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Source: Athenry ADC Publications Athenry Journal No: 20 (2005)
By Joe Dennison
It was a great honour (and a big shock!) to be elected Chairman of the Athenry Community Council at the recent AGM. I accepted the role on the night without realising the full implications of the position as chairman of Athenry Community Council.
In the middle of the night I began with horror to realise some of the events I would have to attend, the first one I thought of was that I would have to review the St Patrick’s Day Parade, I had been involved in the Parade with the Civil Defence for a number of years driving a vehicle or even marching in the Parade, that was very easy compared to being on the Reviewing Stand!
Welcoming Home Hurling Team
My first event was welcoming home St Mary’s Hurling Team from the Club Final on St Patrick’s night.
Town Twinning
It did not get any easier for me with my next job of welcoming the visitors from ‘Quimperle with the Town Twinning Committee, and I don’t speak French! Even worse, they did not speak English, never mind, I got a few kisses that evening! So it was not too bad.
I am now waiting for the junket on the return visit; unfortunately I heard the group who went to France last year had to pay for their tickets so maybe there are no free trips with Athenry Community Council!
Peter Feeney
It was very difficult to take over the role from Peter Feeney who was such a great ambassador for Athenry and had contacts in so many organisations around the county and with all the departments in Galway County Council.
I do not have any such contacts but I am learning from the past and present masters of the Community Council, they are trying to keep me on the straight and narrow and not make too many mistakes! They have a hard job!
Current projects
The Community Council is active in a number of current projects in the parish.
The Playground is a great success and we were delighted to be involved in that project.
The town Christmas Lights continues to be a very costly project for the community council each year, it is very difficult to raise the money for the lights with our very limited funding from the Lotto and collections.
Community Centre
We have plans to build a Community Centre; the Hall Committee meet every week and are now in the process of arranging a feasibility study regarding the viability and requirements of the parish for a new community centre.
Parking
The traffic plan and parking is a major issue at the moment and it is hoped that a number of new projects will greatly relieve the situation in the town, there will be a link road from the industrial estate in Raheen to Ballygurrane, the Galway County Council have plans for a car park, they will also introduce pay and display parking in the town.
Post Office.
We are active in the campaign to stop the downgrading/closure of the Post Office.
I hope I will survive my term as Chairman, and that the Committee will not get me in to too many problems.
I look forward to working with the various organisations in the Parish and hope that I will be able to contribute in some small way to continue the great work that my predecessors in the Athenry Community Council have done so far.
Athenry Community Council
Funding for a feasibility study
The Community Council has just learned that its application for funding from Galway Rural Development for a feasibility study towards a new community centre has been approved. As a result work on the study will commence in early August.
The study will establish the needs of the many different groups and organisations within the Athenry area. It will also serve to create an awareness in the parish and surrounding area regarding community needs and the provision of facilities for the future.
Sub-Committee
A Community Council sub – committee was set up to explore all the implications of the plan for a new centre. The members of the sub committee are : Martin O’Grady, Peter Feeney, Chris Flannery, Gerard O’Brien, Margaret Cotter, Sean Lawless, Joe Dennison, Fiona McCann and Joe Tighe.
At an early stage the committee drew up a Vision Statement outlining the Community Council’s view of what a new centre should mean to the area.
Feasibility Study into building of New Hall to go ahead
Vision statement
- We want a real community centre, professionally managed and marketed, a centre for all activity
- Possibility of a centre for offices for community development.
- A centre for performance; Drama, musicals, lectures, film. Dual-purpose floor area with retractable seating.
- A centre for youth activity with a dedicated area for young people.
- A centre for use by elderly and retired people; day centre and active retirement.
- Possible location for community creche.
- A location for the local District Court, presently using old hall.
- Kitchen / coffee dock for use by patrons.
The Community Council is anxious to explore the needs of the area regarding the building of a new centre through a professional feasibility study. Consultants will be appointed by the council immediately to carry out the study and will be willing to meet with all groups who have an interest in this landmark project.
Martin O’Grady and Peter Feeney on behalf of the committee.
