Following nearly three years of work by a group of local volunteers it is expected that the new 6,850 sq. foot Feohanagh Castlemahon Community Centre, which is being built on a greenfield site adjacent to the National School, will be complete by the end of April with an official opening to be held shortly after.
The total cost of the project is expected to be in the region of €740,000. However, thanks to the grant aid secured from both West Limerick Resources and Limerick County Council, as well as donations and fundraising from the local community, the committee has succeeded in reducing its outstanding balance to just €76,000.
“This project would not be possible without the assistance of €499,000 in LEADER Programme funding from West Limerick Resources. We are extremely grateful for all the help and assistance received from WLR, in particular from Eleanor McLoughlin and Shay Riordan,” says Committee Secretary Brendan Normoyle who was among those who began working with West Limerick Resources in 2012 to secure the necessary grant aid.
The committee also welcomed news last week that Limerick County Council will make a contribution of €50,000 towards the project. Limerick County Council’s contribution cannot be used as matching funding for the LEADER prog-ramme funding as the matching funding cannot come from a government body, but the Limerick County Council con-tribution will be used to purchase chairs and tables for the hall, to install a wheelchair lift to access the stage, provide additional stage lighting and curtains, equip the kitchen as well as undertake additional internal and external finishes to the Community Centre.
Mr Normoyle also acknowledged the generous support shown by the whole community to the project. “To date we have managed to raise €104,000 of matching funding from various events including non-stop draws, donations from the local drama group, race nights, generous individual dona-tions from parishioners, etc. We are also extremely appreciative of the donation of €10,000 received from Fr. Duggan on behalf of Mahoonagh Parish, bringing our total funds raised to €114,000.”
The new Community Centre will be available to all members of the community including the local drama group, the local Irish dance school, the ICA, Community Games and other sporting organisations, the Development Association, youth drama groups and many others, including travelling drama and musical society groups. Any organisation or group interested in making enquiries about the use of the centre can make contact on 087/3868409.