Sir, – I read with interest the article by Rosita Boland "Half Dead: a town in rural Ireland" in last Saturday's Irish Times (Weekend, September 19th). If I may, I would like to concentrate on the "half alive" part of Kiltimagh!
I came to Kiltimagh to work in the local AIB Bank in 1975 and settled here. I married a local man; we raised a family of five children, two of whom are living abroad (their own choice), two work and live elsewhere in Ireland and one lives at home.
It is fair to say the Main Street, which is the spine of the town, has a lot of closed shops, pubs and houses. Off the Main Street, however, there are vibrant communities living in well-maintained housing estates. Warehouse space for local businesses has been provided by the local integrated rural development unit (IRD) for rent or purchase.
Apart from the Tidy Towns committee mentioned in the article, which is doing marvellous work, there are fantastic community organisations in the town. The drama society (Clann Machua) has a large membership of varying ages who perform their works in the local town hall, which is refurbished to the highest standard. It also organises a one-act drama festival in November with entries from all over Ireland. The local choral society travels to various choral festivals. There is also a yearly choral festival which takes place on the last weekend in February and attracts large numbers to our town. On the sporting side there are thriving GAA, basketball, squash, handball, soccer and snooker clubs. If you fancy some weekly exercise, you can do yoga, tai chi, pilates, social dancing or, for more sedentary recreation, play bridge or Texas hold ’em poker. You can go to weekly painting classes or take part in the historical society and enhance the local museum. Children and adults can go to our Mayo School of Music and learn an instrument. There are scouts and a Foróige club for our youth. We have schools that are second to none.
Since the original series of articles written about Kiltimagh in 1989 (“The town they left behind”), the local bakery has closed with the loss of over 30 jobs but the town has survived that loss. As mentioned in the article, a lot of people commute from town for work; this is the way of the future unless or until there are more jobs in town.
I think the asset of the local railway line cannot be ignored when you see the success of the Great Western Greenway. Surely the Mayo/Sligo greenway is a no-brainer. Look at the success of the Wild Atlantic Way – a natural amenity which was there forever, but what marvellous marketing.
I cannot think of a better place to raise children as it is a wonderful place to live.
And those of us who live here are fully alive! Kiltimagh abú! – Yours, etc,
EVELYN
ARMSTRONG WALSH,
Kiltimagh,
Co Mayo.