Community loan for Achill GAA

With almost 80 years of Gaelic football on the small island of Achill, the community centre that unites a series of programmes was dilapidated and old, requiring a new look. Looking to renovate the place which has seen an increase in visitors since the creation of the Greenway, connecting Westport to Achill. Hoping to update the facilities and create more space to accommodate the growing population, the GAA affiliates sought out help to fund a remodelling the community centre and GAA clubhouse.

 

With a list of tasks including the creation of bathrooms, access for the disabled, and medic rooms for air ambulance sites, the list of renovations was not small nor cheap. Yet, Achill knew the money put into the centre would be worth it for the community, who had worked hard to help in any way they could.

 

Securing grants from the Connacht Council of the GAA and Sports Capital Program, along with fundraising within their own community, they had a good start but were still far from their goal.

 

Trying to stay on a relative timeline, they did not have time to fundraise the rest of their funds on their own, so came to the place that specifically funds community-based projects across Ireland, Clann Credo.

 

With the funds all in place, Achill was able to start their project that October, creating a fabulous facility for all to enjoy – it opened to great fanfare in May 2018!