Carlingford Community Newsletter
December 2021 Edition
Carlingford Community Newsletter NO. 92
This newsletter is jointly produced by the bodies representing the Carlingford Community, namely:
Carlingford Lough Heritage Trust CLHT
Carlingford Traders Association CTA
Carlingford Tidy Towns CTT
Carlingford Community Development CCD (The Foy Centre)
Carlingford Community Forum News
The past year has brought many changes for the Forum alongside those associated with the COVID pandemic. Our constituent organisations are now Carlingford Tidy Towns, Carlingford Community Development (The Foy Centre), Carlingford Lough Heritage Trust and Carlingford Traders who have recently re-joined the Forum. We hope that sporting organisations will come together in the near future and be represented also.
The initial consultation process for Living in/ Visiting in Carlingford took place in November. Feedback is being collated at present. The latter part of the year saw the establishment of the Steering Committee for Carlingford Vision ‘31 Gateway to the Cooley Peninsula. This was a Fáilte Ireland/ Louth County Council initiative to look at tourism on the Peninsula. This work will continue into next year and beyond with hopefully all stakeholders being actively involved. This applies not just to businesses involved in tourism but also to the Community on finding a sustainable way forward acceptable to all.
Carlingford Lough Heritage Trust opened a Tourism Hub to support the area after the long lockdown due to COVID. This is manned by employees and volunteers and supported financially by Peninsula businesses. Planning for next year is underway. The office is strategically located in the centre of the area under review for improvements to the Public Realm and also where residents and visitors can easily access information about activities in the area.
We acknowledge the efforts of all the organisations involved in the Forum and congratulate them on their work and achievements during a difficult year. Their individual reports are included in the Newsletter. We wish all residents of and visitors to the Peninsula a happy, safe & prosperous 2022.
Carlingford Community Development (The Foy Centre)
Rugby will be winding down from December. It has been an eventful year for the club- the return to action and regular matches in September, has allowed the club to grow and prosper in the community. We have welcomed clubs from all over North Leinster, visitors have been impressed with the fantastic Foy Centre facilities and the Carlingford knight’s friendly welcome.
The game of Rugby has the unique ability to ensure that no matter a player’s size or stature they will always find a position on the pitch. We have tried to welcome all players to the club. We would like to thank the parents for getting involved at matches, in handing out food to players and supporters. We now have over thirty coaches at the club, we would like to thank them all. Without our coaches we would have no club. Carlingford Knights have a mini section of over 100 mini players and a youth section with 70+ players. We wish them all a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year.
Carlingford Lough Heritage Trust
This month at the Carlingford Heritage Centre we hosted three festive events. Which included Two sold out Castle Tours with Ghan house, our guests had an entertaining yet educational Castle Tour on the 11th & 18TH of December. Followed by delicious, mulled wine and mince pies in Ghan house. The tour guides were Sheila Boyle and Laurena Rafferty. We would like to thank our Volunteers and staff who have made the Historical tours we provide so engaging this year. We are looking forward to delivering more Town Tours, Castle Tours and Graveyard tours in 2022. If you would like to support the work of the Trust, gifts cards are available on our website.
Roisin Toale and Brian Connor returned to the Carlingford Heritage centre with December Songs. Guest musicians Bronagh Cahill also performed a melody of festive tunes. The evening was a wonderful musical performance in the Heritage Centre. We are grateful for all those who supported our concerts and events during this year’s autumn/ winter season.
We said goodbye to our DKIT students Stephen & Oisín, the students were on work placement for four weeks. We will be sharing some of the student’s excellent work on our social media channels in the coming weeks. The tourist office has remained open with a warm Christmas display to welcome both national and international tourists to the area of Carlingford. This service is a lovely way to interact and provide key information on history, heritage and local business.
Nothing is going to hold us back in 2022, the Heritage Centre is currently working on many wonderful events for the new year. Please check out our social media pages and website for all the latest in events. Stay safe everyone. Merry Christmas.
“This project is supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development and Pobal through the Community Services Programme”.
Carlingford Tidy Towns
Congratulations to all the Winners announced at the Louth Looking Good Awards. You can watch the Awards online:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3ZCINdXzJE
Special Merit Award and Biodiversity Award to Carlingford. ‘A total upgrade and redesign of the Nature Garden includes a pond area, wildflower meadow and productive edible garden as well as perennial beds and a vegetable plot-a terrific transformation and a wildlife haven. Two newly planted perennial borders on the village green and the refurbishment of the planting at the tennis courts adds further to the biodiversity in the village’.
Best Overall Housing estate in Co Louth St Oliver’s Park, Carlingford.
Winner of Category D over 40 houses 1st place Clos na Manach, Carlingford.
Runner up Environmentalist of the Year: Steph Grills for Pay It Forward Carlingford/Omeath/Dundalk and surrounding areas. The online private Facebook group was set up by Steph to facilitate the exchange of items no longer required on the basis that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Best Shop Front Awards to Fishy Dishy, Grove House B & B, The Kingfisher, Ma Bakers, Ruby Ellen’s Tearooms, The Anchor Bar, The Bay Tree, The Carlingford Arms, The Village Hotel. The shed purchased with Community enhancement fund has now been delivered and will help store the ride on lawn mower which is used to cut the Village Green and Omeath rd. grass areas.
We expect delivery of two wheelchair accessible picnic tables in the new year as part of the Tidy Towns Project scheme. It is hoped these will be placed on the village green providing additional seating. Well done to Erin Finnegan and colleagues who bought out local school kids to do a litter blitz one Sunday in December. We hope they will continue to do similar work in 2022. If there is anything you would like to see Carlingford Tidy Towns include in plans for 2022 please get in touch on our website. Or perhaps you would like to volunteer also? Please get in touch by the contact form online: https://carlingfordtidytowns.com/contact-us
