The An Charraig newsletter promotes the island activities with a focus on its survival and Future Job Opportuni-

ties. An Charraig will promote community events, stories and an update for islanders at home and abroad so that

we can remain attached wherever we are. We hope it will be a one stop shop for people interested in Arainn, its

way of life and promoting its future. The newsletter includes stories from abroad that may help the

promotion of Arainn and its longevity.

Keep up to date at http://arranmorenewsletter.blogspot.se/

Contact sgallagher@syspro.ie or 00353 85 8555792 or fb Shirley Atsyspro.

Donations for Print Copy gratefully accepted.

Edition 2

Meithmeath 2014

MUINTIR NA TÍRE Arainn

Mhor Island Community

Council Election Day

Monday 26th May 2014

More on page 2

Inside this Issue

Gairmscoil 3

Tuarascáil an Cruinniú 3

Cumann na

mBád, Árainn

Mhór

4

JBH 5

New Business 7

Low Carbon 9

Community

Power

10

Youth &

Elders

10

Swell 12

12

12

Following the resounding success of the poll

(266-4) counted on the 19th April, an election

for 16 Island Councillors for the Inaugural Is-

land Community Council will take place at

Ionad an Chrois Bhealaigh from 9.00-19.00pm

on Monday 26th May 2014.

The poll proposed that Arainn Mhor Island will set up a community island

council based on Muintir na Tire Community Council model. This resulted

in the setting up of a Steering Group to facilitate the election of an Arainn

Mhor Council (“the Council”). The Council will be set up and run accord-

ing to Muintir na Tire’s guidelines and regulations. The system used by

Muintir na Tire is a tried and tested model and has proven very successful in

other communities such as Bere Island. Information on Muintir na Tire is

available at (www.muintir.ie).

The main aim of the Council is to represent everyone on the island and to

give a voice to every person. It is imperative to the success of the Council

that all the people of Arranmore are fairly represented and the Steering

Group are inviting all members of the community to actively take part in the

process. The steering group have created a number of sub committees and

will request that a member from each is co-opted onto the council. This cre-

An Charraig Distribution

IE, UK, USA, ES, Ca, DE,

CH, SE, DK, FR, GR, AU,

TD, IA

>25,000 views to date

James O'Neill, Muintir na Tire

ates an equal opportunity umbrella for

all sectors of the community.

The election will be confidential and we

ask that voters elect 5 people they would

like to represent them on a local, region-

al, national and international stage. We

ask voters to consider having all parts of

the community represented, young and

old, male and female, native and non na-

tive. Muintir na Tire's Officer James O

Neill will preside and carry out the

count.

Part of the Community Council's remit is

to discover what the island wants so an

Island Needs Analysis Questionnaire has

been distributed in public places and

online and will collated by the steering

group on election day. The purpose of

this questionnaire is to find out what you

feel should be done to make things better

for you, your family and everyone in the

community. The information gathered

from this questionnaire will be used by

the new Muintir Island Community

Council to decide what work will be un-

dertaken in the community, subject to

resources and funding and will help the

Community Council to prioritise particu-

lar projects. We have added a few that

might help people decide what is a prior-

ity however other suggestions are very

welcome.

If you would like to have a say in the

development of your community, please

come out on the day or submit a postal

vote. Contact arainnmhorsteering-

group@gmail.com or post on sustainable

islands group for further details. Voting

by postal is available until 25th May.

Continued from front page

Page 2 An Charraig

VOTE

ON

26th

May

2014

TV3 will be filming some of the event so

anyone who does not want to be on film,

please let steering group know and this can

be sorted on the day. The people with the

highest votes will be asked to they want to

sit on the council and these will be called in

strictest confidence. Should they wish to sit

on council, their names will be an-

nounced. The island community council

will meet with Muintir na Tire's James

O'Neill and decide who will be the chair-

man /mayor for next three years. A celebra-

tory dinner will take place following the in-

augural Island Election at the Glen Hotel.

Thanks to the steering group, Shirley Gal-

lagher (Chairman), Denis O'Donnell

(secretary), Paula Killeen (Treasurer), Annie

Bonner , Frances Early & Bernie Green for

their time and effort in making this a reali-

ty. Also to John Mc Hugh, Conal Ka-

vanagh, Patrick O Donnell & Michael Early

for their participation in collecting polls

which created a democratic mandate for the

council.

