.
At Valentia Island Cable Station for the signing of an official Memorandum of Understanding between Kerry and Newfoundland and Labrador were John Griffin, Tourism Officer, Kerry County Council, Emer Connolly, Director National Monuments Service, Mary Rose Stafford, Valentia Cable Foundation, Michael Lyne, Chairman Valentia Island Development, Cllr Johnny Healy-Rae, Gerry Osmond , Assistant Deputy Minister – Arts and Heritage of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Minister Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Steve Crocker, Cathaoirleach Kerry County Council, Cllr John Francis Flynn, Cllr Norma Moriarty, Siobhan Griffin, SKDP, and Moira Murrell, Chief Executive Kerry County Council. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
BOTH sides of the original transatlantic telegraph cable came together in Valentia this week, when representatives from Newfoundland and Labrador paid an official visit to Kerry, and to the Valentia Cable Station.
The purpose of the visit was the signing of an official Memorandum of Understanding between both communities, which committed Kerry County Council and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to a co-operative approach on their journey to seeking UNESCO Heritage Status for the Cable Stations of Valentia and Heart’s Content, Newfoundland, the western terminus for the transatlantic cable.
Continued below…
.
Minister Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation Steve Crocker and Mr. Gerry Osmond , Assistant Deputy Minister – Arts and Heritage of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador travelled to Kerry for the visit and were welcomed to the Valentia Cable Station by Michael Lyne, Chairman, Valentia Island Development Company, Cathaoirleach Cllr. John Francis Flynn and Moira Murrell, Chief Executive, Kerry County Council, as well as members of the Valentia Island Development Company.
Following a tour of the Cable Station Exhibition, a dinner, hosted by the Cathaoirleach took place in the Royal Hotel.
Enjoying the proceedings at the Cable Station on Valentia Island , from left, Valentia Island Heritage Centre Volunteers, Marie Williams, Pam Twentyman and Anita Guiney Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
The signing of the official Memorandum of Understanding between both parties commits Kerry and Newfoundland to a joint approach in seeking UNESCO Heritage Status, but also to a wider cultural and economic cooperation in support of community development.
Speaking at the event, Cllr John Francis Flynn stated that; “Our aim is to safeguard this global heritage for the posterity of mankind but our hope and expectation is that it will unlock other investment opportunities both private and state. We want to maximise the economic and social opportunities that this will provide for Valentia and South Kerry. I am sure the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will want to achieve similar goals for Hearts Content and its environs.”
“I hope that this will the first of many official exchanges between Newfoundland and County Kerry, your community in Heart’s Content and ours in Valentia. I understand that a vital element of a joint or trans-national World Heritage application is a close working relationship between the two parties. You can be assured of our full commitment to the process and wider co-operation in other areas too – on the community, economic, tourism and social fronts.” Scroll down for photos…
Where it all began…at Foilhomurrum Bay, Valentia Island. From left, Gerry Osmond , Assistant Deputy Minister – Arts and Heritage of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, John Griffin, Tourism Officer, Kerry County Council, Patrizia La Piscopia, Archaeologist, National Monuments Service, Emer Connolly, Director, National Monuments Services, Ross Waters, World Heritage Unit, National Monunment Services, Minister Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Steve Crocker, Michael Lyne, Chairman, Valentia Island Development Company. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
.
James Murphy, Oonagh Walsh-O’Connor, Fiona Lyne at the Cable Station. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
Cathaoirleach Kerry County Council, Cllr. John Francis Flynn, Siobhan Griffin, SKDP and Niamh O’Sullivan, Head of Tourism Kerry County Council at the Valentia Cable Station. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
.
At the National School at Chapeltown, Valentia Island, where the Newfoundland delegation paid a visit were pupils, Amy Rose Shannon, Valentina O’Neill, Casey Shannon. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
Siún Coffey reads her poem for Minister Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Steve Crocker, Michael Lyne, Chairman, Valentia Island Development Company and School Principal, Paul O’Connor. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
