The Corofin Castle Community Project started in July of 2014 with the Purchase of the medieval Corofin Castle and attached remaining lands situated in the center of the Medieval "Market Town and now village of Corofin, Galway alongside the River Clare for the purpose of community based development. In 2015 the not for profit operating company COROFIN CASTLE HERITAGE PARK Reg IRISH COMPANY REGIST
RATION # 576318 was formed . It Is a not for profit company founded for the purposes of the preservation, maintenance and operation of the structures of Corofin Castle, Corofin Bridge and surrounding Grounds for the benefit of the local community, traditional trade Guilds and other charitable Organizations and the doing of all such other things as are incidental or conducive to these purposes. The governance team consists of a group of 7 like minded professionals. Three directors of the company have strong ties to Houston Texas USA where much support work is being carried out. 3 more are long term residents of Corofin. The directors bring many of their professional skills and decades of experience with them in addition to their management skills. They donate their time and expertise freely to the project. Professional Qualifications include; 2 Civil engineers one of which is chartered, an environmental scientist, local historian and qualified archeologist who studied medieval castles of Ireland, a professional construction project manager and a mechanical engineer. To actuate the company goals the governance team and member supporters are pursuing the following five initiatives;
1. Establishing a local community park using the lands of the castle.
2. Preservation of the Castle
3. Preservation of the skills necessary to maintain and build Medieval Structures by developing a program of sponsored 4 Year apprenticeships in the traditional trades of Blacksmithing, stonemasonry and carpentry with an emphasis on medieval techniques and practices.
4. Advocating for and development of a 3 Mile River walk along the banks of the River Clare that shares trail-head parking with Corofin Castle Heritage Park.
5. Supporting the patients and families of those diagnosed with Brain Cancer by developing a program for the FAMILIES of newly diagnosed whereby they with their loved ones can come to Ireland for a 10 DAY “Thrive in adversity” retreat, reconcile themselves to their new circumstances and receive practical advice on coping strategies from long term survivors with the aim to remove stress from the patients and their families so that all energy can be positively focused. It is also the aim to utilize the talents and experience of the patients in a positive manner to support all of Corofin Castle’s initiatives. To date $150,000 has been donated and spent on the project with pledges of an additional $200,000 conditional use money without any fundraising activity. It is the intent of the Governance team not to have any generalized fund raising preferring to ask for specific donations of personal labor, building materials sponsorship of single pieces of Masonry, equipment, sponsorship of individual apprenticeships or travel and expense costs for families of newly diagnosed brain cancer patients for up to 10-day visits
Heritage protections;
Castle RMP GA 057-89
Bridge RMP GA 057-91, RPS 3909, NIAH REG # 304057702
Medieval road/Weir RMP GA 057-161
Special area of Conservation (Lough Corrib Basin) Site Code 000297 (River Clare)
