FREE April 2011 KENMARE087 2513126 • 087 2330398NEWSVol 8, Issue 2 Dromquinna Busy month ahead at Manor Sold The Carnegie ...See Congratulations Pobalscoil ...See page 29 page 3 ...See page 32 SeanadóirSenator Marcus Mark O’Dalaigh Daly SherryAUCTIONEERS FitzGerald & VALUERS T: 064-6641213 Daly Templenoe, Kenmare Kenmare Hospital work to start on • Elevated 4 Bed Home - 2,200 sq ft foundations at • On c.1.0 acres - beautiful countryside end of April Mob: 086 803 2612 and sea views • 6 miles to Kenmare Clinics held in the Town Atlantic Bar and Asking Price: Michael €350,000 all surrounding Healy-Rae parishes on a Sean Daly & Co. Ltd. T.D. regular basis. Insurance Brokers EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT IN KILGARVAN: Before you Renew your Insurance (Household, Motor or Commercial) HEALY-RAE’S MACE - 9PM – 10PM HEALY-RAE’S BAR - 10PM – 11PM Talk to us FIRST - 064-6641213 We Give Excellent Quotations. Tel: 064 66 32467 • Fax : 064 6685904 Mobile: 087 2461678 • E-mail: [email protected] TAXI KENMARE Cllr. Patrick Denis & Mags Griffin Connor-Scarteen 087 614 7222 Kenmare NationalM: 087schools 2904325 update see page 16 Kenmare Furniture Bedding & Suites 064 6641404 OPENINGKenmare Business HOURS: Park, Killarney MON.-SAT.: Road, Kenmare. 10am-6pm Email: [email protected] Web: www.kenmarefurniture.com Page 2 Phone 087 2513126 • 087 2330398 Kenmare News The May edition of The Kenmare News will be published on Friday May 20th and closing date for submissions is Friday May 13th. THE KENMARE NEWS, 4 DAVITT PLACE,KENMARE PHONE 087 2330398 / 087 2513126 FAX 021 4385030 [email protected] need than the rest of the disabled users, some of whom find pushing a wheelchair up the hill quiet difficult. Situating a parking spot by Letters to the Editor.... the Health Centre, as stated above, should solve this problem. Dear Editor, My second observation is that at present, postal vans take up OBSERVATIONS FOR ALL TO SEE AND considerable kerb side space overnight and mornings. Previously PERHAPS COMMENT OR DEBATE UPON they parked on the original wide pavement beyond the Health Here in Kenmare, from Sound Rd, Bell Heights entering Henry Centre. A private developer has erected a fence/hoarding out to the Street at Shelbourne Street junction, we have three adjoining public narrow kerb side, claiming his territorial property rights. The facilities, namely: - The Health Centre for those that require hoarding went up the moment his planning permission did not come District Nurses, and/or South Doc, combined therein with the through. However, the original building line equates with the Children’s Dental Hygiene Clinic and next door is our town’s Post Health Centre, from my personnel knowledge (over 30 years). So Office/Public computer centre. I know you will say, “We all know what constitutes the building line? If in favour of the original this”. Well fellow citizens did you consider that it is illegal to park building line, then pushing these hoardings back would enable the in front of them? Then why not says I? These are public facilities! postal vans etc. liberal parking space extending southward for Now, please note the Health Centre building is set deeply back from several tens of metres as it was originally, thus easing traffic flow. the kerb and dividing the sidewalk in two are five pyramid type However, is it confrontation with private owners, KCC wants to bollards in line with each other and the Post Office. Note also that avoid? Hence becoming more efficient and sympathetic to the the kerb here is higher than anywhere else along the entire length of public’s needs in this modern motorised world. I think one could Henry Street. If one can envisage these centrally placed bollards extend the width of roads legally by use of direct removed and the high herb as well, behold! Parking space for three compensatory/compulsory purchase order if necessary, to where cars, two spaces for short term visits to the Health Centre and the precedence for public need supersedes private greed. third for disabled Card Holders. This latter I believe is mandatory Oh Heck, I forgot Shelbourne Street and those protruding frontage for all public facilities including the Court House, Library, Health gardens! Again, I believe it is in the interest for the motorist to Centre, Hospital and Post Office. Evenings and Weekends are have them removed and create a pavement clearance for reserved for South Doc and an ambulance when required. This pedestrians, parking and passing traffic, but then ..........??? parking would assist and not hinder traffic at this intersection when Traffic has increased over the years changing from horse and cart to entering Kenmare from the south or east (and maybe, just maybe, tractors, cars and