July/August 2003

The official opening of the Nine Arches, which was organised by the Claregalway Amenity Group, took place on Sunday, June 15 in glorious sunshine. This was the culmination of over 5 years of effort involved in the restoration of the Nine Arches. The Amenity Group felt that it was appropriate to have this opening for a number of reasons: (1) to thank all those who were involved and contributed, (2) to give recognition to the effort, (3) to raise the awareness of the importance of our heritage and (4) finally to raise the awareness of the Claregalway Amenity Group activities.

The official opening was performed on the bridge by Éamon Ó Cuív, T.D., Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs who unveiled the commemorative plaque. Speakers were: Josette Farrell (chairperson), Gerry McManus (architect), Marie Mannion (heritage officer with Galway Co Co.), Colm Wallace (County Council engineer), Jarlath McDonagh, (county councillor), Noel Grealish TD and Mary Hoade (county councillor). Rev Fr. Noel Mullin performed the blessing. Seamus O'Connell acted as master of ceremonies for the occasion. All speakers paid tribute to all those who helped with the restoration and promised support for the future plans of the Amenity Group. There was a large attendance from the parish to witness the opening. The combination of fine weather, attractive flowerpots, bunting that was arranged all around and background accordion music all helped to create a marvellous and friendly atmosphere.

Historical note: Most people know by now that the nine-arched bridge was erected in stone in the early 1700's. Shortly afterwards in 1765, John Borkin a local landlord from Lackagh, changed the course of the Clare river to a deeper channel in order to improve the drainage and to make it navigable up to Tuam. There are two old stone plaques embedded in the walls of the present day bridge, which commemorate this work, by John Borkin.

Restoration effort: The Claregalway Amenity Group initiated the restoration of the Nine Arches in 1997 and was finished in 2002. This involved:
- Removing the spoil from in front of the bridge
- Re-facing with cut stone on the road side of the bridge, using the traditional lime mortar
- Erecting protecting pillars
- Erecting night spot lights
- Performing other landscaping work

A large number of people and organisations gave tremendous support and assistance in this effort. FÁS workers on Council FÁS scheme provided the labour. Professional advice was voluntary and the management of the project was undertaken by the County Council. Funds were received from the County Council and from local sponsors.

Neck Care
Its not just around your eyes that the first signs of ageing show - your neck is just as much at risk.

Cleanse - when you cleanse your face of daily grime and make-up, don't forget to cleanse your neck, which can also have some make-up on.
Exfoliate - and use a mask at least once a week to stimulate circulation and get rid of dead cells.
Moisturise - the skin on your neck has only a few fat cells so it has difficulty retaining moisture. Use a rich nourishing cream to keep the skin smooth and prevent it drying out. There are special neck creams available, but a good all-purpose neck cream moisturiser works just as well.

With holiday time upon us, a look at a travel kit of first aid essentials and basic remedies which may prove useful. Holidays are a time to have fun and relax but unfortunately illnesses never take a break. The sudden change in routine and unfamiliar surroundings means your body is more prone to gastrointestinal disorders.

To minimise risk of infection or discomfort, be aware of the following when on foreign travel, spicy foods, excess alcohol, shellfish, unwashed salads, unpeeled fruits or vegetables, ice cubes made from tap water and tap water.

Products you might find useful in a travel kit include a diarrhoea remedy such as Arret or Imodium plus, travel sickness e.g. Stugeron or Sea legs, an indigestion remedy e.g. Pepcid AC or Gaviscon, rehydration therapy e.g. Dioralyte important for young children, insect repellent, an antihistamine cream, e.g. Eurax cream, painkillers such as Calpol or Nurofen etc.

Protection against the sun, especially when abroad, tanning products, sun block high protection for children and babies, lip salves, after sun creams or lotions, cold sore treatment e.g. Zovirax cream.

Other items considered essentials might include the camera, film, sunglasses, and batteries. Happy holidays.
-John Duffy, MPSI, Claregalway Pharmacy.

