Originally founded as the Narin Portnoo Rosbeg Community Co-Operative Society Ltd., the centre is now locally known as the Dolmen Centre. It has been built and shaped by our community to provide services both for the local vicinity and visitors alike.
Much of the work here is voluntary and there are numerous projects thriving to develop our rural community.
Wastewater is treated and disposed of in an environmentally friendly way through the use of onsite reed beds. This natural system depends on microorganisms, plants and invertebrates to clean the wastewater. These reed beds assist in the storage of rainfall and provide habitat value for wetland flora and fauna.
No fossil fuels are used to heat the building. The centre's heating system is derived from a low-grade source heat which is extracted by a sealed chemical system placed eight feet underground. All space heating in the centre is effected by renewable energy. The mainstay is a heat-pump system - a geothermal solar system, which utilises the solar energy banked in the earth. One metre down, the earth temperature is always 7 to 8 degrees Celsius, a storage of the sun's continuous radiation of heat upon our planet.
Six solar panels on the centre’s roof supply an additional 9 kWh to the hot water system.
Raised beds are available onsite and can be booked through the local gardening group.