Arts Week 27th June to the 6th July:
Just to give you a little update of the forth coming Arts Week, it will be quite different, with the usual cultural weekends, with Mary Banotti on her new book “all About the Mary’s”, and various historians relating to Connemara, with traditional music at the Anglers Return, and The biography “La Sheridan; Adorable Diva” written by Anne Chambers on Irelands most Famous Prima Donna, Margaret Burke Sheridan (1889 – 1958), which will be held at Errisbeg House, to re enact her music and with some of the memorabilia of MBS of her period. This particular event has lots of possibilities, Errisbeg being a period house, for something like this event, which put a thought in my head, I gather on the grape vine Brendan O’Scanllion has a sort of writers club of authors who have written books relating to Connemara past personalities, instead of just readings from the said Authors, why not create a scenario in a private house, with the author, oh well its just an embryo of a thought, we will see what happens with Anne Chambers Book of this extraordinary Irelands Diva and the enactment for the arts week. We will also have work shops through the week for the kids and lots more, relating to the theme The Sea, youth and the Environment, there will be also sporting activities.
As time goes on and as the plan unfolds we will keep you informed, both through Ann and on the Roundstone .ie website and the community radio.
Community Defibrillator:
Some weeks ago I spoke about the possibility of having placed in the village a defibrillator, we have for this year lost out on a grant from the Galway County Council for the year 2008, how ever, we can spend this summer in fundraising, what I am getting at the arts week will be part of that fund raising for this vital defibrillator, and in theory the GCC will match fund it in 2009, if not earlier. However I am in contact with St Johns Ambulance, and the order of Malta, to see if we bring this forward for the Community

Josephine Roache:
A note for your diary, Friday 25th April the Roundstone School, with Mass and refreshments etc at 1pm will give a retirement party for Josephine Roach, principle Teacher and all past and present pupils are all welcome to attend, this after noon I got a nice phone call, from Barbara McInerny wanting to wish Josephine all the very best for her retirement, Barbara had a lot of nice things to say about Josephine, as Barbra’s kids were taught by her, so there you are Barbara, a nice message to pass on to Josephine.
Folding Landscapes:
Another date for the dairy this coming Friday in the Community Hall, as part of folding Landscapes and NUIG an evening of Sean/ Nós singing from Connemara, presented by Michael O’Cuig, this is totally open to every body and starts at 7pm, should be a very pleasant evening, and by the way there is no charge. The singers will be Bridge Mulkerrin, Joe Ridge, Josie Sheáin Jeaic Mac Donncha
Floor circus:
Another date to bear in mind on Friday the 2nd of May, in the top part of the community Hall, a circus will be held commencing at 7pm, this is a circus with a difference, no animals or trapezes artists, it very much orientated for Children and schools, with the Italian style of puppets and clowns, actually the same group were with us 6 years ago, they were very well received and the kids loved it, well so did the adults, anyway I will pass on to Anne more details of the show for next Monday.

Roundstone and Innishnee / Errisbeg water update:
Tonight Eamon O’Cuiv is comeing to Roundstone to meet with representatives of the Innishnee and Errisbeg water Scheme group, to discuss the up grading of the water on Innishnee and Errisbeg. Should any body want to go down to the meeting at 8.30 to ask some questions you are welcome to do so.
Tomorrow night RDC is having their monthly meeting with representatives of the Galway County Council, to give a progress report on our water dilemma. I am sure once the meeting is done, members of RDC will give an update to the Community with a press release.
Dogs Bay and Gurteen:
Also two weeks ago I mentioned about the Green coast award relating to Dogs Bay, a meeting was held this afternoon with Cepta Ryan from the Galway county Council to discuss a management plan bringing in Gurteen with the various issues, such as bins, signs, and the possible upgrade of parking, changing rooms, also needed for Dogs Bay, it will be a long haul as to get what is wanted, also there was talk of a possible blue flag for Gurteen, which could be in the pipe line. Cepta was well aware of the present beach managers and their extraordinary on going work, Dogs Bay is the target for this green coast award, for this year, so who knows if we can get this award for Dogs bay, there might be a rub off effect for Gurteen, however Gurteen will always be monitored, it all boils down to sea water quality for bathing for this Green award.
Ross McMahon:
Our condolences to the McMahon Family, on the passing of Ross, who was buried yesterday in Ballyconneely. Ross spent many years living in Roundstone, and was an active member in the community in so many ways, until the family moved over to Ballyconneely. May he rest in Peace?

