IRD Duhallow
Community News

Community Development Working Group

South Eastern Duhallow Elections will be held on 11 June in the Glen Theatre at 8.00pm.

Each of the South Eastern Duhallow communities elect two representatives on to the community forum.  Billy Murphy (Banteer) and John Sheehan (Aubane) currently serve South Eastern Duhallow.  Billy and John are indefatigable leaders in their respective communities, for South Eastern Duhallow and the region in general.  Many thanks are extended to them for their work, enthusiasm and active involvement in Community Development. Those communities who have their membership fully paid up and that are in the South Eastern Duhallow Community Forum are now invited to re-elect or replace one or both of these representatives.  For information please call Carmel Galvin at 029-60633.

Duhallow Lone Parent Support Network

Congratulations to Ms Theresa McAuliffe from Lyre on her recent appointment as Chairperson of the Lone Parent Support Network and on her election to the Board of IRD Duhallow.  Theresa will take up her position at the A.G.M. on 16 June.

Duhallow Childcare Providers Network

Congratulations to Ms Elaine Hooper from Millstreet Community Crèche who was elected to the Board of IRD Duhallow.  Elaine will represent the Duhallow Childcare Providers Network, which was recently formed to promote and provide a forum for community-based childcare providers.  Elaine is a Board member of Millstreet Community Crèche and works with the Muileann Óg After Schools project in Millstreet.  She will take up her seat on the Board at the AGM on 16 June. 

Duhallow Area Rural Transport (D.A.R.T.)

• Remember this service is available for everybody.

• Adults €3.00 return up to five miles, €5.00 thereafter.

• Students €1.50 return.

• Children 5 yrs and over €1.00 return.

• A Child under 5 yrs accompanied by Parent/Guardian Free!!

• Door-to-door pick-up possible.

• Friendly and Helpful drivers!

The D.A.R.T. is up and running since April 10^th and the following services are fully operational:

Routes Departure/Arrival

Tuesday:
Kanturk-Banteer-Lyre-Nadd-Banteer-Kanturk  10.15/11.00
Kanturk-Banteer-Lyre-Nadd-Banteer-Kanturk  2.00/2.45

Thursday:
Cullen-Millstreet   9.30/10.30
Millstreet-Cullen   12.30/1.30

Friday: 
Kanturk-Cecilstown-Castlemagner   9.15/9.45
Kanturk-Cecilstown-Castlemagner   12.20/1.00
Meelin-Newmarket   10.15/11.00
Newmarket-Meelin   1.20/2.05

Routes are advertised in local business outlets.
N.B.  Times and routes may alter upon operation.

If you need to be collected on the route, you will need to pre-book your seat the evening before (by 5.30pm) with Yvonne Flynn at 029-60648.
At the moment research is being carried out in other communities within the Duhallow Region to propose routes. If you or your community would like to avail of the services:  Transport to local town/village, After School Service, or Duhallow Community Rural Meals Service in your local Community Centre, Please contact Yvonne Flynn at 029-60648.

Senior Citizens Clubs

Transport has recently been set up for Rockchapel Senior Citizens Club, the route runs every second Friday in to Rockchapel Community Centre.  Door-to-Door service is available.  If your Senior Citizens Club would like transport on a regular basis,  please contact Yvonne Flynn at 029-60648

Employment & Training Working Group

If you are an employer currently planning on recruiting extra staff for the summer months, then you will benefit greatly from IRD Duhallow’s free recruitment service.  At the job centre we have a number of CVs on file of young, hard-working people who are very eager to acquire appropriate work for the summer.  We will filter CVs, facilitate the setting up of the interview process and assist you any way we can.  If you are interested in the above service please do not hesitate to contact Marie O’Regan at 029-60633.

Youth And Education Working Group

Are you interested in doing a one-year Certificate in Community Work?

