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The village of Bree commands a central location in County Wexford and is traditionally regarded as being in the very middle of the county. Bree Community Centre occupies a prominent position in the centre of the village and is a familiar venue for many of the inhabitants of the county.
Because of its accessibility from all parts of the county,
organisations such as Macra Na Feirme, Community Games, Ferns Diocesan Youth Service, ICA,
Athletics, Scor and Pioneers have used this popular venue for both County and Intercounty
competitions.
On a local level the Community Centre caters for Irish
Dancing, Guitar, Bodhran and Tin Whistle Lessons, Macra Na Feirme, Community Games, ICA
Federation, Active Retirement Group, Parent and Toddler, Playschool, Celtic Roots, Scor,
Readoiri, Youth Club, Indoor Hurling, Indoor Bowls and Athletic Club as well as a meeting
venue for many others. In addition to its use on a regular basis by the local
organisations, the Community Centre is available for parish and family occasions such as
birthday parties and funerals. In 2007, hundreds of parishioners were present to celebrate
with their parish priest, Fr Aidan Kavanagh on the occasion of the 50th
anniversary of his ordination.
Apart from the normal events that occur every year, the
current year promises to be an extremely hectic one for the Centre when all of its
facilities will be stretched to the limits. Upcoming events include Celtic Roots 10th
anniversary International Folkdance Festival when International Dance Groups from
Italy, Norway, Slovakia, Germany, Bulgaria and Turkey will travel to Bree for the week
long Celtic Roots Folk Dance Festival which takes place around the August Bank Holiday
Weekend. The Centre will also host weekly Comhaltas Seisiuns during July and August. The
Centre is also booked for a busy time in 2010 when members of ICA Federations from all over Ireland will
travel to Bree to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the ICA. Mrs Harold
Lett, formed this organisation for the improvement of life for rural women, in the
‘Old’ Bree Hall on the 15th June, 1910.
However like most things, the ravages of the past forty
years has had its effects on the Hall and some of the facilities there are in need of
updating. On Easter Monday in Bree Hall between 7-9pm, Bree Community Centre Refurbishment
Committee launch their Plan for Refurbishment for this popular centre.
The project
includes the building of two additional meeting rooms, the provision of new toilets,
showers and storage areas as well as rewiring, re-roofing and insulating of the present
hall. Modern heating, sound and lighting systems will be installed in addition to
refurbishing the stage, shop and kitchen areas.
It is estimated that the project will cost in the region of €500,000. While this might seem a daunting sum, it is hoped to secure Grant Aid for part of it and to raise the balance locally. A full calendar of fundraising events such as Bag Backing, Race Nights, Sponsored Walks and American Tea Parties is planned, spearheaded by the local organisations using the Community Centre.
At the Launch Night on Easter Monday, the Refurbishment Committee will introduce its own fundraising event - a ‘300 CLUB LOTTO SYNDICATE’. Light refreshments will be served and everyone attending on the night will have an opportunity to be involved in a Draw for a Free Lotto Membership. All organisations from the parish have also been invited to host an exhibition of many wonderful activities that take place in this Community Centre.
At a public meeting held in the ‘Old Hall in Bree on
the 29th of June 1965, presided over by Rev. Dan Nolan, CC, a finance committee
was elected to supervise the raising of funds for the erection of a new parochial hall at
Bree on a site acquired from Pa Breen, Clonmore. A committee was selected of Rev Dan Nolan
CC (Chairman), Very Rev Richard Gaul PP (President), Nancy Moriarty (Secretary), Nick
Dempsey Jnr, Pat Dunne, Phil Cox, Nick Fortune, Willie Keeley, PJ Darcy, Peg Rochford,
Bridget Doyle, Tom Kelly, Tom Rochford, Tommy Kehoe, Nick Doyle, Peter Byrne and Peter
Leacy. A major fund raising initiative was put in place with local farmers rearing sheep
for sale and the profits to go to the hall, a voluntary subscription of ten shillings for
all over 16 years of age, a silver circle with prizes of £5, £3 and £1 and card
schools.
In August 1968,
local contractor Paddy Carton commenced work on Bree Hall. In February 1969, the hall was
completed at a cost of £13,150. The parish of Bree now had a spacious modern dance hall
with a magnificent stage, fitted kitchen, tearoom and two meeting rooms downstairs. One of
these rooms was later converted into a billiard room and Bree Billiards & Snooker Club
is still one of the strongest clubs in Wexford. On the 2nd March 1969, Bree
Hall Community Centre was officially opened with a celebrity concert. Kevin Hilton headed
an all-star cast.