SPECIAL NEWS
There were plenty of Wedding Bells in the air over the last few weeks. Congratulations and Best Wishes for many years of health and happiness to following couples who recently celebrated their marriage:
6th June 2003 - Deidre McMenamin, Letterkenny (Claregalway Pharmacy) and Brian Melia, Loughrea.
14th June 2003 - Bridie Grealish and Brian McNeill, Cregboy.
20th June 2003 - Muriel Flaherty, Loughgeorge and Aidan Dooley, Liscanninan.
4th July 2003 - Caroline Grealish, Carnmore and David O’Connell, Carnmore.
12th July 2003 - Yvonne Mulvanerty and Mike Casey, Cashla.
5th July 2003 - Vincent Nolan, Cahergowan and Sally Price, England.

Congrats to the following:
John and Una Duggan, Riveroaks, on the birth of their baby boy Sean, a brother for Sinead.
Michael and Helen Fahy, Lydican, on the birth of their baby boy Matthew.

Birthday Greetings to the following who all celebrated 21st birthdays over the last few weeks:
John Horgan, Cregboy; Brian Casserly, Cregboy; Catherine Lennon, Cloonbeggan; Clement John Whiriskey, Rockwood.
No doubt those were memorable celebrations.

Congratulations to Gary Grealish who won the Corinthians R.F.C. U-10 Player of the Year for the 2002/2003 Season.
Well Done Gary and his team-mates on a very good season.

Recent Deaths
Johnny Killilea, Caherlea
Willie Killilea, Manchester & Caherlea
Peggy Nolan, Kinvara

GARDENER'S WORLD with Paraic Horkan
GREENHOUSE GARDENING
A garden Greenhouse or Polytunnel provides you with a jump-start on the season; it allows you to garden all year round in relative comfort and the ability to grow a wide selection of both ornamental and useful plants.

Gardening in the west of Ireland can be difficult at any time of year but you can get a head start on the season by raising a wide range of flower and vegetable plants under cover in an aluminium or polythene greenhouse.
July is an ideal time to raise any plant from seed and cuttings under the glass protection.
Plants like lupins, foxgloves, winter pansies, polyanthus, border sweet William and violas can all be raised now from seed sown indoors in a greenhouse or Polytunnel.
Beautiful multicoloured wallflowers sown now will provide you with rich vibrant colour for late winter and early spring.
Many of your existing garden plants can also be propagated by stem cuttings placed into rooting powder and then into a mix of half compost and half perlite.
Cover with a light polythene bag and place into a shaded corner of your greenhouse, rooting takes place very quickly at this time of year and you can look forward to strong well rooted cuttings in a matter of weeks.

Later in early Autumn use your greenhouse and polytunnel to pot up some winter and spring flowering bulbs, our entire winter and spring collection of flowering bulbs will be available this year in September.
Simply pot up clusters of bulbs - tulips, narcissus, daffodils, snowdrops, and crocus in regular compost, water well and place in a cooler part of the greehouse until early spring. As the new growth appears shortly after Christmas you can plant the potted bulbs directly into empty pockets in your garden or containers.

A greenhouse will extend the gardening season in spring and autumn and can be used throughout the summer for tomatoes, cucumber, strawberries, peppers, and salad crops and ideal for raising young plants from seed and bulbs in spring and shrubs and houseplants from cutting in autumn.

Hanging baskets & window boxes
In Late spring and early summer use your greenhouse or Polytunnel to nurture your summer flowering hanging baskets and window boxes. After planting place your containers into a summer warm part of the greenhouse. This not only protects the plants but encourages some excellent strong growth and early flower colour.
This gives your plants an important head start and ensures strong well developed plants which can be then placed out of doors to reward you with strong instant summer colour.

Fruit and vegetables in the greenhouse
Maximise the use of your greenhouse by planting fast maturing salad crops including spring onions, radish, parsley, salad and iceberg lettuce, baby carrots and young parsnips.
Consider planting tomatoes, cucumber, peppers and chillies to add to your salad selection.
Greenhouse crops are easy to grow and give an excellent return over a long period.
During autumn and winter consider planting winter onion sets, winter and spring cabbage , Herbs, winter lettuce and Garlic.

