NEWS
KIRN PRIMARY SCHOOL –
Diary Date. Wednesday 14th December 2011 at 4pm
EnviroKirn Action Group has invited the children of Kirn Primary School to ‘switch-on’ the Christmas Tree lights located on the promenade in Kirn. All members of the public are more than welcome to attend, sing along and help the children enjoy the occasion.
The children are due to arrive at 4pm (weather permitting), sing three songs and, during this time, both the Head Boy and Head Girl will be invited to ‘switch – on’ the Christmas Tree lights.
Santa is expected to make a brief appearance but this is dependant upon both the weather conditions and his work commitments at this time of year.
Updated: Wednesday 7th December 2011
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The following letter (received by email dated 24 Oct 2011) is written by Doug Hamilton. The article is in response to our request for any personal historical memories of Kirn residents both past and present
Our request was published in the EnviroKirn Newsletter and this Webpage. If, after reading this article you feel inspired to share your memories please email to ideas4kirn@hotmail.com or contact our Secretary on 01369 703343.
KIRN DURING WORLD WAR II
By Kirn Resident Doug Hamilton
“I was seven when war broke out. Being born in “Rowanlea” at the top of Kirn Brae, I had a fairly wide range of pals who played together, went to school and grew up together. We fished under the pier at Kirn and when the steamer was approaching we would hang on for dear life if the skipper misjudged the distance and the pier moved under us.
With double summer time due to a decision by the Government of the day that the more light the less chance of German bombers coming over. This didn’t always work as we were made to crouch under the living room table while the bombers flew overhead on their way to or from Greenock and Clydebank. One bomber must have decided to get rid of his`load and bomber Hunters Quay with one bomb landing in a garden and another two on the foreshore about a hundred yards short of the present Western Ferries landing place.
Our usual habit was to gather in a group and decide what game we were going to play that night. I recall being chased out of a few gardens by local householders when we decided to take time out to enjoy a few apples from the back gardens of Hunter Street.
With the nights being light until eleven p.m. we played football on a piece of grass at the front of Broughallen Gardens where there was a slipway. We lost many a football in the Clyde that way. During school summer holidays some of us used to hang about the boat hirers on Kirn front. Reggie Brooks and Mr MacDougall had stances and hired by the hour.
The Coal Pier, now reduced to a pile of rubble, was a favourite place for fishing for tiddlers. I recall with fond memories the day of the Sunday School trip when Frank Sherriff’s would get us all marshalled together and onto the pier for Millport or whatever venue had been arranged.
As we got older the boys became interested in golf and football and even athletics. The annual school sports on the Stadium was well attended and there were some very fast runners among the fifth formers at the Grammer. The name Westwater, who lived in Hunters Quay, was considered to be the fastest lad on two legs this side of the Clyde.
Some of us took up golf under the guidance of Davie Peel, Club pro at Cowal. Some took up tennis and played on the now defunct Kirn Tennis courts on Ardenslate Road. At that time there was also a putting green just over the hedge from the Bowling Green but this also was allowed to become a field but not before some of us formed a cricket team on the former putting green and we even played against a Greenock team at Greenock such was the interest at that time.
I was probably fortunate to be friendly with one of the Naval families whose dad was an officer onboard HMS Forth in the Holy Loch. I spent a day on board and many years later I was again a guest when the American Navy were based in the Loch and I was again on board a depot ship as guest of a naval officer who lived in Kirn.
After the war in 1948 I can recall very clearly standing outside Davie Peel’s hut (he didn’t have a posh Pro Shop in those days), and with my pal Tom Brown I was practicing putting. A flashy car drew into the car park and the driver unloaded a huge set of glf clubs. This gent turned out to be Pat Dodd, resident pianist at the London Palladium. Tom volunteered to caddy and I had the easier job of playing the 18 holes with our new found friend. The upshot was that Tom was invited to attend the London Palladium with a first class seat while attending the London Olympic Games in the July of that year. I never asked Pat Dodd for his autograph but he did enjoy his time in Kirn.
