Registration for the Mountrath School of Music and School of Grinds is Wednesday 15th at 4pm in the BloomHQ canteen. Share with family and friends who are interested.
School of Music
Annual Golf Classic 2021
In 2015 Mountrath Community Forum was established to serve the people of the Mountrath district and surrounding areas. The main aim was to promote the business and cultural life of the locality by working in partnership with existing groups and to act as an advocate in identifying and accessing funding for specific projects. Through collaboration with the Síol Foundation the community group works to further the cultural, environmental and business life of the area by facilitating the exchange of ideas and experiences.
Through the development of the BloomHQ project, the Mountrath Martial Arts & Fitness Academy and Community hub, the project works closely with community members to host community programmes like the School of Music, School of Grinds, an upcoming TechSpace Maker space and further education like adult digital literacy programmes and community care.
The project is wholly community-led and not funded through any state funding, therefore we rely solely on funds generated through our BloomHQ Digital Coworking Enterprise Hub.
BloomHQ is a social enterprise that funds the running costs of the project, employment of 5 staff, and the implementation of free to use basketball courts, tennis courts, town flower basket programme, and subsidised training courses. All funds generated through fundraising like our Golf Fundraiser all goes towards to further development of the project to allow us to hire more staff locally, develop more community education programmes, subsidise student grinds programmes, and the supply of equipment and space for coffee mornings for local retirees, and the establishment of sports programmes for Inclusive sports.
Easter Market
***OUTDOOR EASTER MARKET ***
Come along to get your Easter Sunday goodies at Mountrath. To ensure lots of safe social distancing our Easter Market will be held in the grounds of BloomHQ ( the Convent) on Saturday 3rd of April 11 am until 1,30pm. We look forward to seeing you all there.
Christmas Market
Annual Golf Classic Raffle
We may have had to postpone our Annual Golf Classic but we still have our raffle prizes with thanks to so many local suppliers and businesses in the community. If you are a local business and would like to donate to our raffle which is not taking place until our Golf Classic when the new date is confirmed or October 1st whichever comes first, get in touch we'd love to hear from you. This year has been really tough on so many businesses, so we really do appreciate you all donating prizes for such a great community cause. The funds raised in our raffles and fundraising events like the golf Classic all go towards things like the community tennis courts and basketball courts that are there for absolutely everyone in Mountrath and beyond to use free of charge, so thank you from us all here at the Mountrath Community Forum.
Here is a list of just some of the prizes donated so far for the raffle and the list is growing daily so we will update it each week before the draw takes place:
*€100 Voucher for dinner and drinks at Bar Rua, Dublin.
*Over Night Stay at Roundwood House, Mountrath, Co. Laois
*Dinner for 2 at Brilliant Royal Chinese Restaurant, Mountrath
*Overnight stay at the Clarendon Suites, Dublin.
*Rua Research Voucher €100 worth of Family History Research
*Coffee Hamper from the Good Bean Coffee Roastery
*A Bottle of Power's Whiskey
*A Bottle of Hennesseys Cognac
*Case of Brú Beer
*Wine Hampers
*Tea Hampers
*Old School Sweet Hampers
*Fruit Hampers from Rose Cottage Fruit Farm
As with all things this year, we have had to change how we promote our raffle with social distancing in mind. This is why we have brought it online. If you would like to buy raffle tickets get in touch with us at the details on the poster below.
Annual Golf Classic
Our Annual Golf Fundraiser is back. Get a team together for Friday October 2nd for a bit of fun all while supporting a fantastic community project. We have prizes for non-golfers on the day too. If you can't get a team together, we would love it if you could support in any way you can through sponsorship, sponsoring a green, box or tee, or donating a prize. We look forward to seeing you all in August
Mountrath Foróige Club
Mountrath Foróige was formed in 2016 and currently have 14 members ranging from 12 - 18 years old and 5 leaders. Currently we are the largest club in the Leinster area.
Foróige is an Irish organisation whose purpose is "to enable young people to involve themselves consciously and actively in their development and in the development of society". Macra na Tuaithe, the youth branch of Macra na Feirme, was formed on 14 March 1952.