Shirley Gallagher

Steering Group Chairman

John Lenty and Hughie Ban at Ionad an Chrois Bhealaigh

Page 3 An Charraig

Bhí cruinniú ar siúl in Ionad an Chrois Bhealaigh ar an 8

Bealtaine, 2014 08:00in. Rinne Nóirín Uí Mha-

oldomhnaigh, Bainisteoir, Comharchumann Oileán Árainn

Mhór Teo cur síos don lucht éisteachta (95% mná) faoi stair

na Gaeltachta agus an tionchar a bheas ag Acht na Gael-

tachta 2012 ar an Ghaeltacht.

Labhraítear an teanga don chuid is mó, i measc daoine ata

ag dul anonn in aois. Sa bhliain 1992, d’fhreagair 86 % de

daonra an oileáin go raibh an Ghaeilge a labhairt acu ar

bhunús laethúil. Fán bhliain 2006, laghdaíodh líon na

gcainteoirí laethúla Gaeilge go 55%. Faoi láthair labhraíonn

50 % de phaistí scoile an Ghaeilge taobh amuigh de ghnáth

uaireanta scoile. I measc na cúiseanna taobh thiar de na

hathruithe luaigh sí brú an Bhéarla, an imirce agus ais-

imirceach. Léiríodh an tábhacht a bhaineann leis an stádas

Gaeltachta ó thaobh saol chultúrtha agus eacnamaíochta na

ndaoine agus an oileáin. Míníodh go mbeidh gá plean

gníomhaíochta pleanála teanga a chur i bhfeidhm ar mhaithe

le cur chun cinn agus cosaint teanga. Chuir Nóirín in iúl

nach bhfuil i gceist brú a chur ar an phobal i dtaca le

pleanáil teanga ach deir sí go gcaithfidh an pobal an cinne-

adh a dhéanamh faoin teanga agus faoi stádas Gaeltachta sa

todhchaí.

A meeting was held at Ionad an Chrois Bhealaigh on the 8th

May 2014 ar 8:00pm. Nóirín Uí Mhaoldomhnaigh, Manag-

er, Comharchumann Oileán Árainn Mhór informed the audi-

ence, which was 95% female, of the history of the Gael-

tacht, and the changes as a result of the 2012 Gaeltacht

Act. The language has steadily declined with the older 'third

' generation the principal speakers. At the 1992 census 86%

of the population spoke Irish daily with it decreasing to 55%

in 2006. 50% of island children speak Gaelic beyond the

school gate. She acknowledged the many reasons that

changes had occurred in the use of the language on the is-

land including emigration, return of emigrants and predomi-

nance of English. She explained the potential cultural and

economic impact that losing Gaeltacht status could

have. But an action plan is needed to foster the use of the

language. Nóirín highlighted that there is no intention of

enforcing language planning; usage of the Irish language

and retention of Gaeltacht status is a matter that the commu-

nity must decide upon. In fact she highlighted that the action

plan needed to be positive and that there should no enforc-

ing rather a promotion of our cultural heritage.

Tuarascáil an Cruinniú ó Acht Ghaeltacht (2012)

Nóirín Uí Mhaoldomhnaigh

Report on Meeting on Gaeltacht Act (2012)

Shirley Gallagher

Fír as Gael Linn leis Muinteoír Maire Nic Chathmhaoil , agus foireann Aideen Ni Ghallachóir, Erin Nic Eachmhar-

caigh, Caragh Nic Gabhainn, Aine Nic Eachmharcaigh

Comhghairdeas le Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada, Arainn Mhór!

Máire Nic Cathmhaoil Bord Oideachais agus Oiliúna Dhún na nGall

Bhain An Cumann Gaelach i nGairmscoil Mhic Diarmada

ar Oileán Árainn Mhóir an chéad duais i gComórtas

Raidió Gael Linn leis an chlár a rinne siad ‘Inis Caorach’.

