IRD Duhallow Progress Report 2023 - 2024

C O M M U N I T I E S I N D U H A L L O W

The Land & People

The IRD Duhallow region includes North West Cork, South East Ker r y and Mid Cork. It is an area of natural development and is predominantly r ural Over 85% of the population live in the open countr yside or in settlements of less than 200 people.

The IRD Duhallow region has five market towns: Macroom (Pop. 3765), Kanturk (Pop. 2350), Millstreet (Pop 1555), Newmarket (Pop 976) and Rathmore (Pop 790)

Minister for Education Norma Foley with IRD Duhallow Assistant CEO Eileen Linehan and CEO Maura Walsh

Chairperson’s Address

Having completed my second year as Chair of IRD Duhallow I am delighted to present this year ’ s Repor t, which outlines a great year of progress, with IRD Duhallow being awarded new contracts for a wide range of programmes, which suppor t Duhallow Communities in so many ways

Once again, staying true to our core values of being Courageous, I nnovative, Responsive, Caring, Driven and Trusted, we have navigated a course to ensure our four pillars of Development; Social, Cultural, Economic and Environmental, are progressed with equal emphasis to result in balanced and sustainable development in our region

The solid leadership and steady hand of governance of my fellow directors has enabled IRD Duhallow to not only deliver and close out its existing programme contracts by year end, but in tandem prepare new strategic plans for our core programmes, LEADER and Social Inclusion Community Activation We have also sought out and introduced new initiatives and community ser vices to address the emerging needs, identified in our extensive consultation across all of our communities and sectors I was delighted to sign the new contracts for programmes including WorkAbility ; Social Farming; Community Mental Health; Sk illnet; The Community Centres Fund (for R ylane); Community Ser vices Programme and the Community Fund for those feeling the war in Ukraine all of which are detailed in the body of this repor t

The Board of IRD Duhallow, backed strongly by our communities made the bold but considered decision to bid for independent status for the deliver y of LEADER 2023 -2027 We were aware of the risks involved but we worked hard alongside our management team and staff to ensure that the best strategy possible for the Duhallow Region was submitted In fact, we had to submit three separate strategies in line with local authority divisions rather than a composite strategy for the Natural Area of Development that is the Duhallow Region

Our strategies were underpinned by the excellent analysis of census data provided to us by Dr Brendan O’Keeffe People and Place The good news is that we scored ver y highly and have been awarded the contracts for our Nor th and South Cork LEADER area but unfortunately due to a revision of our similarly high marks in our Kerr y Strategy being revised down and Kerr y LCDC revised up by the same amount which meant that they then had a higher score than us and were awarded the contract

Another disappointment was our loss of Millstreet and Ballydaly to South Cork with a good por tion of our Social Inclusion remit and budget and of course the great groundwork that our staff have been doing with the Ukrainian population there And for the last three decades our community capacity building work It is my firm belief that Rual and Local Development should never be undermined in such a manner and instead should follow the European Commission LEADER model of Natural Areas of Development

The Board now looks for ward to getting the implementation phase off the ground as quickly as possible so that our pipeline of projects can be addressed, and the full impact of LEADER felt throughout Duhallow

The Board was refreshed again this year with our Southeastern community representatives Geraldine O’Lear y and Rosie Healy returned as well as Cllr Fionnán Fitzgerald (Kerr y), and we welcome new Directors Cllr Anne O’Sullivan (Kerr y) Barr y O’Connor of I nland Fisheries I reland, and Mar y Wallace, Donoughmore I wish to pay tribute to, and thank retiring Directors, Cllr Maura Healy Rae and Suzanne Campion of Inland Fisheries Ireland for their dedicated ser vice to the Board Sadly, we lost one of our longest ser ving Directors, Jack Roche RIP and we have included a tribute on page 56 for him along with Founder of the company Jerr y Sheehan RIP, and one of our first Directors Cllr Gerard Murphy RIP who have all passed away during the year

I am pleased to report that our Board has achieved gender balance with women making up 41% and has good geographical spread with all our sub-regions are represented

IRD Duhallow has charitable status and operates to the highest standard of corporate governance through the Charities Regulator Governance Code I was delighted to accept the NSAI Gold Standard in Excellence Through People again this year As a company our Directors and senior staff sign up to the Ethics in Public Office standard I am satisfied that the appropriate controls exist and are managed effectively, ensuring that the Company remains solvent and has the requisite reser ves necessar y to carr y out all its functions and grow to meet the needs of our communities

I wish to thank our Vice Chairperson Anne Maria Bourke for her continued suppor t She also chairs our Finance Sub Committee and they deser ve recognition for their diligence and financial probity and the comprehensive repor ts presented monthly to the Board Thank you to our Auditors Westboro & Par tners represented by Mar y Power and Deirdre Bardsley McGee for their professionalism and diligence in carr ying out the annual audit

We undertake an annual strategic review of our effectiveness and impact of our strategies Setting the priorities for the year ahead, having taken into account the requirement of our stakeholders, communities and staff resources, aligned with our mission and values our external facilitator Declan Carey provided skillful guidance with input from Dr Brendan O’Keeffe The impact of our work and strategic focus over the past three decades was validated strongly with the recent census analysis showing the population of the region growing for the first time Our strategy of mak ing Duhallow a great place to live, with community creches, outdoor recreation, lifelong learning, enterprise suppor t, community facilities, environment awareness and enhancement, as well as cultural and heritage and facilities and activities, has indeed worked and has validated our approach to Sustainable Rural Development IRD Duhallow ’ s Strategy I mplementation is planned and driven through this forum and implemented through its sub committee and working group structure I wish to thank the Chairs and Members who lead this work

Our achievements in Environmental Sustainability and our obligations under the United Nations Sustainable Development goals, our work mitigating climate change and achieving Water Framework Directive Standard is testament to the leadership of our Environment Working Group led by Michael Doyle and represented on the Board by John Breen With over eighteen years of work , through two successive LIFE Programmes and our EIP (Agri) Duhallow Farming for Blue Dot that engaged one hundred farmers, we have achieved significant improvements in water quality in four of our rivers, raising three from good to high and one from poor to moderate

An unfor tunate and devasting accident was repor ted to us recently which wiped out, ecologically, almost 10km of the River Allow killing over 5,000 fish and many other species such as brook lamprey and also impacted negatively on the otter, kingfisher and dipper populations

We have met with the Statutor y Body whose facility was the source of the leak age and await a response of the competent authorities investigations We do believe that this incident simply should not have been allowed to happen and that better risk management controls must be put in place as a matter of urgency

IRD Duhallow is long recognized as having a high-per formance culture On behalf of the Board, I want to thank our CEO Maura Walsh and the management team for their exceptional leadership and thank all our staff for their hard work and contribution to the ongoing success of IRD Duhallow

In conclusion the Board, I am proud to lead, has shown courage, innovation and responsiveness I t is driven and trusted by our communities and stakeholders and we embrace the oppor tunities and challenges of the year ahead

Michael Twohig CHAIR

Manager’s Repor t

The year under review while arguably one of the most successful, stretched the capacity of the team and resolve of the Board We were tasked with completing and closing our core programmes at the end of their funding c ycles, while at the same time focused on developing a number of Strategic Plans for the 2023-2027 period This involved consulting, negotiating, researching, evaluating, drafting and drawing up separate strategic plans for the new cycle of LEADER, SICAP, WorkAbility, and Sk illnet and also continuing the implementation of our other programmes and activities and significantly growing our community ser vices

Our success in achieving independent LAG Status in the Cork areas of our region is a major achievement delivering on a priority of our Board We have also been successful with both our SICAP Strategies albeit regretful of the annexing of the M illstreet region from our Social I nclusion Programme and in par ticular having to walk away from the Uk rainian and Asylum Seekers in Drishane that we had worked so closely and intensively with there We welcome Community Ser vices suppor t for our Social Enterprises and the new WorkAbility Programme and look for ward to seeing its positive impact on those with disabilities This Programme has already recruited 10 Par ticipants This Progress Repor t provides a detailed account of the company ’ s activities and achievements in the past year, where Working Groups provide stakeholder engagement, oversight and guidance, and staff bring the exper tise necessar y to fully implement the company ’ s strategies, maximise the benefits of the various programmes we implement for the benefit of all our communities In par ticular the impact of our community ser vices such as our community Laundr y ser ving 2,030 customers in 2023 and celebrating 10 years in operation this year; our Furniture Revamp with the addition of Relove recycled paint, took 25 tons of furniture from potential land-fill and saved over 2,300kgs of paint from expor t and incineration and put it back in circulation; Warmer Homes retrofitting 248 houses and 2 community facilities; Seniors Monitored Alarms Ser vice with 153 alarms arranged; We also suppor ted Duhallow Community Food Ser vices to expand our existing secondar y schools ser vice now in its 12th year In response to the Primar y Schools Hot Lunches Initiative, they are now preparing an additional 1,400 hot fresh meals delivered daily across the region

We had impressive results across all our Programmes €3 3m LEADER funding delivered 125 Projects; SICAP (Social I nclusion) suppor ted 40 Community Groups and 457 individuals; Skillnet has upskilled 2,366 individuals in the last 12 months, while our Local Employment Ser vice has suppor ted 209 Long-term unemployed people Our EIP closed, having engaged over 100 farmers who implemented a range of agreed actions that attracted results-based payments of €662,000 The closing conference was addressed by Dr Maura Farrell, Associate Professor in University of Galway Having heard four of the par ticipating farmers outline what Duhallow “blue dot ” meant to them with actions tailored to address specific issues and strengthen their farming practices, Dr Farrell lauded the work the farmers had done and the impressive results they had achieved Our Social Farming Programme continues to grow with 20 par ticipants and 7 Host Farms on the Programme Three new walks were developed through Walks Scheme and ORIS funding

Our SAOI Network hosted a Conference with Peter Dowdall as special guest and hosted an array of events throughout Duhallow for Bealtaine in May ; Our Women’s Forum hosted a Conference celebrating International Women’s Day in March Our Seminar on Addiction was attended by 150 people and addressed by Brenda Dennehy, Ciarán Carey, Tony O’Reilly and Det Sgt Micheál O’Regan

We were honoured to have Minister for Education Norma Foley visit and present the Graduation awards to those that completed a wide range of courses suppor ted through Skillnet, LEADER, SICAP and REACH It is the highlight of the year for so many people that have been assisted to return to education or upskill in their current employment or take the first steps in gaining new sk ills to change jobs or careers

I was delighted to be asked to ser ve on the RSS Review Group established by Minister Joe O’Brien and chaired by former Assistant Secretar y of Depar tment of Social Protection, K athleen Stack The recommendations of the review will see oppor tunities for expanded qualification on to the scheme for spouses and family and admission of those distanced from the labour market in a pilot scheme This will complement existing schemes and ensure that the vital community ser vices and amenities that the RSS suppor ts, will continue to deliver for their communities into the future The Review, which involved ex tensive consultations and sur veys was supported and informed by Fiona Ward Asst Secretar y, Tony Kieran PO, Shane Reynolds APO, and Emer Gilmar tin of the Dept of Social Protection

IRD Duhallow is now operating in a ver y competitive labour market with competition for well trained staff not just from the private sector but from Local Authorities and agencies This past year we bade farewell to Mike O’Connor, Allanah O’Callaghan, Denis Justice, Gerard Browne and Sandra Jones and wish them well in their future careers We welcome on to our teams Rowan Lanning, Elmarie Young, Ciarán Carmody, Anna Cieslowsk a, Niamh Blackburn and Rhys Mac Pháil In attracting high quality, diverse talent, we will build future skills and capabilities

I would like to sincerely thank our Assistant CEO Eileen Linehan, for her vision, passion, resilience and diligence, as well as the exceptional leadership she provides to our Team Leaders, Helen O’Sullivan, Triona Dennehy, Louise Bourke as well as our Accounts Manager Jack ie Kelly They excel personally and professionally, motivating and supporting their teams and promoting a positive environment The hard work and commitment of all our super visors and staff throughout the organisation is central to our ongoing success

As Chairman Michael Twohig provides strong leadership to our board and is ably assisted by Anne Maria Bourke They remain true to the essence of the company values, empowering and encouraging us to have the courage to challenge the status quo when it poses a risk to our progress, and to never compromise on doing the right thing for our communities, stakeholders, the environment and the people that we ser ve

Local Development Companies like IRD Duhallow have earned the trust of our communities, have the high standards of governance, range of exper tise, capacity and agility to act quickly, harness local effor t to respond to demand and deliver national polic y locally, across a broad range of issues We are accessible to government depar tments and agencies This we believe was the vision of the founders of LEADER in Europe, for the ongoing evolution of Local Action Groups, as community based agents of development not to just remain as administrators of a fund but to become agents of action and development in their respective areas

We look to the year ahead with optimism, hope and determination, ready to meet any challenges, in an environment of enhanced stakeholder expectations and regulator y requirements, restricted tighter budgets to meet rising inflationar y administration costs We have also the excitement of new programmes and new ser vices to develop and offer, so with confidence and determination we look for ward to the coming year

I congratulate Eileen Linehan, on the excellent production of our Progress Repor t 2023-2024 and to all the staff that contributed ar ticles and information

Maura Walsh CEO

IRD Duhallow Board Members

M I C H A E L T W O H I G

M ichael is a founder member of IRD Duhallow and currently ser ving his second term as Chairman of the Organisation, having previously been Chair from 2011 to 2013 He sits on the Finance Committee as well as the HR and Environment Work ing Groups M ichael represents K anturk Chamber of Commerce on the Board With his wife Noreen and family, M ichael owns Super valu Stores in K anturk , Abbeyfeale and Askeaton A keen angler and countr y spor ts enthusiast he has developed a number of angling projects in Duhallow

B R E E DA M OYN I H A N C R O N I N

Breeda re -joined the Board in 2014 to represent Duhallow ’ s Social Enterprises and held the position of Chairperson from 2019-2022 Breeda was a member of Dáil Éireann from 1992 – 2007 and a member of Kerr y Co Council from 1999- 2003 and from 20112013 Ser ving her community for over 20 years, her constituenc y included the East Kerr y area of Duhallow She is involved in a number of voluntar y and charitable organisations

PA D R A I C O ’CO N N E L L

Padraic is from K anturk where he lives with his wife and two daughters He is Chairman of the IRD Duhallow Enterprise Work ing Group He is Director of Energy Security at Gas Networks Ireland having held senior management roles there in Human Resources, Energy Polic y, Commercial, PR, Marketing and Legal for the past 20 years Padraic is actively involved in various community, school board and spor ting clubs in K anturk He is also an avid golfer and is a member of K anturk and Killarney Golf Clubs and plays Tennis in Lombardstown Tennis Club

B A R RY O ’CO N N O R

Barr y represents Inland Fisheries Ireland and joined the Board of IRD Duhallow in 2024 He is the Director of Inland Fisheries Ireland’s Development Programme where he oversees the administration of funding schemes, the restoration of damaged river habitats and the stock of angling access infrastructure Barr y is a Char tered Civil Engineer with over 20 years experience in river engineering and flood risk management

D O M I N I C C R O N I N

Dominic joined the Board in July 2021 representing the ICMSA He is a dair y farmer from Boherbue and is the current Secretar y of Duhallow ICMSA He is currently a Member of the ICMSA National Council, Dair y Committee and a member of the ICOS Dair y Committee Dominic has ser ved as a Board member of Boherbue Co-Op since 2005 and is a member of the National Water Forum He is a former Chairman of the National Dair y Council and currently sits on the Board of Ornua cooperative

A N N E MA R I A B O u R K E

Anne Maria is the current Vice Chairperson of IRD Duhallow She represents the INTO on the Board and held the position of company Chair from 2015- 2018 She is a former National School Principal and continues to work closely with State agencies in an advisor y capacity She is currently the Chair of the Finance Work ing Group and Vice Chairperson of the Women s Forum as well as sitting on the HR Committee She is a keen bridge player and is a member of the K anturk Bridge Club

CO R MAC CO L L I N S

Cormac is a former Chairman of IRD Duhallow holding the role from 2012 to 2015 He is from Gneeveguilla and works as a Senior Manager in the ESB He was appointed to the Board to represent the State sector having previously ser ved as Community Representative for Western Duhallow He is the current chairman of Gneeveguilla Community Council, who developed a cultural centre in Gneeveguilla village, “ Teach Failte” He ser ves on the HR, Finance and Community Development Work ing Groups

A MA N DA O ’S u L L I VA N

Amanda comes from Boherbue and is a primar y school teacher in Ballyclough National School She was nominated to the Board of IRD Duhallow in 2022 as the Macra Na Feirme representative Amanda is the current chairperson of Banteer Macra, is the Rural Youth representative for Avondhu and she is also on the National Rural Youth sub- committee Amanda represented Macra na Feirme on a Study Session entitled “Food as a Human Rite “in Budapest last year Amanda has previously been the PRO for her club

J A M E S O ’K E E F F E

James is the Blue Dot Farmer Representative on the Board He is a four th- generation dair y farmer from Lismire He is Chairman of the Newmarket Charleville ICMSA and was elected to the National Council of the ICMSA in 2021 James was on Kerr y co- op advisor y committee from 2011 – 2021 and ser ved as a Board member of Kerr y Co- op from 2018 to 2024 He is an outdoor enthusiast who is married to Aine and they have two children

G E R A L D I N E G A LV I N

Geraldine is the Administrator of the Lee Valley Enterprise Board that promotes business and all aspects of Macroom town and the greater surrounding area of the beautiful Lee Valley A qualified Financial Advisor and former Commercial Bank Manager, with experience in por tfolio management in the Business and Agri sector and in credit risk , Geraldine holds a T T T QQI 6 and Diploma in Specialty Food Production from UCC Geraldine in involved in the local community as a volunteer with a number of local organisations and clubs in Macroom

IRD Duhallow Board Members

G E R A L D I N E O ’L E A RY

Geraldine was elected to the Board of IRD Duhallow in July 2021 representing South Eastern Duhallow She is the current vice chair of the Enterprise Work ing Group Living in M illstreet with her family, Geraldine is a volunteer on M illstreet Town Park Committee She recently concluded a 20-year tenure with Aon Ireland to focus on family life and other commitments During her career at Aon she progressed to the role of Senior Retirement Consultant, managing a por tfolio of multinational clients and trustee groups

MA R G A R E T M C S W E E N E Y

Margaret was elected to the Board in 2019 She is involved with a number of various boards and committees in her community on a voluntar y basis Margaret ser ved as Parents’ representative for 6 years on her local secondar y school’s Board of Management which provided her with invaluable background in decision mak ing and communication She is currently the Child O fficer in her local GAA club where she is responsible for the provision of child safeguarding courses and Garda vetting

TO M O ’R I O R DA N

Tom O’ Riordan was elected to the Board of IRD Duhallow in July 2019 to represent the communities of Nor th Eastern Duhallow A native of Kilbrin, he is married to Nora Mar y and they have six children Tom worked for many years in retail In recent times, he retired to par t time farming He has been actively involved in the Kilbrin community for over 40 years Tom was one of the instigators of the heritage project which restored Dr Crokes bir thplace house in Kilbrin

PAT B R O S N A N

Pat was elected to the Board to represent Western Duhallow in July 2020 He has over 20 years ' experience as an online marketing consultant Pat has lived in Gneeveguilla for over 40 years and has been involved in the GAA, Walk ing and Basketball Clubs He is an active member Gneeveguilla Development Association He also updates Rathmore Parish website He is the Chair of our Equality Work ing Group

MA RY WA L L AC E

Mar y Wallace is the Board's former Chairperson and sits on the Women & Childcare Work ing Group, she is also a member of our Finance Committee and chairs the Social Enterprise Work ing group and our HR committee She was originally elected to the Board in 2015 representing the communities of our South Eastern Region She is a retired Civil Ser vant having ser ved in the Depar tment of Employment & Social Protection She has ser ved on the Boards of Management of both primar y and secondar y schools and is an active member of Donoughmore Community Council ser ving as Treasurer and coordinates the Community Aler t scheme for the parish

R O S I E H E A LY

Rosie joined the board in July 2023, to represent the South Eastern Region She is involved in various groups locally on a voluntar y basis including Banteer, Lyre Nadd and Districts Community Council, Lyre School Parents Association & Lyre Pre School Board She is from Banteer where she lives with her husband and twin boys Rosie works with Eli Lilly where she has held various management roles over her 13 years tenure with the company

J O H N LYO N S

John represents the M id Cork Region He is a retired Coillte Forest Engineer He has been involved in various projects nationally and internationally relating to har vesting technology His current involvements include Macroom Tidy Towns, Macroom Handball / Racquetball club, Macroom Parish Safeguarding Committee, local community association, hillwalk ing club and Aghinagh Comhaltas Group Married to Frances, they have four daughters and ten grandchildren

PAu L M u R P HY

Paul is from Newmarket where he lives with his wife and two children Paul works in Cork College of FE T –Mallow Campus where he has been deputy principal since 2013 He was nominated to the Board in July 2022 to represent the communities of Nor th Eastern Duhallow Paul is currently involved in a number of voluntar y organisation and ser ves as chairperson of Newmarket Juvenile GAA and vice chairperson of Newmarket Spor ts & Leisure and is a member of the Board of Management for the local primar y school

B I L LY D E N N E HY

Billy Dennehy was elected to the Board of IRD Duhallow in May 2017 as a community representative for the Western Duhallow region He is the chairperson of IRD Duhallow ’ s Community Development Work ing Group He is an active member of the Kiskeam Community and is the current Development O fficer of the Kiskeam Development Association and Chairman of Kiskeam GAA Club He is work ing as an Area Engineer with Cork County Council Billy is married to Emily and they have two children

J u DY O ’L E A RY

Judy first joined the Board of IRD Duhallow in 1997 representing women ’ s ’ groups She Chairs the Women and Childcare Work ing Group and is a member of the HR Work ing Group Judy is a founding member of the Duhallow Women’s Forum She hails from Dromtariffe and is actively involved in her local community She is a long standing member of the Irish Countr y Women’s Association and is a member of the Kiskeam Guild She has also ser ved as Vice Chairperson of IRD Duhallow for three years

IRD Duhallow Board Members

DAV I D D OYL E

David Doyle joined the Board in July 2015, as a nominee of the Chief Executive of Kerr y County Council David holds the position of Senior Engineer in the Operations & Safety section of Kerr y County Council He is currently work ing on the development of proposals for URDF projects in Killarney and Tralee, and RRDF projects in Caherciveen and Valentia Cable Station He previously worked in Roads directorate and as Killarney Town Engineer David lives in Beaufor t, Killarney and is an active member of the local Tidy Towns

C L L R G O B N A I T M OYN I H A N

Gobnait joined the Board of IRD Duhallow in June 2016 Gobnait was elected as a County Councillor by the people of M illstreet / Macroom Municipal District, and has been representing the people of the area since 2016 Gobnait works closely with her brother Aindrias Moynihan TD to represent the people of the area The IRD Duhallow region was expanded to incorporate the greater Macroom, Inchigeelagh, R ylane area Gobnait continues to build bonds between IRD Duhallow ’ s existing networks and communities in her own constituenc y

C L L R F

I O N N Á N F I T ZG E R A L D

Cllr Fionnán Fitzgerald is a secondar y teacher and was elected Councillor for the Castleisland Area in May 2019 He was nominated to the Board of IRD Duhallow to represent Kerr y County Council He has been a community activist for many years par ticularly in the field of social inclusion for our elderly, community aler t groups and also the provision of spor t for our youth Fionnán is the current Leas Chathaoirleach, Kerr y County Council

C L L R I A N D OYL E

Ian Doyle joined the Board in 2019 Hailing from Charleville, he was a founding member of Charleville Agricultural Show He is a member of the St Vincent de Paul, Holy Cross Conference and was its President for many years He is Vice Chairman of the Charleville Heritage Society, Chairperson of the Charleville Tidy Towns Committee and he is currently a board member of Ballyhoura Development, Charleville Sheltered Housing and Community Care, Charleville Community Hall, Charleville Chamber, and Newtownshandrum Community Association He also sits on the Board of Management of St Mar ys Secondar y School and the CBS Primar y School Charleville

J O H N B R E E N

John represents the Environment Work ing Group on the Board He retired in September 2022 as Director of Ser vices with responsibility for Environment & Water Ser vices, Fire and Emergenc y ser vices, Civil Defence and Librar y ser vices as well as Municipal District manager for the Castleisland / Corca Dhuibhne Municipal District with Kerr y County Council He has also previously ser ved as Director of Ser vices in Limerick City and as Town Clerk in Tralee and Town Manager of Listowel and Killarney Town Councils A native of Kilkenny city he presently resides in Castleisland

