Carlingford Community Newsletter July 2019 Edition
CRA
Carlingford Residents Association
CCD
Carlingford Community Development
(The Foy Centre)
CTT
Carlingford Tidy Towns
CCTA
Carlingford & Cooley Tourism Assoc.
CLHT
Carlingford Lough Heritage Trust
This newsletter is jointly produced by the five bodies representing the Carlingford community,
namely:
Carlingford Community Forum News
The Forum is currently working on a presentation for the IPB Pride of Place 2019 competition in conjunction with Cooperation Ireland. We are nominated by Louth County Council in the Community Tourism Initiative category. The adjudication panel will visit Carlingford on Thursday 22nd August from 2 to 4pm.
The process will begin with a walk through the town followed by a 30-minute presentation in the Heritage Centre concluding with a question and answer session. The judges will then move to the Foy Centre where they will meet with a number of community groups who have an impact on tourism in the area. Entertainment will be provided by some of those groups. The Forum is grateful to all who have agreed to take part.
The Forum wishes success to events taking place in Carlingford during the month of August, the 40th Carlingford Oyster Festival, the annual Thomas D’Arcy McGee Summer School and the Irish Dance Festival, all of which have interesting and exciting line-ups this year.
Heritage News
Carlingford Heritage Centre Events
Summer Concert Series
Sunday 4th August
‘From Dundee to the Shetlands and round to Carlingford’
Zoë and John’s guests for the second concert of the 2019 summer series are two of Scotland’s most renowned and sought after traditional musicians, fiddler Chris Stout and harpist Catriona McKay. Catriona was voted ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’ at the Scots Trad Music Awards in 2014.
On Sunday 11th August, we will offer an exciting fusion of classical and world music in the company of virtuoso guitarist and singer Niwel Tsumbu and percussionist Éamonn Cagney. In their
ten years together, they have worked with some of the greats in modern Irish traditional music, such as Liam Ó Maonlai, Iarla Ó Lionáird and the late Michéal Ó Suilleabháin.
On Sunday 18th August, resident hosts Zoë and John will be back from the Fleadh in Drogheda to welcome Breton artists: traditional flute player Jean-Michel Veillon and guitarist Yvon Riou.
Jean-Michel and Yvon have been playing together since 1993 and have performed regularly in Ireland, Scotland and across Brittany, but this will be their first performance in Carlingford.
There will be a flamenco flavour to the final concert of the series on Sunday 25th August when John and Zoë invite one of Zoë’s former Riverdance colleagues, dancer Yolanda Gonzales Sobrado to join them on stage.
Heritage Week 2019 – 17th -25th August
Bell ringing – Saturday 17th August at 12 noon
Bell ringing to announce the beginning of National Heritage Week from the medieval bell tower of Carlingford Heritage Centre, formerly the Church of the Holy Trinity, overlooking the historic town.
Thomas D’Arcy McGee Summer School: Tuesday 20th – Wednesday 21st August Brexit: Back to the Future
Exploring the issues at the heart of contemporary Ireland. Irish, British and Canadian historians and academics, Politicians Forum, The trial of the Gaelic Lords of Ulster before the Court of History, Open-air Reception, Folk ;n Trad Night, North/South Pipe Bands.
Mapping Cooley over five centuries: Wednesday 21st August, 7.30pm
With Micheál O’ Hanlon and Séamus Murphy, in the Heritage Centre.
Dun Ocalla, Carlingford and King John: Thursday 22nd August at 7.30pm
Talk by archaeologist Eoin Halpin on the recent investigations at King John’s Castle. Meeting at the pier under King John’s Castle.
Ireland in Transition: Saturday 24th August at 7.30pm
From the Easter Rising to the First Dail and Partition 1916-20
Talk by Dr Eamon Phoenix, historian and Irish News columnist, in the Heritage Centre.
For details on all the above events go to www.carlingfordheritagecentre.com Phone: + 353(0)429373454 or Email: info@carlingfordheritagecentre.com
Carlingford & Cooley Tourism Association News
Congratulations to our Tourism Officer Richard Brennan on his recent marriage, our best wishes for the future.
Preparations continue for the Annual Oyster Festival and this year with the County Council’s agreement the Festival Marquee will be located in the Tennis Courts.
The Council have made it clear that this will not be a precedent for car parking on the Courts. Presently, we are setting out to give the Courts a good weeding.
Membership subscriptions continue to be collected.
Congratulations to Ger Long and Sharon McGuigan on their continuing work to ensure the Oyster Festival is a great success.
