ISLANDMAGEEC O M M U N I T Y N E W S

SPRING 2012

GobbinsUpdateIn our last community update, LarneBorough council (LBC) confirmed asuccessful funding application of£3,541,087 from Interreg 1VA neededtowards the £5.8m required tocomplete the Gobbins Cliff project.

Since that announcement wasmade there has been a lengthy andcomplicated process to secure thenecessary leases and permissionsfrom land owners to enable theproject to advance.

However, despite slower thanhoped for progress, Council and theGobbins Steering Committee haveworked quietly behind the scenes tokeep the project on course and in thepublic eye.

Meetings have taken place withthe Northern Ireland Tourist Board,our Donegal partners and mostimportantly with the CentralProcurement Department who willsoon be in a position to begin theprocurement process and to appointcontractors for the project.Continued on page 2…

Browns Bay TriathlonHi Elbow Triathlon Club, in conjunction with Larne Borough Council will holda sprint distance triathlon and an aquathon at Browns Bay on Saturday 12 May.Whilst an aquathon was staged at Browns Bay last year this is the first time thata triathlon has been held on Islandmagee.

A sprint distance triathlon consists of the following distances in the followingorder: Swim 750m, Bike 20km, Run 5km. Each discipline will consist of 2 laps.

The swim, starting from the beach, around 2 buoys and back to the beach,then round again. This is followed by a quick change on to your bike.

The bike run sets off towards Ballylumford, up the hill then left down HollowRoad, swing left at the Masonic Hall and back to Browns Bay then round again.Finish the second lap at Browns Bay then start the run.

Run towards Larne Golf Club and once there return to Browns Bay and repeat the journey.

Important details:To compete you must have a wetsuit. Your bike must beserviceable. Registration starts at 9.30am and the race starts at 11.00am.

Competitors must be members of Triathlon Ireland or hold a one day license(cannot be purchased on the day). All info can be found at TriathlonIreland.com.

All competitors will receive a commemorative crystal cube to mark the occasion.To the general public: Come along and cheer on the triathletes and, who knows,it might be you competing next year.

To all road users. There will be considerable extra traffic on Islandmagee’sroads on that day (05-05-12) , particularly at the North end of Islandmageeand people are asked to be aware of the event and of the traffic and competitorsthat will be on these roads. Please respect their presence and facilitate them.

FREE

You can contact the ICDA by email at islandmagee@nacn.org or to our Secretary at 1 Island Village, Islandmagee.

Letter to the Editor

1st. Islandmagee Rainbows would like tothank the ICDA committee for the verygenerous funding that we received fromthem. The funding will go towards thepurchase of sports equipment and arts and crafts materials.

We are a new leadership team who, in September 2011, re-established theRainbows in Islandmagee. We would alsolike to thank the parents and friends of ourgirls and the local community for the help,support and encouragement that we havereceived. Sara Henderson.For more info call 028 9338 2868.

Do you live on a long lane?Hope for the best, plan for the worst!None of us wish to have a personal or family emergency. Often we drift on with our lives thinking “it will never happen to us”.Unfortunately sometimes, maybe more often than we think, it does.

We have been requested to draw to your attention, particularly if you live along a country lane, the need for emergencyservices to locate your home quickly and to be able to access it easily. Rapid and unrestricted access can play a big part inminimising the outcome of a medical problem or, in the case of fire, damage to your property.

It is recommended that you display your house number at the end of the lane where it joins with the public road, ensurethat laneway hedges are kept trimmed and lane surfaces are in, at least, reasonable condition to facilitate emergency traffic, and that there is turning space available at your house to facilitate vehicles as large as a fire engine or ambulance. These simple measures could help save your life, or your property.

SuicidePrevention & MentalHealth Event.‘THIS WAS YOUR LIFE’(Ripple Effects of a Suicide)

This performance road show by theSamaritans will be held in BallygallyHall, 264 Coast Rd. Ballygally BT402QX on Tuesday 17th at 7.30pm.

The event is free of charge havingbeen funded by North AntrimCommunity Network through itsPromoting Mental Health and SuicidePrevention Programme. The play isbased around the format of the oldTV show “This is your life” andconcentrates on the suicide of a youngwoman and how this tragedy impactson her family, friends and her doctor.It explores each person’s feelings onhow they could maybe have handledthe situation differently. The cast areall serving or former SamaritanVolunteers.

For further info or to registercontact Anne Lennon at:Ballygally CommunityDevelopment Association,Ballygally Hall, 264 Coast Road,Ballygally BT40 2QX. Tel: 028 2858 3255 eMail ecdaltd@btconnect.com

Gobbins Update In the meantime Council has taken every opportunity to promote this venture.You may have seen a recent episode of “ Great Train Journeys” which featuredCouncil Chief Executive, Geraldine McGahey, being interviewed by MichaelPortillo about the history of the cliff path and the plans for its restoration. The programme also featured some fantastic footage of the attraction in itsVictorian heyday. Following this programme Larne Tourist Information Centrehandled a number of enquiries from the UK mainland from people planning tovisit the Gobbins in the future.

With further interest being expressed in the project from programmes such as ‘Coast’ increased media attention is keeping the project in the public eye whilst all the hard work behind the scenes continues!

If you have any objects relating to the Gobbins we would love to hear fromyou. We are looking for objects that could be used to tell the story of the Gobbinsin the visitors building. If you have anything that may be useful to us please contact AinsleyMcWilliams on 028 2826 0088 or Email on mcwilliamsa@larne.gov.uk.