C L L R MA R T I N CO u G H L A N

Mar tin joined the Board of IRD Duhallow in 2019 He is a member of Cork County Council representing the Macroom Municipal District Mar tin was previously a Town Councillor in Macroom for 20 years Mar tin is a retired FAS super visor who lives in Macroom and is an active Community worker He is the current Chairman of the Macroom Tidy Towns group and on the Board of Directors of the Brier y Gap and also works with the Enterprise Board organising the Food Festival, the St Patricks Day parade and the erection of the Macroom town Christmas lights

C L L R A N N E O ’S u L L I VA

N

Cllr Anne O’Sullivan is Parliamentar y Assistant to M inister for Education and Kerr y TD, Norma Foley and was elected Councillor for the Tralee LEA in the recent elections of June 2024 Anne was nominated to the Board of IRD Duhallow to represent Kerr y County Council in July 2024 Anne is a strong voice and an active member of her local community advocating to make the locality a happy, safe and vibrant area in which to live, play, work and grow old Anne, from Ballymacelligott, is the eldest of M ichael and Siobhán O’Sullivan’s four children; Siobhán is originally from Rathmore, so Anne is well acquainted with the Duhallow area and the work of IRD Duhallow

IRD Duhallow CLG. Company Str ucture

IRD Duhallow is a Community based Rural Development Company established in 1989 I t is a Company Limited by Guarantee without share capital I t has charitable status and our directors are voluntar y and receive no remuneration for their ser vices

The Board of IRD Duhallow adheres to the Governance Code Principles Statement since 2013 and is listed on the Register of Compliance The Constitution reflects best practice and is in accordance with the Charities Act, 2011 The Board membership reflects the integration of S ocial I nclusion and Rural D e velopment, the impor tance of the environment and community volunteers and the democratically elected Local Authority Members Reflective of the integrated nature of our work , the Company ’ s Board and Sub Committee Structures have evolved over the years and enjoy a massive amount of good will and voluntar y contribution in the region

Upwards of 3,500 people, par ticipate from the bottom up approach through these struc tures IRD Duhallow has a number of Work ing Groups with representatives from our Board and staff as well as community and State sector representatives This structure allows us to targets specific exper tise beneficial to the implementation of the strategic aims assigned to the par ticular wor k ing group IRD Duhallow continues to str ive for excellence through the ongoing training and development of our staff We have attained the Excellence Through People Standard, I reland ’ s standard for Human R esource Management which is now administered by the National Standards Authority of Ireland

Details Of Staf f

EILEEN LINEHAN

B A (Econ & Geog), MBS (Business Economics), Dip Personnel Mng Dip in Public Procurement EU funded projects

Eileen is the Assistant Manager and has responsibility for the Enterprise team which includes Sk illnet Community Employment & LEADER Programmes as well as the EIP Programmes She suppor ts the Manager in the day-to- day running of the company including Human Resources & the financial operations of a number of programmes & Social Enterprises Eileen monitors LEADER through its IT system and she represents Local Development Companies on Cork County Childcare Committee, which she currently chairs Eileen is a Trustee of the Pobal Pension Scheme

HELEN O’SuLLIVAN

B Soc Sc(Batchelor of Social Science) , Masters of Social Science, DipCom,Leadership & Mgt, Cer t in Agri

Helen is the Community Ser vices Team Leader with 19 years ’ experience She oversees the Rural Community Health Initiative, Towards Occupation, Work ability Programme and Afterschools She co- ordinates our Uk rainian Response & New Arrivals Programme overseeing the rollout of our suppor ts and liaising with other agencies involved at regional level She works on LEADER & SICAP suppor ting community groups to access suppor ts and funding She also oversees the Community Development& Youth & Equality Work ing Groups

NOLLAIG MuRPHY

Masters of Social Work, H Dip Social Policy, B A (hons Sociology and Histor y), Q Q I level 6 Training Deliver y and Evaluation

Nollaig joined the staff of IRD Duhallow in 2017 on a par ttime basis She works as a Development O fficer on both the LEADER and SICAP Programmes Nollaig co- ordinates IRD Duhallow ’ s Communicating Europe and Historic Graveyard projects and is involved with projects that suppor t integration within the community Nollaig works as a tutor on the Touch Type Read Spell computer classes which are organised as par t of IRD Duhallow s Literac y Suppor t Programme for children

BRÍGHID-ÍDE WALSH

M Ed Early Inter vention, B A Hons Child and Adolescent, Training Deliver y and Evaluation QQI 6

Bríghid-Íde joined IRD Duhallow in 2019, as a Development Officer she covers areas including Equality, Youth, Employment and Training She is the Afterschools Co-ordinator and Coordinator of IRD Duhallow ’ s WorkAbility programme which provides progressive pathways to employment through education, training, sk ills development, and in-work suppor ts for people with diverse needs She oversees the Youth and Children and Families actions of SICAP Bríghid-Íde is the staff resource for the Youth and Education Work ing Group

P.J. MuRPHY

MA Sociology (Youth, Communit y and Social Regeneration), B A Economics and Sociology

P J joined IRD Duhallow ’ s Community Ser vices Team in November 2021 as the Social Enterprise Development

O fficer P J works with social enterprises across Duhallow by organising training and workshops to help their development and increase their social impact PJ also works across LEADER and SICAP in his role as a Development

O fficer He is also a Case O fficer on the LAES Programme and he helps with the coordination and implementation of the LAES He works one -to- one with long-term unemployed clients to help them find employment

TRIONA DENNEHY

MBS Cooperative and Social Enterprise, B Sc Public Health & Health Promotion, IMCV Professional Manager Award, Training Deliver y & Evaluation(QQIL6)

Triona is Employment, Training and Social Inclusion Coordinator with overall responsibility for SICAP and the Local Area Employment Ser vices Programme She oversees the Equality and Training briefs including: Duhallow REVAMP, the Walks Scheme, CE Rehabilitation Scheme, Social Farming, RSS and Tús She works with communities in Western Duhallow to access LEADER funding and suppor ts the work of both the Community and Employment Work ing Groups

LOuISE BOuRKE

B C L , Masters in Criminal Justice, Masters in Management, Dip in Learning & Development, Cer t in Agri , IMCV Professional Manager Award; Training Deliver y & Evaluation(QQIL6)

Louise joined IRD Duhallow in November 2010, as Enterprise and Tourism Development O fficer work ing on the Enterprise measures of LEADER and SICAP Louise implements the sk illnet programme, coordinating quality affordable training for local businesses and is the appointed staff liaison for the Enterprise Work ing Group She oversees the publication of Discover Duhallow She is currently Acting Team Leader covering a maternity leave on the Employment, Training and Social Inclusion team

STEPHANIE MOYNIHAN

M A International Tourism, B A (Hon ) Business in Tourism, Training Deliver y & Evaluation (QQI L6), Super visor y Management (QQI L6)

Stephanie joined IRD Duhallow in August 2018 and is a Development O fficer as par t of the Community and Employment Team suppor ting communities with the process of grant applications She is the staff resource for IRD Duhallow Jobs Centre and CV Clinic ser vice as well as Local Area Employment Ser vice, the Duhallow Carers Network , SAOI network , Women’s Forum and Dormant Accounts programme and coordinates a wide range of community events and educational offerings

MONICA GILMORE

Diploma in Learning & Development, Diploma In Business, Digital Marketing Institute Professional, Training & Development QQI Level 6

Monica joined the IRD Duhallow team in June 2021 as development officer on the enterprise team Monica works as Business Development Manager for the Company ’ s Community Enterprises through the Community Ser vices Programme She promotes good business practices developing the social enterprises and suppor ting their staff Monica also implements the Sk illnet Programme, suppor ting local businesses to upsk ill and develop talent She coordinates the enterprise and tourism actions of the LEADER programme

ELMARIE YOuNG

B Soc Sc - Bachelor of Social Work QQI L6 Social and Vocational Integration Dip in Event Management QQI L5 Psychology QQI L5 Communit y & Healthcare Cer tificate in Teaching Adult Learners

Elmarie joined the IRD Duhallow team in Februar y 2024 as the Rural Community Health Worker She provides suppor ts to individuals and groups to promote positive mental health and wellbeing and signposts people to various ser vices in and around the Duhallow area She focuses on Suicide Prevention, Inter vention and Post-Vention

Elmarie strives to have a strong focus on the most vulnerable and isolated members of communities across rural Duhallow region

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JACKIE KELLY

BBus Honours, Bachelor of Business, BBus Advanced Cer tificate in Accounting, Training Deliver y & Evaluation (QQI L6)

Jack ie joined IRD Duhallow in September 2020 and is the Accounts Manager She is responsible for the establishment and maintenance of the company ’ s financial systems and procedures She presents financial repor ts for management and the Board of Directors monthly She prepares financial returns for programmes such as LEADER and SICAP, monitors Budgets and prepares variance analysis along with commentar y She also liaises with company auditors for year- end accounts

MAGGIE O’CALLAGHAN

Maggie joined IRD Duhallow in Januar y 2020 She is currently suppor ting the finance depar tment through the preparation and processing of monthly accounts for IRD Duhallow Main Accounts IRD Duhallow Furniture Revamp and Duhallow Community Food Ser vices Maggie is responsible for compiling associated financial repor ts, which are presented at monthly Board and Social Economy Work ing Group meetings, whilst also offering suppor t to Management within these divisions Maggie liaises with the Duhallow Community Food Ser vices company auditors for the preparation of the year- end financial statement

RHYS MACPHÁIL

MRes Human Geography: Spaces, Politics, & Ecologies, BA NonFiction Media

Rhys joined IRD Duhallow as the Rural Recreation O fficer in June 2024 In his role he oversees the management and enhancement of trails within Duhallow and implements the Walk Scheme along the Duhallow Way He also assists local communities with developing new routes and trails within the area He plays a key role in the promotion of trails and outdoor recreation around Duhallow and is currently work ing towards improving the Duhallow Trails App Rhys leads the IRD Duhallow Community Walks

C I A R A N C A R M O DY

B A in Economics and Geography, M A in Rural Futures Planning and Innovation

Ciaran joined IRD Duhallow in April 2024 as a Development O fficer, work ing mainly as a case officer with the Local Area Employment Ser vices Ciaran’s responsibilities include exploring employment oppor tunities in the area and identifying training to improve the client ’ s sk illset and increase their chances of employment in the future Ciaran meets clients of the LAES in our Newmarket and Macroom offices

D E R VA L CO R B E T T

ECDL, Cer t in Super visor y Management

Der val is employed as an Administrator based in the Reception O ffice She has been employed by IRD Duhallow on a par t time basis for 25 years She deals with initial queries to the company and provides administration suppor t to Management and Staff She also has responsibility for editing the company ’ s monthly Newsletter, which is circulated to over 14,000 homes in Duhallow Der val is one of the Liaison Persons with the National Vetting Bureau on behalf of Par tnership Companies suppor ting Garda Vetting Applications nationally

MARGARET O’CONNOR

MAAT-Accounting Technician, AIPA – Payroll Technician

Margaret is the Senior Accounts Administrator and has been employed by IRD Duhallow for twenty- seven years She has responsibility for Sk illnet and Afterschools Accounts She prepares monthly accounts and completes the financial returns for both Programmes and submits them to Depar tments on a monthly and quar terly basis

She prepares budget v actual repor ts for Management and monitors Debtors for each Programme She repor ts to the Social Economy Work ing Group each month on the financial information for Afterschools

ROWAN LANNING

MSc Sustainable Develop , Agri-Food, & Co- operatives, MSc Sustainable Water Environments, BA Environmental Studies: Collaborative Water Mgmt Rowan joined IRD Duhallow in May 2023 on work placement with the EIP project where she was responsible for results-based scoring, the monitoring of water quality and biodiversity on project farms, delivering workshops and hosting discussion groups Rowan was appointed Ecology Development O fficer following her placement She provides suppor t to many of IRD Duhallow ’ s LEADER funded biodiversity projects, leads environment-focused workshops for children, manages the Duhallow Volunteer Conser vation Network , and is the staff resource for the Environment Work ing Group

RACHEL BuDD

B A Hons Sociology, Cer t in Training and Development, Cer t in Communit y Development, Cer t in Therapeutic Hor ticulture

Rachel joined IRD Duhallow in 2014 as a Hor ticultural Trainer to create the award winning IRD Duhallow Community Gardens She was the Co- ordinator for the LTI in Hor ticulture for 7 years and is currently the Duhallow Social Farming Facilitator She is responsible for recruiting and suppor ting host farmers and project par ticipants, work ing with the Towards Occupation and WorkAbility par ticipants, developing and managing the Duhallow Social Farm

A N N A C I E S LO W S K A

MSc Management Information and Managerial Accounting Systems, B A Economics (Through Transformational Learning)

Anna joined IRD Duhallow in June 2024 as a Development O fficer on the Enterprise team She is responsible for coordinating LEADER projects to suppor t local businesses based in Duhallow, creating vibrant rural areas She is also involved in facilitating affordable training & sk ills through our Sk illnet programme to drive the development of local enterprises Anna also provides suppor t to our Social Enterprises

JuLIE O’FLAHERT Y

Bachelor of Business Studies & Finance, Training Deliver y & Evaluation QQI6

Julie joined IRD Duhallow in March 2015 and is par t of the Finance depar tment Her primar y responsibilities are in relation to Payroll for various programmes within the company Her role includes processing week ly payrolls and generating associated repor ts She is also responsible for CSP returns in relation to the Wages Grant received from Pobal Julie’s role includes reconciliation of Creditor Accounts and processing payments to Suppliers on a monthly basis Julie also processes the applications for Personal Alarms units through the Senior Aler t Scheme

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MARIE FLEMING

BSc Rural Development; Super visor y Management (QQI L6); Payroll Manual & Computerise (QQI L 5); Cer tificate in Health & Safet y in the Workplace

Marie is super visor of the Rural Social Scheme and oversees the par ticipant ’ s placements throughout the Duhallow region She is secretar y of the Health and Safety Committee and coordinates company training and development in line with Excellence Through People guidelines Her other duties include overseeing the Company ’ s IT and Phone Systems and ensures we are compliant with national bodies such as the Charities and Lobbying Regulator and the Standards in Public O ffice

COLM CROWLEY

Diploma in Rural Development, Cer tificate in Business Studies, IMCV Professional Manager Award, Building Energy Rating Assessor

Colm joined IRD Duhallow in July 2007 as the Warmer Homes Scheme Coordinator and is responsible for the implementation of a number of SEAI programmes which include the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme, Home Incentive Scheme, Better Energy Communities & Senior Aler t Scheme Colm coordinates staff training in line with the NSAI’s Cavity Wall Insulation System Colm is responsible for the monthly accounts for Warmer Homes and processes the payroll He chairs our Health & Safety Committee and is a fully qualified Manual Handling instructor

COLM O’CONNOR

Super visor y Management (QQI L6), Training Deliver y & Evaluation (QQI L6), Manual Handling Instructor(QQI L6) Carpentr y and Joiner y (QQI L6)

Colm joined IRD Duhallow ’ s Furniture Revamp Team in 2016 and was the Revamp Programme coordinator He was appointed RSS Super visor in November 2021 with responsibility for coordinating and super vising par ticipants placed in a number of settings Colm oversees the transpor t por tfolio in the company, and IRD Duhallow ’ s many Circular Economy Initiatives In addition Colm is a member of the Health and Safety committee and is one of the in-house manual handling instructors

MA R I I A PA LC H A K

Masters in Philology, English and French language and literature, Cer t in Administration

Mariia is Integration O fficer\Interpreter She joined IRD Duhallow in June 2022 as a par t of Uk rainian Response team Mariia organises work related courses, mental health and wellbeing events She provides career guidance and links people with required classes to improve their sk ills

Mariia helps to integrate Uk rainian refugees into the local community She is also involved in connecting Uk rainians with potential hosts across the “O ffer a Home” programme

A L I N A R u S A L

Masters Diploma in English Language & Literature

Alina was contracted by IRD Duhallow in 2022 initially as a par t time interpreter and has taken up the full-time role of Uk rainian Suppor t Worker since Januar y 2023 Alina provides interpretation for courses and events that IRD Duhallow delivers and oversees social media on Uk rainian suppor ts Alina organises courses and events in response to the needs of the Uk rainian community and as par t of a team facilitates our for tnightly Uk rainian drop-in clinics She suppor ts families relocating to Duhallow helping them to integrate into the community She is also work ing as a case officer with the Local Area Employment Ser vice

PADDY O’CONNOR

Communit y Employment Super visor

Paddy has over 23 years experience in the role of CE Super visor In that time, he has suppor ted par ticipants on the scheme to develop their sk ills and encourages them to access training in their bid to return to mainstream employment using the online Individual Learning Plan Computer System whereby each par ticipant receives a tailored progression plan Paddy liaises will all sub sponsors on the scheme to ensure we are providing maximum benefit to the communities we ser ve He also works closely with the IRD Duhallow Job Centre Employment O fficer

DON MuRPHY

Cer t in Archaeology ; Cer t in Oral Histor y;Training Deliver y and Evaluation (QQI L6)

Don was appointed Tús Super visor in June 2011 His main areas of responsibility include placement, induction, training and super vision of scheme par ticipants in the areas of built heritage renovation and vintage machiner y restoration Don has over 20 years experience as a subcontractor in the construction industr y in Ireland and abroad He is a master craftsman and stonemason and trains par ticipants on the T O and other in house programmes

AMANDA KELLER

Management & Business (QQI L6); Project Management (QQI L6), Computerised Payroll (QQI L6); Business Administration (QQI L6) Amanda joined IRD Duhallow in September 2022 as the CE Assistant Super visor and is currently responsible for work ing alongside Paddy O’Connor in assisting people who are long term unemployed to work towards their personal and career goals developing their sk ills and encouraging them back into mainstream employment, helping each par ticipant develop a tailored progression plan She also oversees the payroll/finances and administration for the CE scheme

Bachelors of Civil Law (BCL), Masters in Criminal Law

Yuliia is an Integration O fficer with IRD Duhallow since September 2022 Having arrived in Ireland in April 2022 as a refugee herself she suppor ts both refugees and asylum seekers in the region providing them with information and advocac y suppor t, coordinating volunteer oppor tunities, work preparation and employment suppor ts Yuliia also provides translation suppor t to the HSE as par t of their InReach & Psychology teams and week ly GP clinic while also work ing closely with the Local Authority Housing Dept on the O ffer a Home Programme

B A Counselling with Addiction, B A Social Care

Niamh joined IRD Duhallow in June 2024 as the coordinator of the C E Rehabilitation Scheme Niamh has a background in Counselling and through the special CE Scheme she works with individuals in the Duhallow in recover y from substance misuse and addiction around their employment and education needs, in order to reintegrate them into the community and enable them to gain employment in their chosen area

Environment

IRD Duhallow since its inception has had the environment as one of the four pillars of our strategic plan M ichael D oyle continues to chair the Environment Work ing

Duhallow Conser vation Volunteer Network

The Duhallow Conser vation Volunteer Network was set up by IRD Duhallow ’ s Environment

Work ing Group in 2022 with suppor t from LEADER Volunteers have been active monitoring biological water quality, planting trees, constructing Dipper nest boxes from natural materials, laying hedges, and managing invasive plant species

More activities are planned for 2024 including continued monitoring of biological water quality, tree planting, and species monitoring during biodiversity week

Communities Planting for Biodiversity

Under the LEADER programme sub theme ‘Protection and I mprovement of Local Biodiversity ’ IRD Duhallow was approved an umbrella project for communities across Duhallow This project has enabled communities to plant a variety of native hedgerows, woodland plants, fruit bushes and trees, nut trees, herbs, pollinator and butter fly friendly seeds, plants and bulbs across the greater Duhallow region This LEADER project has made a significant positive impac t by increasing k nowledge, understanding and practical experience across all communities of the impact and value of local Biodiversity on their quality of life This project is also innovative, through the impor tance attr ibuted to the empower ment of local communities to retain ownership of biodiversit y in their area The provision of significant quantities of native and her itage trees, plants, hedgerows, bushes and mater ials will afford all members of each community to take ownership of and suppor t local biodiversity long into the future I t will also lead to a significant reinstatement of the native flora and fauna lost through development and inappropriate ac tions of the past I t was great to see such significant uptake from a variety of groups in communities ranging from tidy towns committees to GAA clubs, to community childcare facilities and schools

Sustainable Urban Drainage Solutions (SUDS)

I n collaboration with LAWPRO, we launched our SUDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage Solutions) project, constructing 20 rain garden planter boxes to distribute throughout Duhallow communities SUDS are a group of water management practices that help to align the drainage systems of our towns with natural water processes, helping to protect and enhance water quality, mitigate sur face runoff pollution, and even help to reduce flood risks throughout the wider watershed R ain garden planter boxes mimic natural land functions by diver ting rainwater from the downpipe where it is then retained within the box, watering the plants within which also act as pollution filters These boxes have multiple benefits, providing habitats for wildlife, food for pollinators, and beauty for our local towns

Af terLIFE

IRD Duhallow secured its second EU LIFE projec t, R aptorLIFE in 2015 This €3 million LIFE+ project was a 4 5 year project which aimed to work with the local communit y to achieve a better environment for all in Duhallow through a range of key concrete and innovative actions

As par t of the R aptorLIFE project, IRD Duhallow has an obligation to continue the work of the project for 5 years following the end of the programme This includes the continued monitor ing of Hen Har r ier ac tivit y, invasive species removal including Japanese K not weed and H imalayan Balsam, and engagement with landowners ensur ing ownership and long-ter m outlook of protec ting these special designated areas AfterLIFE is made possible by the huge contribution of our Rural Social Scheme, Tús par ticipants, and volunteers who continue to implement ac tions that for m par t of our Af terLIFE commitments

Waters of LIFE

IRD Duhallow was par t of a consor tium bid for the Waters of LIFE Programme This is an EU LIFE I ntegrated Projec t which aims to help reverse the deterioration of I reland’s most pristine waters The protection and restoration of these waters is one of the key underpinning principles of the Water Framework Directive

The overall objec tive of the Waters of LIFE IP is to suppor t the implementation of measures to protect and enhance H igh-Status Waters and thus to suppor t the work of the Blue Dot Catchments Programme

IRD Duhallow is one of 10 Local Development Companies which are Associated Beneficiaries of the project The river Awbeg in K ilbrin, a tributar y of the river Black water is one of the demonstration Catchments This project continues the work of IRD Duhallow on our two successive LIFE projects and subsequent EIP projects

Volunteers attend a hedge-laying course on a local farm

Rain garden planter boxes are stacked following construction, awaiting stone, soil, and water loving plants to fill them before being installed across Duhallow

A female hen harrier photographed as par t of the RaptorLIFE and AfterLIFE hen harrier activity monitoring

As par t of our AfterLIFE commitment, we continue to remove Himalayan Balsam with suppor t of our Duhallow Conser vation Volunteer Network

The Swift Tower in Kanturk O’Brien street park, which is one of 5 swift towers erected across Duhallow as par t of a LEADER funded project

IRD Duhallow Farming for Blue Dot

The Duhallow Farming for Blue Dot Catchments EIP project began in 2019 and concluded in December 2023 The project aimed to protect or restore the quality of freshwater in the rivers and streams of the Allow River catchment (Allow, Dalua, O wenanare, Glenlara, O wenkeal, Glashawee) The project successfully recruited over 100 farmers during its lifetime, exceeding its original target of 85 Project farmers in the EIP implemented a wide range of measures in the project to protect and enhance water quality and the biodiversity of not only the river but also adjacent lands throughout the catchment

What are Blue Dot Catchments?

