Ballinasloe Enterprise Centre
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BALLINASLOE AREA COMMUNTY DEVELOPMENT LTD.                                                             
The company was established in 1999 by Ballinasloe Chamber of Commerce, Ballinasloe Credit Union, Ballinasloe Town Council, Creagh Community Development and members of the public which constitute the 'Membership'.
The main aim of BACD Ltd is to create sustainable employment within the community and the company aims to achieve this by promoting enterprise and supporting projects that encourage investment into the Ballinasloe area.
BACD Ltd is a not for profit entity with charitable status. The Board of Directors are elected each year at the annual general meeting and the board consists of representatives from each of the five partners listed below, all of whom give their time voluntarily.  A company manager is employed by BACD to implement the strategic decisions of the board, manage the Enterprise Centre and promote and support local community projects.
 
PARTNERS                                                                                                                                                     
Ballinasloe Chamber of Commerce
Ballinasloe Credit Union
Galway County Council (Ballinasloe Town Council)
Creagh Community Development
Public Membership
 

Board of Directors 2019

Seamus Duffy worked with AIB Bank in a Management role for 35 years and is currently self employed as a Financial Advisor. He is a member of the Board for the past 10 years and Chairman for the last 8. He is also the current Chairman of Ballinasloe GAA Club. A Mayo native, he has been a resident of Ballinasloe for the past 16 years.

Kevin Broderick is a Pharmacist and was owner of Broderick's Pharmacy, Ballinasloe for 24 years. A previous Chairman and Treasurer of Creagh Community Development Council and Treasurer of Ballinasloe Soccer Club for 4 years. Living in Ballinasloe for the past 20 years. He has been a member of BACD since 2016.

Marina Downey is the owner of Downeys Bar & Restaurant on Society Street which specialises in offsite Catering. Born and bred in Birchgrove, Ballinasloe, she had a long career with the Post Office before purchasing the premises on Society Street over 11 years ago.  She is a Graduate in Social Studies and Economics from NUIG. She is a member of the board since 2017. 

 

Noel Madden is the retired Manager of Ballinasloe Credit Union after 23 years of senior management involvement. A Member of the Board since the company was first established in 1997. The Credit Union was / is the principal financial supporter of the Enterprise Centre. Noel is also the Musical Director/Bandmaster of Ballinasloe Town Band (estb. 1878).   In addition Brackernagh Noel is a Director of the Credit Union Service Organisation (Payments) - an all Ireland company. He was also recently appointed a director of St Teresa's Special School.   All of the appointments are in a voluntary capacity

 

John McKenna is a Chartered Accountant and has worked previously in practice and for Multinationals. He has for the past 18 years worked in Athlone Institute of Technology as Vice President. John grew up in London and Sligo and has lived in Ballinasloe for 29 years. He is Chairman of Ballinasloe Chess Club and has previously been a member of the National Executive of the Irish Chess Union. He has been a member of the board for the past two years.

 

Seamus Kelly is the BCU representative on the BACD board. He worked at Square D Company both locally and internationally for 28 years. Subsequently he has held Senior Management roles in various Companies throughout Ireland. Currently he is employed in the Tourism sector. He is a Director of Ballinasloe Credit Union for 6 years and a Director of BACD for 2 years. An East Ballinasloe hinterland native (Rossie) all his lifetime and currently resides in the Ballydangan area.

 

Joe Lyons MSc, MA, PhD is Vice Chair. Joe comes from a farming background in South Limerick and has lived in Clontuskert for 40 years. He spent his working life with the ESB as a technical manager and has presented technical papers on electricity generation, environmental management/ impact assessment at international conferences in the USA and Europe and he has a number of technical papers published in engineering journals.

Paul Hargadon is the CEO of Corporate Research Bureau, a company based in Ballinasloe which provides business intelligence solutions, to Financial, Legal and Insurance entities. He established the company following his retirement from An Garda Síochana where he served 35 years and held the senior management rank of Chief Superintendent. The Sligo native is the e holder of a LL.B law degree from the National University of Ireland, Galway and has been a director BACD Ltd since 2007.

Dan Dowling is a farmer originally from Kerry living in Ballinasloe for the past 52 years. He is the Creagh Community development representative on the board for the past 21 years.  He is actively involved with numerous other groups and  committees in the area namely Creagh Branch IFA, Galway LCDC, GCC Economic SPC, Western Regional Drugs Task force, Galway PPN Secretariat, Ballinasloe Training for Employment to name a few.

Valerie Dolan born in Ballinasloe and lives in Kellysgrove. She is a Health & Wellness Holistic Practitioner & Coach, specializing in bringing back to health people with stress related illness, obesity and digestive disorders.  She became a member of the Board in 2018.

