After they had identified a need for support in developing community-led tourism, we were invited by the Mohill local community and Leitrim County Council to carry out local research and engagement around the issue of tourist accommodation facilities. Given its close proximity to the very popular Lough Rynn, the locals had identified the potential of water-based activities to bring more economic activity to the town. However, there was a lack of low to medium cost tourist accommodation in the area.
We were asked to work with the town team to assess the accommodation these groups would need. The resulting report would then be used by the community as support for broader plans and funding applications. This process involved working with local young people, the wider community, recreational sports users of Lough Rynn, and other visitors to the area. It was important to connect with a cross-section of both the local community and the temporary communities that spring up around major events such as the Lough Rynn Regatta.
What amenities should be available in a new accommodation project? Which building would be most suitable? How would the community feel if these buildings were repurposed for this purpose? We also wanted to investigate how local residents in Mohill would feel about this project, if they had any preference or aversion to which building was used or if the wider community would prefer another project entirely to occupy these spaces.
In an effort to get feedback from the wider community, we took a stand at the Mohill Agricultural Show. Other groups engaged with included Tourism Ireland, Rynn-Shannon Angling Club, and local GAA representatives. At the Lough Rynn Regatta, rowers and canoers were consulted about what they needed, in terms of accommodation and services, as well as Canoeing Ireland.
In order to further include the voice of young people, we worked with the architect Ciara Reynolds to establish which building would be the most preferred among young people for this project. Reynolds ran sessions with secondary school students to gauge their ideas and suggestions. While they saw an economic opportunity for their town, they also envisioned a chance to bring disused buildings back to life, not just for accommodation, but for restaurants, cafes, and social outlets.
Based on the engagement report produced in the town, Leitrim County Council then commissioned the IAF to create an architectural brief for this project. This was to support future plans and funding applications related to tourism development in the community. This finalised report and brief were then submitted to the Mohill town team and Leitrim County Council.
