The bar in Donagh Clubhouse with the roof having fallen and electrics damaged.
THE MESSAGE from St Patrick’s in Donagh is clear: We will rebuild.
Speaking a week after an accidental fire caused damage to the clubs’s 27-year old clubhouse, the chairman of St Patrick’s GFC, Donagh, Feargal Wray spoke of a want to rebuild in a way that would make it, ‘bigger than before’.
“At the moment, the fire investigations have finished,” he said. I’m down here today (Monday) as the insurance investigators are doing their report. From my understanding, what we’re going to be left with is a basic shell.
“Where the fire had started, the kitchen area, is completely gutted. The next step will likely be a structural engineer. It seems very dangerous at the minute.”
He explained that the clubhouse is out of use for the foreseeable future, and that other arrangements will have to be made in order to facilitate upcoming events.
“We don’t have anywhere as such”, he added. “The loss to the community is going to be the big thing. We have several First Communion dinners which we’re trying to re-arrange the Donagh Hall for, but for the bigger parties, we don’t really have anything that we can do.”
Feargal said that there was likely to be fund-raising to pay for the rebuild.
However, he felt it was unlikely that the ‘new’ clubhouse will be anywhere other than its current location. And, he spoke of the impact on the members from the fire, and the support that the club have received.
“The older community, the people who would have been involved in erecting the clubhouse, or building the clubhouse, it’s hit them fairly hard.
“From our point of view, it’s time to start rallying together. The well-wishes we’ve received has been phenomenal, offers of support help, it has brought us all together.”
Six fire engines attended the scene on Tuesday of last week, at 11.16pm, and was dealt with at 3.10am.
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