Taoiseach Lauds Charleville Centre As A 'Vision For The Community'

21st February 2013

'A VISION for the community'.
The words of Taoiseach Enda Kenny as he officially opened the new state of the art Charleville Centre, built by Tullamore Union of Parishes [Church of Ireland].

Mr Kenny, speaking at the opening ceremony on Friday afternoon last, lauded the local Church of Ireland community for their vision in developing a centre which would be open to 'people of all faiths and none'.

The new Charleville Centre is located in the heart of Tullamore at Church Avenue, opposite Charleville National School, and within close proximity of St Catherine's Church.

The community centre cost in the region of €750,000 to construct and no state funds were availed of for the project.

Courtesy of Tullamore Tribune

The attractively designed, state of the art two storey structure is divided into a main hall and four other meetings rooms. It also has kitchen facilities and a large car park which provides free parking for users of the hall.
The main hall, the Kilbride Hall, can seat 230 people while the other rooms are the Liss Suite [seating 30], the Durrow Suite [seating 50], the Newtown Room [seating 12] and the Castlelost Room [seating eight].
Already the centre is used for a host of parish and community activities including physiotherapy classes, bingo, yoga, drama, slimming classes and church functions.
Friday's official opening was attended by parishioners from the four churches in the Tullamore Union, Tullamore, Clara, Rahan and Tyrellspass, representatives of the groups which use the centre as well as members of the wider community in the town and surrounding areas.
Among the dignitaries in attendance were Rev. Canon Gerald Field, Rector, Ven. Archdeacon Leslie Stevenson, Bishop Elect of Meath and Kildare, Rev. Rosemary Lindsay, Msgnr Sean Heaney, Rev. William Hayes, Cllr Peter Ormond, Cathaoirleach Offaly Co. Council, Cllr Lar Byrne, Cathaoirleach, Tullamore Town Council, Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, Deputy Barry Cowen, Deputy Charles Flanagan, Cllr Molly Buckley, Cllr Tommy McKeigue, Cllr Danny Owens, Cllr Johnny Butterfield, Cllr Liam Quinn and Cllr Declan Harvey.
Speaking at the outset of formalities, Master of Ceremonies, Ian Colton extended a special welcome to all in attendance, in particular the special guests, and said the Union had a great deal of help in realising their goal for which they were very grateful.
Following a blessing by representatives of the four main churches in Tullamore, Bishop Elect Archdeacon Leslie Stevenson congratulated the Rector, Select Vestry and parishioners on behalf of the Diocese.
He lauded their vision and their hard work in bringing that vision to completion.
'This project has been supported by the wider community and we wish to thank them,' stressed the Bishop Elect.
Tullamore Union of Parishes Rector, Canon Gerald Field said the day was a remarkable occasion in the life of the Union.
He recalled that when he assumed the position of Rector almost 12 years ago his two goals were to secure a new school and a parish/ community centre.
Pupils and staff moved into the new Charleville School in 2006 following a long campaign, recalled Canon Field.
He added that the new centre had been in the planning stages for about 20 years and he paid tribute to all those who had remained faithful to the vision.
Canon Field explained that a smaller parish centre would have catered for the needs of the Union but it was agreed to provide a building for the use of the wider community.
'There was so much construction work in this area and so many families moving into this side of Tullamore and we realised that there was no community centre.'
He added that the parish consulted the Bishops Mission Statement and decided to go ahead with building a large community structure despite the fact that the recession was just starting to bite.
'I want to pay credit to those who had the courage to trust their faith and remain faithful to their vision and prioritise this fine building,' pointed out Canon Field.
He stressed that the project was never envisaged as a business venture to raise income.
'As long as we can cover our running costs we are happy and anything above that is a bonus,' outlined Cllr Field.
'Our purpose as a church is to give something to Tullamore and show our relevance to this town.'
He thanked those whom he described as having being 'instrumental in bringing this from a dream to a reality' in particular the management committee, those involved in the construction, the Church of Ireland Priorities Fund and all those who had supported the 'Buy A Brick' fund-raising campaign.
Canon Field added that two people, Ian Colton and Alan Wallace, had been the driving forces behind the project for the past two years and likened them to 'Batman and Robin' or the 'Taoiseach and Tanaiste'.
Cllr Peter Ormond, Cathaoirleach of Offaly Co. Council, said that the day marked the ending of one chapter of hard work and the opening of a new chapter in running the centre.