Dhírigh an clár ar stair Inis Caorach, an cineál saoil a bhí

ag daoine ansin agus na fáthanna ar tréigeadh é sna

caogaoidí. Cuireadh agallaimh ar Mhicí Eddie Ó

Gallachóir, ar Phaddy Bhidí Ó Dónaill,ar Mhadge Uí

Bhaoill agus ar Willie Mhicí Ó Gallachóir fá laethe a n-

óige ar Inis Caorach. Tá na daltaí agus na múinteoirí

fíorbhuíoch dóibh uilig as a gcuid scéalta agus a gcuid

ama a roinnt leo go fial fláithiúil. Chuaigh ceathar de na

daltaí agus múinteoir dá gcuid chuig Stiuidió RTÉ Raidió

na Gaeltachta ar an 8ú Bealtaine 2014 le páirt a ghlacadh

sa chlár ‘Rónán Beo @3’ nuair a fógraíodh na buaiteoirí

beo ar an aer. Bhain an scoil duais de €650 agus corn

galánta. Tháinig an scoil sa chéad áit sa chomórtas céanna

sa bhliain 2011 agus sa dara háit in 2012. Tá áthas an

domhain ar na daltaí agus ar fhoireann na scoile gur éirigh

chomh maith sin leo i mbliana.

The Cumann Gaelach (Irish Society) in Gairmscoil Mhic

Diarmada have won first prize in Comórtas Raidió Gael

Linn with their programme on Inishkeeragh Island. It

focused on the history, the lifestyle and the reasons why it

was abandoned in the fifties. Micí Eddie Ó Gallachóir,

Paddy Bhidí Ó Dónaill, Madge Uí Bhaoill and Willie

Mhicí Ó Gallachóir were interviewed about life on

Inishkeeragh. The pupils and teachers are very grateful

to the interviewees for sharing their stories and time so

generously with them. Four students, accompanied by

their teacher, went to the RTÉ studio in Derrybeg on

the 8th May 2014 to take part in the programme ‘Rónán

Beo’ when the winners were announced live on air. The

school won a prize of €650 and a beautiful trophy. The

school won first place in this same competition in 2011

and came in second place in 2012. Both students and

staff are delighted with their achievement this year.

As part of the Bealtaine Festival the day centre will host

an open day on Wednesday 28th May. The theme for the

day is "Reminiscences

of the Past". Clients of

the day centre are asked

to bring in anything

used in their daily life.

These can be old pots,

cameras, washboards,

churns and many other

items that were used in

everyday life when they

were young. We would

also invite members of

the public who have old

memorable items to

bring them in, either on

Cumann na mBád, Árainn Mhór

Page 4 An Charraig

Cumann na mBád, Árainn Mhór is a club on the island of

Árainn Mhór, Co. Donegal, Ireland whose aim is to promote

boating of all kinds to islanders and visitors. The organisation

is an Irish Sailing Association (ISA) affiliated club on the is-

land of Árainn Mhór, whose aim is to instill a love of the sea

and our beautiful #island environment through boating of all

kinds. #sailing #kayaking

Courses available but Places limited, book early to avoid dis-

appointment. Members only.

All sessions are weather permitting.

Cumann na mBád was founded in 2013 by Comharchumann

Forbartha & Fostaíochta (CFFAM)

Ionad an Chrois Bhealaigh, Fal a’ Gabhann, Árainn Mhór, Co.

Dhún na nGall

Seamus Bonner

Telephone:07495 20024 Mobile - 087 0983749

@ Trá Leadhb Garbh Jul 6 – Jul 11 all-day

The Irish Water Safety

Association in associa-

tion with Comhar-

chumann Forbartha &

Fostaíochta are organis-

ing the following lessons

on Arranmore:

Lessons in, Swimming,

Survival, Rescue, Resus-

citation.

€30 first child, €20 second child and €10 third child.

Seamus Bonner

Telephone:07495 20024 Mobile - 087 0983749

the day or the day before. Many

of the items used have wonder-

ful memories and stories at-

tached and are a source of histo-

ry. All of the items will be re-

turned on the day. We would

also appreciate an hour of our

local musicians time on the day

if you can come along. The

Bealtaine Festival is an annual

event which celebrates creativi-

ty as we age.

Irish Water Safety Swim Week

Cian & Aoibhe Sweeney at Wee Neilies

Good Luck to all doing

Exams

JUNE BANK HOLIDAY (JBH) 2014 Rannagh Park, Arainn Mhor

Saturday 31st May and Sunday 1st June by Conal Kavanagh

Page 5 An Charraig

Check out Group

SUSTAINABLE islands

on

facebook/Linkedin

Group A

Real Lypis

Tory

Glasgow Gaels

Ballay

Group C

Midland Warriors

FC Palatico

Clannad International

WoodCarvers

Group B

St Anne's

Gallagher Tunnelling

Arranmore United

Rebels.

