MONEYMORE IS OUR PRIDE AND JOY
FROM A LARGE ESTATE WITH NO FACILITIES TO A THRIVING COMMUNITY
MONEYMORE has come a long way since it was first built back in 1979 - an expansive housing estate on the edge of down with no amenities ‘except a phonebox’ as Chairperson of Moneymore Community House Marie Russell told the Pride of Place judge’s during their visit to the estate last Wednesday.
These days, the estate has a thriving local community network with a huge range of facilities including a purpose built creche providing affordable childcare, a Homework Club, the Cable Project offering serivces for young people who are vulnerable to becoming involved in the justice system and the Connect Centre which offers everything from food packages to crochet classes, counselling and summer days out for local children.
It all started with an enterprising and visionary group of women.
In the early 1980s with the help of Anna McKenna, Sr Mary Corbally from the Daughters of Charity Order, Carmel Hatch and a number of local women formed a group with the aim of establishing a community house in Moneymore.
The group met in each other’s houses and once a plan was formed approached the Borough Council to see if they would provide a building for the project.
The Daughters of Charity agreed to act as trustees and history was made as Moneymore Community House opened it’s doors in 1986 it paved the way for huge changes in the area and led to the development of an array of other services to help those in the local community.
Earlier this year, Chief Executive of Louth County Council Joan Martin nominated Moneymore for a Pride of Place award in recognition of the outstanding community spirit that exists in the area and the network of support locals have created to help each other and their community as a whole.
The first stop for the judges was a visit to the Community House, the hub of the estate, where Marie Russell gave a short history of how it all started.
She revealed that while Ireland is divided by a border, Drogheda is also divided by the river so no matter where you come from you’re always from the ‘far side’ much to the amusement of the judges.
The Childcare project which began with a one day drop in creche expanded to provide a five day a week playgroup in Moneymore and six other areas were designated RAPID areas allowing for fast tracking education and resources while the homework club which was originally run for just a couple of hours two days a week is now open 20 hours a week from Monday to Friday.
During the school holidays the project runs summer camps in swimming and tennis, healthy eating and cookery in the Boomerang Cafe, drama camps, mindfulness courses and numerous trips away.
The judges also visited the purpose built Moneymore Childcare Centre, which opened in 2007 and caters for hundreds of children in the local area.
They were treated to songs from some of the children in attendance and heard how much the facility means to local families, enabling lots of Mums in the community to return to education and work.
Aisling Sheridan with the Community Section in Louth County Council spoke on the day of the ‘exceptional community spirit’ in Moneymore.
‘ That is why we were delighted to nominate you for this award,’ she said. ‘ There’s no question of community spirit existing here. It’s palpable. Any time we have visited ye we have left all the better for it and very inspired and enthused by what you’ve done.
What strikes me is your determination