By texting 087 7850566 - you can directly contact the traffic warden to report driver silliness and stupidity when it comes to vehicles illegally parked in Disabled Parking Spaces, Bus Areas or designated Trading Areas, or other obstructions on town footpaths.

See full details at the Council Web site

It will be an opportunity for all to see the new laptops that have been recently purchased with the generous financial support of parents over the last few years, as well as the new digital whiteboard in the Sixth class room.

So easing back into it - here is the only minuted item from the last ordinary meeting of the county council back in June - relating to Strandhill - back in June.

21. REPORT ON THE ROADWORKS SCHEME IN STRANDHILL;

Proposed by Councillor T. McLoughlin
Seconded by Councillor I. Henry

“To request a report on the Roadworks scheme in Strandhill, including Urgent works on the Upper Road and the upgrading of footpaths from the church to the promenade”.

In Response Mr T. Carroll SE stated the following;

A sum of €88,400 has been provided in estimates 2008 towards the upgrade of Buenos Aires Drive (L-3505) under Road Restoration Programme. A sum of €45,500 has also been provided towards the continued upgrade of footpath network on Top Road R292 in 2008. Repairs where required will be undertaken to footpaths from Church to Promenade.

Interestingly, no mention at all of proposed bye-law for “parking charges”. I would have naively thought that given this first hit the papers in early July - a knowledge of the issue would have been known at the time?

Can anyone out there educate readers on the the mechanism by which bye-laws are actually conceived, deliberated, discussed and agreed? I’ve had a brief look at the council website - it may be buried in there somewhere, but nothing obvious…

Anyway, according to David Zike, and avid American Surfer based in Dublin who was interviewed for the piece - Australians are

“Extremely cocky. Friendly too, but only as long as get get all the waves. Your typical Australian surfer reckons that, because he works in a bar in Strandhill, that means he owns the beach.”

So it seems then that stereotypes most definitely exist on water as well as land.

Butler suggests that as far as top surfing beaches in Ireland are concerned, Lahinch and Bunder are still really popular. The more discerning might check out Easkey, Lissadell and Strandhill in Sligo, as well as Kilcummin, and Keel Beach (Achill) in Mayo.

Rory & Michelle, winners of the recent fundraiser for the Sports and Community Centre Group, originally uploaded by strandhillonline.

Now there’s a way to start the New Year.

Rory Killian , Coolaney, son in-law of popular Strandhill couple Ollie and Rathana McLaughlin and recently married to Michelle, was astounded when told his ticket had been pulled first in the draw.

‘We are thrilled for Rory and his family and we wish him and all the other prize winners the very best with their prizes. They wouldn’t have won if they hadn’t been prepared to support our drive for badly-needed sports and community facilities in the area. We are so grateful for everyone who bought our tickets and helped our fundraising drive,’ said Cliodhna Carroll of the Sports and Community Centre Group.

Nearly 100 other people won prizes in the mega-draw. After Rory Killian, the top prize winners were: John Tracey, Strandhill (€2,000); Patricia Egan, Strandhill (€1,000 holiday with €500 spending money); Maura Gilligan, Glen Road (flat-screen TV and €100 cash) and Glen Kilfeather, Grange (hotel mini-break and €100 cash).

The details of all winners are here.