Under the Water Frame wor k Direc tive, all water bodies must achie ve good (satisfactor y) water quality status by 2027 Some waterbodies that have the potential to represent the highest standard of water quality have been assigned an objective to achieve high status, and these are k nown as high status objec tive or “Blue D ot ” catchments These catchments represent around 9% of all waterbodies in I reland Blue dot waterbodies act as an ‘ark ’ and are ver y impor tant for many sensitive species such as Atlantic Salmon and Freshwater Pear l M ussels, whose sur vival is dependant on high-status water qualit y The y also car r y many other benefits, including the economic benefits der ived from angling, recreation, and tourism

Projec t Measures

The projec t was a hybr id results-based agr i- environment scheme, meaning far mers received a higher payment for maintaining higher qualit y habitats such as wet grasslands, in-stream woody habitat, and

vegetated drains Howe ver, far mers also had the option to apply for ‘Additional Proposed Wor ks’, which are capital ac tions such as solarpowered pumps, far m roadway upgrades, tree planting, biodiversit y ponds and many other measures that protec t water qualit y and biodiversity

Throughout the project, over €650,000 was paid out to farmers

Some highlights include:

• O ver 130ha of wet/species-rich grassland retained

• O ver 22ha of riparian woodland retained

37 farm roads upgraded to prevent farm runoff

• 15 ponds installed

138 water troughs installed

• 39ha of multi-species swards trial

• O ver 19k m of waterbodies fenced

• 10 solar-powered pumps/fencers implemented

• 20,000 trees planted

• 22 nest boxes installed for barn owls, sand mar tins, and dippers

Education & Training Events

Far mer training and k nowledge transfer is an impor tant par t of the projec t A k nowledge transfer e vent was held at the James O K eeffe I nstitute M arquee in July 2023 Here, far mers lear ned about blue dot r ivers, locally specific catchment science and the rural health ser vices available to them through IRD Duhallow ’ s Nor th Cork Rural Community Health Scheme Farmers also enjoyed a BBQ af ter the event and could avail of an I rish Hear t Foundation Hear t Check

As far ming ac tivities got a bit quieter in O c tober and November, the projec t hosted an Autumn talk ser ies where far mers and the public attended talks on:

• Sustainable beekeeping

• Riparian buffers

Native hedgerows

• Oppor tunities for native woodlands on farms Renewable energy on farms

Dair y cows grazing alongside an ancient riparian woodland on the O wenanare

Maura Walsh, IRD Duhallow CEO with Inge Van Oost, European Commission, DG Agriculture and Rural Development

A farm pond which was installed by the Blue Dot project

The River Allow near Freemount, which was a key focus of the Blue Dot project

Scientists working on water quality in Ireland visit a project demo farm

Over 35 school visits to national and secondar y schools in Duhallow were conducted during the project, with school books designed by the project team, printed, and distributed to schools Through these visits, hundreds of Duhallow pupils lear ned about the biodiversit y and qualit y of their local rivers and streams, including their significance as blue dot rivers A calendar competition was held among par ticipating schools, with the winners receiving a river walk and biodiversity action plan as their prize

Water Quality Improvements

Four river water bodies within the projec t catchment area improved in Water Framework Directive Status ( WFD) from the beginning to the end of the project This included three waterbodies that improved from good to high status (ALLO W 030, O WENANARE 020, O WENKEAL 020) and one that improved from poor to moderate (ALLOW 060) This means that 81% of the catchment area ’ s rivers are now achieving their WFD status, compared to just 57% of the catchment area at the beginning of the project, as well as 53% of total rivers in I reland

Getting the Message Out

While the projec t has been a huge success for the catchment area, another impor tant par t of EIP projec ts is shar ing the findings, lessons learned, and innovation with others, as well as feeding into new policies and schemes Many of the projec t ’ s measures have been replicated by ne w agr i- environment schemes and through different projec ts The project team regularly hosted farm walks and talks to both agricultural and environmental agencies, in Ireland and fur ther afield The project was featured on the last ever episode of Ecoeye in Februar y 2023, and R TÉ R adio 1’s Countr y wide with Philip Boucher Hayes did a piece on the project in Februar y 2024

A video series highlighting measures on demo farms and the impor tance of blue dot r ivers for Duhallow was created as well This video ser ies features five project farmers, the unique features of their farms which are beneficial to water quality, and various measures implemented through the project Through the six videos in the series, viewers learn about blue dot r ivers and the EIP projec t, hear from residents of Duhallow about angling, ecology, mythology, and the various ways that members of the community engage with our region’s rivers

We travel to Edel Keating Buck ley ’ s farm to learn about the impor tance of farm road upgrades and sediment ponds, then to Tony Ahern’s farm to address far m road runoff and r iver bank erosion I n drain sediment ponds and rainwater har vesters are highlighted at William O ’Connor ’ s far m, while hedgerows and ponds target diffuse runoff at Eileen McSweeney ’ s farm, and the impor tance of wet grasslands are emphasised at Con O’Sullivan’s farm

A book let of measures has also been published, with both the book let of measures as well as the video series available to view on the project webpage

End of projec t conference

An end- of-project conference was hosted in the James O’Keeffe Marquee in December 2023 This was attended by farmers, scientists, polic ymakers, and researchers The conference was opened by Dr Maura Farrell NUIG with presentations from Donal Daly, M ike O’Connor and Tom Ankettell Eileen Linehan, Assistant Manager chaired a panel discussion with four farmers who par ticipated in the scheme; Tony Ahern, William O’ Connor, Timothy Mur phy and Tom O ’ D onoghue Environment Wor k ing Group Chair, M ichael Doyle chaired a panel discussion with “ What Nex t ” with former Agri Advisor M ichael Morrissey, Ruth Hennessey LAWPRO, Eimer Conner y Teagasc, and project scientist M ike O Connor

Next Steps

The projec t has made a ver y positive mar k on agr iculture and environment in I reland Although the projec t has concluded, the team are still being asked to present the project at regional conferences and are receiving requests from agricultural and environmental organisations to visit demo farms

I n addition, there is great enthusiasm amongst the projec t far mers to secure another projec t and continue to build on the success of the Duhallow Farming for Blue Dot Catchments EIP

IRD Duhallow are consider ing different oppor tunities to initiate a new project that would allow us to continue to work alongside the farming community in Duhallow to improve the natural environment for all

Duhallow Farmers turned out in force to hear Donal Daly, Former Scientific O fficer with the EPA and Blue Dot Steering Group member, talk on catchment science last July

Local farmers Tony Ahern, William O’ Connor, Timothy Murphy and Tom O’ Donoghue talk to the audience about their experience of par ticipating in the Bue Dot project and the benefits it has resulted in on their farms

Former Blue Dot Agri Advisor, Michael Morrissey, Ruth Hennessey LAWPRO, Eimear Conner y Teagasc with Mike O Connor IRD Duhallow par ticipate in a panel discussion at the closing conference of the Blue Dot EIP Project

Agriculture

The IRD Duhallow Agriculture Work ing Group is composed of Duhallow farmers and relevant agricultural stakeholders in the region The group met twice jointly with the Environment Work ing Group in 2023 to discuss agricultural projects in Duhallow, challenges faced currently by farmers in Duhallow, and future strategies for farming par ticularly in relation to future LEADER programmes

Duhallow Beekeepers Association

The Duhallow Beekeeper ’ s Association ran another ver y successful beginner ’ s course in beekeeping at the James O’Keeffe I nstitute in Newmarket, with 75% of graduates repor ting successfully keeping their own hives following the conclusion of the course This beginner ’ s course is set to run again in 2024 providing enough applicants register interest The demonstration apiar y at the James O’Keeffe I nstitute established last year has since been expanded to include multiple new hives and continues to provide the group with an ideal area for experienced members to pass on their sk ills to budding beekeepers in Duhallow

Sustainable Dair y Development Training

M ilk suppliers from t wo local Co - Ops availed of IRD Duhallow Sk illnet funding to assist them on their sustainable far ming jour ne y The programme which was developed by UCC included modules on Nutrient Cycles, S oil, Sustainable Food Systems, Biodiversit y and Conser vation, Breeding for a more sustainable herd, Energy M anagement and Renewables, Grass Management and Circular Economy The programme ran on a par t time basis over 8 evenings with one in person workshop in UCC which allowed the par ticipants to net wor k and discuss real life sustainabilit y challenges and oppor tunities The programme is being

accredited by UCC in 2024 and will run again as a le vel 7 accredited programme

Women in Agriculture

IRD Duhallow hosted a series of discussion groups for farmers in 2023, including a discussion group session for women in agr iculture in Duhallow Our CEO M aura Walsh attended the Communit y of Prac tice Net wor k ing e vent with Universit y of G alway ’ s FLIARA (Female Led I nnovation in Agriculture and Rural Areas) projec t, a 3 year RIA funded projec t dedicated to creating a more sustainable future through highlighting the role of women in agr iculture and rural areas IRD Duhallow continues to look to new ways to suppor t women in agriculture within the region

Conference

I n O c tober 2023, fif t y women from the Duhallow region attended the Women and Agriculture Conference held at the Lyrath Estate in K ilkenny Centred around the theme "Finding the Balance” this landmark event is designed to empower and suppor t female far mers and agr ibusiness professionals and the gathering is a testament to the growing recognition of women ' s pivotal role in agriculture, a sec tor traditionally dominated by men

The conference gathered a diverse group of speakers to address various issues facing women in agr iculture This offered a r ich tapestr y of k nowledge, suppor t, and inspiration, foster ing a sense of communit y among the women of Duhallow as the y str ive to find balance in their professional and personal lives and it was also a network ing oppor tunity ; the women of Duhallow connected with peers from across the countr y, fostering a sense of camaraderie and mutual suppor t

IRD Duhallow Rural Community Health Officer

IRD Duhallow welcomed a new Community Health O fficer, Elmarie to the team in Februar y 2024 Elmarie is available to speak with farmers about health issues common to farmers such as mental health and

hear t health

Old ways are best Photo by Jim McSweeney

The Duhallow Beekeeper ’ s Association gives a demonstration hive inspection at their demonstration apiar y at the James O Keeffe Institute

Dair y cows watch busy bees on a Duhallow farm

Photo by Claire McAuliffe

Milk suppliers from two local Duhallow Co- Ops attend an in-person workshop at UCC as par t of the Skillnet funded Sustainable Dair y Development Training programme

Attending Community of Practice Networking event with University of Galway s FLIARA project (Female Led Innovation in Agriculture and Rural Areas) Aisling Mur tagh Fliara UCG; Tara Farrell Longford Women s Link ; Maura Walsh CEO IRD Duhallow Steve Dolan CEO Galway Rural Development; Minister of State Pippa Hackett Dept Agriculture Food and the Marine Anne Kinsella Teagasc Dr Maura Farrell Fliara Coordinator UCG; Elaine Williams and Louise Weir UCG

Social Far ming

What is Duhallow Social Farming?

Duhallow S ocial Far ming is a person- centred and communit y-based projec t that ex tends across the spec trum of disabilit y I t is inclusive of people with mental health conditions, people with physical or sensor y disabilities, people who acquired a disabilit y, people with intellec tual disabilities, people with autism and those with hidden disabilities Duhallow Social Farming operates as a voluntar y model to enable real work ing relationships and friendships to develop

The far ms are not specialised treatment far ms; the y remain t ypical wor k ing far ms where people in need of suppor t can benefit from relationship building in a non- clinical environment Duhallow S ocial Farming aids in covering the costs of any health and safety adjustments that need to be made on the farm for social farming activities, as well as providing funding for relevant training oppor tunities

Duhallow Social Farming is now an established project with 20 par ticipants attending 7 host farms on a week ly basis We have 3 long running farms, with par ticipants now in their second and third years of visiting their farms After a difficult star t to the year with severe weather stress and cost of living affecting all of our farmers, we are beginning to get back on track Our new farms are becoming established with the farmers and par ticipants alike beginning to settle with each other

S ocial Far ming ac tivities focus on the par ticipant ’ s potential and encourages them to socialise, aiding in the de velopment of their life and social sk ills The new challenges and exper iences par ticipants encounter while social far ming improves their confidence, independence and wellbeing The increased activity improves their physical health and develops their motor sk ills

IRD Duhallow Community Gardens and Social Farm

Our gardens and social far m here at IRD Duhallow continue to grow and de velop with the installation of a second large tunnel for more intensive food production This will add to the crops grown in

and by par ticipants and

volunteers We continue to focus on biodiversit y and the Therapeutic Garden is bursting full of flowers

The gardens are enjoyed by members of the Towards Occupation and WorkAbility programmes and are the base for hor ticultural training and events throughout the year

Testimonial from Natalie Mar tin, Sobley Farm, Newmarket There are so many things I enjoy about social farming Meeting and making new connections with people Sharing the workload with par ticipants who bring their own skill set and we also share and learn new ones during the placement

Seeing par ticipants grow in confidence and to be able to happily take the lead in activities is rewarding to me

But best of all I enjoy hearing the stories and jokes we share during our many tea breaks

the k itchen garden for use in the restaurant

Rachel Budd, Social Farming facilitator with Clare Gormley from DAFM and facilitators from Kerr y Social Farming and the Field of Dreams in Cork

Towards Occupation par ticipants with suppor t worker Donal Barr y taking a break whilst har vesting potatoes in the polytunnel

Tomas Moynihan planting beans with host farmer Helena O’Connor

Tim Twomey with two alpacas from Fine Oaks Alpacas in Kilcorney

Farmer Natalie Mar tin with par ticipant Ciaran Buckley

Social Farming facilitator, Rachel Budd showing par ticipant Danni O’Carroll young apples forming on the tree

John Fitzgerald admiring the roses in the Therapeutic Garden at the IRD Duhallow Social Farm

Host Farmer Natalie Mar tin, Sobley Farm, Newmarket

Enterprise

Enterprise and job creation is a key focus of IRD Duhallow Throughout the past year, the Enterprise Work ing Group have worked to develop and grow oppor tunities for businesses in the region Suppor t is available through training, grant funding, mentor ing and suppor t The IRD Duhallow Enter pr ise team is guided by the Enter pr ise Wor k ing Group which meets bimonthly and monitors enter pr ise budgets as well as strategy targets

LEADER

The LEADER programme promotes sustainable de velopment in rural areas, addressing economic, social, and environmental concerns I t was designed to aid the development of sustainable rural communities

The LEADER programme 2014-2020 has now finished and IRD Duhallow were able to suppor t many enter pr ise projec ts throughout the programme with an investment of €570,410 in local Duhallow businesses

The LEADER 2023-2027 programme will soon be tak ing new applications, and Duhallow Businesses can contact the Enterprise Team to get suppor t and information in relation to the new programme

SICAP

The SICAP Programme suppor ts disadvantaged people such as those that are long term unemployed or with a disability to set up or develop their enterprise

SICAP Star t Your Own Business Programme

Two SICAP funded Star t Your Own Business Programmes were held in the past 12 months D elivered by Ruth Cosgrave of Via Lutea, the programmes cover the fundamentals of what is required to get star ted in business including market research, finance, marketing, sales, company structure and basic taxation

SICAP Mentoring Programme

The SICAP funded mentoring programme offers one to one suppor t for entrepreneurs on how best to de velop their business Through this, Duhallow businesses can avail of 10 hours of exper t advice and guidance from our panel of mentors Our mentors come from a wide var iet y of different back grounds and exper tise and provide valuable insights for developing or sustaining a business

Back to work enterprise allowance (BT WEA)

The BT WEA scheme encourages people getting cer tain social welfare payments to become self- employed through the depar tment of social protection IRD Duhallow assists BT WEA referrals by offering suppor t and advice in the form of mentoring and training We have a strong work ing relationship with the DEASP and par take on the DEASP / LDC focus group for the BT WEA

Duhallow Enterprise Awards 2023

A fantastic night was held last November at the 2023 Duhallow Business Awards, which took place in the marquee at the James O’Keeffe I nstitute with a gala dinner catered for by Duhallow Communit y Food Ser vices This was the 9th Business Awards to be held on Duhallow since 2013 MC Alan Shor tt enter tained e ver yone and with over 200 people in attendance The awards recognise the many impressive business success stor ies throughout the Duhallow R egion and provide a significant oppor tunit y for businesses to highlight their ser vices The night was a huge success and a wonder ful oppor tunity to showcase the businesses of Duhallow

Theo Moynihan receiving business mentoring from Ruth Cosgrave through the SICAP programme

Maura Walsh with Shane Naughton and Jerr y Doody from Nor th Cork Creameries which won overall business of the year at the 2023 Duhallow Business Awards

MC and special guest at the 2023 Duhallow Business Awards Alan Shor tt with CEO of IRD Duhallow Maura Walsh

Andrew Lehane of Hickey Scaffolding, Gneeveguilla showcasing the machine that manufactures pre galvanised metal for scaffolding which was co-funded through the LEADER programme

Matthew Collins, The Sibly Food Company showcases his project: Seventy 7 by The Sibly Food Company which was co funded through the LEADER programme with his sister and colleague Eimear Collins

IRD Duhallow Skillnet

IRD Duhallow Sk illnet is a regional network dedicated to providing upsk illing and resk illing programmes and suppor ts to companies

The primar y objective of Sk illnet is to advance the competitiveness, productivity and innovation of businesses operating in I reland, through enterprise led workforce development

IRD Duhallow Sk illnet, now in its 10th year has suppor ted in excess of 3,000 companies with training suppor ts to date

I n addition to training suppor ts, IRD Duhallow Sk illnet organises network events throughout the year, providing an oppor tunity for companies to network and showcase their businesses

We par tner closely with industr y to create upsk illing programmes which are responsive to business needs and designed to develop future ready talent such as our childcare degree courses and our upcoming sustainability training for the farming community

The European Year of Skills

The EU Year of Sk ills launched across Europe and in I reland in May 2023 and ran until May 2024 The European Commission’s commitment to sk ills signals the impor tance of talent development across member states

I n Februar y 2024 IRD Duhallow ran a EU Year of Sk ills Network Supper with leading Per formance Psychologist

Caroline Currid Caroline spoke about the fundamentals of a high per forming leader and how to adapt mindsets to deliver optimal per formance and an action plan to sustain high per formance in business and spor t The event was attended by local business owners and leaders from the world of business and spor t

IRD Duhallow Skills Connec t Programme

The sk ills connect programme is designed in par tnership with enterprise to enhance employability and suppor t people who have lost their jobs I t offers training oppor tunities and suppor ts aimed at suppor ting re - entr y into the wor kforce The programmes on offer are fully funded and IRD Duhallow has successfully run a range of programmes including QQI Level 5 in Healthcare Suppor t, QQI Level 5 in Early Childhood Education and an Outdoor Ac tivit y I nstruc tor training programme Additional suppor ts offered with sk ills connect programmes include inter view sk ills, work placements, IT sk ills and coaching to ensure that trainees are in a strong position to gain employment upon completion of the programmes

Skillnet ESF Future Dynamics

I n 2023 IRD Duhallow Sk illnet ran a pilot Sustainable Dair y Development programme in conjunc tion with UCC and K er r y Cooperative The programme ran over 9 weeks online with one in person session in UCC

Feedback was excellent with one farmer commenting: “ This is the type of course I have been look ing to complete for a long time The workshop was a great way to meet other farmers on the course & from a pure network ing contex t great ideas were shared on the day Personally, I would like to par ticipate in the course for nex t year to get accreditation for the course that we did this year ”

I n 2024 through the ESF Future D ynamics Programme we are work ing towards accrediting this programme to level 7, to allow farmers to gain a fully accredited qualification from UCC upon completion

Networking

Network ing is a key focus of IRD Duhallow Sk illnet, events such as The Caroline Currid Network Supper, The Duhallow Business Awards, Recognition of Learning and Macroom Business Breakfast were well attended and offer a great oppor tunity for local business owners to meet

Recognition of Learning

M inister for Education Norma Foley and Dave Flynn Director of Business Networks with Sk illnet Ireland were special guests at our 2023 recognition of learning celebration The sun shone on our graduates and their families as they received their cer tificates We celebrated the achievements of our Level 5 Healthcare group and Level 8 Early Childcare Education and many others on the day

Dave Flynn, Skillnet Ireland, Monica Gilmore and Louise Bourke IRD Duhallow with Janet Lucas Progressive College and graduates of the Skills Connect Major Award in Early Childhood Education and Care

Louise Bourke, IRD Duhallow Skillnet and Gretel O Sullivan, South Kerr y Skillnet with Aisling Sharkey and Gerard O Carroll from MTU launching their new Leadership and Management in ECEC Micro Cred Programme

Monica Gilmore, per formance psychologist and special guest Caroline Currid, Louise Bourke and Maura Walsh at the IRD Duhallow Skillnet Network Supper Event

Minister for Education Norma Foley with Dave Flynn Skillnet Ireland, Rosemar y Flynn SETU, Louise Bourke IRD Duhallow and graduates from the Level 8 Degree in Early Childhood Education which was co- funded through IRD Duhallow Skillnet

Padraic Tracy, president of Killarney Chamber of Commerce, MC Alan Shor tt, Monica Gilmore IRD Duhallow, Geraldine Galvin and Pat O’Connell from Lee Valley Enterprise Board and Maura Walsh IRD Duhallow at the Macroom Business Breakfast organised by IRD Duhallow Skillnet Network Event in conjunction with The Lee Valley Enterprise Board

Cantillon Conference 2024 which was suppor ted by a number of Skillnet Business Networks Pictured are Louise Bourke IRD Duhallow with Dave Flynn Skillnet Ireland and Gretel O’Sullivan, South Kerr y Skillnet, Annette Coburn Tech Industr y Alliance Skillnet, John Moriar ty Rural Food Skillnet Garrett O’Rourke Cork Chamber Skillnet and Susan Costello BioPharmaChem Skillnet

Tourism

Nestled in the hear t of Munster, the Duhallow region has many outdoor attractions which compliment the regions unique Sliabh Luachra culture and heritage With unspoilt rural landscapes, fishing and well-maintained walks and trails there are many attractions for tourists visiting the area

Duhallow Trails

Experience some of the region’s most breathtak ing views, the freshest air and the most stunning scener y when you walk the Duhallow Trails Avail of our new trails app which has information on each trail along with a map and points of interest Learn about the local flora, fauna, folk lore and historical locations of interest from the app

Newmarket Pitch and Putt

Ne wmar k et boasts one of Cor k ’ s 30 Pitch and Putt courses and this renowned 18-hole course was designed by inter nationally acclaimed M ichael O ’Lear y of S ol G olf Ballydesmond and funded by the LEADER programme The club welcomes a large number of visitors and green fees are busy throughout the season Promoting Pitch and Putt amongst young people and encouraging healthy living is a priority for the club and this year they delivered national schools programmes with local primar y schools in conjunc tion with Pitch and Putt I reland This was complemented by over 50s beginners’ classes and leagues

Duhallow

Centre of Excellence

Established under LEADER 07-13, it was identified that Angling was a unique selling point for the region The quality of the wild brown trout stocks in our rivers is the major factor of attraction to visiting anglers Work was under tak en to suppor t the development of an Angling Centre of Excellence including improvement to physical access, infrastructure, the development of angling guides, boat hire, and social amenities which need to be suppor ted and de veloped Through collaboration of k e y stakeholders in the region, the suppor t of the RSS and Tús workers, the

infrastructure and access issues are being managed and enhanced on an ongoing basis

Ancestr y and Genealogy Tourism

In the Duhallow region biographical details from 28 graveyards have been recorded specifically to enable individuals from near and far to explore their genealogy and heritage This resource helps people to create a local connec tion for people who maybe tracing their genealogical connections within the Duhallow region The project helps to provide a local link for the diaspora, whose may not have any living relatives in the area but are interested in locating where their family of origin came from Genealogy tourists from all over the world can now log onto the online resource w w w.historicgraves.com and identify their ancestral bur ial places Fur thermore, when visiting in person, tourists can locate relevant headstones via their GPS coordinates which are published on the website

Glamping in Duhallow

IRD Duhallow has suppor ted self- cater ing tour ism LEADER projec ts through all programmes down through the years including The Mount H illar y Glamping Pods The Pods are now under ne w ownership but continue going from strength to strength under their new owners

Located in Duhallow, Ballyhass Lakes is one of I reland’s premier outdoor experience providers O ffering a variety of activities from K ayak ing, Rock Climbing, Zip lining, High Rope Courses, Swimming, Axe Throwing, Stand Up Paddle Boarding and Aqua Park to name a few Originally developed with assistance from LEADER grant funding Ballyhass Lak es has grown from strength to strength and now welcome school tours, spor ts teams, cor porate groups, families and individuals from all over I reland and abroad

Angling

Ballyhass Lakes

The Duhallow Way which makes up the first par t of the Blackwater Way, is a 67km long walking route that stretches from the borders of Kerr y, across Nor th Cork and into County Water ford, a view of the Paps of Danú

Newmarket Pitch and Putt is cared for and carefully tended by Greenkeeper Paul Kennedy

Attendees at a camp in Ballyhass Lakes enjoying a range of water spor ts including Kayaking and Stand-Up Paddle Boarding

Tom Ankettell of Duhallow Angling Centre of Excellence gave a group of the Southwest Region Girl Guides an insight into Angling and under water life recently during their camp in Newmarket

Attendees at a special viewing night of stories recorded under the Duhallow Historic Graves Recording project along with tutor John Tierney and Development O fficer Nollaig Murphy

Mount Hillar y glamping pods which can comfor tably accommodate up to three people with selfcatering facilities including a kitchenette, bathroom, shower, double bed and sofa bed are located near the foot of picturesque Mount Hillar y

Rural Recreation

IRD Duhallow has since its inception been work ing on the development of walks across Duhallow I nitially, through LEADER and the voluntar y labour of landowners, then through the Rural Social Scheme and Tús schemes which enabled us to develop new walks with ORIS funding The onset of the Walks Scheme has ensured access and ongoing maintenance of long distance walks Duhallow ’ s first Rural Recreation O fficer was appointed in October 2022, which acts as a dedicated resource to continue to develop and promote walk ing in the region

