'Connected Hubs' offer summer holiday help for working parents in Inishowen
'Some of our hot desk users are coming home to visit family, and some are just spending time in Donegal or Derry' - says manager of Buncrana's ii centre
Summer holidays can be tough when you're trying to work while your family relaxes around you. But what if there was a quiet, professional place to work just down the road? There is – at your local Connected Hub.
There are now more than 385 hubs in the Connected Hubs network across the island. Together, they offer over 5,000 desks and 620 meeting rooms. Donegal is well provided for with 21 of these hubs, including five in Inishowen alone.
The largest of these is the ii – inishowen innovation – in Buncrana, a state-of-the-art building, which opened in late 2023. It offers co-working facilities alongside innovation services for businesses. Manager Anne Marie McLaughlin says they are seeing more visitors in summer.
“Some of our hot desk users are coming home to visit family, and some are just spending time in Donegal or Derry”, says Anne Marie. “They may just need to book a desk for a day or two while they’re here. We make the bookings as simple as possible and offer discounts for new customers.”
Anne Marie says working parents in particular love both the flexibility the ii offers and its location.
“We’re close to crèches and facilities that offer children’s activity camps during the summer. We’re convenient to coffee shops, grocery shops, and other practical places parents need to go, as well as the beaches and some beautiful walking trails.”
She’s delighted with the feedback they get from these clients, some of whom have used hubs elsewhere in Europe and across the globe.
“They tell us the ii is as good as – or better than – the others they’ve used. They like that it’s bright, modern, and inviting, with excellent broadband, great privacy spaces, and great coffee! They can choose a hot desk or a meeting room – whatever they need.”
One client, David Cullen, frequently returns home to Buncrana from Dublin.
“This facility is a boon for me and many others who need fast, reliable Wi-Fi and comfortable, modern temporary office space. It has all the facilities I need, other users to chat to, good coffee and a warm welcome”.
Another client, Paul Healy, had a three-hour job he needed to do while his friends were at the beach.
“The ii was perfect for this”, he says, “lots of desk space, well-lit, second monitors, kitchen facilities, quiet rooms, and friendly staff. I got back to the beach quickly too!”
Spraoi agus Spórt in Carndonagh have their own hub in the town centre, which offers private offices and co-working spaces, and a kitchen for socialising.
There are another three community hubs in Inishowen: Clonmany Community Hub, Greencastle Community Centre, and Serenity House in Moville.
Both the Spraoi agus Spórt and the ii hubs are part of a wider national network called Connected Hubs. These are work and innovation spaces across towns and villages in Ireland.