MacDonagh Junction offers itself to the community as a space to raise funds for local causes.  Since we opened in 2007 we have facilitated several charity collections in the Centre as well as raising monies for local charities through Fashion Show partnerships and food and toy collections for St. Vincent De Paul, the Newpark Family Resource Centre and the Amber Women’s Refuge.

MacDonagh Junction are delighted to sponsor the JJ Reddy Danesfort Run again in 2018.The race honours the memory of JJ Reddy (RIP), former treasurer of Danesfort GAA. The proceeds of our run go entirely to Danesfort GAA Development fund, entrusted with the task of establishing improved training facilities for future generations. The Danesfort Run is now in its 8th year and the 7th year honouring JJ’s memory and has firmly established itself as the largest running event in County Kilkenny.

MacDonagh Junction is the main sponsor of the juvenile teams with our local club O’Loughlin Gaels in St. John’s Parish.  O’Loughlin Gaels has produced some of the finest hurlers in the Country including, Andy and Martin Comerford and Brian Hogan and has a large number of juvenile players in all GAA disciplines.  We are delighted to play a part in the development of our young hurlers towards becoming the All Ireland hurling Heroes of tomorrow.

Public Relations Officer for the club commented: “O’Loughlin Gaels is delighted to announce that MacDonagh Junction has renewed its sponsorship of our juvenile teams for the year ahead. We’ve been teaming up with MacDonagh Junction for a number of years now and are very grateful for their help and support.  We would also like to acknowledge the wider contribution MacDonagh makes across St John’s Parish. Having opened its doors in 2007, MacDonagh has grown to an enterprise with over forty outlets and employing more than 500 people. Our boys and girls say a very big thank you and promise to try to repay you on the field of play!.”

The Happy to Help project is a community support initiative which was launched in MacDonagh Junction in March 2014.  The Project was developed by Access (SOS Ltd) in response to a need for social opportunities in the local community.  All of the people supported by Access already participate in their community as employees of various organisations throughout Kilkenny but each person identified a wish for more independence and a more varied and interesting lifestyle. Key to this is meeting with friends socially & independently of others.

Finding a supportive space to achieve this was essential to making the programme a success and working with a key community supporter was in our opinion the best way forward. MacDonagh Junction is the biggest shopping centre in Kilkenny and has a vibrant and exciting environment for both shopping and leisure activities.   It is the ideal venue for people to meet their friends for coffee, lunch or a bit of retail therapy in a safe environment.

The manager of MacDonagh Junction Marion Acreman was approached and has given the initiative full support, both from her and the Centre’s staff.  MacDonagh Junction have organised training sessions with all support staff in the centre from security to maintenance to the cleaning team and have facilitated further training to ensure everyone is able to navigate their way around the centre safely & confidently .

Many of the shops in the centre have enthusiastically agreed to become Happy to Help points and are displaying the Happy to Help stickers.  The staff from these shops will be on hand around the centre to offer support and help if required for people when they are out meeting with friends.

Look out for the Happy to Help stickers around MacDonagh Junction- Supporting One community!