Chairperson – Pauline McNamara

Our journey began in September 2007. The well-being of the ageing population of Ennis was the prime driver behind a group of people from a diversity of backgrounds forming Cuan an Chlair with the task of providing housing for elderly and a new Day-care centre, for 60 people

At that time

  • 13% or 3000 people living in Ennis were over 65
  • 165 people on the housing list
  • 25 older people attend a small daycentre at chapel lane for a midday meal, there was limited seating capacity, lack of access, no scope to upgrade or expand they required a new centre

The question was where do we get land to progress the vision?

Solution

  • Bishop Willie Walsh and the Diocesan Trust donated land to build 12 two bedroom houses and a day centre for 60 people at Cahercalla road.
  • This was a green field site with mature trees, stone walls and lough.

Cuan appointed the design team of Hassett and Leyden

  • June 2008 planning permission was received
  • In September 2010 capital assistance from the Department of the Environment was sanctioned

In October 2012 we went to tender and the builder came on site in July 2013. Building was complete in April 2015.

Turning the sod of the new CUAN

Willie Moloney and Pauline McNamara co-managed the project and it was completed on 1st April 2015.

It was a seamless project due to the professionalism of the design team and the excellent builder Patrick Keogh & Co.

 

Fundraising –Mary O’Sullivan

We are most grateful to everyone who donated and we still continue to rely on the generosity of the community to raise funds.

  • The project cost 3.5m
  • During the recession Cuan an Chlair collected over one million locally to build the day centre
  • We received two million funding from the Department of the Environment to build the 12 houses.
  • Two hundred thousand was donated by JP McManus.
  •  Houlihan and Partners waivered all our legal fees.