An island community has succeeded in its campaign to build a state-of-the-art childcare centre.
The Suantraí Childcare Centre on Achill Island has opened its doors in the grounds of a former national school overlooking Keel Bay and the Minaun Cliffs.
Suantraí means traditional Irish lullaby, and grew from the Keel Community Playgroup which began in 1984 in a rented kitchen of Crumpaun old national school.
Due to restrictions on space and increased demand, waiting lists grew, and a campaign started to build a dedicated building.
In 2000, the Keel playgroup committee applied for funding for an integrated childcare centre under the National Development Plan 2000-2006.
Various committees, playgroup leaders and local community efforts raised funds to build the new centre. Funding also came from the Western Health Board and FÁS.
Mr Terence Dever, manager of Comhlacht Forbatha Aitiúil Acla development company, that contributed to funding for the centre, said: "Early childhood education is a very important object of the local development social inclusion programme, and having a facility like this in our area complements the work of the programme."
The new facility offers a full and part-time creche for toddlers, a full and part-time pre-school playgroup service for 30 children and an arts and crafts summer camp.
This is the first year of the summer camp, and it will be available for local children and visitors.
According to Ms Louise Doyle, manager of the creche, a lot of people put time and effort into seeing the project come to fruition. "I'd like to think we've set a good example. The children deserve the best." ...
Ms Marjorie O' Malley, a parent and member of the playgroup committee which secured funding, said: "We're thrilled. We got everything we looked for and more. It was all-consuming but it was worth it."
A local contractor constructed the building. There are three main rooms for the pre-school children, the creche and the summer camp. The centre has a fully-equipped kitchen, toilets, showers and an office.
Modern slides, tunnels and bridges decorate the playground, and there is a grassed area with picnic tables.
A daily bus service is also provided for the playgroup children at a subsidised rate, and is operated under the Rural Transport Initiative Scheme.