CAPE CLEAR REPORT

This year's Island Dinner Dance held in the West Cork Hotel proved to be another great success. In 2007 the event supported the Lifeboat and this year's top table included Kieron Cotter, first coxswain Baltimore Life Boat accompanied by his wife Bridget. Kieron like many of the crew has given many years devoted service to the saving of lives at sea. The main speaker was Ann Sweeney, Fundraising Coordinator  for the RNLI who gave an inspiring talk on the work of the RNLI over many years and the great courage and dedication of its volunteers who unfailingly put to sea in conditions when all other seafarers head for port. The great pride in and local support for the service is evidenced by the trojan local fundraising effort and is to be well rewarded by the stationing of a second inshore lifeboat in Baltimore, well deserved and eagerly awaited.

Oileán Chléire is blessed with a hardworking Active Retirement Group which has over many years brought about a growing range of services on the island and has ambitions to develop a fully fledged day care centre. The €8,376 which was raised by this year's event is to be divided between those two deserving causes.

Deserving also of a resounding 'bualadh bos' is the very hardworking Seán Ó  Ceadagáin who spared no effort  to ensure that this year's event was as successful and as enjoyable as ever before. There were some great innovations in schemes to award spot prizes and the auction for a painting donated by Seán O'Driscoll, Furniture & Carpets added great interest and excitement to the evening.  Seán was flabbergasted by the great deluge of spot prizes and contributions received and wishes to offer a heartfelt 'go raibh mile maith agaibh' to all who supported him so generously. Séan hopes to take a well deserved break next year and hopes that the same good will and generosity will be show to Dan Reilly of Sherkin Island who has agreed to coordinate next year's event. Seán feels that this dinner is a unique event, the one day in the year when all Islanders can come together to let their hair down and meet their friends and neighbours. This is especially true for those islanders who may have had to leave the islands for one reason or another but who have never forgotten their island roots and its always a great pleasure to see them again at events such as  Siamsa na nOileán.

A second rafflewas held on St Ciaráns Day the 5th March in Club Cléire following a prayer service at the Grotto and the annual blessing of the Islands' fleet.  This raised approximately €1,200 towards the above sum.

Séamus Ó Drisceoil