Galway Advertiser 2002/2002_10_10/GA_10102002_E1_028.pdf 

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Innovative swimming Mayor to club celebrates its strut his 21st birthday funky stuff
THE MAYOR of Galway, Cllr Val Hanley, will grace the catwalk in all his sartorial elegance at the Galway City Council Fashion Show on Friday October 18. Galway's leading local politicians will strut their stuff in the Radisson Hotel on the night in aid of Enable Ireland. Along with Mayor Hanley, the city manager John Tiemey, Deputy Mayor Terry O'Flaherty, city council staff and members of the victorious Galway U21 football champions will be modelling. Tickets are 15 and there will be a complimentary drink on arrival. Tickets can be got from the city council on 091 - 536829 or by emailing Brendan 6 hEaghra at brendan.oheaghra@galwayc ity.ie -- KA

Labour leadership hustings come to Galway
BY MARY O'CONNOR
A LOCAL d a b , which teaches people with disabilities swimming therapy, celebrates its 21st birthday this month. The Octopus Swimming Club, the brainchild of Renmore woman, Mary Arrigan Langan, practises the Halliwick method. This world famous system, which was devised in England in 1952, uses a 10point programme to enable people to become "water lite". "We have taught up to 150 people with disabilities since the club was set up in October 1981," she says. "We have about 30 swimmers each week aged from five years to 8 0 " The club does not use buoyancy aids relying instead on one-to-one volunteers to support the swimmers. "This support can be reduced as they develop breath and balance control and relax in the water. We put a lot of emphasis on the dignity and ability of the swimmer. We have some people who won't ever swim but can move in the water. They feel a great sense of freedom." They come from all over Galway city and county as well as Roscommon and Mayo. Their disabilities range from cerebral palsy, amputations, multiple sclerosis, blindness and spina bifida to bead injuries. The children learn to swim at tbe Pope John Paul Centre in Ballybane while the adults use the Brothers of Charity facilities at Kilcoman. Arrigan Langan - who works as a nurse at Merlin Park Hospital and is one of two people in Ireland who teach the Halliwick method - says she and the club are indebted to both these organisations for their generosity and support. People who join the club not only learn to swim, they also enjoy the social aspect of the organisation. "We do not claim to be remedial," she says. "The benefits to our members vary from an active routine in a water environment and social interaction with others to providing a respite to families one evening a week." When the swimmers become more confident in the water, they are encouraged to integrate with clubs providing other water sports such as sailing, canoeing and scuba diving. "All of our swimmers have medical clearance to take part in our programme. Everything takes place in a club setting. There is a strong social element, we all have coffee afterwards." One of the c l u b ' s members12-year-old Cliona Horan from Renmore who has cerebral palsy - won two gold medals for swimming in the international games in America recently. More volunteers are needed for this innovative swimming club. "We are looking for men and women, who are over 16. They d o n ' t have to be brilliant swimmers, they just need to be happy to be in shallow water as a support to someone. If there are people interested who don't like getting their feet wet, they can help in the changing rooms." The club will celebrate its 21st birthday at the Menlo Park Hotel on Friday next October 18 and is inviting all former members and volunteers, as well as current personnel, to attend. "We need to know the numbers soon," says Arrigan Langan. "So, we are urging people to get in touch with us." For further details contact Mary Arrigan Langan at (091)756520. BY KERN AN ANDREWS GALWAY LABOUR supporters will have a chance to meet and question the four contenders for the party leadership at a hustings in the Atlanta Hotel, Dominick Street, on Friday October 11 at 8pm. Deputies Eamon Gilmore, Brendan Howlin, Roisin Shortall, and Pat Rabbitte are coming to Galway to try to win the support of the party in Galway. Labour members will elect a new leader by postal ballot over the coming weeks. Tbe hustings will also be attended by candidates for deputy leader, including Liz McManus, Willie Penrose, Joe Costello, and Joan Burton. The eight TDs will make an opening address and then take questions from the members of the party. All fully-paid-up members of two years or more, and those successful in appeals, will receive ballot papers this week. Approximately 4,000 members nationwide are entitled to vote and the closing date for receipt o f ballot papers is October 25. "This is an unprecedented democratic experiment for the party and there is a great sense of empowerment among the members in this election," Galway West TD Michael D Higgins said. "These hustings have^ generated a great deal o f excitement among members and the general public, which is a great thing for the party."

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