Small Laois community with 'big heart' smashes €70,000 target

Clough Vision Group has successfully raised €70,000 for a major fundraising draw which saw one lucky winner scoop €10,000 over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

The Clough 999 draw was the final phase in the Clough Vision Group's fundraising efforts to raise €10,000 to build a new community centre to serve the people living in the south Laois village and its hinterlands.

Clough Vision Group Chairperson Olga Hyland spoke before the draw event was made in the local school on Easter Monday. She thanked everybody for their support in the endeavour, which began in October 2024 when the group decided to raise matching funding to apply for anticipated grants.

"At that stage, we knew we needed about €70,000, so that became the target," she said.

The next step involved recruiting Pallas Marketing to help run the draw, which required selling 999 tickets. A single ticket cost €100, but there were various other ticket purchase options.  

Ms Hyland told the assembled gathering said the last of the tickets was sold over Easter which ensured the target set last autumn was met.

"I am very happy to say that we have reached our target of €70,000," said Ms Hyland.

She also thanked FBD Insurance, which has a fund to support local communities. Ms Hyland said that with the help of Joe and Ger Bergin, FBD made a large donation to the fundraising. 

"They gave us €10,000 for which we are very grateful," she said.

Ms Hyland thanked local people for backing the initiative.

"Most of all, we want to thank you, the local community. Whether you are a business, family or individual, we are really grateful for your support," she said.

She thanked Pallas Marketing for their assistance in running the draw. The Chairperson also touched on what would happen in advancing the vision of delivering a community facility. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Picture of what the Centre and playground will look like when completed.

"The next step for us is to turn our minds to accessing the grants. At the moment we are in the happy position of collaborating with Clough Tidy Towns who are also on a mission to enhance our village.

"From now on, when we are making applications, it is as one Clough Tidy Towns and Clough Vision Group. It is really a good move for us all we hope and we hope that it will be successful eventually and we will have a nice community centre for our village," she said.

The draw gathering heard that Clough Tidy Towns also has plans to install a playground in the village.

John Finlay was MC at the draw which was also attended by George McGrath of Pallas Marketing who worked with the community to make the fundraiser a success.

Speaking to the gathering, he praised Clough as a "small community with a big heart".

"To have the aspiration and will to create something like this (community centre) in your community is absolutely incredible," he said.

He thanked the community for inviting him to get involved. He said that in the end some ticket purchasers had to be turned down. He paid tribute everyone in the community for buying, selling and promoting ticket sales.

"I want to thank everybody for the incredible effort and it is wonderful to have all the tickets sold," he said.

Mr Finlay also praised the community groups for getting behind the initiative.

"We are blessed in Clough Ballacolla to have community groups that have drive to push to have services in the parish that are going to suit the needs of this generation and generations to come," he said.

Winning ticket number 698 was drawn virtually on the night by Canon Noel Maher. Mr Finlay revealed that it was bought online by Mary and Liam Grissing from Dublin, who happened to be first cousins of John Finlay. He told the draw gathering that the ticket was bought two nights before the draw was made. He said Mary, a granddaughter of John Finlay TD and 1915 Laois All-Ireland winner, has always been a great supporter of the area. 

Mary was called on the night by her cousin. John had hardly had a chance to say hello when Mary asked: "Have we won?". MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Pictured: John Finlay presents the winning prize to Mary and Liam Grissing at their home in Dublin.

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Mr Finlay concluded proceedings by congratulating the winners and thanking all who have supported the draw. 

The Clough Community Vision Committee was registered as a Company Limited By Guarantee  in November 2019 to advance the ambition of improving facilities in the south Laois village.

Laois County Council has already granted planning permission for the community hub. The new building will be constructed on a greenfield site beside the school. It will include a main multi-purpose hall space, meeting rooms and kitchen.

It's nearly a decade since the Clough Vision Group was established to develop and build a community space for everyone. A Community Development Plan carried out in 2020 identified a "clear need" for such a building.