You can also grow a wide selection of fruiting plants in both a greenhouse or polytunnel including beautiful strawberries, grapes, peaches and nectarines, limes and oranges.

A garden green house is a wonderful addition to any garden and gives you the flexibility and enjoyment to garden all year round in perfect working conditions.

Carrot & Cabbage root fly spray
Protect your young developing carrot and cabbage plants with a root fly treatment. In july apply a dressing of the spray to the developing root structure.
All developing carrot and cabbage root fly larvae will be killed leaving the young plants to grow on un interrupted.
Root fly spray is now available and is easy to apply.

Kill caterpillars now on Vegetables
Early summer is the ideal time to kill caterpillars on vegetables and fruit - keep an eye out for caterpillars on gooseberries, nasturiums, shrubs and trees.
Where caterpillars are present apply caterpillar spray now and again in mid summer.
Potato Blight Spray
Weather conditions at present are ideal for the spread of potato blight. Readers are advised to treat their potato drills with a treatment of traditional copper based fungicide. Tomato's are also effected by Blight so once again protect with traditional copper based fungicide.

Gardening tips for July
1. July is the ideal time to plant a selection of summer flowering roses, choose the free flowering Flower carpet roses or try some patio roses for excellent colour in containers or flower borders.
2. Plant your hanging baskets and window boxes with trailing petunias, trailing geraniums, white bacopa, red verbenas ,trailing fuchsias and mixed lobelia.
3. Treat your lawn to a dressing of EASYGREEN 3 in 1 lawn feed. This will kill weeds and moss and green your lawn without forcing growth, creating a rich green lawn in one week.
4. Plant fresh herbs into window boxes or herb planters now to have tasty basil, parsley, chives and thyme all summer.
5. Plant up spare containers with 6 strawberry plants to give you tasty fresh strawberries all summer. Look for the excellent variety called F1 Karen and plant her NOW.
6. Plant some summer colour throughout the garden in shrub & rose borders with mixed verbenas, petunias, crystal palace lobelia and dwarf dahlias.
7. Sow some spring flowering border plants now from seed. July is the ideal time to raise your own garden plants. Summer flowering perennials like lupins, foxgloves and delphiniums can be raised from seed now to flower next season
8. July is also a great time to sow a new lawn or repair damaged sections in your existing lawn. Use orchard mix lawn seed to create a rich green lawn that is easy to maintain.
9. Kill weeds on patio & tarmac with a treatment of CLEANUP.
10. Kill moss on tarmac and slates with a dressing of Armillatox.
11. Keep your carrots and cabbage free from root pests including carrot fly and cabbage root fly by dressing your plants now with ROOT FLY KILLER simply water it in through a watering can.
12. Tired of cutting hedges, treat you hedges with cut less this will stop the need for trimming this summer.
13. Feed all garden shrubs and hedging plants with supergrow plant food. Apply now and again in August.

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

If you have ever ridden a bicycle or driven a car (that should cover most of you!), you have probably noticed that you tend to go where you are looking. This also applies to other areas of your life. If you are focused on all the things that can go wrong when you try something new, there's a good chance at least some of them will happen. However, if you can focus on the possible positive outcomes the chances are some of them will also happen!
This is where the process of goal-setting can come in. It helps us focus our attention on where we do want to go, not where we don't!