Continued from page 1

An InvitationIslandmagee CommunityDevelopment Association’sAnnual General Meeting will be held on Thursday 24thMay 2012 at 7.30pm in the SmallHall of the Community Centre.

In addition to the normal businessof an AGM it is usual for us to have anumber of political personalitiespresent and time is set aside fordiscussions on issues concerning the community.

Every one welcome.

Who Let the Dogs Out?We have raised the issue of dog fouling a number of times through our newssheet. Unfortunately some people seem either to forget or to ignore the advice given.

We are again receivingrepresentations from local residentswho are very concerned about thisproblem especially in the Reids Road,Willowvale & Middle Road Square thatis used a lot by walkers and by children.

Apart from the unsavoury results ofpeople collecting dog poo on their shoesit is a health risk and it is an offence toallow dogs to foul in public places. Be a good neighbour and clean up after your dog.

It is also an offence to allow your dogto walk “off the lead” in public places.

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Dog Owners…a Reminder.It is a legal requirement for all dogs to be licensed. However, newlyintroduced legislation requires dogs to be micro chipped before a licensecan be issued or renewed.

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Islandmagee F.C.

Phone: 9338 2502or 07710 014 309

advertise your localbusiness here!

email ICDA at:islandmagee@nacn.org

New members and visitorswelcome to our family

friendly club.Situated in the heart of

Ballystrudder Village (opposite the Rinkha)

AVAILABLE FOR FUNCTIONSVan Drivers…Beware!An unfortunate member of the publicrecently hired a transit type van todeliver a heavy item to a friend. He isnormally a car driver and strictlyadhered to the speed restriction on hisroute, as applies to cars. Imagine hissurprise and dismay when, a couple ofweeks later, he received notice that hehad been recorded on speed cameranot only breaking the speed limit onhis outward journey but also on thereturn leg. Two separate offences.Highway Code rule 123. Transit typevans are restricted to 50mph on singlecarriageway roads and 60mph on dualcarriageways. You have been warned.

Seafaring HeritageFollowing the success of our book“Islandmagee & Templecorran –A postcard history” we have beenencouraged to take some aspects of thiswork and to expand them.

Only some of the material collected for anyhistorical book can be accommodated within itspages but we recognise the need to have as muchhistorical material as possible recorded for futurereference. Much of our heritage is held by thepeople who currently live in, or outside, the areaand may well disappear when they leave or sadly

pass on. If we do not record it now it may well be lost for ever.

We need your help! Dr. Steve O’Direain, author of our book, has takenon the task of researching our maritime history and recording it. How wepresent this work is for the future but Steve intends to progress using digitalmethods both to record his findings and to aid in attracting even moreinformation inflow.

What we currently need is photographs and pictures of boats and ships that have associations with Islandmagee and Islandmagee sailors. Even better if you have a story, should it be one line or a large story, to accompany them.

Please help in this project by searching your archives, your attics andcontacting your friends and relations, whether home or abroad, to locatematerial that we can use. It is not just information on well known ships that we require. Everything from a row boat to a square rigger or, in more recenttimes, a fuel powered ship, is of interest as are maritime events as regatta’s. Pictures will be copied and returned to their owners.Your contact with Steve is by E-mail: sodireain@tiscali.co.uk. If E-mail does not suit then contact our Association Secretary at 1 Island Village, Islandmagee, Larne, BT40 3AL or by telephone 028 935 35 47. Thank you.

Spring hasSprung… on our roads.“They’re a bl***y nuisance on ourroads. “ How often have you heardthis, or words to that effect ,uttered?Are other road users a nuisance or isthe complainant guilty of arrogance,selfishness and lack of considerationand respect?

Our roads are multi purposecorridors for travel. Everyone has theright to use them (responsibly).

Farmers, walkers, cyclists and cardrivers to name but a few. Roads are ashared space and each user shouldshow respect and consideration toothers. Remember this when yourfrustration levels run high!

Spring has arrived and will befollowed by Summer and Autumn.This is a time when road usage willincrease. More day trippers in carsand motorbikes, more walkers, morecyclists and greater agriculturalactivity.

Increased risks of accident andinjury? Only if we do not respect therights of other road users and showconsideration towards them. Enjoythe coming seasons and stay safe onour roads by being considerate andunderstanding towards other roadusers.

Cancer Research Group Says ThanksIslandmagee Local Cancer Research Group wishes to thankresidents and their friends who have supported this charityover the years. Since its formation in 1980 the total raisedup to the year 2010 was an amazing £226,117 and for theyear 2011 was £13,170. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Some of the events planned for 2012 are MAY FUNWALK on SATURDAY 19th MAY. Leaving IslandmageeCommunity Centre at 6.30pm via the footpath toWhitehead Promenade car park and back to theCommunity Hall. Sponsor forms are available from anymember or the secretary Tel 028 9335 3547.STEW LUNCH on FRIDAY 5th OCTOBER (DV) inMethodist Church. (Our Christmas cards will be on sale).WHITEHEAD VICTORIAN FAIR on SATURDAY24th NOVEMBER.Hope to see you all there.

NEWS Saving lives through screening. One hugeachievement for the year 2011 is that, thanks to ourcampaigning, a new test called flexible sigmoidoscopy, or“flexi sig” will be added to the national bowel cancerscreening programme. We helped fund the 16 year studywhich showed that this technique could cut the number ofcases of bowel cancer by one third and thus save thousandsof lives every year. This is a wonderful example of how ourresearch and our policy and lobbying efforts work hand inhand to save lives from cancer.

Progress in the fight against cancer would not bepossible without you. Thank you for your continuedsupport in making our vision of beating cancer a reality. Asour slogan says “together we will beat cancer.”