Threat to future of YouTube sensation Irish college

The closure of only one Irish summer college in the Conamara Gaeltacht could equate to a loss of almost €5 million to the local community.

There is a threat over the viability of Coláiste Lurgan in Inverin which has put thousands of young students through its hands in the past forty years and in recent years almost 2,000 each summer.

The stark warning was addressed at a recent public meeting where Coláiste Lurgan’s operator, Micheál Ó Foighil, outlined the implications to the college and the community if the facility had to close.

If the college were to close — it covers an eight to ten mile radius catchment area from An Spideál to Tully in Inverin — it would put the local mná tí (the women who accommodate the students) out of business and affect the local economy, everything from groceries to transport services, not to mention the end of seasonal college work for student teachers.

Though Coláiste Lurgan was established by Mr Ó Foighil’s father, the late Senator Pól Bainín Ó Foighil in 1966 with the intention of holding Irish language courses for second level students from all over Ireland but Údarás na Gaeltachta (the Gaeltacht Authority) now owns the premises in An Cnóc, Inverin for which they get paid €30,000 a year by the college. The premises was bought by the local co-op, Comharchumann Chois Fharraige but they sold it to Údarás, then known as Gaeltarra Éireann, in 1983 when the co-op stopped trading.

However, there’s a health and safety issue over the building and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht have contacted Údarás asking if the college was lawfully compliant with planning laws as a result.

The Department issue grants via subsidies to the mná tí but this assistance could be threatened if the building is not compliant.

The local youth club also use the premises on a weekly basis during the school year and they too may no longer have a ‘home’.

Údarás wrote to the college management telling them that the building badly needed to be modernised as it had not been brought up to contemporary regulatory building standards. This, they said, would involve serious investment.

Mr Ó Foighil said there were serious implications involved but that it was a complex issue and one that would not be resolved simply.

He said he believed it wouldn’t be worth refurbishing the building and that a new one should be built.

He has written to the Minister for the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphries about the situation and he has asked for a meeting between the local co-op, Cumann Forbartha Chois Fharraige, who also use the premises, the Department, Údarás and himself as head of Coláiste Lurgan, the main users of the premises.

“We need to fix a temporary solution to the situation in time for next year’s summer term as well as exploring a long-term solution to secure the industry of Irish colleges in the area,” he said.

It is estimated that the closure of this one college could mean a loss of up to €5million to the local economy.

Coláiste Lurgan has achieved national recognition not only as a successful Irish college but in recent years has hit the pop charts with Irish language versions of popular songs. Not only were the songs recorded by the students but filmed, which have become YouTube sensations.

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