WATCH: Shining at light on Inishowen’s Social Enterprises….

Inishowen Development Partnership recently launched the ARISE [Awareness Raising Initiative for Social Enterprises] project.

This produced a range of videos and blogs shining a light on the positive work being done by social enterprises across Inishowen.

The Inishowen Social Enterprise Network [ISEN] comprises of 20 different social enterprises made up of community groups, tourism, arts and cultural groups, all working as to support their local community, filling many gaps in services and supports.

IDP facilitates the network and hosts meetings to share information and funding opportunities for the social enterprises.

A number of the social enterprises in Inishowen took part in the ARISE project, which was recorded and produced over the course of four months by videographers Startacus.

This is the first of the blogs which will aim to shine a light on our social enterprises in Inishowen and highlight the positive work they do in the community.

The Colgan Hall is the at the heart of Carndonagh
Since its establishment in 1914, the John Colgan Memorial Hall has served the local community of Carndonagh. Originally providing a space for education, it featured a technical school and was one of the first centres to provide day courses in woodwork, domestic economy and commercial training.

Carndonagh Secondary College was then housed in the Colgan Hall in the 1960’s and in the 1970’s, the Tech, College and Girls’ Secondary School were amalgamated to become Carndonagh Community School.

During that era, the Colgan Hall also provided a space for culture and arts, hosting a cinema and a whole range of activities, from plays, concerts, operettas, recitals and feiseanna through to dances and public lectures.

After falling into decline in the 80’s and 90’s, the Colgan Hall eventually became derelict until the year 2000 when a group of local people came together and progressed to establish the Colgan Community & Resource Centre Ltd, a social enterprise with a vision to restore the building and once again establish it as a vibrant place to serve the community of Carndonagh and the surrounding Inishowen area.

With the support of the local community and funding, the determined board of management worked tirelessly to regenerate and develop the Colgan Hall building to bring it to where it is at today.

Like many rural towns and communities, Carndonagh has had its social and economic challenges, whether that be insufficient resources, unemployment or the impact of emigration - real issues affecting the very heart of the community - issues that Colgan Community and Resource Centre Ltd is committed to address.

They are driven by their belief and knowledge that appropriate local access to infrastructure, connectivity, skills and expertise can act as a catalyst to stimulate enterprise, employment and further development, helping to enhance learning and education and ultimately create tangible, positive impacts for the entire community.

Here are just a few of the ways that they have been making a difference…

The Centre has 5 modern business grade meeting rooms, fully equipped with broadband/wifi and a large theatre hall with a stage and it offers the use of these high-quality spaces to a whole host of local organisations and groups at extremely affordable rates.

By providing access to local community organisations and charities, local enterprises and specific interest groups, as well as private training providers and local statutory stakeholders such as Donegal ETB and the HSE, they ensure that the Centre is a vibrant place, meeting the needs of all age groups and sectors of the local community.

And by facilitating the provision of a plethora of traditional, social and recreational activities as well as training courses, meetings, hot desks and exhibition space, they’ve truly brought this historic building back to life - offering everything from classes in traditional Sean Nós dancing through to up-to-the-minute courses in Smartphone Film and Podcast Production!

The Centre also regularly plays host to all sorts of cultural events and activities that enable the broader Inishowen community to gather together, participate in and enjoy.

There’s something for everyone - individuals, groups and families alike; from musical theatre and drama shows by Carndonagh Musical Society and the Carn Drama Club through to Enterprise Town weekends, the annual Art Exhibition featuring Inishowen artists and the Country Market and coffee mornings run by Carn Fairtrade.

They also host the Colgan Heritage Committee which delivers an annual heritage weekend as well as numerous events during the year which promote local heritage.

In addition, the Centre has also created several employment opportunities within the town, having three staff positions funded by Pobal as well as providing valuable work experience to some of the long term unemployed in the local area via a number of positions supported by the government’s CE and Tús schemes.

Colgan Community and Resource Centre Ltd have developed Colgan Hall as a space for educational, cultural and social development, a space to gather and connect, a place to network and a place providing opportunity to all within the local community and wider Inishowen region.

And they plan to do even more by further developing their facilities, enhancing their current offerings, thereby enabling even more enterprises and groups to meet, train and exhibit.

Considering what they’ve achieved to date and their fab geographic location, right in the centre of Inishowen, they’re ideally placed to do just that!

The Colgan Hall team at the Inishowen Development Partnership Arise launch. PHOTO: Clive Wasson