PROUD HISTORY: The proud history of Camogie being played at the highest level in the area is under a severe threat at the weekend when the local Windgap Senior side plays the Rower Inistioge in the Relegation final. Since the founding of the club in 1991 the teams gradually climbed to the top, having won their way up from the lowest grade at juvenile level. On the way they captured county titles in each grade including the Minor and Under 21 "A" titles and winning the Junior and Intermediate adult titles. Following the Senior League win in 2013 and having three players on the recent All Ireland Intermediate and Senior panels the wheel of form has slowed down with a fine tradition that goes back almost a hundred years hanging on the outcome. As a result an appeal is made to all former players and officials to come out and give the side some support for the game.
KOSOVAN HURLERS: As the build up to the replay of the All Ireland Hurling Final was in full swing and the swallows and house martins were slipping quietly away for another winter the game of hurling got more supporters and players from a EU Delegation from Kosova that visited Tullahought as part of a five day trip to Kilkenny. The Study Visit to Ireland was arranged by the Heritage Council in partnership with the Council of Europe and was led by Liam Scott. The objective of the visit was to share Irish experiences with regard to heritage, economic and community development with delegates from Kosovo with the aim to provide practical advice for the Co-ordinators from the five regions of Kosovo who are developing Regional Heritage Plans. The trip to Tullahought included a visit to "Túr Amharc" the Viewing Tower, a guided tour of the Kilmacoliver Loop Walk and an evening meal in the Community Centre. Also included was a game of hurling that enthused the visitors and gave a practical cultural input and an explanation for all of the coloured flags and bunting they encountered on their visit. The evening was completed by a session of ballads and traditional music and song in Powers Pub where locals out for a pint were treated to renditions in three languages from the far flung Kosovan and Irish communities. The visitors included Michele Bergdoll, Harmonije Radoniqi, Merita Limani, Vjollca Aliu, Luan Nushi, Safet Kamberi, Adile Zhubi, Brikene Hoxha, Fatmir Beka, Flaka Xerx, Fitim Bunjaku fron Pristina, Mitrovica, Pejë, Mitrovica, Prizren and Gjilan
CROSS BORDER CO-OPERATION: There was huge turnouts at recent meetings in the Carraig Hotel and the Club House in Faugheen hosted by DunaoAir and by the Faugheen Action Group on the proposed wind farm developments in the area. Widespread support has been received for the loacl Action Groups from residents on both sides of the Lingaun River that separates counties Kilkenny and Tipperary. These included visits from and consultations with TD's including Junior Minister Tom Hayes, Mattie McGrath, John Paul Phelan, John McGuinness and a large number of local councillors from all parties and independent members.
COILTE WINDFALL: At the Open Day Day held The Dutch Development Company Dunoair in the Carraig Hotel on the proposed Windfarm Developments on the Hills of Carraigadoon and Curraghdobbin it was stated that the state company Coillte would benefit to the tune of €250,000 annually. Colite was established in 1988 as a private limited company with all of the shares in the company held by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Minister for Finance on behalf of the Irish State.
HILL FORT: The proposed development for the erecting of five 126 meter Turbines close to the summit of Carrigadoon Hill with a further three Turbines on Curraghadobbin Hill is located adjacent to the area already designated as unsuitable for Wind Turbines on the County Development Plan. One of the biggest shocks for the attendance in the eight page colour brochure on the Carrigdoon Wind Park Project at the public meeting in the Carraig Hotel was the siting of the T1 Turbine directly on top of the ancient Hill Fort on Curraghdobbin Hill.
DRIVE FOR LIAM: Local winners at the KCLR Drive for Liam Quiz held in Guinans Bar in Windgap recently were 1st The Callan Road Crew of Conor Quinlan, Bill Lahart, Jimmy Lynch, Paraic and Shane Walsh. 2nd. were Tom, Aidan and James Mackey and Eamon Saunders. 3rd. John McKena, Brian O'Rourke, Noel Smith and Frank O'Brien. The winner of the venue prize sponsored by Windgap Hurling Club was Paul Comerford
TRAD FOR TROCAIRE: A Trad. for Trocaire Sesion took place in Guinans on Saturday evening last where ceoil, craic and finger food helped to support a great cause.
PLAYGROUND NEWS: At a recent meeting in the GAA Clubrooms the final Grant Funding document was signed. Present were members of Windgap Community Development Committee, the Playground committee of Marie O'Shea and Barbra Kelly and some of the Co-Funding partners represented by Mairead Rohan of KCLP and Bríd Hynes of Kilkenny County Council. It is hoped that work on the project will commence at the end of the month with the first stage of the site works, fencing and the resurfacing of the tennis court to be completed by the middle of November.
TIDY TOWNS: Work took place on cleaning up the excess growth around the wildlife lake in Tullahought recently. In a unique comment from the visiting judge on his visit during the Super Value Tidy Towns adjudication he noted. "Tullahought announces its presence from afar by means of fine stonework and well-tended roadsides. When Tullahought first entered this completion it was fairly unique in the way its remit covered what is more like a ‘district’ than a conventional village – perhaps a ‘neighbourhood’ would be a better description; since then several centres have followed suit, two of them in this county. This adjudicator finds this movement to be an important one, for much of our countryside is being laid waste by insensitive developments and ignorant use of agricultural land. Curiously, your cover picture on your Entry Form does look like a conventional village! but there is a lot outside the photographic frame to concentrate the mind".
WALL BUILDING: Great progress has been made by a small team of volunteers in building a wall at the foot of the bank on the Mealaghmore road out of Windgap Village. The work was greatly enhanced by the supply of top class building stone and topsoil that was donated to the team that have included two seats in the new structure.
MINOR NEWS: Galmoy Windgap minor Hurlers went down to St. Martins in St. Johns Park on Saturday evening. Fielding six junior hurlers, the wind assisted side suffered a setback when the first score was a goal from a long range free that occurred after almost ten minutes. By the twentieth minute, the side was back on track with the scores at 1-3 to 0-4. At half time the side were led 1-7 to 0-5 with the northerners stretching their advantage to 1-15 to 0-8 at the final whistle. See the sports pages for Gerry Drennan's match report.
NOTES: Contributors and Clubs are invited to email items for publication with a name and contact number to [email protected] by Sunday evenings at 6pm. For all the local news visit the parish website windgap.ie