Sadly, many of my former school pals have gone. Tom Brown died in Canada and many others left the townfor work and other reasons. I can still recall going along the cinder track between Ardenslate Road and Kirn School in the winter of 1947 with the snow up to the top of the fence poles…those were the days.
I had a short but very memorable contact by w-mail with Alex Turner earlier this year. We used to play together in the Dunoon Rovers Amateur team alongside Matt Carnegie. Sadly they have both passed on leaving very happy memories of their playing days and of their company.
That is about as much as you might want to hear Alistair but if I can help with anything just ask.
Best wishes.
Doug.”
Updated 29th October 2011
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STOP PRESS——BEAUTIFUL SCOTLAND AWARDS 2011 —STOP PRESS
Three members of the EnviroKirn Committe traveled to Rothesay today, 12th September, for the Awards ceremony for Beautiful Scotland. We are happy to advise you all that Kirn Village has received the Silver Gilt Award this year, in the “Large Village” section. This improves our position from last year. Congratulations and thanks to all the committee, volunteers and helpers, who have made this Award possible. (Full Report to follow)
THANK YOU KIRN!
The chairman and committee of the EnviroKirn are delighted to offer a huge thank you to the people of Kirn for the wonderful community spirit they have shown in improving the village this summer.
The shops, with their crisp new paint and tiles, make the parade look vibrant again. More and more houses, flats and gardens have been beautified with floral displays that gladden the heart.
And the wholehearted response to requests for volunteers to help with beach cleaning and weeding has resulted in the tidiest enviroment to be seen for many a long year.
Everyone has contributed splendidly to showing pride of place in Kirn so, again, please accept the committee’s grateful thanks for a job well done.
Dunoon Observer dated Friday 5th August 2011
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THE ORDINATION OF FATHER DAVID CONNOR.
By Reverend Sandy Culley
Fr David was ordained a priest for The Diocese of Argyll and The Isles on Tuesday
14th June 2011 in St. Columba’s Cathedral, Oban by Bishop Joseph Toal, Bishop of The Diocese. David’s journey to priesthood took him from Kirn Post Office, which he owned and ran for many years, to Scotus College, Bearsden and on its closure to St. Patrick’s Seminary, Maynooth, Co Kildare.
During his 6 years of training he studied Philosophy and Theology. His many Pastoral placements gave him great experience in working with the underprivileged, working in schools, visiting prisons and assisting in a Rehabilitation Centre for people with drug and alcohol problems. As well as this, he assisted in his own home Parish in Dunoon and many other Parishes in the Diocese.
The culmination of all this preparation and discernment was his Ordination in Oban. This was followed by David’s Mass of Thanksgiving on Wednesday 15th June in Our Lady and St Mun’s Church Dunoon in front of a packed congregation from the whole community and beyond and was followed by a party in Cowal Golf Club.
David will take up his position as Administrator of the Parish of St Margaret’s Lochgilphead at the beginning of August.
31st July 2011
DAVID CONNOR
By Matt G. Duffy
I got to know David Connor who was Sub Post Master, when I came to live in Kirn in 1994. Whenever David had a quiet moment he would be outside his post office with a sweeping brush tidying up and removing litter, a task he would do several times each day. Often David could be seen leaving his shop to run an elderly customer home because it was cold or wet.
We were having a conversation about the litter problem one day in spring 1999 and we decided to try and do something about it, as the whole of the Marine Parade part of the village had become very shabby and neglected. We approached Kirn Gala committee and several residents with our idea and that was basically the beginning of Kirn Action Group, later to be renamed EnviroKirn Action Group.
David gave sterling service to the group until he decided to alter his direction in life and join the Priesthood in 2005 and when he went away to begin his studies his assistant Janice Buchanan kept the business running until it was closed down in April 2008 as were many other rural offices.
