Westport Family & Community Resource Centre marked its 21st anniversary with an evening that brought together the past, present, and future of the FRC in a way that felt both joyful and deeply reflective. The celebration in Westport Town Hall gathered volunteers, community partners, staff, and many of the people who helped establish the FRC back in 2004. Even in the days leading up to the event, the spirit of reunion had already taken hold. Several members of the original Board met for coffee to reminisce about the early years of planning and building the project, and the first Chairperson, John McDonagh, stopped by the office on the Fairgreen to chat with staff about how far the project has come and how its purpose has carried through the decades.
For the current Board and the newer staff team, it was a rare chance to pause and take in the breadth of the work that has unfolded over the years. Seeing the faces, programmes, and stories that have shaped Westport FRC offered a meaningful reminder of how far things have come and just how many people have been connected through the FRC, how many volunteers and leaders have carried the work forward, and how many of us now find ourselves taking on that mantle of progress and change, with still a journey ahead.
When guests arrived at the Town Hall, they were met with a display of photographs stretching across two decades of programmes, events, and everyday moments. Community members moved slowly along the walls, pointing out faces from every era of the FRC’s life. There were stories, laughter, and the familiar surprise of recognising someone as they once were. For many, the photos offered a moment to take in just how much time has passed; projects that once defined a chapter of the FRC now long completed, little ones who once attended baby groups now well past those early days, and faces of people who are no longer with us but remain part of the memories and milestones that shaped the FRC. It was a gentle reminder of how quickly life moves, how people change and grow, and yet how the Family Resource Centre has remained a steady presence.
The evening carried a quiet sense of reunion. Familiar faces who had not crossed paths in years found themselves in warm conversation again, and those who once volunteered side by side were able to catch up and reflect on the years gone by. Among the guests was musician Gráinne Fahy, invited back to perform after first coming through the doors as a young person in the Cove Youth Cafe. Throughout the room were others who had once taken part in youth programmes as well, now adults, building their own lives, yet still connected to the story of the FRC. Seeing them there added a gentle sense of time moving forward and coming full circle, an echo of how the Centre has accompanied so many people through different stages of their lives.
Throughout the evening, there was also a strong sense of wider support for the work of Westport FRC. TDs Keira Keogh and Rose Conway-Walsh, along with Fergal Landy, CEO of the Family Resource Centre National Forum, spoke about the importance of inclusiveness and the role of community-based initiatives in a rapidly changing social landscape. Their reflections highlighted how essential it is for local groups, national organisations, and statutory institutions to work together, each bringing different strengths, each helping to create better outcomes for all.
Their presence underscored something we see every day in our work: that inequality and disadvantage exist in every town, even in places known for their beauty, volunteerism, and strong sense of community. The experiences of one person in Westport are not the experiences of all, and behind the familiar pride we share in this town, there are individuals and families facing poverty, isolation, or a lack of support.
As an FRC, our purpose has always been to meet those realities with compassion, understanding, and meaningful action. We aim to offer support before challenges deepen, and to prevent difficulties wherever possible by creating space, connection, and early intervention. Our approach is rooted in community development principles, working for social change, promoting participation, and creating opportunities for self-determination. It is work that grows stronger when supported by voices both local and national, and the evening’s contributions made that clear.
As the formal contributions drew to a close, Megan Burke (Project Coordinator) and John Doherty (Community Development Worker) spoke about the central role of volunteerism at the heart of the FRC. They acknowledged that the FRC’s achievements have never been the work of any single person or moment, but the cumulative effort of hundreds of volunteers who have offered their time, their ideas, and their care over more than two decades. They spoke of the quiet, consistent acts of support that keep programmes running, the creativity that brings new initiatives to life, and the willingness of people to show up for one another in ways that form the true heart of community work. They also reflected on what volunteering gives back, friendships formed, confidence built, skills developed, and the sense of belonging that comes from being part of something shared. It was a reminder that Westport FRC’s story is, above all else, a story of people giving what they can, when they can, and finding in return connection, purpose, and community.
Music from Westport Ukulele Orchestra, Westport Town Hall Choir, and Gráinne Fahy added to the sense of celebration, while artwork created by local artist Breda Burns honoured the volunteers whose dedication has carried Westport FRC through its 21 years. Throughout the night, there was an unspoken recognition that the FRC has been shaped by the people who give their time to it, and that its greatest strength has always been the community surrounding it.
Looking around the room, what remained was a sense of quiet confidence in the future of Westport FRC. The gathering showed how much it matters to have a place where people can come together, share what is happening in their lives, and feel met with understanding. It reaffirmed the importance of having a space in the community where connection is possible, where guidance is available, and where people know they will be heard.
A full gallery of photographs from the evening, capturing the memories, the music, and the moments of connection, can be viewed below.
