Connemara West Plc
Renvyle Thatched Cottages in Tullycross was the first project undertaken by Connemara West plc. Self-catering cottages with all the modern conveniences and yet retaining old style cottage features was one of the features of the Rent an Irish Cottage schemes based in the mid west region. Rent an Irish Cottage were looking to expand into Connemara and Tullycross was deemed an ideal location. After consultations with the local community it was decided to open the local contribution to everyone in the community and the sum of £13,000 was collected. The support of local people for the endeavour held to the establishment of Connemara West plc and those people today are still shareholders of the company.
Connemara West plc was incorporated on the 12th December 1971 and had it's first formal meeting on the 18th of March 1972. The company was founded on the principles of one vote per person regardless of shareholding; shares to be limited to £100 to any individual; all profits would be reinvested in the community. Connemara West built the cottages using local labour and brought the project in under time, budget and standards.
The cottages soon became very popular with Irish and overseas visitors and in 1973 Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, USA came to the cottages and made Tullycross their base for their Irish programmes. Aquinas College are celebrating their 40th anniversary in Tullycross with a gathering for a programme of events October 2013 in Tullycross.
In 1975, Connemara West plc built the Teach Ceoil in Tully Village which is a centre for learning and performances of Traditional Irish Music, Song and Dance and the home of Renvyle Seisium - a summer programme showcasing the talent of local musicians, singers and dancers. The Teach Ceoil remains one of the most popular venues in Ireland for Seisiun and plays to full houses over July and August.
In 1977, the Old Industrial School in Letterfrack came on the markets and after campaigning the government, the OPW purchased the lands which now form the Connemara National Park. Connemara West decided to purchase the school and buildings and raised a second round of share capital and that coupled with loans made the purchase of the Old Industrial School which comprised of 28,000 square feet on 10 acres of land open to the local community for development.
The buildings were soon renamed the Connemara West Centre and the task fell to the voluntary board of directors to repair, maintain and stimulated activity in the centre. The company opened it's first office in January 1980 with assistance from the Community Action Programme (First Poverty Programme 1977-1980) who also based their offices in Letterfrack as a sign of support for a community that understood the need for community action and self determination.
It wasn't long before the Board identified the needs of young people as a priority. The twin problems of emigration and early school leaving were identified through a study that was carried out by the Board. The Manpower and AnCO work programmes were availed off but the Board felt that these did not adequately address the training needs of the young peopel and that longer more focused training programmes were required. In, 1983 with funding from the newly established Youth Employment Agency, Connemara West launched the Craft Training Programme in Wood-skills for fifteen young local people (three female and twelve males). The programme was developed to be full-time and was run over two years and 9 months. A master cabinet-maker was employed full-time to lead the group and a part-time woodturner was part of the core team. Other inputs such as wood carving, drawings, design, business studies etc were planned as modular.
The Craft Training Programme proved to be successful and Connemara West were anxious that they type of training and education would be continued. In 1988, an educational partnership was formed with the Regional Technical College, Galway (now the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology) to establish The Furniture College in Letterfrack now known as GMIT Letterfrack and a centre of excellence for furniture design and wood technology. GMIT Letterfrack has 260 registered students studying furniture design, wood technology and a teaching degree.
The Connemara West Centre today houses a number of projects some managed directly by Connemara West such as Tigh N'Og Community Creche - a purpose built creche offers childcare to 70 local children and Conservaton Letterrack a specialist workshop for furniture and wooden object conservation; Ellis Hall a community social and sports facility. Connemara West has also initiated a number of projects which were now managed by their own Board of Directors, most notably Forum Connemara and Connemara Community Radio. Connemara West is also in partnership with Tullycross Credit Union and Forum Connemara through Foscadh Community Development Company and Diamond Hill Housing Association to develop and manage Sporting and Community Services and to work with Cluid the social housing company to develop social housing in the Village. Connemara West plc manage these activities for the partnerships.
The range of activities undertaken by Connemara West over the years may have changed and adapted to opportunities and societal demands but the ethos of Connemara West plc remains unchanged. The Board of Directors remains a voluntary Board and the shareholders are not paid a dividend but all profits and resources are invested back into the community.
