Nuacht Chláir, the local newsletter for Claregalway and Carnmore, March 2012 edition.
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Nuacht Chl The local newsletter for Claregalway & Carnmore Vol. 16 Iss. 6 | March 2012 FREE Claregalway Annual Festival of Drama It’s that time of year again when Claregalway Community Centre is transformed into a theatre for the 30th Annual Festival of Drama. Local News, Health & Sport www.nuachtchlair.com This year we open on the 15th March and run right through to the 23rd March inclusive. We open with lo- cal group Compántas Lír and their presentation of A Curious Savage by John Patrick. The festival runs for nine nights, offering superb top class drama from all around the country. This year we have a number of new plays that have never been performed at the festival before, as well as a welcome return to a number of groups who have not performed here in recent years. Our adjudicator this year is Mr Garry Lom- bard from Gorey, Co. Wexford, who will be charged with the task of picking the top actors, productions and plays Móna Wise’s Buttermilk Salad Dressing Recipe p.4 Tips on Quitting Smoking from Claregalway Pharmacy p.9 A Square Peg in a Round Hole p.28 from this year’s festival. We offer nine nights of excellent entertainment, a chance to take some time out from our busy lives and enjoy some fine drama and a chat with friends. Join us in the festival tent after the performance to discuss the play and enjoy a drink from the bar, or complimentary tea, coffee, sandwiches and delicious home baking! Tickets are excellent value at €10 a night or €60 for a season ticket, available on the door. Come along and enjoy a fantastic night out! Doors open at 7pm and curtain at 8pm sharp. The Nuacht Chláir is the local newsletter for Claregalway and Carnmore, Co. Galway. 1000 copies are printed monthly and the newsletter is also available online at www.nuachtchlair.com. Thursday 15th Friday 16th Saturday 17th Sunday 18th Monday 19th Tuesday 20th Wednesday 21st Thursday 22nd The Curious Savage by John Patrick Thy Will Be Done by Michael Carey Deadline by Robert Massey The Subject was Roses by Frank D. Gilroy The Odd Couple by Neil Simon Three Days of Rain by Richard Greenburg The Weir by John Patrick Shadowlands by John Patrick Compántas Lír Sliabh Aughty Prosperous DS Corofin DG Glenamaddy Estuary Players DADS Lifford Players
Transcript
Nuacht ChlThe local newsletter for Claregalway & CarnmoreVol. 16 Iss. 6 | March 2012 FREE
Claregalway AnnualFestival of Drama
It’s that time of year again when Claregalway Community Centre is transformed into a theatre for the 30th Annual Festival of Drama.
Local News, Health & Sportwww.nuachtchlair.com
This year we open on the 15th March and run right through to the 23rd March inclusive. We open with lo-cal group Compántas Lír and their presentation of A Curious Savage by John Patrick. The festival runs for nine nights, offering superb top class drama from all around the country. This year we have a number of new plays that have never been performed at the festival before, as well as a welcome return to a number of groups who have not performed here in recent years. Our adjudicator this year is Mr Garry Lom-bard from Gorey, Co. Wexford, who will be charged with the task of picking the top actors, productions and plays
Móna Wise’s Buttermilk Salad Dressing Recipe p.4
Tips on Quitting Smoking from Claregalway Pharmacy p.9
A Square Peg in a Round Hole p.28
from this year’s festival. We offer nine nights of excellent entertainment, a chance to take some time out from our busy lives and enjoy some fine drama and a chat with friends. Join us in the festival tent after the performance to discuss the play and enjoy a drink from the bar, or complimentary tea, coffee, sandwiches and delicious home baking! Tickets are excellent value at €10 a night or €60 for a season ticket, available on the door. Come along and enjoy a fantastic night out! Doors open at 7pm and curtain at 8pm sharp.
The Nuacht Chláir is the local newsletter for Claregalway and Carnmore, Co. Galway. 1000 copies are printed monthly and the newsletter is also available online at www.nuachtchlair.com.
Thursday 15th
Friday 16th
Saturday 17th
Sunday 18th
Monday 19th
Tuesday 20th
Wednesday 21st
Thursday 22nd
The Curious Savageby John Patrick
Thy Will Be Doneby Michael Carey
Deadline by RobertMassey
The Subject was Rosesby Frank D. Gilroy
The Odd Coupleby Neil Simon
Three Days of Rainby Richard Greenburg
The Weirby John Patrick
Shadowlandsby John Patrick
Compántas Lír
Sliabh Aughty
Prosperous DS
Corofin DG
Glenamaddy
Estuary Players
DADS
Lifford Players
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SponsorsEditorialJosette Farrell, Editor
March would not be March with-out the Drama Festival and it is al-ways a great festival to attend. The Festival was first established in 1982 and they celebrate their 30th annual drama festival this year. Each year Compántas Lir produces a play and participate in the Drama Circuit looking to qualify for the All-Ireland Finals. The play is also shown locally in the Town Hall Theatre. In addition the group pro-duces a play for a Supper Theatre. So, there is no excuse for sitting in watching t.v. - enjoy the social luxury of the local drama in your own mini theatre in Claregalway Community Centre. Well done to Horkan’s Life-style & Garden Centre who were awarded a top 5 star Quality award recently. Their garden centre is a pleasure to visit and right now it’s bursting with colour and stocks a huge variety of plants. trees, veg and fruit trees. Well worth a visit. We are delighted to welcome GIY (Grow it Yourself ) on board this month. Read Michael’s article on page 26. A quote from an article written in The Irish Times on the 7th March by Anne Marie Houri-hane “GIY wants to include eve-rybody. It makes a point of being opposed to what its new magazine, Grow, calls “horticultural snooti-ness”, and to the off-putting use of Latin botanical names. The magazine Grow is a must read for anyone interested in growing their own food. It is
crammed with information on GIYing and on GIY people and projects. An upcoming event to look forward to and mark in your diary is on Saturday the 21st April in the Claregalway Hotel where Klaus Laitenberger from Rossinver Organic Garden Centre is the key speaker. Kay Synott from Living Gardens will also feature. This month also read about Cyril the Squirrel Savings initiative in Claregalway N.S., Western Family History, Claregalway & District Day Care Centre’s progress and we have our regular contributors in Móna Wise, Brian’s crossword’s and bridge, Edward’s poem, Ro-nan’s thoughts, update from local councillor Jim, Woodpecker Wood and last but by no means least
“Something for Saundra” - a Charity Walk on Mother’s Day on the 18th March - a beautiful lady who left us before her time.
Until next time,Josette
To submit stories & articles, contact us:Nuacht Chláir,‘Currach Ruadh,’ Creig Buí, Baile Chláir,Co. na Gaillimhe.
The Nuacht Chláir is compiled voluntarily by a small committee and distributed free of charge. We would like to sincerely thank our sponsors & advertisers, without whom this publication would not be possible.
