Ballyfermot is all set to celebrate 70th birthday
By Maurice Garvey
BALLYFERMOT is looking forward to a major milestone this year in the shape of a 70th birthday celebration.
Formal dates for the celebration have yet to be finalised but The Echo understands the middle of July is deemed a good bet by authorities for a time to publicly mark the momentous occasion.
In line with the big year ahead, local West Dublin radio station Together FM are asking people young and old to submit poems and/or stories to help commemorate the event.
The independent station started up three years ago at the Ballyfermot Civic Centre. They are not affiliated with a previous local radio station at the building, which closed down.
It has been a challenging time for the fledging new outlet, but the small crew are steadily building a base upon which community involvement is key.
“We are a very friendly and open place,” said Mary Clarke, Outreach Officer with Together FM.
“It has been challenging to get a station going again, but we have a passion for this. We provide training to people and groups regardless of abilities.”
Mary’s husband Damien Clarke, who manages the technical side, said the station provides a valuable outlet for the community.
“When the previous place was gone, there was people who used to volunteer from disability groups still turning up at the centre. Since we started up, Ballyfermot Community Association have been very supportive to us.”
Mary O’Sullivan said the station stream live shows on Friday and Saturday.
“We don’t have funding for a FM broadcast yet, but that is something we are working towards, and we are also looking for sponsorship,” she said.
With regard to the poetry and stories, the plan is to feature some of the entries on the station throughout the year.
“We are hoping to gather poems and stories from Ballyfermot people past and present, whether they live here now, live in the surrounding areas, or have moved abroad,” said Mary Clarke.
“They will go into two categories – under 16’s and over-16’s and we’ll be trying to involve schools, churches, clubs. Some of the stories we will look to make a programme out of.”
Together FM cater for communities in Ballyfermot, Chapelizod, Bluebell, Clondalkin, Inchicore and Palmerstown.
Plans are in place to gradually expand their range of programmes and training courses.
Mary Clarke continued: “We recently got a grant to bring in service users from the local drugs and alcohol task force at Cherry Orchard Hospital, and train them, which will hopefully lead to getting them on a programme at the station.”
The deadline for poetry entries is May 7. Stories will be accepted until mid-July. To submit entries email info [at] togetherfm [dot] com , maryclarke [at] togetherfm [dot] com, or visit their Facebook page.
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