About Us
Who we are
The Colgan Hall has served as a key community hub for the people of Carndonagh and the surrounding area for over 100 years – providing a focal point in the heart of Inishowen for various community, business, educational, cultural and heritage events.
The Colgan Hall is named after John Colgan, a Franciscan friar born in Priestown, near Carndonagh c. 1592 who was an accomplished hagiographer (biographer / historian) - including of Ireland’s three national saints: St Patrick, St Brigid and St Columba / St Columcille. A fresco created by Emmanuel di Como c. 1670 of John Colgan adorns the wall of St. Isidore's College in Rome.
The Colgan Hall was built in 1914 – following 20 years of local fundraising – and is one of the best examples of the ‘Celtic Revival’ in the North West. The building was designed with an ‘Irish Romanesque feeling’ and boasts circular windows in the gable end interlaced with the famous 7th century ‘Carndonagh Cross’.
For over a period of 55 years, the Colgan Hall operated as a Parochial Hall, Technical School, Diocesan College and for one year as a Community School. During the First World War and up until the early 1970s the Hall hosted plays, concerts, operettas, recitals and feiseanna – as well as having a cinema that provided entertainment for thousands of local people before the widespread adoption of television. From the mid-1970s onwards, the Colgan Hall fell into steady decline and eventually became unsafe for use and closed it's doors as a parish hall.
In 2000 a voluntary management committee was formed and took over the running of the facility in a bid to rescue the building and re-establish it as a community resource centre. A long term lease of the property was secured and the Colgan Community & Resource Centre Ltd was founded in 2004. The committee then undertook a project of restoration and reparation of the building.
Today, through the ‘Community Services Programme’ the Colgan Community & Resource Centre Ltd employs a full-time Manager and two part-time caretakers. There are also additional Tús workers and ‘Community Employment’ participants who assist with events and activities in the Hall.
Over the past decade, the Community & Resource Centre Ltd has grown from strength to strength – with an annual footfall in excess of 65,000 – hosting successful events including drama productions, musicals, comedy shows, bingo nights, exhibitions, public interest meetings and heritage events. The centre also now has excellent meeting rooms and training facilities to suit the needs of the local community – providing audio-visual equipment and temporary office facilities including hot desks with broadband access.
The Colgan Community & Resource Centre Ltd has been actively involved in supporting the new communities in Carndonagh and the surrounding townland areas, with a particular focus on the Ukrainians and Syrian communities. Our engagement efforts include educational support, social integration, and community activities aimed at fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment
Events
At the end of June each year, the Colgan Community & Resource Centre Ltd hosts the Colgan Heritage Weekend – which includes guest speakers, exhibitions, talks and entertainment dedicated to the memory of John Colgan whilst also celebrating local heritage and promoting projects and activities in the local community.
The Hall has been intrinsically linked to the arts scene in Inishowen for over a century – hosting an annual exhibition by local artists; music and drama productions; and various arts classes which remain a cornerstone of life in the facility.
Harking back to memories of the original Colgan Hall and its then fundraising committee who hosted the first ‘Great Four-Day Bazaar’ from 7th to 10th October 1914, the Colgan Community & Resource Centre Ltd continues with this tradition with an annual Christmas Bazaar as its main fundraising event of the year.
The Hall also provides a 150-seated space for post-funeral receptions.
Challenges & achievements
Over the past 10 years, the total transformation of a near-derelict building into what is now a vibrant and thriving community space for the people of Carndonagh and the surrounding area to enjoy is a huge achievement by the Management Committee.
Working in conjunction with IDP, Pobal and Donegal County Council the Management Committee applied for grants for window repairs, installation of CCTV, upgrading of plumbing and electrics and the necessary building works on the 100 year-old plastering. The maintenance program for this work is, and will continue to be ongoing.
In 2012, the Committee also undertook its biggest challenge to date – the building of a new extension which would include the installation of a lift to enable people with mobility issues to attend all events in the Hall. This particular phase of development provided improved disability access, new toilet facilities and improvements to the existing committee room / new training rooms.
The extension to the listed building was accomplished with a LEADER grant of €150,000 together a loan of €150,000 from UCIT / Community Finance (Ireland) and matched funding from the Management Committee, raised through local funding raising events. The local community gave their stellar support to all fundraising efforts, which so greatly assisted in the delivery of the project. The National Lottery also funded the installation of the lift.
Future plans
With the UCIT / Community Finance (Ireland) loan paid off, the Management Committee is looking forward to continuing to expand on the current cultural and educational services available at the Colgan Hall. Additional proposed improvements to the Colgan Hall and its surrounds include ongoing repair and maintenance of the 100-year-old windows, painting of the exterior of the building and tarmacking the car park which will include proper lining / markings and disabled car parking spaces. These proposed plans will deliver substantial and tangible benefits to the community. These benefits include enhanced safety and accessibility, increased community engagement, positive economic impacts, preservation of cultural heritage, support for diverse demographics, improved aesthetic appeal, and long-term sustainability. By undertaking these improvements, the centre will continue to serve as a vital resource, meeting the cultural, educational, and social needs of the Carndonagh and the surrounding townland areas.
