Community Group of the Year Finalist: Swanlinbar Development Association's close eye on the area

The renovation of a landmark building, the stimulation of local employment, and the campaign to have a permanently employed GP are just some of highlights of Swanlinbar Development Association’s achievements.

That the workload was undertaken by a committee of just seven people is remarkable, and serves as an inspiration to others.

Their most eye catching project is Trivia House. Approximately 30 years ago the property was given to the community, prompting the formation of Swnalinbar Development Association. Plans to tap into the town's heritage of natural spas were scuppered, and ultimately Trivia House fell "to wreck and ruin", according to Serena Prior, the association's PRO.

Step one to its revival was to launch a community cafe. Called Cuilcagh Cafe, it operated on the generosity of volunteers, before Trish Reilly took it over privately.

"It's absolutely buzzing," reports Serena of the cafe, which now opens weekends.

In a similar vein, the SDA set up a preschool and after-school facility on the same premises as the national school. A local person ran it on behalf of the SDA for a year and has now taken over the business.

"One year into this being set up the roll numbers went up in the local primary school and the school moved from a two-teacher to a three-teacher school, which is fantastic," says Serena.

Hostel

The majority of Trivia House has been repurposed as a seven-bedroom hostel catering for up to 26 guests, courtesy of the Association's endeavours. Initially it was used to house Ukrainian refugees.

"The last of the Ukrainian people have left this week and it's being reopened in the June Bank Holiday weekend as a hostel. It's booked out for the June Bank Holiday, it's booked out for the August Bank Holiday and we have a local wedding coming up and it's booked out for that too."

To run it, SDA employs a hostel manager - Tony McGovern - a receptionist and three cleaners through the CSP scheme and oversees the Tús workers in the village too.

Their biggest project this year has been the campaign to have a full time GP allocated to the border town. SDA held two public meetings and Serena was part of the delegation to meet with the Minister for Health at the Dáil and HSE officials to plead the community's case.

"We're hoping now he will get the job and be left with us," said Serena.