Walks Scheme

The Walks Scheme was launched in 2008 to facilitate the development and maintenance of key walk ing trails by private landholders

The Scheme contracts the landholders, or their nominees, to under take maintenance work on sections of National Waymarked Ways and other priority walks that traverse their lands

Future” The scheme provides funding for the de velopment and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as walk ing trails, c ycleways and blue ways throughout rural I reland I n 2024, IRD Duhallow submitted and was approved funding for the development of three walks with the suppor t of ORIS namely ;

• Slyguddal Phase 3

• Boherbue Ditch Walk

• Glen River Walk , Banteer

Duhallow Trails App

Developed with the suppor t of LEADER, the Duhallow Trails app has been recently launched and it can be downloaded from the app store Evolve Tech were engaged to deliver this bespoke app, which features 14 of the region’s walks and contains GPS navigation, detailed maps, directions to the trail head as well as nearby ser vices and points of interest

Get Cork Walking

IRD Duhallow has maintained the Duhallow Way through the walks scheme for many years and it encompasses an enchanting stretch of approximately 30 miles ex tending from Shrone Church south of the Paps Mountains to Bweeng Village in County Cork I n addition, the Walks Scheme Development Fund can provide assistance for once - off costs associated with small capital projects and for developing re -routes with trails on the Walks Scheme This year €10,000 was awarded for the upgrading of informational signage and benches throughout the Trail As IRD Duhallow is home to one of only two Rural Recreation O fficers in Cork County, IRD Duhallow ’ s RRO suppor ted SECAD in applying for the Ladysbridge Loop Trail to be included as par t of the Walks Scheme under the Phase 3 expansion

Ensuring Standards and Quality

The trails and looped walks in Duhallow are maintained to the highest of standards by teams of Tús and RSS par ticipants Each year, Spor t I reland under tak e inspec tions and compliance audits, in 2023, these were completed on the Mullaghareirk and Mount H illar y Loops

ORIS

The Outdoor Recreation I nfrastruc ture Scheme (ORIS) is funded by the D epar tment of Rural and Communit y D e velopment under “Our Rural

IRD Duhallow suppor ted the ‘Get Cork Walk ing I nitiative’ through promoting walks and attending meetings and forums to encourage par ticipation amongst the public We par ticipated in the Get Cork Walk ing Showcase event in County Hall where we learnt about the latest research and trends, the impor tance of health promotion, health active transpor t, as well as infrastructural and programme development tak ing place through initiatives in Cork I t was a great oppor tunity to share the walk ing experiences we have to offer here in Duhallow and promote the walks in the region

HER Outdoor Week

#HER Outdoor Week is an oppor tunity for the females of I reland to escape to the outdoors and tr y something new Last year, as par t of the initiative, IRD Duhallow in par tnership with Mountaineering I reland held an I ntroduction to Navigation event in M illstreet This event was ideal for women who wished to gain confidence on the hills and to become more independentincreasing their ability to explore unfamiliar terrain and new locations

Picturesque views along the Duhallow Way which is funded under the IRD Duhallow Walks Scheme

The Sun Sets over Caherbarnagh, Rathmore

Happy Hiking – As par t of HER Outdoor Week, IRD Duhallow hosted an Introduction to Navigation event The group spent the day navigating around Claragh Mountain in Millstreet with Maureen O Brien

Michelle Mullally of ILDN with Mar tina Early and Alannah O Callaghan, IRD Duhallow showcasing the great work being under taken by RROs in developing and promoting outdoor recreation at the ILDN stand at the National Ploughing Championships last Sept

RSS par ticipant Tadhg Cur tin and RRO Alannah O’Callaghan recording drone footage for the new Duhallow Trails app

The steering group of the Get Cork Walking Initiative

Culture & Heritage

Under the cultural pillar of IRD Duhallow ’ s strategic frame wor k , it is recognised that improved qualit y of life, suppor ts unique ar tistic and cultural developments to occur, allowing creativity to be fostered The r ich, unique her itage of the Duhallow region is long ex tolled as a distinc tive resource to be valued and conser ved and many valuable projects under taken recently fall within this categor y

Historic Graves

Throughout the LEADER programme spanning 2014-2020 IRD Duhallow facilitated a wonder ful and innovative project which documented the unique heritage stories which are intrinsic to the Duhallow region Dedicated local community representatives were trained by John Tierney of Eachtra on the process of under tak ing media recordings on their smar tphones, showcasing the myriad of interesting heritage stories attached to local graveyards The latest stories recorded in 2024 were from Ballydesmond, Tullylease, Lismire and Nohoval Daly The recordings offer a diverse range of local information including stories about the War of I ndependence, farming practices long ago, childhood memories, funeral traditions, tragedies in the Duhallow region and the cultural significance of the local poet Eoghan Ruadh Ó’Súilleabháin When combined with previous sur veys under taken under the previous LEADER programmes, an ex tensive multimedia resource exists benefitting both the communities of Duhallow and the diaspora These wonder ful recordings now form an expandable treasur y of stories from the past, that will be handed down and preser ved for future reference by generations to come

Publication of Historical Books:

IRD Duhallow was delighted to see two interesting historical books come to fruition in recent times, both of which were suppor ted through the LEADER 2014-2020 programme Under the Kerr y LEADER area, Brendan McCar thy produced an ex tensive publication entitled Fr William Ferris's H istor y of the Par ishes of R athmore, Gnee veguilla and K nock nagree

which was launched in Apr il at Teach Íosagáin R athmore by M r S éan K elly MEP This ex tensive publication is a unique record of the r ich histor y, culture and her itage of the Sliabh Luachra, with genealogical information and place name recordings, as documented by the Fr William Fer r is who died over 50 years ago I n the S outh Cor k LEADER area G erard O’Rourke also published Land War to Civil War 1900-1924: D onoughmore to Cor k and Be yond This book offers readers a compelling account of I reland dur ing the per iod 1900 to 1924 within the contex t of the par ish of D onoughmore in Co Cor k Explaining how through perse verance a road to I r ish selfgovernance was achieved, this book provides a compelling account of turbulent times in I reland

Newmarket Pipe Band

Duhallow is uniquely positioned to have 3 pipe bands in the region 2023 saw Newmarket Pipe Band celebrate 60 years with a celebration mass followed by a gathering at An Culturlann in Newmarket IRD Duhallow was delighted to suppor t these celebrations under the Day of the Region I nitiative in ack nowledgement of the contribution the pipe band has given since 1963 and continues to do so on a voluntar y basis

Heritage Centres

The Duhallow region has a wealth of heritage and culture to preser ve and promote with the presence of heritage centres facilitating this Bruach na Carraige in Rock chapel is a hive of ac tivit y with seisiuns ever y Tuesday during the summer and events tak ing place for The Gathering Weekend in June 24 Cross R oad dancing at Lahar n Cross is a fir m staple in the calendar with regular events also tak ing place in Aubane, Freemount &

Foilogohig

Mike Larkin Tullylease and John Tierney project tutor receive a demonstration of the deer stone’ from Nicholas Ring This ballaun stone reputedly holds a cure for headaches

Johnny Walsh records a stor y related to Ballydesmond graveyard with project tutor John Tierney

Author of Fr William Ferris's Histor y of the Parishes of Rathmore, Gneeveguilla and Knocknagree, Brendan McCar thy with MEP Séan Kelly at the launch of his book

Newmarket Pipe Band celebrated their 60th Anniversar y in 2023 with the community coming out to celebrate this at a special mass and booklet marking the event

Eugene O’Connell and John Tierney are pictured in Nohoval Graveyard, where Eugene recorded an account of the poet Eoghan Ruádh

Author of Land War to Civil War 1900-1924: Donoughmore to Cork and Beyond Gerard O' Rourke(front centre) with members of his family on left is Cllr Michael Looney Deputy County Mayor and Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Kieran McCar thy

Large Scale Capital Community Projects

The Programme for Government: ‘Our Shared Future’ committed to the introduc tion of a capital grants programme for the ne w builds of communit y centres I n 2023 the D epar tment of Rural & Communit y Development launched the Communit y Centre I nvestment Fund New Build Measure with the objective to develop high quality, accessible, safe, well-designed, sustainable ne w build communit y centres to help de velop empowered, inclusive and resilient communities while also encouraging the shar ing of communit y facilities This is the first e ver dedicated fund for the development of new build centres in rural Ireland

Applications for this measure needed to be “shovel ready ” with the relevant planning and consents in place IRD Duhallow have been work ing closely with R ylane Community Park Association (RCPA) over the last 5 years on the development of amenities in this communit y IRD Duhallow, as lead applicant on behalf of the communit y, was successful in secur ing funding for the development of a new multi-functional community centre in the village of R ylane accessible to all in the par ish of R ylane, Aghabullogue and Coachford with funding of €1,595,574 approved This will be one of t welve ne w communit y centres in the countr y and the only one in Munster This is a major achievement for a small rural community and will provide a great oppor tunity for the RCPA to develop a centre that will be at the hear t of R ylane br inging ever yone together, helping to engage with those who are marginalised, socially and rurally isolated and providing a space for all to access All of which will help build a stronger community

R ylane Community Park Association are a great example of a community group who can achieve things no matter how small their community is As a group the y have been wor k ing from day one towards the development of this multipurpose facility, accessible to all as it ’ s the key piece of infrastructure which they are currently missing to help improve

the qualit y of life and promote greater communit y engagement and social interaction Significant community consultations commenced back in 2013 with a LEADER funded Village D esign statement de veloped helping them to set realistic and achie vable goals in response to the needs identified in their community

The RCPA was established in 2016 and in the 8 years that have followed the y have de veloped a ver y successful communit y lotto and have secured funding for the development of their communit y playground under the LEADER programme and an all-weather pitch under the Spor ts Capital Programme The R ylane Family Fun Day is another great gathering they run bringing ever yone together in the village a day in June

I t is anticipated that work on this new facility will be commencing in the coming months with a communit y infor mation session already being held in R ylane to showcase the centre plans/drawings to the wider community

A 3D image of what the new Community facility in R ylane will look like when complete

The future look of R ylane Community Centre

The site of the newly developed all weather pitch and playground which will also accommodate the new Community Centre

LEADER In Duhallow

LEADER 2014-2020

The past year has been a busy one with the wind down and closing out of the LEADER 2014-2020 programme Final claims were submitted by the 30th June this year O verall IRD Duhallow has invested €3 3m across over 125 projects in Duhallow communities and businesses during this LEADER programme

LEADER 2023-2027

IRD Duhallow was delighted to once again win the contract to deliver LEADER in Nor th Cork and South Cork having been under the Council led LCDC since 2014

The playground has been in the works for nearly 2 years and will be one of the first projects evaluated under the new LEADER programme

The reestablishment or IRD Duhallow as an I ndependent LAG for these areas has been welcomed by our Board as they have long advocated for Rural development in the spirit of how LEADER was meant to be implemented, through an I ndependent LAG The road to independence entailed IRD Duhallow Board and staff embark ing on a community consultation roadshow in ever y community in Duhallow and holding the meetings locally This process is an essential par t of ensuring the LEADER bottom up approach is upheld and is valid and helps communities to find solutions to the problems they identify

Our Board then under took two intensive days of strategic planning with exper t census data input to ensure a firm foundation to target our actions to the needs emerging from the consultations

On completion of the consultation process, we set out to wr ite three strategic plans for the three administrative areas that Duhallow communities fall into: Nor th Cor k , S outh Cor k and K er r y Each plan included a comprehensive area profile of each region, examining demography, depr ivation, education, economics, health, housing, landscape and the natural environment, agriculture and included an area needs analysis IRD Duhallow scored exceptionally well in our plans, being awarded 86% in both Nor th and South Cork

We also tendered for the Duhallow par t of K err y but unfor tunately, we

were not successful The decision to tender for our par t of Kerr y was fully informed by a guide budget issued by the Depar tment of €1 1m for the area As par t of the LCDC LAG for the previous programme the Duhallow communities were left with a mere €400,000 budget The Board of IRD Duhallow had no choice but to do what is best for the committee we ser ved and bid for €1 1m

The budget for our Nor th Cork Communities for the 2023 - 2027 period comes to €1 56m and for South Cork €1 23m Our staff are already work ing with communities to suppor t them to apply for the fund and effectively manage projects deliver y and grant drawdown The map (below) illustrates which LAG area communities fall into

We have appointed our I ndependent Evaluation Committee and the first meeting is to be held in August We are already work ing with promoters to submit projects and expect the first contracts to be issued by the end of August

The measure and budgets in the programme are as follows in the table below :

Radim Sršeň, former President of ELARD, and Mayor of the Municipality of Dolní Studénky visited Duhallow with a delegation of Czech Republic LAG’s last October pictured with his mentor, the late Jack Roche who also ser ved as President of ELARD Maura Walsh CEO and Eileen Linehan Assistant CEO of IRD Duhallow

Helen O Sullivan with Hazel Bourke and Joe Barr y of Castlemagner Playground Committee

IRD Duhallow submitted three strategic plans for LEADER ’23-’27

LEADER South Cork 2014-2020, Transition and EURI Projects

LEADER Nor th Cork 2014-2020, Transition and EURI Projects

LEADER Projects

LEADER Nor th Cork 2014-2020, Transition and EURI Projects

LEADER

Mayor of Cork Frank O’ Flynn, with Maura Walsh & Anne Maria Bourke with Czech delegation that visited Duhallow led by their Deputy Prime Minister Marian Jurečka

The Duhallow delegation that visited Romania in March this year as par t of the LEADER funded transnational Day of the Region project

SICAP

The Social I nclusion and Communit y Ac tivation Programme (SICAP) 20242028 provides funding to tack le pover ty and social exclusion at a local level through local engagement and par tnerships bet ween disadvantaged individuals, community organisations and public sector agencies SICAP 20242028 is the successor programme to SICAP 2018-2023, which was the successor programme to SICAP 2015-2017 However, IRD Duhallow laments that due to the redrawing of the Lot Areas in line with the Cor k Count y Council Sub Regional boundaries, it means that IRD Duhallow is no longer delivering the SICAP programme in M illstreet, which is disappointing given the many years we have worked with community in the area and the deeprooted relationships we have fostered and built up over the years

The new programme focuses on 12 specific target groups; These have been selected based on the socioeconomic contex t, the level of need in society, and government priorities

1. People living in disadvantaged communities 2. People impacted by educational disadvantage

3. People living in jobless households or households where the pr imar y income source is low-paid and/or precarious

4 People who are long-term unemployed

5. People with a criminal histor y

Refugees 7. I nternational Protection Applicants

8. Disabled People/People

Afterschools

IRD Duhallow Ne wmar k et Af terschools, established in 2005, has been in operation for almost t wo decades With its mission to provide a secure, welcoming, and enjoyable environment, the ser vice has become a vital resource for families in the area, offer ing a range of ser vices designed to nur ture the holistic development of children

Transpor t is provided to and from Newmarket Boys and Girls Schools, ensuring seamless transitions for students and peace of mind for parents The Breakfast Club, which operates from 7 am to 9 am, sets the tone for the day by offering a nur turing star t Children are welcomed into the ser vice where they can relax or engage in various activities and games before indulging in breakfast This not only fuels their bodies but also prepares them mentally for the day ahead I n the af ter noons, children are ser ved a nutr itious dinner provided by Duhallow Community Food Ser vices, which is a significant benefit for parents who can be assured that their children are receiving healthy meals

One of the key features of IRD Duhallow Newmarket Afterschools is its focus on academic suppor t With home wor k assistance provided, children have access to resources and guidance that may be limited in their home environment This suppor t not only aids in academic achievement but also fosters a sense of confidence and competence in their abilities

Beyond academics, the Afterschools offers a rich array of activities aimed at holistic growth From yoga to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Ar ts, and M athematics) ac tivities, and outdoor excursions to the natural playground, children are encouraged to explore their interests and talents in a suppor tive setting

Commitment to accessibility is underscored by our par ticipation in the National Childcare Scheme; the universal subsidy ensures that all children attending the Afterschools, Breakfast Club, and Camps are eligible for a

non-means-tested subsidy of €1 40 per hour which is to increase to €2 14 per hour in September 2024 mak ing the ser vice even more affordable for families

The significance of our ser vices ex tends beyond mere convenience for work ing families; for those facing challenges with literac y and numerac y, or lack ing adequate resources for online learning, IRD Duhallow Newmarket Afterschools provides vital suppor t

IRD Duhallow Newmarket Afterschool’s offers camps during

school holidays, catering to diverse interests and preferences Themes like "Little Chefs and Ar tists," "Nature Detectives," and " Whizz K ids" offer immersive experiences that blend learning with fun, catering to different learning styles and preferences M id-term camps such as the "Spooktacular Halloween Camp" and the "Egg- citing Easter Camp" ensure that children have engaging activities to look for ward to throughout the year, fur ther enriching their experiences and fostering a sense of belonging within the community

Newmarket Afterschools has two Childcare CE positions that play a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation and enrichment of ser vices From direct engagement with children to managing gardening activities, these positions contribute to the holistic development and well-being of the children under their care

IRD Duhallow Newmarket Afterschools embodies a holistic approach to childcare, where academic suppor t, engaging activities and accessibility converge to create a nur turing environment conducive to the social, emotional, and cognitive growth of ever y child

Staff and children enjoying a visit from Mrs Claus and Santa

Bernie O Connor and Liz O Loughlin facilitating stor y time with the children in the Afterschools

Learning about life in stream with Rowan Lanning from IRD Duhallow ’ s Environment Team

Ever yone enjoys the trips to IRD Duhallow Newmarket Afterschools Natural Playground

STEAM- Science, Technology, Engineering, Ar t and Maths activities are fundamental activities here in the Afterschools

Community Development

Following significant community consultation under taken in early 2023 by IRD Duhallow as par t of our approach to communit y led local de velopment, communities have since been planning for future developments including small and large scale capital projects With the announcement of the new LEADER programme commencing shor tly in Duhallow along with other programmes such as CLÁR 2024 and the Communit y Centre I nvestment Fund, IRD Duhallow is wor k ing on the ground animating communit y groups to de velop their sk ills to apply, manage and deliver projects for their community

Elec tions

The bottom-up approach to rural de velopment is at the core of IRD Duhallow which is under pinned by communit y representatives democratically elected onto the board of the company Two community representatives are elected from each of the foras; Nor th Eastern, Nor th Wester n, S outh Easter n and our M id Cor k area mak ing up 8 of the 25 occupied seats 2024 saw the two existing board representatives, Rosie Healy and Geraldine O’Lear y uncontested for another 3-year term

The Day of the Regions I nitiative is a LEADER funded cooperation project with par tners in Dumfr ies & G alloway in S cotland and R omania The projec t concept involved enabling communities to celebrate the uniqueness and assets of their area and to provide them with oppor tunities to bring people together, to strengthen social capital, sense of communit y, and pride of place This projec t has been running since 2019 with the first introduction of this concept in Duhallow in 2012 under the previous LEADER programme when it star ted with a 10- day project This grew into a six-week project in 2013 to coincide with the national initiative ‘ The Gathering’ which aimed to encourage those with ancestral links to return home for events and festivals

O verall, this projec t aimed to enhance communit y cohesion, promote cultural heritage, suppor t local businesses, and foster social inclusion in the Duhallow region In practical terms this project has ensured that local communit y groups were suppor ted to run a var iet y of e vents where funding was provided for adver tising & mar k eting, refreshments, enter tainment, and mater ials Through the projec t IRD Duhallow also purchased capital items which were made available to communities including tables, chairs, marquees, gazebos, bunting etc O ver the course of this initiative 45 community and voluntar y groups were suppor ted to organise and promote 47 different events The COVID pandemic put a stop to communit y e vents in 2020 and 2021 with communities understandably ner vous to initiative e vents until well into later 2022 However, the community spirit and strong level of volunteerism in the region ensured that events recommenced

Events suppor ted were wide ranging but there was a predominance of communit y festivals, carnivals, heritage and cultural events and spor ts related activities Family fun days were held across the region including

K isk eam, R ylane, Ballinagree and Freemount to name a fe w These are now established e vents in these communities and have occur red annually The Car nival in D onoughmore now celebrating its 55th year along with the Cullen Har vest Festival now in its 24th year are t wo established dates in the Duhallow diar y and have both also been suppor ted

Duhallow also suppor ted the Maurice O’Keeffe Weekend celebrating Maurice’s legac y and nur turing the Sliabh Luachra traditional I rish Music which he championed The event included fiddle competitions, sessions and concer ts tailored for all ages to enjoy over the weekend bringing a wealth of talent to the region to promote the unique Sliabh Luachra music and cultures to all that visit

As par t of the Day of the Regions I nitiative a par tner visit also took place with R omania R epresentatives from Duhallow visited the LAG Tara Vrancei in Eastern Romania having previously visited Scotland in 2019 The Țara Vrancei LAG has promoted development activities in the fields of natural and cultural patrimony, rural tourism and the celebration and promotion of the traditional rural culture I t is also contributing, outside of its LEADER ac tivities, to de veloping projec ts in agr iculture, animal husbandr y and local food production This visit was a great oppor tunity to share experiences, visit LEADER funded initiatives and look at future rural development oppor tunities

Day of the Region Co – Operation Projec t

IRD

A great turn out at the Donoughmore Carnival suppor ted under the Day of the Regions Project

Freemount Macra celebrated their 60th Anniversar y with a Family Field Day with fun and games for all ages

Representatives from IRD Duhallow ; Maura Walsh, Billy Dennehy, Anne Maria Bourke, Mar y Wallace, Brighid Ide Walsh & PJ Murphy with members of the Tara Vrancei LAG on a visit to their rural community in Romania as par t of the Day of the Regions

Community Development

Kerr y Community Awards

IRD Duhallow has long suppor ted the Kerr y Community Awards which celebrates the wor k in the communit y and voluntar y sec tor Gold and Silver awards are given to 20 groups in the region which seek to improve the social, economic, cultural and environmental qualit y of life in both rural and ur ban communities This initiative is a great oppor tunit y to showcase the truly wonder ful work that volunteers have achieved

Pride of Place 2023

Duhallow was well represented at the Pr ide of Place 2023 Awards in Armagh with both Banteer and R ylane coming home with awards on the night This all-island competition ack nowledges and celebrates the work that communities are achieving over the countr y with Banteer successful in the ‘Communit y Wellbeing I nitiative’ and R ylane receiving a ‘Special Award’ I ts great to see the hard work of both communities on LEADER and Rural Regeneration Funded projects being ack nowledged

Discover Duhallow

Discover Duhallow is a locally focused magazine with 4,000 copies pr inted ever y for tnight and online availability The team maintain connections with people throughout the region to share ne ws that is impor tant to the localit y that might not be publicised else where As well as celebrating Duhallow residents, the y adver tise e vents, spread infor mation, and let the community k now what is coming up in each town Through the Discover Duhallow M agazine social media - in par ticular Facebook and I nstagram - the team have fur thered their reach and boast regular readers as far as the UK and the US

Boherbue is an abundance of colour thanks to the local volunteers who took up on the Communities Planting for Biodiversity Initiative

Members of the new Community Council in Rathmore recruiting volunteers to take par t in the planting throughout Rathmore

The Discover Duhallow Team of Brendon Purchase, Tadgh Cur tin and Caleb O’Connor who ensure the magazine is produced to such a high standard ever y for tnight

Mar tina Casey from R ylane Community Park Association receiving the ‘Special Award’ on behalf of her community at the Pride of Place Award 2023

Community Representatives from the Banteer clubs gave a great presentation on all their achievements and plans for the future to the Pride of Place Judges on their visit to Banteer With Cllr Frank O’Flynn Mayor of Cork, Maura Walsh CEO IRD Duhallow & Councillors Bernard Moynihan and John Paul O’Shea also present on the day suppor ting their nomination

Denis Withers Dermot McCar thy and Donie Barr y of Banteer receive the award for the Community Wellbeing Categor y under the Pride of Place Awards 2023

It was all fun and games at the R ylane Family Fun Day

Equality And Social Inclusion In Duhallow

The ethos of equality and inclusion is evident through all func tions of IRD Duhallow B y placing equalit y at the centre of our work we have de veloped our capabilit y to interac t with and understand the diversity of needs that exist within in our geographic remit This in turn has helped to ensure that the ser vice user is at the core of ever y inter vention we de velop The IRD Duhallow Equalit y Wor k ing Group is specifically task ed to foster positive change for those who may be experiencing exclusion in society The work ing group also strives to promote a wider awareness of equalit y issues whilst building a commitment to addressing and mainstreaming equalit y issues in practice Activities are focused on work ing directly with people who are more excluded and disadvantaged, facilitating new and existing groups to promote par ticipation, social inclusion, and encouraging community network ing

I n Autumn 2023 IRD Duhallow was delighted to receive funding as par t of the Depar tment of Foreign Affairs Communicating Europe Programme

