Roundstone Community
Development Plan


Section 1 Introduction
Mission Statement
Roundstone Development Council

Section 2 Background to study area
Map of area

Section 3 Information on various voluntary and community groups in the Roundstone area.

Section 4 Situational analysis outlining strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (S.W.O.T.)

Section 5 A programme of six infrastructural projects, four ongoing projects, five short term and two long term development projects over the next three years.

Section One Introduction
In April 1998 a local election was held to set up the Roundstone Development Council. The election was carried out with MuintÌr na Tire Guidelines and a committee of ten persons was elected from the Roundstone area. Elections are held every three years and the community are asked to vote for a new committee.
The activities of the group to date have been numerous and varied, including the following:
Liasing with Galway County Council re infrastructure issues;
Carrying out environmental projects using the FAS CE scheme;
Operating a community office, information centre and adult education facility;
Fundraising activities such as Irish nights and Race Nights;
Providing meeting space for older people, youth club, Womenís group, Credit Union, CIC and FORUM community office.
Support for the Roundstone Marina project.
Roundstone twinned with the French town Noyelle sous Lens

Mission Statement
The Roundstone Development Council aim to promote economic and social development in the Roundstone area. Improve local infrastructure for example sewerage, water and roads.
Improve opportunities for further tourism development in the village and surrounding areas.
Continue negotiations with relevant state agencies.
Implementation of Three-Year Development Plan.
Elected Members of Roundstone Development Council
Chairperson Martin J Conneely
Vice Chair Donal Nee
Secretary Yvonne Keane
Treasurer Bridie Davis
PRO Richard de Stacpoole
Nicholas Griffin
Michael King
Ann Conneely
Noel King
Thomas King (Youth Representive)


Section Two: Background to Study Area

Location

The village of Roundstone lies on the western arm of Bertraghboy Bay in Connemara, Co. Galway, 48 miles (77km) north-west of Galway City. The village is beautifully set on one of the most spectacular coastal drives in Europe overlooking Roundstone Bay at the foot of Errisbeg Mountain.

The celebrated Scottish engineer Alexander Nimmo who, as engineer for the Western District, built houses, roads and harbours throughout the West of Ireland founded the village in the mid 1820ís. It was then settled by Scottish fisher folk. In 1835 a Franciscan Monastery was established in Roundstone and by the 1840ís, 75 houses had been built and the village supported an active fishing industry and a population of some 400 people. The village derives its name from the Irish Cloch na RÛn or Rock of Seals.

Today Roundstone is a popular holiday resort renowned among artists and naturalists for the remarkable beauty of the surrounding mountains and seascapes. It is a craft industry centre and local activities include weaving, pottery, knitting, furniture and instrument making. Farming, fishing, forestry and quarrying were carried out extensively in the area. Farming and fishing are still carried out on a smaller scale. The vicinity is rich in points of historical, geological and scenic interest. The remains of numerous early Christian settlements have been found on the islands along this coast. At the northern point of Inishnee, the long island across the bay at Roundstone, stand remains of an ancient monument to Saint Brendan. From the islands southern point, an impressive lighthouse casts its beacon across the many islands scattered out over the Bay in the Atlantic Ocean. Two miles north of Roundstone lie the ruins of a 15th Century Dominican Priory founded by the OíFlaherty family and the bell tower of a Franciscan Monastery, an impressive old nautical landmark for local fishermen, is now the central feature of Michael Killeen IDA Park. Dogs Bay lies two miles south-west of the village and like Roundstone its name is a corruption of the Irish Port na bhFeidÛg or Bay of Plovers. Here winds and tide have piled up dunes of fine white sand between the mainland and a small island half a mile off-shore. Two beautiful beaches lie below these dunes, one facing south-east, the other north-west overlooking Gurteen Bay.
Population

The population of Roundstone in the 2002 census was 424 persons, 225 males and 199 females.

Occupation/Employment
The main occupation and employment in the area is tourism and to a lesser degree fishing and farming. There is also an IDA park in the village which houses an electronic factory, a pottery and craft industry, a bodhran maker, craft shop and jewellery maker, all of whom give employment to local people living in the region. A furniture factory also provides local employment along with the construction industry. Roundstone would always have been considered as a fishing port in the past and has a very natural safe harbour today. This feature in the village is now the landmark of Roundstone and used for a small amount of fishing activity.


Agriculture & Land Use
The main agricultural land use is in part-time sheep farming and rearing suckler cows. The land in the area is very mountainous and Roundstone Bog is renowned for its botanic and environmental interest.


Housing
Housing in the area has become an issue due to the popularity of the Roundstone area. There are a lot of holiday home developments taking place in the village and on the outskirts. There is an imbalance between the need for local housing and the cost of sites and planning permission difficulty. Sites in the area are very expensive making it difficult for young local people to purchase a house in the area. Planning permission is also very difficult to attain, seeming to favour development clusters of houses together. The majority of these houses are used for the holiday season and left idle for the remainder and are not contributing, in a meaningful way to the local economy. This is a serious issue for the people of Roundstone.