 

Councillor Michael Connolly represents Ballinasloe Municipal District on the Board of BACD. A member of Galway County Council for the past 19 years, Michael a native of Moylough worked for over 25 years with Thermo King Europe LTD in Galway City. He is passionate in his support from the re-opening of the Western Rail Corridor from Athenry to Sligo, the development of the Atlantic Economic Corridor from Cork to Derry, and an economic Corridor from Galway to Ballinasloe

Pearse Keller is current MD of Keller Travel & Campotel, a Main St. native, educated at Garbally College - Pearse pursued a career in the Hotel Business before returning to the family operations. Current Board member of the Irish Travel Agents Association and Treasurer of Ballinasloe RFC.  He is a member of BACD since 2017.

  

Brian King first moved to Ballinasloe in 1985 with AT Cross. He was fortunate to have been given the opportunity with Cross to have a number of international management roles in different parts of the world since 1990. In 2004 he left Cross and moved to Dubai to take up a General Management position with a local UAE company. In mid-2017, Brian moved back to Ballinasloe and has been on the board of the BACD since early 2018. He is keen to help with the regeneration of the businesses environment in town and the surrounding areas. To be successful, Brian strongly believes that we must encourage and mentor the younger generation to take up leadership roles

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BALLINASLOE ENTERPRISE CENTRE

The centre is located in Creagh, Ballinasloe, was purchased by BACD Ltd in 1999 and has been extensively renovated over the past number of years.  This project has been supported by Enterprise Ireland, Galway City & County Enterprise Board, Galway County Council, Galway Rural Development, Ballinasloe Credit Union and Creagh Community Development.

The centre is now a bustling community, home to seventeen enterprises employing in excess of 180 people contributing to the local Ballinasloe economy.

COMMUNITY PROJECTS

Best CompetitionBallinasloe Entrepreneurial Skills Tournament BEST which is an event that invites participation from all students in 5 local secondary Schools. This event is now commencing its seventh year and is designed to challenge students to develop innovative and entrepreneurial business ideas and 'sell' them to a panel of judges.  It is organised by the Ballinasloe Enterprise Centre and sponsored by the Ballinasloe Credit Union.

Flood Relief - Bacd Ltd. appointed the centre manager as the Flood Alleviation Co-ordinator when Ballinasloe suffered from the floods in November 2009.

RAPID Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development Programme is a focused Government initiative to target the 45 most disadvantaged areas in the country.  Ballinasloe being one of them.  The Programme aims to ensure that priority attention is given to tackling the spatial concentration of poverty and social exclusion through targeting state resources, available under the National Development Plan. Bacd Ltd. are a member of the Area Implementation Team for the Ballinasloe RAPID.

Ballinasloe Area Economic Action Programme - Bacd Ltd. are members of this group.  This Programme has been prepared under the umbrella of RAPID and highlights the macro and micro actions that are required to be delivered in Ballinasloe and the immediate hinterland, with designated lead agents and partners.  The Macro objectives deal with the promotion of Ballinasloe as a location to increase employment opportunities and improve commuter rail services.  Micro objectives cover the Promotion of the Town, Tourism Development, Economic Development, Infrastructure Development, Training & Employment, Social Infrastructure & Capital.  Implementation of this Programme has already commenced.
CECA West - Community Enterprise Centre Association - A support and network group for Enterprise Centre Managers and Board Members.  This group meets regularly in different enterprise centres, normally having a speaker attend with a topical issue followed by a tour of the particular facility. 

MEMBERSHIP

There are many other projects that Bacd Ltd. would like to implement but we need your help - we need more members. The company has charitable status and is limited by guarantee so Bacd Ltd. does not have share capital but allocates membership rights on the basis of an annual fee being paid.  The annual membership fees are ring-fenced for specific community projects approved by the board of directors. 
 
In becoming a member of Bacd Ltd. you may attend regular meetings of the Company and help us with project groups sharing your vision for the development of where you live. You will be entitled to elect three community members at  the AGM to Directorship and may also put your own name forward for  nomination
.

Other benefits of Membership include

  • Invitation to free events
  • Being able to contribute to your local community through lending your voice on the Board of  Directors and at the AGM
  • Participation in proposed members section on www.ballinasloeenterprisecentre.ie

Click here to download a membership application form...

 
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Ballinasloe Area Community Development Ltd., Ballinasloe Enterprise Centre,
Creagh, Ballinasloe. Co Galway Tel: 090 9646516 Fax: 090 9646517 Email: info@ballinasloeenterprisecentre.ie
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