Conche is a small community with a population of about 300 on the Northern Peninsula. It is a community with strong ties to its history, religion, the fishery, and the beauty of nature..
No one is totally sure where the name Conche came from. E.R. Seary said the name Conche is possibly derived from the French family name Chibon or Chiban, or from the placename Conches, and abbey in Normandy. Locally it is held that that the peninsula (and the community) was named for either the conch shell, or for the shape of the peninsula.
Many of the people in Conche are of Irish descent, and it shows in their love of the Irish music, and a hobby of many people-potato growing.
Many people who now reside in Conche are former residents of the Gray Islands. They were forced to move their homes and families during the resettlement period. The people of the Grey Islands brought their own customs and traditions to add to the community identity of Conche. Another area which was abandoned during the resettlement period is Northeast Crouse, but people visit there in the summertime today. Conche is made up of several distinct areas which the residents identify themselves with. Some of these areas include Stage Cove, Silver Cove (different views of the harbour-1, 2, 3) and Crouse(another-1.) There are also smaller areas such as Kenny's Cove. and Northeast Crouse. These areas were isolated until the road came through in 1969. Before that people had to walk from area to area.
The fishery in Conche was always the main livelihood, and people in Conche often spent much of their life in or around boats. Even nowadays nearly everyone owns their own boat, and a boat trip is usually perfect during a hot summer day.
The residents of Conche have a great sense of community. People do not hesitate to lend a hand when needed and
it often isn't even necessary to ask. People are always willing to stop a minute and have a chat, or to lend advice
when needed. Something which is commonly seen is people "shooting the breeze" around some of the stages
in the community, especially in the evening, when most of the people out in boat are
on the way home. The people of the community also do a lot of activities
together, like the annual Garden Party, which has games and prizes, and the sports leagues (hockey and softball)
which are still played in outdoor areas well maintained by several individuals. An example is our rink.
It's an outdoor rink, which means it has to be cleared of snow. And of course there's the ballfield.
Conche also has a number of sites around the town which many of the community members visit often. Some just give great views, such as The Lookout, while other spots, such as the little outcropping above Sailor Jack's Hill are visited year-round. A near-perfect view of the community can be found near the communication tower on a hill above the town. There is also the Red Cliff, which most people are very familar with. Many people also often visits the ponds around the area. One area which many people, even in Conche, have not visited is The Glass-Hole. We visited there recently, and it is incredible, with a large rock-bound pool, and huge walls of solid rock, it's like visiting another world! Many people often visit Fox Head in the summertime to see whales, ice floes, seals, and icebergs. Other places people sometimes visit are Pillier, which is near Crouse, but on the back of the land; Sleepy Cove, which looks much nicer in the summertime, and Fresh Water, which is a freshwater waterfall across from Conche. It's pretty big. There is also the dam, which was only recently finished, and quite a few people walk up to see. Conche is definitely a nice place to visit while camping. Unfortunately there is no park near Conche.
Conche also has several objects which are considered very important in our history. One is the old plane
wreck in the meadow. Another is the old lighthouse down by the water. In recent years, it had fallen into disrepair, but the people got together and repaired it. Now it looks
better than ever! In front of our Church is an old bell from the second Church built in the community.