It's much easier to get motivated to do and achieve things if we actually decide where we want to look, what you want to achieve. However, it is even more important to choose a goal that really absorbs your interest and makes you feel good - irrespective of what the rest of the world thinks. If your secret dream is to be an artist and instead you find yourself working in a job making loads of money but with no opportunity to express your artistic side, goal-setting is pointless. Goal-setting really becomes powerful when it's linked to achieving something that you yearn for, a deep long-lasting dream, a passion, something that makes a difference in the world. That doesn't have to be saving the rain-forest (although it could be!). It could be learning how to be really good at your job and serving people that way. We all know what a pleasure it is to deal with people who are highly skilled at their job and who really care about the people they are serving, no matter what walk of life they are in.
Goal-setting helps you get from your current situation to your dream by looking at the steps you need to take today, this week, in order to get you there. If we take our example of the aspiring artist, she doesn't have to immediately give up her job and go to live in a cottage in Clare! What about beginning by booking an art class this week, buying paints and paper this week? The first step is to admit and write down what our secret dreams are. You can do this by yourself or with a friend or with a coach. The second thing is to write out the next small steps you need to take to achieve that goal. The third and most important thing, is to actually take those actions.
Good luck with your goals!

40th ANNIVERSARY OF FR. MULLIN
The people of the parish of Claregalway recently held a celebration to mark the 40th anniversary of local parish priest Fr Noel Mullin’s ordination to the priesthood. A huge crowd attended the Mass of Thanksgiving held in the church on Monday 23rd June. The organising committee deserve great credit for the mass, where the readings, prayers of the faithful and gifts were all chosen so carefully as to make the occasion meaningful and moving. The Junior and Senior choirs both contributed beautifully to this lovely parish occasion. Children from Claregalway and Carnmore schools had made cards for Fr. Noel and these were part of the decoration of the church, adding greatly to the atmosphere. A reception was held afterwards in the SMA house, where refreshments were provided, and a presentation made to Fr Noel on behalf of the parishioners. He was warmly and deservedly thanked for his work in the parish, and for his lifelong conmittment to the priesthood. It was a wonderfully relaxed, informal community occasion which was only possible due to the hard work of the committee, and of all those who contributed to the evening, either by helping at the Mass, with the catering, or by contributing to the presentation.

The Galway Association, on a day to day basis, looks after 400 children and adults, and all of these adults and children have a learning disability.

The Galway Association is trying to create an awareness of learning disability and if there are any groups of parents, societies, community councils or other groups in your are/parish who would be interested in a talk and video presentation on learning disability, I can be contacted at 091-514933, Monday-Wednesday.

EDITORIAL
It is just so unreal how quickly time is passing by. Galway is buzzing with activity right now with the Arts Festival and Galway Races taking place. One would have to have a serious interest in Ireland to holiday here going by our weather - it’s so bad. Worst rain in 37 years was reported recently (no wonder our fields are so green). It’s such a pity really because Ireland is so picturesque and with the right weather, we would be tops for a holiday destination. Regardless, we plod on optimistically and make the most of things.

Hope you enjoy this month’s issue of Nuacht Clair packed with the usual local information. Your views and comments are always welcome. Claregalway is about to enter an extremely exciting time development wise and sometimes we miss happenings here and there, so we are depending on you, the people of Claregalway, to keep us informed. Email address and contact numbers are included on page 11.

Names for new hotel in Claregalway came in the sackful! “Ceol na hAbhainn”,
“ Gloir na hAbhann”, “ Sos Cois Abhann”, “Castel View Hotel”, “Abbeyview Hotel”, “Castleview Hotel”, “Monastery View”, “Corrib View”, “Summer Oaks”. GK Construction, in conjuction with other developers have developed Claregalway into what it is today. Their foresight has been of worth to the community. By shopping locally, living locally, we can become part of the community and give acccording to our means and interest. That’s what makes a community - becoming involved and interested. We all have a say in how our village/town develops. Act now!

Until next time, Josette.

60th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
It was such a privilege to meet Bridie and Michael Cummins, Rockwood recently, who celebrated 60 years of wedded bliss. To me, they typified teenagers, so youthful and in tandem with each other.
They met in Belfast 61 years ago and within 8 months they married!

Mick was a bus driver and worked next door to Bridie ! He borrowed a bus (double decker) to date Bridie and kept going until the petrol ran out!

They married in St. Peter’s in Belfast on Sunday 1st August 1943 and honeymooned in Dublin. The highlight of their honeymoon was seeing Nelson’s Pillar lit up and Belfast in darkness!

