Conamara centre turns to crowdfunding for a lifeline

The Conamara Environmental Education & Cultural Centre (CEECC) in Letterfrack has played a major role in Galway’s cultural and environmental life for over 30 years.

Ever year, it hosts a series of cultural and educational events, starting with Bog Week in May and June, followed by the Conamara Summer School in July, Conamara Sea Week in October, and culminating in the Mol an Oige concert in December. The concert is the most recent addition to the CEECC calendar, and showcases the best of young talent throughout Connemara.

However, after 30 years, the CEECC is in a precarious position – its Arts Council grant has been cut as a result of the recession, while its other main funding body, LEADER will be out of action until the end of the year.  In a bid to raise the money necessary to finance its Bog and Sea Week Festivals,  the CEECC has turned to the Fundit website, and has set itself a target of €12,000.

The Bog Week and Sea Week festivals have many aspects – a family fun day with great food and music, pub gigs, concerts in the Kylemore Abbey, an art exhibition in Connemara National Park, a vibrant schools programme, demonstrations and workshops, and guided daily treks across the landscape/seascape. Some of Ireland’s finest poets, painters, musicians and scientists come to Letterfrack for the festivals to “rub shoulders and make magic,” according to Leo Hallissey of CEECC, who says the ‘After the Light’ parade during October’s Sea Week is an example of that magic.

“It’s a spectacular family night time event involving hundreds of people.”

Most of the events during Bog and Sea Weeks are free and that’s how CEECC wants to keep it.

“But due to the lack of funding we will have to either downsize the festivals or not run them at all, so we are looking for people’s help with our Crowd Funding Campaign,” Leo explains.

The CEECC is offering a variety of rewards, depending on people’s contributions – these include CDs from past festivals; a week’s holiday in a Connemara Cottage; one-to-one tuition with some of Ireland’s best musicians; a private concert with Seán Tyrrell; and a guided shore walk for eight people with a top marine biologist for eight people.

Check out fundit.ie/project/conamara-bog–sea-week-festivals