Minister of State for Community Development, Integration and Charities, Joe O’Brien, TD, has officially opened the Creeslough Community Links Hub.

The building which was once derelict is now a community hub which intends to bring together residents, businesses, and organisations to share resources, ideas and support the Creeslough community.

During the opening Minister O'Brien unveiled the plaque with the name of the hub. The

Creeslough Community Links Hub provides the community with access to information, supports and services within their own trusted community resource.

In March 2023, the Community Together Initiative (CTI) was awarded almost €500,000 by the Department of Rural and Community Development to support their ongoing work. The CTI team works with and consults with the wider Creeslough community, supporting the recovery and sustained growth of the Creeslough community.

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Minister O'Brien said: "You have transformed a derelict building into a place of shared aspirations and collective efforts. I have no doubt this community hub will continue to serve as a sanctuary for healing, a hub for support and a symbol of your collective strength for many years to come. I am confident that the community spirit here in Creeslough will allow you to continue your journey, all the time remembering those families that have lost ten precious loved ones and the injured, whose lives were altered forever.

"My focus as Minister with responsibility for Community Development is on strengthening community resilience and supporting the continued sense of unity that is evident here in the this community. It is important that the community itself work together and decide on the way forward. The Creeslough Together Initiative team, made up of local people, informed by the community and community organisations, are gently leading the way for the people of Creeslough and all those affected by the tragedy.

"It is an honour for me to stand before you as we come together here in this Community Hub, to remember those families who have lost loved ones and to those families who lives were changed forever through injury. I have witnessed first-hand, the spirit, the resilience and the unity that exists in your community, I hope together you can rebuild a community that thrives on love, compassion and shared memories."