Safeguarding the community hall in Clonfanlough for the next generation

Safeguarding their community hall for future generations was the motivation for committee members who, two years ago, came together in a bid to revive Clonfanlough Hall.

Located between Ballinahown and Shannonbridge, Clonfanlough is a rural community and chairperson of the local hall committee Lorraine Guinan explained this week that the committee hoped to establish a vibrant hall where there was something for all ages.

“We set up the committee in September 2023. There had been no active committee since before Covid. St Ciaran's Youth Club was the only one that had come back into it,” she explained, adding that the committee members are involved in other organisations in the community, such as the school and the GAA.

“The two main aims of the committee were to get activities up and running in the hall and to try and facilitate something for every age group, and the other thing was around refurbishment works and the grants available for them,” she said.

Such has been its success in reviving the hall, the committee has been selected to represent Offaly in the Pride of Place Awards for the 0-300 population category.

“It was very much a surprise when we got the phone call from the Community Section in Offaly County Council to say they would like to nominate us,” said Lorraine. “They had known through the PPN (Public Participation Networks) group that we were a new committee and how much activities and work had been done, and the grants that had been sanctioned, and the work we were doing with Offaly Local Development.

“They thought it was a fantastic project in that we were restarting the hall, making sure we were safeguarding the hall for the next generation to come. Nearly all of our parents or grandparents would have been involved in the hall prior, so we very much thought it was our turn to step up and secure the hall for the next generation,” said Lorraine.

The judges will visit the hall on the afternoon of July 21, when they will receive a presentation from the committee and meet representatives of the groups that use the hall.

The groups using the hall cover all ages with a range of activities on offer, including an arts and crafts club for 4-8 year olds; a Halloween camp for children; Offaly Music Generation music classes for ages 8 up to teens; St Ciaran's Youth Club meeting weekly; Pilates classes for both men and women; chair yoga; social coffee mornings and a lunch club run by Offaly Local Development Company (OLDC) for over 55s once a month.

“As a committee and being rural and having nothing else in the area, it was really important that we used the hall, rather than letting it go,” said Lorraine, adding that they decided to hold monthly coffee mornings to provide an outlet for people.

“Really, it's combating rural isolation and encouraging families and teenagers to stay in the area, that there is something for them in the area, that they don't have to travel to Athlone or Banagher for something,” she said.

Lorraine added that the hall has always been associated with badminton and so another priority for the group was to re-establish badminton as an activity.

“We got social badminton up and running after Halloween. It was only meant to be one night a week, but they did two nights a week. We would hope, maybe in 12 months time, to do teenagers' badminton,” she said.

Clonfanlough Social Club also holds its annual Christmas party at the hall, with Mass and entertainment afterwards, and last year over 100 people attended.

“It's amazing to see all the local community out for that,” she said.

In order to ensure the hall's continued success into the future, the committee plans to carry out some refurbishment works, and in a bid to raise some funds, it has held two Christmas markets and a tractor run. These enjoyed great support from the local community.

SEE STORY ON THE LUNCH CLUB AT CLONFANLOUGH HALL here

The committee has also been sanctioned for a CLÁR grant of €55,000 for refurbishment works to the kitchen and bathroom. It also received funding of €73,000 from the Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) for electrical work, heating, lighting, a new stage and interior paint work.

Other refurbishment works in the plans include a new roof for the hall.

The committee hopes to have its plans drawn up and ready to display for the Pride of Place judges next month.

Anyone who would like to get involved with Clonfanlough Hall can contact any of the committee members: Chairperson Lorraine Guinan, Vice-chairperson Derek Hennessy, Secretary Leanne Quinn, Treasurer Lorraine Kelly, Vice-treasurer Conor Kelly, PRO Roisín Kelly and committee members Antoinette Kelly, Kieran Shrahan, Trevor Mahon and Olive Daly.