Foróige is Ireland’s leading, most successful youth organisation.
This purpose challenges and supports young people to involve themselves in:
· Developing their character and talents
· Thinking for themselves, reflecting on their actions and taking responsibility
· Having fun and making friends
· Building positive and helpful relationships
· Acquiring knowledge and skills for life
· Improving the community
Foróige clubs are run by the members, in co-operation with adult leaders. So, the activities of each club vary depending on the interests of the members and, often, the expertise of the leaders.
Foróige also provides a wide variety of programmes, including citizenship programmes that encourage young people to play an active role in their community to make it a better place and leadership programmes to nurture innate leadership qualities and capabilities.
Christmas 2017, Mountrath Foróige volunteered with team hope learning all about the sorting of shoe boxes and what happens once a shoe box is sealed up and ready to be sent.
Christmas 2018 we arranged to buy Christmas presents for the direct provisional centre ensuring that each child had something to look forward to on Christmas morning.
The Foróige club structure ensures that young people have ownership of their club. The members elect their own club committee (chairperson, secretary, public relations officer and treasurer) who control and manage the affairs of the club in consultation with members and leaders.
This gives the members a chance to experience democracy first hand. Members take responsibility for their actions and feel a strong sense of belonging, not only to their club but also to their community.
The Mountrath Foróige Club meets once a week for 1 ½ - 2 hours. At times throughout the year, we tend to meet more often if we are working on a project or planning an event.
If you wish to become a member of Mountrath Foróige or volunteer as a leader please contact Samantha on 085 1028837 or find us on Facebook; @mountrathforoige.
Champagne Golf Scramble Fundraiser
Our passion here at the Mountrath Community Forum is to further the cultural, environmental and business life of the area for the benefit of the Community. One of our many ongoing projects is the re-development of the Brigidine Convent.
We want to create a space where the clubs, groups and societies of the district can grow, develop and expand, we want to support and encourage new business, we want to generate an energy that will light a spark the whole community can be inspired by.
We hope these lofty aims will begin with the creation of a community hub, an enterprise hub, a training and development centre, a martial arts studio and an expanded school of music. While it is a huge task, we believe it can be all achieved by taking steps to take action.
Think Big – Start Small – Learn Fast
As with any enormous and extensive plan, the hard work and passion of volunteers can only get us so far. We need financial support to underpin the changes we want to make. We are running the first of our fundraisers a 4 Person Champagne Golf Scramble in August. Everyone is welcome, golfers, novices and non-golfers – we have prizes for all comers.
We are asking for the support of the community, there are many ways to contribute to the success of this venture:
· Enter a team
· Sponsor a team
· Sponsor a Tee Box
· Sponsor a Green
· Donate a Prize
· Tell everyone you know about it and then tell them again
· Like and Share the Facebook post
Every little helps - A giant waterfall begins with just one drop of water
Our inaugural 2018 Golf Classic will be held on 24th August in the Mountrath Golf Club. It will be a great day out for family and friends. We hope to celebrate wins and commiserate losses, bring new and old friends together, have fun and laughter throughout the day together all the while generating much needed funds to continue developing our community.
Help our community move in the right direction for all of us by contributing whatever you can. The steps you take don't need to be big; they just need to take us in the right direction.
Contact us if you are interested in sponsorship and/or registration:
Facebook: @mountrathcommunityforum
Email: info@mountrath.ie
In person: talk to any member of the Forum committee
Split the Pot
Split the Pot is a collaborative fundraising initiative between St. Fintan’s National School and Mountrath Community Forum.
The Split the Pot boxes are located all around the town in most shops and pubs.
All you need to do is place €2 in the envelope, write your name and contact phone number on it and post it into the box.
Each Tuesday the first, second and third place winners are drawn at random from all the entries.
Your €2 contributes to education, culture, activity and development of your community. For each €2 entry, €1 is for the winners, 50c is for the school and 50c is for the Forum.
With this funding St. Fintan’s have been able to purchase much needed books and materials.
Their paint the playground project has led to the return of playground hopscotch, snakes & ladders and much more thanks to all the colourful yard artwork.
