Local Faces: Cynthia Moore
By Aimee Walsh
For the last 24 years, Cynthia Moore has helped the local community through her work in St Kevin’s Family Resource Centre in Kilnamanagh.
Ahead of her retirement, Cynthia tells The Echo about the importance of the centre and the work that they do.
Cynthia Moore is retiring after 24 years working in the community of Kilnamanagh
Growing up in Ballyfermot, Cynthia moved to Kilnamanagh in 1979 and became involved in the resource centre after she completed a personal development course.
“The facilitator identified a few women from Kilnamanagh and asked if we would like to go back to education which we did and we did family studies over in Marino. At that stage, the resource centre was open, and they were looking for staff,” Cynthia explained.
St Kevin’s Family Resource Centre was one of the first resource centres that opened and was part of a pilot scheme in 1994.
In 1997, Cynthia worked on the CE Scheme in the centre over the course of three years, and afterwards began working in administration at the centre when it officially opened.
“I applied for the administration role and I got it and have been working here ever since, from 1997 – I have been working here 24 years,” says Cynthia.
Cynthia went on to complete a degree in community development, using her knowledge to help the groups within the resource centre.
“We have different services each day – we have adult education, art, computers, childcare service, homework club, Men’s breakfast club, drama [etc.]. We have quite a lot of different supports and courses that run within the centre.”
Cynthia Moore is looking forward to taking up activities that she may not have had the time for before
Based in Kilnamanagh, the centre caters for everyone in the community, with a catchment of Tymon and Kingswood.
“To have a centre within your community is definitely a bonus – it is an asset. It is open to everybody within those catchment areas, and we cater for all ages.
“It is a bonus that I live and work in the community, so I would know quite a lot of people and we listen to them, we try to put in things that they want and that would support them.”
Being a Tallaght resident since 1979, Cynthia says that she has seen the area grow and develop exponentially over the years, with the need for resource centres becoming more and more apparent.
Cynthia Moore
“I think that resource centres definitely are needed within the community, for example primary care, doctors and all different services.”
After 24 years of working at the centre and helping the community, Cynthia is retiring on May 26 – and says she is looking forward to spending time with her new granddaughter and taking up activities that she may not have had the time for before.
“It will be a big change but Covid helped me in my head, as there wasn’t a lot of people able to come in [to the centre], but now I am ready for it [reitirement]. Once the guidelines are lifted, I am open to everything.”
Cynthia Moore
Cynthia says she is still looking forward to seeing familiar faces in the community after her retirement.
She concluded: “It would be different if I worked here and lived somewhere else. It is a bonus, and I actually didn’t realise it. It will be nice to be able to stop for a chat or go for a cup of coffee with them. I was very lucky to live in Kilnamanagh and work within the community.”
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