Club Oíge Cholmcille
The setting up of the club was supported by M.F.G. (Meitheal Forbartha Na Gaeltachta) and was much welcomed by parents and young people alike.
Today the club caters for children between the ages of eight and eighteen years.
Club Activities are wide ranging in an effort to cater for the needs of all the young people registered.
Club Oíge owes gratitude to C.L.G. An Tearmann for permitting use of its changing rooms to deliver some of the planned activities in the early stages of the club. While this was a starting stone in getting the club up and running, the huge demand for the initiative meant that the committee had to seek premises outside the area to continue with the work. Letterkenny Community Centre and Bonagee Soccer Club proved to be valuable venues in meeting the energetic needs of the young people!
In 2005, the club was granted funding from The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to deliver computer classes to the young people. This was a welcome development for the club. Classes were delivered 2 nights a week from the computer suite in the local computer centre.
Further to this, M.F.G. in Gweedore funded Club Oíge to develop a community website for the area, the results of which you are currently viewing!
Also in 2005, the local Naionra Committee decided to permit the hire of its premises to Club Oíge which meant that some activities could be delivered locally. Valuable funding was then made available from M.F.G. which enabled the club to purchase a Data Projector and Screen which is installed in the local Naionra and is frequently used to show movies –Cinema Style!-in our locality.
Other activities to date include Art classes, Video nights in the local Naionra, Quiz nights, Discos and the occasional trips to Century Cinemas in Letterkenny. Saturday nights are taken up with Canoeing in Letterkenny Leisure Centre.
Recent developments include the promotion of sport and exercise, healthy eating drug and alcohol awareness campaigns targeting all ages within the group. The club can frequently be spotted travelling by bus to and from Letterkenny Community Centre and Letterkenny Leisure Centre on Friday and Saturday nights with a group of lively young people!!
Today, the club is going from strength to strength with almost 80 young people registered and taking part in the varied planned activities. A huge amount of behind the scenes work is required by the committee to plan and deliver innovative activities and initiatives to keep the young people interested and attending.
Supported by Oíge Na Gaeltachta, plans are underway to develop a summer camp for 2007. Also, the strengthening of links with other clubs in the Gaeltacht area is seen as vital for club development. The promotion of the Irish language is a strong emphasis within all club activities and this initiative is supported in every way possible by both Oíge Na Gaeltachta and M.F.G.
Current committee members are as follows:
- Chairperson: Dan Gallagher, Dromoghill.
- Treasurer: Michael Cannon, Stragraddy.
- Secretary: Anne Mc Caughan, Drumfin.
- Kathleen McCusker.
- Dolores McGinley.
- Charlotte Cairns.