Orange Hall to be hub for cross-community project

CONFLICT and isolation caused by the border has had multiple negative impacts on the lives of people in East Donegal, a public launch has heard.

A new cross-community project in the newly constructed Orange Hall in Newtowncunningham, launched in recent days, will offer a window of opportunity to rebuild some relationships shattered by conflict.

The Newtowncunningham Community Outreach Project is a two-year cross-border, cross-community project funded by International Fund for Ireland.

Dr Adrian Johnston, Chairman of the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) said the project will reopen the doors “inherited sectarianism” had closed.

“This project places an emphasis on opening up new opportunities for participants to engage in dialogue, cultural exploration, training, skills acquisition, education and social economy.

“This project places an emphasis on opening up new opportunities for participants to engage in dialogue, cultural exploration, training, skills acquisition, education and social economy. The More than that, however, inherited sectarianism has closed doors, crippled the self-confidence of minorities, and poisoned perceptions.

“This project offers a window of opportunity to rebuild some of the relationships shattered by the conflict and I have no doubt will leave a lasting positive legacy for the participants themselves and for their wider communities.

The community of Newtowncunningham and beyond suffered in recent times following an arson attack on the Orange Hall in 2014. Project Coordinator, Stewart McClean, believes this new project will help those who have suffered.

“As a community over the last years we have suffered in silence because of the wider picture. Through this opportunity, we as the minority are reaching out to wider community to break down barriers that have arisen and to provide additional skills to those who most need it.”

The outreach project will use the Orange Hall as a hub of training, education and skills development for all members of the community aimed at building an inclusive model of engagement between traditions and minority communities.

The project will consist of three main strands: Core group work which will focus on working with up to 100 local people per year, providing them with accredited training and employability skills programmes such as personal development, IT and presentation skills; cultural and educational activities and social and recreational activities.

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