Former Donard Post Office now reopened as a barbers and craft hub
The former Post Office in Donard in Co Wicklow is once again benefitting the local community as it has re-opened as a crafts centre and barbers in recent weeks.
Local shopkeeper, John O’Keeffe, has thrown a lifeline to the community of Donard/Glen by affording a fantastic opportunity for Kildare and West Wicklow Crafters to showcase a variety of 22 beautiful and colourful crafts.
The Craft Corner is the brain-child of Pat Tiernan and Rosella Doherty of the Kildare Craft Collective who decided to set up the centre to showcase the wealth of local crafting talent in the area.
Besides being a celebration of talent, The Craft Corner, along with Susan Twomey of The Village Barber, who will wield her scissors to the delight of the male members of the community, will continue to make O’Keeffe’s Shop a meeting place for locals and the social hub of Donard.
The two enterprises were officially launched earlier this month on March 3 in O’Keeffe’s Shop and the ribbon for The Craft Corner was cut by East Coast FM’s Sheila Naughton.
Both the Craft Corner and Village Barber have generated some much-needed buzz for the community following the closure of the beloved Post Office at the end of 2018 despite a campaign launched by the Save Donard/Glen Post Office Action Group for the Post Office to remain open.
Speaking to KildareNow about the two new enterprises, Mary Brett of O’Keefee’s Shop said: “The centre is only open about a month but it’s proving very successful making use of the former Post Office’s premises. It’s great for the community.”
Meanwhile, there was more good news for the community as Donard Garda Station has re-opened after six years. The Garda Station was officially re-opened last Thursday, March 22, with Assistant Garda Commissioner John Fintan Fanning and the Garda Marching Band in attendance.
The station will now open three days a week and refurbishment works commenced in December 2018. Donard Garda Station was one of 95 stations nationwide forced to close at the end of January 2013 due to a cut to central Government funding for Gardai.