Well, tomorrow is the first of November and it looks as if we now have to settle in for the winter, clocks have gone back, leaves falling off the trees and a few places are now thinking of closing. How ever to finally end the season we have had a cracker of a weekend with so many activities

Two Art exhibitions, one in the Starraic Gallery, the other Northern Star Gallery, and a Fancy Dress party in the Shamrock,

A Race night for the DevelopmentCouncil in Ryan’s and as we speak, disco and games in the Hall for the young troops with Michael O’Malley as the disc jockey, the craic was mighty.

This weekend was without doubt the busiest that I have ever visited with a lot more visitors this year.

Pony Show:
The pony show committee met for the last time for this year just a few days ago, to discuss on going work in collecting sponsorship etc. It’s official now that there will have 17 classes, including the junior championship and the over all championship, it is also hoped to have a Generation Exhibition class and the classification of this class is a mere, daughter and granddaughter, each entrant will receive a little appearance money, and each exhibitor will be asked for a short biography for the commentary purposes also included during the day is dog show, agricultural stands, and then a parade of all the winners at the end of the day through the village, hopefully with a queen of the show. Things seem to be coming together steadily. All we need now is the shillings, and confirmation of the date from the Irish shows Association which we hope will be the 9 th July

An Appeal:
For the year 2006 I have 4 to 6 wedding receptions on my own grounds with Marquees, what I am looking for is contacts i.e. addresses and telephone numbers in Connemara for caterers who could cater for max 200 people minimum 80. The wedding receptions at my place are always out of season. So on the off chance that some one might respond to this appeal, I would be grateful if they could make themselves known to me.

Gym:
Your weight is over. Johnny’s gym in Roundstone will be opening in early January 2006 with full circuit training including Treadmills, Bikes, Rowing Machine, Cross Robics Trainers, Stepper, Leg Extension, Leg Curl, Chest Press, Shoulder Press, Bench Press, Weights. There will also be two showers one male and one female plus changing rooms on site. As far as the membership goes it will be either 12 monthly, 6 monthly 3 monthly or per session. The gym will be smack bang in the middle of the village in Michael Ferrons former store

Grant:
What with the upgrade of the lower community hall, the Galway County Council have also grant aided funds to the tune of €1,500 to repair all the fencing around the Tennis courts and on top of that over the last few years the ESB sponsored the basket ball hoops, but now 7UP sponsors the basket ball, hence we now have new backings on the hoops of the 7up logo. So between the gym and the tennis courts 2006 could be the year of good health and exercise for all age groups.

Christmas Fair:
This year the Roundstone Christmas Fair will be a bit later in December, so the dates will be the 17 th and the 18 th December in the lower refurbished Community Hall. If anybody out there wants a table just get in touch with me 095 35834, all proceeds as usual will go to the youth club.

Broadband
Is back on track again, there was a group local meeting with two representatives from Radiowave on the 18 th October, Radiowave is the internet service provider. Without going into too much technical detail at this stage, it is hoped that by the end of the year, parts of Roundstone will have wireless broadband we are a lot closer than five months ago. Radiowave are not too worried at this stage to have 30 subscribers before it become possible for the connection, rightly they say if two three people Within the community that got connected others will follow. Time will tell, but we will keep working on Broadband.

It’s funny how each week that I do the news there seems to be always a theme, well, this week is no exception, its all to-do with the word “Congratulations and well done”.

To start off with:

Rosie McGurran:
Our Congratulations to Rosie McGurran who has recently been awarded an Artists residency, in new South Wales, Australia to the Bundanon Centre, which provides a bursary, accommodation and studio space, Rosie hopes to participate some time in the year of 2006, mean while she has another residency on the Greek island of Skopelos working on a theme of “Living Islands”, so busy time for Rosie, with various projects to see this year out, anyway well done Rosie

Ailbhe Creane:
We would like to welcome home Ailbhe Creane because four months ago Ailbhe went out to Woelita, which is the poorest part Ethiopia to teach English to the children and various other types of social work.

