In and about Kinvara 1994 Price £2 I Groceries ► Fine Wines Fruit & Veg Sweets & Chocs KINVARA Finest Quality ■ Beef Video Hire 091 37483 -Lamb- Pork-Bacon Whipped Ice Cream Delicatessen OPENING HOURS Coal ■ Gas ■ Briquettes Frozen Foods 9.00 A.M. - 9.30 P.M. Animal Feeds Fresh Bread & Cakes 7 DAYS FALLONS PAR KINVARA - ALL YOU NEED - ALL YEAR ROUND Pa rtn e rs RESTAURANT Jobn Jfuban BUILDING CONTRACTOR Morning Coffee, Seafood, Steaks, Teas etc DURAS, KINVARA Phone No.: (091) 37211 Sundag Lunch a Specialifg Soiwtlitty to ea./t aWAp&e &: Toste^ Registered /dr all types of building The Square, Kin vara, Co. Galway (091) 37503 Editorial Things are happening in Kinvara. Flea na gCuach has arrived. The under 21 team have set a great example for others to follow. The ladies hockey team brought home the O'Heocha cup once again. The entrance to St. Josephs church has been illuminated. The congregational church choir from Connecticut has come and gone, but its renowned director, Paul Halley, intends bringing his highly acclaimed childrens choir, Chorus Angelicus, here. Cruinniu na inBad is on its way. An all out effort is being made in the Tidy Towns competition this year. The Credit Union is expanding rapidly. The Bridge Club and Swimming Club continue to grow. The Kinvara National School extension is being built. Community Alert has been established. And Tracht has arrived! We apologise for the long delay in getting this edition to you. We hope you consider it has been worth waiting for. Articles, ideas, constructive criticism and, above all, offer of help to publish the next edition will be most welcome. We are a community where new ideas are born and tried. The Community Council wishes to encourage everyone to be open to new ways of looking at life. We grow through taking some risks. Your Community Council is, perhaps, the best forum for bringing together all the different strands of thought and opinion that are in the locality. Why not let your ideas be heard? We need to promote more substanstial all-year-round employment. Tourism offers some potential in that regard, but there are other areas, also, where jobs might be created. Our community motto should be repeated by us all a few times a day - Ar aghaidh le cheile! CONTENTS Published by Kinvara Community Development Blueprint.............................. 3 Council Kinvara to Brittany................................... 4 Wearing the Pioneer Pin.......................... 5 Editorial Board: Seamount College Tour ’93.................... 7 Stan MacEoin All Ireland Comes to Kinvara.................... •. 8 Marian Connolly Social Services............................................. 11 Kinvara Credit Union............................ 13 Paddy geraghty The Funny Side ...... 15 Jeff O’Connell The Mystery of Miss Jane Le Fou. 16 Kathleen Kenny Kinvara Swimming Club....................... 17 The Exhibition............................................... 19 Cover: Tidy Towns......... 20 Courtesy of Nutan, Kinvara Muintir na Tire....................................... 21 Cruinniu na mBad .... 23 Designed and Printed by: Winning Songs.................................................. 27 I Supply, Sea Road, Galway. Sporting Success.......................................... 29 Tel. 091 - 6S770 Mexican Experience................................ 30 Helping Us to Grow .... 31 Folklore....... 32 Farewell Tiffy......................................... 33 Exploring Kinvara’s Caves. 35 Spring Farewell... ... 39 In Old Kinvara ... ... 40 Recycling.... 41 Jimmy O’Connor.................................... 42 King versus Punt.............................. 45 Poetry....... 47 Kinvara Pharmacy SEADNA TOIBIN. B.S.c. PHARM. M.P.S.I. /or PRESCRIPTIONS •COSMETICS* CAMERAS* FILM stockists of Weleda • Tisserand • Max Factor OPEN MON - SAT 9.30 - 6 (Half Day Wednesday) We Don’t Close for Lunch For a pleasant drink, Michael Staunton call to FARM PRODUCE EVERY FRIDAY DVNGVAIRE INN The Square, Kinvara PROPRIETORS: John & Tina Conole The Traveller# Inn FAHY’S OF NOGRA KINVARA PANEL BEATING & SPRAYING guest houses and other amenities in the area and throughout the country. Industry There are many skilled craftspersons in the area, but they lack the capital to provide suitable work premises and display space for their produce. Approximately ten work DEVELOPMENT units and one display/shop area should be provided at an initial low’ rent. A small telecottage should be estab­ lished. It could be for training in computer uses and for wider educational uses (e.g. self directed or distance learning). It should be a community resource which might be availed of for telew’orking for a period while a worker gathers the capital to buy her/his own equipment. The following is the submission which obtain bank drafts, sterling bank drafts or Kinvara Community Council Ltd made an immediate statement of balance in ac­ Farming and Fishing to the Western Bishops’ Initiative on count, and the service is for less than two Every effort should be made to Developing the West