Between 1979 and 1986 Connemara West assisted various small privately owned craft workshops to establish units in the Connemara West Centre in Letterfrack.  In December 1980, Serge Renouard began production in a leather workshop.  Other workshops that were cosnidered  or established during this period included John Mongan Fireplaces,  John Mortimer Ironworks,  Diane Conneely Fashions,  Gunnar Schweizer Pewter, Roger Walker Pottery,  Patricia Jacques ceramics,  Barbara Coyne and Margaret Heanue Soft Toys [...]

Much of the effort in the five years after the purchase of the Industrial school in Letterfrack by Connemara West was spent in renovation work, painting, heating, wiring and plumbing.  Connemara West opened it's first office in 1980 and also sought to provide space for other community based groups and networks, workshops, local employment and education.  Early in 1982 as a result of local research, a proposal was submitted to [...]

In the early days of the Connemara West Centre, various discussions were held regarding the potential uses of the Centre.  Advice was sought from many agencies included the Irish Productivity Centre, the I.D.A. and Kilkenny Design.  There was a range of various ideas considered from a small light industry in the hall, or using it as a storage space for a co-op, hosting a spinning and weaving industry, using the [...]

From  an  article  in  the Connacht Tribune, 14 November 1975 the plans for the old industrial school in Letterfrack are mentioned   "An old industrial school closed down now for over twelve months may become the centre of new hope of people living in the Letterfrack, Leenane, Kylemore, Ballinakill and Tullycross areas of Connemara.   Local people plan to turn the school into the headquarters for a co-operative which would set up [...]

On the first of April, 2022 GMIT amalgamated with IT Sligo and Letterfrack IT to become the Atlantic Technological University (ATU).  Making GMIT Letterfrack now ATU  Connemara, the  most westerly university campus  in Europe. To mark the final ever awards as GMIT; Honorary Fellowships were conferred on  five outstanding individuals marking their vast contribution to and success in business, education, public service and sport and one of those recipients was  [...]

Mr. Sean Smyth, Special Projects Officer, Mayo County Development Team (left) presented the award for the Best Tourism Project by a Voluntary Community Effort to Mr. Michael O'Neill, Secretary Connemara West Ltd at the 'Cleaner Community Campaign' function in the Sacre Coeur Hotel, Salthill. Also in the photograph is Mr Paddy Coyne, Director, Connemara West Ltd. Image and caption from The Connacht Tribune, Friday December 5, 1980.

As a nod to National Tree Week and with assistance from Jeff Coon, Aquinas Tullycross 1987 and Ron and Miriam Pederson, Aquinas College Professors for the Ireland Program in Tullycross in 1992, 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2009.  We are now sharing two photos and all the students have been named by Miriam and Ron Pederson.  The tree planting was a tradition of several years when Aquinas selected and planted a [...]

"The programme of self help which began in Renvyle within the past five years is a model and an inspiration for any community in the West of Ireland...It was the drive, initiative and most of all the real regard for development through community enterprise of Connemara West Ltd which prompted my company  to respond immediately to the development group's request or assistance in establishing a cottage scheme in Renvyle.  Because [...]

In 'Patchwork of Dreams 50 years of Community Development in the Parish of Ballinakill,  there is a photograph of the men who helped to build the Marian Hall in Tullycross with  an extract from the Connacht Tribune from May 1958 about the opening of the Marian Hall.  This wonderful 'do-it-yourself' attitude has been the inspiration for  many of the local community development organisations in our including Connemara West.   We are [...]