Five Offaly rural projects to share over €205k in funding

Five projects in rural areas of Offaly will benefit from a fund of over €205,000 in 2024.

The five local projects are among 152 projects to be supported under 2023 CLÁR Programme, details of which were announced today by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys

The largest allocation of €49,500 is to go to two projects, with both the Shannonbridge/Clonmacnoise Community Hall and Clonmacnoise National School receiving this allocation.

The former is for plans to renovate a room in the hall, while the latter is for the provision of a playground and sensory garden.

Kilclonfert Community Centre is to receive €49,196 for the upgrading of car parking facilities.

The other two Offaly projects to be funded are by Dunkerrin Community Centre, which is to receive €31,500 to develop an area which can be used for outdoor sports/games, outdoor functions, and for parking, and Croghan Local Development Group, which will receive €25,921 to develop a community garden at rear of community centre

The funding has been welcomed by Minister of State Pippa Hackett who said, in many cases this year’s funding is a follow on from previous year’s CLAR funding.

“I commend the groups for their continued commitment to their community facilities. I note the emphasis on outdoor activities and in particular sports areas and community and sensory gardens: All close to my own heart.”

Nationally, some 152 projects will share almost €6.2 million in funding

The funding,will support the delivery of projects including astroturf pitches, playgrounds, sensory gardens, walking tracks nature trails, outdoor performance spaces and community cafés.

Announcing the details of funding today, Minister Humphreys said:

“This funding is being provided under the 2023 CLÁR Programme and is all about ensuring that some of our most rural communities benefit from projects that will make them more vibrant places to live, work and visit.

“This funding is on top of the €4.7 million that I announced in December, which focussed predominantly on supporting our GAA and other sports clubs.

“All of this investment is being delivered under our rural development policy, ‘Our Rural Future’, which is having a transformational impact right across Rural Ireland.”