Clonlara Wellness Hub – A Community Space for Health, Connection and Rural Vitality
LEADER | Clare Local Development Company | Clonlara
Community “Third Space” for wellness, café, culture and remote working.
Transforming an underused community centre into a vibrant wellness hub for all ages in rural Clare
Project
Snapshot
- Project Name:Clonlara Wellness Hub
- Location: Church Road, Clonlara, Co. Clare, V94 VXD4
- Promoter: Clonlara Leisure Athletic and Sports Society (CLASS)
- Funding: €100,000 LEADER
- Theme: Economic Development and Job Creation (Rural Towns)
Overview
Why This Project Was Needed
Clonlara is a rapidly growing rural community in County Clare — yet despite its expanding population of young families, it lacks the basic amenities many residents need close to home. There is no local shop, no café, and no dedicated wellness facility. Residents have had to travel outside the area for even the most everyday services, eroding the sense of local community life and placing additional pressure on rural households.
The Clonlara Leisure Athletic and Sports Society (CLASS) Centre had been at the heart of the community for years, but significant spaces within the facility were underused and not fulfilling their full potential. At the same time, social isolation, the need for accessible health supports, and the demand for remote working options were all increasing — particularly in the post-COVID period.
The community recognised these gaps and responded with a clear vision: to transform the CLASS Centre into a modern, welcoming Wellness Hub — a “Third Space” where people of all ages could gather, stay healthy, access services and connect with one another, all without leaving Clonlara.
What We Did
CLDC’s LEADER Programme supported CLASS to undertake a major transformation of the centre, converting underused spaces into fit-for-purpose facilities designed for health, wellness and enterprise. The hub was designed to welcome people of all ages — children, teenagers, parents, working-age adults and older people — and to provide a platform for local entrepreneurs including personal trainers, physiotherapists, wellness practitioners and cultural facilitators. The project delivered a:
Community Cafe
A welcoming social space providing a much-needed focal point for local daily life
Fitness Studio
Purpose-built for fitness classes, yoga, Pilates, rehabilitation and mobility sessions
Multi-Purpose Studio
Flexible space for cultural, creative and community activities
Boardroom / Remote Working Suite
Providing meeting space and hot-desks for local entrepreneurs and remote workers.
Three Key Highlights
① Inclusive Wellness for All Ages
Fitness, yoga, Pilates, rehabilitation and mobility sessions alongside cultural and creative activities — all accessible to Clonlara residents close to home.
② Supporting Local Enterprise
The hub creates a launchpad for local wellness practitioners, trainers and therapists to build their businesses in the community, reducing dependency on outside services.
③ Remote Working and Rural Enterprise
A dedicated boardroom and flexible meeting suite supports remote workers and community organisations, making Clonlara a more competitive location for modern rural living.
IMPACT & OUTCOMES
- Reducing the need to travel outside the area for wellness, fitness and social services
- Supporting social connection and reducing isolation, particularly for older people and parents of young children
- Creating employment and enterprise opportunities for local wellness and health professionals
- Strengthening community cohesion across generations, from children to older adults
- Making Clonlara more attractive to returning families, young people and rural entrepreneurs
"Placeholder The project will enhance quality of life, strengthen community cohesion and make Clonlara a more attractive place to live, work and raise a family."
Generational Renewal
One of the most significant outcomes of the Clonlara Wellness Hub is its contribution to generational renewal in rural Clare.
By creating modern facilities and programmes suited to every stage of life — from after-school activities and teenage sports through to parent and toddler groups, adult fitness classes and accessible rehabilitation for older residents — the hub gives the whole community a reason to stay rooted in Clonlara.
For younger residents, returning families and local entrepreneurs, the combination of wellness facilities, remote working space and community café makes Clonlara a genuinely viable place to build a life. This is rural development in action — keeping communities alive, vibrant and self-sustaining.
Learning & Next Steps
What Worked
Community-led approach with a clear identified need
Multi-use design serving all age groups and demographics
Built-in enterprise opportunity for local wellness professionals
Alignment with remote working and rural economic trends
Future Potential
Expansion of wellness programming as usage grows
Opportunities for partnerships with HSE, sports and disability organisations
Potential to host CLDC or other community development activities locally
Model that could be replicated in other rural Clare communities
Acknowledgements
This project was funded through the 2023–2027 LEADER Programme and supported by Clare Local Development Company (CLDC). Heartfelt thanks to the Board and members of Clonlara Leisure Athletic and Sports Society (CLASS) for their vision, community leadership and commitment to making this project a reality.
CLDC supports communities, families and organisations across County Clare through programmes including LEADER, SICAP, the Rural Social Scheme and Tús.