31st July 2011
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EnviroKirn Annual General Meeting:
The Annual General Meeting took place in the Church Centre, Hunter Street, Kirn, on Wednesday 15th June at 7:30pm. A total of 22 residents came along and joined in with the discussions about the future of the village.
Updated on 6th July 2011
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Kirn Promenade Tubs – Planting of.
The planting up of the tubs and containers for the summer display took place on the 14th June. A good attendance of volunteers helped in the planting of the tubs and watering.
As a reminder on the subject of gardening activties, you may have noticed that the weeds at the base of garden walls and pavements are assuming triffid proportions. If such a sight offends you, please feel free to dig them out, and, if possible, apply a liberal dressing of cooking salt to discourage further growth. The glyphosate based weedkiller “Roundup” is the only treatment permitted by the Council, but salt is equally acceptable.
Updated 6th July 2011
Bat & Owl boxes at the Spinney:
It is hoped that we may be able to erect bat and owl boxes in the spinney at the north end of Hunter Street, the site of the former Shelton Cottage, now overgrown with trees etc. This site could be transformed into a little wild garden with wayside flowers and winding paths. If you have any ideas on improving the area, please let us know, by email to ideas4kirn@hotmail.com
Marion Morrison: 25th May 2011
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B-B-Q?
Regarding the postponed barbeque? We have not forgotten and it will be held at a later date, so watch this space.
EK 6th July 2011
BEACH CLEAN held @ Kirn: Saturday 7th May 2011
Kirn Village held its Annual Beach Clean on Saturday 7th May 2011 starting at 14:00 and met at the flag pole on the promenade. With dark clouds looming and an incoming tide the team of some twenty-seven volunteers, both young and not so young, set about dividing in to small teams of four and each choosing and area to be cleaned of wood, plastic bottles and other rubbish. All volunteers worked extremely hard and after an hour and a half, had collected about twenty-nine sacks of waste. Fortunately, plastic bottles, tin cans and glass could be stored in the bins located on the promenade. Shortly after completing the big clean, the heavens opened up and the streets, pavements and roads were given a final wash to round off all the hard work by the volunteers.
Members of the EnviroKirn Action Group thank ALL the volunteers for their hard work and look forward to meeting you again (should you so wish) in the June to assist in the planting of the new tubs prior to the Scotland In Bloom held in July.
Updated 9th May 2011.
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EnviroKirn Newsletter – Spring 2011
At long last, the first edition of the EnviroKirn Newsletter for 2011 has been printed and distributed to various retail outlets within the village of Kirn.
It is the intention of the EnviroKirn Action Group to publish four editions annually – Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. However, future editions will depend entirely upon information, stories of days past and other interesting snippets supplied by members of Kirn village.
Kirn Diary Events for 2011.
July: Scotland In Bloom
August: Kirn Gala
October: Annual Appeal
November: Christmas Preparations
December: Christmas Tree Lights – switch on.
Should you wish further information as to how to submit ideas, stories or other interesting bits and pieces, please have your say – via email to: ideas4kirn@hotmail.com
Updated 6th July 2011.
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Kirn Information Board
As most Kirn residents will no doubt be aware, the Information Board has disappeared from the promenade.
Not due vandalism nor needed for kindling but as a result of the severe storms that ravished our shores these last few months. The structure has stood the test of time for some considerable years and, as with all objects, succumbed in the end.
After the Storm
However, fear not, the actual information board is now located at the Kirn Primary School and it is planned for it to be erected in a prominent position for the benefit of all the youngsters.
20th February 2011
Resignation
It is with regret that we have to advise you all, that with effect from 31st December 2010, Brian Chennell resigned as our Consultant. He was concerned that his commitment to EnviroKirn would suffer as he is now the Manager of the Dunoon Business Association, and as such, he has to devote more time in that area.
We wish him well and thank him for his very valued input over many years he has worked with us. We also wish him every success i his future endeavours and hope that his enthusiasm, for the betterment of the community, will remain undiminished.
EnviroKirn Newsletter – Spring 2011 Edition - Updated 2nd May 2011