Kelly marks official opening of Dungeagan-based centre
THERE was no little festivity in Ballinskelligs over the weekend as, a little over a year since its opening, Ionad Oidhreachta na Sceilge, the Skelligs Heritage Centre, took its official bow.
Officially opened on Saturday by Alan Kelly TD, a long-time visitor to the area, the occasion was also graced by Councillor Norma Moriarty and Dessy Cronin of the local Coiste Forbartha.
The Coiste acquired the defunct Garda barracks in Dungeagan in recent years from the Office of Public Works (OPW), and it was decided to convert it into a centre focused on Ballinskelligs and its surrounds.
The project was funded through LEADER by the South Kerry Development Partnership (SKDP), and other local contributors. The centre recalls such stories as those of the Skelligs, its Monks, Ballinskelligs Abbey, Ballinskelligs Castle, the coastguard station, and Ballinskelligs Cable Station, where the second transatlantic cable was laid almost 150 years ago.
Some 100 people attended, with Mr Kelly TD highlighting the history, culture, and beauty of the area. Micheál Ó Leidhin offered an introduction in Irish, with Dessy Cronin outlining the history of the building and the display panels designed by Elizabeth Conlon of Conlon Designs, Cahersiveen.
“There is also a section being dedicated to the Dark Sky Reserve, and a section on local writers and storytellers,” Mr Cronin said. “The centre will be a great attraction in the Ballinskelligs area and is open from Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm.”