The newly elected Chairman of The West Regional Authority Strokestown area Independent Councillor Tom Crosby who is also Chairman of County Roscommon Gathering Steering Committee, is delighted to be associated with the Strokestown Gathering Celebrations and would like to compliment and pay tribute to all the Associations throughout the Strokestown area who have worked so hard on a voluntary basis to make this fabulous ten days of celebrations and activities commencing with the International Famine Conference two day event on Friday the 19rh and Saturday 20th and concluding with the Olde World Fair Day on Sunday the 28th where old breeds of cattle at the fair of bygone days will bring back fond members to the older generation.
Cllr Crosby states the events and activities in Strokestown during the Gathering event are a major part of the overall activities of over 200 individual events and activities organised throughout County Roscommon for The Gathering Project which is one of the biggest tourist initiatives ever staged in Ireland. Cllr Crosby says events and activities will include festivals, heritage, archaeology, food, agriculture, sport, culture, arts, drama, music, literature, military, angling, walking, genealogy, clan gatherings, markets, tours and much more. It demonstrates the rich and exciting array of events that have been planned in Strokestown and throughout County Roscommon to celebrate and reconnect with all those abroad and I am delighted as Chairperson of the County Committee that we were able to provide some funding to the majority of the events to help towards the costs, and in this regard I would like to acknowledge the support of Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, Irish Public Bodies, Roscommon Community Tourism Network, Roscommon Leader Partnership, my colleagues on the County Gathering Steering Group, all our elected members and to all of you from the various local organisations, centres and attractions throughout the County who are giving so much voluntary time and commitment.
In this year of The Gathering 2013 the people of Strokestown and throughout County Roscommon will no doubt offer a warm welcome to all visitors joining us for this special year-long celebrations of everything that is great and unique about Strokestown, Roscommon and Ireland.
The Gathering 2013 offers a unique opportunity to build on the significant progress we have made in promoting Tourism in County Roscommon in recent times and will hopefully help us to attract visitors to the County in the years ahead. We have a wonderful network of organisations, community groups and a great variety of festivals and events throughout the year in Roscommon.
This is an exciting opportunity for each and everyone of us to play our part in showing what is best about our County and our people and I would like to thank all the attractions, accommodation providers, organisers and communities in Strokestown and around the County who have embraced the Gathering ethos and have organised activities building on the uniqueness of their areas and promoting our own sense of place.
We look forward to giving a Cead Mile Failte in Strokestown over the coming two weeks and throughout the County in 2013 to all our visitors from around the World.
The gathering celebrations continue to get underway this week where the Roscommon Lamb Festival with over 30 events celebrating farming, family, food, arts, crafts and heritage in the County from 1 May right through the May bank holiday weekend.
On Friday Morning Next will see the launch of the Gathering Military Conference
The title of the conference is “For Flag and Country – The Emigrant Irish in Military Service”. For over 400 years Irish emigrants have served in the military forces of their adopted countries.
The flagship event in Boyle is taking place between 23rd May and 3rd June 2013 in partnership with Boyle Town Council, Boyle Chamber of Commerce and other organisations in the town offers a host of planned activities to showcase the rich historical landscape of the region and promote its tourism attractions. Events include the Boyle 400 Celebration, Concerts at Lough Key, Roscommon Association and Twinning Gathering, King Family Reunion, Connaught Rangers events, supported by and a range of local business, arts, culture, heritage, music and lectures.
The Community Strokestown have come together to begin to shape what will truly be memorable Gathering Events commencing with the launch of Strokestown International Poetry festival from the 3rd to the 5th of May not only focused on a week in July 2013 but with many sustainable elements which should leave a legacy for years to come. Strokestown Development Association has consulted with the Strokestown Historical Society, the Strokestown Agricultural Show Society, Strokestown Park Hse & the Irish National Famine Museum, Strokestown Transition Year Student and the Strokestown – Quebec Connection Youth Project who will all join to form the Strokestown Gathering Sub Committee. They have begun to shape a Gathering event in Strokestown with many strands which should make it truly memorable – building on some already established connections from the Strokestown – Quebec Connection Youth Project and Historical Research between Strokestown Park Hse and NUI Maynooth. Over 1,400 locals left the Strokestown Estate on Famine Ships but the evocative story of the Tye / Tighe Family will be at the heart of our Gathering as we hope hope to welcome home the descendants of two orphaned natives of Strokestown – Daniel and Catherine Tighe. See attached information on the Tye / Tighe Story.
All of these events present an exciting opportunity for each and every one of us to play our part in showing what is best about our County and our people. I would like to thank and congratulate all the attractions, accommodation providers, organisers and communities around the county who have embraced the gathering ethos and have organised activities building on the uniqueness of their areas and promoting our very own unique sense of place.
It is also a unique opportunity to build on the significant progress we have made in promoting tourism in County Roscommon and engaging very actively in the Gathering to attract further visitors to the County in the coming years. We have a wonderful network of organisations, committees, community and voluntary groups in Roscommon which have made a significant impression in the past and which can be a springboard that can make an even greater contribution to The Gathering in 2013.
We look forward to giving a Céad Míle Fáilte in 2013 to all our visitors from around the world.”
I would like to thank you all for the invitation, wish you every success with your particular event and ensure you all of our continued support.
Cllr. Tom Crosby
Cathaoirleach Comhairle Contae Ros Comáin