Group D

Finn Harps

Barhale

Deamos Dreams

Stonecutters

We are soon approaching the JBH which will be an

exciting weekend for the Island. We are again full

with 16 teams coming from all parts of the globe as

far as USA, England, Scotland and Ireland of course.

The competition has been running successfully now

for the last 13+ years and it keeps going from

strength to strength.

Thanks to the football club committee

Hugh Nancy Rodgers (Chairman) Sinead Mc Cauley

(Secretary), Sally Brady (Treasurer), Conal Ka-

vanagh (Assistant Treasurer), Frankie Rua Early,

Danny Neil Gallagher, Danny Winnie Rodgers and

Ruan Reynolds.

The competition kicks off on

Saturday the 31st of May @ 11:30.

The final is at 6 o clock on Sun 1 of

June.

The entrance fee is €250 per team

with prizes as follows

winners €1000

2nd €500

3rd & 4th getting €250 each

The teams are as follows and divided into their groups

Bernard (Lenty) Gallagher, Real

Lypis’s Captain, 2013 Winning

team said ‘winning the JBH tour-

nament last year was the best feel-

ing in the world and I look for-

ward to 2014 and may the best

team win’

Arranmore Utd won the Division Two League title and this

year was the first time the Islanders won a trophy on their home

patch, Rannagh Park. Their previous most recent success was

the 2006/07 CT Ball Division Two. They were presented with

the cup on Saturday 19th April 2014.

Arranmore United Win the League

May Day Weekend came to the island

with a hint of mist in the air. After weeks

of settled weather the Atlantic front came

in with rain showers and the ever present

wind. Wee Neily RIP passed away in

2012 and Sunday 4th May saw the 2nd re-

membrance day, a sponsor day for Done-

gal Hospice. The day was a fitting tribute

to Neily who was a great musician. Neily

played the accordion along with stalwarts

Paddy Dhonal and Ownie Greene and he

was also a member of the pipe band,

playing the bagpipes. Dodging the

showers the musicians from near and far

came to play their part and they brought

young and old with them. Mary (James

Mickey Mhor) Rodgers began the musi-

cal extravaganza with Trad na nOg,

a collection of fine musicians and singers,

singing sean nos and playing traditional

Irish Music. Unforgettable tunes such as

Mary Black’s ‘Katie was sung so beauti-

fully that it is still in my head days lat-

er. Bands from around the Rosses came

from Mulladuff, Keadue, Crickamore,

Dungloe Seniors, Maghery and of course

Arainn Mhor Pipe band marched in and

performed superbly. Smuggler’s Night

club AKA John Neilies, Neily Phils, the

hall, and the disco was the venue. It was

a tight squeeze but the MC, Tubbsy,

Thomas Costello, who cut his DJ teeth at

the venue kept the tempo up and bands

moving. The bands prepared outside in

the mist and waited their turn to perform

in the crowded dance hall. The Arainn

Mhor pipe band with Alec leading the

charge were the final band,

€3,400 was raised on Sunday with donations and a raffle

which had prizes galore. A signed Celtic football shirt

was auctioned to Cian Sweeney who was determined to

get it and he did at €105. It was a fun day out and thanks

to all who played their part.

Words Shirley Gallagher

Photographs Mary Rodgers

Fundraiser Raised Smugglers Roof

Ownie Greene, Wee Neily Boyle and Paddy Dhonal in Smugglers

in 2007

Smugglers full to capacity

NEW BUSINESS ON ARAINN MHOR

Residential Creative Writing Courses

Write On Arainn Mhor.co.uk

The Write On

Arainn Mhor

creative writing

course in Done-

gal , run by Shei-

la Gallagher,

provides peace

and tranquillity

in a nurturing

environment. Set

on an idyllic

island in the

northwest coast

of Donegal, it

provides the perfect opportunity to have a calm space where

you can have some ‘me time’ – something of a luxury in the

chaotic world in which we live. It gives you time to relax,

restore , reconnect. This course is loose enough to allow

creativity to emerge and flourish, and structured enough to

develop style and content.