Throughout the month of November Transition Year students from Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra Rathmore, M illstreet Community School and Scoil Mhuire K antur k par ticipated in a fantastic projec t which look ed at the impac t of 50 years of EU membership on I reland and Duhallow Intercultural training formed the bedrock of these sessions, with students being encouraged to reflect on what a fully intercultural society would look lik e, post EU 50 and examine the potential of local youth led initiatives in combatting exclusion Significantly students also lear ned about projec ts suppor ted through EU funds that have enhanced the Duhallow area Par ticipants were also given an oppor tunity to reflect on I reland as a modern EU member state, the recent population growth in the Duhallow area, the changes that have occurred in the last 50 years and the detr imental impac ts of social exclusion on all of societ y IRD Duhallow was pleased to welcome MEPs M r Billy Kelleher and M r Séan Kelly to vir tually address the students at a special closing meeting of the Communicating Europe Programme Facilitated by Ms Eileen Linehan, Assistant M anager and attended by Dr Alvina Grossu, projec t tutor, students had an oppor tunity to hear firsthand about the EU parliament and its functions Students were also given scope to voice their thoughts on social inclusion within the Duhallow region

I n November 2023 IRD Duhallow was ver y excited to par ticipate in the Access Europe Awards and to see our video entr y displayed as par t of the awards ceremony in the RDS in Dublin Stemming from an ar ticle written by a local woman outlining the positive outcomes that arose from her

par ticipation in the PEIL women ’ s programme and SICAP events, a video was created outlining the impacts European funding had on suppor ting a local woman ’ s achievements in education and training We are most grateful to Elmarie Creedon for her time and input in suppor ting our entr y in this event

I n December 2023, a family focused Christmas event was hosted by the Social Action Group in Rathmore Co Kerr y in December 2022 This project received suppor t through the SICAP programme With the aim of suppor ting families at Chr istmas this wonder ful festive e vent was organised to ensure children enjoyed the excitement involved in the build up to Christmas time With each child meeting Santa and receiving a gift, this event was a great success

A multi- cultural Christmas event was also held in M illstreet in 2023 where great numbers attended to meet Santa, take par t in workshops and enjoy the Christmas festivities I t was great to see the mix of nationalities not just those living in direct provision and rest centres but also other migrants living locally

IRD Duhallow ’ s Equality Work ing Group believes that the focus needs to be on interculturalism rather than just integration The notion of ever yone being integrated into I r ish societ y is no longer realistic with the high numbers of migrants, refugees and international protec tion applicants living here Rather it needs to be on embracing all new cultures and being enriched by same Under the LEADER Programme in collaboration with M illstreet Community School our Equality Work ing Group funded a large mural created by professional ar tist Shane O Malley with input from the students in the school of which there are now over 20 nationalities attending This mural focused on the theme of ‘Our J our ne y ’ and proved a great vehicle for the students to discuss ethnicity, cultures and living in I reland

Representatives from IRD Duhallow with the teachers and students of Millstreet Community School and Ar tist Shane O Malley at the launch of their new Mural ‘Our Journey ’ celebrating the diverse cultures and nationalities of families living in the area

Students of Scoil Mhuire Kanturk received Equality and Social Inclusion training as par t of IRD Duhallow s Communicating Europe project Pictured are Principal Mr Denis Keating Tutor Dr Alvina Grossu Nollaig Murphy IRD Duhallow and some of the Transition Year group who received training

As par t of IRD Duhallow ’ s video entr y in the 2023 Access Europe awards, Elmarie Creedon speaks to Nollaig Murphy in relation to the impact EU funded training programmes have had on her life

IRD Duhallow ’ s Multi Cultural Christmas gives children the oppor tunity to meet the man himself in a community setting

Patience Chivunge was presented her major award cer tificate in Health Care Suppor t by Minister for Education Norma Foley

Suppor t For Ukrainian Refugees

Our Uk rainian response team had a busy year suppor ting Uk rainians with employment, housing, lifelong lear ning and wellbeing We have continued to wor k closely with all the rele vant bodies locally and regionally including the HSE, E TB and Local Authorities and our presence on the ground along with our trusted relationships in communities has meant we have been successful in our work

Employment Suppor ts

With many struggling to gain employment locally our team under took significant consultation to identify the barriers to employment, their sk ills and needs Work Preparation & Personal Development workshops were delivered with specialised courses also Fork lift training, Manual Handling and First Aid A HIQA approved Cleanpass course was also delivered consisting of practical and theoretical training in systematic and safe cleaning, infection prevention and control Our I ntegration team works alongside our Tús super visors with Uk rainians being selected for the TÚS Activation Programme I nterpretation from inter view stage to work induction is provided in the wrap around ser vice we offer

Drop in Centre

Our Drop I n Clinics in M illstreet, K anturk and Newmarket have been the anchor for many living here offering the oppor tunity to meet with others, share experiences and learn about upcoming events Our team are there to provide that one -to - one suppor t that is often needed

Refugee Week 2023

Celebrated inter nationally e ver y June IRD Duhallow held a week of ac tivities in 2023 including dance, ar t and yoga taster sessions An information session with the HSE Psychology Team was also facilitated focusing on self- care in the aftermath of fleeing war

To suppor t our youth we facilitated summer camps for Uk rainian children to attend and mix with other children

Social Inclusion

A suite of social inclusion suppor ts were delivered all year U tilising the beautiful outdoors a mindfulness event in the form of “Forest bathing” was delivered in the Island Wood in Newmarket As well as this, a guided walk of the Mount H illar y Loop walk was held and was a great way for our Uk rainian communit y to experience our rural walks

For those older we facilitated a Youth Day in Ballyhass Lakes for 19 young people and an additional day in K insale Outdoor Education Centre in conjunction with Cork YMCA and both were exper iences they really enjoyed Family fun e vents were also organised with a tr ip to The Far m Grenagh at Halloween and a trip to the Marina Market Sk ating Rink at Christmas

a specially arranged seisiun for the sharing of traditional music and dance from both countries

With a keen interest in interacting more of our culture and traditions we were able to suppor t seisiuns in Bruach na Carraige in Rockchapel with Uk rainian traditional songs and dances also per formed A trip to Muck ross Traditional Farm K illarney was an oppor tunity to experience traditional I rish life Recognising the Uk rainian traditions and religious practices we helped to celebrate Easter in the K anturk where Fr John Magner blessed traditional Easter Bread baked by Duhallow Community Food Ser vices with a great attendance from the Uk rainian community who were ver y grateful for this blessing

Volunteering

To achieve true integration and multi culturalism we are suppor ting our new communities to become more involved in local voluntar y groups Great numbers have been turning out in K anturk to assist the local tidy towns group along with volunteering elsewhere around the community

Yuliia iLiashenko of IRD Duhallow with some of the 19 Ukrainian youths who par ticipated in our Youth Day in Ballyhass Lakes

Celebrating Multiculturalism; Yuliia iLiashenko with some of our Ukrainian community with members of Ceoiltoiri Sliabh Luachra Rockchapel at

Alina Rusal & Yuliia iLiashenko of IRD Duhallow with Veronica Byrne & Niamh Davoren HSE psychology team talk on stress as par t of Refugee Week

Promoting multiculturalism and community integration through voluntar y work with Kanturk Tidy towns committee

Four Forklift Courses have been delivered locally for Ukrainian par ticipants actively seeking employment

Mariia Palchak & Alina Rusal participated at the Global Economic Summit inaugural conference which was held in Killarney in May 24 by providing translation support to the former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and Hryhoriy Nemyria Deputy Chairman of the ‘Batkivshchnka Party’

Getting out doors to appreciate the Duhallow countr yside; a great turn out by our Ukrainian community at done of the organised guided walks at Mount Hillar y

Equality For Women & Childcare

IRD Duhallow Women’s Forum, was established in 1997 and it plays an impor tant role in improving the quality of life for women in Duhallow This includes increasing women ’ s access to education, training and personal development in preparation for employment, to suppor ting women who are under tak ing entrepreneurial activity and promoting women ’ s advancement in their employment, including into decision mak ing roles

The IRD Duhallow Women’s Forum is affiliated with The National Women’s Council of I reland which is an umbrella organisation for Women’s groups in Ireland Membership of this Council allows for the Women of Duhallow to be represented on a local, national and international level

The Women’s Forum recognises that Gender proofing is integral to the promotion of social inclusion and the integration of economic and social objectives, in line with the European Char ter of Fundamental Rights and the UN Sustainable D e velopment G oals A longitudinal analysis of employment data (since 2006) re veals that while there has been an increase (+3 percentage points) in respect of the propor tion of Duhallow females who are in the workforce, much remains to be done to bridge the gap between the Duhallow region and Countywide statistics in terms of female par ticipation in the workforce While investments in economic diversification and employment suppor ts are essential, there is also a need to invest in training, up -sk illing, resk illing, as well as in childcare, respite and public / community transpor t Lone parents and non-I r ish nationals are among the pr ior it y cohor ts in these regards

Duhallow Women’s Conference

Duhallow Women’s Forum held a conference on Fr iday M arch 8th to celebrate I nter national Women’s Day using the themes of I nspire I nclusion and Count Her I n There was over 100 people in attendance and speak ers included: Julie O’Lear y-Helen, Accessibilit y R ights Ac tivist, who spok e of struggles for acceptance and inclusion as a person living with Cerebral Palsy, and a life spent look ing for a balance between equity and equality She highlighted areas where small changes can make massive difference to a person ’ s experiences and feelings of acceptance and inclusion Author, K atherine Dolphin Griffin from Hope to Cope told power ful and poignant tales about helping her father raise her brothers after a family split as well as her experience of struggles with poor mental health after grief and the realities of dealing with a personal diagnosis of cancer Her stor y included raising over €100,000 for The I rish Cancer Society and Mar ymount Hospice

Education

Education is always to the forefront of the work of the Women’s forum This year 6 of the 7 SICAP bursaries were awarded to women look ing to upsk ill Similar ly, through Sk illnet, a Level 5 Major award in health care was delivered which focused on suppor ting primarily women to upsk ill as Health Care Suppor t Workers

Collette Vaughan from the Depar tment O f Social Protection gave a talk on secur ing your benefits and pensions, and how to ensure you have proper access to your pension Lynda Di Blasi, personal st ylist and wardrobe declutter specialist, gave tips on st yling The HSE’s Shir le y O’Shea spoke about women ’ s health with an emphasis on menopause

Members of Duhallow Women’s Forum at the Women’s Conference 2024 marking International Women s Day

Finalists in the Best Women Led Business Categor y at the Duhallow Business Awards The Award was presented to Shaige Cleaning by Cait Ir win of Bank of Ireland

Tracy Asemote with her family at the Recognition of Learning Ceremony Tracy received a Level 5 Major Award in Health Care Suppor t

Louise Bourke (IRD Duhallow), Judy O Lear y (Chair of Duhallow Women’s Forum), Katherine Dolphin Griffin (Hope to Cope) and Cliona Butler at the IRD Duhallow Women’s Conference 2024

Members of the Women’s Forum with Development O fficer Stephanie Moynihan

Cathy Lonergan of Cairdeas Childcare, Ballyhass, received the award of the Best Community Enterprise from Kevin Sugrue of McCar thy Insurance Group

Equality For Women & Childcare

and bone health, and Stephanie Ronayne from The Food Safety Company spoke about eating for health and wellness

Nor th Cork Childcare Network

Established by IRD Duhallow in 2015, the Nor th Cork Childcare Managers Network brings together managers from community childcare facilities across Nor th Cork and East Kerr y Across the Duhallow region Community Childcares offer approximately 835 childcare spaces and employ around 200 people, with the majority of those work ing in the sector being female The network consists of managers from 20 community childcare facilities, along with representatives from Cork County Childcare and IRD Duhallow M eeting quar ter ly, the net wor k ser ves as a collaborative platfor m for sharing information, exper tise, and engaging in discussions

These meetings provide an essential environment for network ing, where par ticipants can share their experiences and tack le the challenges facing the childcare sec tor K e y issues cur rently discussed include staffing shor tages, r ising operational costs, and core funding obligations Additionally, the network focuses on identifying oppor tunities for funding and staff training, str iving to improve the qualit y and sustainabilit y of childcare ser vices in the region Through this collaborative effor t, the Nor th Cor k Childcare M anagers Net wor k aims to enhance the overall effectiveness and resilience of community childcare facilities

From the perspec tive of childcare providers in I reland, se veral issues impact their ability to deliver quality ser vices effectively These challenges include funding, staffing, regulations, infrastruc ture, and economic sustainability :

Staffing Challenges: R ecruiting and retaining qualified staff is a significant issue The sec tor of ten struggles to attrac t and retain experienced professionals due to low wages, lack of career progression oppor tunities, and challenging work ing conditions H igh staff turnover can have an effect on the quality of care and disrupts the continuity that is crucial for children’s development

Regulator y Burdens: Compliance with str ingent regulations and standards can be costly and time - consuming While these regulations are necessar y to ensure the safety and well-being of children, they can add administrative burdens on providers who may are already stretched thin R egular inspec tions and the need for continuous documentation and repor ting require significant administrative effor t, of ten without corresponding suppor t or resources

Infrastruc ture and Resources: Many childcare facilities operate out of inadequate or aging buildings that need upgrades, ex tensions or maintenance, which is financially challenging and the ne w building blocks grant from the depar tment focuses on increasing numbers and not on facilities that needs upgrade to maintain numbers

Economic Sustainabilit y : M any childcare providers operate on tight margins and face financial instability Public funding is often insufficient to cover the costs of running a high- qualit y childcare ser vice, leaving providers reliant on fees from parents Communit y Childcare Providers offer community based, not-for-profit childcare ser vices and is run by a voluntar y Board of M anagement H istor ically as they offer communit y based childcare the y were able to offer flexible ser vices to families, however, they are being pushed into adopting a business model and not able to maintain their flexibility for families to remain viable in the current climate Fee struc tures need to balance affordabilit y for parents and financial viabilit y for providers and increases in operational costs (e g staffing costs, utilities, rent, and insurance) are fur ther straining budgets Providers have to navigate a complex landscape of grants, subsidies, and funding schemes, which are administratively challenging and do not cover all operational costs

According to the National Women's Council (NWC ), “ lack of affordable childcare is the biggest barrier to women ’ s equal par ticipation in society, including in the labour mar k et ” This bar r ier reduces women ' s oppor tunities to progress in their careers, return to work , or continue their education Last September parents joined the National Women’s Council in the National Day of Action and called for a public model for childcare

A public model would guarantee that e ver y child, regardless of their parents' financial situation, has access to early year ’ s education I t would also ensure that women who need it most, lone parents, low-paid workers, and women from minority groups, can access childcare equally This model would provide more oppor tunities for women, allowing them to wor k , retur n to education, or engage in communit y and political ac tivities The public model would also alle viate a lot of the issues childcare providers are facing with a properly funded sector

Members of the Nor th Cork Childcare Managers Network

Our Assistant CEO, Eileen Linehan who Chairs Cork County Childcare Committee with their Manager Tina Hayes and Elaine McCar thy Board member

Linda Jones receiving her cer tificate from Minister for Education Norma Foley Linda graduated with a Level 5 Major Award in Early Childhood Education and Care funded through Skillnet

Duhallow Carers

Family carers, who represent 1 in 8 of the Irish population, have long been the cornerstone of care provision in the countr y Almost six teen percent of the region’s resident population is aged 65+ Given the Duhallow area ’ s ageing population the region has in fac t a higher propor tion of family carers than is the case across the county and region

Suppor ting family carers is a top priority for IRD Duhallow, who plays an impor tant role in suppor ting carers in ter ms of net wor k ing, accessing information and training and advocac y IRD Duhallow has suppor ted the Duhallow Carers group since its inception back in 2006

Through the suppor t of SICAP, the Duhallow Carers group meets on the first Thursday of ever y month in the James O’Keeffe I nstitute This peer suppor t network offers the chance for carers to meet one another, and socialise Many repor t that these meetings can be great stress reducers, giving caregivers an oppor tunity to share their frustrations and concerns and feel heard Many can offer advice or share similar experiences and learnings having been through comparable situations Our carers group compr ises of a mix of all ages and are car ing for people from a wide variety of backgrounds

Dormant Account Carers Programme

The Dor mant Accounts Fund (DAF) was established by legislation and enables unclaimed funds from accounts in credit institutions in I reland to be used for social inclusion Specifically, the Dormant Account Carers Programme aims to suppor t Carers to remain in employment or education or to provide help to get back into work , education, or training Since it commenced the IRD Duhallow programme has delivered 97 training spaces on a wide range of training programmes namely, personal de velopment, confidence and wellbeing, mindfulness, employabilit y wor kshops, beginner ’ s computers, se wing courses for beginner and advanced as well as a talk on anxiet y by K e vin M cCor mack entitled

‘Cucumbers and R adiators ’ As par t of the programme, we specifically focus on look ing at possibilities for life af ter caring and promoting the positive mental health of carers

The programme ended in June 2024 and we are currently par ticipating in the consultation process for the nex t round of D or mant Accounts funding and what it might look like in the contex t of suppor ting family and voluntar y carers

HSE Funding

The HSE provides sec tion 39 funding on annual basis to suppor t the running costs of the group Through this, the group subsidises their many outings and e vents held throughout the year M any carers are on the verge of financial pover ty and are constrained with their income being only that of carers allowance We k now that many family carers providing round the clock care are struggling financially and emotionally They have been experiencing persistent financial strain long before the cost-of-living crisis and now the situation is even bleaker, therefore, it is imperative from the groups perspec tive that costs to attend events being delivered by the Duhallow Carers group are kept to a minimum

Duhallow Carers trip to Aras an Uachtarain

The Duhallow Carers Group on their Summer Outing for 2023

The Duhallow Carers Group on an outing to Kenmare Bay Boat Tours

Visiting DCFS from Araglen House Joe Grace Michael Cur tin Irene Sheehan Kathleen Corker y Patricia Cashman and Laura Murphy at the Alzheimer s Coffee Morning held as par t of Bealtaine

Members of the Duhallow Carers group at their regular monthly meetings with Colette Vaughan, Newmarket Social Welfare O ffice

Saoi Network

Saoi

I n traditional I rish culture, older people were honoured and revered in their communities for the k nowledge and wisdom they had accumulated from their long experiences of life “Saoi” was the term used to describe an old person, with wisdom to impar t and so it was against this back ground that IRD Duhallow called its suppor t net wor k for older people the Duhallow Saoi Net wor k This Net wor k compr ises of representatives from the region’s 21 active retirement groups and they meet on a quar terly basis in the James O’Keeffe I nstitute, Newmarket

Suppor ting those in the third age is par ticular ly impor tant for IRD Duhallow as almost six teen percent of the area ’ s resident population is aged over 65 This figure is considerably above the corresponding values for the county and the State IRD Duhallow has under taken an analysis of older peoples’ needs, and this study notes the impor tance of bespoke and targeted social inclusion inter ventions, in respec t of health, wellbeing and leisure; transpor t; housing; safety and security ; isolation, social net wor ks and suppor ts; and finance The Saoi net wor k focuses on advocating and putting place initiatives to promote ac tive ageing and the inclusion of older people in their communities

Saoi Conference

The IRD Duhallow Seniors Conference took place in November with over 200 people in attendance Suppor ted by the HSE, the keynote speaker was Gardener Peter Dowdell, who works with RTE, Virgin Media and C103 He spoke about the benefits that gardens and gardening can bring to all of us and the impor tant messages of the green environment ’ s ability to offer help with the ser ious challenges of mental health issues, climate change and species ex tinc tion There was a wide range of topics and information impar ted on the day with speakers such as Eileen McCar thy on Communications Sk ills, Helen O’Sullivan on the Suppor ts and Ser vices for the Elderly and Mental Health in IRD Duhallow, Colette Vaughan of

Newmarket Intreo Branch on Senior Citizen Entitlements, K atherine Canty, Communit y G ardai on personal and home secur it y and the e vening rounded off with a ser ies of ac tivit y wor kshops led by Cor k Spor ts Par tnership

Bealtaine

Bealtaine is a month-long festival that happens each May and it focuses on getting older people involved in the ar ts and their community The theme of Bealtaine 2024, was ‘lust for life,’ and the Duhallow programme featured a series of 19 community events The suite of activities organised was diverse and ranged from mental health and self- care initiatives to coffee mornings, a Day Time Bridge Tournament, Tea Dances, Environment talks as well as concer ts

The highlight of Bealtaine for many was Jack ’ s famous myster y tour, and this year we especially remembered the Saoi Network former Chairman, the late Jack Roche who passed away in Januar y, as we revisited some of the sites from one of his first ever Myster y tours in 2015 We visited the Vandeleur Gardens, Lar tigue Monorail as well as the newly opened international rugby experience The idea of a myster y tour came to Jack following a Grundtvig trip to Sweden’s Secret Music Festival in 2012, where concer ts were held in myster y locations throughout the rural countr yside Bringing this back to Duhallow, Jack annually organised a myster y day trip for the active retired groups of the region, bringing them far and wide over the decade of myster y trips

Interagenc y Collaboration

The Saoi network works collaboratively with other agencies to address the needs of older people in the region We closely co - ordinate with Elaine McKoy in the HSE, Tim Burke in Cork Spor ts Par tnership and Nuala Glanton in the E TB to suppor t active retirement groups in the region

Jacks Myster y Tour

A large crowd attended the Dawn Mass at the Source of the Blackwater

Par ticipants of the Good 2 Go programme with Tim Burke (Cork Spor ts Par tnership) and Frank Fahey (FitWalk Ireland)

Kathleen Moylan addresses the large crowd at the opening of the Seniors Conference 2023

Ann Frawley and Mar y O’Sullivan enjoying the Lar tigue Monorail, one of the destinations on this year ’ s Myster y Tour

Par ticipants of the Day Time Bridge Tournament that was held in the James O’Keeffe Institute, as par t of Bealtaine Festival

Age Friendly Ireland Co- Ordinators Anthony Holmes Amanda Keane and Norah Conway attended one of the Saoi network quar terly meetings to discuss their Healthy Age Friendly Ho Programme

Jack Roche who was Chairman of the Saoi Network since its inception passed away in Januar y of this year A true friend of Duhallow May he rest in peace

Disability And Mental Health

Towards Occupation: IRD Duhallow is uniquely positioned to roll out the communit y based Towards O ccupation programme due to our strong presence and engagement in the region The initial programme was provided those who were distant from the labour market due to poor mental health with the sk ills and confidence to achie ve personal progression such as gaining employment Due to limited funding in the last 2 years the focus of the programme has had to shif t from employment to a more social inclusion and community par ticipation focus

This group meets twice week ly, and activities include desk-based work such as ar ts and crafts, mixed media, bingo, quiz games and puzzles for the brain The group practice mindfulness, self-awareness, wellbeing and self- care sk ills and also par ticipate in computer sk ills and technology, physical activity, gardening and hor ticulture Activities primarily focus on the social, physical and emotional aspec ts of the individual with all

ac tivities tailored to suit each person ’ s needs and desires Towards Occupation are currently par ticipating in a rec ycling project by mak ing a model village through ar t classes funded by Cor k E TB Day tr ips to improve their social sk ills and interactions are also facilitated with visits to Leinster House, a day bowling in Cork and visits to farms through the IRD Duhallow Social Farming initiative

STRIVE

IRD Duhallow's Str ive: 'Str ive to achie ve your potential' programme suppor ts a strengths-based approach to increasing labour mar k et par ticipation of people with disabilities through a range of personcentred and wrap around suppor ts This programme was funded through D or mant Accounts and finished in D ecember 2023 With the announcement of the new WorkAbility Programme par ticipants from the previous Str ive and cur rent Towards O ccupation Programme who can look at moving into employment or education will be suppor ted

Call to The Dáil

On June 23rd Leinster House welcomed a special visit from par ticipants on our Toward Occupation and Strive Programme The visit provided an inspiring oppor tunity for the par ticipants to explore Dáil Eireann and the S eanad Undoubtedly, the highlight of the tour was the iconic Dáil Chamber Standing in the public galler y, the group couldn' t help but visualise the lively debates and passionate arguments that had echoed throughout the chamber over the years Reflec ting on the tr ip, Fergus Moran, from the TO Programme, expressed his enjoyment and surprise at finding Dáil Éireann interesting "I enjoyed the Dail, I didn' t think it would be interesting, but it was " Rachel, a Strive par ticipant, highlighted the sense of communit y at IRD Duhallow as her favourite aspec t and thoroughly enjoyed the tr ip Another Str ive par ticipant, Daniel, shared his love of attending IRD Duhallow and credited it with helping him make friends with his highlight of the trip being the por traits of I rish historical figures

