A DELIGHTED Mary Gormley with her dog Rio at her new home in Tir an Choir in Tuam. Photos: Ray Ryan

DREAM HOME

First Christmas in new home like ‘winning the Lotto’

‘IT’S been like winning the Lotto.” That’s how a Tuam mother, who had been at risk of having nowhere to live, describes spending her first Christmas in her new home.

Mary Gormley and her two children moved into one of 20 houses managed by Co-Operative Housing Association in Tuam – a home that Mary told The Tuam Herald is pretty much the home of her dreams.

She moved into the three-bedroom house in August and couldn’t believe how wonderful it was.

“It’s fantastic. There’s a fine spacious kitchen with beautiful countertops and cupboards. They are fabulous houses, real state of the art,” Mary remarked.

Tir an Choir in Vicar’s Choral beside Tuam Stadium comprises a total of 31 A-rated homes - 12 two-beds and 19 three-beds.

The homes were delivered in partnership with Galway County Council, the Department of Housing, the Housing Agency and the Housing Finance Agency. The developer for the project was Comer Group.

The housing agency, Co-operative Housing Ireland, works closely with various stakeholders in the housing sector to provide high quality social-rented homes across the country.

“I got a phone call earlier in the year to say that I’d been shortlisted for a house in Tuam. Then, in June, I was told I was allocated a house in Tir an Choir,” explained Mary.

Only a few years previously, Mary had found herself just days to find somewhere to live. She had been renting from a private landlord, but the property was repossessed by the bank…

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