Athboy Development Forum

Our Community wall at the Athboy Convent Community centre is building one block at a time. Each block unique, creating a legacy and helping us and the CCC to fundraise to reduce loan on the big renovation job that took place there in 2024.

Thank you for watching - ADF Board
Paudie, Teresa, Gerry, Jackie, Mary, Assumpta, Nicky, Dara, Fiona and Ann

Looking for an unusual and personalised Christmas present? - Parents, Relatives - did they attend St. Joseph's, the convent school or Athboy Community School between 2004 and 2011? - Are you meeting up with your old school friends, might be nice to create a memory for your class? - Do you want to mark a significant milestone or the year you arrived in Athboy? - Are you a local business who would like to have your logo and name on the community wall in the entrace lobby of the CCC? Our Community Wall at Athboy Convent Community centre is all about celebrating people, memories and moments and leaving a lasting mark in a place that means different things to so many. In this 1-minute video, you'll see some of the blocks, thanks for watching, and let us know if you’d like a spot on the wall! To buy or gift a sponsorship block: email us: [email protected] so we get your details and can help you. Gifting? If it is a gift, we will issue a gift certificate, perfect for under the tree on Christmas morning. Here are the payment link for each block size, make sure and leave your name on the payment also. 200 × 100 mm — €100 (includes inscription & installation) https://pay.sumup.com/b2c/QOLIEUVO 200 × 200 mm — €200 (includes inscription & installation) https://pay.sumup.com/b2c/QEEIVYAR All funds generated from this initiative goes directly to pay off our outstanding loan on the big renovations to the hall roof, the electrics, the soundproofing and painting.

Congratulations to Madeline Bracken recognised as one of our Support Partners by the CCC committee. Madeline has been fundraising for our community centre for over a decade and through her efforts has brought in over €2,000 every year.
Thank you Madeline from the ADF Board of Directors

⭐SURPRISE MADELINE ⭐ On Sunday 7th December, Assumpta Kelly (ADF Director & CCC Chairperson) and Jackie Leavy (ADF Director & CCC Treasurer) proudly recognised Madeline Bracken as an Athboy Development Forum Support Partner 2025 🌟 For over a decade, Madeline has handmade prizes, organised raffles, and sold lines on the street, quietly raising €2,000+ every year for Athboy Convent Community centre Her dedication helps keep our doors open, our 21 rooms warm, and our community centre thriving. Thank you, Madeleine, the centre which serves 40+ groups is better because of you. 👂Turn up your volume to hear the sound, recognition occurred at the Mrs Claus event #AthboyCCC #LocalHeroes #CommunitySpirit #VolunteersMakeItHappen #ProudOfOurCommunity #ThankYouMadeleine

ADF says thank you to local student Érin Carroll 🎨

A huge shoutout and well done to Coláiste Pobail Ráth Chairn student Érin Carroll, who has been busy bringing new life to Athboy with a stunning nature and wildlife mural over the summer months. Her mural is almost finished now and, we can see how thoughfully her plan has come to life with each of her animals displaying character and charm as well as delivering a message. Last year during her transition year Érin did volunteering work and through that got to know Mary Flood and the team at Athboy Tidy Towns. ATT later commissioned her to create a mural celebrating nature and wildlife in Meath. The artwork is located on the boundary wall at the back of the CCC and features Irish animals, birds, and flowers – including honeysuckle and bats. Erin explains that bats are a protected species in Ireland and play a vital role in keeping insect populations under control – with just one bat capable of eating up to 3,000 insects in a single night, helping both farmers and the wider environment.
Using quality paint and plenty of preparation and planning, Érin has made sure her mural brightens up this stretch of road on the entry into town from the Delvin side now and for years to come. This is her biggest project yet, previously she created a mural in a private garden. Érin says this project has been enjoyable as it combines her love of art and passion for nature. 👏

Well done Érin – and thank you from us here at the ADF and Athboy Convent Community centre for sharing your talent with the community. We have all enjoyed observing your commitment and dedication to this project over the summer.

🌞One week in and here’s what we are learning about solar🌞

Our solar panels have been working for just 7 days at Athboy Convent Community centre and the results are excellent.
We are now cutting costs and carbon with clean energy.

⚡Week 1 Snapshot (Picture 1)
719.45 kWh produced
417.77 kWh exported to the grid
278.64 kWh used onsite

⚡One Day : 26th August (Picture 2)
Almost 100% of our power came from solar and batteries today, with 50% sent back to the grid.

Picture 3: Our battery banks and inverters help store and balance energy for maximum efficiency.

Picture 4: The hall roof faces SW and there are 50 x 450watt panels here. The Kildalkey Road roofs are facing SE and there are 44 panels there.

As a community climate action project funded through Meath County Council, we’ll keep sharing insights so that other halls, sports centres, commercial buildings, businesses and individuals can learn from our journey and we will share data and insights from St James Hall also in a future post.

Big thanks to Patrick Craughan and SRS, a local business, for the installation and ongoing support, Paddy came on site this evening to walk us through the data from Week 1.

☀️ Solar Power is Coming to Athboy Convent Community centre
Delighted to share that solar panels are now being installed at the CCC. This follows the earlier installation at St James Hall, where panels are already generating clean energy and charging battery storage – helping us cut costs and reduce our carbon footprint.

This work is funded under the CCAP Strand 1 Programme, administered by Meath County Council on behalf of the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment. This programme supports community groups to take real steps toward low-carbon, sustainable practices.

When you’re at either CCC or St. James' Hall, ask any of the team to show you the live data screens – you can see it in action, turning sunshine into power for our community buildings.
On days like today, those batteries fill up fast too.