The Summer Fest:
Came to an end yesterday evening after a mixed week-end.The lads who run the annual Fest, Thomas King, Simon Ashe & Mark Forsythe and friends put a lot of time and effort into the organisation of this event but nobody was prepared for the week-end of torrential rain that we witnessed the past few days. Sunday afternoon fared out the best and a lot of the events were crammed into that. The outdoor music had to be moved into the pubs over the week-end. There fore loosing a lot of the atmosphere of what the fest is all about.
This year we saw an influx of a much younger crowd who would not get served in the pubs but nevertheless got access to drink. What is the answer?

The lads are doing a good job, bringing a lot of good clients back to the village for the week-end of festivities, fundraising for a great service the RNLI, last year they made a donation of €10.000. The Guards will have to play a bigger part in patrolling the village. Their presence will play a key role to put a stop to some of the goings on’. Parents of young teenagers must take responsibility and should know where their teenagers are and who’s company they are with; If they are under 18 they most certainly should have to account for their movements. All concerned should sit down and discuss next year’s events with a lot more help from the community, anyway, well done to the lads for their efforts.

The funfair which moved in 10 days ago has finally travelled on; again this is something that will have to be discussed with the people of the village before permission to return next year is granted.  They caused disruption to the events running in the hall i.e. the Irish night and the children’s workshop with the Knowland’s and not to mention the loss of car parking space for the 10 days.

The Lower hall is finally completed and looking fantastic. So we are looking forward to many events over the winter, the senior citizen can have their weekly get together, Same with the youth club.  We will also look forward to the talks from NUI, with hopefully many more events to come in the community Hall
The village is busy with cars but we can say the same about the harbour on Saturday morning we counted 30 ribs moored, and I think many of them went on an outing to the Aran Islands for a day trip.

It is in the Roundstone Vogue at present to own a rib or a boat of some sort. It is such a shame that the government are not pulling their weight in getting us our Marina.  We really need to look to the water for an increase in business within the village.

The water works is slowly making its way to the village, despite the hold ups and the disruption they are doing a good job Traffic is flowing slowly.  The Cashel road caused some controversy by being closed, there are a few Cashel people working in Roundstone that have the extra journey to twice a day.  We feel that we are also missing out on some passing tourists who go straight into Clifden when they go on to the main Galway Rd. Why did they not use the lights like we have here in Roundstone in that way at least after a little wait you get on your way?
Congrats to all the Roundstone Leaving Cert students who did very well indeed?
It is good to see the Car park keeping so clear of litter. Well done to everyone.

Compared with today’s weather we were blessed, with the dog show as well as the tour de bog and the various other events that took part over the last two weeks, it also has to be noted with the crowds that we have had, the lack of litter for once, naturally thanks to John, but what a difference since through the FAS and their supervisor Donal Nee and the lads on the completion of the stone house on the Church car park to lock up the community bins in, its just so good to pass the car park and look at a very clean area, particulary for those that have houses facing the church, this will certainly help us for the tidy towns results, which should be out soon.

Dog Show:
Ann already mentioned last week the details of the successful dog show, but I just want to mention, that all the photos are now on the web, also on Paddy the yanks website www.roundstoneevents.com
Tour de Bog:
Ann Conneelly and I would like to express our thanks for the contribution that has been made this summer relating to our community project, which of course was for two Defibrillator, through our 60th and the fashion show
The Tour de Bog, the family bike ride, which started some 18 years ago with Ruari Quinn and Family, Barry & Jackie Smyth and Robin Simpson eventually more and more friends were joining them, as a result RDC was approached to take over this event because of insurance etc, thank god RDC accepted, as this is now become a popular event for Roundstone, with its social and fun side, its nearly 18 years that the community have benefited from the tour de bog.
Thanks to the originators of the tour de Bog it has now become part of the summer high lights of the year, this year there was a staggering 340 cyclists.
Fund raising started in June, to bring to the village of Roundstone, a “Defibrillator”, two to be exact, one to be placed in the lower part and the upper part of the village, of which one of them is placed with Seamus and Christina Lowry which we hope will serve the out skirts of the area. The Community them selves of Roundstone played a major part in the start of this Project, raising €4’600.

