Co-working, meeting rooms and creative space in Ballinrobe

Why a shared space matters in a rural town

The sociologist Ray Oldenburg wrote in 1989 about "third places": the cafés, halls and gathering spots that sit between home and work and hold a community together. Rural Ireland has always had them: the shop, the pub, the GAA club, the parish hall. As more people work remotely, a new kind of third place has become essential: somewhere with good light, a reliable connection and other people.

Working from the kitchen table is fine for a while. But many remote workers tell us they miss the conversations, the separation between home and work, and the chance to meet someone who might become a collaborator. A shared space gives you all three without a long commute.

What is inside the Nexus

The building is organised around five zones, each with its own purpose:

• Academy: learning: courses, workshops and labs.
• Archive: knowledge and memory of people and place.
• Studio: creation and production, including filming and making.
• Commons: dialogue and exchange: community events and gatherings.
• Hub: work infrastructure for freelancers and micro-enterprises.

In practice that means hot desks and quieter rooms for focused work, a boardroom-style room for meetings and interviews, a large workshop room for trainings and community sessions, and space for filming and creative production.

Who uses it

• Remote and hybrid workers who want a desk, good company and a reason to get dressed.
• Coaches, therapists and consultants who need a professional room to meet clients.
• Agencies and trainers running courses and information sessions in south Mayo.
• Community groups looking for a welcoming place to meet, plan and celebrate.
• Artists and makers who need room to experiment, exhibit or film.

A living lab, not just an office

The Nexus is also our Social Innovation Living Lab. The living lab idea, developed across Europe and promoted by networks such as the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL), means testing new ideas in real settings, with the people who will use them. Every Slí Nua programme, from career workshops to serious games, is prototyped here before it is scaled online or internationally.

In September 2026 alone, the building hosted GAUZE with The Hands Up Project (poetry, film and live music, including a cinema in the old bank safe), children's creative workshops where young makers painted the river Robe across the floor, and training sessions for the Joyce Country & Western Lakes Geopark tourism programme.

Practical things to know

• Where: Glebe Street, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo, F31 VE22, in the heart of town.
• Booking: rooms and desks can be booked online through the Nexus site; for events and longer arrangements, call or WhatsApp us.
• Accessibility: tell us what you need when you book and we will do our best to make it work.
• The area: Ballinrobe sits within the Joyce Country & Western Lakes Geopark, close to Lough Mask and Lough Carra, a good excuse for a walk at lunchtime.

"The building used to keep money safe. Now it keeps ideas, people and conversations safe."

Come and see it

The best way to understand the Nexus is to visit. Drop in, book a desk for a day, or bring your team for a meeting. If you have an idea for an event, a workshop or an exhibition, we would love to hear it.