Residents of the Black Valley are calling on all agencies to come together to ensure reliable phone and fibre services for their homes as a matter of urgency.

As Ireland's most remote destination, it was the last corner of the country to get electricity in 1976.

While welcoming ongoing initiatives, the tight-knit Black Valley Community point out, that, there is no mobile phone signal and the home phone service currently available in the area does not enable many residents to dial 999 or 112 for emergency services. With ever increasing numbers of visitors to the area throughout the year and the lack of even basic amenities, they say that this could result in the lives of both residents and visitors to the area being lost in the event of an emergency.

In addition to a reliable phone service, the group are also calling for the installation of fibre to the home broadband as promised by the National Broadband Ireland (NBI). They note that some residents in the valley were forced to rent premises in Killarney town during the COVID restrictions in order to be able to “work from home”. This is clearly not sustainable for either residents or businesses in the valley going forward, they note.

The group have put forward proposals that the NBI should link up with Siro in order to be able to quickly provide a reliable fibre to the home broadband service in the valley through the existing ESB Network. Connection points are available from either Molls Gap or The Brida Valley they point out, while noting that work is ongoing by Eir to install new masts in the valley to enhance phone services, they have called for all service providers to come together to share this infrastructure so that customers of all mobile phone service providers can benefit from a reliable service.

Spokesperson for the group Ann Marie O’Donoghue pointed out that the area was one of the last places in the county to get electricity and they certainly don’t want to be last again when it comes to proper phone and broadband services.

“There is a strong community in the valley that is working to develop businesses and facilities including the local school and we need proper phone and broadband services as soon as possible to support the long term viability of our community,” she said.

In addition to this work, the community is also in the process of developing a community managed heritage centre on a site that is being provided to them by a local farming family.

“This project could be an example of good practice in efforts to regenerate and guarantee the sustainable future of rural communities everywhere.”

Ann Marie has welcomed initial funding from KCC to begin work on this project.