Plans to transform disused boxing club into community hub

AN Irish language group is hoping to turn a disused boxing club on the Washing Bay Road, Coalisland, into a community hub.

Representatives from Cairde Uí Néill have unveiled exciting plans to turn a disused boxing club in Coalisland into a thriving Irish-language community hub.

Cairde Uí Néill established the first Irish language school in Tyrone, Gaelscoil Uí Néill, in 1992.

Addressing councillors at a recent Development Committee meeting of Mid Ulster District Council, Cairde Uí Néill representatives, Seamus Ó Gealbháin, Gerry Ó Gealbháin and Damian Ó Néill explained that they needed to secure £50,000 from the local authority, in order to deliver their community hub plans.

Seamus Ó Gealbháin said, “We lack a central hub that we can call home, that people in the area will know is the the base for all of the Irish-language activities that we offer.

“We basically lack a permanent facility. It’s wherever we can find a place in the town that will actually accommodate.”

Gerry Ó Gealbháin said the total value of the project was £400,000.

“If we can secure £50,000 from the council over the next month or two, that will bring the project to a total of £400,000 funding, and we can secure the building and get the basic renovations to get Damian’s project in, and then within the next year get the [school] and the pre-nursery on site as well.”

Chair of committee, Cllr John McNamee, told the meeting, “I like your vision for the future, it’ll complement all the work you’re doing there. The community hub, I would be all on for supporting this.”

Cllr Malachy Quinn felt that the project had the potential to deliver an Irish-language community hub on a par with what exists in Belfast.

He said, “Everybody’s already talked about the great work that you have been doing over the years around Coalisland, but you don’t have a hub and you don’t have a centre.

“To think of the fantastic work that you’ve done, not even just in the town with all the GAA clubs, and of how much having [a hub] would improve the services and what you have given to the town.”

Cllr Dan Kerr was also enthusiastic about the plans.

He said, “It’s just not about education, it’s also about community and involvement, so I’ve absolutely no doubt that the council will be very keen to engage with yourselves and provide that extra bit of funding to make this a reality.”