Arches HotelClaregalway
Claregalway Hotel
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Horkan’s Garden Centre Lydican
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Buttermilk Salad Dressing WiseWords from Móna Wise
A few weeks ago one of our neighbours gave us a gift of a Buttermilk plant. It is the kind of gift that keeps on giving. If you have never heard of this type of plant, it is a type of living culture that you can feed every few days with fresh milk and it produces an exceptional quality buttermilk.
Now, I know what you are thinking. Buttermilk is fairly cheap and easy to come by, so why bother, right? Well, for convenience more than anything. Truth be told, it is a lot healthier to cook with but-termilk too so there are sneaky health benefits too.
To date we have baked quite a bit with the buttermilk making scores of brown soda bread, buttermilk scones for supper, buttermilk cookies, and today, I made a delicious buttermilk salad dressing. The kids went nuts for this one so I thought I would share the recipe with you and hope you will give it a try.
Móna Wise is a local writer & mother. Check out her blog at www.wisewords.ie.
Ingredients— 1/2 cup [120ml] buttermilk— 4 tbsp mayonnaise— 1 tsp franks red hot sauce— 1/2 tsp smoked paprika— 1/2 tsp coleman’s english mustard powder— 1/4 tsp salt— 1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper— 2 tbsp scallion - shredded— Squeeze of lemon juice— 1 1/2 tsp sugar
MethodMix the buttermilk, mayonnaise and hot sauce together with a wire whisk until nice and creamy. Add in everything else and mix well with a spoon.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed by adding the lemon juice or a touch more salt or pepper. Store in the fridge in an airtight glass jar for up to two weeks.
This one is my personal favorite even though I am not a huge fan of mayonnaise. I love the tangy taste of the buttermilk and all the seasonings make any salad come alive.
Móna Wise
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The Western Family History Association“From Small Beginnings to God Knows Where"—Lecture by Larry Brennan, The Clare Roots Society
The next meeting of the Western Family History Associa-tion's will be held on Wednesday the March 14th 2012 at 8.15pm at the Claregalway Hotel. The speaker will be Larry Brennan from Ennis. Larry took up Genealogy in 1999 and is a founder member of The Clare Roots Society. He has been co-editor of Drumcliff & Corrovorrin Graveyards in Ennis and is currently working on the archival records avail-able on O’Connell Street in Ennis. He has assisted Diaspora members through the internet throughout the world. Larry likes to think of himself as the family archivist.
So, from our counterparts and near neighbours in Clare we hope to advance genealogy and tracing ancestry in Co. Galway. We look forward to seeing existing members there on March 14th and hopefully welcoming additional people with an interest in family history to the meeting on the night. For further information on the Western Family History Association log onto www.wfha.info or email [email protected].
Larry’s presentation will review the work of the Society since 2006. Topics covered will include the Society’s links with the Clare County Library, the recording, transcribing and internet access of their gravestone transcription records and their outreach programmes which will demonstrate the butter box method of Genealogy. The Clare Roots Society has been responsible for the setting up of Clare Diaspora Groups in Australia & America. Their memorial card project will show the process involved in the collection and access to these cards. Their involvement in Genealogy projects with regard to Heritage Day is unique in Ireland.
I am looking for information on my grand mother Margaret Clancy born 1884.Her father was John Clancy (Clancey) born 1844 circa & mother was Catherine (Kather-ine) Joyce. She came to Australia on the ship Port Phillip in 1890 ex London with her father & siblings Winifred/Mary born 1874 Michael born 1877 & John born 1881. Her father put her into a St. Joseph's orphanage at The Rocks Sydney in January 1891. On her registration papers it was written in pencil across her name Claregalway. We have spent considerable amount of money trying to trace her with the Clare Heritage centre & other agencies in Ireland without success. Family hearsay is that Catherine died in child birth with twins put we have no proof of this or where in Ireland.they were born. If anyone has any information we could use please contact me by email:[email protected] Thank you in anticipation, Margaret McFarlane, Western Australia
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K9863AK948K97
Bridge Column Both vulnerable, Dealer South
1042J10832K75J6
QJ7610962AQ1053
A5Q75AQJ43842
Table 1 Bidding: S W N E 1NT P 2C Dbl 2D P 3NT P P P
Lead: Club JNote East’s Double of the conventional Stay-man bid (2C by North), indicating a preference for a Club lead. As a result of the club lead, East picked up all 5 club tricks and, when the Diamond finesse failed, West collected the diamond King for 3NT-2. 200 to East-West.
Table 2 Bidding: S W N E 1D P 1S P 1NT P 2D P 2NT P 3NT P P P
Lead: Club JNote East’s Double of the conventional Stay-man bid (2C by North), indicating a preference for a Club lead. As a result of the club lead, East picked up all 5 club tricks and, when the Diamond finesse failed, West collected the diamond King for 3NT-2. 200 to East-West.
Something for Saundra Charity Walk
We have sent up a new Charity Something for Saundra. It is on Sunday 18th March (Mothers' Day). 1.30 from Mer-vue GAA Club House, to Ballyloughnane Beach, were we will release some Red Balloons and play Saundra's favourite Song. This is a short walk, we realise it is Mother's Day and am aware you all may have plans to treat your Mums or to be treated by your family. Saundra O'Connor was a beautiful person, she was a very giving lady. Loved her family so much and always had time for her friends. That is why we are giving all proceeds from this Walk to three Galway Chairties. ACT Meningitis, Rosedale School(brothers of Chairity), and Galway Speeders. Saundra loved life, her husband Murt and her two beauti-ful daughters Sarah and Lauren, so what a wonderful way for those girls to spend this Mother's Day to walk with people who loved and repected their mother, and realise that our mother was a wonderful person. We are asking people to wear RED to be bright, joyful and Smile even if it rains, hail or sun. We want everyone to remember this beautiful girl that life was cut so short and she had so much to live for and so much to do. So lets all get out there show her two girls their mom was one in a million, And DO: Something for Saundra.
Saundra went infor a routine operation in 2005, but due to circumstances, was left a vegetated state for three years until her passing 19th February 2008.
Congratulations to Tanya O' Callaghan & John McDonagh who were recently married.
Congratulations also to Samantha Murphy & P.J. Harte who were recently married.
Claregalway/Carnmore Active
Retirement meeting every Friday morning in Cairdeas. If you are retired
why not come along?
New members always welcome.
We welcome Mark Daniels, Ava Wall, Jack Ryan, Kyle Scanlan, Jace Odijie Odegua, Daithí Walsh,Riain Flaherty & Freya Moran in to our Christian Community.
Rest in PeaceTommy Duggan, Late Kiltrogue Castle & New Jersey.
Bridie Concannon, Cregboy.
To submit stories & articles, contact us:Nuacht Chláir, ‘Currach Ruadh,’ Creig Buí, Baile Chláir, Co. na Gaillimhe.
