.
(Click photo to enlarge) At the transfer of the Fair Green lands from Trevor Giles to the Ardfert Community Council on Friday were, seated in front, Donal Stack and son Julian, Trevor Giles and Chairman of Ardfert Community Council Maurice O’Driscoll. Back from left; Pat Murphy, Katie McCarthy, Sean Dineen, Tara O’Halloran Quirke, Barbara O’Grady, Daniel Giles, Michael Latchford, Angela Ryan, Bernadette Browne, Niall Lucey and Sue Latchford. Photo by Dermot Crean
IT was a momentous day for Ardfert village on Friday when a significant portion of the Fair Green was transferred into the ownership of the local community council.
It came about thanks to a very generous gesture from Trevor Giles of Giles Auctioneers in Tralee, whose family has owned the land for the past 60 years after the owner, Talbot-Crosbie of Ardfert, asked Trevor’s father to take over the lands.
Continued below…
.
In March 2012, Sean Dineen approached the board of Ardfert Community Council Ltd. following a conversation he had with Trevor Giles, where Mr Giles expressed an interest in transferring lands held by him, particularly his portion of the Fair Green, to the community of Ardfert. (Kerry County Council owns the remaining portion of the Fair Green.)
A lot of work was carried out over the past three years by the Community Council’s solicitors (Pierse, McCarthy, Lucey), as well as the solicitors for KCC and Mr Giles, to complete this transfer.
The Voluntary Conveyance from Trevor Giles to Ardfert Community Council Ltd was completed in September 2015. He transferred a portion of lands to Ardfert Community Council Ltd. and the balance to Kerry County Council.
“We are deeply grateful to Mr Giles for this generous and altruistic act. It means that the people of Ardfert will forever into the future have a say in what happens to the Fair Green, located in the heart of our village,” read a statement from Ardfert Community Council.
Members of the board of Ardfert Community Council Ltd., staff members from Ardfert Community Centre, Trevor Giles and his son Daniel, Sean Dineen, Katie McCarthy and Niall Lucey were present for the transfer at Ardfert Community Centre on Friday.
As a gesture of their appreciation, the Community Council presented Trevor Giles with a beautiful painting of Ardfert Cathedral by artist Donal Stack at the transfer ceremony.
Mr Giles said he will supply two seats for the green area with plaques when the Community Council is ready to accept.
The Community Council has some ideas for the land, but will take their time on how to best use the land.
