Galway Muslims seek to build first Islamic centre

11/6/2004 4:30:00 PM GMT

Galway Advertiser

The Muslim community in the city of Galway hopes to build the first Islamic cultural centre in Ireland outside of Dublin. The project is aimed at meeting Muslims’ needs and establishing bridges between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Galway is home to some 1,000 Muslims and the city's main mosque is in Riverside. The main mosque was a house that was bought in the early 1980s by UCG students and it has served the Muslim community ever since but Sheikh Khalid Sallabi, the Imam (prayer leader/preacher) of the Galway mosque said that it is now too small to meet the needs of the growing Muslim community.

“Until last year this mosque was able to accommodate people and provide facilities for the community,” Imam Sallabi said, “but this year we have seen that it’s no longer enough and now lots of our activities take place outside the mosque, such as the Friday prayers which we hold in the Westside Community Centre and prayers we do during Ramadan which are held in the Shantalla Community Centre.”

Muslims in the area also think that it is time to build a larger centre. On behalf of the Galway Islamic Society, Mr. and Mrs. El-Healai submitted a Draft Galway City Development Plan demanding an Islamic cultural centre.

The proposal has been discussed recently at a city council meeting and councilors have been informed that such a building would represent the multi-cultural nature of the city and help "achieve a balanced provision of community, cultural, and social infrastructure".

Before building the mosque, funds have to be raised and a site has yet to be selected and acquired. The GIS is currently discussing the issue with the city council.

“Things are happening but slowly,” Imam Sallabi said. “Our first priority must be to find land to build on. If we get the land then we will seek planning permission. The city council is doing its best to find land and we have great hopes.”

"It has to be easy to access from the city centre and to be in a location that is practical for people to reach," he added.

Inside the Islamic centre there will be a mosque, classroom for Qu'ran, religious, language, cultural, and computer studies, offices, an Islamic exhibition centre, and an area for indoor sport. Above all, Imam Sallabi believes that it must be a place where Galway Muslims can express their beliefs and identities and reach out with the rest of Galway.

"It will help Muslims keep their identity and feel at home. Galway is a multi-cultural place and this centre will reflect that as our community is from all over the world," he said.

"Also a real benefit will be to build bridges with others. You won't need to go to the Middle East to find out about Muslims. They are here and this will be a place open to everyone. It can play a positive role in creating bonds between Muslims and non-Muslims."

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