Community project (GCDC and Community School). Funded by 'Make it Happen'.

Graveyard Mapping Project
Digital Mapping of Graveyards in NE Galway
This project is facilitated by GCDC on behalf of the GRD Rural Social Scheme, Galway County Council, contractors to the project and voluntary committee’s involved.

A pilot project was initiated in 2006 with a view to making a detailed survey of selected graveyards in the area.  Seven graveyards were selected at the time:
Boyounagh, Kildaree, Carraroe, Creggs Road Glenamaddy, Templetogher, Moore

Glenamaddy Old Cemetery.  Mappings and associated inscriptions were recorded by the associated cartographer and participants from the RSS.  A detailed Map is erected at the entrance in each of the above graveyards

The first graveyard to be completed, with detailed Map erected was Boyounagh.  Work was carried out July 2006 – October 2006 and the Graveyard Map was erected mid September 2007.

The current phase of the Project commenced August 2008 with six groups to date requesting project inclusion, along with the end product of a detailed graveyard map.  The next phase in the project has also commenced, which is Digital Mapping of all information.  This involves database management of all recorded information including the digital images which are being taken of each monument.  The end result will be access to this information through google earth which is to be viewed initially through the Galway CoCo web site.  This would enable people to zoom into a particular graveyard, view a particular monument and read associated recordings. 

The first graveyard which has been selected to go on-line is ‘Boyounagh’ which we hope to launch by the end of this year.  Updates on this project will be posted on this site up to the official launch.

Youth Café
Planning permission for a youth café was received in April of this year and work has just commenced on the premises, which is Henneghans old shop in the town.  Detailed studies and research has been carried out over the last 2 years in order to prove the need for the facility and to ensure that a suitable location was selected. We have had school involvement from the very start and the students are very keen at this point to design and create this space.

It is hoped that over the summer months that main refurbishment will take place and that in September the students will be involved in the design and decor of what is going to be their space.

To date we have secured €6000 from the GRD Social Inclusion Program 08 which was used to purchase computers and a pool table.  This year we have been successful in obtaining a small bit of funds, but still have a long way to go.

At this point we are looking for people from the community to hopefully offer their skills  and expertise towards labour needed to refurbish the building, to be involved in the steering committee or to be a volunteer within the café once it has been officially opened.
Most importantly.  This is a space for youth and should be designed and organised by the youth of the community themselves, so we need you to come forward with your ideas.

We will also be trying to source funding for materials towards the required refurbishment, with hopeful sponsorship from key businesses in the area.

If you would like to get involved at any level in providing this space for the youth of our community give us a call.