Roundstone rallies to restore its playground after Storm Éowyn damage
Roundstone has rallied to restore its playground that took a battering in Storm Éowyn.
The community facility in the Connemara seaside village had been closed intermittently after storm winds in January damaged the wooden fencing surrounding the play equipment.
It was reopened temporarily for Saint Patrick’s and Easter weekends but closed again in recent weeks to replace the timber fence with a new steel surround.
Roundstone Playground Committee confirmed they planned to reopen in the coming days after it gets the ‘all clear’ following an inspection by Galway County Council staff.
The playground was first opened on Main Street 18 years ago and was damaged in the two most recent storms – especially Éowyn, which toppled the timber fencing.
Ann Davis, of the committee, said it took a massive fundraising effort from the local community to get it back open for locals.
It’s also popular with residents of other parts of South Conamara and visitors to the tourist village.
The committee applied for CLÁR funding and was awarded a grant but in order to draw it down they must have matched funding, which they have been trying to raise, including on GoFundMe.
Fundraisers included an Easter egg hunt; a portrait marathon by local artist Rosie McGurran; church gate collections in the Catholic and Protestant churches in Roundstone; and a collection point in the XL Shop in the village where cash donations can be made.
Ongoing annual costs for maintenance and upgrade are about €5,000 per annum, in addition to one-off costs to replace the fence with a blue steel powder-coated finish.
The work was carried out by Claregalway-based JPK Fencing, who did it in time for the summer season.
“People have come together and given of their time to respond when the fence was broken during Éowyn. It was great community spirit,” said Ms Davis, who thanked donors for their generosity.
The Roundstone Playground Committee are still fundraising for new equipment to add to the amenity, and they hope to get enough money to drawdown the CLÁR grant.
“We are trying to continue to fundraise because we would love to get additional equipment, and we must match the funds to avail of the grant. The generosity of the community is helping us to match the grant, and to cover the costs of annual repair and maintenance,” she added.
Pictured: Roundstone playground restored to full use after Storm Eowyn.