The people of Galbally will be exploring ways to attract enterprise to the village and improve broadband as well as looking at other areas to develop over the next 3-5 years, at a meeting being held in the community centre on Monday, January 20.

Facilitated by Galbally Community Council, the meeting at 8pm will look at ways to develop Galbally in the coming years. Those who are new to the area as well as those who have been part of community life for many years, are invited to come along and share their ideas about the future of the village.

“One important area already earmarked for discussion is the need to research an improved broadband service for our area. This would definitely be a help to enterprise and would enable many people to live in Galbally while working from home,” principal of Galbally NS and community council member, Martin Kearney told The Avondhu this week.

“We look forward to as many as possible attending on the night to offer their input and ideas,” he added.

Martin explained that most people in Galbally use mobile broadband and it can be ‘hit or miss’, which means that those working from home, or professionals hoping to expand their businesses, cannot depend on the internet service.

He said that the broadband issue is something which they will start working on straight away, but they they will also look at things like developing tourism around the amenities and walks that Galbally can offer, the latter being more of ‘a long term focus’.

The school principal said that they would hope to hear voices from professionals, those with the skils and interest to develop the village and business people as well as those from community groups, at the meeting.

He added that a lot of young people have left Galbally and emigrated and that over Christmas, many of these expressed an interest in coming home. “So if the facilities such as improved broadband could be put in place, it might mean that they can come home to Galbally instead of going somewhere else in Ireland.”

Jim Fitzgerald, former chairman of Galbally Community Council, said that over the years, they have always been encouraging people to shop local, but that if people don’t continue to support the two local shops, they will not be able to carry on.

He added that in terms of businesses that could come into the town, Galbally badly needs a petrol station and given that they have a medical centre, they would also benefit greatly from having a pharmacy.

Comparing the village to what it was like in the seventies, Jim said that they used to have ‘eight pubs and up to nine shops, a drapery and a chemist’.

“It was vibrant and we should try to get it back to some kind of level. Above all, we must try to hold on to what we have with the two shops, the pubs, Post Office and Garda clinic.”