QUERRIN National School closed two years ago, having been open since 1877.
Now, on October 23, Querrin Community Development Group, in association with O’Curry’s GAA, the West Clare Gaels, the local IFA, and the Doonaha Community Development Group, are holding an externally facilitated workshop to help guide the next steps for the school building, as it moves towards being a new community space.
In a leaflet being distributed in the area, the Querrin Community Development Group explain that the building has a lot to offer the community.
“This is a great opportunity for the area where we could develop a multi-purpose community asset with its direction set by a wide cross-section of those vested in making the future of Querrin NS a success.
“At the workshop, attendees will be split into groups and invited to express ideas for the facility, with the output being a list of feasible options that could then be reviewed, circulated and prioritised for action.”
A number of ideas have been mooted such as a business hub/small enterprise centre, a seasonal cafe, a community meeting place, a rentable facility for meetings/workshops/lectures/classes, a rentable commercial kitchen facility, an education centre, a men’s shed or an exhibition space.
The leaflet stresses that all are welcome to come on the day.
“The facilitator will be John Aston of AstonECO Management (www.astoneco.com) who has helped form the Loop Head Together network (www.loopheadtogether.ie) during Covid times.
John has over 15 years of local development and project design facilitation experience in over 10 countries throughout Europe.
John’s commitment for this event is that “the workshop will be run in an informal and entertaining manner, with a view to teasing out the possibilities through brainstorming answers for a series of insightful questions that will be structured to get a solid cross-section of the ideas and to allow us to interrogate them in a positive environment’.
“Please spread the word near and far, all are welcome, the only requirement is that you’vean interest in Querrin and its potential.”
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.