A brand new, state-of-the-art sound system has been installed in Clifden Town Hall which will be used during the local arts festival, dance classes, and their long-standing bingo nights on Thursdays.
The Town Hall building has been a central part of the Clifden community for over 100 years and has undergone significant renovations in the past decade.
General Manager Kevin Gavin says this latest technological upgrade has kitted Clifden Town Hall out for the increasing number of activities they host for the local community.
These include dance classes for young and old, indoor bowls, meditation, Thursday night Bingo and the longest-running community arts festival in Ireland, Clifden Community Arts Festival.
Mr Gavin described how he remembered a chance meeting with Community Finance Ireland CEO Dónal Traynor when the time came to apply for funding for the much-needed sound system upgrade.
“When I met Dónal at an event a few years ago, his commitment to supporting community organisations had stayed with me,” he said.
“When our committee recognised that we urgently needed funding for a new sound system for the hall, I immediately thought of Community Finance Ireland.
“Our experience with CFI has felt like a very personal one. Working with Dónal and locally based Mary has been wonderful. It has always felt like Mary is just down the road and is happy to answer any questions we might have.”
Clifden Town Hall accessed a bridging loan of €20,000 from Community Finance Ireland, which provides social finance loans to community and volunteer-led organisations that drive social impact through sport, community projects, faith-based groups, and social enterprises.
Operating a model similar to traditional credit unions, all loan repayments go toward supporting other communities across Ireland.
This bridging loan was used to assist with bridging a community recognition grant of €29,919 from Galway County Council in respect of upgrading the Town Hall sound system.
