Credit Union spreads wings

A new branch of St Columba’s Credit Union was officially opened at Galway Shopping Centre on Monday by Mayor of Galway, Councillor Donal Lyons.

The new office provides a full range of savings and loans products to its existing members and to new members from the Tirellan, Sandyvale, Crestwood, Ballinfoyle, Menlo and Castlegar areas of the city.

St Columba’s Credit Union has operated successfully since 1963. The credit union is one of the most successful and respected credit unions in Ireland and has grown consistently since its foundation.

It will now serve 27,000 members from its offices in Mervue, Renmore, Oranmore, and 24 Eyre Square. The addition of the new branch will be welcomed by members in the Tirellan and Ballinfoyle areas of the city.

St Columba’s Credit Union offers a wide range of services to members including savings, loans and insurance products. “We see the opening of the new office as a signal of confidence by the Credit Union for the future.

“We will, over the coming years, be expanding the range of services that we offer to our members. This coming year we will be joining the CUSOP scheme which will allow us to provide electronic payment services to our members,” says Padraig O’Callaghan, chairman of St Columba’s.

“This service will allow our members have payments paid directly from a bank, employer or social welfare directly into their credit union account by electronic transfer.”

Mr O’Callaghan said they had been conscious for some time that there was a need to provide a suitable branch in the Tirellan and Ballinfoyle area which has an overall population in excess of six thousand.

“We are delighted to have secured a suitable premises at Galway Shopping Centre which will cater for our membership in the area,” said  St Columba’s CEO Eileen Dunleavy.

The Shopping Centre office is open for business from Tuesdays to Saturdays inclusive.

St Columba’s was founded in 1963 making it the first Credit Union in Galway City. It also has branches at Mervue, Oranmore, and 24 Eyre Square.