DÚN NA NGALL - POBAIL I D’teagmháil DONEGAL COMMUNITY IN TOUCH ISSUE 20 DECEMBER 2013 / NOLLAIG 2013 NEWS 2 WELCOME DONEGAL BUSINESS 7 EDUCATION AND LEARNING 10 FÁILTE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL 12 DONEGAL COMMUNITY LINKS 13 Easkey Britton MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR My Donegal & Christmas Céad Míle Fáilte I As Mayor of Donegal I have the wish and making space most welcome opportunity to refer for grace. to our ongoing work in promoting our County. We have one of the most attractive Counties in Ireland, from Donegal for me is where my roots are, where I feel Fanad Head to our Islands and all grounded and connected to the landscape, and even in between, and Tourists can benefit more so, the seascape. from with a wide variety of activities all over our County. The coast and bays and beaches Everything happening too fast and This year we again have offered many of Donegal were, and still are, my my chest tightening a little in panic. Festivals during the summer season, and have showcased our playground, where I feel most at So I remember to breathe in that very interesting Cultural and Heritage places of interest. Our home – in the wild Atlantic surf. fresh, salty air to clear my mind of County has received an award for one of the best Local Authorities It doesn’t matter whether you surf clutter. And I ask myself, “What in Ireland that expresses the true involvement of our Council with or not but the sea and our coast is beautiful space can I make for growth its people. Donegal’s greatest resource. A living, and grace? What can I let go of to breathing thing that literally shapes make space to create, for my deepest I had great pleasure in our involvement with The Gathering that our landscape and our weather shot desires to make manifest in my life?” organised many events attracting people from all over the World through with brilliant rainbows and to our County. We had a Social Inclusion week which also very bursts of sunshine in between the What is grace? For me, grace is being successful. It is now approaching the Christmas Best Wishes quickly moving weather fronts. It open to change, embracing, and Season to help brighten our Winter and our Visitors from abroad gives inspiration for art, a place to be letting go of what doesn’t serve us who usually make a Trip home for the Christmas Holiday Season. free in nature – where long walks on well. Grace is gratitude for being here If I may convey recognition to all our people throughout the the beach will blast away any doubts now, it is pausing in our daily rush World who have retained a Pride in their County and Country no or cobwebs, clearing the mind and to stop and marvel at the rainbow matter where they are. I appreciate the most welcome support opening the chest with lungfuls of falling into the sea across the bay, by all countries in our efforts to create a very successful Country salty sea air. It can and should be grace is turning our faces towards the willing to work in partnership with others to create a healthy and able to provide us sustainable, local sky and letting that gentle, low winter wellbeing place to live and bring up a Family offering a Quality in produce for our table. It can offer sun kiss our cheeks before dropping Education and Life. below the mountains. Be gentle to us nourishment for mind, body and I as Mayor of Donegal during my year, being aware of our diversity yourself, go outside and breathe in soul. A resource we should nurture, I realise we can’t continue to live in the past, we all have one deeply a great lungful of air, inhale respect and celebrate more. future, lets share in designing a future we can all be part and the goodness of what home means proud of, let us leave behind a legacy to our future generations After a long year of travel I find to you. And as you exhale, let go, that will bring about a willingness to promote our County and myself back home in Donegal. Always like weeding out the weeds that can Country where all people can coexist in harmony with each other. taken by surprise how quickly the tangle our thoughts. It is my intention to promote a shared future that all people can winter season moves in and all of Easkey Britton participate in and feel part of. a sudden Christmas is around the www.easkeybritton.com corner and a new year beckons. It I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the warmest Easkey Britton is an Irish surfer from welcome, if and, when you decide to visit Donegal. Happy is a good time for reflection. That Rossnowlagh, County Donegal. She comes from Christmas break gives most of us an Ireland’s first surfing family and grew up surfing Christmas and best wishes for 2014 opportunity to be still, a moment to with her sister Becky-Finn & her Dad Barry Ba mhaith liom an deis seo a ghlacadh lena chur in iúl daoibh go finally stop. For me, it’s been such a Britton. Barry & his brothers were some of the mbeidh fearadh na fáilte romhaibh uilig nuair a thiocfaidh sibh ar first pioneers of Irish surfing and it all began busy year – a crazy one of transition when Easkey’s Grandmother returned from cuairt go Dún na nGall, má shocraíonn sibh air sin a dhéanamh. and transformation, big change and California in the 60’s with two malibu boards Nollaig shona agus bliain úr mhaith daoibh in 2014. big ideas taking shape but almost for her hotel. Easkey’s achievements include five Continued Inside feeling overwhelmed by possibility. times Irish National Surfing Champion and she Cllr Ian McGarvey was the first woman to pioneer surfing in Iran. Photo credit: Louis Bernard An Meara Contae Dhun na nGall NEWS DONEGAL GATHERING slógadh dhún na ngall www.donegalgathering.com North West Garden Show Castlefinn- 150 exhibitors showcased their products at the Garden show which was attended by 20,000 Donegal Gathering has provided us all with a focal point around which we have successfully established links across the globe. As winter slowly creeps up on us and Christmas is just around the corner let’s take a moment to reflect on this, the year of The Gathering. What a year it has been! It truly has been remarkable to watch the germination of a proposal, gather pace from grassroots level, and burst forward into full bloom, driven primarily by people power. Donegal has not been found wanting in this endeavour as we proudly took our place among the trailblazers across all the counties of Ireland. By the end of the year almost 200 gathering events will have taken place across the county, making us one of the most active counties behind this fantastic tourist initiative. Rathmullan Regatta This has proved the sceptics wrong and shown the true resourcefulness and positivity that can be demonstrated by the ordinary people of Ireland, when the seeds of a good idea are placed in the care of the people. The Gathering has seen those of us who are at home reconnect with those of us who have moved away; be it first, second, or third generation, or beyond. It has been a cause for immense national pride in challenging times. We have acquitted ourselves admirably and we can all take comfort from the fact that the single driving force behind all the hard work was re-establishing our sense of connectedness and kinship that has stretched around the O’Donnell Clan Gathering brought O’Donnell’s and friends from globe and back again. nine different countries to Donegal to unite with their roots Donegal Community in Touch Page 2 NEWS DONEGAL GATHERING slógadh dhún na ngall The smiles, laughter, and tears of joy that have been shared Michael Heaney, Director of Service for Donegal County Council in every parish and community throughout this proud nation said “These figures confirm what we have been hearing from will never be measured in fiscal terms or visitor numbers. business owners on the ground in Donegal for some time. Nevertheless, while this initiative was not about figures but Overseas visitors, as well as Irish people are rediscovering rather about people, we must assure ourselves that it was all Donegal. The Gathering has given the tourism industry a much worthwhile. needed boost and have seen an increase of more than 15% in Donegal Bay and Bluestacks Festival, Magh Éne Collage Bundoran Feile Grainán Ailigh, Sun Rise, Summer Solstice stiltwalkers before the Carnival Parade in Ballyshannon Recent tourism figures from the Central Statistics Office report visitors from North America. I am confident that this positive visitors to Ireland so far this year to be up by 162,000. While this upward trend in tourism figures can continue and that jobs is great news for the nation, Donegal has been to the forefront will be created in local business across the county as a result”. in driving this increase in visitor numbers. Donegalgathering. It is the mission of Donegal Gathering to continue to raise com website has reached in excess of 150,000 hits from over the profile of Donegal as a ‘much see’ destination that will 115 different countries throughout the world. Also, a recent deservedly be one of the most desirable locations, for visitors, nationwide poll, conducted by online travel agent, ebookers.