Putting Kilteely on the map 28 September 2016 Premium

Looking at the list of organisations, events and facilities in the area of Kilteely, Co Limerick, you could say it has them all, with bells on: 25 active organisations, a new community hall, a day-care centre and social housing complex, community radio, a “teach dramaiochta”, garden allotments, an annual festival, weekly newsletter, a sacred music concert, set dancing extraordinaire and a community office.

It’s like mind, body and soul are all being looked after in this neck of the woods.

“It’s a lot when you write it down, all right,” John McCarthy, chair of the Tidy Towns committee, says, “but we’re not stopping yet!”

John – a man everyone knows, I’m told – mentions plans for the future: an all-weather sports facility, a playground, more planting and, with a bit of persuasion employed and hope in their pocket, further footpaths and tarmacadam.

Winners of the Limerick Pride of Place 2015 award, Kilteely natives have plenty of tips for other villages wanting to make a start.

“Don’t be afraid to try anything,” says dairy farmer Robert Holmes, chair of Kilteely Dromkeen Cloverfield (KDC) community council.

“In things like competitions, you might say there are way better communities out there – but you have to give it a shot.”

The consensus round the table is that Robert is the “backbone” when it comes to community efforts. “He’s very approachable and good at getting things sorted. He gives considered responses and is respectful of everyone,” say Valerie Greene and Marie Chavan.

Considerable talents themselves, they bring organisational experience and commitment to their voluntary roles of secretary within community council and tidy towns committees.

“Everyone has different skills and something to contribute, and the four of us here today are only part of it,” says Valerie, who cut the ribbon for the opening of the new community hall in 2014.

“For some reason we seem to have a great little community,” Robert says. “There’s a great sense of pride and no us-and-them scenarios. For example, the GAA club will help out the soccer club and vice versa.”

Fun is an important part of community life too. The annual summer festival is a case in point.

“Everyone looks forward to it on the third weekend in July every year,” Valerie Greene says.

“While it’s part of the annual fund-raising, people plan their holidays around it as they don’t want to miss it. We’ve had a mock wedding and Rose and Bachelor of Kilteely competitions over the years too – it’s a great weekend for everyone.”

RUBBISH ON THE ROUNDS

Keeping rubbish at bay is top of Marie Chavan’s list of priorities, however, and all help is appreciated.

“There are 65 of us who pick up rubbish altogether, looking after the whole circle. The message is getting out when people see us with our fluorescent jackets doing that.

“We get people coming from chip shops in the town discarding wrappers when they reach here, unfortunately, but at least the amount we’re collecting is going down. We collected 250 bags in 2013, 120 in 2014 and we’re now down to around 60 to 70 a year,” says Marie.

CHALLENGES

However, there were lots of challenges in 2008, when plans to improve the look of the village began.

“We cleaned up the three derelict sites and under trees and put in concrete,” John says. “We got the old petrol pumps taken away at Cagney’s pub on the corner, painted it and put murals in the windows. We’ve put up signs and built stone walls re-using stone from the creamery that’s closed in Ballinlough.”

UNIQUE DRAMA VENUE

Arts and drama are very important too, and the village even has its own “drama house”. As well as many a play staged over the years, it saw the start of the success story that is set dancing for those with Parkinson’s. It began here under the tutelage of instructor Pat O’Dea, using the Dr Daniel Volpe method.

Communication isn’t neglected either, with Tim Long overseeing East Limerick Community Radio, a man even known to hop on the quad and go uphill to fix the transmitter if necessary.

Fr Conor Hayes’s input is noted too: a “powerful force”, his parishioners call him, and involved in every organisation.

A tour of the village provided an opportunity to see all the developments, including the recycling business set up to provide employment after locals noticed that GAA teams were being depleted by emigration.

The village is extremely “green” and entered the new Going for Gold competition last year, winning €1,000. While John McCarthy won the front garden prize.“If I don’t get my own house in order, there’s no point in preaching the gospel afterwards!” John laughs.

Given that Kilteely is in scenic Ballyhoura country, several walking routes have also been developed and historic sites highlighted, from the fair green to several holy wells and a famine relief road.

The people of Kilteely especially acknowledge the help of LEADER, Ballyhoura, JP McManus, FÁS, TUS and Limerick Co Council in enabling them to achieve so much to date.

Kilteely’s top 10 tips for

creating a community

1. Get involved immediately with local development organisations and your county council.

2. Do community surveys every few years, so you know what villagers want money spent on.

3. Video and photograph all events in the community, as this can come in handy for logging progress and entering competitions.

4. Publish a weekly eletter/newsletter for locals and diaspora.

5. Hold a farmers’ market selling allotment produce.

6. Consider Facebook pages rather than maintaining a website.

7. Enter competitions, as this provides focus and excitement and can be a bonding exercise.

8. Encourage young people to help with tasks like wall painting and rubbish collection to instil pride in the area and avoid vandalism/disrespect in future.

9. Clean up derelict sites. Maintain paintwork on closed premises in the village and consider the use of window murals.

10. Have a community office providing services like typing/photocopying/newsletter publication.

Getting connected

There are Facebook pages for KilteelyTidy Towns, Summer Festival and Community Council