FROM SEA WALLS TO FOOTBALL GROUNDS
On 26 October 1942, Máirtín Tim Shéamuis Mhicil Ó Flatharta was born in Baile an tSléibhe in An Spidéal. Like many of his generation, Máirtín Tim had little choice but to head for the “Bád Bán” (the emigrant ship) and England.
He began working for William Press & Son laying gas pipelines in Norwich. It was not long before he had a crew of his own.
After returning home in the early 1970s, he founded Mairtín Ó Flatharta Teo. His handiwork can be seen in almost every corner of the local area. The stone used to carve the High Cross of Cill Éinde was taken from his quarry.
With the strength of his hands and the steadiness of his skill, he built sea walls and coastal defences to protect the shoreline from the harshness of the Atlantic. Anyone walking along the seafront in An Spidéal today can thank the work of Máirtín Tim and his company for the pathway behind the shore.
When a prominent Dublin company failed to complete a water scheme project, it was Máirtín Tim’s understanding of granite, along with his dedication and determination, that brought the project to completion.
When the football pitch at Coláiste Chonnacht was being developed, there was much discussion locally about its location. The huge rock on the eastern side of the field presented a major challenge.
Máirtín Tim was chosen for the job, and he took great pride in the fine pitch that resulted from his work. Countless matches have been played there over the past forty years, including the National Gaeltacht Football Competition.
Civil engineering, plant hire, land reclamation, quarrying and more — today, it is his family who continue to run the company.