BLACKROCK BULLETIN
News from around Blackrock and Haggardstown
Noel’s big award
Local historian Noel Sharkey was made a special award at the Beautiful Blackrock awards when named the “Volunteer of the Year.”
Thomas and Cabrini Lambe, Manderley were presented with the award for the Outstanding Garden of the Year, while not surprising the recently refurbished Community Centre was named as the Best Presented Public Building.
Jacqui Brown received another notable award for Passion for Gardening.
Historian Noel outside of writing and compiling a couple of publications on the parish, and a number of books of poetry, has found the time to be involved in Tidy Towns activity along with the Haggardstown and Dublin Road Community Alert Group.
He also was a founder member of local Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and involved in the staging of the now annual event.
The full list of award and prize winners was as follows: Estates:
Gold: Beech Park, Earlsford, Elm Park, Rock Court, Saint Furseys and The Meadows.
Silver, Ard-na-Mara, Blackrock Cove. Clermont Manor, Cois Farraige, Fane View, Gort na Glaise, Gort-na-Mara, Hamilton, Knockshee, Marlmount, Mariner’s Court, Rathmount, Sandfield Gardens, The Ferns, The Links, Wallace’s Cove.
Bronze, Carraig Ard, Sandygrove/ Close, Seafort, Southend, Stamanaran, Village Green. Business
Bayview, Belles, Black Wok, Brake, Café Acqua, Clermont, Crafty Rock, Credit Union, Home Bakery, Neptune, Storm-in-a--Teacup, Sybils, Sextons, Uncle Toms.
Christmas, Clermont, Conor Hughes, Crafty Rock, McQuillans, Sybil.
Gardens
Large, Joan Breen, John McLoughlin, John & Fiona McLaughlin, Linda Stewart, Mary and Tommy McDonnell, Fidelma & Noel Mulholland.
Small Gardens, Mary Joley, Pauline Norton, Donie Lynch, Patrick & Rose O’Meara, Mr Tony Sharkey, Dermot & Kitty Duffy, Kathleen Farrell. Baskets/Planter & Window Boxes Ger & Declan Conlon, Oliver Dillon, Dymphna Wilson, Frank & Maura Lennon, Rosemary Rogers Evergreen Garden Elizabeth McKeown, Diane Arthur, Peter & Toni McVeigh, Maurice & Carol Ann Murphy, Liam Grimes. Pollinator Friendly Noeleen Burke, John & Denise Morrison, Mary & Tom Rowley. Innovative
Brigite & Raphael Kiltinavicicite, Joanne Woods, Ann Smyth. Passion for Gardening Jacqui Brown Outstanding Garden of the Year (Patricia Murphy Award Amazing Use of Colour)
Thomas & Cabrini Lamb, Manderley
Card raw thanks
The Geraldines GFC wish to sincerely thank everyone in the parish who supported their very successful car draw.
The club in conjunction with two other GAA clubs in Louth, Mattock Rangers and Westerns promoted the draw that offered three Nissan Micra cars as prizes, supplied by McCabe Motors.
No local winner emerged with the cars going to: Joanne McShane, 23 De Valera Park, Drumconrath, Co Meath; Adrienne Rogers, Ballybonia, Reaghstown and Liam Halpenny, Annalug, Ardee.
Lotto
The jackpot is creeping up close to €9, 000 in the Geraldines lottery with no winner this week with the numbers drawn: 7, 17, 30 and 32.
Two players shared the €200 match three prize, Alan Thornton, Marlbog Road and Mark McCumisky c/o The Clermont Bar, Blackrock.
Silver Jubilee
Current and past members and volunteers gathered to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the foundation of Blackrock Tidy Towns with a dinner in the Clermont Arms.
Over this relatively short period the village has made great strides to become the Tidiest Town in Louth this year and in the overall standings stands 15th out of a total entry of almost 900 in the national Tidy Towns competition.
This was coupled with retaining Gold Medal status in the competition – the village now possesses three such medals, as well as holding top place in the “Louth Looking “awards.
A film compiled over the years by founder member Larry Maguire was shown and illustrated just how far the village has progressed, and formed a highlight of the night during which chairman John Horan thanked all for their efforts over the years and read the minutes of the first meeting of the committee which was held on November 9 1993.
The film captured the first project undertaken by the committee which was the cleaning and tidying up of the flower and shrub bed at the then skating hall, and the very changed face of the village.
The Centra Village Centre occupies the site now, and other major changes have taken place, including a complete revamp of the front street with a new promenade wall, footpaths, road surface and all the services placed underground.
These have replaced broken sections of footpath, holes in the road and a cracked seawall, and pleasingly now there is not a speck of rubbish.
A striking aspect is how busy the village has become with a manifold increase in traffic. The streetscape has dramatically changed with many new buildings and businesses and the Tidy Towns has been instrumental in a lot of the changes with the completion of landmark projects like the construction of the Sun Dial feature in the centre of the Main Street, the refurbishment of the sea front, installation of shrub and flower beds, sculptures and entrance features to the village to name but some.
Many other initiatives have been undertaken like the creation of the village’s award winning park, Blackrock in Bloom and Raft Race which is an annual highlight of the social calendar in the area never mind the village, as well as being a valuable fund raiser.
Prior to the formation of the present committee Doctor Chris Fingleton undertook whatever tidy towns activities were in the village.
His wife Finnoula along with Attracta Coleman, Anne Marie Devenney, Gerry Quigley, Donal Lynch, Noelle Boyle, Mary Melia, Gerry Broughall, John Horan, Liam McCallion, Pat O’Connor, Patricia Wright, Noel Lennon RIP, Larry Magnier, Tadgh O’Sullivan, Paddy Smith RIP, Gerry Rogers were founder members .
Present chairman, John Horan is the one remaining officer link on the present committee, while Donal Lynch has returned to the recently elected committee for the year ahead.
The other officers with the chairman are: Vice-chairman, Joe Bailey; secretary, Anne Campbell, PRO Gearoid McMahon, School Liaison officers, Marie McCallion and Eileen Guiney.
Raft Race
Next year’s raft race to fit in with the tide will take place on the Monday of the June bank holiday.
It was switched for the same reason in 2017 and proved very successful.
Mass for Deceased
Mass for deceased members of the community, especially those who died in the past year will be celebrated in Saint Fursey’s Church this Friday, November 2 at 7.30pm
All are very welcome.
Enrolment
A strong demand for places was evident from the enrolment application process undertaken by Saint Fursey’s School earlier in the month.
The school invited applications for admission of junior infants for the next school year beginning in September next.
The revival in the housing market and resumption of house building which had largely stopped with the recession in the area is anticipated to result in pressure for places in local schools.
Halloween
Saint Fursey’s School broke off for Halloween with a disco for pupils. This is a venture undertaken by the Parents Association and combines it as a means to raise funds for the school.
The Association organise and supervise the disco, for which they specially decorate the school hall in keeping with the season.
There are separate times for the different ages, with infants catered for during the day. and middle classes early in the evening. The senior classes from fourth to sixth then follow them from 7.30 to 8.45pm.
It is one of the significant fund raising events run by the Parents Committee who provide treats and refreshments.
The Parents Committee is currently trying to assist with the provision of Chrome Books in the school