The Foy Centre
Northern Ireland Caravan Club
Due to the good weather at the start of July we were delighted to welcome approximately 40 camper vans to park up on the pitch for a week.
Over 100 people stayed with a mixture of both young and old, family and friends.
The guests were able to make great use of our facilities. They used the sports hall for evening entertainment such as Bingo, Music and Dancing.
With the Orchard Bakery on site, Jonathan was also able to cater to their needs.
We were delighted with the positive feedback received and we hope they can return again next year (weather permitting).
Orchard Bakery
Looking for somewhere on a Sunday to have a delicious breakfast or lunch? Don’t forget the Orchard Bakery is now open every Sunday for the months of July and August.
Why not let the kids run free on the Foy pitch while you enjoy a cuppa in the lovely outdoor patio area of the bakery.
Gymnastics Summer Camp
Aerial Gymnastics held a very successful summer camp at the start of July. They had an inflatable ‘air track’ rolled out in the hall, which really helped the kids master their skills.
Should you wish your child to join Gymnastics Lessons please private message their facebook page or email aerialgymnastics7@gmail.com
Looking ahead – a few dates for your diary:
Free Learning
The Irish Dance Festival will return to Carlingford, Monday 29th July – Saturday 3rd August. Check out their Facebook page for further details.
Do you want to learn a bit more about using the Internet, or are you unsure how to use your phone or ipad?
Why not come along to the Foy Centre in early October for a free 5-week basic iPhone, iPad, Tablet and Smartphone training session.
If you would like more information or to book a place please call Angela on 046 9280790.
Da Cooley Thriller – Mountain Bike Marathon
Saturday 10th August sees the annual mountain bike race take place.
The Foy Centre will be used as the registration venue for this event.
If there’s anything you would like to see happening in the centre or on the pitch please contact
Debbie Hamilton on 083 8013777.
Carlingford Tidy Towns
The flowerbed by the castle stile has been brought back to life by one of our dedicated volunteers. It has been so worthwhile – what a wonderful display!
However, a large number of plants including aubretia and lavender have vanished from these beds by the tennis court. CTT does not have the financial means to replace them but when Gearoid O ‘Neill heard of our plight, he kindly offered a quantity of plants to replace them.
Why do people continually rob our public spaces of plants? Do they think the council supplies them and are therefore fair game? Not so, if you are readers of these pages you will know that our volunteers expend an enormous amount of time caring for these plants to bring them from seedlings to flower for all of Carlingford to enjoy. We know that it happens in other parts of the country as well, so what is it about the Irish psychy that thinks you are supremely clever to get away with this wonton theft?
However, there are some decent folk around as the photo below illustrates…
“Sometimes it can be a little discouraging being a volunteer when plants are stolen or thrown into the tide. However, this young artist cheered me up no end when I was replacing plants on the promenade. A lovely hand painted rock with a message and a smiley face. Thank you whoever you are and some more would be welcome. K” ?
We will need to issue Gerry’s little helpers with yellow vests if they want to join the TT team!
Following some technical issues, we have at last managed to install the remainder of our ‘Up the Pole’
planters – with a little help from our friends.
Pretty hanging baskets have been installed by residents of Harbour Cottages.
The folks in Harbour Cottages have been taking action to address pollinator decline this summer by creating a new flowerbed, allowing the grass to grow and filling hanging baskets with calibrachoa to attract the butterflies.
What a difference a few weeks make to our new flowerbed outside Getaways! Once again it shows how worthwhile it can be to create flowerbeds full of perennial, pollinator friendly plants in the town.
CTT were not responsible for these signs appearing on our footpaths. It seems it was a new initiative by Louth County Council and you will find them adorning footpaths in towns and villages all over the county.
We are very grateful to the Carlingford Sailing Club Junior Sailors for holding a water-borne beach clean all along the beach under the castle. Very well done to all involved in helping the environment.
This – or This?
We have been conducting a ‘straw’ pole on our Facebook page and it seems that our followers are
overwhelmingly in favour of letting the grass grow!
The communal gardens in St Oliver’s Park have had further attention this spring and are ready to receive the judges for the Pride of Place competition.
We close with the gardens at Clos na Manach, which are looking superb once again this year!
Find us on Facebook.com/CarlingfordTidyTowns
If you run a local community group and would like to advertise your past or future events in this newsletter, please contact the undersigned.
Thank you for supporting your community
If you have any ideas or comments please Email them to patkins520@btinternet.com
and I will ensure they are brought to the attention of the appropriate committee.
