By Gerard Gallen

It was a welcome story of community spirit working in unison with the HSE as Tanaiste Mary Coughlan opened the new Primary Care and Day Centre in front of a large crowd at a sun drenched Cloghan last Friday evening.
A number of public representatives, including TDs Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher and Dinny McGinley, Senator Pearse Doherty and local councillors as well as representatives of Udaras na Galetachta, Pobal and the HSE were in attendance to herald a new dawn in health care in the Cloghan area.
Speaking at the official opening, Dr John Sheerin described the event as “a dream come true” and something he thought he “would never live to see.”
Homage was also paid to the local community by a number of speakers, including HSE Manager, John Hayes and Centre Manager John Gallagher, for the funding of €180,000 - around 12% of total cost being from the local community. They described the centre as something the people of Glenfin should be proud of. Tributes were also paid to volunteers at the new centre.
My Hayes stated that the unique venture between the local community, general practitioners and the local HSE and other state agencies was “a superb example” of what could be achieved. Credit and thanks was also extended to those involved with the construction, including local contractors McDermott and Trearty.
A total of €367,000 in funding was received from Pobal and Udaras na Gaeltachta for the development which cost in the region of €1.3m.
The Tanaiste was later given a tour of the centre and its new facilities while also viewing an exhibition of 20 photographs by local photographer, Ann McMenamin, which adorn the walls showing faces of past and present residents of the area in a poignant and fitting display for the new centre.