Roundstone News 20th November 2006

Marion McDonagh:

I had the privilege of being invited to the baptism of Master Keelan

Mc Donagh. Marion’s son and heir who was baptised on Saturday under the guidance of Father Mc Cathy, after the ceremony back to their Grandmothers House where Josephine Mc Donagh now a great Grandmother as well as Mary, Marion’s mother now a granny, and lots of Uncles had prepared a wonderful celebration luncheon in Keelan’s honour, for me it was an extraordinary experience to be with the family and also listening to them singing in the early evening and so being the outsider made it all the more special, actually thinking about it being with all the young Mc Donaghs, i.e. Patrick, Marion, David, Brian, Ian, Michael has not come on the scene yet they have been with me for some time through the youth Club was an added bonus.

So my thanks to you all for inviting me in to your inner sanctum, it felt good

So that all that remains to be said we wish baby Keelan a happy and long life.

Unfolding Ideas:

Part one of the unfolding Ideas programme, arranged through Folding Landscapes and the Galway University was held in the community Hall last Friday, 38 people attended the lecture, a good start for the Galway University to use Roundstone as one of their centres with very highly qualified lecturers, Sean O’Laoire, Sheila O’Donnell and John Tuomey, who incidentally designed the Wood Work Buildings in Letterfrack.

Part two of the programme is a three day work shop commencing on the 27th & 28th November then with a public presentation on the 29th November, at 7pm a “Life writing and Community” with Allegra Houston and James Nave in the lower community Hall 7pm which is open to anybody who wishes to attend

 

Last Friday the first event in the programme 'Unfolding Ideas', arranged by the National University, Galway, and Folding Landscapes, took place in Roundstone. In the afternoon twenty or so people from the University participated in a discussion in Folding Landscapes, led by the architect Sean O'Laoire, on the topic  'Building on the Edge of Europe'. In the evening there was a public presentation in the Lower Community Hall, in which architects Sheila O'Donnell and John Tuomey discussed their building for the Furniture School in Letterfrack and their exhibit as Ireland's representatives in the Venice Biennale. This was a remarkably fine exposition and was greatly appreciated by all who braved the dreadful weather to be there.  
The next public event in the series is on this coming Wednesday. The Huston School of Film and Digital Media is running a three-day screenwriting workshop for fifteen students in Folding Landscapes, and as part of this Allegra Huston (the director John Huston's daughter) and James Nave will give a public talk on 'Life Writing and Community' and demonstrate a website for personal biographies. This takes place in the lower part of the Community Hall, Roundstone, at 7 pm Wednesday 29th November, and everyone is welcome.

Roundstone:

Tomorrow night is the meeting in Roundstone about Organic Gardening with Caith Curran in the lower Community Hall 7.30 pm, and all are welcome to attend. Thinking about this week a good few activities have taken place, there was the Friday Poker game took place again in Eldon’s, which is certainly growing in popularity, and as I mentioned the lectures in the Hall which is bringing people to stay in the B/B’s. Geraldine Coyne had make up session in her home, again was well attended. Having Eldon’s still open has brought in a few people to stay, in fact now that word is getting out that there is a hotel open as well as some of the B/B’s, which will in turn be beneficial to the shops and the Bars that do stay open all the year around.

The Hotel is totally full for next weekend with a walking group who are regular visitors in the summer and now they are coming back again for winter walks, the girls also have some great ideas for the Christmas and New year period, I gather their booking for that period are looking quite healthy, So Roundstone is certainly not dead, god bless all those that have the courage to stay open, I feel sure it will pay off in time, and produce a vibrant community with more ideas for the winter period

Story:

As I have very little news for you I thought I would just relate a funny short story with the right ending.

I am having the house re wired with Buddy Wright his company is Meridian Electrics working with him are three lads, Shane Mark and Fred you might call them the Brady Bunch, they are working overtime to complete the job in time, well last Friday, I got back quite late only to find that that one of the lads ie Buddy, related to me from Mark I have to say, Buddy was in a high state of anxiety, apparently working with just a torch up a ladder, while working he had the uncomfortable feeling that some one was watching him, adding to the fact there was a great deal of lightening which made the house a little more spooky telling me afterwards he thought “oh God Richards Grandmother is back”, because I had related the odd story every now and again of years back about her, anyway he continued to work, but it became too much he heard a slight shuffle below him but could not pin point it, so he shouted, actually I think he almost screamed to Mark and Shane his colleagues stating “I am not staying a moment longer I am off to Sligo”, meanwhile the lads were getting a little apprehensive themselves, finally one fork of lightening lit the house up and from under a chair by his ladder a black and white thing went shooting through the Hall, now that really sent the cat amongst the pigeons, only to reveal that under the dinning room table this petrified dog with his eyes rolling in fear and barley able to move, the said Dog was in fact belonging to Betty & Joe Creane that had panicked, who some how had got into the house as all the Doors were shut, it still remains a mystery has to how the dog got in. So anyway all is well Shane, Mark and Buddy and Fred is still here, only as we speak with lots of lights blazing, and loud music and so I promise never to tell any more ghost stories to anybody who stays in the House.

Michael Reynolds:

Now to end off, there will be a competition for the best dressed window over the Christmas period within the village, sponsored by Michael Reynolds from Ferron’s, the winning window will receive a €100 of groceries and all you have to do, is to get an application Form, from Michael at the shop and once you have entered you then will be given a number that has to be displayed in your window, the judging will be by a popular vote, again the person who puts his name on the voting paper, there will be a draw of those names for some bottles of wine. Nice idea Michael, good luck to all entrants.

Christmas Fair 16th & 17th December 2006:

While we are talking about Christmas, the dates for this year’s Christmas Fair in the community Hall to raise funds for the Youth Club is on the 16th 17 December, if anybody would like to reserve a table, just give me a call.