HISTORY OF TOLLYMORE MOUNTAIN CENTRE

The Central Council for Physical Recreation (CCPR) first made outdoor training provision available from the Ballagh Cottage between 1961 and 1965.  For a short period, this moved to Lord Roden's cottaage in Bryansford.  Bert Slader, who then worked for the Sports Council for Northern Ireland, proposed the development of the current site and a 50 year lease was agreed with the Department of Agriculture from the 29th March 1967.  THe building was completed in 1970 and the Centre was officially opended in that year. 

In 1979, the Department of Education released the CCPR from the deeds and the obligation for the management of the facility was taken on by the SCNI Trust.  In the same year, the Dept. of Education released £70k to fund and extension fo the building.  Between 1992 and 1994, the centre underwent a 3 year phased redevelopment to modernise the facilities.  The structural work was jointly funded by the FOundation for Sport and the Arts, the Dept of Education for NI and the SCNI.  THe centre was officiallly relaunched on the 16th November 19945.

In 1999, agreement was reached with Forest Service to extend the lease, and following discussions with the Mountaineering Council of Ireland (MCI), an area of the site adjoining the centre was subleased to MCI Climbing Wall Ltd, who obtained funding for the construction of an indoor climbing wall.  Hotrock Climbing Wall was officially opened in June 2000.

In 2003, a Condition Survey of the facility was carried out, which recommended a full options appraisal for future use of the centre be commissioned. This options appraisal recommended a complete rebuild of the centre.  Work is due to start in early 2008