Broomfield Aghnafarcon Development Company Ltd. was established about 12 years ago to protect and care for the elderly in the area. A survey of the needs of the elderly was carried out. Following this and with the help of the Gardai, Community Alert was established and about 30 elderly individuals were provided with self-monitoring units.

In order to keep the elderly in their own community, in a safe, secure and comfortable environment, the development company, through fund raising, built 6 two-bedroom houses and a community room. These services and facilities are maintained by the development group and every fortnight they organise a bus to collect the elderly of the community to meet in the community room for a chat and have a meal. The development group also aim to make their community an attractive and safe place to live and have been involved in cleaning-up the area, providing litter bins, community lighting, footpaths and tree planting. We continue to keep grass, hedges, footpaths and the general area tidy on an ongoing basis.

In 2002 an application was made to FAS through Broomfield Aghnafarcon Development Company Ltd. for Social Economy funding to provide a restaurant / community centre.  This application was successful and An Eaglais became a Social Economy Project receiving funding from FAS.

An Eaglais is located in an 1841 Presbyterian Church which had not been used since 1973 and had fallen into serious state of decay. Because of the church’s historical and multi-denominational heritage, the development company with the community, got together to save it from demolition. Several years of fund-raising and grant applications followed and the church was renovated in stages. The windows were replaced and the roof repaired. Underground heating was installed and a U-shaped balcony was added to the gallery area. The original wall area behind the pulpit was preserved and as much as
 possible of the original church was saved. Stone slabs were laid on the floor to try and 
keep the original feel and look of the church. An extension to the building was added and this extension consists of a kitchen and three toilets (one with wheelchair access/shower facilities) on the ground floor. The first floor has one office, a small meeting room, a toilet and an internal fire escape to ground level.

In the initial period with FAS there was an emphasis on development of economic sustainability and FAS felt that the direction for An Eaglais should be more towards a Restaurant / Craft Shop rather than a Heritage / Tourist Information centre. FAS believed that a restaurant / craft shop was more likely to become economically viable and in their opinion a heritage centre would not attract enough visitors to pay its way. An Eaglais therefore developed a restaurant / craft shop which has been very successful economically. Having had this economic success and with the help of Pobal we can now afford to develop some of the initial aims we had like developing a local heritage centre and a tourist information area.

Since we opened our Doors on the 1st April 2003 the restaurant has developed steadily. At the start the restaurant could only do sandwiches and tea and cakes, and had six tables and 24 chairs borrowed from the local school. The craft shop was stocked from local craft workers on a sale or return basis. The takings for the first day were €3.00 from the Coffee Shop and €33.00 from the Craft Shop. There were 5 staff (all female) and a Manager. All 5 staff were at least 3 years unemployed and over thirty five years of age and none had any experience of shop work.

Over the years any profits and capital grants that could be sourced were reinvested into the centre and the services for the elderly and youth aspects of our development group. Cooking equipment and facilities were invested in as well as tables and chairs and the main floor can now seat 48 people comfortably. A recent investment in a 4 ring gas cooker means that we can now provide a full lunch and hot food like burgers, chicken, Paninis, Breakfast etc.

At the start the first floor was empty and this was where we originally intended to site our heritage and tourist information areas. However because of FAS’s emphasis on commercial sustainability this was used for the sale of antique and reproduction furniture supplied on a sale or return basis by a local source. It was felt by the development group that this would attract browsers / customers who might have something to eat and contribute to the running of the centre. Now because An Eaglais has been well managed and developed commercially we can now afford to develop the first floor as a heritage centre.

The development company that initially applied for this social economy project still works closely with the manager and share the same board of directors. They also still work closely with the manager and staff to help them to organise fund raising activities.  

Aims & Objectives of Broomfield Anaghafarcon Development Group and An Eaglais

To provide community services and provide a facility for:
the senior citizens,
special needs adults,
young  people of the area.
All members of the community
To provide a community facility where members of the community can:
Meet, celebrate and/or relax
Exhibit and learn about their local heritage
Exhibit and buy local arts & crafts
Preserve and use an historic building.
Practice their local youth band.
To provide local sustainable employment for the long-term unemployed.
To provide a well run restaurant and craft shop to help fund these aims.
To reinvest any profits made back into An Eaglais to improve its service to the community.
To develop a local heritage centre.
To develop a local tourist information area.