History
The Ardnaree Community Centre was established in 1971 to address the lack of community facilities available in the wider Ardnaree (east of River Moy, Ballina) area and renamed as the Sean Duffy Community Centre in 1991 after a local national school teacher, a community activist and champion of the poor who was the catalyst for many community initiatives in the area. The Community Centre formalized as the S.D.C.C. Limited in 2009 as the Centre became a Community Service Programme with Pobal.
Sean Duffy 1913-1990
In the early years the Centre held community activities like Bingo and fitness classes. It was once the base for Ardnaree Boxing Club and the home of Ardnaree playschool for many years. More recently we host numerous fitness classes throughout the week, school and club sports events during the day and evenings on the sports field, kids activity classes after school as well as summer/easter/midterm camps for children, kids parties, self defence classes and the centre for resisdent associations, clubs, community activists groups and other association’s meetings both large and small.
Pictures Of Ardnaree Community Playgroup at the Sean Duffy Community Centre (previously Ardnaree Community Centre)
Development
The Sean Duffy Community Centre’s facilities and environs underwent considerable refurbishment in the late 2000s and continues to develop its amenities to meet the need of a rapidly expanding population. This is all thanks to a dedicated committee who have worked tirelessly throughout the years raising the standards of the Community Centre time and time again.
SDCC Development 2007-2010
Following the refurbishment of the building exterior, access roads and car park was the installation of a fully equipped gym, folding wall to maximize the gym/hall floor space, refurbishment of toilets, kitchen and office space and the replacement of the wooden floor in the hall.
SDCC Main Hall. All murals painted by jennifer heavey
IN DEVELOPMENT
Due to the successful regeneration of the Community Centre its usage by an expanding and diverse local population has escalated considerably. While this is very much a welcome problem and testament to the hard of the development committee, it does bring new challenges.
As the hall/gym (interior) and playing field (exterior) spaces are maxed out during peak hours throughout the week many groups have to travel elsewhere to meet/exercise.
The provision of a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) would allow the Centre to continue to expand to meet the needs of our community. The proposed MUGA would be utilised by all the different groups with each group bringing their own equipment to the facility as necessary and suitable to the surface. The various sports teams would use the facility for training drills, as can the fitness and self defense groups. The proposed MUGA will be fensed and fitted with a covering net so it will be a safe environment for younger and special needs groups.
