A VIDEO created by Beara Community School students is the centrepiece of a new Go Fund Me campaign to refurbish St Peter’s, the former Church of Ireland parish church in Castletownbere, as a community events centre.
St Peter’s was acquired by Castletownbere Development Association (CDA) on behalf of the local community in 2017. The church was built in 1841 by the Church of Ireland. The group were able to acquire the building due to the then custodian, Reverend Paul Willoughby, who made the decision to sell the building to CDA for a smaller amount than had it been sold commercially on the proviso that it be used as a community space for the town.
The group had started to raise funds to purchase the building when an anonymous local donor came forward and offered to purchase the premises for the CDA.
It’s one of the oldest heritage structures in the town says Marc O’Sullivan, of the CDA. ‘There is a lot of history attached to the building, the first rector of the church was Thomas O’Grady, the father of Standish O’Grady, the noted Irish literary figure.’
In 2018 the CDA were awarded Leader funding of €15,000 to undertake a feasibility study on the church. Further funding of €103,000 was obtained from Cork County Council towards clearing rock and landscaping the outdoor area. The National Transport Authority also provided €45,000 to increase and improve accessibility and drainage throughout the grounds. The outdoor space contains a number of murals which were created by students of Beara Community School with the support of local artist Brian O’Sullivan.
The new green space was officially opened by the county mayor in 2023 and is now in daily use as a community garden and meeting place.
In October, the CDA was awarded €45,000 in Clár funding towards refurbishing the building but also need to raise €50,000 to match this says Marc.
‘We estimate that the entire project will cost around €250,000. We will be applying for more grant funding, but to support us in raising funds we set up a Go Fund Me and are asking people to sponsor a slate at €25 each. In the first week of launching the camping we raised over €5,000.’
Marc said the group came up with the idea to work with students from Beara Community School to see how they and their peers would like to see the building used. ‘The students worked with local filmmaker Senan O’Connor to produce the video, which outlines their hopes for how St Peter’s can serve the youth of Beara. They came up with a number of ideas, a games centre, a concert venue, and a theatre space. Our big hope is that it will be a venue for everyone on Beara.’
Marc says refurbishment of the building will start in February. ‘We’ll start re-roofing it first and we hope the entire building will be ready for use by autumn 2025.’
Donations for the Sponsor a Slate campaign can be made at Go Fund Me campaign at gofund.me/922a2adb, or directly to the CDA St Peter’s account at AIB.
