A new light to shine on village with a dark history
Date Published: {J}
It’s a village that witnessed some of the most awful and inhumane events in modern Irish history, courtesy of the infamous industrial school for boys that was located there. Now members of the local community are joining forces to celebrate the present-day community, focusing on light and an approach to education that is a million miles away from the Letterfrack Industrial School.
After the Light is a celebratory event, initiated by retired local school principal Leo Hallissey, which has caught the imagination in the north Connemara village. It will take place during the annual Conamara Sea Week, which runs from October 21-31 in the village and surrounding areas.
After the Light marks the fact that in this place, which has a population of some 200 people, there are over 500 people involved in education at all levels, from the age of two upwards. “Letterfrack has a dark history,” says Leo, “but wonderful things are happening here. And when you look at it, the most remarkable thing about Letterfrack is that this once troubled place has become a centre for learning.”
Educational institutions in the village include the furniture college – a partnership between GMIT and the community group, Connemara West PLC. That has well over 200 students. There are two VEC run programmes, Outreach, which caters for early school leavers, and VTOS, which runs adult education courses. Education runs right across the spectrum, from adults to the youngest members of the community who are attending primary school and the local crèche.
Then there is Connemara Community Radio, which offers training in community broadcasting, as well as Connemara West PLC and Forum Connemara Community Development Organisation, both of which contribute to education locally.
“Out in a rural place, at the butt of a mountain, it’s incredible to think so many people are involved in education,” says Leo.
Letterfrack was involved previously in the 2010 in the Pride of Place competition and took second place nationally in the population category under 200. That result made people more aware of what was possible, explains Leo about the origins of After the Light.
For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.