Duhallow Emotional Suppor t and Counselling Ser vice

Celebrating 10 years in existence this year, the Duhallow Emotional Suppor t and Counselling Ser vice was established as a confidential, non-judgemental voluntar y ser vice offering emotional suppor t and counselling The ser vice is made up of two pre -accredited counsellors and one mature student counsellor who provide one to one emotional suppor t and counselling / psychotherapy to anyone over the age affected by mental health Last year 20 individuals availed of this free programme

Members of the Towards Occupation Programme with Rachel Budd Social Farming Co- ordinator par ticipating in the community gardens at IRD Duhallow

Brighid Ide Walsh & Denis Justice of IRD Duhallow with members of the Towards Occupation & Strive Programmes on their visit to Leinster House

Tomas Moynihan TO par ticipant lending a helping hand cutting the willow on the social farming initiative

Weekly Bingo is ver y popular and facilitated by Donal O’Brien of IRD Duhallow

Aoife Douglas, Co- ordinator of the IRD Duhallow Emotional Suppor t Programme who matches clients with counsellors and oversees the programme

John Horgan proudly displaying this creation at the Towards Occupation Ar ts & Crafts class

Rural Community Health

Rural Community Health Projec t

Now in its third year this is a collaborative pilot projec t bet ween IRD Duhallow, Avondhu, Ballyhoura D e velopment and the HSE cover ing Nor th Cor k The pr imar y focus is on improving the mental health and wellbeing of individuals, groups, and communities in the Duhallow region through 3 objec tives; suicide prevention, inter vention and post vention suppor ts The projec t welcomes refer rals from professionals, individuals or family members

The Rural Community Health Worker (RCHW ) is dedicated to informing and empower ing individuals and communities to address the cr itical issues of social isolation and mental health challenges and to promote positive mental health and wellbeing Through this wor k we have recognised the urgent need for additional social suppor ts alongside traditional ser vices such as counselling, specially tailored to address the unique challenges faced by rural communities

Walking and Social Club

Established in 2022 to address identified issues of loneliness, isolation, depression, and stress as well as promoting physical health and wellbeing it now has two levels of fitness walks to suit a wider audience meeting twice week ly at the Island wood in Newmarket They regularly take trips out to discover and explore other walk ing routes The Autumn/Winter programme focuses on indoor physical health activities

Reading for the Brain

Our book club has seen an increase in membership and welcomes people from all backgrounds and prioritises social inclusion and not just books Collec tively this group as well as the walk ing and social club provide invaluable social suppor ts to the people of Duhallow who are grappling with mental health issues and social isolation

Training

IRD Duhallow hosted t wo SafeTALK wor kshops & one ASIST Training course in Newmarket Such courses help par ticipants to become more suicide aler t and help to aver t suicide risks and are ex tremely beneficial to both professionals and community leaders

Educational Talks, Events and Workshops

A Men’s Health Awareness Workshop was held in June 2023 during Men’s Health Week in conjunc tion with the M ar ie K eating Foundation highlighting awareness of men ’ s health issues

As par t of our EIP Blue Dot Project the Rural Community Health Worker spoke to 38 farmers on the objectives of the project and the impor tance of pr ior itising their health and wellbeing Following this event, Strong Hear t, Healthy Lives, a presentation on hear t and stok e awareness was held with the Irish Hear t Foundation mobile unit in attendance providing blood pressure checks on the day A Cancer Awareness Event was also held where the M ar ie K eating Foundation delivered ‘ Your choice, your health’ talk focusing on cancer prevention

introduction to Activator Poles Training were held in October and this led to a series of these classes being held throughout the winter months in conjunction with Cork Spor ts Par tnership

‘Back to the Future’ Wellbeing event was held in May 2024 as par t of the Bealtaine Festival providing an oppor tunit y for older people to create meaningful par ticipation in a cultural and creative event and to celebrate how our creative potential can improve with age This year ’ s theme was ‘A Lust for Life’ which was evident from the par ticipation of all 42 people that attended this event

An

Members of the IRD Duhallow Walking and Social group on a walk in Killarney National Park

Guest Speaker Eoin Reardon with members of the Kanturk Men s Shed at the Back to the Future event held during Bealtaine 24

RCHWs Jacki Hehir and Lorna Hurley facilitated an ASIST course in Newmarket

Denis Justice, Rural Community Health Worker speaking to a full house at the Healthy Hear t event

Members of the Reading for the Brain Book Club with Rural Community Health Worker Elmarie Young celebrating World Book Day

WorkAbility: Inclusive Pathways To Employment Programme

The IRD Duhallow Wor kAbilit y : I nclusive Pathways to Employment Programme is designed to create inclusive employment oppor tunities for individuals who face significant barriers to entering the workforce Cofinanced by the EU Employment, I nclusion, Sk ills, and Training Programme (EIST ) 2021-2027 and the Depar tment of Social Protec tion (DSP), this programme embodies a commitment to social inclusion and equal employment oppor tunities in I reland

The core objec tive of IRD Duhallow ’ s Wor kAbilit y Programme is to enhance par ticipants’ employabilit y and encourage people to become more ac tive members of their communities The programme suppor ts individuals from marginalised groups, including those with disabilities and mental ill health, and those exper iencing social exclusion B y addressing the specific needs of these groups, the programme aims to facilitate their integration into the labour market, education, training and communities thus promoting economic independence and social inclusion

Key Features and Components

Tailored Training and Development

A person- centred approach underpins all aspects of the programme with training and development plans tailored to the needs of each par ticipant This includes vocational training, soft sk ills development, and industr yspecific cer tifications The training modules are designed to equip par ticipants with the sk ills necessar y to meet the demands of the modern job market as well as developing their personal sk ills

Personalised Suppor ts

Each par ticipant receives one - on- one guidance throughout their time on the programme This personalised suppor t includes creating and reviewing personal progression plans, career guidance, C V wor kshops, inter view preparation, and ongoing mentoring

Collaboration with Employers

Collaboration and par tnership are essential strategies for increasing employers' engagement in providing paid work or placements for people with disabilities Building and strengthening effec tive par tnerships will help create a more inclusive wor kforce and open up oppor tunities for individuals with disabilities Employers are encouraged to adopt inclusive

hiring practices and provide reasonable accommodations to employees with diverse needs This collaboration not only helps in placing par ticipants into suitable job roles but also raises awareness about the benefits of a diverse workforce

Work Experience and Placements

Par ticipants have the oppor tunity to gain practical work experience through placements with par tner employers These placements are crucial in building par ticipants' confidence, enhancing their C Vs, and providing them with valuable insights into work place dynamics

Suppor tive Ser vices

Recognising that barriers to education, training and employment often ex tend beyond sk ills gaps, the development of soft sk ills are crucial These holistic suppor ts are essential in addressing the broader challenges that par ticipants may face; this is done through a variety of activities like confidence -building activities, creative ar ts, relationships and sexual health workshops, exercise and nutrition classes, public speak ing and presentation sk ills, to name a few

The IRD Duhallow Wor kAbilit y Programme is expec ted to have a profound impact on both the par ticipants and the wider community For par ticipants, the programme provides a pathway to meaning ful employment, increased self- esteem, and independence For employers, it offers access to a pool of motivated workers, fostering a more inclusive and diverse work place culture Moreover, the programme contributes to broader societal goals such as reducing unemployment, combating social exclusion, and promoting economic growth B y enabling individuals who might other wise be excluded from the labour market or their communities to contribute productively, the programme helps to create a more inclusive and equitable society

The WorkAbility group enjoying Team Building activities at Ballyhass Lakes

Positive Peer Suppor t Group: Ever yone was delighted when Strive par ticipant Kevin O’ Connor was selected to represent Ireland in the 2023 Special Olympics World Games in Berlin

Relationships and Sexual Health workshops with Grace Alice O Sé

From farm to fork ; during the Life Skills element of the programme the group enjoyed cooking with the produce they had grown during their Social Farming Module

Hayleigh, Daniel and Jamie preparing the vegetables that they grew during Social Farming

Local Area Employment Ser vice (LAES)

The IRD Duhallow Local Area Employment S er vice (LAES) ser ves as a cor nerstone in the effor ts to address unemployment and promote wor kforce integration within our region A new Regional Employment Ser vice which replaced the existing Jobs Clubs and Local Employment Ser vices in urban cities & towns was initiated in four Regions across the Countr y IRD Duhallow was par t of a consor tium bid that was approved in August 2022 Cork City Par tnership are lead and other par tners include SECAD, Avondhu Black water and Ballyhoura D e velopment Cor k Cit y Par tnership cover the Cor k Cit y area and each of the other companies covers their LEADER footprint

The programme works through a referral system where the Depar tment of Social Protection selects clients who have been on Job Seekers for over twelve months The employment suppor t provider who is an I ntreo Par tner then creates an appointment to meet with the client The programme lasts 52 weeks and meetings take place once a month During the year there are quar terly meetings where the programmes and progress are reviewed

At the hear t of our approach lies a commitment to understanding and addressing the unique needs and circumstances of ever yone we ser ve Through one - on- one interac tions, our case wor k ers str ive to create a suppor tive and empowering environment where job seekers can explore their sk ills, strengths, and aspirations B y tak ing a person- centred approach, we aim to tailor our ser vices to meet the specific needs of ever yone, ensuring that they receive the guidance and suppor t necessar y to achieve their employment goals

One of the key pillars of our ser vice is the provision of practical assistance and guidance throughout the employment jour ne y From helping jobseekers develop effective job search strategies to providing suppor t

with C V preparation and job applications, our goal is to equip individuals with the tools and resources the y need to secure meaning ful employment Additionally, we recognise the impor tance of ongoing training and education in enhancing employability As such, we actively refer jobseek ers to rele vant training courses and cer tification programmes, ensur ing that the y have the necessar y sk ills and qualifications to succeed in today's competitive job market

In addition, individualised suppor t is key to community engagement and collaboration in our effor ts to promote wor kforce integration B y operating from community-based locations in Newmarket and Macroom, we can establish close connec tions with local resources and organisations, thereby creating a net wor k of suppor t for job seek ers Fur thermore, our par tnerships with local businesses and employers play a crucial role in facilitating job placements and creating employment oppor tunities within the region Through these collaborations, we not only suppor t job seekers in finding employment but also contribute to the economic development and prosperity of our community

As we look to the future, we remain steadfast in our commitment to empower ing individuals to achieve their full potential and par ticipate fully in the workforce Through our dedicated effor ts and collaborative par tnerships, we will continue to make a positive impact in the lives of job seek ers and the broader communit y, dr iving toward a future of greater oppor tunity and prosperity for all

Testimonial from - Catherine, LAES Client

“My experience with the LAES programme was that it was ver y helpful in gaining full-time employment in a job that I love doing The LAES officer assigned to me was tremendous at helping me fill in the application forms, scan and print, and go through ever ything thoroughly with me The meetings were always designed to fit in around me and were pretty flexible to my needs This is a fantastic programme to have been par t of as I now have a full-time job and also a job I love to do ”

LAES Case O fficers (L: R) P J Murphy Alina Rusal and Ciarán Carmody

LAES Case O fficer Ciarán Carmody carr ying out a one-to- one monthly meeting with a client

The staff of IRD Duhallow who deliver the LAES programme: Niamh Blackburn, Ciarán Carmody, Alina Rusal, Louise Bourke and PJ Murphy

Our Macroom LAES office that is located above Deasy ’ s Pharmacy in the WorkBase Coworking Hub & O ffices

LAES Case O fficers (L: R) Ciarán Carmody, Elmarie Young and P J Murphy who completed the SAOR Brief Inter vention Training for Problem Alcohol and Substance Use

Youth And Education

The Youth & Education Wor k ing Group was established in 2003 to promote social, inclusive, personal and education development of young people in Duhallow We have de veloped a var iet y or suppor ts and programmes over the years to engage youths from 15-35 years of age

Apprenticeship Preparation Course

This one day course provided young people with comprehensive preparation for the selec tion tests and inter vie ws used in var ious apprenticeship contests, including those hosted by esteemed organisations like ESB and Aer Lingus Throughout the day, par ticipants gained invaluable transferable sk ills and inter view techniques essential for any job application, not just apprenticeships These sk ills include effec tive communication, problem-solving, time management, and professional presentation Upon completing the course, attendees have access to an exclusive online lear ning platfor m that is a resource for ongoing preparation, allowing par ticipants to fur ther refine their sk ills and k nowledge in anticipation of upcoming apprenticeship competitions

IRD Duhallow ’ s Careers Exhibition is a pivotal e vent designed to help young people explore their potential career paths Now in its 19th year, this annual gathering connects students from Duhallow and beyond with exhibitors from third-level institutions nationwide The event underscores the impor tance of providing young people with effec tive career guidance, information, and sk ills to make informed decisions about their future studies and career oppor tunities IRD Duhallow ’ s Youth and Education Work ing Group recognises the critical need for young people to have the necessar y information and sk ills to choose appropriate study paths and careers This suppor t is essential for realising their full potential and preventing early school leaving

Sex Education: Information Session for Parents

The online session held in December empowered parents with valuable information, k nowledge, and practical tips to educate their children about sex and sexuality effectively I t emphasised that sex education goes far beyond merely presenting facts and figures At its core, it is deeply rooted in values such as empathy, respect, k indness, inclusivity, justice, patience, and passion The session highlighted that sex, sexuality, and sexual health are integral par ts of being human, promoting overall health and happiness By fostering a holistic understanding, parents and caregivers can help their children navigate these essential aspec ts of life with confidence and sensitivit y Led by Grace Alice Ó Sé, an award-winning sex and intimac y specialist, the session offered insights drawn from her ex tensive experience

y classes and Touch Type

( T TRS) sessions week ly throughout the school year for children with dyslexia or for those that require additional suppor t with literac y The week ly literac y lessons, led by teachers with a low student-to -teacher ratio, focus on enhancing students' reading, writing, and spelling sk ills through a variety of activities The T TRS computer programme employs modules, repetition, and dictation exercises to boost reading, listening, and typing proficienc y while reinforcing overall learning This programme helps children develop essential computer sk ills, including proper mouse usage and correct finger placement on the keyboard for typing, which are sk ills that will benefit them throughout their lives

I n conjunction with IRD Duhallow Newmarket

Afterschools, IRD Duhallow also offers suppor ts throughout the summer running two weeks of Whizz K ids; this camp has a special focus on literac y activities through science experiments and computer sk ills Children work in small groups to research and choose an experiment, which they conduct at the end of the week They also create and present a PowerPoint on their experiment

Public Speaking

Throughout the months of November and December 2023, IRD Duhallow was delighted to facilitate SICAP funded Public Speak ing workshops for children attending national school in Duhallow IRD Duhallow ’ s Youth and Education Wor k ing Group has long recognised that effec tive oral

Careers Exhibition

Literac y Suppor ts

IRD Duhallow provides valuable literac

R ead Spell

Careers Exhibition; Catherine Kemp from University Limerick discussing educational options with students during the Career Exhibition

Literacy Suppor t and T TRS Recognition of Learning Ceremony

Students attending the Apprenticeship Preparation Course

John Kenneally receiving a special award for completing all levels of the Touch Type Read Spell Programme from tutor Sinead Guiney

Youth And Education

communication is a driver of personal and learning development, therefore these public speak ing workshops remain a ver y impor tant fix ture in the annual calendar of events organised for young people From presentations on spor t to environmental issues the children were ver y well prepared to deliver excellent speeches on issues close to their hear ts The workshops were par ticularly helpful to anyone who maybe reticent by nature, giving them the oppor tunity to use their voices to formulate a speech and deliver it to an audience

At the closing event, parents and teachers of par ticipants were welcomed to the James O’Keeffe Institute to hear the presentations the children had prepared The workshops were facilitated by Siobhan Fitzgerald who is the creator of LE T ' s Stand Public Speak ing Programme cur r iculum for primar y school children Well done to all of the children who par ticipated on their hard work and excellent presentations

SICAP Suppor ts for Bweeng Youth Club

The IRD Duhallow SICAP programme played a pivotal role in suppor ting the newly established Bweeng Youth Club which is designed for young people aged 12-17 and provides a safe and inclusive space where members can gather, express themselves, and ac tively engage in their communit y Through suppor t from Development O fficers and funding through SICAP, the club was able to acquire necessar y items that enhance their activities and operations, thus empowering the youth to take par t in local projec ts and ensur ing their voices are heard within the community

Addic tion and Mental Health Awareness Event

Addic tion and mental health issues do not discriminate and can affec t individuals from any walk of life; regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or back ground There has been a significant r ise in addictions across Ireland including drug use, gambling, internet, sex/porn and Duhallow is no different which noted in the findings in IRD Duhallow ’ s Youth Needs Analysis 2021

R ecognising this, IRD Duhallow Youth and Education Wor k ing Group organised an Addiction and Mental Health Awareness Event to promote inclusivit y and understanding within our communities and to offer pre ventative suppor ts to young people The e vent fostered understanding and suppor t and provided a platform for open dialogue, destigmatisation, and education sur rounding addic tion and mental

health issues There was a panel of exper t speakers on the night including addiction counsellors, people with lived experience of addiction and An Garda Síochana

The panel of speakers included: Ciarán Carey, an addiction counsellor and specialist with vast exper ience in the field of addic tion and recover y Be yond his professional exper tise, Ciarán's back ground of playing intercount y hur ling for Limer ick and his exper ience managing both county and club teams offered valuable insights from within the spor ting communit y Brenda D ennehy, a T V producer, jour nalist, and podcast host who shared her own battle with addic tion and its near-fatal consequences Tony O ’R eilly, the co -author of ‘ Tony10’, the bestselling and award-winning book that tells the stor y of Tony ’ s compelling journey through gambling addiction and eventual recover y He shared his deeply personal perspective and offered invaluable insights into the challenges faced by individuals, families, and communities impacted by problem gambling Detective Sergeant M icheál O’Regan highlighted the communit y initiatives and proac tive measures provided by An G arda Síochana as well as discussing Drug I ntimidation Repor ting Programme

Addiction and Mental Health Awareness Event: Bríghid-Íde Walsh IRD Duhallow, Maura Walsh

CEO IRD Duhallow, Billy Dennehy Board Member IRD Duhallow, Community Garda Katr yn Canty, Sergeant Mark Daly, Helen O’Sullivan IRD Duhallow with the exper t panel of speakers Tony O Reilly, Brenda Dennehy and Ciarán Carey

Shedding light on Addiction and Mental Health: The James O Keeffe Institute was alive with discussions insights and inspiration on the night

Board Member Billy Dennehy opening the Addiction and Mental Health Awareness Event

Mrs Marie Casey Principal Boherbue National School photographed with students from the school at the closing event of the 2023 public speaking workshops

Employment And Training

May 2023 – May 2024 was declared to be the European Year of Sk ills and its aim was to address sk ills shor tages in the European Union and boost the EU sk ills strategy Since IRD Duhallow ’ s foundation 35 years ago, upsk illing, education and the de velopment of people has been an integral par t of our wor k I n the past 12 months, 1,889 people were trained through a number of upsk illing initiatives across programmes being delivered by IRD Duhallow

The EU Sk ills Strategy places considerable emphasis on upsk illing in the areas of digital and green sk ills and IRD Duhallow has rolled out a number of initiatives in this space including computer classes, hedge laying wor kshops and a beginners beek eeping programme to help fur ther these targets

Community Education and Lifelong Learning

Community education refers to adult education and learning, which aims to enhance learning, empower people and contribute to the people of Duhallow Communit y education focuses personalised lear ning and flexibility and plays a key role personal empowerment, the development of cr itical think ing, equalit y, citizenship and social inclusion Stress management, M indfulness, Personal E ffec tiveness and Beginners and I ntermediate Sewing classes were all delivered as par t of the community education initiatives

Job Centre

The IRD Duhallow Job centre continues to go from strength to strength offering practical suppor ts and ser vices to job seekers and employers in Duhallow Many women avail of this free ser vice recognising that women predominantly face challenges in relation to combining career ambitions and childcare requirements- especially at a time when childcare places are scarce

Person centred responses in the for m of one -to - one suppor ts are provided by Development O fficers These sessions explore solutions to each individual’s difficulties, often pointing them in the direction of more

focused help and ser vices (e g Anchor) as well as job centre suppor t Ser vices for individuals include regular C V clinics and one -to meetings to wor k on an individual ’ s C V, mock inter vie w sessions to prac tice for an upcoming inter view and general advice on career paths These staple ser vices are offered over the phone; and in-person in order to mak e ser vices as accessible and as convenient as possible for ser vice users

Labour Market Ac tivation

The OECD I reland Sk ills Strategy repor t found that par ticipation in lifelong learning to facilitate essential resk illing and upsk illing in I reland, while above the EU average, falls far behind top EU per formers I t also found that I rish employers express significant concern about labour and sk ills gaps IRD Duhallow has delivered a suite of targeted labour market activation programmes through SICAP, helping people get the right

sk ills for qualit y jobs and helping companies, in par ticular small companies to access the talent they need In the past 12 months we have delivered a range of programmes including Career Planning, Safe Pass, Fork lift Driving and AT V Quad Bike Training

Bursaries

I n 2023 IRD Duhallow were delighted to be able to suppor t 8 individuals to receive Adult Education Bursaries Seven of these were women and the suppor t was given under the SICAP Adult and S econd Chance Education SICAP Goal 2 measure Underpinning this action is a belief that adult education is pivotal to continuous personal development and selfadvancement The women suppor ted under this ac tion are fur ther ing their education in a diverse range of sec tors including childcare, social care, health care, science, and ar ts

Targeting Youth

IRD Duhallow actively responds to the sk ills needs of the young people in our area by work ing closely with them, those that work with/suppor t them and gover ning bodies We run diverse training programmes including vocational sk ills, digital literac y and personal de velopment courses which are all offered locally or online mak ing it more accessible to rural youth

We run many mental health and well-being initiatives and foster a suppor tive communit y environment where young people feel

Sean Duggan being presented with his cer tificate in Beginners BeeKeeping where the group practised their skills on the new demo hive that was built with the suppor t of SICAP

Development O fficer Ciarán Carmody co- ordinates the job centre meeting one to one with individuals looking to prepare their CVs and par take in mock inter views

Our Beginners and Intermediate Sewing classes proved hugely popular and encouraged many women in par ticular to engage in lifelong learning oppor tunities

Ihor Serdiuk receiving his cer tificate for completing safe pass training from Minister for Education Norma Foley

Employment And Training

comfor table discussing issues impor tant to them and sharing their ideas Our counselling ser vice is free of charge and available to anyone over the age of 18

We par tner and collaborate with schools, colleges and universities on many projects and programmes that complement young people’s formal education Our Laptop Loan Scheme is vital for many of our young people who would be excluded from education or training without it We provide digital literac y suppor ts in a variety of ways, traditional computer classes but also through workshops lik e Public Speak ing, Cook er y Lessons, C V and I nter view Workshops, Creative Writing, etc

Our community consultations provide community engagement events and we encourage young people to attend and share their ideas/needs/concerns

We promote young people to become ac tive members of their communities by link ing them with local choir, spor ting, music, Tidy Towns, drama groups etc

Recognition of Learning

I t is vital to celebrate achievements, to boost confidence and increase motivation and also to recognise the immense work and effor t that each lear ner has put in Each year IRD Duhallow hosts a R ecognition of Lear ning ceremony in July and the guest speak er for 2023 was the M inister for Education Norma Foley A great af ternoon was had where cer ts were presented across all the upsk illing initiatives delivered by IRD Duhallow

Nor th Cork Adult Education and Skills Network

IRD Duhallow sits on the Nor th Cork Education and Sk ills network The purpose of this network is to encourage inter agenc y collaboration and the sharing of information across all the education and training providers

in the Nor th Cork Region The network comprises of representatives of the Local Development Companies, E TBs, Welfare, Youth Organisations, Third Level Universities, Chamber and Business Representatives as well as the HSE

ALIVE

Members of IRD Duhallow ’ s Saoi Network and Board are par ticipating in the Age -inclusive lifelong lear ning: M icro - Credentials and Guidelines (AliVE) Project This is a research project into the enablers and challenges to engaging in lifelong learning as an older adult 55+ in both rural and ur ban settings The research is being conduc ted by UCC researchers Finola McCar thy, Eleanor Bantr y-White and Evi Zafeiridi and it will form par t of a wider European project through the Erasmus+ programme

CPR Training is a vital life skill and could save a life First Aid and CPR programmes are always in high demand on our training schedule

Graduates of the Skills Connect Programme in Outdoor Activity Instructor Programme with Louise Bourke IRD Duhallow and the Programme Development and Management team of Ballyhass Lakes: Dave Conran Eoghan McCar thy Eddie McCar thy and Ray Walsh This programme engaged young people aged under 30 who were not in Employment Education or Training

Florrie Murphy receives her Level 4 Cer tificate in Hor ticulture from Minister for Education Norma Foley and IRD Duhallow representatives Anne Maria Bourke Geraldine O’Lear y and Maura Walsh