We have financially supported various local clubs and groups, been able to undertake various projects and provide seed funding for groups throughout the Community to revitalise the area.
Thank you for supporting “Split the Pot” and we are delighted for this opportunity to tell you where your money goes.
By supporting this initiative you are supporting the community as whole.
Try your luck, it could be you!
Mountrath Youth Theatre
Mountrath Youth Theatre (MYT) sponsored by the Mountrath Development Assocation, is a relatively new group having been established in May 2017.
Mountrath Youth Theatre are affiliated to Youth Theatre Ireland and facilitated by Marianna Rendulic, a successful actress who has been awarded a gold medal in acting from the London Academy of Dramatic Arts and who is an outreach drama facilitator with the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.
Affiliation to Youth Theatre Ireland provides the opportunity for their members to take part in national workshops and ultimately the opportunity to travel internationally as part of an exchange programme.
The group has a non competitive ethos and is open to all young people in the Mountrath catchment area between 12 and 18 yrs old.
The aim of MYT is to enhance the personal and social development of young people through their voluntary participation in weekly planned Youth Theatre programmes resulting in an end of year performance which will showcase in Dunamaise Art Centre in Portlaoise.
Classes take place in METAC Training Centre, Portlaoise Rd, Mountrath on Saturdays from 11am – 1pm.
In the last few weeks Mountrath Development Association have commenced preparations on site for their Youth Project to build a purpose built youth centre for the youth of Mountrath on their site at Castletown Road, Mountrath.
Alex Spain Tree Surgeon was hard at work last week felling the dead wood for mulch which will be stored and used on site for the new Youth Space.
On Saturday 10th February, Mountrath Youth Projects invited all youths from Mountrath and the surrounding areas to join them as they planted the trees from the national "Trees on The Land" campaign on the new site at the old tennis courts grounds, Castletown Road, Mountrath.
Trees on the Land's vision is to establish tree cover and woodland in rural and urban areas that will grow for many years and provide valuable resources, beneficial ecosystem services and a lasting legacy for future generations.
For more info please contact Lillian on 0877733050 or message the page on Facebook
@mountrathyouththeatre
Brigidine Sisters gift Convent to the Community of Mountrath
The vast facilities will be held in trust by Mountrath Community Forum for the benefit of Mountrath and will soon be available for use by the community
The Brigidine Sisters, who served the town of Mountrath and provided education to members of the community for generations, have very generously gifted the Convent, School and its immediate surroundings to the community of Mountrath.
The Sisters, the local Parish and Mountrath Community Forum have been working tirelessly over the past 6 months on the transfer of the asset into community hands.
We are delighted to announce that the facilities are now under the direction of Mountrath Community Forum and will be used for the benefit of the community for years to come.
The unequivocal support from the Brigidine Sisters and remarkable gift of this greatly needed facility will provide multiple benefits to the small town
Over the past two years, Mountrath Community Forum have developed and implemented a coordinated plan to form public and private partnerships.
The aim is to revitalise the town in targeted key areas. The Forum has rejuvenated the area with the establishment of a lively and active Men’s Shed.
They have also relaunched the bustling Country Market, secured training and helped rejuvenate the local Foroige club, plan a Paint the Town Project, have launched a Flora and Fauna town beautification plan and funded woodcraft and horticultural courses.
The Forum has recently formed a new School of Music; already over sixty students are taking classes in tin whistle, guitar and accordion.
The formation of a Community Enterprise Hub for cottage and start-up industries is underway and will allow a significant number of community entrepreneurs stablish heir wn edicated ase f perations.
Mountrath is a get-up-and-go community; we are independent, passionate and vibrant. Waiting to be saved is no longer an option- We are doing it for ourselves!
“We are a hardworking and energetic community and have not yet reached our potential. When we looked at what everyone was doing, we found that a lot of small groups were trying to do similar things, but in isolation.
The Forum came together to combine and support the efforts of groups in the community and to form private and public partnerships to access national funding and support for those groups. The fantastic generosity of the Brigidine Sisters in gifting this amazing resource will provide a central and vital hub for community activities.
It is only the beginning of our 5 -year plan.” stated; Chairman of Mountrath Community Forum and local businessman, Martin Meade.
