Camphill Foundation UK & Ireland assisted the development of Camphill Mountshannon with a loan to help build the new weaving workshop which is now in operation. It is a simple structure with attractive wooden cladding on the outside and a very spacious and light-filled work space within. An enormous single roof window floods the peaceful space with natural light and brings out the rich colours of the wools and fabrics on the looms. The loan is now being repaid, which will enable the Foundation to use the funds again and again for other projects.

Mount shannon(iii) from BSL Video on Vimeo.

Camphill Community Mountshannon is a small but lively venture in a beautiful area on the shore of Lough Derg. It comprises two compact households for life sharing and a few other examples of independent and semi-independent living in the locality.

Community members with a variety of abilities and special needs know and are known by the wider community. They live side by side with neighbours while still benefiting from the security and stability provided by a life-sharing setting.

Residents pursue a number of activities which suit them as individuals, both in the work realm and in their leisure time. Local people have also made a firm and friendly connection to the place over the first few years and enjoy coming to the new weaving workshop which can also double as a small assembly hall, for specific cultural events and celebrations, for example a Whitsun gathering in June.

One of the residents does a lot of work tending to the grounds surrounding the houses of the community, including driving the lawn mower and wielding the strimmer, and also makes his services available to many other local people who need help with their lawns and gardens.