Cliona Butler was on placement in IRD Duhallow for 6 months whilst completing her Degree in Youth and Community Work from UCC As par t of this she organised the Duhallow Women’s conference, pictured here is Judy O’Lear y (Chairperson of Duhallow Women’s forum) presenting Cliona with a bouquet of flowers in appreciation of all her work during her time in IRD Duhallow

IRD Duhallow has been a par tner on a number of Life Long Learning Erasmus + Applications SAMUELE Self-Assessment Model for Universities Embracing LLL in Europe Par tnerships for Cooperation and +Skill4U Pictured here are application par tners Lyndsey El Amoud (UCC ) Carme ROYO (EUCEN Spain) Louise Bourke (IRD Duhallow) and Beate Horr ( Ver treterin der Universitaten Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

Rural Social Scheme

This year IRD Duhallow marks twenty years since it implemented the pilot of the Rural Social Scheme (RSS), it was introduced to offer supplementar y income suppor t to farmers in exchange for par t-time employment IRD Duhallow operates three schemes with 74 places and we currently have vacancies across Duhallow including S outheast K er r y, Nor th and M id Cork

Eligibility

to join IRD Duhallow ’s Rural Social Scheme

The Rural S ocial S cheme provides a supplementar y income for lowincome farmers who are unable to earn an adequate living To be eligible to par ticipate in RSS, you must be 25 years or over, actively faming and receiving Far m Assist, or one of the following social welfare payments Jobseeker's Allowance, Disability Allowance to name but a few

You will have to provide proof that you are actively farming by submitting your application for the Basic Payment S cheme for the cur rent year, including a valid herd number The scheme also allows other family members such as spouse, par tner, child or sibling to use your herd number in order to qualify for RSS

Benefits and oppor tunities offered by the Rural Social Scheme

You will receive a minimum week ly payment of €259 50 and may also entitled to increased payments in respect of a qualified adult and/or child dependents The RSS payment replaces the Far m Assist payment i e a Farm Assist recipient receiving a payment of €50 will be paid €259 50 on RSS As well as receiving an increased week ly income you ’ re also entitled to Class A PRSI contributions which count towards your future pension You will work 19 5 hours week ly which are flexible farm-friendly Hours in order to accommodate your farming responsibilities You will be entitled to paid annual leave and public holiday entitlements

The RSS can offer diverse wor k placements tailored to accommodate different interests and sk illsets, providing a fulfilling social exper ience; Caretak ing of communit y and spor ting facilities, Energy conser vation wor k for the elder ly and the less well- off, Village and countr yside enhancement projects, look ing after waymarked ways, Social care, and care of the elderly such as meals on wheels

O ther examples include community care for pre -school and after-school groups, Environmental maintenance work such as Tidy Towns projec ts, helping non-profit cultural and her itage centres and communit y-led initiatives Par ticipants can also avail of training oppor tunities and access to various training programmes

20 years of the Rural Social Scheme

The aim of the scheme was and continues to be to provide cer tain ser vices of benefit to rural communities by har nessing the sk ills and talents available among low-income far mers and evidence of this can been seen throughout Duhallow

A Social Cost Benefit Analysis was under tak en in 2008 to evaluate the impact of the scheme and interestingly the results of the analysis are still relevant today ; “ The RSS produces a wide range of both financial and nonfinancial costs and benefits, for individual RSS par ticipants and their families; for communities and for the State, at local and national levels The non-financial benefits accruing to individuals and their families are generating substantial qualit y of life improvements, through increased social contac t; increased social capital and greater access to training, advice and information For communities, activities are being suppor ted and in some cases stimulated, which are vital to maintaining the fabric of rural communities”

IRD Duhallow is grateful to all the former par ticipants and super visors and our cur rent par ticipants along with the super visors who have all contributed to the ongoing success of the scheme

Review of the scheme

This review which commenced last year is being conducted by Pobal and the Depar tment of Social Protection and is nearing completion We look for ward to hearing the recommendations that will revitalise the scheme as we k now it will make it more attractive and sustainable as a scheme going for ward

We’re ver y for tunate to deal with a great team in Pobal who look after the payroll along with the RSS unit in the Depar tment of Social Protection

Types of projec ts par ticipants work on I n the past 12 months the scale of projects accomplished by the par ticipants is astounding and these are in conjunction with the suppor t they provide daily in the deliver y of our social enterprises, preparation and deliver y of the meals and wheels, warmer homes, furniture revamp and the community laundr y The par ticipants are the back bone of the projects we deliver on a daily basis including the various suppor ts in the community such as our friendly phonecall ser vice, sheltered housing,

ting and community

I n D ecember 2003, the far mer fr iendly scheme was introduced by M inister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív IRD Duhallow was the first Local Development Company to pilot the scheme, which commenced on the 26th July, 2004

spor

Members of the Steering Group with their final repor t on the Review of Rural Social Scheme from left to right Fiona Ward Assistant Secretar y General, Employment Ser vices, Depar tment of Social Protection, Maura Walsh CEO IRD Duhallow, Kathleen Stack Chair of the Review Steering Group, Minister of State Joe O’Brien, Tony Kieran Principal O fficer Employment Programmes, Depar tment of Social Protection

Minister Éamon Ó’Cuív at the launch of the Rural Social Scheme in IRD Duhallow with former IRD Duhallow Chairs the late Jack Roche, Don Crowley and CEO Maura Walsh

RSS par ticipant Nora Shine completing strimming works in Rockchapel’s Bruach na Carraige

Rural Social Scheme

facilities The team has wor k ed on var ious communit y care projec ts detected by public health nurses and indeed other statutor y bodies who identify necessar y works to be completed to enable independent living for vulnerable people in our society

They also set up and assist with festivals and events in many communities as well as the Dawn Mass, Graduation Ceremony, Seniors Conference and the Enterprise awards Their input can also be seen in the production of our for tnightly published Discover Duhallow

We have a team who provide the required specialised labour to complete construction led projects such the repointing of the graveyard boundar y wall in K ilbrin as well as the various walks with which funding under the Outdoor Recreation I nfrastructure Scheme is secured, this year included the 3rd phase of Shrone, Boherbue Ditch Walk Loop and the Banteer Glen R iver Walk The y also provide the maintenance to ensure all walks are walk er fr iendly The hard wor k , dedication and multiple sk illsets of our par ticipants allows for all these types of projects to be under taken which makes a huge contribution to the sustainability and viability of Duhallow

IRD Duhallow Rural Social Scheme Team

I n the past year we said farewell to three of our par ticipants who retired, Paddy Dillane, Maurice Reidy and Pat Shanahan, we would like to sincerely wish them all the best in their retirement and thank them for their great work and commitment on the scheme

Stephen McAuliffe also left the scheme and we would like to wish him all the best

At the end of last year, we had the oppor tunity to honour par ticipants for completing 10 years of ser vice on the scheme, Brian Feehan received a presentation from our Social Economy Chairperson Mar y Wallace, we also want to congratulate D J Sheehan who was unfor tunately unable to be present on the night

Testimony – John O’Flynn

" I joined the Rural social scheme in D ecember 2015 A lot of the work I do with my colleges on the scheme is based in local communities in the Duhallow area

Work involves ever ything from power washing and painting, to cutting grass and tidying up green areas in villages I work with a large group of RSS and Tús par ticipants that work for IRD Duhallow

I am living on the family farm in Dromtariffe which is only about six miles from our base in Newmarket I find the scheme works ver y well for me as it is flexible and I can move my days around depending on what is happening on the farm at home from week to week"

John O Flynn has been on the scheme since 2015 and completes his placement with the community team that under take various projects throughout Duhallow

IRD Duhallow organised Quad bike training that RSS, CE and Tús par ticipants availed of

Before and after of the works completed by RSS and Tús par ticipants on phase three of the Slyguddal Phase on the Clonkeen side which included drainage and groundworks that was funded by the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme 2023

Mar y Wallace Chair of the Social Economy Working Group making a presentation to Brian Feehan on his 10 years of ser vice

Tús

IRD Duhallow operates Tús on behalf of the D epar tment of S ocial Protec tion which is a communit y wor k placement scheme providing shor t-ter m wor k ing oppor tunities for unemployed people and Pobal operates the payroll function on behalf of the Depar tment At a local level, IRD Duhallow manages three schemes with 60 places and we currently have vacancies across Duhallow including South East K err y, Nor th and M id Cork

Long term unemployment rates nationally have dropped from 9 7% to 1% and these changes in the landscape have informed the Government Pathways to wor k 2021-2025 which aspires to better labour mar k et outcomes for all and “Leaving No One Behind” as one of its five primar y strands Howe ver, in Duhallow the rates are still in excess of the State average We aim to deliver a person- centred approach that is tailored to the par ticipants availing of the Tús placement

How to join IRD Duhallow ’s Tús scheme.

People who are unemployed and drawing a social welfare payment for at least 12 months are eligible to join the Tús scheme There is also an option to self-refer once a person has been unemployed for t welve months Tús super visors work closely with our colleagues in the LAES who frequently identify Tús as a suitable option for some of their clients These individuals are suppor ted to complete an expression of interest for m which is for warded to the D epar tment of S ocial Protec tion to assess eligibilit y Each candidate must par tak e in an admission inter vie w to assess their individual needs and find their best placement oppor tunity The super visors are adept at finding solutions to different bar r iers to joining the scheme such as access to childcare or transpor t and the y endeavour to provide the best work placement experience and make it wor thwhile for the individual As a local de velopment company we operate an integrated model of ser vice provision with a broad range of complementar y programmes under one roof, and Tús par ticipants are uniquely placed to avail of a suite of suppor ts including access to training C V preparation and work experience

Types of work placements available

IRD Duhallow runs all of its employment schemes namely Tús, RSS, CE and CSP in an integrated fashion This method ensures we optimise people’s sk ills and expose them to other sk ill levels, suppor ting on the job learning and development Our teams complete various types of work across the communities of Duhallow

Fur ther more, we also facilitate placements on communit y enter pr ise projects A number of par ticipants complete their hours in DCFS where they assist with meals on wheels as well as their newest School Lunch S er vice Duhallow re vamp fur niture restoration also benefits from Tús scheme par ticipants Valuable experience is also gained from positions in the Laundr y ser vice, Discover Duhallow, Social Farming as well as on the facilities team Our super visors aim to place par ticipants in settings that match their sk ills levels and career ambitions The benefit of wor k placements in Communit y Enter pr ise is the wide var iet y of wor k

exper ience to be gained including cook ing, administration, customer ser vice, upholster y, laundr y, book keeping etc Work ing as par t of a team is also hugely beneficial to people who have been out of work for some time, and Tús suppor ts people to gain confidence to take those first steps towards mainstream employment

Payment and Benefits of Tús

When a person joins the scheme, they receive a contract for 12 months and wor k 19 5 hours a week and the minimum week ly payment for par ticipants is €259 50 Par ticipants retain any ex tra benefits and the medical card, provided the y are still eligible A par ticipant of the Tús programme can work par t-time as long as they continue to under take their Tús placement IRD Duhallow has many recent success stories, where through the confidence and sk ills acquired as par t of the Tús programme, par ticipants have gone on to attain additional employment outside of their Tús placement

Maura Walsh CEO IRD Duhallow with Minister of State Joe O’Brien, RSS and Tús Super visor Colm O’Connor and Don Murphy at the National Ploughing Championships

Eduard Panchenko who assists in the community gardens and the social farming project

Our schemes under take work in the teams in the community They are pictured here completing painting in Banteer Community Centre complex

Tús

Ukrainian Impac t

From March 2023, Uk rainian refugees became eligible for the Tús Scheme, this means that Uk rainian R efugees are now included in the random referral selection process by the Dept of Social Protection, and that they are also eligible to self-refer This is par ticularly welcome by many given that the Government has announced the intention to tighten migration measures for Uk rainian Job Seek ers which will result in cuts to welfare payments from €232 per week to €38 80 per week However, those who opt to engage on Tús will be entitled to the full payment

We currently have a cohor t of 15 par ticipants who have all settled in well to their positions Their integration into the wor k place was suppor ted through in-house translators who made the process from inter view to placement effor tless We recently conduc ted a sur ve y to gauge par ticipant ’ s experience to date and satisfaction levels are extremely high and many repor t that they are actively seek ing work oppor tunities

Progression

The twelve -month placement passes by quick ly and many par ticipants can now avail of an oppor tunity to ex tend their placement by six months This is hugely beneficial for those who are just settling into their roles having been long term unemployed and allows them to fur ther build their confidence and develop their sk ills

For others there is an oppor tunity to continue to develop and expand on their work experience

oppor tunities by applying for a suppor ted scheme placement on a Community Employment Scheme or on to a CSP position through one of IRD Duhallow ’ s social enterprises

The Tús scheme places a strong emphasis on upsk illing, resk illing and training The scheme super visors assist par ticipants by seamlessly link ing them with other suppor ts in IRD Duhallow The SICAP funded Job Centre provides par ticipants with suppor t to create or update their C V as well as offering inter view preparation Through the Job Centre and the Sk illnet programme we have developed many links with employers and have a strong track record of suppor ting par ticipants to acquire full time employment Where full time employment may not yet be an option, par ticipants can continue to progress through other schemes such as our Community Employment Scheme

Testimony – Triona McSweeney "In August 2022 I joined Tús and was placed in Duhallow Revamp on the shop floor and in the office It had been a while since I worked in an office this was great for me to brush up on my skills I got an extension meaning I was on Tús for 18 months which gave me the oppor tunity to upskill and complete different training courses in IT such as Canva, Excel and social media which I found ver y beneficial and this ex tra time built up my experience and confidence

I have now progressed on to IRD D uhallow ’ s Communit y Employment Scheme and I have a learning plan to develop my skills in administration and customer ser vice I really enjoy working with the team in Duhallow Revamp"

Andrii Tsybka completes insulation works as par t of his placement on the Warmer Homes Team

Jessica Hegar ty preparing meals for deliver y as par t of the DCFS Meals on Wheels ser vice

Danny Ruby who trained as a Dumper driver and works on our ORIS walk developments

Former par ticipant Triona McSweeney completed her Tús scheme in Duhallow Revamp and has since secured a place on the Community Employment Scheme

Haitham Ikhtyer who works in Duhallow Revamp showcases his upholster y work on the finished Queen Ann two seater couch

Community Employment

IRD Duhallow ’s CE Schemes

IRD Duhallow administers t wo Communit y Employment S chemes on behalf of the Depar tment of Social Protec tion A geographical scheme suppor ting long ter m unemployed wor k in local communities and a special drugs rehabilitation scheme which focuses on people affected by substance misuse

Our geographical scheme covers the communities of Ballydesmond, R athcoole, Boherbue, Ballydaly, K ilcorney, Dromtarriffe, Lyre, Newmarket, K iskeam, K nock nagree, Cullen and Banteer The scheme also provides suppor t to community enterprise initiatives including Community Laundr y, Furniture Revamp, Duhallow Community Food Ser vices and Discover Duhallow

Community Employment is designed to help people who are long term unemployed back into the workforce by offering par t time employment which includes peer suppor t from the Super visor, and training and development oppor tunities to suppor t upsk illing and confidence building The CE scheme also acts as a resource for communities, helping them to identify their own needs and priorities and liaise with our Super visors to identify mutually beneficial work from the community and the par ticipants and their career goals CE integrates employment inter ventions and training for the individual with community ser vices provision

IRD Duhallow ensures cohesiveness and progression for all par ticipants by running its CE scheme in conjunction with other schemes and suppor ts available through the organisation including CSP, RSS, Tús, Rural Community Health, Job Centre, LAES etc

We have established our scheme to provide work placements in areas where real work oppor tunities exist locally The variety of work on our scheme caters for both par ticipants with activation needs and those with social inclusion needs

Our scheme cur rently has 45 places across the region and the wor k completed is in areas such as Caretak ers, Par k Assistants, Fur niture Restoration, Administration, Accounts, Community Laundr y, Community K itchen, Communit y Bak er y, Village Tidy Towns, I nsulation Operatives, Stores Person, and Counter Assistants Wor k ing as par t of a team is essential for anyone hoping to re - enter the work place and work ing on CE through IRD Duhallow and its communities affords par ticipants the oppor tunit y to interac t with communit y members and par ticipants of

other schemes foster ing a strong wor k ethic, which stands to each par ticipant in their future career path

To par ticipate in the Community Employment scheme, you must register with your local I ntreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch O ffice You must be receiving a qualifying social welfare payment for 12 months prior to your application to be eligible

Par ticipant Development through Training

Training and retraining are a key focus of the community employment scheme The Depar tment of Social Protection fund specific training courses, which have a QQI, SOLAS, City and Guilds or other Cer tificate qualifications for par ticipants IRD Duhallow also runs a Sk illnet training programme, which is utilised by the scheme for other training This affords our par ticipant a wide oppor tunity to access desired education and training programmes

O ver the past year, par ticipants took par t in M anual Handling, Small Engines, Food Safet y HACCP, Safe Pass, Upholster y, Adult Education, Microsoft O ffice Suite, Human Growth and Development, Graphic Design Diploma and Health & Safety at Heights

All the courses under taken by par ticipants are cer tified through SOLAS, QQI or City and Guilds

IRD Duhallow str ives to identify the needs of local employers to focus training in areas where real job oppor tunities exist locally, and this is facilitated through the IRD Duhallow J ob Centre The super visors wor k closely with each par ticipant in de veloping a specific training plan tailored to their individual needs

Testimony – Caleb O’Connor, Discover Duhallow Magazine "Through the CE scheme, I've gotten to experience new areas of work and have expanded my current skillset - it makes you feel like you are par t of things and really helps boost your confidence "

Irena Cicha works in the DCFS Meals kitchen Skills gained here will help Irena progress to mainstream employment once her time on CE is complete

Barr y O Shea works at Newmarket Pitch & Putt and has responsibility for maintenance of the greens under the super vision of the greenkeeper

CE Super visor Paddy O ‘Connor with Donal Curran who completes his time on CE in Boherbue playground and village

Patrick J O Sullivan strimming in Cullen Village

CE Assistant Super visor Amanda Keller with scheme par ticipant Mark Cotter

As par t of CE, Caleb O'Connor designs and edits the Discover Duhallow Magazine

Community Employment Rehabilitation Scheme

IRD Duhallow ’ s CE Rehabilitation programme was created in response to the increasing numbers of people in rural Ireland affected by substance misuse As Duhallow is a vastly rural area, it can lead to isolation for many This can be a contributor y factor leading to individuals falling down the path of addiction and making it a sometimes-detrimental environment to return into following treatment, therefore significantly reducing their chances of lasting recover y and better quality of life

IRD Duhallow felt there was a need for suppor t for people coming out of treatment and back into their communities This CE scheme is designed with that purpose in mind A person is referred to this ser vice through their treatment provider or addiction counsellor The aim is to enable the person to continue the recover y process through providing education and employment suppor ts based on their own personal goals Par ticipants have had the oppor tunity to par take in a variety of courses and activities funded through SICAP and Sk illnet ranging from personal development, mindfulness, stress management, hor ticulture, furniture restoration, first aid, driving lessons and quad bike training all designed around the par ticipant, their goals, and interests

This programme was developed following the success of similar schemes in other areas as well as the apparent need for stronger suppor t networks for people in rural areas returning from treatment into their communities The CE Rehabilitation scheme offers a supportive community of likeminded individuals committed to recover y, a range of suppor ts and oppor tunities for progression in their chosen area, a holistic approach to care with alternative therapies delivered through IRD Duhallow ’ s wraparound approach

This scheme is delivered with the suppor t of and in collaboration with the Southern Regional Drug & Alcohol Taskforce and the Depar tment of Social Protection which offer the programme a range and wealth of exper tise, k nowledge and training to deliver the most effective results possible for par ticipants

Benefits

For Participants

• Oppor tunities for progression in career and personal development

• Suppor tive environment, increasing likelihood of continued recover y

• Bridge the gap to fur ther education

• Tr ying new activities, forming new, healthier hobbies and friendships to replace old habits

• I nclusion in the community, benefitting from community members having a better understanding of addiction leading to less judgement and isolation

Benefits for Families

Increased likelihood that their loved ones will remain in recover y

• Reduced stress and worr y about their loved one ’ s activities

• Suppor t for family members through Al Anon

Benefits

for the Community

• Reduced levels of substance misuse related behaviours, and the effects of these behaviours on the community

• Reduced occurrence of lapse and relapse among par ticipants

• Better oppor tunities for par ticipants in terms of career and education enabling them to give back to their community

• Better understanding within the community of the causes of addiction

Testimony – Kieron

“Hi, M y name is K ieron I have been here at IRD D uhallow for a fe w months now and have loved my time here learning loads about plants and gardening Working in the gardens I have been preparing beds for planting, planting berr y bushes, weeding Inside the polytunnel we were growing spring onion, carrots, potatoes, peas and more My time here has been a fantastic experience ”

Stakeholders in the Cork Kerr y CE Rehab Cluster including scheme Super visors, Sponsors, the Drugs Task Force and the DEASP

CE Rehab Super visor Sandra Jones completed ASIST suicide awareness training with the Rural Community Health Project

Revamp

For over eight years, IRD Duhallow with the assistance of the Community S er vices Programme has been operating Duhallow Fur niture R evamp Revamp is consistently growing in popularity and improving the quality of ser vices G ood qualit y second-hand fur niture, with the added discounts available to fur ther assist those in receipt of social welfare, lowincome households and students, is how R e vamp benefits the whole community I n addition, the repair, restoration and re -upholster y ser vice gives an oppor tunity to bring a new lease of life to much loved but tired furniture and to contribute to the circular economy lifestyle

The Social Enterprise has ser ved over 8,200 customers to date and played a significant role in the circular economy in Duhallow

Promoting community employment and upskilling

At Revamp, we think the best thing to do with a good sk ill, is to pass it on Some of the most valuable training offered by Revamp is the ongoing shar ing of sk ills, k nowledge and abilities from our staff members to eligible par ticipants of work activation programmes such as Tús, C E and RSS schemes We have successfully trained se veral par ticipants in upholster y and basic woodwork sk ills in addition to all the transferrable sk ills acquired from the day-to - day operations I n 2023-2024, three of R e vamp ’ s par ticipants were offered ex tended placement on the Community Employment Scheme to fur ther their sk ills and education

I t has also always been a priority for Revamp to provide training through the Sk illnet programme

Testimony – Upholster y Suzanne and John

“ We are delighted with all the upholster y we got done with IRD Duhallow What a professional job The armchairs get special mention as there was a lot of work went in to them We thought pricing was ver y fair and we cer tainly will be using this wonder ful ser vice again All the staff were ver y friendly and helpful Thank you IRD Duhallow ”

With over 255 tons of furniture diver ted from landfills to date and over 235 tons redistributed back into the community through sales and refurbishment, Revamp is having an impor tant positive impact in Duhallow

Social Environmental responsibility

Our enterprise’s commitment to be par t of sustainable development to improve the quality of our environment follows through all aspects of our operations I t is ver y impor tant, in our effor t to reverse and prevent fur ther harm, that we ensure our operations are not contributing to the creation of excess waste By carefully collecting data on new materials used in our restoration projects, Revamp can monitor the propor tion of new materials used versus reused materials, mak ing sure it remains consistently under 5%

Continually expanding our range of ser vices

At Revamp, we aim to answer as many furniture needs as we can I n addition to the sales of second-hand furniture, we make it possible for our customers to keep their much loved pieces We have an ex tensive re -upholster y ser vice from your dining chairs to your favourite armchairs and they can all be given a new lease of life We also offer wood repairs and restoration, and have restored heirlooms for numerous families One of our most valuable ser vice has to be our couch repairs, where our team can fix springs and cushions for these bulk y goods to be used for several more years

Michael was delighted with his 3rd generation child’s chair fully restored by Jessica in Revamp

Callum Purchase and Paddy Hassett preparing new colours for the Relove paint range

Jessica Baron and Catriona McSweeney in Revamp’s office, coordinating furniture donations and sales

A Chaise longue restored by Jessica and Anne

Anne O’Connor putting the finishing touches to a reupholstered vintage rocking chair

Armchairs fully reupholstered by the team in Revamp

Circular Economy

IRD Duhallow is a champion of the circular economy and promotes social enterprise ac tivit y that is in line with sustainable prac tices I n a circular economy, things are made and consumed in a way that minimises our use of the world’s resources, cuts waste and reduces carbon emissions

Produc ts are k ept in use for as long as possible, through repair ing, rec ycling and redesign – so they can be used again and again At the end of a product ’ s life, the materials used to make it are kept in the economy and reused whenever possible The EU currently produces more than 2 5 billion tons of waste a year