Mountrath is home to Irish and European Kettlebells Champions, European Table Tennis Champions, with these facilities they will be able to take on the world!
Mountrath Community Hub will not only provide new facilities for clubs and societies but it will become a centre used for education, skills workshops and work preparation courses.
Community initiatives such as; Meals on Wheels, the Men’s Shed, School of Music and other arts projects will have a spacious secure home. Future plans will possibl nclud a ervic o lde ersons.
METAC - Midland Energy Training & Assessment Centre
METAC Training Centre, Mountrath Enterprise Park, Portlaoise Road, Mountrath, Co. Laois.
METAC Training is situated in the heart of Mountrath. They are the largest energy training and assessment centre in Ireland and the UK and train approximately 2,700 people annually.
Their realistic training facilities equip people with practical skills for the modern workforce that are nationally recognised by SOLAS, QQI, City & Guilds, BLUEflame Certification, Bord Gáis and OFTEC, amongst others.
All courses run are independently certified and verified by external agencies.
METAC Training and our Managing Director Dominic Dunne were shortlisted for The Plumbing & Heating Awards 2017 in the category of Overall Achievement Award. Dominic and METAC received an award for successfully achieving the recognition of Finalist in the category of Overall Achievement Award.
To add to METAC’s many accolades, they also won the Highly-Commended award for Best Services Provider at this years SEAI Energy Show 2017.
METAC won the Best Services Provider at the SEAI Energy Show Product of the Show Awards 2016 in the RDS in Dublin on the 6th and 7th of April 2016.
In 2014 METAC Training received an OFTEC award, winning the OFTEC Best Training Centre of the Year 2014 at the OFTEC Awards of Excellence.
On September 7th, METAC held their annual Open Evening for all business and hobby courses with special guest speaker Seamus from Local Enterprise Office Laois who provided information to all interested in the 'Start Your Own Business' course commencing September 19th at METAC.
If you would like more information on any of the courses METAC provide call them on
057 87 56540 or visit their website: www.metac.ie
Sue's Crafts For You
Find Sue's Crafts For you on facebook @Sue's Crafts For You.
Christmas selection has just been released.
Sue's Crafts For You was set up in 2015 by Susan, who decided to turn her crafting talent into a successful business while fitting in around the busy life of her 3 sons and being a housewife.
Susan set up Sue's Crafts for you to provide personalised gifts as an alternative to a bunch of flowers for any occasion.
If you're looking for a unique or exciting gift for your Mom, Dad, brother sister, buddy, relative or even yourself (let's face it we all deserve something nice) then Sue's Crafts For You is the place to sort you out.
Bespoke medal holders over all sport- hurling, soccer, football, Irish dancing, running gymnastics etc. are a specialty of Sue's Crafts For You.
These can also be adapted to be coat or key holders. They come in a choice of all colours and personalised inscription can be written on everything.
These products are influenced by dates, locations, names and more allowing you to create something truly special.
Sue's Crafts For You are one of the regular marketeers in The Cottage Market, Mountrath on the first Saturday of every month in the Macra Hall, Main Street Mountrath from 10am - 2pm.
Come and have a look at the vast selections of gift ideas on display and order your very own creation for that special someone made by Sue's Crafts For You.
The Cosy Cafe & Bakery
The Cosy Cafe & Bakery is located in the center of Market Square in Mountrath Town, open Monday - Saturday 8am - 5pm.
Find The Cosy Cafe & Bakery on Facebook @thecosycafe
The Cosy Café- Bakery Boutique is here to give you a sweet treat and a Cosy atmosphere. Beautiful Breakfasts and Daily Lunch Specials provide you with food with a difference.
As well as a quaint cafe, The Cosy Cafe & Bakery specialise in bespoke cakes, cupcakes, cookies etc. for any occasion all made to order for Birthdays, Weddings, Communions, Christenings, Valentines, Easter, Mother's Day, Or Just Because!
To talk to Sinead or any of her team, about any of your cake needs contact them on 057 8756211, email info@thebakeryboutique.ie or visit their website www.thebakeryboutique.ie