Community loan for Ballycallan Community Hall

The people of Ballycallan, Co Kilkenny had a vision for their community. They wanted to bring the old school, which was built in 1848 back to into the service of the community.

The floor, stage and storage area in the hall all needed refurbishment. An effective sound system and projector were needed, and the floor required insulation.

They applied for and secured grant funding under the Rural Development Programme from Kilkenny LEADER Partnership along with another grant from the SEAI to help insulate the building.

Although they had some funds of their own to put with the grants, they needed a little bit more to cover the costs of the refurbishment, so they approached Clann Credo for a small term loan. When Clann Credo saw that the hall’s regular users included the Young Days Pre-School, a Speech and Drama group, Athletics Club, Yoga classes as well as local branches of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and Foróige, it knew that there was real community dividend to be secured.

Because the contractors had to be paid before the grants could be paid out, the group also needed a bridging loan to be able to access the grant.

BK Ballycallan Community Development Association were able to show that the loans could be repaid, Clann Credo approved the loans and the funds were released.

The school has been returned to the service of the community over 170 years since it first opened its doors and is now also a space for after school study, a youth café and a Badminton club.