A NEW social enterprise in Derrygonnelly is hoping to help revive the village by attracting visitors not only from across Fermanagh, but the world.
After a long period of uncertainty over its future, the Tir Navar Centre has recently been taken over by Liam and Amy Jones, and already the new venture is helping attract people to Derrygonnelly from as far away as California.
The Jones family will be leasing the building from the Derrygonnelly and District Community Partnership, who developed the site originally before it was taken over and run by the Field Studies Council (FSC) for around 15 years, who mainly let it out to school groups rather than the general public.
“Because of cuts to education and so on, it wasn’t being used enough, and the FSC handed it back to the community association,” explained Liam. “It was a valuable resource in the Derrygonnelly area and it needed to be utilised. So, rather than see it close down, as a member of the community I thought it would be a shame not to give it a try.”
Liam and Amy will be running the residential side of the complex, which can sleep up to 60 people, providing budget-friendly B&B, with en-suite rooms and a licensed bar. They also have a restaurant, which is currently open for lunch five days a week. Liam said they hoped to extend the opening hours as the business grows.
Earlier this year a new charity coffee shop was opened in Tir Navar by Graham Kent, Clinking Cups, which is a venture from local support group ‘We Go Together’ which helps cancer patients others suffering from serious illnesses. Liam said they would be working closely with Graham and the rest of the community.
“Because Derrygonnelly is not a real vein going through to another town, it’s very difficult for anything to survive in it really,” said Liam. “But we’re optimistic out here. We have Lough Navar forest, Knockmore Mountain, and beautiful scenery that will attract people. We feel like if there were some sort of facilities, like a coffee shop and small restaurant, that we’d attract people.”
In fact, former-baker Liam revealed Tir Navar had already taken a booking from the US, with 60 Californians who are attending a conference in Belfast taking a trip to Derrygonnelly for a week next summer.
Liam has also been pitching the accommodation to Lakeland Tourism, the Wild Atlantic Way, and Waterways Ireland, all of whom he said were enthusiastic. He added he had also been speaking with interested walking groups, cycling groups, bible study groups, schools, and so on, and plans to open all year around, even hosting Christmas parties were revellers can sleep over.
“The worst think would be to think we didn’t try these things,” he said. To sit back and not try it is a worse scenario rather than trying it and maybe fail. Things are slow right now, but we’re optimistic things will grow, that will get Derrygonnelly on the map.”
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