Community halls throughout Tipperary battle for survival

Community halls throughout the county are struggling to keep their doors open because of rising heating and electricity costs.
Volunteers in Ballingarry have come together to try and ensure the survival of their community hall and other communities are also battling to protect their local facility.

Cllr Imelda Goldsboro said the people of Ballingarry realised there was a threat to the future of their hall and have taken action to keep it open.

“The community hall is so much part of our community. We have to take action to keep it open,” said Cllr Goldsboro.

Volunteers are calling to all the houses in the area to ask them to support a raffle to raise funds for running costs at the hall.

“We are getting a fantastic response. We had to do something. People know how important the community hall is to everybody in the community and want to help,” said Cllr Goldsboro.

Cllr Goldsboro explained that it costs €10,000 a year to keep the doors open in the community hall. It is a struggle to meet the combined costs between water charges, bins, maintenance and now with the rising heating and electricity bills that are coming in,” said Cllr Goldsboro.

She said the hall was 50 years old now and it was becoming more and more costly to heat.
She said the hall was a very important part of daily life in the community.It is used as a focal point for families to meet after funerals.

It is also used for a number of classes and activities including bingo, taekwondo, Irish dancing, concerts and art classes.
“It is used a lot. Being available for receptions after funerals was a service that was greatly appreciated in the area as it kept people together to support bereaved families and gave people a chance to meet and express their support for the bereaved families,” she said.

The hall was allocated €25,000 recently but none of that money can be put towards bills.
“We received that money for capital investment and so we are upgrading the toilets and putting in a disability toilet as well,” said Cllr Goldsboro.
“We had no fundraisers for the last few years but this one is crucial if we are to keep the doors open,” she said.

RAFFLE
The raffle will be held at Christmas with a €1,000 prize for the winner as well as other significant cash prizes.
“We were left with no choice but to hold this fundraiser because of the threat to the future of the hall,” said Cllr Goldsboro.
“People know if they don’t support it that the facility will be lost to the community,” she said.

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Cllr Goldsboro said a number of communities in the Fethard electoral area were also struggling to keep their halls open.
“Bills are rising for everybody and communities in Fethard, Mullinahone, Cloneen and Ballysloe are all struggling to keep important community facilities open because of the costs,” said Cllr Goldsboro.

She called on people living in those communities to be aware of the battle to keep community halls open and to do what they can to keep them open for use.