More than 150 people attended a public meeting at the Renmore Scout Den last week for a relaunch of what is thought to be one of Ireland’s longest-running residents’ associations.
Galway City East councillors Terry O’Flaherty, Alan Cheevers, Helen Ogbu and Shane Forde also attended the first meeting of a revamped Renmore Residents’ Association (RRA ) last Tuesday.
The group was first established in 1959, and later expanded in the 1960s when it absorbed the nearby Renmore Park Residents’ Association. During the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, it was heralded as a model association nationally, selected as a pilot neighbourhood for recycling domestic rubbish, and winning Tidy Towns and Pride of Place awards.
New RRA chairwoman, Deirdre McFadden, thanked long-serving members of the outgoing committee - many of whom were present - and revealed a number of new sub-committees to deal with local issues, including planning, grants, parks, beaches, and transport. She said she wanted to make Renmore “a better - no, even better - place to live”.
Speaking to the Advertiser after the meeting, McFadden said a formal handover from the old committee should happen next month. “These people did so much for the community for decades. They won so many awards, and were the ‘gold standard’ really, because when people wanted to set-up community groups around Galway, they asked Renmore how to do it properly.”
Meeting attendees were invited to join a new WhatsApp group for free, or pay €10 per household for voting rights at future AGMs. Monies collected will go toward insurance, community events, family fun days, and community improvement projects.
The RRA encourages locals to bring a picnic for its first ‘Street Feast’ from midday on Sunday, May 25, on the green near LimeLeaf on Fuchsia Drive.
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