The Banner Rising

A MAJOR showcase exhibition celebrating 21 years of community-led development will take place in the West County Hotel on Monday next.

 

Billed The Banner Rising, the Clare Local Development Company (CLDC) event will highlight the many successes of community-led development in the county since the early 1990s. The large number of exhibitors will include community groups, local enterprises and various projects that have made a real difference on the ground.

Fr Harry Bohan and Keith Wood will be among the guest speakers at the event.

According to CLDC chairman Stephen Walsh, community programmes such as LEADER, the Local Community Development Programme, local training initiatives, Rural Social Scheme, Tús, Rural Walks Scheme, Clare Wood Energy Project, Warmer Homes and the Clare Volunteer Centre have all impacted positively on communities, businesses and farm families around the county.

“This will be demonstrated in the 150 exhibition stands which feature in this unique showcase,” he said.

“We want the public to come to Monday’s event, see the scale of what has been achieved, meet the people involved and be inspired to do the same for themselves or their own community.  One-to-one clinics will also be on offer,” Mr Walsh added.

“At a time when the future of community-led development is under threat in Ireland, it is important for people to realise just how much has been achieved in Clare since 1992,” he noted.

“The figures speak for themselves. Up to 1,000 full and part-time jobs have been created through local inititative. Over 500 small businesses have been grant aided and the same number of community projects have been funded in every corner of the county. There are currently 270 participants on CLDC community work schemes in Clare and more than 3,000 people have received training. The total investment of public, private and community funding in the county over that period is estimated to be in excess of €86 million.”
The Banner Rising will take place from 4 to 8pm.

In addition to a huge range of exhibitors, a number of guest speakers have been lined up, including Fr Harry Bohan, a pioneer of community-led development in Ireland, well-known sportsman Keith Wood, UL’s Dr Brendan O’Keefe and Trea Heapes of Loop Head Tourism. MC for the event will be presenter Ciana Campbell.

Admission is free and all are welcome. More information is available on www.cldc.ie, facebook or by calling 065 6866800.