A Few Drops of Rain.

LISMORE CASTLE,

Co. Waterford.

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY:

Do you want to reduce your energy bills ? Do you need to update your house insulation ? Could you do with solar panels for hot water in Summer. Do you want to become more energy efficient in your home or business ? Do you want a free BER rating for your home? We are offering you an opportunity not to be missed.!!!

Granagh Development Association are getting involved in the Sustainable Energy Community programme (SEC) with the aim of helping the local community to become more energy efficient and to use renewable energy or smart energy, where feasible. The SEC will include all different energy users - homes, sports clubs, community centres, churches, schools, farms and businesses.

In partnership with the SEAI ( Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland) we aim to develop an Energy Master Plan for Granagh parish. They will provide funding to hire a consultant who will collect the local energy data i.e. energy spend, energy systems and fuel types in use. He will also do an energy audit of each building and produce a BER rating for same.

Unbelievably, all this is free of charge to you....... No charge for the energy audit, no charge for the BER Cert and no charge for the expert advice.

All you have to provide to the consultant is your total fuel bill for the year e.g. ESB, Oil, Diesel, Gas, Coal, Timber etc

To get involved, please forward your name to John Bennett (087-6878822) or E-mail - granaghcommunity@gmail.com or give your name to any committee member. Closing date 31st July.

PHONE CONNECT:

The Phone Connect project is a free community based telephone support service offered to older people in the West Limerick Area empowering them to remain independent in their own homes. The weekly service provides a listening ear to the elderly allowing them to share any worries or concerns and to be informed of any local events or services. West Limerick Resources are now seeking volunteers to make these phone-calls from a dedicated space with a mobile phone. All volunteers will be Garda Vetted and training will also be made available.

If you would be interested in volunteering or require more information, they would be delighted to hear from you by calling Damien at West Limerick Resources on 087 9042477 or Stefanie on 087 3663842.

MAUREEN O'HARA:

A vast collection of objects and clothing belonging to the late Maureen O’Hara was unveiled at Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum on Monday 9th July, twenty nine years after the Hollywood star officially opened the same building. The items, which include costumes and accessories, glamorous red carpet outfits, correspondences with movie stars and world leaders, international awards, including her Oscar, and many personal items including her passports and makeup case, are now available to view in the Foynes museum. This exhibition which cost €100,000, is designed to show a very small selection of the entire collection that was donated by Maureen's grandson, Conor Beau Fitzsimons. Maureen O’Hara was the museum’s patron until her death, after she was introduced to Foynes by her late husband, pilot and airline owner, Capt Charles Blair, who flew in and out of Foynes throughout his career, particularly during the flying boat days of WWII. The exhibit includes a display room for her memorabilia and a small cinema area with a six-minute rolling film on her life, music, film and fashion.

The proposed new wing will have a full-sized cinema screening area and more rooms to show off the full collection.

Many items are now on display, but hundreds of objects will remain in storage until the new wing is opened. It has been a tough year for the museum as they have fought to overcome damage caused by serious flooding this past winter. An investment of €580,000 to repair the damage means the museum is even better than ever.

The Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum had much to celebrate on Monday as July 9, was also the 79th anniversary of the first commercial passenger Pan Am flight from New York landing in Foynes.

And on that day in 1934, Foynes was the hottest spot in Ireland - at 32.2 degrees celsius.

Easy Ways to Save the Planet:

Insulate your home. Cavity wall insulation can cut heat loss through the wall by up to 60%.

Buy from companies with eco-friendly policies. Soak up the sun; solar panels can produce a surprising amount of energy.

Buy chocolates from proper chocolate stores, so they are not individually wrapped. Turn off TVs and stereos instead of switching them to standby. Lighten up: paint your walls a pale colour, so you need less artificial light. Only flush toilets if really needed; follow the Australian maxim: "If it's yellow that's mellow, if it's brown flush it down." Improve the ambience and dine by candlelight, saving electricity.