Gaeltacht group calls on Government to help secure future of West Cork Irish college

Coláiste na Mumhan in Ballingeary, Cork, will not open this year, costing the Gaeltacht village €40,000 in lost income

Coláiste na Mumhan: Ballingeary village development group Coiste Forbartha Béal Atha’n Ghaorhaidh raised concerns in January about the future of the college, and called on the college trustees to reopen it or hand it over to them to run. Picture: Dan Linehan

A Gaeltacht development group has called for ministerial intervention to secure the future of the country’s oldest Irish college following confirmation it will not open for summer courses this year.

Coláiste na Mumhan in Ballingeary, Cork, will remain shuttered this year despite the best efforts of the village development group, Coiste Forbartha Béal Atha’n Ghaorhaidh, to work with the college trustees to secure Irish language courses there this summer.