189-year-old estuary church brought back to life in Clare

Part of an 1837 church in the west Clare village of Labasheeda was brought back to life at the weekend, when the refurbished long aisle opened its doors as part of a redeveloped community and events hub.

Located on the banks of the Shannon estuary, the tranquil village has a population of just 241 people, and the church had been boarded up for many decades.

The village, whose name means 'bed of silk' when translated from Irish, had a pre-famine population of around 3,000 people when the church was built 189 years ago.

Largely funded by a Town and Village Renewal grant of almost €194,000, the local committee oversaw the refurbishment of the building, and is hopeful that it will inject life into the area.

The redeveloped church was opened by Mayor of Clare Joe Killeen and it coincided with the annual Dan Furey Traditional Music Festival.

Liam Woulfe, who is secretary of the Community Centre Committee, said that "where there is darkness there is light and where there is light, there is hope."

Replicas of the church's original windows have been installed and the committee is hopeful that the building will be used for community activities and help to attract people to the village, which is flanked by the estuary and has borne the brunt of rural depopulation in recent decades.

"Most people in rural Ireland can appreciate the problems we have but we’re not giving in," Mr Woulfe added.

"We try to make the best of the resources that we have and anybody who comes here they love being here, but the trick is how do we keep them here?"

Teresa Greenhoff from Sheffield was a visitor to Labasheeda at the weekend. Her mother left the village when she was 16 and never returned.

Ms Greenhoff's mother made her First Communion in the now refurbished long aisle, and she feels a deep connection to the building and to the village itself.

"My mum would have come to church here and made her First Holy Communion here. She would have been here for every mass and every celebration.

"Even though it was a long time ago, I still feel a deep connection with Labasheeda," Ms Greenhoff added.

Committee chairperson John O'Connell said that, "when you're dealing with a very small population, you’re really up against it but we have great pride and energy around here."

Anna Malone is the committee treasurer and said that while the Town and Village Renewal grant was pivotal to the project, of equal importance was the sense of togetherness in the small community.

"From celebrating the good to the sad, people in the locality are always so good to give their time.

"It mightn't be the easiest of situations, but they will just get on with it. Their generosity is unbelievable.

"It will be so nice to have a centre that represents their hard work as well," she said.

Mr Killeen performed the official opening and said it was "fantastic" to see an old church restored.

"This is not a huge community but everybody seems to have come out... to celebrate the fact that they have a new community centre building."

In recent weeks, and for the first time in about 50 years, the boarding was removed from the church's windows and rays of sunlight glistening off the estuary entered the building again.

"The sunlight changes and it just gives this beautiful ambience. It is absolutely breathtaking," committee member Amy O’Shea reflected.