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Brockagh Resource Centre
 

   Welcome to Brockagh Resource Centre

Stay with us and read how the dream of our community became a reality.

The Beginning

Some years ago a questionnaire was sent to all the people of Laragh asking them what they wanted in their area.

Most people wanted a new hall that could be used for many different things. It was decided to build a multipurpose hall.

We had a hall in Laragh already but it was in very poor condition.

Mr. Noel Quinn is a local architect and he was asked to draw plans.

He came into our class and told us all about the work that he did.

By Laura
He had to draw 77 plans altogether. He drew his first plan of the centre in 1994 and he finished his drawings and was ready to look for planning permission in1998.

He visited many other centres to get ideas. He started by drawing the hall and then drew small units around it. He felt that these units would be needed to get money to keep the hall running.                                                   Willie
Before work began on the building a quantity surveyor was brought in to say how much the building would cost. He told the committee how many blocks, slates, etc. they would need and how much the whole thing would cost.

                                                                         Tyrone

The Car park

The car park was the first thing to be built. It took three months to complete. It was built first because the committee got money first specially to make a car park.

                                                                                       Sarah

First the site had to be cleared.

There was alot of water on it and this had to be drained off.

Then the foundations were put in.

Some blocks were laid up to the subfloor.

Drainage pipes were put in and sand was packed tightly over them. A machine was used to do this. Concrete was put in on top of the packed sand.                       Ciara

 Picture by Ross

Picture by Kevin
Once the cement was hard the workers started to build up the walls. Blocks were laid and sometimes four men worked together all day long to try to get the job finished. Some of the builders came from Romania.

After the blocks were finished the roof was next. First the rafters were put on and some steel beams were put in for support.

The structural engineer made sure that the building was well done and that the centre would be safe.

                                                                                       Samantha

Money!             

     Money!          

Money!

The Resource Centre cost alot of money. Where did this money come from?

Many people in our community donated money and helped to raise money.

Different groups raised money also.

The Glendalough and District Development Association (G.D.D.A.) raised alot of money.

Money also came from Wicklow County Council, the Lottery, the bank, Leader and  Wicklow Rural Development.

The old hall was sold too and it raised some money to help build the new centre.

The committee got an unexpected 'windfall' when the crew of 'Reign of Fire' asked if they could use the hall as a base when they were making their film. This brought in a good lot of money. The centre  is still not paid for and the committee is still busy trying to raise enough to pay off the debt.               

 

Big Day for Laragh

The people of Laragh and Glendalough were very proud on the 27 September 2001, when An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern officially opened our Resource Centre.

My name is Emma. I was at the opening of the centre this year and had the privilege of shaking the hand of An Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern.

This is a plaque on the wall of the centre and it reads: 

Brockagh Resource Centre officially opened by

An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern T.D. 

on September 27th 2001.

Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine.

Many people helped in many different ways to get the centre built.

Patrick Casey was the project manager. His job was to make sure that everything was 'running smoothly'. He had to attend a lot of meetings every week.

He came into our class to talk about his work. He said that he saw his first movie in the old hall.

He said that the most important thing now is that we make good use of the hall and that we all become involved in community activities.

The accountant also was busy during the building of the centre. He had to look after the money.

The solicitor made sure that the contract  was signed properly.

                                                                                       Megan

Uses of the Centre

In 2001 our school became too crowded so Second, Third and Fourth Class moved into one of the rooms in the centre. It has been great down there because if it is raining on P.E. day we can do it in the hall. 

Sarah             

My name is Megan. I am in Fourth Class. I am very lucky because my classroom is in the new Resource Centre. Recently, Pierce Brosnan called in to see us in the Centre. He was very impressed! We all got our photograph taken with him.                 

We use the centre for rugby and football when it is raining during school time.

We saw a drama in the centre a few weeks ago. All of the school got to watch it together. It was great  because we have no hall in our school. Usually we all have to cram into one classroom if we want to come together and it gets very stuffy.                                              

                                                                                       Tyrone

We enjoy an hour of fun on Wednesday nights learning 

football skills.      Emma K.

My brother goes to badminton in the centre. I like the

 resource centre very much and I would like to stay 

there until I'm finished in Scoil Chaoimhín Naofa.

                                                                                       Samantha

Our Hopes

I hope there will be a gymnastic club in the centre.                                     Emma F.

I hope that there will be basketball for children.                                            Steve

I would love to see a youth club in the centre.                                              John B.

We all hope that the centre will be put to good use and that it will give us something to do and somewhere to go,   

 

Sarah's picture of the centre.

The Brockagh Resource Centre

The Brockagh Resource Centre,

Opened a short while ago,

And luckily for St. Kevin's N.S.,

Because we had nowhere to go.

We wanted a new classroom,

For three classes that were in need,

The Brockagh Resource Centre gave to us,

We are grateful indeed.

 

Along with giving us our classroom,

It gives to the community too,

A hall, a stage and so much more,

Brockagh Resource Centre we thank you.

                                                                                      

In The Resource Centre

I work in the classroom,

From morning to evening,

I play football in the hall,

And we all run after the ball.

At break I play in the yard,

And run really hard.

We play game after game,

Although they're basically all the same!

So very many things to do,

I hope you enjoy my Resource Centre too.

                                                                                       Kevin aged 9

Thank You

We thank these very hard working people who 

have got this Resource Centre together and hope 

to have many years of enjoyment in it in the future.

                                                                                       Emma K     

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This is only the beginning.  

        The rest is up to us!