Some of you may have noticed that the Roundstone site got a new look.

Over the past couple of days we have cleaned up the new design and layout a lot, re-arranged and re-organized content, and have fixed up some problems.

Being as the Roundstone website is quite large in size, it will take some time to make the changes take affect over all pages and content. We hope that you can bear with us while the work is being carried out.

We have also added some new features, and will continue to add them over time. Below are some of the items that have been worked on over the last month.

• New site launched for the news section: http://news.roundstone.ie/.
• Cleaned up the new design of Roundstone.ie.
• Added advanced website and traffic analysis software to all modified pages which will monitor usage, track visitors and present detailed statistics of how the website is used.
• Carried out search engine optimisation (SEO) which help with search engine visibility and ranking.

Some of the new features which will be added soon include:

• New photo gallery.

We are getting very close to Christmas Day

as a result to the build up to Christmas there has been quite a lot going on in Roundstone and the surrounding areas, starting off with Malachys Christmas party, the community Radio party at the Rock Glen which was great fun, with other various get together, we also a small Christmas party in Mc Williams as we meet every Friday for the Ballyconneely Ladies at the same time it was also a farewell Party for Mary Margaret Reilly who has been with the group for the last five years, sadly her time was done, I am only coming into my third year, Mary Margaret will be a hard act to follow for us new guys. My ladies and Mickey Joe wish you well and a very Happy Christmas.

Christmas Lights
The lights were finally switched on in Roundstone on Saturday night after Mass; we had Young Cian and Allen Connelly, the two sons of their late father Christopher Connelly to do the honours, with a visit from Santee who produces little goodie bags for the troops, I would think that the entire village turned out to witness this humble event.

Our thanks to Nicky Griffin and Michael Reynolds who had organised the erection of the lights with Joe Mongan, Martin Dooley, Sam Reynolds, Neil McKay, Bernard King, and Fehine Welsh, and our thanks to Colin Snow, building Contractor who helped us with his high Mac to put the lights up of which he drove himself.

As we are on the subject of lights, the competition of the best decorated window is still on going again sponsored by Michael Reynolds who has leased Ferrons shop and I have to say this has certainly this year enhanced the village.

The judges’ decision by the way will be on New Years Eve.

So there you are, well done everybody for lighting up the village and to getting into the Christmas spirit.

Lotto
The Annual Christmas Bumper Lotto was very well attended last night, Ann made the announcement on behalf of the Lotto to give €2’000 towards the completion to the Kitchen in the lower community Hall so that the Senior citizens can yet again get together for their weekly meetings, talking about Ann, yesterday had arranged for a taxi service from Murvey to Roundstone, and from Cashel, Toombeola so that people could come to the bumper Lotto for free to help people not to drink and drive, surprisingly, no one availed of it for some reason or another, anyway it was a nice gesture from Ann and the lotto to arrange this service.

Brian and Maureen Vaughan
Our congratulations to Brian Vaughan and his wife Maureen on the birth of their new baby daughter, they have called her Molly, nice name we wish the three you all the very best

To end off just a little thought to leave you with, Christmas can be a lonely time and possible a sad one, for some people that have lost a relations this year or some members of a family that have flown the nest and can not be all together so to speak, So I am sure we will do our best to make sure that these people are not alone on this festive season.

Santa / National School 22nd December
Santa paid a visit up to the cottages to give a few presents to the infants, then on down to the School, where Santa was greeted with some carols from the kids then the troops put on a play, about the meaning of Christmas in Russia, a delightful short play portrayed well by the Kids, their teachers Josephine and Nicola certainly know how to get the best out of them, then Santa made a tour of the village and outskirts to wish the Senior Citizens a Merry Christmas. Photos of Santa’s visits will be up on the website

Well that’s all from me, suffice to wish you all a very happy Christmas and thank you for listening to the news on behalf of Anne and myself through out the year and supporting the Connemara Community Radio, be safe for the next few days be aware of the drinking and driving, and hopefully speak to you again on New Years Day. I would also personally like to thank all those that keep up with the website news, and the cards that were sent to me from all over the world.

God Bless and a very Happy Christmas and a great New Year

It is really the season of good will, what with all the good things happening in Roundstone for the next few weeks, I have to say the Christmas spirit is beginning to creep upon me, keep up the good work guys.