Timeline of Key Events
Seisiun has been performed on the Renvyle Peninsula for the past 50 years. During the Summer season of 2024 the Renvyle Comhaltas group performed a wonderful show of the best of Irish music, song and dance performed weekly in the Teach Ceoil by talented local musicians, singers and dancers. Some 80 attendees from across Ireland, Scotland, England, Canada, and the USA attended the North Atlantic Forum (NAF) bi-annual conference in ATU Connemara and Connemara West, Letterfrack. The Galway County Digital Mapping of Graveyards was launched in Ellis Hall in the Connemara West Centre in Letterfrack as part of National Heritage week. There was a huge turnout in Ellis Hall with heritage groups traveling from all over the County to the launch. The graveyards surveyed by the Connemara West volunteers are also available in the Galway County Council data and maps section. Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan celebrated the 50th Reunion of the Ireland Study Away Program. The Reunion marked 50th years since Aquinas College first study abroad programme in Tullycross village in 1973. The arrival of full-time staff has meant that the centre is open from 9am to 9pm Monday to Friday with other special events such as circuit classes starting at 7am at selected times. Facilities include changing rooms, toilets, therapy room, meeting room and gym. The second phase of Clúid social housing project was completed in February 2022. This consists of 11 dwellings (6 no. 3 bedroom 2 storey semi-detached, 4 no. 2 bedroom single storey semi-detached and 1 no. 2 bedroom single storey detached dwelling) of high quality affordable homes. These 11 bungalows and houses will add to the existing 13 homes that Clúid already own within the scheme and complete the housing development… To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Connemara West undertook a number of local projects including a graveyard mapping project of the seven local cemeteries and graveyards in the Parish of Ballinakill – Salruck, Tooreena, Renvyle, Letterfrack Boys Cemetery, Banogues, St Thomas and Ballinakill. Other special occasions were a day-long visit by 5th and 6th class students from all the local National School – Eagles Nest, Tully, Lettergesh and Letterfrack to… The Community Centre building was completed in 2020 but due to Covid only the toilets and limited access to the gym were allowed. After being redesigned four times and submitted to Galway County Council, planning permission for our community services and leisure building was granted in June 2016. After grants and tendering processes building works finally began early this month and are underway. The centre will include both home and away changing rooms, public toilets, a gym and general amenities space among other things. When the project is completed, the community will have… This year, Seisiún took place in the Teach Ceoil for the 45th summer with a group of talented local musicians, singers and dancers. The group were extremely happy to present a token of their appreciation to Michael O’Neill who was the producer and organiser of Seisiún for 44 years in the Teach Ceoil and prior to that in the Marian Hall in Tullycross. Michael’s wife May was presented with a… The Áras an Uachtaráin, President Michael D Higgins, visited the GMIT Letterfrack on Friday 10th November to mark the 30th anniversary of the partnership between GMIT (Official) and Connemara West Plc. This partnership has been responsible for the establishment of Ireland’s leading education and training facility for furniture design, wood technology and teacher education. Over that time more than 1,300 graduates have emerged from the campus which was designated The… It was summer time in 1977 when The Teach Ceoil opened its doors for the first time. Now in 2017, it celebrates its 40th year of welcoming guests from all over the world to experience all that is Traditional Irish Music and Culture. As the home of Seisiún, the Teach Ceoil has provided it’s visitors with countless nights of entertainment and fun! In June 2016, planning permission was granted to build a new education centre in Tullycross that will contain a 50-seat auditorium; a wifi-enabled learning hub/library; group study/breakout rooms; video conferencing facilities; conference room and a coffee dock. The development also includes a major refurbishment and renovation of the nine thatched cottages in Tullycross to provide residential accommodation for the education centre. Diamond Hill Housing Association had campaigned since 1999 for the housing scheme, the first 13 units of which were completed in 2016. President Michael D Higgins and Sabina Higgins visited GMIT Letterfrack, Connemara West and Connemara Sea week for a wonderful day of celebration. GMIT Letterfrack first third level green campus in Co Galway awarded a green flag for its approach to environmental education, management and action. Aquinas College, Grand Rapids celebrates 40 years of its Study Abroad Programme in Tullycross. Connemara West celebrates 40 years in community development with a visit from President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins and his wife, Sabina. The President addressed the Irish Rural Link Conference in Ellis Hall and met with the directors of Connemara West. The Letterfrack astro turf pitch opens in September 