Chambers I reland has suppor ted I rish businesses for almost a centur y I ts purpose is to be the voice of business throughout I reland and suppor t their mission of mak ing their local economies places where businesses and people thrive Chambers Ireland, as appointed champion in the 20232024 SDG Programme, suppor ts the UN Sustainable Development Goals I n September 2023, Revamp was shor tlisted for the Sustainable Business Impact Awards in par tnership with a social enterprise for the Relove paint initiative The Sustainable Business I mpac t Awards showcases best practice in sustainable development and social responsibility under taken by companies of all sizes across I reland

Paint: an award winning initiative

Once again in 2024, IRD Duhallow and Cork County Council promoted Relove paint through a Free paint initiative to communities A total of 61 communit y projec ts received over 1000 litres of free paint from IRD Duhallow, more than double the number of projects of the previous year

IRD Duhallow Relove paint initiative is par t funded by the EPA through

Cork County Council and has been a resounding success for R e vamp since 2022 The scheme sees unused water-based paints being diver ted from four local Civic amenit y sites K antur k , M illstreet, M acroom and Mallow, to our social enterprise to be remixed and sold in our R e vamp shop in Newmarket

R e vamp is also promoting and encouraging people and businesses in the communit y to rec ycle their unused paint by bringing it to their local amenit y sites, k nowing that it will be put to good used The quality reused paint is available at only €15 for a five -litre bucket

The CRNI National Conference was held in the James O’Keeffe marquee in Oc tober I t was attended by 65 members of CRNI from 32 counties, representing a total of 40 enter pr ises The conference held t wo panel discussions on explor ing the realit y of being a social enter pr ise in the circular economy and on growing and suppor ting solutions that work After a lunch ser ved by DCFS, all the par ticipants got the oppor tunity to have a guided tour of the many social enter pr ises in IRD Duhallow followed by an afternoon workshop with discussions around the value of connecting communities to thrive in the circular economy

EPA Case Study

Revamp par ticipated in a case study conducted by the EPA as par t of the EPA Circular Insights Series Repair Studies The objectives of the study was to get a snapshot of the repair sector in Ireland today, identify the barriers, give an understanding of the needs to address those barriers and also identify the oppor tunities for development of a thriving repair sector

Chambers Ireland Sustainable Business Impac t Awards

Relove

CRNI Conference

Michelle O’Keeffe Dromtariffe Ladies Football Club receives Paint from Triona McSweeny Revamp from the free paint to Communities initiative

Colm O Connor Jessica Baron Maggie O Callaghan and PJ Murphy attending the Chambers Ireland Awards in the Crowne Plaza Hotel Dublin Airpor t

Callum Purchase mixing paint for the Relove paint project

As the complex of the James O Keeffe Institute is home to a number of social enterprises, the CRNI chose this as a venue for their annual conference

A large number of delegates attended the CRNI conference in the James O Keeffe Institute

Duhallow Community Laundr y

IRD Duhallow has since its inception been an advocate for all dwellers of Duhallow, par ticularly those most disadvantaged Through our active Saoi and Carer networks, it became ver y apparent that there was a huge need to provide suppor ts for people in rural Duhallow, par ticularly the elderly With a higher than national average aging population, IRD Duhallow de veloped a suite of ser vices to suppor t people to continue to live independently The de velopment of the laundr y ser vice was the nex t obvious ser vice to form par t of our tailor made wraparound ser vice to the elder ly and other people in the area which included the meals on wheels and warmer homes ser vice

This year Duhallow Community Laundr y celebrates 10 years in business Par t of the success is due to the suppor t and guidance received from our Social Economy Work ing Group led by its chairperson Mar y Wallace who on a monthly basis analyses the ac tivities and finances ensur ing best practices are upheld

Steps

I t ’ s incredible how the ser vice has grown over the years and is constantly evaluating itself in order to future proof its longevit y and continues to suppor t independent living across the region

Nationwide Feature

Duhallow Communit y Laundr y was delighted to welcome Nationwide presenter Zainab Boladale to film a feature on how the social enterprise operates

Zainab spent an afternoon obser ving what ’ s involved in the day to day running and saw how we value our customers and deliver a top - quality ser vice There was great excitement when the feature was aired on the 13th March Feedback on the show has been phenomenal, and we ’ re truly delighted with the positive response and indeed the new customers that have joined us as a result

Staffing Suppor t

The community laundr y operates as a demand deficient enterprise and is for tunate to have staffing suppor t from the Depar tment of Rural and Community Development and Pobal through the Community Ser vices Programme This programme affords us a contr ibution towards a manager and 1 5 FTE’s I n addition, we are incredibly grateful for the staffing suppor t that we receive from other schemes operated by the Depar tment of Social Protection such as the Rural Social Scheme, Tús and Community Employment

Staffing

We are for tunate to have such a competent staff in the laundr y and deliver y ser vice Margaret Murphy, Joan Sheehan and Christina Murphy were this year joined by two new staff members from the Uk raine, Natalya K arayan and Stefaniia Prokopenko Our team is led by Anita Castle who ensures the ser vices is run smoothly and efficiently Anita was honoured for her five years ser vice at the end of last year

Testimony

Julia M Davenpor t I am a 93-year- old lady living alone with no transpor t I use the laundr y ser vice and find it is a great help especially for elderly people living independently in their own home

I look for ward to collection and deliver y days when I can have a chat with the helpful, pleasant staff I would like to thank the staff who run this much needed ser vice and I wish them e ver y success in the year ahead

Great celebrations to mark 10 years in business

Front Left: to Right Monica Gilmore CSP Manager, Joan Sheehan, Super visor Anita Castle, Margaret Murphy, Natalya Karayan, Maggie O’Callaghan CSP officer & Stefaniia Prokopenko

LtoR: Mar y Wallace Chair Social Economy W G Helen O’Sullivan & Louise Bourke Team Leaders, Eileen Linehan Assistant CEO, Anne Marie Bourke Vice- Chair, Maura Walsh CEO, Marie Fleming RSS Super visor, Michael Twohig Chairman IRD Duhallow

The wonder ful team in the laundr y led by Super visor Anita Castle Joan Sheehan Margaret Murphy, Natalya Karayan & Stefaniia Prokopenko

Zainab Boldande of RTE Nationwide was a pleasure to deal with and put ever yone at ease when filming the feature on the ser vice which was a great success

Anita Castle featured on the RTE Nationwide series

Duhallow Community Food Ser vices (DCFS)

Linda O’Connor was appointed manager of DCFS in 2021 Linda is responsible for the day-to - day running of the business

She holds a higher cer tificate in Ar ts & Culinar y Ar ts, a diploma in in Professional Cook er y along with a QQI le vel 6 in super visor y management Linda has been in the catering industr y for more than 17 years and br ings a wealth of k nowledge from wor k ing in both the public, pr ivate and healthcare sector

I n operation since 1994, DCFS has been providing an essential ser vice to the elderly population of the region for nearly 30 years Our primar y aim is to meet the needs of the elderly through the provision of a hot meals ser vice at an affordable price

DCFS now produces close to 40,000 meals per year for senior citizens, and those not in a position to cook for themselves This ser vice is vital for those affected by social exclusion and isolation

While DCFS receives staffing funding from CSP and a smaller grant from the HSE there is still a large shor tfall to make up Finances have become increasingly difficult with r ising costs, and this puts the ser vice under additional financial pressure

To suppor t this vital ser vice, DCFS operates se veral other ser vices including:

• Restaurant

• Baker y

• Outside Catering Ser vices

• Secondar y School and Creche Meals Ser vices

• Primar y Schools Hot Lunch Programme

Rural Meals Ser vice

I n 2023 DCFS produced and delivered 39,000 of the highest nutritional quality meals to senior citizens across the Duhallow region

The ser vice is a vital source of social contact and connectivity for many older people who are vulnerable to social exclusion and social isolation, not just a hot meal

The rural meals dispatch team can assist customers of the ser vice to identify other needs and put them in touch with ser vices such as our War mer Homes Scheme, Communit y Laundr y or Communit y Suppor t Groups

The meals- on-wheels ser vice caters for the nutritional requirements of older people who may be considered among the most vulnerable of the communit y- dwelling population Studies have shown that a meal deliver y ser vice has both pre ventative and restorative effec ts on the health status and wellbeing of older people

Clients can also avail of a senior ’ s hot meal ser vice from our DCFS restaurant which provides a vital social outlet for people to meet up and enjoy a nutritious meal in the company of others

Catering for Educational and Childcare Settings

DCFS caters for the students, staff, and young children in a var iet y of settings in the local area

Healthy eating is a key focus in these settings, our belief is that health and fresh food helps children with concentration, per for mance and in developing health eating habits

I n addition to Coláiste Treasa and Scoil Mhuire in K anturk , the team also cater for Banteer Childcare Facility, The Newmarket Afterschools, Mallow College, and numerous National Schools in the wider Duhallow region

This allows us to provide fur ther employment locally and provide an essential ser vice to enhance the nutrition and health of our youth

I n December 2023 it was announced that 900 primar y schools around I reland were approved for the Hot School Meals programme beginning in Apr il 2024 M any schools in the Duhallow region were successful in applying for this funding which pays for a hot dinner for each child in the school

The team at DCFS tendered for a number of schools and contracts were agreed for 11 local schools amounting to 1,400 meals each day Work began on developing a new online ordering system, hiring and training a team of primar y school staff, purchasing vehicles, catering equipment, developing systems and menu planning

I n April after many weeks of planning we prepared, cooked and ser ved more

About Duhallow Community Food Ser vice (DCFS)

Primar y School Hot Meal Scheme

In April this year, DCFS began producing 1,400 meals daily for 11 local National Schools as par t of the schools meals programmes

Dmytro Kolkunov delivers meals to Kanturk National School Children’s meals are freshly prepared daily on site in DCFS

Linda O Connor, Manager of DCFS

DCFS Manager Linda O’Connor, with Hilar y Boyle, Restaurant Super visor and Olive Casey Administrator

Duhallow Community Food Ser vices (DCFS)

than 1,400 primar y school meals daily to 11 schools in the region, this was a huge under tak ing, amounting to more than 26,000 meals each month

The ethos of the pr imar y school hot lunch scheme is to provide a nutritious hot meal to children in school DCFS are committed to ensuring that children receive good quality, nutritious and tasty food Our primar y school lunches are prepared each day from our k itchen in Newmark et and are delivered hot to each school by our primar y school teams Parents place their order online each week and can choose from a range of menu items

This business allows DCFS to offer training and employment oppor tunities to more people and provide an essential ser vice in the locality

Other Ser vices

Since its inception in 1994, DCFS engaged in commercial activity to help offset the running costs associated with providing a meals ser vice This is as impor tant today as it has been through the years Large scale meal production and distribution to homes, in isolated areas is ver y costly

Our restaurant is open daily, M onday to Saturday ser ving a delicious selection of food, cakes, drinks and is an excellent local meeting place for old and young Caver y is ser ved from 12 30pm -2 00pm with our a la car te menu available all day and a brunch menu on Saturdays We offer indoor and outdoor dining spaces and cater for all types of dietar y requests

Outside catering is a specialty of DCFS and is per fect for special occasion offer ing cater ing and BBQ ser vices for bir thdays, confir mations, communions, funerals, community events or any other occasion

I

We also added a pre - ordering website for our secondar y school ser vices, allowing parents to pre - order their children’s school meals and snacks in advance, ensur ing that they receive delicious hot food daily

O ver the past 12 months, the team at DCFS catered for numerous special events with their BBQ Ser vice This ser vice is available for all types of celebrations and community events

One of the largest catering events of the year was the Duhallow Business Awards where the team sur passed themselves with a four- course banquet for more than 200 people Using the finest of local produce this event was a highlight of the year for the team

Staffing

While Duhallow Community Food Ser vices provide an essential ser vice, it is also a great work placement oppor tunity for the long term unemployed A variety of sk ills are developed while work ing in DCFS, including bak ing, sugar craft, cook ing, ser ving, deliver y driving, customer care and teamwork We ack nowledge the suppor t received from the community ser vices programme, rural social scheme, Tús and CE activation schemes which suppor t the staffing of this ser vice DCFS are providing a source of local employment for many who may not be able to travel to larger urban areas Training and development of staff is impor tant, and staff are encouraged to par take in training oppor tunities for job development but also for personal development

Governance

DCFS is managed by a board of 17 voluntar y directors who meet once a month to oversee the operations of the company They help DCFS to move for ward as an organisation seamlessly and offer their time and exper tise to ensure the success of the organisation The Board meets monthly and reviews all aspects of the business including finances

Quality control: Hilar y Boyle, Restaurant Super visor oversees the collection of outside catering orders

DCFS catered for the annual BBQ at Tureencahill

Gillian O Connor works in our restaurant in Newmarket open Monday-Saturdays

Al fresco dining at our restaurant is popular during the summer months

Marena decorates cakes in our baker y, which provides a full range of baker y products for sale on site, to local retail outlets and for special order

DCFS catered for a Corporate Networking event in the marquee in the JOK complex

War mer Homes Initiative

Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme (BEWHS)

IRD Duhallow ’ s War mer Homes S cheme has been in operation for 18 years and has to date insulated over 4,740 houses across Cork City and County, South Limerick , and all of County Kerr y Works carried out by IRD Duhallow includes attic insulation, cavity wall insulation and roof and wall ventilation

The scheme is funded by the Sustainable Energy Author it y of I reland (SEAI) and Pobal, through the Community Ser vices Programme I n recent years SEAI added deeper retrofit works such as internal dr y-lining, external wall insulation, heating upgrades, demand control ventilation and window replacement to the BE WHS IRD Duhallow has a Ser vice Level Agreement with Nor thside Communit y Enter pr ises (NCE) through SE Systems in Cork to deliver these additional measures to our customers

Local Employment

The War mer Homes S cheme is par tially staffed through the Communit y S er vices Programme (CSP) which contributes towards the employment of a coordinator and 5 Full Time Equivalents (FTE’s), with these roles split bet ween Administration, Attic and Cavit y Wall teams, Ventilation teams and a Sur ve yor/Qualit y Control O fficer All these positions are cur rently filled Pobal increased funding for CSP suppor ted organisations in 2024 IRD Duhallow received an additional €2,142 per FTE, along with an additional €1,000 towards the manager ’ s rate The scheme is fur ther suppor ted through a number of labour schemes including RSS, CE, and the Tús S chemes all of which supply par ticipants to wor k with teams insulating attics and cavity walls

and €2,000 for a mid-terrace house A €50 grant is also available towards the cost of a BER (Building Energy R ating) Cer tificate This BER must be generated for each completed house by an independent assessor

Continuous Training & Quality Assurance

Better Energy Communities Programme (BEC)

I n the last quar ter of 2023, IRD Duhallow carried out attic and cavity wall insulation work to 15 houses for Tuath Housing Association through the BEC O ver the summer months, IRD Duhallow has scheduled attic insulation wor ks at Cathedral Credit Union, Shandon Street Cork and attic and cavit y wall insulation and associated ventilation wor ks at the I r ish Guide D ogs for the Blind in M odel Far m R oad, Cor k These are some of the projects funded through the BEC programme under Nor thside Community Enterprises in Cork

Better Energy Homes (BEH)

I n 2023 IRD Duhallow completed insulation works on 36 houses under the BEH scheme

Under this scheme, householders must apply online to SEAI for attic and Cavity Wall insulation grants SEAI announced increased grant amounts of up to €3,200 for a detached house, €2,500 for semi- detached

Training is an essential par t of our ser vice where Warmer Homes staff are k ept up to date with industr y standards These include M anual Handling, Work ing at Heights training, Abrasive Wheel training, Mobile Tower S caffold training, I nstaller I nsulation training, Projec t Super visor Construc tion Stage (PSCS), Projec t

Super visor Design Process (PSDP) and Safe Pass Our cavity wall teams have received training from Envirobead Insulation on sur veying and insulation and are cer tified with the National Standards Authority of I reland (NSAI) to deliver Bonded Bead Cavit y Wall I nsulation KSN oversees the qualit y control for all SEAI funded schemes where their inspec tors car r y out random qualit y checks on houses completed by IRD Duhallow

Warmer Homes Scheme Installers Jakub Nowacki, Tom Cambridge, Trevor Kelleher, Noel Heffernan, Tade Roche, Donnacha R yan and Jacob Dempsey

RSS par ticipant DJ Sheehan loading the cavity wall van with bead in preparation for the next job

Noel Heffernan and Trevor Kelleher installing cavity wall insulation at the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind kennel buildings in Ballincollig recently

WHS Sur veyor Lisa O’Carroll, carr ying out quality control checks on works completed by our installers

Donnacha R yan fitting attic insulation on a recently completed job The cold-water tank in the background was also insulated as par t of the works

CE par ticipant Trevor Kelleher filling a cavity wall with bead

Tús par ticipant Andrii Tsybka drilling a wall in preparation for cavity wall insulation

Tribute To Late Founder And Directors

As 2023 was drawing to a close, J er r y Sheehan, the founder of IRD Duhallow in 1989, passed away peacefully af ter an illness having led a ver y ac tive life J er r y was one of the region’s most successful entrepreneurs, as well as being a sk illed salmon and trout angler, and keen gardener

He has left an indelible print on the Duhallow landscape with significant economic, environmental and rural development legacies left for the wider Duhallow region He founded Avonmore Electrical developed it into a multimillion- euro ser vice and manufacturing industr y now employing100 high sk illed jobs with a payroll of over €6m going into the region’s economy annually

Jerr y was a life -long member of the famed Banteer Spor ts, which was a qualifier for par ticipation in the International Olympic Games Their cinder c ycle track attracted world- class c yclists and I relands double Olympian; Dr Pat O Callaghan competed there Jerr y meticulously kept the records and repor ts which he donated to Banteer AstroTur f to put on display

He established the 500 acres M illstreet Count y Par k in the ear ly 90s showing, his vision I t ’ s a legac y to be valued as climate change bites

H is passion for angling with friends lik e the late John Ronan of (Ronan Daly Jer myn), in the 1980s led them to conclude that the only way to stem the economic and social decline that was tak ing a heavy toll on the region, was to establish their own communit y led and locally focused de velopment company, IRD Duhallow, to address the issues of unemployment and out- migration Jerr y was elected Chairman, and in 1990/1991 IRD Duhallow developed the successful first LEADER strategy with ambitious projects the rest is histor y

The Late Jack Roche

Soon after Jerr y Sheehan’s funeral we got the sad news of the death of our other stalwar t, sitting Board member, and former Chair, Jack Roche Jack was the first Director of IRD Duhallow to die in ser vice He was a natural mentor, loved and respected by all the staff and fellow Board members

Jack was elec ted a communit y representative af ter finishing on Cor k County Council after 21 years ’ ser vice He was elected to IRD Duhallow Board repeatedly to represent Western Duhallow Elected Vice - Chair and then Chairman of the Board and appointed to represent IRD Duhallow on our National LEADER Net wor k , he was elec ted Chair man of the Net work and appointed to the European LEADER Association for Rural Development (ELARD) He was elected President of ELARD, for a 3-year ter m He won the hear ts and minds of the entire European LEADER communit y, and when the European Commission representative suggested that ELARD play a prominent role in suppor ting the Eastern pre -accession countries, Jack stepped up as ELARD President O ver the following years he took the LEADER message to Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovak ia, Romania and Bulgaria, with the suppor t of the Depar tment of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the M inister Éamon Ó’Cuív I t was a prestigious role for Ireland to hold and Ireland was well recognised by the Commission as being the forerunners in our implementation of LEADER and was then the primar y example of LEADER best practice in Europe

He was passionate about the Sliabh Luachra heritage of this region He established Bruach na Carraige Centre with a troupe of 30 local, young talented musicians, singers and dancers of whom he was so proud and they per formed for the President of I reland in the Arás as well as giving regular local concer ts

The Late Cllr Gerard Murphy

We were all shocked to learn of the passing of Cllr Gerard Murphy, one of the first Directors of IRD Duhallow, joining our Board in 1991 and ser ving two terms, he was the first Councillor to become a director He did much to create links between the Council and IRD Duhallow which was the frontrunner of local development companies in the county

Having joined IRD Duhallow as a Cork County Councillor in 1994, from his first Board meeting, Jack showed his enormous capacity, giving generously of his time, he ser ved on several Committees during his tenure

Gerard was a regular visitor to our offices He was a strong advocate for local projec ts and was ver y suppor tive of our work in the area of Rural and Community Development as well as the Environment, Community Ser vices and Local Enterprise

The recognition of the special requirements of the Duhallow area, as a unique development region in successive Count y Development Plans, was in no small way thanks to Gerard’s insight and ability to communicate the needs of the people and the region into polic y documents Gerard was instrumental in getting exemptions from cer tain planning restrictions on rural housing and enter pr ise infrastruc ture for Duhallow and West Cork I n his time in the Dáil Gerard invited several M inisters to visit IRD Duhallow and the region to see first- hand the needs as well as strengths of the area This resulted in strengthened investment He was the first LCDC/LAG Chair, but he also understood the current Board’s desire for I ndependent LAG Status

The Late Jerr y Sheehan

Jerr y Sheehan with Maura Walsh and Michael Twohig

Jack Roche with Triona Dennehy, Maura Walsh, Eileen Linehan Nikki and Anne McAuliffe on the occasion of the Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Sliabh Luachra per forming in the Arás for President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina

Minister Ivan Yates with Cllr Gerard Murphy, Jerr y Sheehan and Maura Walsh

Maura Walsh Dr Ber tie Daly and Cllr Gerard Murphy at the judging of the National Enterprise Town Awards

Jack Roche with President Mar y McAleese per forming the official opening of Bruach na Carraige, Rockchapel

C O M M U N I T Y G R O U P S I N D U H A L L O W

South Easter n Duhallow Communities

Aubane

Banteer

Bweeng

Der rinagree

Donoughmore & Stuake

Fir mount

Kilcor ney

Lahar n

Lyre

Millstreet

Nadd

New Tipperar y

Rathcoole

Wester n Duhallow Communities

Ballinahulla

Ballydaly

Ballydesmond

Boherbue

Cullen

Foilogohig

Glash

Gneeveguilla

Kiskeam

Knockaclarig

Knocknaboul

Knocknagree

Meelin

Rathmore

Rockchapel

Shrone

Taur

Tureencahill

North Easter n Duhallow Communities

Castlemagner

Dromagh

Kanturk

Kilbrin

Lismire

Newmarket

Tullylease

Freemount

Mid Cork Communities

Car riganimmy

Clondrohid

Aghabullogue

R ylane

Ballinagree

Bealnamorive

Inchigeelagh

Kilbar r y

Macroom

Rusheen

IRD Duhallow Representatives

John Kelleher & Noreen Kelleher

Denis W ithers & John Kir wan

Jeanette O'Connell & Sean Kelly

Judy O'Lear y & Andrias O'Sullivan

Marie Wallace & Monica Kennedy

Rachel Kelleher & Peter Caf ferkey

Seamus Curtin & Dan Burke

Eileen Forde & Sheila Crowley

Billy Murphy & Richard Murphy

Noel Buckley & Denis Hickey

Mar y Leahy & Paudie O'Shea

Donnache O'Donovan & Br yan Byr ne

Caitriona Buckley & Mar y Keller Sexton

IRD Duhallow Representatives

Liam Doody & Betty Collins

Richie O'Connor & John McCarthy

Siobhan Moynihan & Shane Buckley

Margaret Murphy & Marie Casey

Der r y Morley & Lor raine Singleton

Philomena Cremin & Geraldine Cremin

Mossie Fitzpatrick & Timothy Collins

Cor mac Collins & Yvonne Crean

PJ O'Lear y & David Curtin

June Walsh & Ide Fitzgerald

Maureen Fleming & Brin McDonnell

Noreen McSweeney & Mairead O'Sullivan

Nora Shine & Denis McAulif fe

Brian Kelly & Marie O'Lear y

Mike Allen & Breeda O'Callaghan

Conor Creedon & Colette Car mody

Batt O'Callaghan & Jeremiah Murphy

Damien Fenton & Aine Fleming

IRD Duhallow Representatives

Andy Bourke & Annette O'Mahony

Jer r y O'Connell & Deirdre Murphy

John Fuller & Aine O'Lear y

Tom O'Riordan & Paulina Breen

Martina Aher ne & Marie Ar nold

Dan O'Riordan & Ollie Dugdale

Liam O'Gor man & Maureen Daly

PJ O'Sullivan, Mike O'Regan & Michelle Green

IRD Duhallow Representatives

Joan Kelleher & Cait Ring

Breda Kelleher & Peter Lane

Conor McSweeney

Martina Casey & John Crowley

Shane Lehane & Aonghus MacSuibhne

Don McCarthy & Denis McCarthy

Tim Maher & Mar y McSweeney

Siobhan O'Dowd & Nora Casey

Declan Sheehan & John Lyons

Gerald Coakley & Donal O'Callaghan