Bringing Communities Together ­­− Developing the Malin Head Community Centre as a Shared Space

On Saturday 14^th July, over 150 local residents and community representatives came together for the launch of the Malin Head community development programme and the official opening of the newly renovated Malin Head Community Centre. The event was marked by a day of festivities, including a ribbon cutting ceremony for the centre which celebrates its 100^th anniversary this year.  

The aim of the community development programme, which is primarily funded by the International Fund for Ireland (IFI), is to develop the community centre as a shared space, bringing together communities from Malin Head and surrounding areas through a range of activities aimed at building positive relationships, promoting reconciliation and supporting social and economic regeneration. These activities will include cross-community/cross-border projects, courses on parenting skills and healthy eating, after-school clubs and an intergeneration programme to re-integrate isolated elderly people into their community and establish community roots for the younger generation. A performing arts initiative will also help develop and showcase young local talent in music, song and dance.

The programme is to be administered by the Malin Head Community Association and is being provided with €102,000 in funding under the IFI’s Community Based Economic and Social Regeneration programme, which aims to promote cross-community and cross-border contact in recognised areas of disadvantage and social isolation. The initiative will be delivered at the Malin Head Community Centre, which was recently renovated with support from Pobal and Leader to include an exhibition/heritage space, craft centre and coffee shop.

Commenting on the programme, Robert Farren, Chairman of the Malin Head Community Association said the initiative will make a tremendous contribution to the local community and efforts to promote cross-community engagement. He said, “In essence, it’s about building something sustainable by bringing people – both young and old – together from across the community to work toward a shared future. The centre is ideally placed as a driver for economic and social inclusion, building inter-cultural bridges and showcasing the immense local talent – not only in music but in crafts and art. To that end we’ll be hosting cultural events throughout the year and setting up a crafters co-op which will see some of the older generation sharing and teaching their talents in weaving and spinning, knitwear and lace-making so that some of these traditional arts don’t die out.”

“Further afield, we’re networking with a number of organisations in Northern Ireland. So, for example, we’re working with a cross-border group called Active Citizens Engagement, which supports the over 50s, and are planning a number of projects with them, especially for diversity month in Donegal this November,” says Mr Farren. “We’ll also be hosting an inter-cultural weekend in August when we’ll have two groups of young people from Belfast visiting, so we’re really excited about the wider benefits the programme will achieve. And it has been made possible through our funders, so thank you International Fund for Ireland.”

Speaking at the launch, Dr Adrian Johnston, Chairman of the International Fund for Ireland said: “The Fund is committed to the long-term task of breaking down traditional barriers in order to help build positive relations between the two main communities on the island of Ireland. That is why we are proud to be associated with the Malin Head Community Initiative. By developing sustainable support structures for local communities in Malin Head and the surrounding areas, the project will assist in efforts to promote social inclusion and encourage understanding and relationship building. We believe this project will have a very positive impact for reconciliation in Inishowen and the wider cross-border hinterland by promoting greater cross-community links.”

Dr Johnston also expressed a collective thanks to the international donors who have supported the work of the International Fund for Ireland for more than twenty-five years: namely, the United States of America, the European Union, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

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