Kilbride is a small country area approximately 4 Irish miles from Roscommon town on the Roscommon Sligo Road N61, hence the name Fourmilehouse. Kilbride Parish is made up of two parts; Fourmilehouse (area 300 houses), and Derrane, 160 houses and has a population of 1300 approximately. The Fourmilehouse cluster of the parish consists of a Community Centre, Housing for the Elderly, Childcare Centre, National School, Mini-Bus, Church and Parochial House, also Famine stone and Mass Rock together with Muireas Warmer Homes (LIH) programme.
The Derrane cluster of the Parish consists of a Church, School, Community Centre, Centre for People with disabilities/training/resource and garden centre.
Parish Priest Fr Raymond Browne 1986- to present is an innovator and to the forefront in relation to Community Development since his ordination in 1954. He was very involved in Muintir na Tire, being National Chairman from 1963 to 1967 and has always promoted the role of volunteerism and self help everywhere, he was awarded a Doctorate in Community Development by NUIG in 2009.
Achievements
1960 | Muintir Community Guild ran carnivals which funded a closed school into a community centre also made improvements to church; there is a plaque in the church highlighting this fact. |
1970 | 4 Group Water Scheme committees were set up and delivered piped water to all parish houses |
1980 | A Car park developed at the local church in association with Roscommon Co Council who supplied the stone. The ground clearance was carried out by volunteers with their own tractors |
1981 | New School committee was formed and the new 4 teacher NS was occupied in 1987 |
1985 | Parents of Derrane NS built extra classrooms to school with voluntary labour |
1988 | Fourmilehouse new School officially opened Church carpark extension |
1989 | Parochial House in Derrane turned into a centre for people with Disabilities and is 90% operated by people with disabilities, and now is a training/resource centre for Co Roscommon |
1991-1995 | New Community Centre Committee formed in Fourmilehouse. Mayor of Kilbride campaign, fundraising and planning of centre. Building of centre began, a lot of local contractors were employed and also a lot of voluntary labour. Centre opened in 1997 |
1996 | Community Alert Group provided grants for security systems for the elderly of the area |
1998 | Pre-School opened in Community Centre |
2001 | Community and Leisure Centre further developed, with the addition of a sports hall, social hall with stage, leisure centre with treadmill, sunbed etc, €200,000 of the cost was raised by the community. |
2001 | Community Services Programme Manager and 3 Staff were granted to Kilbride Parish. |
2002 | Staffing Grant for Pre-School Granted (€93,000). |
2003 | Plans for new purpose built childcare centre in Fourmilehouse, application made to Dept of Justice for Funding. |
2005 | €700,000 was granted for New Childcare Centre in Fourmilehouse which was opened in 2006 and now caters for 55 children. |
2006 | Development of Kilbride GAA Football Pitch, Floodlighting fitted and an all weather surface laid. |
2007 | 8 Social Houses Built for the Elderly including a Community Building for various activities and social gatherings. 2 of the present occupants are returned immigrants from England after 65 years. |
2007 | Funding granted for New Mini Bus with Wheelchair lift which is used by all community groups including the elderly brought to town twice weekly. |
2007 | Opening of Derrane School Extension -3 classrooms and a general purpose room. It is now a 6 teacher school |
2007 | Mureas Warmer Homes committee formed, scheme run from Fourmilehouse Community Centre, 200 homes will be insulated in 2011. |
2007 | Defibrilator committee set up fundraising and organised purchase of 12 Defribilators for Parish. |
2007 | €250,000 spent on the re-furbishing of Fourmilehouse Church. |
2008 | €200,000 spent on Derrane Parish Church for 150th Anniversary. |
2009 | Kilbride Church carpark and Community Centre carpark was tarmaced and extra lightening installed. Also CCTV security cameras costing €110,000 were installed, a Leader Grant of €60,000 was obtained for this work. |
2009 | Derrane Parish refurbished its Community Centre and Pre-School and availed of LEADER funding. |
2009 | Road widening project in the vicinity of Kilbride church when 2 local farmers provided land free on the side of the main road to allow for improved and safer access to the Kilbride Community facilities Church, School, Community Centre etc. This was done in association with Roscommon County Council. |
1992-2010 | Fourmilehouse Community Alert has provided Crime Prevention Advice, installed security aids, formed an Active Age Group and provides social activities on a regular basis. In partnership with other groups in the parish purchased a minibus which is used for Social Outings shopping trips etc. |
All Ireland Pride of Place: Over the years the different groups of volunteers has worked with all the various agencies to bring benefits to our parish, but our most memorable achievement has to be our 20 community groups in our parish working together and brought the title of All Ireland Pride of Place to our Parish in 2009.