On behalf of the CDDCC I would like to thank everyone who attended the Public Meeting on Thursday 23rd February in The Arches. There was a great turn out on the night and everyone enjoyed a very professional presentation by Seamus McNulty and Tom McCann. We were happy to welcome some of our public representatives, Deputy Brian Walsh, Senator Fidelma Healy-Eames, Councillor Jarlath McDonagh and Councillor Malachy Noone. Apologies were received from many other public representatives, all of whom are showing great interest in this project. It was also our pleasure to welcome Bernadette White
without whose co-operation this project would not be as advanced and as such a lease has now been signed on the premises and a planning application has been submitted. It is hoped that renovation work will begin on the premises in the not too distant future. Over the last couple of weeks a number of people have signed up to volunteer in various different capacities, initially to help get the building ready for occupancy and, further down the line, to assist with the running of the centre (caring, kitchen work, gardening, maintenance, driving etc). It’s not too late to let your interest be known. If you are interested in volunteering please contact Geraldine Carr on 086 2284139 or email: [email protected]. On the evening it was also announced that a Charity Shop would be opening in April and all proceeds from the shop will go to the CDDCC. The shop will be located in Cois Chlair and
will be managed by Ms Pauline Scully with her team of volunteers. The shop will stock good quality used garments, shoes, sports wear, school wear, books and bric a brac. If you are clearing out your closets in the near future please consider donating to the CDDCC shop and please visit, you’ll receive a very warm welcome, may pick up a bargain and may even be offered a cup of tea! The CDDCC would like to thank the community for all its support.
Geraldine Carr, Secretary
Find us on Facebook:Claregalway & District
Day Care Centre
A Chance to Practice your Irish in the Castle!As part of Seachtain na Gaeilge 2012 the Claregalway branch of Conradh na Gaeilge are organising a get together in Cloonacauneen Castle on Wednesday 14th March at 9pm to give people an opportunity to speak Irish in a nice relaxed setting! There will be a facilitator there on the night to keep
the conversation flowing and if there is enough demand there will be a get together organised monthly. It is free of charge and everybody welcome. Tea and Coffee provided. Further information contact Conradh na Gaeilge at 091 567 824.
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Smoking CessationEvery 6.5 seconds, someone in the world dies from tobacco use. That’s 1.5 million people dying needlessly each year.
John Duffy, MPSI, of Claregalway Pharmacy shares these tips for giving up smoking.
Every cigarette a person smokes reduces his/her life by five and a half minutes.In Ireland, smoking is the leading cause of avoidable death. Nearly 7,000 people die each year from the effects of smoking and thousands of others are ill because of smoking-related diseases.
Claregalway Pharmacy, Tel/fax 091 799 754Opens Monday to Friday until 8pm and 7pm on Saturday. For more information and advice on healthy eating visit www.safefood.eu
Reasons for giving up:—Better quality of life, to be fitter/ healthier.—To improve lung function—To reduce risk of cardiovascular complications in later life—Financial Reasons
Health Benefits start straight away!—Within 20 minutes circulation will improves, heart rate and blood pressure drop.—Within 24-48 hours all the carbon monoxide will be eliminated.—Within a few days sense of smell and taste will start to improve.—After 72 hours breathing will improve and energy levels will increase.—Within 1 year the chance of heart attack drops by half and within 10 years the risk drops to almost the same as a non-smoker, or having never smoked.
What should I do?—Keep a smoking diary to work out your smoking pattern and spot your triggers.—Write down realistic ways to deal with or avoid situations that trigger you to smoke.—Set a quit date and work towards it.—Use relaxation techniques and rewards to reinforce not smoking, with all the money that you are saving you can afford to treat yourself!
Remind yourself of the 4 Ds:—Deep breathe—Drink water—Distract—Delay
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Conradh na Gaeilge Anna Glynn 091 798 351
Cloonbiggeen Residents Association Vincent Lyons 087 638 6432
Compántas Lir Drama Dermot Hession 085 711 4352
Claregalway Chess Club Evelyn McStay/Mags Brennan
086 819 3487087 238 9451
Claregalway Basketball Club Liam Ryder 087 824 6842
Claregalway/Carnmore Active Retirement Pat Griffith 087 969 6770
For the past number of years, Nuacht Chláir has been compiling a directory of businesses and organisations operating in Claregalway. For more listings, see our online directory on www.nuachtchlair.com
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Easter Camps9th–13th April 2012
The fit kids will have 4 hours of exercise and fun. Sports, Aerobics, Childrens Games, Swimming, Arts & Crafts, and lots more—all done kids style!
1o:00am–2:00pm €60 members/ €80 non-membersSuitable for children 5 yrs+
Sometimes people come into our lives and we know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some purpose, whether it is to teach us a lesson, or to help us figure out who we are or who we want to become. Sometimes things happen to us that seem horrible, painful or unfair, but on reflection we find that, without overcoming those obstacles, we would never have realized our potential, strength, willpower or heart.
A Heart so bigJesus lived deeply with a heart so big that it could contain all the pain and all the joy of the world. In his preaching, teaching, healing and companionship, Jesus demonstrated deep hearted love. Living and loving deeply from the heart, means to act with compassion, to seek and serve God in all creation, loving your neigh-bor as yourself. To live and love deeply from the heart is to see that of God in all creation and every living creature, both great and small. When you seek, see and serve the divine in every individual, it becomes difficult to hate and easier to love; and when you realize that our neighbors are not just mere human beings, it becomes easier to care for the earth and for one another. Loving and living deeply from the heart is not easy. It takes work. Very hard work! It demands self-sacri-fice, a generous spirit, and an expansive embrace. It implies the risk of loving and living without barriers and obstacles. It suggests walking in someone else’s shoes, leaving behind one’s own baggage that makes the walk heavier, and letting go of old habits that become burdens on the journey. It is to speak and act with compassion. Loving and living deeply from the heart is intentional. It doesn’t happen accidentally. It happens because we decide to live that way. It loves in spite of us, even if it hurts. It means getting be-yond what holds us back. It moves beyond what bothers you about another person and looks for the good in the other. Loving and living deeply from the heart is about forgiveness. It forgives previous generations for their
actions. And in the case of some of the most difficult and painful situations, loving deeply from the heart also means praying, “God forgive us even though we know what we do.” But deep hearted love does not just contemplate the wrongs that have been done or the mistakes that have been made. It also calls us to active repentance. It says, “Don’t just sit there feeling bad; do some-thing to make it better.” It gets beyond that which keeps us stuck in the past and prevents us from moving into the future. At the center of it all, deep heart love and life is a call to conversion and if we’re honest with ourselves, most of us need this wake-up call to conversion.