By Wee Sheila (Dhonal) Gallagher

BRU/HOSTEL NOW OPEN

Ionad an Chrois Bhealaigh are de-

lighted to announce a new partner-

ship with Grassroutes to provide

electric and hybrid bikes for hire

on the island. The bikes are availa-

ble to hire from the community

centre daily from 9am to 9pm

Monday to Friday and 1pm to 9pm

Saturdays. Rates: e-bike €15 for 3

hours, hybrid bikes €10 for 3

hours. Bikes are an excellent way

to see the island and there are nu-

merous routes to explore. To book

call 087 0983749 or call in to see

us. Seamus Bonner

Brú Árainn Mhór, Arranmore Islands hostel is now

open! A great place to stay and right on the shore front

and within walking distance of the ferry. For more in-

formation please call 00 353 87 3976340 Frank Green

Mojo GoGo are delighted to announce the return of the 3rd annual

ARANMOJO FESTIVAL at Early's Bar, Arranmore Island on 16th

-17th August 2014. Only 200 Tickets will go on sale for this years

f e s t i v a l & t i c k e t s a r e p r i c e d a t € 2 2 . 5 0

Visit www.aranmojofestival.com for full festival details. It's going

to be an Amazing Weekend at Early's Bar & We hope to see you

all there. Jerry Early

Page 8 An Charraig

Edward Mary Eddie ‘RED’ Gal-

lagher won the World Championship

Tug’o’War with Team Clonmany B

in Castlebar, Co Mayo in February

2013

Red said ‘it’s nice to come home

with this lot!!! had the time of my

life at the world championships, it

will stay with me forever’.

The Arainn Mhor pipe band came

out to meet the world champions and

to wave off the Beaver Islanders who

were sad to leave the island.

There was a HUGE PARTY In

Killeen's on EASTER Monday,

where Annette, Edward’s sister put

on a spread fit for world champi-

ons. They later had to prove them-

selves by pulling Arainn men up

the Plohog brae!

Edward Gallagher worked hard training for the last number of months along with his Clon-many B teammates to achieve a World class performance in indoor tug’o’war.

Page 8

WORLD TUG’O’WAR CHAMPIONS VISIT ARAINN

Page 9 An Charraig

‘This is my house’ says Michael, ‘we installed this boiler in 2012, it is a 14kW unit heating 6 double radiators with con-

stant hot water, costing €1500 in pellets for 1 years heating. We last bought €300 of oil in 2011.’

Islander, Michael Kavanagh has been involved in renewable for the past 8 years. Michael provides a full

service for retrofits, new builds and insurance quotations and full works carried out. This includes job

specification, supply, installation, and maintenance of wood pellet stoves, boilers and flooring.

Pellet stoves work on the same principle as an oil boiler so when retrofitting your house or building there is

no need for additional pipework in your hotpress as your pellet stove is computerised and has everything

built into it. Therefore it is easier to install a pellet stove into your existing building than a solid fuel stove. The wood pellet

stoves are Italian designed and made and size ranges from dry (room heater only) 5-12 kW and from 12-33kW for boilers (hot

water systems).

Pellet stoves are more efficient than oil, coal, gas or turf boilers. You can heat an average house (1500sq feet) for €21/week

including constant heat and hot water with pellets. This heat can be controlled to suit each individual customer. Michael can

provide wood pellets all year round.

Michael ‘s background is in carpentry having worked all over the world but specialises in solid wood flooring from supply,

installation and restoration. Michael can provide all wood products for internal woodwork including doors, architraves and

skirting etc.

For further information please contact Michael

T:086 8543305

E :mkflooring@gmail.com

S:Kavo1888

W: www.lanordica-extraflame.com

Low Carbon Renewable

Technology in Donegal

An Charraig Page 10

The Youth & Elders Project explores important ques-

tions about our relationships, our societies and our way

of living. In 2012, we set sail on the Lovis, exploring

the Baltic Sea and our relationships with ourselves and

each other and how to reconnect the generations..

In 2014, we journey to an Irish island, Arainn Mhor, in

Co Donegal to reunite, to engage with ourselves, each

other and with islanders. Islanders still to group togeth-

er in youth and elders from 8 to 80. Emigration has

always been part of our lives so community matters.