If you are interested in Community work, either as a Volunteer or in a professional capacity then the UCC, Certificate in Community Work is for you.  The UCC Centre for Adult Continuing Education, in conjunction with IRD Duhallow, will offer the Certificate in Community Work in Boherbue commencing in September.  The course content will include an Introduction to Community Work and to Research Methods; will outline the Principles and Practices of Community Work and will help to develop the core skills involved. Successful applicants will then be eligible to complete the Diploma in Youth and Community Work in Year Two.   For more information, contact Michelle Melia at 029-60633.

COHMAR launch

IRD Duhallow was represented at the recent Convergence Festival, organised by Feasta and Sustainable Ireland.  The festival included several workshops on sustainable development, with inputs from experts including Prof. Richard Douthwaite and Helena Norberg-Hodge.  This year, Convergence devoted a full day to rural issues, with a seminar on the potentials of organic farming.  Convergence also included the launch of a new publication by COMHAR; the National Sustainable Development Partnership.  The publication, “A Living Island; Ireland’s Responsibility to Nature” emphasises the importance of the relationship between people and the natural environment, and the need to support a Living Countryside.  The report goes on to call for greater supports to farmers, and those in the countryside who support bio-diversity.  It is critical of past approaches to forestry, which it notes have led to acidification and erosion, and it recommends the full application of Heritage Council guidelines on future planting.

See: www.comhar-nsdp.ie, and www.feasta.ie

Agriculture Working Group

IRD Duhallow Agriculture Working Group undertook a feasibility study on Herb Production in Duhallow.  The study examined the viability of Herb-related enterprises and it has shown to be a worthwhile venture.  This study is now complete and we have identified herbs for which a demand exists, also we are examining other Herb-related enterprise.  Herb Production in Duhallow offers low income farm families additional income and makes little demand on labour and land resources.  It is an ideal alternative enterprise for farm families in Duhallow.

If you are interested in becoming involved, please contact Linda Deady at 029-60633.

Focal Farmer Programme Review

Ten years on from the Agriculture Survey; Agriculture Duhallow- A Time to Re-focus, IRD Duhallow is undertaking a review of the Focal Farmer Programme.  In this review, we hope to document the achievements, successes and impacts of the programme for those farming families who have participated in it.  We are also looking at barriers that have been encountered, and how the programme should be improved.  Since the Programme was launched by the then Minister of State, Jimmy Deenihan T.D. in Gneeveguilla in April 1997, over 160 lower-income farming families have benefited from participation in group discussions, information meetings, free financial advice, soil and silage sampling, a cattle breeding scheme, milk recording, training programmes, job placements and the range of one to one supports that are available through IRD Duhallow.

IRD Duhallow’s Agriculture Committee acknowledges the on-going support from Teagasc, the Dairy Co-Operatives and ADM (Area Development Management), and hopes the review will point the way for additional and targeted resources for low-income farming families.

Best Wishes to Local Athletes

The 11^th Special Olympics World Games will be held in Ireland this month and it will be the largest sporting event in the world this year.   Duhallow is very proud to have two representatives competing namely; Kevin O’Connor, Kanturk and Ger Healy, Banteer.  Both will be competing in Equestrian Competitions.  Duhallow welcomes athletes from Mali.

IRD Duhallow would like to extend a special thank you to all active and enthusiastic communities for their contributions to the Special Olympics and more recently their support of our athletes’ families.  Presentations will be made to the families of the two local athletes at the Launch of D.A.R.T. on June 6th.

Duhallow Women’s Forum

Mná Dhuthalla Calendar

The Duhallow Women’s Forum is producing an exciting calendar for 2004.  The Mná Dhuthalla Calendar is an ideal opportunity to honour twelve notable women from the Duhallow region and their achievements.  This project will bring greater awareness of these women and their work and will also boost the profile of Duhallow women in general.

Women to be included are:

If you would be interested in providing an outlet for the sale of this publication or if you would like to purchase a copy, please contact Kathryn O’Donnell at 029-60633.  Copies will be available in the autumn.