A Weakness can be a StrengthSometimes your biggest weakness can become your biggest strength. As usual a story will help from my Nana Scully’s prayer book about a 10-year-old boy who decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy be-gan lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn’t understand why, after three months of training, the master had taught him only one move. “Sensei,” the boy finally said, “shouldn’t I be learning more moves?” “This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you’ll ever need to know,” the sensei replied. Several months later he went to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy eas-ily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent
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Ronan Scully is the West of Ireland representative for Self Help Africa.www.selfhelpafrica.org
became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. The boy was now in the finals. This time, his opponent was bigger and more ex-perienced. The boy appeared to be overmatched. Con-cerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the sensei intervened. “No,” the sensei insisted, “Let him continue.” Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instant-ly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion. On the way home, the boy and sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind. “Sensei, how did I win the tourna-ment with only one move?” “You won for two reasons,” the sensei answered. “First, you’ve almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. Second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm.” The boy’s biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.
Thought for the weekAs you’re thought for the week as we begin our journey through the season of Lent, don’t just watch quietly, do something. Christ says you are my eyes, ears and mouth; you are my arms and legs; you are my body in this world. Do something. But whatever you do, do it with love, for it is only in loving and living deeply from the heart, that we and our precious earth and all who dwell therein, will have a chance for the future. And pray that God may continue to hold us in that big, hugeheart of love.
Claregalway N.S. HandballHandballers from Claregalway N. S. had a very successful outing at the regional qualifiers in Abbeyknockmoy last week. Fergal Mac A' Laighnigh was unlucky to come up against a very strong opponent from Moylough N. S.in theUnder-11 singles and had to settle for a silver medal. Marcus Ó Sleibhín and Ben Ó Maolmhuidhe were narrowly defeated in the Under-11 doubles final after a great contest. Rachel Ní Aodha and Aaron Ó Maolmhuidhe were defeated inthe Under-11 and Under-13 singles competitions. The best performance of the evening came from Rhiann Ní Iaraidh and Jennifer Ní Aodha who won the Under-11 doubles competition and qualified for the County Finals at the end of March.
Clement Shelvin
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Horkans Lifestyle & Garden centre were awarded a top 5 star Quality award at this years Garden centre of the year awards held in Dublin on Friday night.
Top Awards for Horkans
Horkans received two top awards for excellence in their Westport Lifestyle & Garden Centre and also for their flagship centre in Turlough, Castlebar. Pictured are Keith Murphy, Declan McLoughlin, Alan Flannery and Peter Horkan who received two top awards for Quality and Excellence for their West-port and Castlebar garden centres. The National Amenity Horticulture Quality Awards recognise and promote excellence across three key sectors of the industry. This year Bord Bia awarded 41 garden centres; 6 ornamental growers and 11 landscape service providers, which have successfully achieved the standards as set out by its Quality Assurance Programmes. The Judging panel said:
“This destination Lifestyle & garden centre offers shopper’s quality in garden and home products backed up with expert advice and customer service ... a must visit retail centre for all homeowners.” Horkans is run by a dedicated team of qualified staff members to help customers with Garden, home and pet solutions.
Horkans operate four garden centres in Westport, Castlebar, Sligo and Galway and their fifth centre opens this week in Cornelscourt Dublin.
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Scouting in Claregalway started in May 1991 with 15 Beavers, 12 Cubs and 5 adults. Today we have nearly 100 members, aged from 6-22 years. We are also one of the few groups in the county to have members in all the scouting sections, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Ventures and Rovers.
21 Years of Scouts in Claregalway
Over the course of the last 21 years we have provided a range of programmes, incorporating fun, challenge and adventure. From arts and crafts, to moun-tain hikes, our members have travelled the county, the country and have even journeyed abroad. Along the way they have learned new skills like kayaking, fire building, camping, orienteering and pioneering. But we would not have been able to achieve all this without the help and support of our com-munity. All the programmes are supported on a voluntary basis by scout leaders and adult helpers. We would like to thank the parents and friends, for all their help over the years, as it would be very hard to keep going with-out you. As part of our planned celebra-tions we would like to find some of our past leaders. We would be very grateful if you could get in contact with us if you were involved, or if you know of anyone who was. Please call Ken Folan at 087 616 6257, or Andrea Lenihan at 087 211 7569.
Together, we are looking forward to the next 21 years of Scouting in Claregalway.
Cubs 1998
Cubs 2011
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Update from your local Councillor Jim Cuddy
Feel free to contact me any day or evening at 798 136 or 087 636 0242 or you can e-mail me at [email protected].
Allocation of Road FundingAt the February meeting of the council held on the 24th. the roads programme for this year was adopted. This year 34,667 euro has been sanctioned for the Cregboy road and 21.668 euro for the Ballintem-ple Road for surface dressing.132,000 euro is to be spent at Cregmore under the improvement grant scheme, 110,000 for Baun-more, 73,165 euro for Mountpelier, 78,872 euro for Knockdoemore, 91,000 euro for Carnmore East. The latter road is the subject of a loot of complaints about pot holes. I was very disappointed that the Baunmore Rd up by the school was not included even though a submis-sion had been made. This road has been the scene of many accidents over the years particularly during frost. The engineers have agreed to look at this again. In addition to the above 30,000 euro has been allocated for low cost safety improvement works at both ends of Gortroe on the L 6235. Claregalway Sewerage SchemeNow that the council have received the tenders for the pipe laying for
the Claregalway Sewerage Scheme I have asked the Water services section to provide me with a de-tailed map showing the areas to be connected up following a number of questions that have been raised. Speed Limit ReviewAt the most recent meeting of the council I again sought an update on the progress with regard to the review of the speed limits. The senior engineer at that meeting told me that he had received a number of submissions and ex-pected to be in a position in about three weeks to bring proposals be-fore the area councillors. One road that is drawing a lot of interest is the road from Carnmore Cross to Ballintemple Rd. where the speed limit is only 60 KM while people turning off to the side roads can travel up to 80 KM. I personally feel that it is very unfair for people to be getting fines and penalty points for marginally exceeding the 60 KM limit on this stretch of road. Local Drama FestivalIt is that time of the year again when Claregalway Drama Festival Committee host the Annual Dra-ma Festival.This will be the 30th.
Annual Claregalway Drama Fes-tival. A lot of works goes into this event each year and the committee under its very able director Seamus Mc Nulty are to be commended for all their hard work. Best of luck to our local Drama Group Compan-tas Lir as they prepare to start on the festival circuit with this years production of the Curious Savage and its is being directed by Ann Greaney assisted by Paddy. Come out and support the festival. CongratulationsCongratulations to Dr. Eamon O Donoghue on winning the heritage award for the Oranmore Electoral Area last month at the award cer-emony in Loughrea. He has made a major contribution to the preserva-tion of the heritage of Claregalway and is to be commended for all the hard work both he and his staff have put into the project of restor-ing the Castle in Claregalway.