In the following
years patrons were entertained by a great variety of artists such as Jack Cruise, Hal
Roach, Sean Ó Se, Tom and Paschal, the Wolfe Tones and plays by JB Keane and Sean
O’Casey.
In the 1970s two
tennis courts, which were also fitted for basketball, were provided by the committee. For
a parish that has left its mark on the world of Gaelic Football the response to basketball
was disappointing and sadly after a few years the stands were removed. However, the youth
quickly adapted themselves to tennis and the game became very popular and many tournaments
were held on the courts. The tennis courts are still in use.
By the 1990s, the
hall was busy almost every night of the week. The building, which some in the late
60’s thought would become a white elephant, was now catering for Irish Dancing
classes, Music Lessons, Community Games and Macra Na Feirme Talent Shows, ICA Craft
Classes, Celtic Roots Session and Indoor Hurling as well as meetings of the many very
active organisations in the area. A new kitchen, wheelchair toilet and an additional
meeting room were built at a cost of £50,000 in 1999. Funding for this extension was
provided through WORD, a Department of Sport, Leisure & Tourism Grant and
contributions from the parish organisations and the people of Bree and the surrounding
districts.
The sixties and seventies was the era of the big dance
bands and ballroom dancing and Bree Community Centre competed with the big halls such as
Adamstown, Camross and the Barrowlands, New Ross. For its opening dance on the 9th
April, 1969 the ‘Clipper Carlton Dance Band’ played to eleven hundred people.
Dance fans in the years to follow tripped the light fantastic to the strains of ‘Sean
Dunphy and the Hoedowners’, ‘The Smokey Mountain Ramblers’, ‘The
Indians’, ‘The Cotton Mill Boys’, ‘Brendan Shine’, ‘The
Dixies’ and lots more. Unfortunately, lounge bar entertainment replaced the dance
halls and these big bands no longer played in parish halls.
At parish level,
entertainment in the parish of Bree has always taken pride of place. The Community Centre,
with its magnificent stage, was the ideal set up for producing light entertainment. In
1971, ‘Bree Tops of the Parish’ was revived and continued until 1979. Bree
“Tops” night was a great occasion and was eagerly looked forward to by everyone,
as it was sure to provide an excellent nights entertainment. Each Group had their stars
and characters that regaled their audiences and had them in fits of laughter for the
night. Many entertainers emerged from the “Tops”, musicians who went on to
establish their own bands. These include Leslie Dunne, Padraig Long, Nick Fortune, Jimmy
Hogan and Stephen Murphy to mention but a few. Ballad groups and many fine local actors
formed the nucleus for the Pantomime Productions, which were held in the Community Centre
from 1983-1986. These Pantomimes under the direction of Victor Hennessey or Ray Quigley
were a great success and provided entertainment for young and old. One of the most popular
entertainments of all was the Bingo sessions on Monday nights. These sessions were part
and parcel of Bree Community Centre for 25 years.
At national level, the name Bree has been noted in the history of many national organisations. In fact, the latest in a long line was recorded only last week when a talented group from Bree Youth Club were crowned National Champions in Comedy Act. Eight National Titles have returned to the local Pioneer Centre over the past fifteen years. These include three disco dancing, two figure dancing, two Novelty Act and Sinead Long in Solo Singing. Bree Community Games were the winners of the first Variety National Final, which was held in 1980 and subsequently won this title on three other occasions, namely ’98, ’99 and 2001. The local group entered the Culture Corner Competition in 2003 and 2005 and returned as National Champions on both occasions. The Ballyhogue GAA Club won National Scor Titles in 1996 with their Junior Set Dancers and again in 2004 with the Junior Novelty Act. Bree Macra Na Feirme hold the record of winning the National Variety title on eight occasions in thirteen years. Incidentally, between 1998 and 2002, the branch also won three National Disco Dance titles. Bree Irish Dancers with Kay Keeley School of Dancing, which is now known as Wexford Academy, continues to win National Championships each year since its foundation in 1984 in addition to Comhaltas and Ceoil an Gheimhridh Set Dancing Titles. However, to this day, Kay would still consider amongst the greatest honours that came to the parish of Bree was the local set group dancing a set in the middle of Croke Park at half time during the All Ireland Hurling Final in 1996.At international level, the local Folkdance group Celtic Roots, based in Bree Hall, are made very welcome guests at all festivals across three continents.
further information or to purchase
a Lotto Membership please contact Clare by e-mail jamcsdoyle@eircom.net