It’s that time of year again and it seems to come around faster every year! Since the last edition the Community Council had a double celebration night where we celebrated our 40th year of working for the people of Moneenroe and the official opening of our newly refurbished community hall and outdoor gym. A very large crowd gathered on the night, with special guests and speakers. M.C. Donal O’Neill kept things moving on the night and made everyone feel welcome. Willie Booth and Seamie Walsh unveiled a plaque to the memory of the miners, who gave from their hard earned wages to build the hall. A commemorative booklet celebrating 40 years of the history of Moneenroe through pictures and story during the years of the Community Council was also launched on the night. It would make a wonderful Christmas present for any relations abroad and can be purchased from any member of Moneenroe Community Council.
Our Senior Citizens’ Christmas Party was held in the Lord Bagenal Hotel last December. Over 130 guests had a wonderful day and got to meet old friends. It is always a wonderful occasion and we always look forward to it. Our meals delivery service has gone from strength to strength. From small beginnings we are now delivering over 1000 meals per month. It provides employment for 8 -10 people preparing and delivering the meals. The service was recognised recently by the newly appointed Minister for Rural Development, Ann Phelan T.D. when she paid a visit to our centre at Massford to see for herself how our scheme operated. She was accompanied by local councillor Maurice Shortall. She took time out to accompany one of our drivers on his deliveries and met with some of our customers. She was very impressed with the service and promised to be of assistance in dealing with any problems or obstacles that we may encounter. We look forward to her returning later in the year. Speaking of our centre at Massford, if you have a business idea and are in need of a premises from which to operate, we have office space available at very reasonable rates. Contact Richard at 056-4442840.
It was another good year for our Tidy Towns. We improved our points and came second in our group, a very tough group, finishing ahead of places like Thomastown, Callan and Graiguenamagh. We continued our work around the Gazebo Cross area and the Glen with the painting of the wall of the Railyard G.A.A. grounds. A big thanks to Liam Mooney for his support with this project. One of the hardest workers on the Council, who always had a big interest in the Tidy Towns, retired this year. Margaret Loughlin joined the Community Council 1996 and was always willing to give of her time and effort without hesitation. Few people will know that Margaret was the first to campaign for a footpath on the ’’New Road’’ and it was through her early efforts that the footpath was completed. She will be missed from the Council but we all wish her a happy and long retirement.
To finish, I would like to thank all the members of Moneenroe Community Council Ltd for all their work during the year and on their behalf wish all a happy 2015.
Moneenroe is so spread out that it is a much greater task than in most villages of the same population to maintain what is really a ‘neighbourhood’, and so it is a real compliment to the effort and determination the Community Council and Muintir na Tíre that they have succeeded so very well. Perhaps ‘community’ is a more appropriate term than either ‘village’ or ‘neighbourhood’ and indeed the emphasis of the competition is now more on the notion of community than it used to be. You have been awarded an increase in marking: committees should not be taken aback by the relationship of totals to last year’s under the new system. The social attitude of the Council is exemplary – just to mention one example, the provision of 1,000 meals per week to the aged and infirm is exemplary and one wonders if discussion of windowboxes and boundary walls does not pale somewhat in importance beside the greater human issues. That being said, and returning to the mundane practicalities, your maphas proved to be exceptionally clear and useful in guiding us around. 40 The Roman Catholic church, school and community hall are appropriately the centre of interest and work on all three and their surroundings has been satisfactorily completed. All three buildings are now exceptionally smart and the roadside boundary walls match the buildings immaculately in a way that is not often the case. (In fact, unmatched boundaries is a point made in categories below.) This achievement is first class. Elsewhere, the Church of Ireland’s tower is a significant landmark. The GFC house is well presented with new red paint. Doyle’s commercial complex is well also presented, and so is Brennan’s. At the Massford Centre consideration should be given to removing the moss from the roof slates. 40 The development of Massford Green has progressed in leaps and bounds since this adjudicator’s last visit several years ago. The young trees are really coming into their own; the open spaces were being meticulously mowed on the date of the visit. This is only one of many well planted and tended open spaces; that in the centre of the Old School Crescent was admired as was the pleasant seating precinct at Sidegate. The two small parks at the respective entrances to the village at Kerr’s Cross and Railyard give a good initial impression. The stone-bound flowerbeds at Fr Raftice Place were looking superb in mid June. The pump and the stone wall with hedging and a variety of plants at Sidegate was also of high quality. Planted tubs, urns and window boxes were seen effectively to add interest and colour. Young trees were seen to be flourishing on the old road by Railyard. (Incidentally, tree specialists disapprove of the planting of flowers or shrubs round the boles of trees).
