Chairman’s Report (abridged) 1999-2000
Tir Na Mona (country of
the peatlands), is a Community Development Council representing
the areas of Coill Dubh, Donadea, Staplestown and Timahoe.
The Tir Na Mona group was founded in 1997 and represents
more than 850 households.
The last twelve months has seen Tir Na Mona in a host of
activities. The 1999 AGM was held in September and the 5
year Development Plan was launched on 12th November by Mr.
Charlie McCreevy T.D. and Minister for Finance. Friends
of the Forest organised a clean up of the lake in Donadea
on 13th October. Clane Cubs, Clane Red Cross, along with
Friends of the Forest and members of the community planted
daffodils on the Lime Avenue, Donadea. Thanks to Mary Hayden,
Clane Red Cross and Cllr. Tony McEvoy, Clane. Sean Flannery
was nominated to represent Tir Na Mona on the North West
Kildare Development Company. The Wren Boys concert on St.
Stephen’s Day 1999 raised over £700 for National Children’s
Day.
The cross-country horse ride in January 2000 raised over
£700 for Tir Na Mona, thanks to Alan & Marie Byrne. Tir
Na Mona made a submission at the oral hearing to An Bord
Pleanala against the proposed incinerator in Kilcock. The
office in Bord Na Mona was painted on 29th January by 3
members, thanks to John & Bernadette Crean for the paint.
The funds raised at the Wren Boys concert was handed over
on a social night in St. Kevin’s. Coill Dubh Residents Association
held a successful EGM on 24th January. A number of members
of Tir Na Mona took part in a Committee Skills course run
by North West Kildare Dev. Company. The area clean up on
4th March saw 120 people pick over 28 tonnes of rubbish
to fill seven skips provided by Kildare Co. Co. Thanks to
Philip Baxter and Dara Wyre of K.C.C. The Tir Na Mona float
won prizes at the Kilcock and Enfield St. Patrick’s Day
Parades. Gail Maher was successfully elected to the Kildare
County Development Board along with Aidan Keane from Kilcock.
Tir Na Mona affiliated to and attended the Muintire AGM
in Abbeyleix in May. The AGM of the MONA was held on 11th
April.
Thanks to all those who submit articles, advertise and produce
the MONA. The Timahoe branch of Tir Na Mona ran an Easter
Egg Hunt and an Open Day in August in Coolcarrigan Gardens,
thanks to Mr. Wilson-Wright for his hospitality. The directors
of Tir an Mona held a meeting on 8th of May. The planned
Trade Show was postponed due to the poor response. Tir Na
Mona moved to a new office in St. Kevin’s during May, thanks
to St. Kevin’s for making this possible. On 27th May a Bog
Workshop was held on Ballinafagh Bog. The Timahoe branch
of Tir Na Mona held their Field Day on the June Bank Holiday
Sunday. In June also Tir Na Mona wrote to Bord Na Mona regarding
the future of the premises at Timahoe and the future of
cutaway boglands. We are still awaiting a reply from Bord
Na Mona. St. Peter’s Well was cleaned up and on 28th June
there was an ecumenical Blessing by Rev. David Fraiser attended
by members of the community and Cllr. Michael Fitzpatrick.
100 people attended the Turf Cutting day in Derryvarogue
Bog. Three members who had taken part in the Bog Workshop
in May gave talks on the bog. Thanks to Dessie O’Leary for
his turf banks and Roche’s Pub for refreshments. The Wild
West Jamborees in St. Kevin’s in August raised £700 for
Tir Na Mona. The official launch of the new walks and signage
in Donadea Forest by Mr. Charlie McCreevy and the Pageant
were attended by approx. 2000 people. Thanks to Seamus Cullen
and James Reid for historical talks on the day. Thanks to
Coillte and KELT for funding the walks, Kildare County Orchestra
for the wonderful music, Kildare Civil Defence for stewarding
and KCC for a grant from Millennium Funds. Two coffee days
were held in Donadea for St. Peter’s and Tir Na Mona, thanks
to all participants and helpers. Elections to the Kildare
County Development Board and the Strategic Policy Committees
of Kildare county Council were held in September. Congratulations
to Gail Maher and Sean Flannery and thanks to all those
who came along and supported them. Work will soon commence
on the Timahoe and Donadea group water scheme. Thanks to
all those involved for their hard work.
Congratulations to Staplestown co-op Housing group on achieving
their goal. We intend to continue to work with the various
statutory bodies, development groups and voluntary groups
in the wider Kildare area as well as Kildare Co. Co. We
welcome those who have joined us during the past year, both
groups and individuals and look forward to greater participation
in the future. Finally, I would like to thank all those
who contributed to our achievements and wish the new committee
every success as we move forward with confidence and continue
to build a better community for all our people.
