Craic On

This was an archived article from 2009 which we found in a cache and we are adding it back onto the website.

After a gap of perhaps a dozen years, Moville’s Putting Green and Crazy Golf are to open again.

It is hoped to open the Crazy Golf perhaps as soon as next weekend and the Putting Green soon afterwards.

Submission to run those facilities were asked for and three were received.

After the submission process had run its course the winner was local actress Movania Parkinson who runs several drama classes in Inishowen and teaches Communications at The Fisheries School in Greencastle and here partner Finbarr McCallion.

There had been three main reasons for the Putting Green remaining closed all those years – vandalism, the cost of insurance and someone to take responsibility for the running of the facilities.

Now they are to open again.

Attracting Tourists

Said Marian McDonald, who represents Donegal Council on the Moville Green Committee, “I am personally very excited to see the Putting Green and Crazy Golf back open again. They were always at the centre of Moville Life. It will help attract more people to Moville at this difficult time and give tourism to the town a major boost. This is just the first of a mouth watering set of proposals which we will roll out over the coming months that will bring a bit of excitement to the town and hopefully bring visitors in their droves here. Watch this space”.

Finbarr has experience of being a park keeper in London in the Royal Parks and knows a thing or two about keeping the grass good for putting. However, it was not just in the beautiful Royal Parks he worked. Said Finbarr “I also worked in the Haringey Park where vandalism was rife”.

Youngsters

Movania and Finbarr produced a tip top proposal over seven pages supported by Cecilia Keaveney who said “Having spoken to Movania Parkinson recently I was delighted to hear her outline her project.

“She has formed a drama group who have made a film called Park Life about the consequences of drugs and alcohol on young adults.

“They could use the help of some of the youngsters from that group and give them an incentive to look after and preserve those public places”.

There are plans to turn the area just above the Crazy Golf into an outside cafe where drinks and packaged food can be served at tables with parasols. Visitors and Movillians can take in the magnificent views across Lough Foyle on a sunny day whilst having a tea, coffee or soft drink whilst their children entertain themselves with a game of Crazy Golf.

It’s even being proposed that Moville will have a ‘Shakespeare in the Park’ with Movania’s local drama group giving weekly performances from the area just above the Crazy Golf. However, more of that later.

Said Movania, “I’ve spoken to the teenagers in my drama group about putting on plays there and they are just as excited about it as I am. I’m really glad that we are going to be able to make use of that fantastic facility that Moville has, i.e. Bath Green, and we hope that the people of Moville will be just as excited as we are about it when they hear more of our plans”.

First Priority

The priority is to get the Putting Green and Crazy Golf opened and then follow that up with other exciting developments.

Said Moville Green Committee member Gerry McLaughlin, “Last weekend the Green was packed with people partly due to the burst of good weather on the bank holiday weekend which attracted lots of visitors. It will be great to give them something more to do when they come here.

“It might convince them to come back more often if they can have a day, or weekend, in the sun playing putting and letting their kids play crazy golf followed by an ice cream and maybe a meal or drink in the town, followed by a Shakespeare Play in the early evening. I can guarantee that there will be a bit of excitement about the town when they hear the full scope of what is to happen in the Green in the near future”.