Health
A new Health Centre was opened in Roundstone in 2002 giving a much improved location for the provision of health Services.


Education & Training
There is one National School and one parent and toddler group in the area. A mobile play bus, provided by the Galway City and County Childcare Committee, provides a preschool service in Roundstone two days per week. There is also an Adult Education Programme in place giving classes in Computers, Art and Irish.


Tourism
The main tourist attractions in the area are Gurteen and Dogs Bay Beaches. The area also offers a number of other facilities such as climbing, a scenic area, sea angling and lake fishing and painting. There are two hotels in the region along with a number of B&Bís. The Connemara Golf Course is approximately 6 miles from Roundstone village. Rou

Rounndstone Bog also attracts a significant number of geologists to the area.


Transport
Transport facilities are inadequate. During the summer months the facility improves to cater for the tourists visiting the region. In Winter there is a CIE service, three times a week, while in the Summer period there is a daily service operating. There is one hackney service in the Roundstone area.

Section Three: Voluntary and Community Groups in the Roundstone Area
There are a number of organisations, clubs and groups in Roundstone, all run by volunteers, who are seeking to develop some aspect of the community and provide a service to their members. The following section contains a brief description of each groupís history and activities for their plans and aspirations for the future.

Roundstone Lotto Committee
The Roundstone Lotto Committee was set up in May 1996 to raise money for local amenity projects and community development initiatives. There are four committee members on this group and they meet once a week. The main activity of this group is to organise the weekly lotto in the area and the coordination of the activities. The committee wish to continue the Roundstone lotto for further village development and enhancement. The Roundstone Lotto continues to support other community groups in the area by way of funding.

Senior Citizens Group
The Senior Citizens group was set up in 1991 to organise and assist activities for the elderly people of Roundstone. There are four volunteers on this committee and between 15 and 20 members who meet every two weeks. The main activities of the group include organising bingo for the senior citizens, arranging meetings with other groups and various tours. The main aim of the group is to encourage more senior citizens to participate in these activities from the catchment area of Roundstone. The group raise funds by carrying out local fund raising and bazaars and receive funding from the Western Health Board to support their activities.

Roundstone Youth Club
The Roundstone Youth Club was set up in 1998 to try to enhance the lives of young people in the area and their way of life within the community. Currently there are twenty two members participating in the group and attending the weekly meetings every Friday. The main activities of the group include sports and various workshops on different areas of interest. The Youth Clubs plans for the future include more participation from this group within the wide community of Roundstone. The group raise funds by holding discos and local raffles.

Arts Week Committee
The Arts Week Committee was set up in 1997 to develop activities in the area to promote tourism and an interest in community arts in an effort to start the tourism season earlier. The main activities are book launches, concerts, films, lectures, music and workshops and dances. The Arts Week takes place at the end of June, beginning of July. Private sponsorship and fundraising fund the Arts Week.

Roundstone Development Council
Roundstone Development Council was set up in March 1998 to promote social and economic activity in the Roundstone area. There are members on this committee representing the various villages throughout Roundstone. The main activities of the group are to liase with the Galway County Council in relation to infrastructure and development, to promote and develop the Community Hall in the area and to work towards promoting social and economic development in the Roundstone area. The group meet once a month. The groupís plans for the future are to continue to develop social and economic projects in the area. The group raise funds by applying for grants from the Department of Social and Family Affairs, LEADER, the Western Health Board, Galway County Council, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, local fund raising and organising activities in the Village Hall.

Roundstone Parent and Toddler Group
The Roundstone Parent and Toddler group was established in 2001 in response to the lack of facilities available in the area for pre school children. Ten parents and children attend a weekly session in the local national school.

Roundstone Womenís Group
The Roundstone Womenís Group was set up in 2002 to provide educational and social activities with a membership of twenty women during the winter months; weekly activities include yoga, crafts, information, and talks.

Roundstone Marina Committee
The Roundstone Marina Committee are working to develop a marina facility in Roundstone in conjunction with the Department of the Marine.

Section Four Situation Analysis
In the process of compiling the background to the Development Plan, an overall situation analysis was conducted on the area and the following section deals with the perceived strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the Roundstone area.

Strengths
High amenity, scenic area
Clean environment and unpolluted waters
Safe beaches
Good accommodation, food, entertainment facilities
Good amenity facilities, such as Golf course, Caravan Park
Annual Arts Festival, Regatta and Art Gallery
Active and established Development Council
Accessible Community Hall
Active community office used by local groups, (i.e. elderly, the youth,)
Indigenous industry in the area, pottery, electronics and bodhran making

Weaknesses
Poor accessibility and isolation
Falling local population
Poor infrastructure, roads, sewerage, water
Lack of affordable community transport, particularly for the youth of the area
Lack of employment for young people in the area
High cost of sites and housing if people choose to stay in the region
Lack of amenities e.g. skips.
Opportunities
To develop and enhance our area to make it a better place for our own community and children firstly and to have better facilities for our visitors
To develop and clean the harbour as an amenity
Work with Galway County Council to improve infrastructure - lighting, roads, water etc.
Roundstone Marina Project, which will enhance tourism and create employment

Threats
Risk of over development and unsympathetic buildings
Building for development increases prices for local people who want to build
Over abundance of holiday homes
Price of property leading to depopulation
Environmental; threats, pollution, rubbish, raw sewerage.

