SUMMARY OF PUBLIC PRESENTATION

Held on 

5 th  OCTOBER 2003

BONANE COMMUNITY CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LIMITED

BACKGROUND

In 1999 Bonane Community Council set about preparing an action plan for the parish, and as a first step sought the support of South Kerry Development Partnership Limited, who provided the services of a facilitator.

The underlying principal behind the plan's preparation was that the entire community should be given an opportunity to contribute to it by way of consultation. Public meetings were held and questionnaires were distributed to elicit the views of groups who were unlikely to attend the public meeting, most notably the elderly and young people/teenagers.

One of the areas identified for action under the plan was the need to improve the awareness of sites of archaeological and historical interest in the locality and their possible developement.

A sub-committee of the Community Council identified the forestry at Dromagorteen, owned by Coillte, as a possible area for development. This site contains a significant number of diverse archaeological monuments, including a stone circle with border burial, fulacht-fia, a large ring fort, bullaun stone and other significant monuments. The concentration of these monuments in close proximately to each other and in a central location provided an ideal opportunity to develop an amenity area in a location of historical and archaeological significance.

The sub-committee approached Coillte to lease part of the lands at Dromagorteen. As conditions to granting the lease Coillte were insistent on dealing with a corporate body, hence, Bonane Community Co-operative Society Ltd. was established.

Bonane Community Co-operative Society Limited

The Society was formed in February 2002 with its principle objective being “to enhance historical sites at Bonane”.  The cost of setting up the Society was €635, which was funded by a contribution of €64 from each of seven original shareholders, the balance coming form a surplus on the Millennium Fund.

The seven founding shareholders are: John Joe O’Brien, Patsy O’Sullivan, Daniel O’Connor, Pat O’Sullivan, Martin O’Reilly, Denis O’Shea and Stevie O’Sullivan.

From the outset the intention was that the Co-op would be owned and controlled by the community.  Accordingly, the committee of management is now inviting and encouraging the people of Bonane and all others interested to subscribe for shares in the Co-op.  The shares are priced at €1 per share, so nobody need feel excluded.  Obviously it is hoped that subscribers will be generous, as the income from the shares will provide the Society with much needed funds.  Under the rules governing co-operatives, individuals may subscribe for shares up to a maximum of €7,618.

Each shareholder is entitled to attend the annual general meeting (AGM) and has an equal vote on all matters for decision at the AGM.  Any shareholder, subject to the Society's rules, is eligible for election to the committee of management, which is a voluntary non-paying position.

The Society will be non-profit making but hopes to raise sufficient funds to meet the ongoing costs of maintenance and insurance.

PROGRESS TO DATE

Lease

Following lengthy negotiations with Coillte a long-term lease of part of the lands at Dromagorteen Forest was negotiated at a nominal annual rental of €127.  A precondition of this lease was that Coillte would first remove the growing timber from the site.  Again following negotiations it was agreed that the removal of the timber would be expedited and this work was carried out during the Spring of 2003.

Access Road

The access road to the site was completely wrecked during the felling operations.  As agreed in the original lease, Coillte employed a contractor to repair their portion of the road.  The Co-op negotiated with this contractor to repair the remaining access road at a total cost of approximately €2,500. Pathways to the monuments themselves have been completed by voluntary effort.

Insurance

Again the Co-op has negotiated public liability insurance on the site.  This cost just over €700, which was the most favourable quotation available.

Funding

The funding or the work carried out to date has come from the fundraising efforts of Stevie O’Sullivan and his “Wrenboys and Biddys”.  All funds are now exhausted.

Preliminary Survey

Dr. Niall Gregory, a licensed archaeologist, and some of his colleagues have carried out a preliminary but limited survey of some of the archaeological sites in Bonane on a voluntary basis.  In his report Dr. Gregory concludes that Bonane has a wealth and diversity of multi-period monuments dating from the Stone Age to the relatively recent past.  Of equal importance he concludes, is that the folklore and legends associated with many of these monuments also survive.  This makes Bonane unique and in his view, if developed, puts it on a par with areas such as the Boyne Valley and the Ceide Fields.

DEVELOPMENT PLAN

The primary objective of the Society is to preserve Bonane’s historical and archaeological sites for posterity.  In conjunction with this, the Society aims to enhance these sites for educational, tourism and community benefit as outlined below:

1.  To develop “Bonane Heritage Park” at Dromagorteen

Forest.  The access road and pathways are in place, however, much work remains to be done including fencing unsafe hazards on the site, the erection of information signs and notice boards and completing the trail map and advertising flyers.  If, as anticipated, there are numerous visitors to the site the provision of toilet facilities will need to be addressed.

2.  To develop Bonane's unique archaeological and historical heritage as a tourist resource and attraction, which would have a financial spin-off to the benefit of the community.

3.   To develop Slí Bonán - Bonane Archaeological and Historical Trail, to cover all accessible sites elsewhere in the parish, with the consent and support of the landowners involved.  A number of such additional sites have been identified which, when taken in conjunction with the sites in  Droumagorteen forest, would make an ideal archaeological and historical trail.

4.   To give guided tours to interested groups such as school tours and the like.  Self-guided tours will also be available to visitors.

5.   To develop a brochure and advertise Bonane as an educational/tourism resource and destination.  The success of any project depends on market awareness. It is imperative to get Bonane and its unique heritage listed in guide maps/books and in Failte Ireland publications.

6.  To carry out a comprehensive survey and evaluation of all the archaeological and historical sites in Bonane in conjunction with professional archaeologists. The results of the survey would then be published as a comprehensive guide, which would provide the basis for marketing and promotion.  Again the consent and support of landowners involved would be required.

7.     To raise fund to finance the Society's plans.

CONCLUSION

Archaeologists who visited Bonane have concluded that the wealth of our archaeological and historical monuments is of national and even international importance. The Society's plans will be carried out without impacting in any negative way on these monuments themselves or on the environment.  Bonane can, and must, be developed as an educational and tourism resource!