1 rf RATHKEALE r COMMUNITY COUNCIL II I I j I Silver Jubilee 1998 I I Incorporatittg "Dee/ Views" I c' • ~eale Community Centre Price: £3 -----••••"'-•••~- __ -- a - e=• •• ~-- axaa•~ ... - ..... ------ - Foreword This booklet has been published to commemorate the Silver jubilee of the foundation ofRathkeale Community Council in 1973. The setting up of the council was a most signifu:ant event in the history of the town and parish and it has contributed in an enomwus way to the developrnent ofthe area in the twenty five years Phone 3 14668 TELEX 70155 LIME El that have elapsed since. ~ wish to congratulate the members who This Book is lssu.W subjoet to tho Rules and Regulations, gave oftheir time and energy, down through the intervwing years in a copy of which may be had on nppllcatlon~Tc Book / helping to implement the many projects succesifu/ly completed and the must ba returned not later than the last dat tamped improvements that have taken place. Without the Community •i below. 47 9 4 Council, Rathkeale would certainly be lacking in most of the • ,Class ~o. C1 k\·9 l:j.f3'0£)5. Ace. No . ................... ................ amenities that exist to-day. Date of Aetum Date of Return Date of Return Date ol Retum I wish to thank tl1e editorial committee who were involved in the production of the book and the numerous contributors who UMER CK CITY LIBRt y co-operated so generously with their time at1d iifforts. REF! RE::\."CE DEl tr. Editorial Commillee: Jack. O'Dwyer, Maurice Corvhey, Michael Hanley, I~]. Madigan, Patrick Coleman. Limerick City Library Il l 2 LIMERICK CITY LIBRARY Chairman's Note: Ra thkeal e:i-R::::..:.EF~~RE~:\.'CE~D~EPT:_.-~ It gives me great pleasure as chainnan <if Rathkeale Community Cotmci/to express wannest cottgratulations and 25th Atmive/'!Qry greetings to Rathkeale Conmumity Cou11cil. Community Council For 25 years, Rathkeale Comnnmity Council has been at the heart <if the commrmity; providing leadership and amenities for the people <if Rathkeale. 011 behalf<if the people ofRathkeale I wcmld like to thank the fowtders <if tlte ~· & Community Council for their foresight i11 starti11g and 11urlt1ri11g this wonderful Commrmity Council. The very first meeL.ing of the Community Council took place on !11 the 25 years we l1ave seen tire Commurrity Centre, Sports Complex, Dohyle Friday, 4th May 1973. This was the culmination of an intensive Lake, Credit Union, Brass Band, St. Patrick's Day parade, Sheltered Houses preparation during which the old Muintir na Tire Guild, which had a11d our 1st commercial venture, converting the old creamery into the Rathkeale been in existence since 1965, was 1ransformcd into a formaUy elected Workspace, and many other projects. I would like to thank Fas and J#st body for the first time. A m o~t detailed election process was intro­ Limerick Resourcesfor their help and support. TI1011ks also to Limerick County duced to the community whereby the parish was divided in to thirteen Council for their ltelp. J# look fonvard to their help and co-operation in the areas and each area was to nominate and elect a number of councillors, future. But most <if all; thanks to the Community Cormcil members who have depending on it's population. The election was organised and took given their time and etrergy for tlte good <if Rathkeale. place over a period of weeks with baUot boxes available in five or six locations throughout the town. Assistance was received from officials For the future I would like to see more support from the people of Rathkeale; of the National Council of Muintir na Tire and the counti ng of votes after all it's your town and the Community Council needs your ltelp. Here's to was supervised by members of the Cappagh Guild of the same body. the future and 1/Uiny more years looking after the i11terest <if Rathkeale. The lead up to the actual voting was extremely exciting and many can­ didates carried out their own canvas along the lines of Drul or Co. Council elections. Over one hundred stood for election for thirty-four ~urs situerely, seats. Those elected to the first Community Council were as follows: Noel Whiu, Chainnan. Town: M. Foster, J. J. O'Kelly*, Miss E. Neville. S. McDonnell, A O'Dea, Mrs. B. Dunleavy*, J. Griff'm, W. Nestor, M. Geary*, P. Donovan, Mrs. N. Hennessy*, M. Hennessy* , W. Quinn*, D. Gammell , Mrs. J. Lynch. M. Hanley, Rev. B. Snow and Miss C. O'Rorke*. Rural: J. O'Dwyer, E. Scully (BaUywiJliam, Wilton), C. Crowley, 4 5 E. Roche (Ballymacave, Blossom Hill, Beechmount), T. Geancy, Originally meetings were held on the flfSt Friday of every month at the Mrs. R. Teskey (Courtmatrix, Ardbohill, Killeheen, Reens), Carnegie Library. ln recent years this was changed to the flfSt Mon­ J. Nash*, M. Daly*, Mrs. L. Noonan (Kilcool, Cloghanarold, days. Jack O'Dwyer was succeeded as Chairman by the late Patrick Riddlestown, Kyltaun, Cloghatrida), P. Keating, J. McEnery, Johnson in 1976 while he in turn was followed by Joe Dunleavy in Mrs. S. Lenihan*(Rathnasare, Dromard, Amogan, BaUyeawood, 1991, Peter Donovan in 1994 and the present Chairman, Noel White in Moanwing), J. O'Connell*, J. Power (Duxtown, Ballyea, Kilcolman), 1997. Elections continue to be held every three years on a parish wide Mrs. E. Chawke*, D. Dillon (Ballyallinan, Loughill, basis in order to ensure as far as possible that the Council is fuJI y rep­ Ballywinterrourke). *deceased resentative of the community. This has been very significant in deal­ ings with the Local Authority and state bodies over the years. At that inaugural meeting Mr. Pat Cahillane, who was the chainnan of the outgoing Muintir Guild, took the chair and the officers elected were The Council has been affiliated to Muintir na Tire since its inception, as follows: and much assistance was forthcoming from this national body, particu­ President: Rev. Canon Costelloe; Vice-President: Rev. Mr. Snow; larly in the early years. John Griffin and Stephen McDonnell were the Chairman: Jack O'Dwyer; Vice-Chairman: Miss C. O'Rorke; first delegates appointed to the County Federation ofMuintir while the Hon. Secretary: Miss E. NeviJle; Asst. Secretary: John Griffin; Chairman attended the National Conference in Killarney later in 1973. Treasurer: Con Crowley; Asst. Treasurer: John O'Connell. The first major undertaking of the Community Council was the devel­ The agenda for the following meeting of the Council was agreed opment of a Community Centre and fund-raising and preparation of as follows: 1. Pedestrian crossing. 2. Public toilets. 3. Community plans were put in hand early. Detailed drawings were produced before Centre. 4. Venue for meetings. 5. Play areas in housing estates. the end of 1973 and the minutes record that£ I ,200 was contributed to 6. Tidy Towns. 7. School buses. the building fund from the proceeds of the festival held that year. The initial estimate of cost produced by the architect was £50,000 - big At subsequent meetings a number of sub-committees were set up. money even by 1974 standards. A site was made available by the Lim­ Tidy Towns under the chairmanship of Miss O'Rorke; erick County Council and everything seemed set to go. However, con­ Finance: Peter Donovan; Social: Rev. B. Snow; currently with this project, discussions were ongoing with the Local Credit Union: Maurice Foster; Swimming Pool: Andy O'Dea; Authority with regard to the old Courthouse. At one stage proposals Community Games: Jack O'Dwyer; Rules: Michael Geary. that it be demolished provoked strong resistance from the members of the Community Council and suggestions arose that it might be suitable It is interesting to note that only Jack O'Dwyer and Peter Donovan for a Community Centre. Faced with this option, it was decided to remain as members of the present Community Council, and sad to re­ proceed along these lines and plans for a green field centre were late that twelve of the original thirty-four members have passed to their dropped. Reconstruction work on the courthouse commenced in 1977 eternal reward. Two others have left the locality - Con Crowley is and the hall was made available in 1980. This became a huge task, for living in retirement in Dungarvan while Rev. Brian Snow works in while the structure was in good condition, the entire inside had to be Dublin. gutted. The building and fitting out of the stage became a project of much complexity and the successful outcome is evidenced by the high 6 7 regard for the facilities, held by those in show business. It is consid­ An interesting involvement of the Council in 1980 was in a venture ered to have one of the finest stages outside of the city. A new entrance into Community Radio in conjunction with R.T.E. This was in the pre was opened at ground level and is now a prominent feature of the build­ local radio period when plans were being formulated and, of course, ing. At this level also were the original old cells for prisoners awaiting the national station was keenly interested in being part of the decen­ trial, later used by the administrative staff of the County Council. This tralisation of broadcasting. For one week in September of that year a area underwent considerable change in the reconstruction and now mobile studio in The Square was the centre of attraction in the locality consists of meeting rooms, kitchen for Meals on Wheels, Senior Citi­ when programmes on many diverse topics were broadcast, written, zens Centre and the headquarters for the Civil Defence organisation. presented and produced by local people.