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 monastery as a Centre to learn English with the students staying with local families. The priorities for the complex were seen as mainly providing space for other community based or oriented groups and networks, workshops, local employment and education. The following were some of the early users of the Centre (1978-1981), part of the basement of the monastery was used as a temporary classroom for Letterfrack National School while the craft committee ran a craftshop and tearoom on the ground floors. The farmer’s coop store run by C.D.S. Teo and Renvyle and Cleggan Fisherman’s Co-Op were situated in the main building. The main buiidling also became the base of the West Connemara Community Action Project, An E.C. Anti-Poverty project which was located in the area between 1976 and 1980, previously in Cleggan and Clifden. As well as renting space the project provided financial assistance for Connemara West to employ it’s first office secretary and open it’s own office in January 1980. Connemara West continued the linkage with the E.U. and in 1986 Connemara West were successful in their application for a four year programme under the second Anti-Poverty programme and in 1990 Connemara West were also successful in an application to the third E.C. Anti Poverty programme which led to the establishment of Forum in June 1990.
