KYDS youth café replaces old pub at Hussey’s Corner
AS long as men gather in huddles and talk of greyhounds, vanished public houses and the stories associated with them, the name of Paddy Hussey and his Barrack Street Corner pub will always be remembered.
The place itself and many of the characters who graced it have been immortalised by the inimitable Con Houlihan in his documentary ‘Wheels of the World.’
The 1974 filmed celebration of life on hill and valley around here got another airing on RTE on a recent Friday night as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations. Now the old and long closed pub – which housed a community within a community here — is to play, probably, its most important role in the life of the town yet.
Locally based Kerry Diocesan Youth Service worker, Madeleine Frissung outlines below an invitation to support the development of a KDYS managed Youth Café for Castleisland.
“The year ahead will see KDYS enhancing its commitment and investment to the future generations of youth in Castleisland and its surrounds with the commencement of remedial works in the historical corner of Paddy Hussey’s in order to facilitate the proposed opening of a Youth Café in mid-2012.
A youth café is a safe, dedicated, quality meeting space for young people ranging in age from 10 to 25 years. It is determined by young people for young people, in partnership with adults in the locality. In more general terms, a youth café offers the following to young people.
• A relaxed meeting space, which is safe, friendly, inclusive and tolerant.
• A place for all young people to socially interact with their peers in a safe and supportive drugand alcohol-free environment.
• A location for relaxation, recreation and entertainment, and as a site for information, advice and additional support.
• A place where young people can develop good quality relationships with their peers and with adults.
KDYS has been operating in the Sliabh Luachra area since its inception over 40 years ago and is currently involved in delivering youth clubs and other support services. These projects have empowered many young people, enhanced their lives and provided opportunities to young people to engage in both local and national events.
Young people have been nominated for North/south Exchanges; have been honoured in the Garda Youth Achievement Awards, represented their area in Comhairle na nóg; assisted in local Tidy Town Initiatives and engaged in after-school supports with both educational and recreational focuses,” Ms Frissung reports.
KDYS already operates youth cafés in Tralee, Killarney, Listowel and Killorglin. These rely on the dedication and involvement of volunteers and young people in their planning and ongoing operation. KDYS envisages a similar development at Hussey’s Corner and are inviting any interested adults or young people with the needs of young people at heart and willing to commit to the development of the youth café to contact Madeleine or Robbie at (066) 7142648 or at KDYS in the Island Centre. Full training and support will be provided to all volunteers engaging with KDYS.