Recipe for a happy marriage - hard work, 7 days a week for 20 years and the odd tipple!

Bridie and Michael are the parents of Marie (Oxford, England) and Geraldine( Claregalway) and grandparents of 5 grand children and great grand parents of 3 grand children.

Both Bridie and Mick (affectionately known) are fond gardeners. Their garden is a gardener’s paradise. Mick built a glasshouse from old house windows and insulated it thus further with his expertise. Grapes were hanging by the drapeful in his glasshouse and tomatoes aplenty.

On a walkabout in their garden (me being a garden lover) I was shown the apple and pear trees, strawberries and rasberries.

To be married 60 years is a wonderful achievement and a source of great pride. No doubt they had the odd argument but they survived to tell the tale!

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE PRIESTHOOD
June 1978 was a very special date in Claregalway Parish, because the community of Claregalway celebrated the ordination of three young parishiners to the priesthood. Father Desmond Forde is currently carrying out his priestly duties in the County Clare Parish of Ballyvaughan. Father Martin Glynn is on the far side of the Atlantic Ocean, helping our American friends "keep the Faith", and Father Martin O'Connell is at present, working with the Kiltegan Fathers in their mission fields in South Africa.

As these three "Fathers" celebrate their Silver Jubilee, we would like to take this opportunity to congratulate them on twenty five years of service to communities at home and abroad, and to wish them all the very best in their future endeavours.

CLAREGALWAY CUB SCOUTS CAMP IN ROUNDWOOD, CO. WICKLOW
On June Bank Holiday weekend 11 Cub Scouts and 4 leaders spent the weekend in Lough Dann, Roundwood, Co. Wicklow at a National Cuboree event.
This event takes place every three years and this year there were over 400 Cubs from all over Ireland.
The event was very well organised and all the Cubs had a very enjoyable weekend. It was a great experience for the children who were aged between 8-11 years.
The leaders would like to thank the County Galway VEC for grant aid which went towards the purchase of camping equipment.
They would also like to thank John and Mary Coyle, Cregboy, Claregalway for providing the food for the barbecue and fries in the mornings.
It was very much appreciated and very much enjoyed by all in Lough Dann.

Those who participated in the camp were:
Cubs
Darren Martyn, Ciaran Harte, Stpehen Lenehan, Andrea Coyle, Sean Moran, Keith Doyle, John Evans, Sinead Harte, Aoife Doyle, Sinead Harte, Aoife Grealy, Tadgh Kennedy, Adrienne Burke.

LOCAL OARSMEN TAKE TWO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES
Two local oarsmen, Eoin Glynn and Niall Farrell were part of the Bish Junior 18 Eight that won the National Rowing Championships for their event in Inniscarra on the 18th and 19th of July.

Last year, Eoin was part of the Bish crew that narrowly lost this race. This year, they won this pinnacle event by over 4 lengths. The Bish 2nd Eight also came 3rd in this event, proving that the Bish is the dominant force in Irish Junior Men’s rowing.

As well as that, both Eoin and Niall made history for the Bish when they won 1st and 2nd place for the Bish in Junior 18 Fours. Eoin was on the Bish Four that came 1st, while Niall’s crew came 2nd, after a nail-biting race to the finish against a crew from Coleraine, Co. Derry.

Eoin also performed well in Junior 18 pairs, coming 2nd by just over a length against the reigning champions, Neptune, who will be racing at the Junior World Championships during the Summer.
Eoin also represented Ireland at the Homes Internationals on the 26th of July. He will also race at the Coupe de la Jeunesse in Belgium during the Summer.

Best of luck to them both for their rowing future!
See www.bish.ie/rowing for more information the Bish Rowing Club

Official Opening of the Nine Arches	40th Anniversary of Fr. Mullin
Skin Care and Aromatherapy Clinic	The Galway Association
Holiday Healthcare Checklist	Editorial
Special News	60th Wedding Anniversary
Gardener's World	Claregalway Cub Scouts Camp
Goal Setting	Local Oarsmen take Two National Championship Titles