker, more susceptible to
clotting, and harder to pump through your system. This can have serious implications
in hypertension, high cholesterol, and heart disease.
1. Eliminate one portion of food from one daily meal -- If
you usually have a sandwich for lunch with a slice of cheese on it, just eliminate
the cheese. If you really struggle with overeating, this is a very efficient
method for learning new eating habits.
2. Commit to 2 days of exercise per week -- We read a lot about
exercising every day, or performing a certain amount of weight training or cardio
exercise Sometimes this type of pressure makes us not exercise at all, because
we know we won't commit to it. However, what if you committed to 2-3 days per
week? That would make a big difference over the course of a year. More importantly,
you would begin to create a habit and lifestyle change.
3. Park farther away -- Most people try to get the closest
parking space possible wherever they go. Why? So, they don't have to walk a
hundred yards? Park farther away! You'll burn more calories, and you'll get
out of the car park a lot faster! This also helps create a proactive attitude
toward your view of exercise and movement.
4. Take the stairs -- Whether it's an elevator or an escalator,
pass on it and head for the stairs. You'll burn more calories and help tone
your lower body.
5. Eliminate one cup of coffee per day -- Drink 3-4 cups per
day? Just eliminate one cup. That will be less caffeine for the day, week, month
and year. Once again, you will prove to yourself that small changes can make
a difference.
6. Work On Your Posture -- It's amazing to see the number of
people who slouch. If you stand up straight, you will look leaner, younger and
healthier. This is a real easy one, but you would be surprised how years of
slouching will make this the most challenging of all the tips.
7. Make ONE health and fitness goal and commit to it -- Every
year, people commit to New Year's resolutions such as getting to the gym five
times a week, losing 20 pounds, eating less junk food, etc. What about setting
one goal? It doesn't matter what it is, just make it measurable and realistic
and something enjoyable. For example, lose six pounds in three months, join
an exercise class etc - Keep it simple! Set yourself up for success!
Remember be disciplined but don't be too tough on yourself - if you happen
to break your New Year's resolution don't be discouraged. Forgive yourself,
it's not too late to start again and make a change.
Keep persisting, because by persisting, you will succeed.
Escape Health & Leisure Club 091 738220
info@escapeleisure.com -
www.escapeleisure.com
CLAREGALWAY GAA CLUB
AGM: the 2004 AGM will be held in early January. Please refer to our
website www.claregalway.net for exact date. All members will be notified. Nominations
for all team mentors and general proposals should be given to club secretary
Joe O'Connell as soon as possible.
Lotto: Latest draw results - 6th December - 8,10,15,17 . The jackpot was not won and now stands at €10,880. Match three winners, D.Llynn c/o N.Fox; Mary Grealish c/o John Michael ; David Dunleavy c/o Sean Dunleavy.
Senior: We have retained our senior status for 2005 despite
losing to Tuam Stars in the final League game. This year's young team have proved
their worth and gained a lot of valuable experience in the process.
However the squad feel they have a lot more to prove and with some more players
due to return, having missed out due to injury and time off, things look positive
for next year. Best of luck to this years Manager Frank Broderick who has been
appointed as one of Peter Forde's selector for the Galway Senior Football Team.
Many thanks to Frank and his selectors Fergus Madden, Mick Higgins and Paddy
Glennane for their effort in this years competitions.
U-21: North Board Semi-Final : Caltra 0-10 Claregalway 0-7 . Our U-21's were unlucky to lose to Caltra last Saturday (4th December). With this being the last competition in the year, alot of effort was put in by the team. Like the quater final, the opposition got a better start and we found ourselves three points to no score adrift within 15 minutes. We did manage some two good quick points and began to play better. Losing our full forward Martin Kelly before half time was a real blow but we went in at half time only trailing 0-6 to 0-3. On the restart we continued to battle but Caltra stayed in front with Michael Meehan converting well from frees. Before the end, Tommy Moran looked to have been fouled in the square but ref Tony Melia didn't agree. It was a frustrating end as all our players had done their best but luck was not with them on the day. Some of the ref's decisions baffled myself and some all the Claregalway supporters, but having said that, Caltra did play some good football and will not be easily stopped. Many thanks to Manager and Trainer Vincent Nestor who had the team well prepared on the day.
Night at the Dogs: The Fundraising Night at the Dogs held at the start of October was a great success. Our thanks to all who contributed in any way to the night. Most of the money raised will go to the Clubs vital Development Fund. This fund will be needed to expand our facilities which are already over crowded.
Congratulations to the Galway Senior Ladies Football Team who launched their book recently in the Claregalway Hotel. The book describes their historic journey to capturing the coutny's first All-Ireland in this grade. Also congrats to the four members of that team who won All-Stars last month. We wish them all and their trainer, club man Mick O'Connell, a well deserved Christmas break.
Well done to our club members who represented us on county panels during the year. These include Brian O'Donoghue (Senior) and Adrian Faherty (U-16). May they have continued success in their playing careers.
As always, check out our website /www.claregalway.net /for the latest news and events.
CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS STORIES
AND POEMS
CHRISTMAS
Christmas is here hooray ! hooray !
Holiday greetings from the man in the sleigh
Robin in the garden
Icicles hanging low
Snowman in the garden
Two eyes made of coal
Mary’s child is born
Alleluia alleluia!
Saviour Jesus is his name
By Stephen Connolly, 5th Class, Claregalway N.S.
CHRISTMAS
Christmas morning was such a joy,
Because we woke up to apple pie,
With lots of presents under the tree,
Most of them awaiting me!
Snow outside was here to stay,
For this glorious wonderful day,
With us outside having fun,
Hoping not to see the sun!
We made a snowman in the park,
And decided to call him Mar,
With a top hat and gloves in all,
We hoped that he just wouldn’t fall!
But all good things come to an end
And this is no exception my friend
I know that does bring a tear,
But MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
By Stacey Dolan, 5th Class, Claregalway N.S.
CHRISTMAS EVE
Cups of hot chocolate beside the fire
Happy faces all around
Real holly hung around the house
Invitations for New Year’s Eve parties coming through the letterbox
Singers coming to the door
Turkeys no stuffed, waiting to be cooked tomorrow
Midnight mass to celebrate Christmas Day
Adults drinking beer and wine
Singing loudly “Misteltoe and Wine”!
Every house has a decorated Christmas tree
Very tired children sleeping soundly
Excited children waiting for Santy.
Hannah Loughnane, 5th Class, Claregalway N.S.
THE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS
When it comes to Christmas
We think of ourselves
Instead of thinking about everyone else.
I want, I want is all we say
The toys the only thing that makes us gay.
So really what I’m trying to say is
Instead of toys, think of Jesus with
Not even a bed to sleep on in the hay.
Kate O’Donnell, 5th Class, Claregalway N.S.
BOTTLE BANKS NEED A HOME
Claregalway used to have bottle banks but they were taken away as site
was unsuitable. Do we want them back? YES,YES and YES, but again the problem
of a suitable site is the problem. Will anybody in the village offer accommodation?
They will be strictly monitored and maintained and cameras will be placed near
banks to ward off litter louts, etc. Galway is to the fore regarding recycling
and it would be nice if we could all play a part in the recycling process.
If anybody knows of a suitable site, perhaps they would contact us here at Nuacht
Chlair and we will follow it through.
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