By Eoghan O’Boyle
EVERY community, large or small, is driven by the sacrifices made by caring, dedicated and hardworking volunteers who, without pay, give their time and resources in a bid to improve the area that they live in, and Muff village is no exception.
This small village is filled with volunteers eager to make an impact on their community and one of these volunteers is the well-known Mura McLaughlin, who, for more than two decades has worked tirelessly to give the village and its residents what they need.
Mura’s involvement in Muff’s development is far-reaching, having volunteered for many years, Mura became the manager of the Muff Community Development Co-operative (MCDC) in a position he himself created.
Mura revealed that he had been a volunteer for the organisation for nine years and when the opportunity came available to create a permanent position via the Social Economy Programme, it took the organisation from “five miles an hour to 45 miles an hour in terms of the goals we were trying to achieve.”
Reflecting on how things have changed since he first arrived in the village in 1981, Mura said: “I always noticed a very strong community spirit.”
“There were always about 20 or 30 organisations who were active, they were meeting in a community hall which was pretty run down at the time and in kitchens and private houses.”
Mura’s proudest achievement was the ability to harness the enthusiasm, skills and willingness of the local residents.
These harnessed abilities allowed the MCDC to rent Saint Mary’s Hall beside the Sacred Heart Church in Muff, which has proved to be a corner stone of community life.
The hall hosts events that span from speech and drama performances to Red Cross and community meetings.
But throughout his decades of dedication to his community, Mura said the simple moments where what gave him the most satisfaction.
“If someone came through the door and they had a request and it might not be a difficult request but if I was fit to either assist them or point them in the right direction or provide the service directly that probably gave me more kickback than any grand achievement.”
Although Mura has made the decision to step back from his official role, he clarified that this is not a retirement, but rather a “change of direction”.
His commitment to volunteering will continue and he will remain a vital part of the fabric of the community for the years to come.
