Teenage Kicks Down By The Harbour

Jono! 5oct16

hen we first mentioned plans for a Youth Cafe for the town last month, bejaysus, the switchboard fair exploded.

And that’s because Greystones has long been crying out for somewhere for our bored teenagers to hang out.

To play games, swap parent stories, co-write masterpieces, and generally plot their revenge on this cruel, cruel world.

It’s in the early stages, of course, but the building has been chosen – and it couldn’t be in a better location. Dubbed The Manhouse, this Trafalgar Road two-storey building greets you as you go through the front gates of Coolnagreina, the long-running YWCA centre that has gone through some major refurbishments in recent times. And is now offering up one of its buildings for the teenagers in the town.

The initial cost will be €11,000, with just over €1,000 of that target raised so far. The hope is, Greystonians will get their thinking caps on and their dust-covered purses out, so we can make the most of this rather golden opportunity to bring a much-needed facility to the town.

With plans also afoot to place a youth centre down in Charlesland, before you know it, the kids of Greystones are going to be walking around the town, waving to strangers, smiling uncontrollably, and constantly helping old ladies across the road. Whether they want to go across the road or not.

We swung down to The Manhouse this afternoon to have a quick look inside – roomy, cool, and with a crackin’ view of the harbour – and to talk to Jonathan Ellis from Coolnagreina about what lays ahead for the Youth Café project… 

You can donate to the Youth Café project here, and find out more about the project here. And catch up with its development in our January 2019 interview here. Oh, and sorry about the harbour wind howling through the interview. And Jonathan’s dog, Bailey, going all territorial for a spell.