of the closures. For your own interest, if you look up the Department of Justice on their website, it will give you all the stations that will be closed. My thanks to all those that had an input in one way or another with the petitions etc.

Having just heard about our budget for the year 2012, it makes me think the only funding we will get is through fund raising therefore, kicking off for the forth coming Christmas season, we have made a start with a few events / fundraisers during this week end.

Eldon’s Hotel: Thursday the 1^st December, Eldon’s re opened with an American Tea party, very much community based, every body brought some food, quite a spread I can assure you with music afterwards with Fehin Welsh and Michael Connolly, with some solo singers who were guests at the various tables. I have no idea what was raised at this stage but what ever it was it will surely go along way towards next years tidy towns. Therefore the organizers just wish to thank to all those that participated, and for those that gave donations.

Tidy Town’s: Talking about tidy Town’s, I take my hat off to the FAS lads, and to all the other voluntary workers, the village and the out skirts are looking really well, no litter, Mary T’s replanted barrels and all the strimming on the outskirts, I have never seen the village look quite so good at this time of the year.

Monty Hall: Monty’s full series has now come out on DVD, as well as his books and the children’s book, written by Monty’s girl friend Tamarind, the book is called Ruben, after Monty’s dog, these can now be purchased in Ferron’s, great Christmas presents.

Coffee Morning: Was held in the Shamrock Bar yesterday arranged by the Scoil Eanna Parents Association, where they were also selling the School Calendars, this was to support the activities for the School during the year.

Golden Mile: One of the things that we are in the process of bringing into Roundstone are walks and Cycle routes, on Saturday a few of us with Carole Reynolds was to have a look for a Golden mile, so we decided to have a look at a walk in Innishnee, known as Ceann-Ranhar passing Bridie Davis house where Monty stayed, it was perfect, so for the year 2012 we will apply for the Golden mile and have it noted as a walk. Well, it’s a start to collect some history of the Island and hopefully have little booklets to give to our future visitors while they are walking

Condolences: I would just like to express condolences to the immediate family of Mgr Joe Quinn, PP, as you all now Father Joe Quinn was the PP at Knock, he passed away last Thursday, and a Requiem Mass followed by the burial was yesterday Sunday in the Basilica of Our Lady. It was the most dignified service I have ever attended, for this remarkable man of whom i had the privilege of meeting some time ago, he was certainly very much respected, a huge crowd with the attendance from all sorts of dignitaries, with a guard of honour headed by Michael Neary Archbishop of Tuam and the Teachiocs Adjutant, with the order of Malta Knights and the Order of Malta Cadet Ambulance Corps, Bishops and the of course the Public. I only just added this to the news as Roundstone /Connemara has a long association with Knock, considering he was also Chaplin at Kylemore and Chaplin to His Holiness in 2002, it was at this time Father Joe became a Monsignor. May Father Joe Quinn rest in peace.

Dates for the Diary: Thursday 8^th there will be a meeting of the new Roundstone Events Team in the lower community Hall 8pm to discuss next years program. I am not sure if Ann gave a run down on the community Tourism brain storming session which we held some weeks back, but it was at this time a new team for the year 2012 was elected to promote tourism with events etc

18^th December is the Christmas party in the community Hall for the kids as well as a Christmas Market, in the lower Hall as well as on the Tennis courts

New years day 1^st January, “The Connemara Rugby Kick off” in aid of the Connemara Rugby Club, which will be held on the Roundstone Pier, with two competitions, the Penalty, and drop kick in to the goal in the middle of the Harbour, it will be a great family day, music, B.B.Q, and Raffle etc. Kick off 2pm.

Roundstone:

Will be a very important year for us, tourism wise, continue to read you will notice the brain storming minutes with the community in November, this is what came out of it so far, and any ideas from across the water would be most welcome.

Tourism Brain Storming results 22^nd November 2011

Chaired with Ann Conneelly, Ann welcomed guest speaker Alice Kennelly Festivals and Events consultant, Forum Connemara Ltd. Also thanked the 32 people who attended the tourism Meeting.

Richard de S stressed, that we must not just look at July and August but we must try to look at events possibly for out of the season.

1. Put into place an events committee

2. Make more use of the community Hall and the Tennis courts

3. A literary “Cachee”, with NUIG, (Carol Ann Oufey)

4. Evening classes’ Education, Tim Robinson, 3^rd Level, GMIT, NUIG, Cookery , Out reach programmes, Marine , Biology studies and starting new business’s and Zionra = third level Outreach.

5. Community Council, Insurance for events and to check out insurance requirements, either part of RDC or to have a completely different Committee.

6. Rugby Kick off on news year day

7. Try to bring back a raft race

8. Dive festival (Insurance), invite Monty as a guest

9. Events not just a week end try for a full week, with perhaps just one event a day

10. Promote Connemara events as a whole, but make Roundstone a brand name

11. Signage: Maps and leaflets of walks and bike routes, History Leaflets Alexander Nimmo, heritage with all the history, list of events and things to do in the locality.

12. Plaque: Nimmo, Biog, Kate O’Brian, botanist buried in the Kirk.

13. Work with the Arts council and other bodies

14. A triathlon, bike , Swimming, and Running

15. Work shops during the summer

16. Leaders to work with kids on wet days, in the Community Hall

17. Public Arts Commissions,, Contact Bernadine Carroll, (Public Art Co-ordinator at Galway county Council with the view to commissioning a piece of work of Public art to Commemorate the life of Kate O’Brian e.g.

18. Members of the community must pull together, and not leave the evenings brainstorming just to the selected few.

Events Committee to date:

Catherine and Michael Ferron, Ann Conneelly, Rosie McGurran, Johnny Sheehan, Patrick McDonagh, Mary T. King

R de S, to approach Thomas King to join the committee and John (Jaffa) King (Community Hall Leader?)

Meeting ended at 10.00pm: First meeting for the New Events committee 8.00 pm Thursday December 8^th 2011 Lower Community Hall