History of Youthreach Kiltimagh

Our centre opened its doors for the first time on October 2nd 1995. On that day we had eight students in our centre. Our CEO at the time, Joe Langan RIP, welcomed the students to the centre and wished them the best in their future studies. Also present at the time was Mr. Jackie Foley RIP, from FÁS who, at the time were running the course in partnership with Mayo VEC. That has now changed with Youthreach being run solely by the Mayo VEC under the Department of Education and Science. A lot has happened since that day on Monday October 2nd. What we are going to do here is share with you many of the happenings over those last thirteen years.

Our Building
The present Youthreach centre used to be an old vocational school. When Youthreach started, the building had been idle for two years ( apart from its woodwork room and metalwork room of which the secondary school still used ). Conor O’Reilly was appointed Co-ordinator to the centre in June 1995. With the help of the newly appointed caretaker Tony Kelly and the woodwork tutor Peter Flanagan, the work commenced to get the building in some sort of shape. The rooms in use that year were the Woodwork Room, Home Economics Room, English Room and the Computer Room. Our building today would not be recognisable internally from that first year. We know have a modern kitchen, art room, metalwork room, hairdressing room, English room. I.T. room, games room, car mechanics shed, a reception area and a staff room. Our building has been painted inside and outside and there is now great colour in the centre. We have also decorated our building with pictures of students from every year and displays of the various art works from the art room. The centre now has an internal phone system along with internal and external cameras.

Staff and Students

In 1995 our staff included Conor O’Reilly Co-ordinator and Maths Tutor, Peter Flanagan Woodwork Tutor, Patricia Gibbons English Tutor, Eilis Flood Home Economics Tutor and Tony Kelly Caretaker. In 1996 Bill Walsh our I.T. Tutor joined along with Aine Coyne who replaced Patricia Gibbons as English Tutor. We started an art class with Tony Pilbro the Art Tutor and also Car Mechanics with Tony Burke as the tutor. Our next staff change was in 2000 when Breda Burns replaced Tony Pilbro. Our first administration person was appointed in 1997 to the centre and this was Caroline Goldrick. In 2001 our Guidance Counsellor Eileen O’Dea was appointed. Bernie Rice replaced Carloine as the new secretary. 2003 saw the start of Spanish classes with Shirely Larkin, Fiona Farragher replaced Aine Coyne as the new English tutor and we started our Metalwork/Welding class with Tutor Donald O’Brien. In 2005 we brought Hairdressing onto the course. Our Hairdressing Tutor was Ann Bourke who was then replaced in 2006 by Geraldine Doherty Murphy. Bill Flynn became our new I.T. Tutor replacing Bill Walsh. In 2006 Bernie Rice left and was replaced by Amanda O’Donnell who in time was replaced by Tracey Thomas in 2008. Jacinta Scott started in 2008 as the new Maths and Business Tutor. Eilis Flood retired as Home Economics Tutor in 2008 and was replaced by Cathy Doherty. We have a work experience programme co-ordinated by Peter Flanagan, this has grown over the years with the help of local employers.