MONSTER DRAW RESULTS
PRIZE NAME ADDRESS

€50,000 CAR Rory Killian Coolaney
€ 2,000 John Tracey Lar Easa Cove
€1000 Holiday & €500 Patricia Egan Scarden Court
20″ Flat Screen TV & €100 Maura Gilligan Glen road
Mini Hotel Break & €100 Glen Kilfeather Gilroy Tiling
HOTEL MINI BREAK Brendan O’Neill Strandhill
David Kilrehill Knocknahur
€200 & Cat & Moon Set Roy Kilfeather Scarden
€ 200 Marie McTiernan
€ 200 Roe Finnegan, Woodville
€ 100 Michael Savage Breeogue
€ 100 Chris & M McKenna Westmeath
€ 100 Patricia McCarrick Tubbercurry
€ 100 Rita Cadden Kilmacowen
€ 100 Strand Bar Strandhill
€ 100 Steve Brennan Ballydoogan
€ 100 PJ & Sinead Gallagher Strandhill
€ 100 Patrick Murtagh Knocknarea
€ 100 Michael Keane Scarden
€ 100 Francie Kivlehan Culleenamore
CRYSTAL BRANDY GLASSES Fergus McCaffery Strandhill
Martin Gillen, Scardenbeg
Claire & M Watters Strandhill
Bryan Kilfeather Rosses Point
Jonathan Burns Strandhill
Colm Mullen, Harolds Cross
Shoes & Sports Sligo
Ena & John Lang Strandhill
Maura O’Boyle & Ciaran Foley Strandhill
CRYSTAL WHISKEY GLASSES
Domonic Quinn Ballygawley
Diane Middleton Strandhill
Laffey Family Strandhill
Aiden Nolan Strandhill
Liam & Laura Healy Knocknahur
Paul Colreavy Ballyconnell
Seamus Duffy IT Sligo
Joe Gildea Knocknahur
Teresa Phelan Strandhill
Christopher Taylor Rathanoragh
Rian McMorrow Strandhill
John O’Gorman - ESB
John Byrne Strandhill
CRYSTAL CHAMPAGNE FLUTES
Deirdre & Mark Eaton Strandhill
Patrick Gilmartin & Tom Rouse Kilmacowen
CRYSTAL WINE GLASSES
Patricia Murphy
Siobhan Tobin Strandhill
Noreen Gilligan Strandhill
Nora Haugh Sligo
Peter O’Reilly Strandhill
Eileen O’Connor Strandhill
Stephen Carty Tonaphubble
Rosie & Eddie Byrne Strandhill
Catherine McGaughan IT Sligo
Staff VOYA Seaweed Baths Strandhill
Evelyn & Andy Higgins Strandhill
Fidelma Martyn Knocknarea
CRYSTAL CANDLESTICKS
Pat & Helena Healy Knocknahur
Martha Des Cosgrove Knocknarea
Padraig Gaughan Ransboro
Aoife & Colm Langan Strandhill
John Foy Sligo
Brian Gilheany Strandhill
Francis Banks Kellystown

FRAMED MIRRORS
Tadgh Murphy Strandhill
Iain Cochraine Strandhill
Joe Gorman Lisheen
Frank Carroll Carrowdough
Colm Sheridan Breeogue
Warriors Festival Strandhill
Roy Kilfeather Scarden
James & Anita Murphy Strandhill
Joseph Monaghan Scanden Beg
Mary Blowick Strandhill
Madeline Lannigan Ransboro
Hugh Gallagher / Martin Daly Sligo
Mary Phelan Strandhill
Brian McDermott Barnasraghy
Fintan Smith Strandhill
Colm Sheridan Knocknahur
Kevin Cooney Knocknahur
Peter Galvin Strandhill
Thomas McSharry Leitrim
FRAMED PICTURES
Enyi Ezema Strandhill
Marie & Geoff Chrystal Knocknahur
Barry Doyle
Brian Devaney
Steve & Fiona Brennan Ballydoogan
Sophie Louise Carroll Rathfarnham
Austin O’Callaghan Drumcliffe
Leo & Yvonne Parkinson Carton Hill
John McKeogh Collooney
Strand Bar Strandhill
Powell Brennan McManus Rooney
WD Construction
John Duggan / Pat Walsh Sligo
Shane O’Neill Colooney
Helen & Fergal Conway Strandhill
Ciara Niland Strandhill
Brid O’Toole Strandhill

I stand to be corrected, but I believe this work to be in progress now at least 4 years. The current phase of development - new walls, pavements, etc - is ongoing for at least the last 18 months.

I wonder how many people actually ring the Borough Council and enquire as to finish dates for projects like this? Frustrated, I took some video footage on my mobile a few weeks back (travelling into Sligo town).

Disclaimer : Yes I know - I should not really be doing this while driving…

As you can probably guess, we are interested in contributions on local news, events, history and heritage of the area and local issues; that’s what we have writing about up to now - maybe you have a different take?

Also, we are more than happy to publicise events that happening locally - fundraising campaigns, meetings and so on.

Even though we have had a few opinion pieces in the past - in the future, we will NOT be a soapbox for any specific side of an argument or debate; however, we are happy to link to places that articulate particular points of view on a topic.

Drop an email to info [at] strandhillonline.com and tell us what you would like to write about.