Ballyjamesduff aims to house national centre for story telling

EXTENSION Exciting plans revealed for County Museum

A new Story Telling Centre is to be part of a new development at the Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff.

The news was revealed by Director of Services Eoin Doyle, at the recent meeting of the Ballyjamesduff Municipal District meeting in the museum.

He explained that this facility would be a national story telling location and would dovetail into the whole idea of compiling story telling archives.

The new development will be located at the rear of the museum and would include an archive, recording area and a performance area.

Mr Doyle said this new vision fits very well with the National Tourism Brand, Ireland's Ancient East and in order to attract funding, the project needs be shovel ready and have the Part 8 Report approved.

He brought a Part 8 Planning report before the meeting which set out the development description and he was seeking approval. The councillors readily gave their approval with the Chairman Trevor Smith proposing and Cllr Winston Bennett seconding.

It is anticipated that an application will be submitted for the next round of Rural Development funding in late November.

The centre will be a single storey fully serviced building with a new sheltered walkway link and new car park, with connections to existing services and all ancillary site works at the Cavan County Museum.

Savina Donohoe, museum curator said the next step will be to apply for funding.

The new centre once up-and-running will have capacity for around 120 people and it's format promises to differ from a conventional theatre, with its layout design seeking to create a more relaxed atmosphere.

Savina revealed that the Storytellers of Ireland Organisation is very supportive of the project and they have wonderful connections nationally, and indeed the world.

"We will also have a recording studio to digitise old material, not only from Cavan, but from all over Ireland," explained Savina.

Savina is optimistic the Story Telling Centre will prove attractive to overseas visitors.

"The first time overseas visitors they go to place like Kerry – the next time to visit Ireland, they want something different – that is where we feel that we fit in with something different and we will bring them to this end of the country," enthused Savina.

Savina was appreciative of the museum's "wonderful staff" and the support they had received from Director of Services Mr Doyle.

Chairman Trevor Smith thanked Savina and the staff for bringing the plan forward.

He added that the people of Ballyjamesduff were lucky to have the Museum, observing that last year there 30,000 visitors.

Cllr Winston Bennett, Cllr Shane P. O’Reilly, and Cllr T.P. O’Reilly congratulated Ms Donohoe for her work with the latter councillor stating: "This is the kind of forward thinking we need within the county".

Mr Doyle acknowledged the support of the members of the Municipal Authority for giving their approval to the Part 8 application.