She has an amazing story to tell. Of course I am unable to relate all her adventures in ten minutes, but it would be good not into the far distant future for me with the help of the community radio to interview Ailphe on her very extraordinary and humbling experience’s, because trust me there is a very serious stories to tell, some stories humorous like being held up with her group at gun point by some vagabonds looking for camera’s, being scared out of her mind, hands on her head and told to get to the floor, she had the presence of mind to take out the film before handing over the camera, tried to give it but just carried on screaming, infact after all that they ran away without her camera perhaps it was the screaming, funny now but potently dangerous at the time and of course I am sure there were some sad stories. So well done Ailbhe, and welcome home.

RDC & Marina Meeting
Last Wednesday the committee members of the Marina and RDC met to discuss the progress of the Marina to date, I am not going into everything that was discussed just suffice to say, that there will be a newsletter published with in the next few weeks which will outline the progress of the Marina as well as other local news.

In fact RDC is meeting as we speak on other issues that will also be in that Newsletter.

Olivia de Courcey & Brian Thornton:
Our congratulations to Olivia de Courcey and Brian Thornton who were married in Roundstone on Saturday, fun points of interest here, Olivia had all her pre marriage parties in Roundstone its almost as if she had never left, they both live in Southampton by the way, the village had a nice buzz about it, very quickly I heard a rather nice story, the missionary priest Richard Griffin, I think was his name he married them, but as a young man he came to Roundstone to be employed or voluntary I am not quite sure what as a life saver, but his role was quickly changed as he found out that no one could swim anyway, so he became the local swimming instructor, during the summer he befriended the late Ethiner de Courcey, and has remained a friend up to the present de Courceys today, you know to have a friendship like that and to come back to Roundstone as a missionary Priest to marry Olivia and Brian, I am sure it made their marriage and for parents Sean and Emelda just that little more special. There is a nice message there.

And I would like also to take this opportunity to congratulate Marie Feeney and Ultan Joyce, I know that they are not Roundstone but both have been involved in one way or another in my life re the youth Club they were also married on Saturday, so I / we wish the four of you a very happy marriage and long and fun life together.

John-Paul Ferron:
Has just become engaged, oh !! The first of the Ferron Lads so our congratulations to you John Paul.

Roundstone Pony Show:
A small up date on the forth coming pony show and another request, in theory the date will be the Sunday 9th July, this will only depend on the listings from the Irish shows association. It was agreed by the committee to have a few sheep pens under the eye of Paddy and Damien Connolly and to have Pious Delapp who will look after the veg classes, no better man for this event. Now, as for the request we are still looking for past memorabilia of past shows, in particular old programs for 1923, 31 and 33, or any thing that you can get your hands on, suffice to say already a few old cups have come in, so keep looking guys, if you find something let me know, and our thanks to those that have come up with some memorabilia of the past shows

Sara McDonagh:
Its always sad when one of our own senior members from Roundstone passes on, and I am talking about Sara McDonagh who died last night, particulay for me, in some ways I went to her 90 birthday on the 16th May of this year and met a good majority of her immediate family and masses of gran children of which she responded very well to them, so we meet again under very different circumstances but happy in the thought of our last meeting, my thoughts and prayers as I am sure I speak for the rest of the community, goes out to all the McDonagh Family, and May Sara rest in peace. Sara will be leaving for the church at 7pm Tuesday, and funeral Mass Wednesday 12pm, and laid to rest in Gurteen. Rest in Peace Sara

Irish Classes:
Registration for Irish Classes with Bridie Davis on Thursday 6th lower Community Hall 8pm, for the past two years there has not been enough applicants, so hopefully there will be a few more this year.

And talking about events there is another one coming up on Saturday the 8th October at the Glynsk House, this is a Traditional dance workshop with Mick Mulkerrins from 11am to 1pm then from 2pm to 5pm and then afterwards a Caeli with Marcus Hernon, and Johnny Connolly all well known to Roundstone, there is a entrance fee of €15, it may not be a bad idea to contact Christina Lowry should more information is needed 35865.