'As politicians we are used to community groups looking for help and it comes as a surprise to be introduced to a financed project that does not rely on state funding,' he commented.
Cllr Ormond said the project offered a great service to the community and said it was a significant building which would make a major contribution.
He also referred to the many old churches in the care of the church in Tullamore and surrounding areas and said assistance was available to them from the Council's Heritage Officer and Conservation Architect.
'I encourage the people of Tullamore and surrounding areas to make this a vibrant facility and to use it,' concluded Cllr Ormond.
Tullamore's First Citizen, Cllr Lar Byrne, Town Council Cathaoirleach, said the name Charleville for the centre was very appropriate as it was a term steeped in history.
He added that had already attended a meeting of the Public Joint Policing Committee in the centre's Kilbride Room and had the opportunity to see its fine facilities at first-hand.
Complimenting the Union of Parishes on the completion of the centre, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said a sense of community and entrepreneurship was now more important than ever before.
'While listening to Canon Field I was going to say mission accomplished . . . but I
know that he knows that this is the end of one process and the start of another.'
Continued the Taoiseach: 'A sense of place and a sense of faith are very important to our people in a global world . . . today's opening is about responding to the needs of parishioners and fostering the community spirit.'
He added that for a community to flourish it required somewhere to meet as a community.
Mr Kenny noted that times had changed in Ireland and a recent survey had shown that people now rated spirituality and religion very low compared with other needs. 'This is reflected in the fall in the number of people going to church and in churches closing.'
Adding that Irish people were embracing new technologies, the Taoiseach noted that 'things come and go but one thing that stays the same is the need for friendship'.
He stressed that the Charleville Centre would work for the common good and was built on the foundation of church in the area.
Mr Kenny added that Tullamore and the wider area was steeped in a faith going back to the dawn of Christianity in this country and referred to Christian sites such as Clonmacnoise, Rahan, Durrow and Birr.
He continued; 'This centre is a gesture of goodwill and inclusiveness by the members of the Church of Ireland and it is open to people of all faiths and none'.
'It's my privilege to pay tribute to the people of Tullamore Union for not allowing financial constraints to affect their vision for the community.'
The Taoiseach stressed that Ireland was enriched by its Christian heritage as well as its heritage in music and sports and other varied interests.
He added that the centre would provide for these interests through facilitating activities such as yoga, physiotherapy, Probus meetings and bingo.
Emphasising the community role of the new centre, Mr Kenny said that the form of poverty associated with isolation and loneliness was rarely spoken of.
However, he noted that Ireland was fortunate in that it did not have the division between generations that affected other societies and he stressed that generations here were linked by common values.
Concluding Mr Kenny outlined: 'We do not know what the future holds but I hope that the good you have shown here will endure for many a day.'
Alan Wallace, one of the two key people behind the project, in an emotional address, noted that the opening ceremony was attended by a man of 90 years of age and a young girl of just four and a half.
'This building was built for the future of young people and the children unborn still.'
He recalled that he had first met Enda Kenny in a daffodil field when he visited Tullamore in his capacity as Minister for Tourism and Trade in 1996. 'I remember [Cllr] Tommy McKeigue saying to me that this man is going to the top,' recalled Mr Wallace.
He added that Mr Kenny's good luck had led the revitalisation of his party but he had the bad luck to become Taoiseach when the country had lost its sovereignty.
However Mr Wallace noted that the Taosieach's hard work and leadership was now beginning to show results and the Government was regaining respect for Ireland in Europe.
'Countries who had written us off are now saying that when the chips were down we knuckled down without the violent protests we have seen in Greece.'

Describing the official opening as the christening of the new centre, the speaker predicted that it would take its place in the 'new Ireland we all aspire to'.

Following presentations to Mr Kenny, the capacity attendance enjoyed light refreshments and availed of the opportunity to view the centre's facilities.

For information or bookings at the Charleville Centre contact 057 9349700 or email charlevillecentre@gmail.com