GCRA News Bulletin
- Miriam Gallagher
- Sep 23, 2017
- 3 min read
1. Annual Dance - A Date for your Diary!
The GCRA annual dance in conjunction with Milford Hospice will be held on Saturday, 11th November, at Kirby's Hunting Lodge, Grange, with music by Ger Healy - The Singing Jarvey. There will be a door raffle and spot prizes. Tickets, only €5, are available from any GCRA committee member. Please support a great cause (Milford) and please make reference to this post on your own Facebook page.
Thank you.
GCRA Committee.
2. Announcement of Community Defibrillator for Grange Parish
The GCRA is awaiting the construction of a concrete plinth/housing in the car park (adjacent to the old schoolhouse) by Limerick City & County Council, to house the community defibrillator. The Council has advised that funding has been approved and will inform us when the works are due to commence. We will keep you informed on developments.
The defibrillator (machine) has been purchased and is ready for use. Twenty members of the community have been trained as first responders. A phone (to receive emergency calls) has been purchased and as soon as the defibrillator is installed in the special housing at the car park, the phone number will be released to all parishioners.
3. Grange Cross Residents Association - AGM
The GCRA AGM was held on 21st September 2017 at the old schoolhouse in Grange. Officers were elected as follows:
Chairman - Kieran Hourigan
Vice Chairman - Martin O'Connor
Secretary - Mary O'Connell
Treasurer - Frances O'Connell
Public Relations Officer - Miriam Gallagher
All certified annual accounts may be inspected at www.solocheck.ie
With the help of neighbours and parishioners, including fundraising through dances, quizzes, raffles and other projects, the following have been completed by GCRA over the past five years:
(i) The grounds at the rear of the old schoolhouse were cleared and a twenty-five place car-park was constructed.
(ii) Mature trees were set in the grounds of the old school and near the entrance road to Grange Church.
(iii) The boreen adjacent to the old school/grounds was scraped and cleaned, so as to ensure safe entry to The Old Road.
(iv) GCRA liaised with Limerick City & County Council in expending €20,000 on the old school building and grounds, to ensure continued safe use of facilities by the people of Grange. Works included roof repairs, a lighting system and sockets, a fire alarm, fire doors and new lighting in the car park at the rear of the school.
(v) A new bio-cycle system (sewage) was installed at the rear of the old schoolhouse.
(vi) Planning, construction and commissioning of a 1916 Memorial Garden, adjacent to Grange Church.
(vii) Shrubbery and flower planting on The Old Road from Grange Cross to The Hamlet and as far as Tony Barry's house, as well as on the Rahin Road. Works included hanging baskets and flower pots during the summer months.
(viii) Traffic management was provided for local funerals.
(viv) Publication of the very successful Grange Parish Book.
(x) Community summer and autumn markets.
(xi) Santa Claus village at the old schoolhouse.
(xii) Purchase of a community defibrillator and training of 20 local first responders.
(xiii) Erection and maintenance of a flower and shrub garden at the 'O'Sullivan corner', near Grange Cross.
(xiv) Secured two SOLAS workers to help maintain the village grounds.
(xv) Cooperated with the developers of the Grange Parish Website - www.grangeparish.com - (you are on the site now, please do browse!).
There are ongoing negotiations with the local authority regarding works to be performed on interior walls and floors of the old schoolhouse - funding for his has been pledged by the local authority.
Our thanks go to you - members of the community - who have contributed to the success of the GCRA over the past five years. Into the future, we hope to further enhance Grange - its roadsides and its byways - and to develop the old schoolhouse into the best possible community amenity.
Kindest Regards to You All.
Miriam Gallagher,
PRO (GCRA)