Blocked gullies in ClaregalwayThere has been a problem for some time now with blocked gullies in Claregalway Village. The areas particularly being affected is the main road from the Church as far as the Claregalway Bridge. There
www.nuachtchlair.com | 19
has also been a problem in the Church car park. One area that has been particularly bad is the entrance off the N 18 into the church car park. After heavy rain people are unable to use that entrance to walk into the church or parish of-fice. On February 21st. I had a meeting on site in Claregalway with the Local Area engineer, A Senior Engineer from County Buildings and one of the consultants from Tobins Engineers who are the consultants engaged by the council in relation to the sewerage scheme.Fr. Ian our Parish Priest was also present. The officials have offered in the meantime to clear the gul-lies and to use a camera to find out where the blockage is. Two days later I observed repre-sentatives of Walsh Waste doing some of the work. It has been impressed on the officials that when the dig for the sewerage pipes is taking place that the drainage works required should be done at the same time and that is the reason that we had a representative of Tobin Engineers present. Lakeview, Gortacleve and BallymurphyThe road from the N 18 all the way through Lakeview, Gortacleva and Ballymurphy has been in bad repair for some time particularly with potholes that keep reopening. I have asked the council to deal with the problem once and for all and since they have not allocated any funding for this work in 2012 Cllr. Noone and I have been asked to allocate some of discre-tionary funding towards this work and I have complied with that request and have asked that the word be done without delay.
Jim
Letter to the Editor
24 Bowling Green,Galway. Dear Editor,
Is democracy as we have know it one of the first casualties of the European Economic Crisis? In Greece and Italy you have unelected technocrats installed in Government to insure that “The Troika” rules are obeyed. Yes, Bailouts do come at a price, we all know this. We just have to look at our pay packets. Was there any alternative to taking the money? Some political and economy commentators would say there was. “Burn the Bond Holders” is the cry for the far left! But could we have taken that risk and where would that lead us? God only knows! So where does this leave Ordinary Person try-ing to earn a living and how can he or she get a say in the type of country he or she lives in? The ballot box is what the Spin Doctors will tell us. But enter the “Troika” and you now find that your Government has to run it’s Budget in ac-cording to their rules. They tell us we have to have property taxes and water charges. We have taken the bailouts so we are obliged to do what they tell us. In other words they are Bank Rolling the country. Will we ever get out of their grip, one should hope so but it could be a long road. But this could also mean years of discontent in countries like It-aly, Spain, Portugal who also have taken bailouts. This could leave EU citizens very cynical and could mean the rise all over the EU of extremist Political Parties. This is where we are at and this is why there is a great need for the citizens of the EU to get a greater say in how power is evolving. Yours SincerelyCllr Nuala Nolan, Galway CityContact Number 086 4072622
20 | www.nuachtchlair.com
Claregalway Business Group Generates €800,000+ in sales
Local Business Working Together To Create Sales.
BNI Claddagh Chapter has been running since June 2010 and in that time those businesses have shared €800,000+ of business together. BNI is the most successful or-ganization of it’s type in the world. It provides a platform for many businesses to work together to help keep opportunities for business in each locality where there is a Chap-ter. For example, in 2010 BNI Claddagh Chapter formed in Clar-egalway with the assistance of BNI Support Director, Ireland South & West Liam Higgins. There are now 19 businesses represented in the Chapter and what makes BNI unique is that no two companies come from the same type of busi-ness. One only business per trade or profession can join a Chapter and that means that unlike other networking organisations, you will not see your competitor in the same room. “Since launching in 2010 mem-bers of BNI Claddagh Chapter have been meeting weekly to un-derstand one another’s businesses
and to learn to identify possible opportunities for business for each of their fellow members” said Liam Higgins. “This has resulted in them sharing in over €800,000 worth of new business because they made these sales on the basis of introductions that they would not have received unless they were members of the Chapter.” BNI provides a simple structure that is proven to work over the last 25 years and on five continents. Members of BNI passed thou-sands of referrals resulting in over €270 million worth of business being shared by it’s members in the UK and Ireland in the last 12 months. There are currently four Chapters in County Galway with one in Tuam, one in Salthill and one meeting in Taylors Hill as well as the team in Claregalway. “Being a member of a Chapter of BNI is like having a huge sales team working for your business. Each person has been trained to identify business opportunities for our fellow members and the best
part is that it works really well. It’s not about chasing business though, it’s really about building relation-ships with your fellow members and it teaches you to do the same with your clients” said Geoff Kin-sella, the present Chapter Director of BNI Claddagh. If you would like to learn more about what BNI is all about and to arrange to come along to see how it can help your own business, why not contact Liam on 086 833 2558 or Geoff on 087 946 0320 to discuss joining them for a meeting. They meet every week in the Claregal-way Hotel on Wednesday morn-ings and their saying is “Missing breakfast can be seriously bad for your wealth”. If you are looking at new ways to generate more busi-ness in 2012 there is no better place to start. Contact: Liam Higgins, BNI Claddagh ChapterPhone: 086 833 2558Email: [email protected]: www.bni.eu/ireland
To submit stories & articles, contact us:Nuacht Chláir,‘Currach Ruadh,’ Creig Buí, Baile Chláir,Co. na Gaillimhe.
Don't forget to check out our facebook page www.facebook.com/nuacht.chlair for up-to-date local news.
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Children’s Story CornerBiffer! One Bad Bunny
Launched at Baboró International Arts Festival for Children in Galway and aimed at children 4+, Woodpecker Wood offers an exciting and new diversity to the wonderful art of the Storyteller within the modern media of animation.
Hi! I'm BIFFER!Yes! That's Me!I live in Bunny Banks.My favourite gameIn all the World-Is playing 'naughty' pranks!
When Mum see's meMy brothers too!They 'always' stop my Fun!I scowl - then makeThe 'rudest' face.And you should see me run!
Always up to something!Is what I hear them say.They get real mad-But I don't care-When they say: 'Go Away!'
I know I'm such-A Meany Mo.My brothers call me that.But! They always 'pick'On Me! So - nowI'm 'picking' back!
I love to scareSam Squirrel!As often as I can.He lives inside a Hollow Tree.With nuts andPots and pans.
And! As for thatHare Harrington!Posh-Pants up the hill.Forever 'winning' over me.But 'win' one day-I will!
I really 'love' mySpecial Game!Bashing down the Camps.That Marmaduke has built so well.He shouts and squeals-And! Does he stamp!
He's such a-Little Tichy-Titch!Me! I'm big and tall!I'm such a rotten Bully!To one who-Is 'so' small!
That car - was itThe Greatest!I'm sure you'll all agree.And! The Leader!What a Hero!He must be 'just' like Me!
I wish that I could drive-A car. Its such aFlipping shame.But Tractors! Well now-There's a thought!'This 'could' be my new game.
The tractor looks 'so' easy.But! I think I'll just pretend.Whoops! Something's wrong-Its moving!Going round-The 'biggest' bend!
Help! Help! I really 'cannot' look!I'm speeding down the hill.Going faster - Faster!!Oooooooooh! I'm heading for a Spill!
YOW! I'm flying-Through the air.Landing upside down.Mr. Woodcutter's arrived!Oh! My Goodness!See his frown!
I'm 'grounded' now-For 'six' whole weeks!Indoors-I have to stay.That's the trouble-With my Games!
They 'always' end this Way!
