West Offaly Partnership employs a strategy in community development that focuses on supporting communities to help themselves. Communities are facilitated to identify the priorities for their area – the local individual and collective needs. Each community commits its resources – sometimes facilities, sometimes finance, always people – to respond to local needs. A local action plan is agreed and the relevant agencies are engaged in the
process.

At all times the actions identified are owned and led by the local community – the people who live there and are committed to its future.

Community Development is extremely diverse. It has to be, because it’s about responding to peoples needs – both the individual and as a collective groups trying to enhance the quality of life for all community members.

The following examples of projects illustrate just how diverse community development really is!

Women’s Development:
• Women’s Group Initiatives
• Annual Arts & Crafts Exhibition – High Street / Belmont Women’s Group

Community Coordinating Structures:
• Ferbane Development Group
• Island Rahan Development Association
• Ballybritt, Coolderry, Kilcolman (BCK) Community Development Group

Community Enterprise:
• Ballycumber Enterprise Units
• Crank House, Banagher
• Locke House, Shannonbridge
• Ferbane Community Enterprise Centre

Community Facilities:
• Excellent community halls such as Rath, Kinnitty and Killavilla
• Community Library, Shannonbridge
• Teach Lea Community Building, Boora
• The Barracks, Ballycumber

Eldercare in the Community:
• Ballycumber Eldercare Programme
• Social Service and Active Age Groups throughout the region

Community Festivals / Exhibitions:
• Lughnasa Festival, Shinrone
• Festival Fayre, Ferbane
• Mid Summer Festival Shannonbridge
• St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Kilcormac
• Sculpture Symposium, Lough Boora Parklands

Community Service Programmes:
• St. Joseph’s Community Centre, Kilcormac
• Birr Theatre & Arts Centre
• Ely O’Carroll Consultancy, Birr
• West Offaly Training, Banagher
• Ballycumber Leamonaghan Community (BLC) Developments Ltd.

Community Training:
• Lifeskills Programme - Birr
• Fetac Level 5 Certificate in Community Development
• PAL (Physical activity leadership) training
• Community-based training facilities Banagher & Birr
• West Offaly Education Project, Ferbane, Pullough, Cloghan, Belmont, Kilcormac and Shannonbridge

Community Youth Initiatives:
• Foroige Groups (throughout the region)
• National Youth Federation Groups
• Birr Children and Youth Project
• Youth Summer activities Programme

Environmental Enhancement:
• Environmental enhancement work throughout the areas of Belmont, High Street, Moystown
• Cloghan Bog Garden
• Cloghan Lake
• Lough Boora Parkland
• Environmental enhancement work in Dernagun, Gallen View and College View

Local Development:
• Cloghan Integrated Area Plan
• Ferbane Integrated Area Plan
• Banagher Integrated Area Plan
• Ballycumber Development Plan

For more information, contact:
Caitriona O Sullivan
West Offaly Partnership
Crank House
Banagher
Tel: (057) 9151622
Email: COSullivan@westoffalypartnership.ie