Tag Archives: burren lowlands

THE iconic statue of Christ the King in the heart of Gort will be the focal point for a rejuvenated town centre, as a local fund-raising campaign has been intensified to provide upgraded seating, planting and paving. The Burren Lowlands Group, which works with 16 local parishes in North Clare and South Galway, has just teamed up with a local business woman to run a fund-raising raffle to boost efforts to cover the cost of enhanced paving around The Square. The Dolly Tub, which is a new business based in Peterswell and run by Susanne Orsford, has donated five gift boxes containing had-made sanitisers, balms, soaps and candles. “We have extended our fundraising efforts because, while we’re very grateful for all of the support received to-date, we need a little more money to really get the project right,” explained Kathleen Bell Bonjeau of Burren Lowlands. “We had hoped to have the second phase of the redevelopment complete by Christmas, but …

WHEN work began to renovate the Christ the King statue in Gort Square, locals were heard to comment, “He’s getting released from jail!” The Burren Lowlands Group had commissioned local architect Brent Mostert to develop a vision of the statue as a focal point in a rejuvenated square. He began by removing the worn iron railings around the statue base, which were replaced with cut limestone paving. Jethro Sheen of Sheen Stone-Works Gort carried out the work and his fine craftsmanship has been remarked upon. This serves to enhance the monument to allow for seating and a more open plan aspect. Already residents and visitors can be seen sitting and talking at the base. In phase two of the renovations, seating and planters will be installed. The railings will be commissioned to another area of the town, perhaps along the proposed riverwalk for all to enjoy. As the main market town for the Burren Lowlands region, the Burren Lowlands Group …

THE Burren Lowlands initiative saw its first major victory on Friday when a new tourism office was opened in Gort. In January, a small group of people living and working in Gort and its hinterland got together to stimulate job creation, rural and urban rejuvenation in the area, sustainable tourism and greater appreciation of arts and heritage. Two hundred people turned out when they held a public meeting in the Lady Gregory Hotel in April, aimed at getting ideas and input from the wider community and reversing the decline that has seen the town become one of the worst hit in the country in terms of the recession. At that meeting, ideas were put forward as to how this ambitious transformation could be achieved. “This really started at that meeting,” said local man and Galway County Councillor, Gerry Finnerty, one of those behind the Burren Lowlands project. “People said they felt there should be a tourist office in the town …