Liam Holton, (outgoing Chairman)
STONE BLESSING
A Millennium stone, erected
by Tir Na Mona beside the restored pump in Staplestown Village
was blessed after 11.15 a.m. Mass on New Year’s Eve. The
blessing, in atrocious weather conditions, was performed
by Rev. Fr. Pat Ramsbottom P.P. and Rev. Alan Stewart. The
inscription on the granite stone put in place by stone mason
Bernard Groome reads “Tir Na Mona uniting all the people
of Coill Dubh, Donadea, Staplestown and Timahoe. 2000 A.D.”
This project was funded by a Millennium grant from Kildare
Co. Co.
VACANCIES COILL DUBH/DONADEA COMMUNITY
EMPLOYMENT PROJECT
Applications are invited
for the following positions: Secretary /classroom assistant
Applicants must have good communication skills, computer
experience desirable but not essential. Locations: Woodlands
G.C. Coill Dubh N.S. Greenkeepers/caretakers Experience
not essential but applicants must have a willingness to
learn. Locations:Woodlands G.C. St. Kevin’s GAA/Rathcoffey
GAA All applicants for above positions must be over 21 years
of age and in receipt of at least one year of unemployment
benefit Or unemployment assistance Or lone parents allowance
Or disability payments Retain all secondary benefits 19.5
hour week Pay rates: As per current FAS terms and conditions
Training and development courses available to successful
applicants For further details tel 045 869086
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NOTES
RECYCLING
After all the Christmas
excesses don’t forget to recycle your empty bottles and
cans. Bottles can be deposited at the Bottle Bank at the
rear of Dagwelds. Cans can be deposited in the Can Banks
at the car park in Staplestown – beside the school. There
are also recycling facilities for glass and aluminium in
the car park behind the Woods Garage, Clane. Please remember
to keep the area in and around the Banks litter free at
all times.
JOINING TIR NA MONA
If you would like to join
any of the Tir Na Mona groups such as your local development
group, community alert group, ladies group, active age group,
or Friends of the Forest please contact Morna at the Tir
Na Mona office at 045 869977 for details of meetings. New
members are always welcome.
COMPUTER COURSE
Tir Na Mona is currently applying
for grant funding to run the “Introduction to Computers
Course”. We will let you know how we get on with this. It
is hoped to run this course after Easter.
TABLE OF EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY
7th Feb |
St Mochua’s Hist Society AGM Timahoe N.S. @ 8.30 p.m.
|
8th Feb |
Library
in Staplestown 11.50 – 12.30
|
11th Feb |
Bric-a-Brac & Cake Sale in aid of Timahoe Com.Dev after
11.15 mass Staplestown |
12th Feb |
Container
to Chernobyl – contact Mary @ 869416
|
13th Feb |
Timahoe
Ladies Club Yoga Kelly’s Lounge @ 8 p.m.
|
20th Feb |
Timahoe
Ladies Club Yoga Kelly’s Lounge @ 8 p.m.
|
22nd Feb |
Library
in Staplestown 11.50 – 12.30
|
24th Feb |
Table
Quiz in Kelly’s Lounge @ 9 p.m.
|
28th Feb |
Active Age Group, Kelly’s
Lounge @ 8 p.m. |
1th March |
Timahoe Ladies Club Flower
Arraging Kelly’s Lounge @ 8
|
8th March |
Library in Staplestown
11.50 – 12.30
|
10th March |
AREA CLEAN UP start at
10 a.m. in each area.
|
11th March |
Cake Sale in aid of Staplestown Altar
Society after 11.15 mass |
18th March |
Car Treasure Hunt, starting
from Kelly’s car park, contact Paula @ 863508 |
Articles for the MONA Newsletter
can now be dropped into the Tir Na Mona office at St. Kevin's
G.A.A. club, Staplestown. If possible please supply articles
on disc in Microsoft Word format. If you have an event happening
during the first week of the month please let us know about
it in time for the previous issue as it take approx. 10 days
to produce the MONA. The NOV issue was put together by Orla
Kelly, Therese Holton, Nicola Lynam and Hugh Maher
The
views represented in this Newsletter are not necessarily
the views of the MONA committee. While every attempt
is made to print factual information, we are not
responsible for third party information that may
be incorrect at time of going to press. Where
errors occur, every attempt will be made to redress
and amend. All parties have the right to reply
within the MONA Newsletter.
Thank
you.
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