Local Homeless Initiative Planned
Concerns regarding the impact of local homelessness in Manorhamilton and the North Leitrim area were discussed at Tuesday’s February 21, 2017 North Leitrim Community Development Network meeting in the Bee Park Community Centre.
Pat Love, who presided at the meeting due to the unavoidable absence of Chairperson Thomas Kelly, explained that there are 15 homeless families in Leitrim and that Leitrim has no emergency accommodation for the homeless.
Following further discussion it was decided that a co-operative group, involving St. Vincent de Paul, the North Leitrim Men’s Group, the Kilgar Day Centre Club, North West Simon, the Bee Park Community Centre and other organisations, would attempt to initiate moves, as soon as possible, to address the local homelessness issues.
Network Secretary, Aoife Keaney stated that Manorhamilton Youth Club, The Shack had recently changed its name and is now known as Éalú, (the Irish word for escape). Aoife reported that the Éalú Club, which is based upstairs in the Bee Park Community Centre, is very active and has a number events, like trips etc., planned to take place in the near future.
Gerry Creamer, who was representing a number of local organisations at the meeting, reported that Manorhamilton’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade will start at the Fire Station at 5pm on March 17 and, it is hoped to have a Filipino and International Cultural group, participate in Manor’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Gerry also stated that 2017 is the 60th anniversary of the closing of the Sligo Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway and that Manorhamilton & District Historical Society will hold a special exhibition in the Leitrim Sculpture Centre during August to mark this anniversary, which ended a 77 year-old major public local transport system between Enniskillen and Collooney.
Mr. Creamer also reported it is hoped that a local tourism initiative will lead to having Manorhamilton Castle established as a Hub for North Leitrim tourism in the near future, to provide a service for the thousands of visitors that annually come to North Leitrim beauty spots etc.
Representing the North Leitrim Men’s Group, Joel Smith expressed concern regarding the recent theft of valuable equipment from the Glens Centre; he also pointed a problem for local homelessness victims, who have no transport but have to go to Leitrim County Council in Carrick-on-Shannon to begin to deal with their issues; in regard to this matter and others Joel stated that there needs to be a Council Outreach Centre in Manorhamilton; he said that one of the local homeless men was participating in the North Leitrim Men’s Group scheme and the Men’s Group will participate in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Leitrim Sculpture Centre representative, David Spence informed the Network meeting that the Sculpture Centre’s premises on Manorhamilton’s Main Street (McKenna’s) is now offering accommodation as an Airbnb.
Leitrim Development Company Network worker, Teresa Butler informed the meeting that a Leitrim Disability Network has been established. Manorhamilton, Carrick-on-Shannon and Ballinamore have been designated as Disability Friendly Towns.
Teresa also stated that a Killargue Health Day will take place in the Killargue Community Centre on Friday, April 28 while International Women’s Day will be celebrated with a number of events in the Bee Park Community Centre on Wednesday, March 8.
Run under the auspices of the Irish Private Security Authority (An tÚdarás Slándála Príobhaidí) a training course, for people who wish to work professionally and legally in the security industry, will take place shortly in the Bee Park Community Centre.
The next North Leitrim Community Development Network meeting will take place in the Bee Park Community Centre on Tuesday night, April 11 at 8pm.
Éalú Youth Café
Manorhamilton’s Éalú Youth Café was set up in September 2016. It is a voluntary ran organisation with 8 youth leaders who are all Garda Vetted and have complete Child Protection Training.
Éalú a place where all post-primary aged students can avail of its facilities and it is also somewhere they can sit down, relax, watch television, play pool and meet up with friends. There will also be events and activities organised throughout the year for the members such as inter-club soccer, stay awakes, trips, etc.
A pool table, music, games, Sky TV and Wi-Fi are some the items, etc., available for use in the Éalú Youth Café, which is located upstairs in the Bee Park Community Centre. It is open from 7pm to 9pm every Thursday evening with a fee of €2 for each young person attending.
New members and leaders are always welcome. For more information, check out our Facebook Page: Éalú Youth Café or please contact Aoife on 087- 6734568 or Pat on 085-8728337.