Together. hours per week. Since the publication of encourage farmers and fisherpersons to de­ the above banking services have been to­ velop the resources at their disposal. There Introduction tally withdrawn from Kinvara. should be a resident advisor for a period of Kinvara Community Council Ltd. has for Public transport to Galway should be two to five years to provide information many years been to the forefront in criti­ improved. There should be an early morn­ and training in alternative farming and hor­ cally analyzing the strengths and weak­ ing service (about 8.00 a.m.) as well as a ticulture so that families can remain on nesses within the community, the return bus in the early afternoon. their holdings. advantages and disadvantages in Kinvara’s A number of studies have been done location and the provision and neglect of Tourism on the potential of Kinvara Bay and neigh­ infrastructures necessary for development. Tourism has great potential in Kinvara bouring shorelines. They show that there It has promoted the provison of sporting, because of its unique location. It is the could be intensive shell fish fanning, but cultural and recreational amenities; it has gateway to the Burren; it is at the head of there has not been the commitment to de­ helped strengthen the economic base in the a beautiful sheltered inlet on Galway Bay; velop this resource. This should be recti­ area through the establishment of a Credit it has a blue flag beach. fied immediately. Union and the promotion of tourism and A sustained effort must be made to small business (e.g. crafts) initiatives; it attract a large prestige hotel with con­ De veto pent Worker has made numerous representations to ference facilities to the locality (sewage The Community Council has endeav­ local authority and state bodies for the im­ problem must first be solved) so that an all oured to fill some of the needs outlined provement of amenities and infrastruc­ year round tourist industry can be pro­ above. But because of its voluntary nature, tures, etc. It endeavours to have moted with consequent well paid employ­ there is a limit to what it can achieve. We representatives from all sections and areas ment. recommend very strongly that a Com­ in the community. A maritime museum/interpretative munity Development Worker be appointed centre should be built or located in a rec­ for the area. Her/his function would be to Infrastructures onstructed building. Aspects of the Burren initiate projects which would generate em­ ployment; advise persons on grants, train­ For tourism to grow and to attract envi­ should also be on display and explained to ing and expertise available to them; and ronment-friendly industry it is essential visitors. promote all aspects of community devel­ that a number of infrastructures be im­ Efforts to promote all year tourism em­ opment, including contact with other com­ proved or updated. ployment could be promoted through spe­ munities within Ireland and abroad. The road on the Galway side of the cial interest activity weeks/weekends, e.g. Her/his contract should be for a minimum village must be widened and the many The Burren in May, Archeological Sem­ of five years, and there should be a com­ bends removed. inars, Literary Events (Yeats, Francis A. mitment to renewing it on condition of Lighting throughout the village area must Fahy, Raftery, etc.), Music and Drama satisfactory progress having been made. be brought up to an acceptable standard. Events, etc. A sewage treatment plant must be in­ There must be greater access to places stalled. At present raw sewage goes into of historical and archeological interest. Conclusion Kinvara Bay. No one now swims in the The appropriate authorities should initiate We have much to ensure a very good harbour, though it was once a popular discussions with land and house owners to quality of life in this area. We lack the swimming area. The annual open air this end and, where necessary, proper paths support and investment to encourage Swimming Gala has been discontinued, as to the sites should be laid down. young people to remain, settle and work in has a once popular middle distance swim. The potential of developing Kinvara as the locality. With imagination, drive and The cultivation of shellfish could also be a port of call for yachts has not been tapped. determination, this can be changed. The put at risk through continued delay in pro­ We need to provide water and electricity motto of our community is "Ar Aghaidh le viding a sewage treatment plant. on the pier for visiting boats. Cheile". It is a slogan which could be use­ Banking services must be improved. At A Tourism Information Office should fully adopted by the wider community of present business people in the area cannot be established with computerised linkup to the west of Ireland. 3 Kinvara to Brittany Tuesday 7th July 01.30 hrs., 2 miles west us off from the back of "Gladys of Peel" as Northerly 3 - 4. We were happy to have an of Mizen Head, heading southeast for far as Blackhead.