The Tour de Bog, which happened last Thursday through our visitors finally completed the last phase, the sum of €3’000 was raised on the day, not only did it cover the T Shirts, but enough to raise the balance for the said machines, which was to be €5’250, they are now paid for. The feed back from the riders, as well as those who did not ride was most generous and very supportive, to this in our opinion a vital access to the health and safety of our young and senior citizens, as well as for our visitors. We would really like to thank all those who contributed in so many ways. Though certain circumstances our usual sponsors, for the T. shirts who did us well for a number of years, had no choice but to pull back, how ever this year two people came forward to contribute part of the sponsorship for the shirts for the Tour de Bog, we thank you for that.
Between local community and our visitors, the monies raised for this project, we did not have to ask any support from any government department, which makes it all the more sweeter, we have done it our selves, so we appreciate everybody’s good will and generosity, and to all those that helped out on the day. Many thanks to the lovely Rosie Johnston and her young family, who took over the sales side of the shirts, Des Cullen who took the great photographs of the cyclists, which certainly showed the spirit of a family ride, and to Paul Warren who was the side kick to Teddy Sherwood the main organiser for the event, Paul wrote down on a piece of paper in his opinion who deserved a prize of some sort for all sorts of reasons.
A fantastic day.

Concert In St Mary’s Church
Saturday we had a lovely concert with the Corrib String Quartet in St Mary’s Church organized by Ted and Donna Sherwood, as a another fund raiser for the badly needed repairs, and was informed that just over €2’000 was collected. The Corrib String Quartet hail from Galway, they are principally a wedding quartet, and all their instruments is the violin and Viola, it was a wonderful mixture of music from Cole porter, lennon & McCartney, Puccini and Irving Berlin, just to name a few.

Roundstone Summerfest:
The programmes are now out for the forth coming Summerfest, commencing on Friday until Sunday 17th August, looking at the programme, there is certainly some thing for every body, in particular “the paranormal Research Association Of Ireland; I suppose you could say Irelands Ghost busters, lots of traditional music, particularly with Nick Kelly, this is an acoustic session in Eldon’s, with the lead singer of Irish legends the fat lady, and lots and lot’s more. So Thomas, Simon and Mark the best of luck, hope the weather holds for you, as it will be a busy time in Roundstone, parking could be difficult with the fun Fair running at the same time so give yourself plenty of time to find parking, to attend the events

Ian McDonagh:
Birthday wishes to young Ian McDonagh on reaching his 15th Birthday today, happy birthday man. Ian is also a member of the youth club I am glad to say, carrying on the McDonagh tradition.

And just to end off I just want to leave you with a thought, and it is possible trouble could brew for me, I don’t think the season has been that brilliant, but it has not been totally disastrous, but what has come about, some of our regular visitors for many years now, have come forward to Ann and myself and I am sure to others with possible proposals, these guys love the area and are quite prepared to guide us in one way or another, its not just all about donations, but hey that also helps, but its their connections with the powers that be, that could be very helpful, its just an idea, but perhaps Connemara Community Radio might just give us a slot, one day with members of the community, a few visitors, members of the Development Community Council for a brain storming session on air, its just a thought, for the time being we depend on the good will of tourists, I have never had such a summer with visitors expressing their good will and are prepared to enhance it, one way or another, how we go about with this potential offer, I am not sure, but we should make a real effort as a community to put all our input to help Roundstone stroke connemara as a whole, but this will not work if we all don’t pull together, Please in Roundstone don’t get me wrong, we try but its not enough a few weeks in the year to make a living is not enough, we have to find a way to create an out of season trade, the bottom line is, is to use our resources, and fight for them, through the media and our government, if that is what it takes and this applies to all the communities from all the surrounding villages, not just the few workers , so to speak, sorry guys end of lecture, but there is a cause for worry for our wonderful village and the neighbouring villages, the city of Galway is one thing, all of us must relate to Connemara with all the extraordinary culture we have, it has to be up to all the village communities, its ideas that are needed, and to be implemented from the communities