Moylagh Community Centre celebrates 40 years serving the locality

The Moylagh community recently gathered to mark the 40th anniversary of the opening of Moylagh Community Centre which has very much been at the heart of the community since it opened four decades ago

On Saturday, 27th May Moylagh Community Centre Club celebrated the milestone with a social evening for all ages starting with a kids disco with face painting, goodie bags.

A commemorative plaque was unveiled by Deputy Johnny Guirke to mark the occasion and this was followed by a social dance with music from Noel Briody, Matt Leavy and Eddie Quinn.

The idea for the community centre started back in 1978 when a committee was formed who decided to undertake the building of a whole new facility, which remains today with some additions. Planning permission was granted in March 1980 with work commencing in November 1981. This led to the official opening on the 22nd May 1983.

In September 2007, the community centre registered as a limited company to manage and maintain the facility and in February 2011, Moylagh Community Centre was granted charitable status.

The facility has been upgraded during the last 15 years with the installation of a rain water harvesting unit, solar panels and retro fitting of insulation to improve the efficiency of the building and to provide a warm and comfortable place for the community to enjoy.

"From the beginning right through to today’s committee it has always been the community centre’s aim to promote in every way the general welfare of the local community and to benefit local children," explained chairperson Peter Gilsenan.

"During peak of our season the main Hall is fully booked each evening Monday to Friday and quite often at the weekends. There is a broad range of activities to cater for all age groups. The activities include a Foróige Club, basketball, Pilates, Yoga, Karate, Performing Arts for children and Bingo. There is also good use made of the two alleys with handball and racquet ball being played weekly by all ages with other alley sports," he added.

The community centre also provides a multi-purpose room for meetings, presentations, training and movie nights. There are presently 18 different clubs, groups and organisations using the facility making it a real focal point for the community.

"We wanted to mark 40th Anniversary to acknowledge the hard work of the previous committees and to say a thank you on behalf of all of us in the community. To the first committee who came up with the plan for and built the community centre, the committees in between who maintained it, and the present committee who, for some are 20 years and 10 -12 years on it, are still working tirelessly for the community as we saw on the night," said Peter.

"On behalf of the Community Centre Committee I wish to convey our thanks and appreciation to the local community for their support through the years. Without your support, the centre could not continue. To everyone who has made donations, contributions, bought raffle tickets, sold raffle tickets, sells Blotto tickets, supports and helps organise our activities and events, we wish to thank you.

"We would like to convey our thanks and appreciation to Deputy Johnny Guirke for his help and guidance with the community centre. During the three years of Covid, we were mostly closed and things got very tight for us to keep the Centre going.

"Johnny has great interest in local communities and gave us great assistance with support from the discretionary fund, guidance to funding that was available at that time and since. This support meant we were able to service our loan, and keep going. This puts us in good stead for the future and we wish to say thank you."