What a week it has been, with all the publicity on the water situation, there fore there is no need to bang on about it over the air, suffice to say that for the last few years, the community through The Roundstone Development Community Council, have approached many times the Galway County Council re our water and sewage filtration system problems. We now have a perfect opportunity to make ourselves heard, agreed we need an upgrade or a new sauce of water, but even with a new sauce of water, we will still need a sewage treatment plant and a modern filtration system, it is now vital to have this done, what with the on growing growth of building in the village stroke Connemara, at this very moment our infrastructure is breaking down. We as a community have a responsibility to protect this village and other villages for the next generation. There is no doubt about it, in Roundstone it will be a difficult year, but on the positive side, with everybody’s help, and no more pussy footing around, we need to keep the pressure on, with all our issues, bringing in the roads at the same time, the whole of Connemara is at risk. The community is already taking steps to protect our visitors, by placing top market filters installed in the hotels and pubs, specially designed for all sorts of bacteria, for the private houses / B/B’s there is a very simple effective filter attached to the cold water feed called Simply water, with ceramic filters specially for Cryptosporidium, e.coli chemicals, rust dirt etc, a website for might be useful to you www.simplywater.com, I have in fact installed two of them here at Errisbeg, for the time being that’s all I can do to protect my visitors, until such time the Galway County Council takes us seriously.

Press Release:
RDC met with members of the Galway County Council 0n Friday April 4th 2008 a delegation of residents and business people from Roundstone through RDC met with senior officials from Galway County Council to discuss the current Water crisis. The county council was represented by Mr. Jim Cullen, Director of Services, Mr. Liam Gavin, Director of Water Services, Evan Molloy, Senior Engineer for Connemara and Mr. T.J Redmond, District Engineer for Clifden.

The delegation stressed to the officials the hardship that was being experienced by local residents and businesses alike and the danger that a prolongment of the crisis would have on the forthcoming tourism season.

The council then outlined their short term and long term objectives with regard to dealing with the problem.

The long term plan for the provision of drinking water in West Connemara involved the linking up of all the small water schemes into one large regional scheme stretching from Kilkerian in the south to Renvyle in the north. This large scheme would be more cost effective and easier to manage and maintain in the long run than various small schemes.

The Cashel to Roundstone section of the scheme was to be linked up over the next three to five years. However, due to the Cryptosporidium outbreak in the Roundstone supply, an emergency application has been made to the Department of Environment for immediate funds to extend this section of the scheme before the end of the year. They estimate the cost to be €2 million euro with the department of Environment funding 70% and Galway County council coming up with the remaining 30%.

In the meantime, they will be carrying out immediate remedial works on the existing Roundstone supply to bring it back up to minimum drinking water quality standards in the next 6 to 8 weeks.

It was agreed that a delegation from Roundstone will meet with Mr. Liam Gavin, Water Services and Mr. Evan Molloy, Senior Engineer, on a monthly basis to review and monitor the progress on the new scheme and the remedial works on the existing supply.

The new Roundstone Development Council will have their first meeting on Monday, 7th April. The delegation representing the village in the monthly meetings with the County Council will be decided upon at that meeting. If anyone has issues or questions that they would like to ask in relation to Roundstone water we would encourage them, first, to phone the County Council, at 091-509000 or the district office in Clifden at 21186. Otherwise, we will have contact details after Monday evening, of the representatives from the Roundstone Development Council who could bring up their issue at the monthly meetings with the County Council. An official press release from Galway County Council about the Roundstone water situation will be issued next week.

Nicholas Griffin
Chairperson
Roundstone Development Council.
Life still goes on with good news of sorts

Confirmation 8th April

Just to congratulate, nine young Kids from Cashel, and four of our own, Lorran Conneely, Luke Connolly, Sara Devane and Rachel O’Donnell for their confirmation tomorrow in the star of the Sea, church, with the archbishop of Tuam, Michael Neary and Father McCarthy at 11am, have a great day guys.

And talking about Rachel O’ Donnell, as part of the O’Donnell clan, we would like to congratulate Anne who by the way is a daughter of Tom and Mary, Anne was recently appointed managing director of Bupa Health Insurance in Hong Kong , so here is another Roundstone star who was educated in National school, Clifden Community and NUIG, Anne worked for Bupa in England, also in cork, until Quinn took Bupa over, needless to say Ann and Andy and their two Children now live in Hong Kong, Anne still representing Bupa.

Connemara certainly turns out Talent in some what high powered jobs.

Just heard this morning that Orla Conneely, is on the last leg of her sail in her late father’s boat, to Kinsale, what with adverse weather, they had to hold up in Cahercevene for the last few days. They should arrive in Kinsale tomorrow late morning. I am sure Ann will give a good run down of the said Sailing trip next week.

Well done Emmet, for the Connemara All Blacks, I have just heard you played a blinder man in your last match man, why wouldn’t you, your a Roundstone Man / Connemara Man

Well that’s all from me this week, have a good week and keep warm be safe and keep boiling, and rest assured something good will come out of our village dilemma’s in the near future.