Community Centre in Offaly parish celebrates 46 eventful years

The craic was mighty when committee members past and present gathered with members from the community on Friday night last to reminisce about 46 years and more, of Killoughey Community Centre.

Current chairman, Tommy Phelan, set the tone for the evening when he gave a hilarious account of discos in his younger days in a Kilcormac social centre, and why he and his cohorts moved on to Killoughey where they heard the discos were equally lively and the music much more reliable.

Tommy then called on Reverend Yvonne Hutchinson, C of I Tullamore, to open the formal proceedings with prayer, which was followed by a minute's silence in remembrance of committee and community members who are no longer with us.

The focal point of the evening was the unveiling, by Tommy Phelan, current Hall committee chairperson and Michael Mahon, Blacklion, first chairperson of the committee for the new Mount Bolus Community Centre, of the list of community members who contributed to a final collection prior to the opening of the Hall in 1976 to get the project over the line.

The framed document hung in the Community Centre, then disappeared during the restoration of the Hall in the 1990’s. This year, the document was recovered and again presented to the parish to be rehung in the Community Centre.

Following the unveiling, Mick Mahon spoke about the Carnivals held in Pallas to raise money first to renovate the Mount Bolus church, then to refurbish the three parish schools, the Parish Hall, and finally, when money was still available, to begin plans and to raise more funds for a new Community Centre.

He recalled how “Big Tom” was booked one year for £60. The next year the fee was £200 but when the booking fee rose to over £2000, “Big Tom,” in Pallas, was history.

Johnny Butterfield embellished on the early days of carnivals and the birth of the Community Centre.

Brendan Bracken spoke about the 1990’s and the major renovations that saw the removal of the stage, reconfiguration of the restrooms, and the expansion of the kitchen.

Carol White gave an overview of the Irish Dancing, Whist when she was one of the young players, and the Killoughey Macra na Feirme Ladies representing Offaly in the “National Queen of the Land Festival,” including herself. She also remembered the 25th and 50th jubilees for Father Jerry White which were held in the Community Centre.

Other speakers remembering their time and connection with the Hall were Liam White, early history, Danny Owens, 1990’s into the 2000’s, Ger Monaghan, Drama in the Hall.

Donal Leonard remembered the Carnivals when as a young lad on the morning after the night before, he would sneak across to the marquee, slide in under the canvas, and look for 6pence or any other coins that might have been dropped.

Then one morning he hit the jackpot when he discovered the takings from the previous night were still sitting on the table in the marquee. He did the responsible thing and took the money box home to his mother, even though it meant his early morning excursions to the marquee was now public knowledge.

Judy Bryant spoke about the badminton club, the only organisation that has been a constant resident in the hall for the last 46 years. She described the homecoming bonfire at the Blueball when “just a bunch of kids” brought home an All-Ireland winner’s trophy, and Willie Gorman held it aloft and proclaimed, “I never thought I’d see the day when a Killoughey team won an All-Ireland.” Billy Gleeson, Olivia White, Molly Boland, and Johnny Mahon continued the narrative on the Hall.

Vera Hayden described how she and some of her friends cycled from Kilcormac to a social only to be told, “Sorry, it’s been cancelled,” so they cycled home. For the next social, they arrived on their bicycles, only to be told, “Sorry, the Hall is full.”

Carmel Bracken concluded the recollections when she described the effort put in by Cora Kinnarney and others to get the remainder or the Hall and the grounds transferred from the Meath diocese into the ownership of the Hall. At the time, from the stage back still belonged to the Church.

Music on the night was provided by local musicians, Johnny Butterfield, John Rigney, Des Murphy, Dan Lawless and Mervyn Thomas, and by Ballyboy Colaiste members, Michael Buckley, Jack Scully, Emer Bracken, and Emer Buckley. Carmel Bracken concluded the night with a medley of songs accompanied by Johnny Butterfield and Jim Rigney. Refreshments were provided and served by members of the Community Centre Committee.