Coiste Aislann Rann na Feirste Teo, a cross community group based in West Donegal, turned the first sod on the development of their Heritage, Educational and Resource Centre at Ranafast today.The centre is part funded by the International Fund for Ireland who have committed EUR 295,000 to its development. The development will be an integrated Educational, Cultural and Heritage Centre which will provide a mix of facilities for use by both locals and visitors such as an Auditorium Study Centre, Enterprise Units, Library/Meeting room, tea room and craft shop. Attending the event, Minister Pat the Cope Gallagher stated that this development will bring major benefits not only to Ranafast but indeed to the wider area.  He praised the local Committee who have persevered over the years with this project and that he is delighted that it has reached this stage.  The Minister acknowledged the support which Minister Ó Cuiv has provided as well as Údarás na Gaeltachta and the International Fund for Ireland.The Runai of an Coiste Aislann Rann na Feirste, Bríd Ó Domhnaill, stated that she and the committee had spent many years of hard work to bring this dream to life and it is an absolute delight to be turning the first sod today for an Coiste Aislann Rann na Feirste.  She thanked Minister Gallagher for all his work and also thanked Minister Ó Cuiv, the International Fund for Ireland and Udaras na Gaeltachta because without them none of this would be possible. Paddy Harte, International Fund for Ireland, said: “The Fund has, as one if its main priorities, the engagement with the community sector in innovative and pioneering work which will further build the capacity of the community and help create the conditions to enhance cross-community and cross-border interaction. The innovation in this project is to promote activities of reconciliation/good relations through the Irish language and proactively promote the language and culture to other traditions.  This is in line with this community’s long standing commitment of treating people from all traditions and religious denominations equally and with respect.” The Heritage, Educational and Resource Centre will bring economic, cultural, reconciliatory, social and other benefits, not only to the people of Ranafast but to the wider area and on a cross-border basis. The Centre will work to preserve the long-standing tradition of culture and heritage associated with Ranafast, an area where the purest Ulster Irish is spoken. An innovative element of this development is that reconciliation training will be through Irish which will proactively promote the language and culture to other traditions.

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