Section Five Projects for Development Plan
Action One : Infrastructural Development
Roundstone Development Council wishes to continue their relationship with the Galway County Council and other agencies in relation to infrastructural development within the village. Projects include the planning and development of water, sewerage, roads, traffic and parking.

Inishnee Road
The group will continue to lobby Galway County Council and Minister Eamon OíCuiv for improvements to the Inishnee Road.

Funding will be sought from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Galway County Council for this project.
Village Stone Signs
The Roundstone Development Council intend to install four granite stone signs in the area.
An application is to be made to Galway Rural Development for funding for this purpose.
Inishnee Slipway
The group will continue to lobby Galway County Council and the Department of Marine for support for this project.
The organisation will liase with Galway County Council to draw down funds for the development.

The sub group will organise fund raising activities to support the advancement of this project.

Repair old quay at Ervallagh harbour
The organisation will continue to lobby Galway County Council for the repair of this structure.
- Board Walk in Three Sections of Gurteen Beach
The organisation will continue to lobby Galway County Council for the development of a boardwalk for this beach.
Community Playground
The Roundstone Development Council will identify a suitable site for the proposed playground.
A sub group of the committee will be formed to progress this project.
Galway County Council is to be approached re the criteria for funding for a community playground.

Ongoing Projects
Action Two: Community Development Office
Back ground
Roundstone Development Council wish to continue to provide the existing community office services, tennis courts and running of community Hall.
The organisation work towards developing a strategy to ensure full time staffing of the community development office.

The group to investigated staffing options other than through FAS Community Employment schemes.
The group will explore funding options.

Action Three: Website
Roundstone Development Council wish to highlight and promote the area of Roundstone through the World Wide Web, encouraging more people to visit the area.
The group will ensure that the site is maintained and updated regularly.

Action Four: Twinning
The Roundstone Development Council will continue to foster and support the twinning of Roundstone and the French town Noyelle sous Lens, which promotes heritage, youth development and education through the twining experience.
The Roundstone Development Council will work towards strengthen the existing twinning committee.
Continue to develop and promote and youth exchange programme.
Apply for funding for the project through the European Union.
Action Five: Village Amenity Projects
Roundstone Development Council wish to carry out the following amenity projects.
To organise the removal of ESB overhead wires from village.
The group will continue to lobby Galway County Council to widen and maintain the road from the IDA to National School Road.
To encourage the County Council to carry out a survey on the condition of the old quay and follow up on delay in the work on this amenity.

Short Term Projects

Action Six: Street Lighting
Roundstone Development Council wish to erect street lighting at three locations around the village. Three streetlights are planned for behind the Roman Catholic Church, two others on the Ballyconneely Road and a number on the local government housing estate.
The Roundstone Development Council intend to liase with Galway County Council to draw down funds for the above projects.

Action Seven: Sign Board
The Roundstone Development Council wish to purchase an sign/information board to display tourist information, places of interest and local services to be erected in the centre of the village.
The group to purchase the sign/information board.
In partnership with the Galway County Council erect the board in a suitable location.

Action Eight: Fire Service
A regular visitor to the village donated a fire engine to the community. The development Council were instrumental in enlisting volunteers for the service but were unsuccessful in obtaining the support of Galway Co County Council.
The group intend to seek permission from Galway Co County Council to use the water hydrants in the village.
Organise training of volunteers in the use of the hydrants.
Make decision re the engine / equipment.

Action Nine: Waste and Recycling
Roundstone Development Council wish to be proactive in promoting recycling through the new service being offered through Barna Waste.
The group to Source a rubbish bin for InishneeAction
Ten: Marina
The Roundstone Development Council has been instrumental in the project development of a thirty four-berth marina with full facilities. The marina is to be built in order to facilitate the yachting people on the Western seaboard and will be community owned and managed.

The organisation will continue liasing with Department of the Marine and Galway County Council re funding for this project.
The Roundstone Development Council will be sending out to tender the project.
Redevelopment of the hall will be carried out in conjunction with the Marina development and landscaping of adjoining community ground and car park.

Long Term Projects

Action Eleven: Playing Field
Roundstone Development Council wish to develop a Sports Field in the area with through a Sports Committee.
The group will liase with National Lottery, Department of the Environment, Galway County Council, FAS, and local fund raising for this project.
Roundstone Development Council will locate a field for the development.
The organisation will set up a Sports committee to progress this project.

Action Twelve: Community Hall
The community hall was constructed in the 1950,s and has been managed by the community since being built. The hall currently houses the community office, meeting space for the senior citizens, Womenís groups, youth club, and adult education classís and. social functions. The Roundstone Development Council Carry will carry out a community consultation as to the communities needs.
The group will review the options available and identify funding sources.
Continue to landscape grounds of community centre (linked with Marina development).
Support for the above projects from these agencies together with the local community and a dedicated committee will be necessary for the successful implementation of the above actions.