An Mheitheal Rothar
A not-for-profit Cooperative and Sustainable Enterprise
An Mheitheal Rothar
An Mheitheal Rothar is not-for-profit cooperative and sustainable enterprise focused on teaching repair skills and promoting cycling in Galway City. Their mission is to create a self-sustaining circular economy which promotes the value of repair and reuse, encourages strong community, and opens the health and environmental benefits of cycling to all.
Supported by the university's Innovation Office, An Mheitheal Rothar is run by a team of people passionate about creating positive change.
(Meitheal is a gaelic word traditionally used in rural communities when people from a community would come together to work on a particular problem or task - often which would not be able to be done by individuals on their own. Rothar is an Irish word which means bike.
A simple question
It all started at a 2010 meeting of the University of Galway Ecology Society, the simple question was asked: what fun initiatives could we pursue in the coming year which would have a positive impact for the local environment?
One of the ideas suggested was to establish an autonomous space where students could come and repair their bicycles in an environment which encouraged peer-to-peer learning, civic and environmental responsibility and empowered people in their own abilities. This simple idea would eventually become An Mheitheal Rothar – and went on to win the University of Galway Students Union Enterprise Award.
Since their official launch, An Mheitheal Rothar has engaged extensively with their community, running the 'Youth in Action Project' in 2013, and working with the Youth Advocate Programme (YAP), Galway Community Circus, Street Feast Galway, the GRETB (Galway – Roscommon Education and Training Board), the University of Galway University of Sanctuary Program and more.
After a period of rapid growth from 2018 onwards, An Mheitheal Rothar now includes their bike shop, in which you can get your bike repaired or purchase a recycled bike, and DIY workshops, in which you can learn how to repair your own bike. They also run an award-winning circular economy initiative called ReCycle Your Cycle.
Picture by Aengus McMahon
Picture by Aengus McMahon
About the Team
As a social enterprise, An Mheitheal Rothar benefit from their meitheal of very dedicated volunteers, such as their volunteer bike mechanics who come in and teach people how to fix their bikes. Volunteer coordinators Felipé Loughran-Ponce & Conor Cahill ensure these DIY workshops run smoothly.
Now employing 10 people, the enterprise has expanded beyond just DIY workshops to include ‘Siopa Rothar’, a bike shop on the University of Galway campus. From here they run a bicycle refurbishment centre, the award-winning Recycle Your Cycle programme, and a training centre which offers long-term unemployed individuals the chance to upskill as a bicycle mechanic.
Picture by Aengus McMahon
Picture by Aengus McMahon
Partners and Funding
In 2018, An Mheitheal Rothar entered and won the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Ideas Academy, with their 'ReCycle Your Cycle' idea, winning €5,000 in funding provided by the Lifes2Good Foundation.
An Mheitheal Rothar and the University of Galway Business Innovation Centre
An Mheitheal Rothar believes that the Business Innovation Centre (BIC) has helped them 'massively', as their association with the BIC has 'created a credibility' around their social enterprise. The BIC has also helped An Mheitheal Rothar with the business side of their company, from listening to their pitches to helping them structure their company.
"We're different from other start ups and I think it can be hard for people to get their head around the model... having the BIC say 'yes we're going to believe in you, we're going to take you in'...has just made all the difference."
Want to learn more about An Mheitheal Rothar?
Picture by Aengus McMahon
Picture by Aengus McMahon