Youth Arts Festival Continued The Festival is organised by the OYAF Committee of Clann Resource Centre, and supported by the Arts Council and Galway County Arts Office. All workshops cost just €4 (€2 concession). Pre-booking is required. Booking forms are available at the Clann Resource Centre in Oughterard, by ringing 091 557633, or at www.oyaf.clannresourcecentre.com. For more information, contact Clann Resource Centre at 091 557633.
nemara Gateway Hotel on Sunday February 1st. Photo Before the game got underway (l-r) Joe Healy, Michael Conneely, Padraic McCormack T.D., Seamus Acton, Martin Joe Cooke and PJ Burke. Oughterard Photos by Tom Broderick.
Farewell to Reverend Towers
Milestone Birthday Patrick Coyne, originally from Curr, Maam and now living in Ballinrobe celebrated his 98th birthday at the Connemara Gateway Hotel on Tuesday January 20th with family and friends. He and his sister Eileen Clancy were born and brought up in Curr and Eileen (90) now lives in Glengowla, Oughterard. Photo: Eileen Clancy and her brother Patrick Coyne with his children (back l-r) Pat
Coyne, Kathleen Heskin, Maureen Onyrscuk and Martin Coyne, Patrick’s grandson (kneeling) also called Patrick Coyne with his son Adam Coyne (great grandson aged 4).
ORFC Valentine’s Ball A Black Tie Valentine’s Ball will take place at the Ross Lake Hotel on February 14th in aid of Oughterard Rugby Football Club. The dress code is formal; tickets are €60 and can be obtained by calling Paul on 086 648 9427.
Oughterard Playground The Playground Committee is pleased to announce that Galway CoCo has granted planning permission for the development of the proposed playground at Corribdale Grounds. There will be a general meeting on Wednesday 18th February 2009 in the Oughterard Community Centre at 8 pm. New committee members will be invited to join, and from this committee new officers will be elected. Details of the playground will be presented on the night. Please do not forget our fundraising collection boxes which are on display in many retail outlets locally. All donations kindly accepted. Thank you on behalf of the committee. oughterardplayground@eircom.net. Patrick Faherty, Chairperson
25 for Croi A large crowd participated in a 25 card drive Fundraiser in aid of Croi at the Con-
On Sunday 1st February, Kilcummin Church of Ireland Parish in Oughterard said its very reluctant farewell to its Rector, the Very Rev. Patrick Towers on his retirement. Kilcummin is a country parish, in contrast to Patrick’s lively city parish of St Nicholas in Galway. The attendance at the service spoke volumes about Patrick’s ability to relate to and appeal to people from such a wide range of different ages, life-styles, cultures and attitudes. A spokesperson from Kilcummin said “We wish him everything good in his retirement, sad as we are to lose him.” Photo: Very Rev. Patrick Towers with Anthony Previte who played some airs on the occassion.
Renvyle
New Eagle’s Nest Building A new facility at Eagle’s Nest was officially opened by Minister Eamon O Cuiv. See full story on page 18.
Trad for Africa The annual Traditional Music Session in aid of Famine Relief in Africa was held in Ros’s Bar (formerly Diamond’s Bar) Tully, Renvyle, Co. Galway on December 28th. Some of the musicians who always supported our fundraisers are gone now – Johnny Mark Coyne RIP, and more recently, Charlie O’Malley RIP. Somehow it was very fitting that their two granddaughters Emma O’Sullivan and Sorcha O’Malley took to the floor and delighted all with their Sean Nós Dancing. Brendan and Phroinsias Hernan left down fiddle and accordion and also took to the floor. Nearly €600 was raised which will have already gone to John O’Shea in GOAL as you read this. We thank all the musicians, organisers and participants for their continued support and all who came on the day. It was wonderful to hear the enjoyment in the voices of so many who thanked us for organising the event - audience and musicians alike. We’ll do it again-‘till then. Patricia Keane
Connemara View Newspaper
Roundstone
Roundstone’s Twin Town It’s the 5th Anniversary since Roundstone twinned with Noyelles Sous Lens, France, and I am glad to say that at last the fabrication of twinning pole mounted signs will be erected on both ends of the village. In the first week of June there will be about 30 people from Noyelles coming to stay in Roundstone for a week, to celebrate the 5th anniversary, accompanied by the new Mayor Alain Roger. Then from the 2nd April to the 12th April ten young people from the Roundstone Youth Club are invited to interact with the French young for a week. In the beginning of September a delegation from Roundstone will be going to Noyelles for a weekend of celebrations with the French youth and a tree planting ceremony to mark the five years with Roundstone as a twinned village, so early June should be a good start to the tourist season.
Tidy Towns The adjudicators will be starting in June for the Tidy Town Competition, so there is no time like the present to get our act together! Meetings are taking place on a regular basis, and in fact through the FAS scheme work is very much ongoing, with general tidy ups, and the creation of walled gardens in prominent parts of the village. This sort of tidy up and creation must not just be left to the few, it’s up to all of us as a community to be creative, so if anybody in Roundstone has ideas of what they think should be done to give us a few more brownie points for the year 2009, either do it, or you could suggest ideas to me or Michael Ferron, Paddy the yank, or Donal Nee. I am sure we give our thanks to the representatives of the Galway County Council for Connemara that we are lucky in Roundstone to have such a Scheme as this.
much wider circulation. I have posted on the website the new Roundstone Arts week poster for the year 2009, in the hope I can raise enough money for the Arts week. We are also creating a calendar of Roundstone Community photographs; these will be photos that were taken over the last ten years. So now you know where the money is going, and the importance of getting in the 2009 subscriptions in. If we are going to survive visitor wise we have to make every effort that we are very much alive in this very unique village.
Condolences Sadly after a long illness, Michael Mullen of Dohulla passed away at home recently. After the funeral mass in Ballyconneely he was laid to rest in Gurteen. Our condolences go to his family, from all in the village and on a personal note to his brothers John, Pat, Tom and Michael’s wife Dot. May he rest in peace. Richard de Stacpoole
Slipway & Hall Opneings The Official opening of the Inishnee Slipway and Lower Community Hall took place in Roundstone on Sunday December 14th. Photos: Official opening of Lower Community Hall, Roundstone. (L-r) Michael Reynolds, Aoife McDonagh, Minister Eamon O Cuiv, Martin Conneely, Coilin Gavin of Galway CoCo and Nicholas Griffin. Pictured at the opening of the Inishnee Slipway in December were (l-r) Michael Reynolds, Senator Chris Dodd and Minister Eamon O Cuiv. Photos courtesy of Bridie Davis
25 weekly at the Shamrock It’s been a few years now since we have had a 25 card drive in the village. There will be a game in the Shamrock Bar every Wednesday right through to the end of February commencing at 8pm.
Roundstone Brochure The new brochure for Roundstone is now finished. It contains a lot more information than the one that we did two years ago; also the completed brochure will have a page of its own on the website, which will give it a
Febr uar y 2009
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