In the early days of the Connemara West Centre, various discussions were held regarding the potential uses of the Centre. Advice was sought from many agencies included the Irish Productivity Centre, the I.D.A. and Kilkenny Design. There was a range of various ideas considered from a small light industry in the hall, or using it as a storage space for a co-op, hosting a spinning and weaving industry, using the [...]
From an article in the Connacht Tribune, 14 November 1975 the plans for the old industrial school in Letterfrack are mentioned "An old industrial school closed down now for over twelve months may become the centre of new hope of people living in the Letterfrack, Leenane, Kylemore, Ballinakill and Tullycross areas of Connemara. Local people plan to turn the school into the headquarters for a co-operative which would set up [...]
On the first of April, 2022 GMIT amalgamated with IT Sligo and Letterfrack IT to become the Atlantic Technological University (ATU). Making GMIT Letterfrack now ATU Connemara, the most westerly university campus in Europe. To mark the final ever awards as GMIT; Honorary Fellowships were conferred on five outstanding individuals marking their vast contribution to and success in business, education, public service and sport and one of those recipients was [...]
Mr. Sean Smyth, Special Projects Officer, Mayo County Development Team (left) presented the award for the Best Tourism Project by a Voluntary Community Effort to Mr. Michael O'Neill, Secretary Connemara West Ltd at the 'Cleaner Community Campaign' function in the Sacre Coeur Hotel, Salthill. Also in the photograph is Mr Paddy Coyne, Director, Connemara West Ltd. Image and caption from The Connacht Tribune, Friday December 5, 1980.
As a nod to National Tree Week and with assistance from Jeff Coon, Aquinas Tullycross 1987 and Ron and Miriam Pederson, Aquinas College Professors for the Ireland Program in Tullycross in 1992, 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2009. We are now sharing two photos and all the students have been named by Miriam and Ron Pederson. The tree planting was a tradition of several years when Aquinas selected and planted a [...]
The first board meeting of the directors of Connemara West Ltd was held on the 16th of March 1972 in Tullycross. The directors present were Mr Paul Aspell, Mr Malachy Conboy, Mr Michael O'Neill and Mr Joseph O'Toole and the Rev. Fr. E. Tuffy C.C. Padraic Joyce, Director representing Western Regional Tourism Orgnsation was also present and apologies were received from Senator John M Mannion, Director representing Galway County Council. [...]
"The programme of self help which began in Renvyle within the past five years is a model and an inspiration for any community in the West of Ireland...It was the drive, initiative and most of all the real regard for development through community enterprise of Connemara West Ltd which prompted my company to respond immediately to the development group's request or assistance in establishing a cottage scheme in Renvyle. Because [...]
At an Extraordinary General meeting of Connemara West on the 8 April 1976 it was formally decided to proceed with the building of the Teach Ceoil. With the help of a grant from Bord Failte, the Teach Ceoil was built in Tully village, Renvyle in 1977 for £17,000. The first session and the official opening took place on the 5 July 1977. In People in Development - A History of [...]
In 'Patchwork of Dreams 50 years of Community Development in the Parish of Ballinakill, there is a photograph of the men who helped to build the Marian Hall in Tullycross with an extract from the Connacht Tribune from May 1958 about the opening of the Marian Hall. This wonderful 'do-it-yourself' attitude has been the inspiration for many of the local community development organisations in our including Connemara West. We are [...]
Since we shared the copy of the 1973 Aquinas study abroad program in an earlier blog we were contacted by Jeff Coon. Jeff was part of the Aquinas Ireland Program in Tullycross and lived in Cottage 9 in 1987. He shared with us the Ireland Program Booklet for 1987 which makes for some very interesting reading. Jeff also shared some photos of the Cottage 9 on fire! As Jeff tells [...]
