Our Story
Our Story
From originally serving as a creche and naionra, the building has undergone quite a transformation over the years, adapting to the changing needs of the community and utilizing its space effectively.
It now houses a heritage center that has been open for 17 years, It showcases items that John Baba Jack's has gathered of artefacts that he has gathers through the years from 1916 war collections to old shop items, These all can be seen in the Ionad Oidhreachta.
John Baba Jack is passionate local historian, preserving the history and culture of rural Ireland through his collection of artefacts are available to be seen in Ionad Oidhreachta Leitir Mealláin. His diverse collection, ranging from household items to grocery items, old war items, and pictures of local people, provides valuable insights into the daily lives, traditions, and events of the community throughout history.
A visitor centre offering a seaweed-themed immersive experience from seaweed harvesting along the shore to seaweed baths. The Seaweed Centre also has a seaweed interpretation for educational purposes, a shop and a café selling seaweed products. The Seaweed Centre is a sanctuary with a relaxing calm atmosphere, soft music and lighting and a central art piece inspired by seaweed.
Comharchumann
Comhar Chuigéal Teo (also referred to as The Comharchumann) is a community Development organisation based in Leitir Mealláin, on the south-west coast of County Galway, Ireland.
Comhar Chuigéal was established in 1999 to promote the social, economic and cultural life of the area, to develop cultural tourism projects and to assist the development of specific groups in the community, including young people, the elderly and the unemployed. The Comharchumann provides the local population with a wide range of services and facilities including: community hall, offices/meeting rooms for rent, café, computer room, recycling banks, playground, further education courses and classes. With a particular focus on protecting the environment in Ceantar na nOileáin, the organisation actively collaborates with the private sector to promote community projects that are fitting and appropriate to the area.
The Comharchumann has developed a number of tourism experiences in Leitir Mealláin including: a tourist information point, Ionad Oidhreacht (a heritage centre - which successfully attracted Fáilte Ireland funding for enhanced visitor interpretation) and Ionad na Feamaine (a seaweed centre - to include visitor interpretation, seaweed baths and treatments).
The Comharchumann delivers water sports activities to children of primary school-going age at Campaí Samhraidh(summer camps) and to post-primary school-going teenagers at Coláistí Samhraidh (Irish language colleges) operating in the local area (Spleodar, Coláiste na nOileán and Coláiste Cholumba).
