CCLD & Hyland – Leaders in ‘helping communities’
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
At the heart of every thriving community is the belief in potential and structures that turn possibility into progress. Few embody this better than Breffni Integrated, trading as Cavan County Local Development, whose nomination for a Special Achievement Award at The 2025 Anglo-Celt Cavan Business & Tourism Awards reflects their dedicated service to rural and community development.
Led by Chief Executive Terry Hyland, the local organisation has evolved significantly over the years, especially in the wake of the COVID pandemic. What once was a primarily social-inclusion-driven mission has expanded into a dynamic approach that empowers individuals, strengthens communities, and supports local enterprise right across the county.
“We’re all about helping communities help themselves,” Terry Hyland explains, adding that giving people the tools, support, and confidence to take on projects themselves is the ultimate goal.
“There are so many rural towns and villages with great ideas, but sometimes they lack the capacity or know-how to bring them to life. Our role is to build that capacity - so they can take ownership of their own development.”
In that regard CCLD has become a crucial catalyst for transformation in Cavan - from empowering small business owners and entrepreneurs to supporting employment pathways for young people and those with disabilities.
Over the past year alone, the CCLD team has supported over 60 new business start-ups and helped numerous unemployed individuals re-enter the workforce. It has also facilitated labour activation programmes tailored to the needs of local employers - addressing a critical skills gap with targeted training in areas like food hygiene, security, and manual handling.
“There’s a real labour shortage out there, and businesses are crying out for qualified staff,” Mr Hyland says, and CCLD’s programmes include support with CVs, interview techniques - “basically everything needed to make someone job-ready”.
Mr Hyland explains how CCLD’s work extends beyond basic economics and data driven spreadsheets.
Through schemes like LEADER and the Rural Social Scheme, CCLD has helped invest millions into rural tourism, community infrastructures, and enterprise initiatives.
“Sometimes people just need a bit of encouragement. It might be a pat on the back, sometimes a bit of hand-holding,” reflects Mr Hyland. “When people know there’s no hidden agenda and that you’re genuinely focused on them, they open up. That’s when you can really identify what’s holding them back - and then co-design solutions with them. It’s about giving them control over their own path forward. That’s the approach we take.”
LEADER
With over €12M committed in the last LEADER programme alone - and an additional €6.5M earmarked for the current cycle - CCLD continues to position itself as an integral partner in the county’s growth, resilience, and indeed recovery.
Their nomination celebrates more than just CCLD as an organisation; it honours the organisation’s sustained commitment to community empowerment, inclusive progress, and local leadership.