lorries. The majority of towns in Ireland are not the need to illegally park on double yellow lines and the pavement geared in terms of road width for this motorised age. The longer might stop). nothing is done, the greater the cost in future. Is a bypass the only I will go one or two steps further: - The first is the removal of the solution as Tidy Towns curb traffic? disabled parking spot outside Finnegan’s, across the street from the Think about it! Post Office; this spot is now placed outside the new betting shop. The Oracle I’m told the person responsible for this change does his betting The Oracle there, and the town fathers sanctioned it. It seems he has a greater R.W. Julian, ‘The House’, Cappanacush, Killarney, Co. Kerry. Maureen Finnegan and Minister Jimmy Deenihan at the launch of the Photography Kenmare Mobile: 0868533830 Exhibition in the Carnagie Arts [email protected] foto Centre. Weddings, pic Mary O'Neill Press, Portraits, Private functions, A revolution in the wedding album; The wedding [book] up o 70 pages, full page, images and two-page panoramas. CALL TO VIEW SAMPLE Kenmare News [email protected] Page 3 Air of optimism descends on Kenmare as Dromquinna Manor sold An air of optimism descended on 36’000 Motor Homes last year and the Time will tell if the presenter of the popular Brennan’s plan is to provide the finest RTE programme At Your Service can do it Kenmare last week as news that facilities to attract these to the area. Judging himself. Those who know them have little local hotelier, TV presenter and from the location and list of facilities they doubt about its success. Templenoe resident John Brennan plan to provide it seems to tick all the boxes. and his wife Gwen bought Dromquinna Manor, the 38 acre estate on Kenmare Bay. The Manor had been on the market for some time with a long list of celebrity chefs, American philanthropists and Dubai based Arabs rumoured to be the new owners. Closed for the last eight years the grounds and outhouses have fallen into a derelict state and hope that it would again contribute to the local economy dwindled. The once renowned wedding venue and country hotel seemed to be a distant memory. Many locals will have fond memories of sunny Sundays at the Boathouse with jazz lunches and long afternoons, often to the early hours of Monday morning. The main house dates from 1895 and was designed by JF Fuller, the same architect as designed the Park Hotel Kenmare, which is appropriate given its new owners. Reroofed in 2007 the main house is described by John Brennan as, ‘in much better condition than you would expect.’ Speaking to the Kenmare News John said, “Gwen and I are absolutely delighted. Dromquinna is a very special place and we hope to breath new life into it. Given the state of the hotel industry at the moment and the comprehensive range of accommodation that Kenmare offers a traditional hotel is simply not viable. The South West could do with an American style camping resort along the lines of the Poconos or Yosemite and the Dromquinna estate is perfect. This would bring new business to the area while local businesses like Dromquinna Stables for horse riding, Seafari for cruises and twice daily water taxi to Kenmare together with regular water transfer to Star Outdoor for water sport activities play an important part in our plan. In addition on site we will provide a Wine Bar and Bistro, BBQ Area, Sports Field, Play area while using the main house for conferences and banqueting. We will immediately commence restoration of the gardens and houses on the estate and all things going well we plan to open fully in April 2012.” The development will create 4 jobs immediately and ultimately something in the region of 40 John added. According to Failte Ireland, Caravan and Camping was the only sector of the tourism industry to grow last year. It is estimated that Ireland catered for Page 4 Phone 087 2513126 • 087 2330398 Kenmare News KENMARE BOARDING KENNELS • Six large indoor kennels. Heated. • Long daily walks on 40 acres of farm and woodland. • Secure outdoor exercise and play area. • Located in Killaha (Castletownbere road). Just 2 km from Kenmare town. • Viewings welcome. Contact 087 - 9196660 Nora Finnegan explaining the Community Games Quiz Team history of Kenmare has all the right answers! Lace in the Heritage The Kenmare Community Games quiz team beat 23 Centre earlier this month to Minister other teams on Friday 1st April to progress to the All- Deenihan before he Ireland finals in Athlone The results were all very close launched the but the Kenmare team won the title with 91/100, 2 points Kenmare website. ahead of the 2nd place team. pic Harry Masterson The children of Sneem national school dressed up for St Patrick's Day this year.