For more information on Woodpecker Wood, to buy DVDs, and to access your free story, visit www.woodpeckerwood.com
One of the most incredible things about children is their innocence—they have (thankfully) almost none of the hang-ups that us adults are burdened with. They approach life with a wide-eyed enthusiasm, devoid of cynicism or skepticism. They bring these same qualities with them when it comes to growing their own food. While we can be daunted by the complexity of growing veg, they view it as a tactile, sensory delight. They simply love new things to touch, smell and taste.
The difference between the two approaches can be best summed up thus: I was sowing apple seeds with my kids recently. In my mind I was thinking the following:
“They will never grow. They’re probably the wrong variety. They haven’t watered them enough. If they do grow where am I going to plant them?” And the kids are just thinking: “Woohoo! We’re sowing seeds!” At GIY we think that one of the key ways we can help to make home-grown food the norm is to make sure that our kids are taught about GIYing in school. Using the school garden as a ‘living classroom’ makes perfect sense. Kids love wriggly worms and get-ting their hands dirty. They love sowing seeds and rummaging in soil. Teachers we’ve spoken to, tell us they love bringing the class outdoors and that it acts as a useful teaching aid for many aspects of the curriculum. So we’re getting stuck in. Many of our GIY groups around Ireland are already doing Trojan work in their local schools providing advice and even manpower to help get kids growing. We’re doing an exciting initiative called the Living
Classroom with Bord Bia, SEED and the Blackrock Education Centre - the Living Classroom hub on our website will be a com-prehensive, easy-to-use resource for schools that want to start a school garden. And finally, we have launched a new campaign with Innocent to get Irish school kids to take the first step on their GIY journey by putting simple seed-sowing kits in to 500 Irish classrooms. The schools will com-pete for a development prize and a trip to Bloom. Please let teachers in your local school know about it. Check out www.innocentdrinks.ie or www.giyireland.com for more. Happy Growing! Things to do this Month— MarchContinue to prepare ground – there is still time to prepare a plot to grow veg this year. Fork or rake over existing beds, breaking up large clods of earth. Cover new seedlings with fleece if a frost is due. Start your daily slug patrols and lay beer traps. Don’t let new-season weeds take over – get on top of them with weekly hoeing.
Sow outdoors or under cover: broad beans, red cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts, onions, leeks, turnip, peas, radishes, early lettuce, asparagus. Plant your first early seed potatoes, as soon as weather conditions allow.
HarvestThis month you could be enjoying (from the ground and from storage) onions, leeks, parsnips, potatoes, some varieties of lettuce, mint, sprouting broccoli, kale, rhubarb, chard, the first of the spring cauli-flowers and cabbage, and spinach (perpetual, spinach beet).
Recipe of the Month—Cauliflower Cheese & SalmonThis month sees the first spring cauliflower and this recipe from James Martin celebrates it in a big gooey, melty, delicious dish. Serves 4. Ingredients:
—1 large cauliflower, cut into florets—50g butter—50g plain flour—450ml milk—2 organic egg yolks—1 tsp English mustard—splash of Worcestershire sauce—150g cooked flaked salmon—125g cheddar cheese and 75g grated emmental Preheat oven to 200ºC. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, then add the cauliflower and cook for two mins. Drain and place in a buttered ovenproof dish. Place the butter and flour into a saucepan and heat to melt the butter. Cook, stirring for one to two minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the milk to form a smooth sauce. Return to the heat and simmer for two to three minutes. Remove from the heat and beat in the egg yolks, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper and flake the salmon into the sauce, stirring carefully. Pour over the cauliflower and top with the grated cheeses. Place in the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Serve immediately.
Tip of the Month— Sow Onion SetsOnions are typically grown from ‘sets’ (a fancy name for baby onions) rather than from seed. Sets are usually planted from mid March to mid April, depending on the weather and will take approx 5 months to mature so if you sow this month, you will probably be harvesting in mid August. To plant your sets: firm the surface of the soil and plant the onion sets 4 inches apart in rows 9 inches apart. Push the set gently down in to the soil, leaving the tip just showing above the surface. If you have already bought your onion sets and are waiting for the weather to warm up a bit before planting, spread out the sets in a cool, well-lit place to prevent early sprouting. Onions can also be grown from seed but take a bit longer (but it's also alot cheaper).
Grow Magazine: The 64-page GIY magazine, Grow is a must-read for anyone interested in growing their own food in 2012. Includes contri-butions from Joy Larkcom, Fion-nuala Fallon, Kitty Scully, Hans Wieland, Darina Allen, Klaus Laitenberger and Joyce Russell. The magazine costs €4.50 and is available from our website. About GIY: GIY’s vision is for a healthier, more connected and more sustainable world where people grow their own food. We bring people together in community groups and online to inspire and empower them to grow vegetables. There are over 100 GIY community groups and approxi-mately 12,000 people involved in the movement around Ireland. GIY is a registered charity – CHY 18920.
Cyril the Squirrel has them all saving in Claregalway N.S.
Sometimes people come into our lives and we know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some purpose, whether it is to teach us a lesson, or to help us figure out who we are or who we want to become. Sometimes things happen to us that seem horrible, painful or unfair, but on reflection we find that, without overcoming those obstacles, we would never have realized our potential, strength, willpower or heart.
While the financial world is in dire straits, An Post’s “Cyril the Squirrel” has the kids in Claregalway National School hooked on saving their Euros!!Cyril the Squirrel saving scheme has been set up in the school by the Parents Association, with the help of the principal, Pat Coen and the very co-operative teachers. It has become a huge success. The scheme works as follows; all the kids in the school received a Cyril the Squirrel savings card which has twenty little numbered squares inside it. When they purchase a saving stamp, they then attach it to the saving card. When they have twenty stamps collected and their card is full and their Mammy or Daddy can then take them to Hughes Post Office. There they can hand in their full card and a Post Office account will be opened for them. They will then receive a Post office savings book and a new card to start saving again straight away. The Post Office savings book means that they can lodge money or take out money anytime they like, for example school tours, holidays or birthdays. The Parents Assoc set up every Friday in the school hall, which is now known as “Stamp Day” and each
class in turn comes out to buy the one euro stamps. There is a limit of two stamps per child per week to cut out any competition or pressure on parents who might have two or three kids in the saving scheme. It is a great success with over two hundred kids actively involved and buzzing every Friday to buy stamps to fill their books. This scheme is set up to get kids in the habit of saving, a healthy habit which will benefit them long into the future. The perk for parents is that kids are told they must earn their Euros doing jobs at home. (Make the most of it)It is one of several initiatives the Parents Association plan to roll out this year, all for the benefit of the kids. For parents to stay informed on upcoming events or initiatives and to share their own ideas please feel free to pop in to our monthly meetings or forward your contact details to [email protected]. We will send you out details of when the meetings are on, the minutes of every meeting and any other relevant notices.The more parents involved, the more we can achieve and why not have fun doing it!
