€100k in grants for Ballyjamesduff MD

The Ballyjamesduff Municipal District members held their April meeting in the beautifully refurbished Ballyjamesduff Courthouse last week when €100,000 in grants were approved for local groups and projects in the district.

The courthouse has undergone a transformation to create a unique civic space for the town.

Purpose-built as a courthouse in 1927, it was designed by Cavan architect and civil engineer Patrick Joseph Brady. The building replaced an earlier national school building, which had hosted local court sittings.

The building has played an important role in the social history of the town. Despite the loss of its original windows, much of the original character and fabric remains, including good quality gates and boundary detail, interior fittings, and decorative features. It occupies a strategic position closing the view on one of the main radial routes leading out of Ballyjamesduff. At the April meeting of the authority, members adopted the Discretionary Funding Scheme for 2022. John Donohoe, Senior Executive Officer, went over the proposed grants for the members. A total of €100,000 has been approved for the programme.

Aughaloora and Bruskey Development Association received €4,400 for improvements including laying hardwood on the existing stage.

Mullagh Sports Partnership received €6,000 to install security cameras around the recently developed Biodiversity Walkway.

Ramor United GFC and the Ramor Community Sports Park get €5,000 to supply power for outdoor catering facilities for community events. Bruse Mountain Walkway Development Committee will received €7,500 to fund studies to enable the committee complete an application tor an ORIS grant to provide a trail to the summit of Bruse Mountain.

Virginia Development Association has been allocated €7,500 to open up the community garden and develop an area to accommodate the Syrian community in Virginia to stimulate interaction between different cultures, including a new polytunnel and groundwork, picnic seating, pop up gazebos, raised beds and signage. Ballyjamesduff Community Council are approved for €8,000 for capital works for Ballyjamesduff Courthouse and Tennis Courts.

Mountnugent Community Council’s €5,000 grant is for the purchase of a defibrillator and its storage in the village. It also covers the installation of benches, a solar bin and hedging at the riverbank and a sign showing the history of Mountnugent in the village.

The Luke Delaney WW1 Restoration Committee receive €5,000 to be used as matched funding for a Leader project. It will see the restoration of the ancestral home of Luke Delaney to it’s original condition and provide carpark including disability parking.

Mullahoran Community Centre Association have a grant of €10,000 toward the purchase of new tables for the community hall. It also covers a floor scrubbing/buffing machine and wall mounted outdoor ashtrays. The money will also go on an air conditioner/heater.

Virginia Town Teams get €10,000 to further enhance the lake shore amenity with the addition of composite seating and picnic tables, including a wheelchair accessible table, and a solar bin.

Munterconnaught Heritage Society will spend a €8,500 grant on silhouettes of heritage trades of the area from bygone days, providing tools for the replica forge, the installation of recycled plastic seating, tree protection guards, a low seated wall around the perimeter of the dancing area, gardening equipment and gazebo and folding tables.

Virginia Show Centre Limited have €4,000 to replace a roller shutter door in the arena to improve energy efficiency and reduce noise.

Castlerahan Community Development Ltd get €9,000 to erect lighting around the pitch for the safety of walkers after dark.

The final grant of €10,000 is to Ramor Watersports for the purchase of a wheelchair accessible boat for trips on Lough Ramor.

‘A great credit’

MD Cathaoirleach, Trevor Smith (FG) welcomed the grants and commended the community groups on their continued good works in the development and improvement of their local areas: “It’s a great credit to all involved that they have given their time to make sure these community groups continue to be active. It is good that we, as a municipal authority, can help them through the discretionary grants.”

Cllr Shane P O’Reilly (Ind) added: “It’s great that there is a good spread across community groups of the funds available. It’s important to point out to the general public that €100,000 in funding is provided solely by us here in the Ballyjamesduff Municipal District councillors, which is going straight back into communities.”

Cllr TP O’Reilly (FG) echoed what his MD colleagues said: “These grants are invaluable to the groups and committees involved. The work they do will see the money filter back through those communities; from suppliers to contractors. That is a very important aspect of this. Thank to the council staff for all the work they put in to this as well.”

Cllr Philip Brady (FF) commended the work of the local authority staff: “€100,000 for the Ballyjamesduff Municipal District is unbelievable. John (Donohoe) and his staff do great work in making this possible. It’s great to see this money going into communities.”

Cllr Winston Bennett (FG) expressed the commitment to see further supports for community groups: “Hopefully there is a new vehicle that will allow us to offer supports to more communities in the future.”

‘Difficult decisions’

Director of Service Eoin Doyle thanked the elected representatives for their input: “I want to commend members on the work they did to ensure the dispersal of these funds,” he said.

“There can be difficult decisions on how the money is raised and where it is spent. Today is evidence that those decision can give significant funding for spending on locally significant projects in rural communities.”

John Donohoe, Senior Executive Officer concluded the matter by paying tribute to his team: “They don’t say ‘no’ if they can help it. When community groups come in, they make every effort to ensure they get funding for these projects.”