2012 with the support of Connemara West. Measuring 60m x 35m floodlit pitch is the first community amenity of its type in the Connemara West area. Letterfrack hosts the IAU (International Association of Ultrarunners)World Trail Championships. Having the resources and skills in place to be able to host an international event of this kind was a major achievement for a small community. Copies of this pictorial history of 50 years of community development in the Parish of Ballinakill 1957-2007 can be purchased from the Publications section of the website. The Renvyle Comhaltas group, in partnership with Connemara West plc, organised this highly successful event for two years in a row. President McAleese visited The Furniture College – GMIT Letterfrack, Forum Connemara and Connemara West in June 2016. Tigh na nÓg provides full day-care, pre-school and after-school services to children from the North Connemara area throughout the year. Opened in 2006, it now provides a childcare solution for more than 50 families from the local community. Contact Caroline Heanue on 095-41908 for further information on the services provided at Tigh na nÓg. Put a bit of context here – how many students signed up, what was the benefit for Letterfrack and the wider area? O’Donnell & Tuomey Architects win the RIAI and RIBA awards for the design of the new buildings in the Connemara West Centre. The newly designed buildings commissioned by Connemara west win the Premier Award for Excellence in Architectural Design 2001. Established in 1999, Conservation Letterfrack provides a conservation and restoration service throughout Ireland for furniture, wooden artefacts and architectural woodwork. It also acts as advisors for conservation or restoration projects and counts the National Museum, the Courts Service, Limerick Civic Trust and Castletown House Foundation among its clients. It also offers short courses in all aspects of furniture conservation / restoration. Connemara west founds this community/statutory managed community development project for the Connemara region. Since 1987, Connemara West plc has partnered with GMIT Letterfrack to deliver honours degree programmes specialising in Furniture Design and Manufacture; Furniture and Wood Technology; Teacher Education. GMIT Letterfrack is the National Centre of Excellence for Furniture Design and Wood Technology. Since 1980, Connemara West has provided a range of office services to the public such as colour printing up to and including A3; photocopying; faxing; ring/slide binding; laminating; e-mailing; scanning. Connemara West plc purchased St Joseph’s Industrial School, Letterfrack in 1978. The complex now accommodates a range of community and public service facilities, which promote the development of the region. It is also home to a number of Connemara West plc partners, including GMIT Letterfrack Furniture College, Connemara Community Radio, Foscadh / Diamond Hill Housing Association Ltd., Tigh na nÓg Community Creche and Conservation Letterfrack. The former industrial school building… Established in 1977, the Teach Ceoil in Tully village is a centre for Irish culture, particularly traditional music, song and dance. It hosts music, song and dance classes throughout the year. Each Tuesday evening during July and August, the cream of local Irish musicians, singers and dancers perform as part of Seisiún. The holiday accommodation scheme of nine traditional thatched cottages was the first Connemara West plc project. Built in 1971, the cottages are located in the village of Tullycross and are rented to tourists visiting the picturesque Connemara area during the summer season.
50 years of Seisun in the Renvyle Peninsula – Jul 2024
North Atlantic Forum Conference – Jun 2024
Galway County Launch of graveyard mapping in Ellis Hall – Aug 2023
Aquinas 50th Anniversary – Jun 2023
Diamond Hill Community Centre and Gym – Jan 2023
Second phase of Radharc Bhinn Ghuaire complete – Feb 2022
Connemara West celebrate 50 years of community development – 2021/2022
Completion of Diamond Hill Community Centre and GYM – Mar 2020
Work begins on Community Services and Leisure Centre in Letterfrack – Sep 2018
Michael O’Neill retires as producer of Seisiún – Jul 2018
Connemara West & GMIT Letterfrack’s 30th Anniversary – 2017
Teach Ceoil Celebrates its 40th Birthday – 2017
Launch of Residential International Education Centre inTullycross – 2016
13 Social Houses completed in Letterfrack – 2016
Visit by President Michael D Higgins and Mrs Higgins to Letterfrack – Nov 2014
Green Campus GMIT Letterfrack awarded green flag – 2014
Aquinas celebrates 40 years in Tullycross – 2013
Connemara West celebrates 40 years in Community Development – 2012
Letterfrack astro turf pitch opens – 2012
Letterfrack hosts the IAU World Trail Championships – 2011
‘A Patchwork of Dreams’ published – 2008
Letterfrack hosts Galway County Fleadh – 2007
Visit by President Mary McAleese to Letterfrack – 2006
Tigh na nÓg Community Creche – 2006
GMIT Letterfrack launches B.Sc. Hons in Design and Technology Education – 2005
National Award for Connemara West Centre – 2002
O’Donnell & Tuomey win Downes Medal AAI (Premier Award) – 2001
Conservation Letterfrack – 1999
Forum Connemara Ltd launched – 1998
GMIT Letterfrack – 1987
Office Services – 1980
Connemara West Centre – 1978
Teach Ceoil – 1977
Renvyle Thatched Cottages – 1971