I was born on the roadsideAt a place called Coiltemacracad,
The whole of Connaught knew meAs poor old Paddy Bacach.
I served my time in the Tinsmiths trade
Mending pots and pans,Which I can’t do anymore –
It’s the Arthritis in my hands.
I’m old and feeble nowAnd lonely on my own,
My family are all in England,And have a settled home.
They’ll never know the freedomOf an Irish country road,
Or live as their forefathers did,Who had no fixed abode.
Today we’ll go to LackaghAnd camp near Knockdoe,
Tomorrow it could be Athenry,Coshla, or Knockroe.
At Abbeyknockmoy we’ll stay
For a week to kill –Then go on to Turloughmore,
Going over Annagh Hill.
Oh fond memories I haveOf Ballinasloe Fair days,
When the travelling life was good,On them old byways.
I lost my dear wife Alice,Long long before her time,
And we buried her poor body,In the graveyard at Ballindine.
Never again on cold roadsides,Will sound my tinsmiths last,
While stood my faithful donkeyChomping on the grass.
Soon we’ll be united againIn that graveyard in Mayo,
No more in my donkey and cart –No more fairs in Ballinasloe.
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26 | www.nuachtchlair.com
What do you see, nurses, what do you see?What are you thinking when you’re looking at me?
A crabby old woman, not very wise,Uncertain of habit with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles her food and makes no replyWhen you say in a loud voice “I do wish you’d try!”
Who seems not to notice the things that you,And forever is losing a stocking or shoe...
Who, resisting or not, lets you do as you will,With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill...
Is that what you’re thinking? Is that what you see?Then open your eyes, nurse; you’re not looking at me.
I’ll tell who I am as I sit here so still.As I do at your bidding, as I eat at your will.
I’m a small child of ten..with a father and mother,Brothers and sisters, who love one another.
A young girl of sixteen, with wings on her feet,Dreaming that soon now a lover she’ll meet.
A bride soon at twenty - my heart gives a leap.Remembering the vows that I promised to keep.
At twenty-five now, I have young of my own,Who need me to guide and a secure happy home.
A woman of thirty, my young now grown fast,Bound to each other with ties that should last.
At forty, my young sons have grown and are gone,But my man’s beside me to see I don’t mourn.
At fifty once more, babies play round my knee.Again we know children, my loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead,I look at the future, I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing young of their own,And I think of the years and the love that I’ve known.
I’m now an old woman … and nature is cruel;‘Tis jest to make old age look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles, grace and vigour depart,There is now a stone where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells.And now and again my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys, I remember the pain,And I’m loving and living life over again.
I think of the years... all too few, gone too fast,And accept the stark fact that nothing can last,
So open your eyes, people, open and seeNot a crabby old woman; look closer...see ME
An Old Lady’s Poem
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Parish Church DetailsParish Office : Parish Secretary - Teresa Payne Office Hours - 10.00am to 1.00pm Monday to Friday Telephone: 091 798 741Web: assumptionandsaintjamesparish.comE-mail: [email protected]
Novena to St. Patrick continues each morning with special novena prayers until the Feast on Saturday, 17thMarch. St. Patrick ‘s Day (Lá Féile Naomh Pádraig)As it is a public holiday the First Mass of the Feast with the Blessing of the Shamrock will be celebrated on Friday evening 16th March at 7.30 p.m. Claregalway School Band will take part in the Mass. Masses on the Feast of St. Patrick on Saturday at 9.00 a.m. & 11.00 a.m. Saint Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. St Patrick is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Saint Patrick described himself as a "most humble-minded man, pouring forth a continuous paean of thanks to his Maker for having chosen him as the instrument whereby multitudes who had worshipped idols and unclean things had become the people of God."
Emigrant Collection St. Patrick's Day St. Patrick’s Day is a day when we traditionally think about what it means to be Irish and when we think of our Irish emigrants abroad. Proceeds from this collection help finance the work of the Irish Bishops’ Commission for Emigrants. Emigrant Support Services have had to be greatly expanded in recent years to meet the modern pattern of emigration. In addition to the traditional large Chaplaincy Network in Britain, there are now chaplaincy services in New York, Boston, Brussels, Paris, Rome, Munich, The Hague, Copenhagen and Lisbon. Your support will be greatly appreciated.
Trócaire Lenten Family Fast Boxeswill be available at the Church porch after all Masses this weekend. Lent is a time for living more simply so that others can simply live. It’s a time to look, perhaps, at how much we spend on non-essentials. Those who do not wish to use the Trócaire Box will be given an opportunity to contribute to a special Trócaire Lenten Collection on the second last Sunday of Lent.
The Lenten CrossJesus has invited us to come to Him with our crosses, our worries, our problems and our cares. If you are carrying a cross that you find hard to come to terms with, just kneel in prayer before the Cross and place one of the tacks into the wooden frame. In this way you will be joining your cross to Christ’s cross and you will be allowing Him to lessen the load for you by carrying it along with you.
More Volunteers are required to form a Baptismal Team to help prepare parents for the Sacrament of Baptism. A short training course will be available for volunteers. If interested contact the parish office with names.
Legion of Mary meeting every Monday in the Sacristy from 7.15 p.m. – 815 p.m. New members are always welcome. Senior Choir Monday night practice at 8.15 p.m. in the Church.
Folk Choir practice Wednesday night at 8.30 p.m. in the Church The Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament every Wednesday from 10.00 a.m. - 6.00 p.m. Rosary at 2.00 p.m. for families. Di-vine Mercy Chaplet at 3.00 p.m. Rosary at 5.00 p.m. for Priests. If you would like to commit one hour for Adoration, please contact Anne tel: 798 654/087 295 0896
Very Rev. Ian O'Neill. P.P.The Presbytery,Claregalway, Co. GalwayTelephone: 091 798 104Office Telephone: 091 798 741Office hours Mon-Fri: 10am–1pm
A Square Peg in a Round HoleEver get the feeling that something is just not right? Your thinking is restricted, not the right fit—does that sound familiar? You are not alone; thousands of people feel the same way.
We all are unique with different values, thinking, personality and work styles. As you are well aware, knowledge is power, and self awareness is a crucial element to overcoming the obstacles life puts in our paths. Becoming aware of your uniqueness can give you a deeper understanding of what is going on with you internally (personally) and externally (environmentally). This self knowledge can lead you to a position to make changes and alter your perspective on the challenges that you face.
