Tulla’s rich music and cultural heritage is to be enhanced with an assisted fund of €900,000 being allocated by the Government for the Multifunctional Performance Auditorium at Cnoc na Gaoithe Cultural Centre.
Part of the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the allocation will aid the €1.2m project and goes towards the restoration of a derelict site building in the centre of Tulla which will be developed into a multi-functional performance space and auditorium.
Welcoming the announcement, Junior Minister Pat Breen stated the extension of a tearoom in the facility would create “at least two full-time jobs and ten part-time jobs in the immediate future” in areas such as administration, maintenance and tutor posts. Twelve part-time tutor positions had previously been created by The Cultural Centre in Tulla plus two yoga instructors, a caretaker and part-time administrator.
“This facility will not only provide a performance venue for concerts, dramatic productions, musicals and other shows with seating for 150 patrons; a dance hall for céilí, dance functions and other entertainment purposes for the community, as well as being a venue to teach set dancing, Irish dancing and other types of dance to locals and visiting groups; it will also be a sports venue for indoor sports, such as soccer, soft ball, and badminton as well as providing space for keep fit activities and even boot camps,” the Fine Gael TD stated.
Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development, Deputy Joe Carey said successful projects in category two of RRDF funding would be announced before the end of the year. “This round of funding relates to Category 1 projects which focus on strategic, large-scale developments that are ready to start and are focused on the regeneration of rural towns and villages”.
“It is vital that we continue to build resilience in rural communities and make our towns and villages vibrant places for families to live. Projects like the Cnoc na Gaoithe development target areas where they can have the greatest economic and social impact,” the Clarecastle native added.