We will explore the importance of family, values and

c o n n e c t i n g o n a n o t h e r l e v e l .

We are creating the space for a series of explorations

of these crucial issues, inviting the participation of

everyone from all spans of life, and we are always on

the lookout for those who are ready to support each

other’s projects, and collectively illuminate a better

future

Trip to Arainn Mhor island

€350pp for 12dayss

20th July- 1st August

To include

Accommodation -12 nights

Food - communally cooked

Volunteer time to island community council

Outdoor activities land and sea

Music lessons & concert

Art of hosting

Payment secures place.

For bookings please contact Shirley at

E:sgallagher@syspro.ie

S:shirleyatsyspro T : 0 0 3 5 3 8 5 8 5 5 5 7 9 2

'One sailing ship called Lovis, 31 brave sailors, four

countries, the wide field around the topic of youth and

elders, seven days of crossing the Baltic sea. For me

this sounds like an invitation for stories to be written.'

Anna Hanschmidt Let the story continue....

By Shirley Gallagher

By Adrian Begley

Youth & Elders 2014

Arranmore Island is no stranger to the sporting world or people

achieving great successes in sport. From soccer to tug-o-war,

darts, sailing and rowing, over the years the island has been well

represented in various different fields of sport. The latest sporting

area that now sees Arranmore get regular mention is in motorsport

and in the world of rallying in particular.

Rallying is a form of motorsport where specially prepared cars are

raced over what is known as a 'Special Stage' with the competitors

covering the distance the fastest being the winners. Each car has

two people onboard, the driver and the co-driver who reads spe-

cially prepared notes which describe the road ahead and tells the

driver how fast he or she should be driving to achieve the best

time.

Following in the footsteps of his grandfather Tom Begley, Jordan

Murphy is now a regular co-driver. Jordan has long had a keen

interest in the sport having been attending the motorsport events

from a young age with his uncle. At the age of sixteen he began

competing as a co-driver and now having just turned eighteen has

already competed in some very well known motorsport events

right throughout Ireland such as the Circuit of Ireland and Ulster

International rallies and gathered a collection of trophies having

several podium wins in the last fifteen months having competed

alongside drivers like Malachy Loughran, Stephen Smith and most

recently Stanley Ballentine.

Jordan’s events are now a real family affair with his uncle, parents,

brother and sisters, grandmother and cousins all travelling to

watch him compete. He arranges his sponsorship to be able to take

part in the events and has made it a real island affair receiving

sponsorship from the likes of Smugglers Nightclub as well as his

now regular sponsor Dominic Sweeney and Arranmore Ferry.

Rallying and indeed motorsport is Jordan’s life and so much so

that this year he will be going to Swansea University after is Leav-

ing Cert examinations to begin a degree in Motorsport Engineer-

ing. With Jordan already making a name for himself in racing cir-

cles and moving to Swansea this year it will only improve his

chances of succeeding in a challenging sport and there is no doubt

we will be seeing much more of Jordan in the motorsport world

internationally in years to come. So keep and eye out for this very

driven and determined young man as he continues to help put Ar-

ranmore on the map in the very competitive world of motorsport.

Islander Jordan Murphy wins Circuit of Ireland ERC

The island of Arranmore in Co

Donegal has a programme of

measures to ensure that it can

become independent of imported

energy, create and safeguard jobs

on the island and keep money in

the island economy.

The IEE funded project Smarter Multi Level Govern-

ance (SMILEGOV) is examining the major barriers to

creating a low carbon society on islands. It is bringing

together the various stakeholders and the multilevels

of governance required to achieve the EU target of

20% reduction in Carbon and 20% increase in renewa-

ble energies by the year 2020, ie less than 6 years from

now. The crux of the project is to engage all stake-

holders including islanders to agree to the Pact of Is-

lands. The pact asks for commitment to examine and

agree an island energy action plan within 12 months of

signing the document. The project will showcase 50

projects during its lifetime; we want to be one of those

50.

Points of Interests

Information Gathering. Dr Shirley Gallagher has re-

cently attended the Friends of the Earth Community

Power Workshop, EU Community Energy Confer-

ence, as well as the Green Awards Ceremony at Dou-

bletree Hotel in April 2014. The island project and its

driver were both nominated in their relevant categories

Community and Leader. April saw Shirley travel

along with Michael Kavanagh another islander to Bir-

mingham to meet other Pioneers in Practise (PIP).