Highlighting your strengths—Learn more about yourself, understanding where you fit in the framework that describes your personality differences in positive and constructive ways
—Appreciate important differences between people, and understand how different types can work together in a complementary way
—Value diversity—Improve working relationships—Develop your own leadership style—Improve communication—Improve problem solving—Help manage change—Mutual Usefulness of Opposite Types
“Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” —Confucius
Going back to the analogy of the square peg in a round hole, many people are unhappy in their role as they can be working against their natural preferences. By working in this manner one utilizes a lot of energy and this can cause stress and unhappiness. Working in a manner that is your natural preference and adapting to your role will bring fulfilment. By learning how people interact with you in a team, a team’s performance can
be increased and energy of the workplace can improve. I changed careers and was involved in many start-up companies during the boom period. I found myself deeply unhappy yet moderately successful in each job. I learnt that to be fulfilled by a job or business, you must be passionate about it. We spend an average total of 19 years and 8 months of our lifetime working. That’s a long time. So how do we make the most of it? Do we choose a career or business that will pay the bills or do we choose something that fulfils us? We all have a choice. You may choose to stay in your job because it is safe and you have responsibilities. A quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet goes “To thy own self be true”. We all have a natural preference to do something. Some people like to work on their own, others like to work in groups. Some people like making big plans, while other love small details. If you are going to spend nearly 20 years of your lifetime doing something, what will you spend it on? Are you going to drag yourself out of bed every morning or are you going to choose to be fulfilled? Will you be true to yourself?
Using the right tool for the right job.My father was an electrician, and he always used to say that every tool had its own purpose. Using the right tool ensures you can achieve your results faster, efficiently and more smoothly. I use psychometrics as a tool to highlight people’s strengths and development
www.nuachtchlair.com | 29
needs. When I use the terms ‘psychometrics’, people immediately say: “PSYCHO – what”? Some people are frightened by the stigma of the term ‘psycho’, yet all the term ‘psychometric testing’ means is to measure or assess knowledge, abilities, attitudes, personality traits, and education. I use many tools and below is a sample of some of them:
MBTI – (Myer Briggs Type Indicator)MBTI is a multiple-choice personality questionnaire that looks at how a person perceives the world and how they prefer to interact with others. The MBTI frame-work helps people improve their working and personal relationships in a positive and constructive way.
—Prefer to get and focus your energy / attention—What kind of information you prefer to gather and trust—What process you prefer when it comes to decisions—Your lifestyle approach
Other personality assessments can assess—Interpersonal Styles—Thinking Styles—Coping Styles—Team Roles—Leadership Styles—Subordinate Styles—Influencing Styles—Career Preferences—Potential Strengths—Potential Development Needs
As a registered member of the British Psychological Society, I deliver the testing and provide constructive feedback. I also use coaching as an additional support for people to create sustained change.Coaching provides the ideal platform to improve organisational performance and maximise individual potential. I create a safe envi-ronment to raise awareness and explore opportunities for growth and facilitate change. My coaching style is based on transactional analysis which is a client centred approach that is forward focused and solution orientated. Desired outcomes are mutually identified and agreed in advance, which then places the client in a position of em-powerment to take action. The actual coaching process is a conversation of moving the client to gain personal insight and be responsible to focus on goals set.
About William YellowWood was established by Galway man William Corless to improve the performance of their organisation and optimise individual potential. YellowWood provides clients with a 360˚ approach through coaching, training and business solutions. A key benefit of YellowWood’s coaching and training services is the long term value offered to organisations from more effective time management, improved decision making, clarity on strategic direction and improved dealings with staff and stakeholders.
William Corless brings to YellowWood over fifteen years’ experience in general management, technical sales, customer service and marketing. Corless was previously Operations Manager of SpunOut.ie (National Youth Organisation) and a key player in the growth and development of the organisation. Other positions included Operations Manager of Cahergowan Developments (Hotel, Retail and Property) and General Manager Goldfish Electronics (Import and distribution of custom electronic components from Far East)A lifelong learner, he has a broad education in a variety of disciplines: Electronic Engineering, Diploma in Business (Specializing in Supply Chain), Counselling, Coaching, Neuro Linguistic Programming, Training and Psychometrics (Leadership, Team and Career Development).
William is a mentor for the Executive MBA in NUI Galway, Coaching Development and Galway Enter-prise Board. William is currently the Director of Operations and Finance for the National Board of the International Coaching Federation (ICF). He is also a regular contributor to print and broadcast media and has addressed the National Forum on Resilience in Áras an Uachtaráin.
30 | www.nuachtchlair.com
Crossword Editor Brian Place
Send completed Crosswords to:
B.D. Place,Woodleigh,Creig Buí,Baile Chláir,Co. na Gaillimhe.
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Across 1 Midpoint (6) 5 Central (6) 10 Dais (7) 11 Enlist (7) 12 Test (4) 13 Alphabetical list (5) 15 Dutch cheese (4) 17 Organ (3) 19 Japanese car maker (6) 21 Forcefulness (6) 22 Astonishing (7) 23 Abscond (6) 25 Unravel the enigma (6) 28 Writing instrument (3) 30 Mammal of genus Capra (4) 31 Foot operated lever (5) 32 Type of fastener (4) 35 Joyfulness (7) 36 Small appliance (7) 37 Capital of Lebanon (6) 38 Lives (6)
Down 2 State of exalted delight (7) 3 Pneumatic car part (4) 4 Stoat's coat (6) 5 Kill (6) 6 Aquatic bird of Anatidae family (4) 7 Wash (7) 8 Passionate (6) 9 Stubby (6) 14 Temporarily blinded (7) 16 Walk noisily (5) 18 Rage (5) 20 Measure of current (3) 21 Finish (3) 23 Stabbing knife (6) 24 Travesty (7) 26 Ground oats (7) 27 Most senior (6) 28 Groundnut (6) 29 Constantly scolded (6) 33 Structure built over water (4) 34 Rim (4)
Across
1 Metal (At.No.76) (6)5 8th month (6)10 Spinner (7)11 Most noisy (7)12 Country (capital Ndjamena) (4)13 Lower parts of ears (5)15 Hordeolum (4)17 Upper part (3)19 Regretful (6)21 Musical instruments (6)22 Compounds of iodine (7)23 Turn upside down (6)25 US state, capital Carson City (6)28 One of the spots on dice (3)30 Lazy (4)31 Trades or business contracts (5)32 Present (4)35 Free time (7)36 Gymnasium athlete (7)37 Interstellar cloud (6)38 Of greatest age (6)
Down
2 Satisfy to the full (7) 3 A very small quantity (4) 4 Dark blue wine grape (6) 5 In the Land of Nod (6) 6 Adhesive (4) 7 Add sugar (7) 8 Owner of general store (6) 9 Capital of Greece (6) 14 S.American country (7) 16 24 sheets of paper (5) 18 More sagacious (5) 20 Large amount (3) 21 Writing device (3) 23 Tapering mass of ice (6) 24 Like a fox (7) 26 Beasts (7) 27 Shrewd (6) 28 Former Spanish currency (6) 29 Widespread disease (6) 33 Spiritual guide (4) 34 In the middle of (4)
First correct Crossword opened wins:
A Meal for 2 in the Claregalway Hotel
Crossword March 2012
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Apologies - due to a technical error, last month's crossword
was insoluble.
FOOD NOW SERVED IN OUR GASTRO PUB ENJOY A COSY WARM FIRE
