Fact Find and Study Trip to Knockatallon and Clones

CACD and members from across Co Armagh visited to Knockatallon and Clones Co Monaghan on Saturday 2nd April.

They arrived at the Sliabh Beagh Community Hotel and Tourism Centre which is run by Knockatallon Community Development Association where they met with Angela Graham (Development Officer) and members of Breifne In Transition Inter Faith Group. Mary Mullen (Development Officer Knockatallon CDA) spoke about how the funding for this centre was sourced and the challenges in running a community project of this nature. Will Glendinning delivered an educational presentation on Flags, Emblems and Memorials. This was very thought provoking and generated much discussion.

After lunch both groups journeyed to Clones. Firstly visiting the Cassandra Hand Centre where they met with members of Clones Community Forum  Cassandra Hand was the wife of the Rev Thomas Hand who worked tirelessly to relieve suffering in the famine. She raised enough money to build a beautiful gothic style school for infants and girls in 1859. The building which has been fully restored is owned by the Church of Ireland and leased to Clones Community Forum as a heritage centre. This was followed by a short guided tour of the town’s heritage sights including the Church of Ireland  building.