Funding support for social gatherings at Áras Chrónáin

THE Council are prepared to support the Friday social gatherings at Áras Chrónáin, Clondalkin in any way that they can.

This is what Councillors were told at the Clondalkin Council meeting on April 17.

“We [the Community section] will continue to support them in any endeavours that they have, particularly we engage with them through social inclusion events in the past and we will work with them,” said Edel Clancy, Senior Executive Officer, Community Section.

Councillor William Carey (SF) had a concern regarding Orchard Lodge.

“I had a slight concern when I saw the idea that we are looking for funding for the simple reason we are currently on the cusp of opening the Orchard Lodge facility,” he said.

He added that hopefully Orchard Lodge will be open within the next two months and that it would complement Áras Chrónáin.

“… we on the committee … were quite content to say .. we are not in competition with Áras Chrónáin, I think these are things that will complement each other in and around the Clondalkin village,” he said.

Ms Clancy responded to Cllr Carey’s concern.

“… the Orchard Lodge, it’s not a competition, the end goal is that the community are served best as we possibly can, we‘ll get the community worker on the board for Orchard Lodge maybe to engage with the existing group that are there on a Friday morning and see if there is a way of working together going forward and how we can financially support them,” she said.

Ms Clancy also said that a Community Development member will attend one of the Friday mornings and engage with Áras Chrónáin.

“Indeed Chair if you can give a name of a contact person that would be brilliant, we would strongly support any group particularly through our age friendly programme,” she added.

In introducing his motion Councillor Francis Timmons (Ind) gave his experience of attending one of the Friday gatherings at Áras Chrónáin.

“I was very taken at the amount of people that were there … there was people there from Clondalkin, old Clondalkin and there’s also people there from Rathcoole … and … the people coming up from the nursing homes … that’s real community inclusion where it’s not a separate service,” he said.

Cllr Timmons was also very impressed with the atmosphere at the gathering.

“The music there, the fun, the singing, the bit of craic, I have to say it was infectious, I enjoyed it . … It’s free…, it doesn’t isolate people, if they don’t have money, they can still go to it,” he said.

Cllr Timmons added that he heard Councillor Carey’ mother singing at Áras Chrónáin too.

“It was lovely,” Cllr Timmons said.

Cllr Carey said that his mother “is the family rep at that particular event [the Friday gatherings] at the moment”.

In its reply the Council said that Community Services have a long-standing relationship with Áras Chrónáin.

“We … are currently in discussion regarding the rolling out of a number of cultural projects.

“The community development team is also delivering the South Dublin Age Friendly programme …,” the Council said.