Community rises to the Challenge

Ask anyone and they’ll tell you that, Arva stands greater than the sum of its individual parts. Nestled at the cusp of three provinces, county boundaries and tribal colours are set aside in the run up to every August Bank Holiday, when the town becomes the epicentre of something truly special.

The 3 Province Festival, Breffni Challenge and annual Arva Agricultural Show area all major highlights on the town’s calendar, growing in scale year on year, and emerging as a symbol of what can be achieved when a community works together as one.

This year’s Breffni Challenge was a standout success, raising a jaw-dropping €39,000 for three valued and in-need charities - St Luke’s Hospital, Cavan and Monaghan Palliative Care, and Breast Cancer Research Ireland (BCRI).

More than a race

But beyond the numbers, the sweaty brows and the celebrations, the event captures something more profound suggests local stalwart and organising committee member Philip Brady.

“It represents what’s best about Arva,” says Philip. “It captures the energy and the enthusiasm of the people here.”

Together with the 3 Province Festival and the long-running Arva Agricultural Show, it creates a trifecta of community celebration that opens doors to visitors and people returning from near and far, happy to reconnect with friends and family.

“There’s always a welcome in Arva,” Philip adds. “It’s in our nature to open the doors and the week brings a lot of life to the town. That week is very special.”

While the Breffni Challenge might be the legs of the weekend, the Arva Agricultural Show is its beating heart. Chairperson Jim Finnegan proudly carries the legacy of a show that dates back to 1956. It remains one of only two such events left in the county and is already looking towards celebrating the 70th anniversary in two years’ time.

“We were very happy with how things went this year,” Jim reflects, sharing that no one really sees the heft of work that goes on behind the scenes to make sure things go off without a hitch.

“It’s incredible, really,” he says, quickly crediting the efforts of the dedicated committee and the army of volunteers who appear on Show Day and give willingly of their time.

Jim emphasises the intergenerational commitment that keeps the tradition alive.

“People want to be involved because they want to help out - some because their parents and their grandparents were involved in their lifetime.”

The legacy of the show is respected widely.

“One young fella I talked to, his grandfather showed a Charolais and won, his father won, and this year he won in the young stock handler class. That’s what it’s about.”

This commitment transcends county lines, too. Volunteers and contributors come from neighbouring Longford and Leitrim, creating what Jim affectionately calls “a three province Arva show”.

“It’s totally unique in a lot of ways and, without the likes of support from people in Moyne, Drumard and Carrigallen, Arva town wouldn’t be as successful as it is, and neither would the show.”

Strength in sport

In Arva, sport is a pillar of community identity. In particular, the local football club and community go hand in hand. St Patrick’s Arva, recently celebrated a major milestone, returning to Cavan’s Senior Championship ranks with a hard-fought win over Killygarry, their first in 38 years - a record dating back to 1987.

For club chair Oliver Miney, this meant more than a “stepping stone” to survival.

“There’s a great buzz about the town at the minute,” says Oliver. “We’re back at Senior level for the first time since 1987. It’s a great stepping stone.”

Páirc Naomh Pádraig, the club’s home grounds, has undergone major development including a new walking track, funded through a €170,000 Sports Capital Grant. The facility is now a shared space for fitness classes, walking groups, and community events.

But the club’s ambition doesn’t stop there, says Oliver, with plans already in motion for a new training pitch, which is set to begin in the next two months, as well as a spectator stand and fencing.

The grounds inclusive nature is a point of pride too. From Couch to 5K programmes to facilitating Active Age walkers, Arva GAA serves as a vital hub to the community.

“It’s definitely a massive amenity for the whole area and we welcome its use,” Oliver tells the Celt.

That sense of welcome extends beyond the town too. When neighbouring Drumard GAA needed a home during pitch upgrades, Arva stepped in.

“They treated Arva as much their town as we call it ours,” Oliver laughs. “They’d call Pat Murtagh’s of Longford Street their local and Eamon Gray of the Breffni Arms is their main sponsor. So there are those connections, those friendships.”

Community Hub

Another vital community hub is St Patrick’s Community Hall, buoyed by the €650,000 plus refurbishment that started back in 2019.

Philip again is chair of the equally engaged committee here.

“You’d be amazed at what goes on there,” says Philip scrolling an app on his phone to show available timeslots. There aren’t many, with the majority taken up with computer classes that are run by Cavan-Monaghan Education Training Board, language classes for foreign nationals who want to learn English, and the likes of Active Age activities.

Pupils from its adjoining St Mary’s National School also have use of the hall, and there is regular Pilates, Yoga, social dancing classes too, not to mention various community group meetings.

The committee still have €60,000 worth of debt to clear and the focus now shifts to fundraising efforts. “Every little bit will help” says Philip.

The Arva Area Development Association meanwhile leads from the front in terms of enhancing the town’s amenities and appearance.

Improvements in recent years include footpath replacements along Main Street and on the Aughnacliffe Road, and new pedestrian crossings at the crèche on the Ballinagh Road and at the playground. The surface of the Broad Road, Longford Road, Pound Street and Aughnacliffe Road were all improved, with repairs carried out also on the L6542 (past show grounds), R203 Carrigallen Road, and R198 Cornea Road.

There have been two new bus stops installed to facilitate Local Link passengers, and also a new bus shelter erected at Market Square.

Vera Madden is a dedicated member of the Arva Area Development Association. She firmly believes the true measure of any community initiative lies in the level of local buy-in. Fortunately for Arva, she says, the town is “blessed” with an abundance of community spirit.

“Everyone plays their part,” Vera explains, from litter picking and tending to the town’s flowers, to fundraising and helping see projects through to completion.

She is quick to praise the efforts of Community Employment and Tús scheme workers, alongside the active Tidy Towns group and a wide network of volunteers who contribute time and energy without hesitation.

“You drive down through Arva today and it looks just beautiful,” she says proudly.

“Once we knew what we wanted to do, we just kept building on it - bit by bit, stage by stage. Every little enhancement makes a difference.”

The Arva Area Development Association has led the charge on a number of regeneration projects in the town centre and beyond. Vera also welcomes the transformation of key sites such as the repurposing of the former Bank of Ireland building into apartments by Galetech Contracts.

Under the Arva Revitalisation Plan, part of Cavan County Council’s initiative to improve local towns, Vera highlights the proposed walking trail along Guinikin Lough as a particularly exciting development. The route stretches from Crannagh Bridge on the Dromard road to Woodlands Bridge and will link up to an existing community path at Arva GAA.

The investment dovetails with ambitions set out as part of the Arva Permeability Link, a scheme that involves the construction of a new three-metre wide path between the carpark at St Mary’s National School on the R198 and the new GAA grounds on the L6535.

A new two metre wide footpath on the L6535 between the new GAA grounds and the Broad Road is also part of the same scheme, with provision of a new controlled pedestrian crossing at the new GAA grounds.

Vera is especially passionate about securing funding to upgrade Arva’s outdoor swimming pool, calling it a “very important amenity with massive potential”.