Both have been accepted onto the European funded

Climate KIC Scholarship. There are 300 pioneers

throughout Europe in 2014, 30 from Uk, 9 from Ire-

land and 2 from Arainn!

Shirley and Michael are currently working on Lough-

borough University’s Strategy for Energy Research.

They are currently based at the Enterprise Office.

There are 11 schools on campus which is >400 acres.

There are strong links with industry and it has a very

exciting energy research programmes.

We have a strategy to work with the media, including

T V 3 , I r i s h R a d i o I n t e r n a t i o n a l

(www.irishradiointernational.com), and our blogspot

An Charraig ) as well as our facebook groups Sustain-

able Islands and Linkedin Sustainable Islands as well

as Twitter @shirleyatsyspro. The hashtag is

#cyclisle. The Arainn Mhor sustainability project has

been finally given a name-we needed one as finalists

in the National Green Awards– ReGen Arainn Mhor.

By Shirley Gallagher

SMILEGOV UPDATE

An Charraig Page 11

Báid Farantóireachta Árainn Mhór supported ReGen Arainn

Mhor and will be presented with certificate at an Island Commu-

nity Council Event www.arranmoreferry.com

Maith thu Bad Dearg

UK’s 1st Roadside Hydrogen Pump for Hydrogen

Fuelled Vehicles in Loughborough University

Offshore Islands Gaelic Football

Weekend 2014,

Arranmore Island, Co. Donegal

Saturday 5th—Sunday 6 September 2014

The annual offshore islands Gaelic Football Weekend 2014 will

be held at Rannagh Park, Arranmore Island from Saturday 5th

September to Sunday 6th September. Islands participating this

year include Arainn Mhor, Inis, Mor, Inis Meain, Inis Oir, Inis

Tuirc, Clare, Whiddy and Bere. For more information please

contact Conal Kavanagh on 087 2930091.

Haven't got your Glastonbury tickets? Missed

out on your favourite band this year? Don't

worry, we will have our own music festival on

the island in July.

Swell Festival is taking place at the holiday vil-

lage on Arranmore from 11-13th July 2014.

The festival has an amazing line-up including

an array of talented local bands and musicians;

Duke Special, In Their Thousands, Farriers,

The Wood Burning Savages, Mark Black, The

Heads of State, The Capitol and Rosie Carney,

to name but a few. The full line up for the

weekend can be seen on Facebook

(www.facebook.com/swellfestival) or website

(www.swellfestival.com).

The festival will have two stages; the main

stage for music and a 2nd stage, the Ardán na

Fia stage for arts. Where you can enjoy poetry,

spoken word, live art, DJs, installations, sculp-

ture, sound baths as well as other activities. The

Bluestacks Jam Club stage will run throughout

the festival, which gives all festival goers a

chance to perform themselves if they like.

There will be a Preacher's Pulpit onsite too, for

those of you who wish to spread your views!

The Swell in conjunction with CFFAM will

provide other activities to cater for the whole

family. A number of activities will be available

for younger children at Ionad an Chrois Bheal-

aigh, as well as a number of traditional games

on the campsite. Watersports (weather permitting) and

bike hire are provided through booking through CFFAM.

https://www.facebook.com/arainnmhor T07495 20024.

.Electric Bike hire is run through CFFAM in conjunction

with Grassroutes Ireland.

Tickets for the festival are now available through the

website (www.swellfestival.com). There are a number

of ticket options available; the non-camping weekend

pass for €40, the weekend pass with 2 nights camping for

€50 and weekend pass with 3 nights camping (including

entertainment on Friday night) for €60. There are also a

number of self-catering options available (in conjunction

with the Arranmore Holiday Village) starting at €480 for

4 people.

Under 12s will be admitted free if accompanied by par-

ents and guardians and 12-18 year olds must be accom-

panied by an adult over 25 years old.

Come and join us for a week-

end filled with music, art and

entertainment. It's going to be

swell!

Thanks to John and

his team for supporting the printing of the

newsletter for this

An Charraig Page 12

SWELL UPDATE BY MARIE (SAMMY) GALLAGHER

Edition 2

Meithmeath 2014