The History of the Trust

The inaugural meeting of the Trust was held at the Bay View Hotel on the 19th of November 2001. Present were Michael Houlihan, John Williams, Patrick Keane, Seamus Clancy, Tom Byrne and Jimmy Furlong.

The Trust began very ambitiously with a long list of projects to benefit Kilkee. Many of these would have added greatly to the amenities and ambience of Kilkee but, by the summer of 2002, it was realised that, for a small committee with no access to funds, this was an ambition too far.

However, two lectures were organised that Summer in the library and these were so well received that it was decided to expand them the following year.

That year, the erection of a monument on the coast road to ocean rowers lost at sea was arranged. This was unveiled in March of the following year. It stands high on the cliffs, a moving testimony to the bravery of those who put to sea.

Other projects, such as the restoration of Fooagh Spa were put forward.

The summer of 2003 saw the first full set of talks in the library during the months of July and August. These have continued to be a feature of the summer in Kilkee.

In the following years projects included plaques on houses where prominent people, such as Charlotte Bronte and Richard Harris, once stayed.

There was also a move to make the sea wall, which was constructed as relief work during the famine, a heritage structure and to organise a search for and the replacement of stones washed away during storms.

In 2005 it was decided to publish a Pictorial History of Kilkee using old photographs. This was published in August 2007.