County Roscommon business and GAA club team up to give creche a helping hand
Image Furnishings organised a community engagement initiative with Roscommon Gaels and Greenfields Creche, donating new furniture to the creche with helping hands from Roscommon Gaels members, assembling and clearing out old furniture. Pictured from left: Maeve Carty, Joey O’Malley, Mark Gannon (Image Furnishings), Claire McDonagh, Gareth Carroll (chairperson Roscommon Gaels), Ethan O’Reilly, Lisa O’Neill and Mark Higgins. Pic: Gerard O'Loughlin
Roscommon based Image Furnishings and Roscommon Gaels GAA Club teamed up recently to present a selection of new furniture to Greenfields Crèche.
Greenfields Crèche, Lisnamult, a non-profit community childcare centre, provides care and education to over 120 children ranging from 12 months to 12 years of age.
With 25 staff members operating across a crèche, toddler room, four pre-school rooms, and two afterschool rooms, the centre plays a vital role in the town’s community fabric.
The donation was a collaborative effort between Roscommon Gaels GAA and Image Furnishings, the club’s main sponsor.
Players and volunteers from the club joined staff from both Greenfields Creche and Image to assemble the new furniture and assist in clearing out unwanted items from the facility.
Lisa O’Neill, manger from Greenfields, expressed deep appreciation for the donation. “Thanks to Mark and David from Image Furnishings for the very generous donations of furniture. Your substantial donation will benefit all the rooms in the service and the many children attending. Not only that, but we were also able to re-do our staff room with a whole new fit out of dining tables, chairs, sofas and armchairs, giving the staff a new modern area where they can take their breaks in in comfort and luxury.
“Thanks to Gareth and the lads from Roscommon Gaels for taking the time to assemble the new furniture and help with a much-needed clear out — we couldn’t have done it without them. We appreciate it so much,” said Lisa.
Roscommon Gaels GAA representative Finbar O’Reilly added: “GAA is woven into the community and Roscommon Gaels is no exception. Our club has always taken pride in playing an active role in supporting the local area. When the opportunity arose to take part in this initiative—especially in partnership with our main sponsor, Image Furnishings—we were genuinely delighted to get involved. As a club, we’re always happy to lend a hand whenever we can.”
Image Furnishings is a wholesale company supplying high-quality furniture to retailers across the country. The company exemplifies how businesses based in smaller communities can thrive while staying connected to their local roots and supporting employment, economic and social growth in the region.
From an Image Furnishings perspective, the donation resonated on a personal level. “We were delighted to make this donation to Greenfields Crèche and to see the benefit this will have for both staff and the kids is great. We are a locally based company here in Roscommon Town, and it’s important for us to give back to the local community whenever we can. This felt like a perfect fit and a great way to work with the lads from Roscommon Gaels GAA to grow our partnership,” said CEO Mark Gannon, having seen first-hand the incredible work the Greenfields staff do, with his own children having attended the crèche in the past.
The initiative reflected a strong local effort to support early childhood services and improve facilities for both children and staff at the community-based centre.
