Finishing touches on St. Comgall’s project

The St. Comgall’s project has transformed an unused and derelict school on the Falls Road, Belfast, into a multi-purpose community hub and international visitor centre.

St. Comgall’s is an iconic building and the redevelopment project led by the Falls Community Council, has overseen it’s rebirth.

Gerry McConville, Director of the Falls Community Council, stated that the project has “created a buzz about the place again”.

He added: “This school would have been at the centre of the community for many years, not just in terms of being a school, but being a place where there were social events like ceilidhs, fairs and that. When the conflict was raging on the streets outside, and you still see the bullet holes on the walls from then, this place was an oasis of calm in many ways.

“We want to bring that back. We want to create a place that’s part of the community and not some big centre where the locals wonder what’s going on inside. There’ll be a restaurant and when the courtyard is covered over it’ll be a place where you can sit and have a coffee while maybe young people from the Andersonstown School of Music will play some music.

“If you look at the place it might be hard to believe it can be done, but the survey done shows the place is structurally sound, but there is obviously a lot of refurbishment to be done. There are many original features, however, that are going to be kept and since it’s a grade B1 listed building the exterior must be kept as it is.”

The now overgrown courtyard looks set to host events like theatre and markets while the old assembly hall could be a conference centre or facilitate events like weddings or communion celebrations under plans.

A Friends of St Comgalls group has been set up, Mr McConville said, to ensure local involvement in the site’s development. The Troubles archive is expected to be an ‘on this day’ style facility with “no interpretation” which might give rise to accusations of bias. Visitors will key in a date before listening to and watching news material from the time.

The Glenravel Historical Society and Duchas Oral History Project are involved in the historical elements of the plans. The Falls Community Council has more than 1,000 photographs of murals, most of which do not now exist and these are set to be used to “create virtual tours which will create a visitor experience not to be missed”, according to plans drawn up for the building. Gerry McConville says the virtual tour will be like many of the black taxi tours of murals that already take place.

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