A series of art fundraising workshops are helping to raise funds for a Bantry community centre writes Ella Mc Swiney
Donation-based art classes delivered by local artist Constance McKenna and running over a six week period at Gortalassa Old School House will help raise funds for the centre, which has become a valuable part of the local community. The classes are centred around the arts and crafts of weaving, coiled baskets; and cubism, where participants will get the opportunity to paint a fruit tile and explore cubism’s key role in art history.
Gortalassa Old School House, also known as GOSH, has a history of its own. The two-room building started out as a national school in the 70s. Following the school’s closure it was turned into a mass centre but this also closed, resulting in the heritage building falling into disrepair. Fortunately, a small but determined group of local volunteers decided to bring the building back to life and today it is a thriving community centre reimagined as Gortalassa Old School House. Located on the north side of The Sheep’s Head Way, GOSH has become a beacon for people dealing with isolation in a rural area, facilitating lifelong friendships and strengthening a sense of pride in the community.
Run by a driven local committee, GOSH is open on Wednesdays for its weekly social gathering, community library, and countless different activities that take place throughout the year, with craft and art sessions, exercise classes, and information talks being just a few.
The community centre has charitable status, relying on grants and fundraising events to help maintain the building. When grants aren’t enough to cover renovation, the events have come to the rescue for its upkeep, raising enough money for the instalment of a fully accessible toilet, the replacement of a flat roof, and the addition of an outdoor shed, among many other renovation jobs.
The centre also supports charities when it can through fundraisers such as craft fairs, coffee mornings, plays, concerts and more.
GOSH urges people in the locality to attend fundraising events and to join the committee, as the centre is able to function only because of its dedicated team of volunteers and donations. To lend a hand or give a fiver would truly make difference for a lively centre that combats rural isolation, offers free vital information, a space for creativity, a sense of community, and where friendships have and continue to grow.
To book the cubism workshop contact @constancemckennaarttherapist on Instagram. Donations are encouraged for the ongoing maintenance of Gortalassa Old School House.
