4. Archaeological Landscapes
On behalf of VIDCO I would like to support Valentia's bid for inclusion in the Irish Tentative list and eventual inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage site along with its counterpart at Hearts Content in Newfoundland. Valentia and the Transatlantic Cable played a major part in changing World Communications in the 19th Century when the first successful cable was laid across the Atlantic thus reducing the time to send messages to The New World from weeks to just a few minutes. There are only two Unesco sites in Ireland at the moment and the inclusion of Valentia would have major benefits for the Island. It would be the Government of Ireland who would forward the application to Unesco. It would therefore be a Government backed project with all the benefits that this would entail. Valentia would become a centre for investment and the State would have to step up to the plate and provide what facilities would be required for the extra tourists that Unesco would bring. It is estimated that an extra 15,000 to 20,000 visitors attend Unesco sites each year. But Valentia must be allowed benefit from this new influx. The Government and the Local Authority must prepare for Unesco. Valentia must be allowed develop and expand. Planning and Zoning must be seriously looked at. There needs to be a new plan for Knightstown. We must embrace the change. One hundred and eighty years ago there were practically no houses in Knightstown. The village didnt exist. But Alexander Nimmo planned the new village and houses were built for the Slate Quarry workers and a modern slate processing facility was built incorporating steam power, the first of its kind in the World. Later over 200 workers came in from London, Scotland, Newfoundland and else where to work in the Cable Station. Again Valentia stepped up and provided housing for them along with the other facilities required including two hotels, two dance halls , two churches, two bakeries, two butcher shops and many more shops. Valentia is now on the cusp of a new wave of development. Let us embrace it with open arms and make Valentia great again. Let us finish the Marina. Let us plan an expanded village. Let us sort out the severe and tragic lack of suitable housing for our workers. Let us stop the daily commute from other parts of the county and beyond to work at Valentia Radio, Valentia Marine and other employments. With proper planning we can get there. Carpe diem !