€20,000 in community grants for B'boro-Cootehill

A total of €20,000 in grants from Cavan County Council will be awarded to 15 organisations in the Bailieborough-Cootehill Municipal District in 2026, it was confirmed at the latest MD meeting.

John Donohoe, Senior Executive Officer, Community and Enterprise, told the meeting that €14,000 in community and voluntary grants will be awarded to 10 groups and €6,000 to five festivals and events .

There are allocations of €2,500 each for refurbishment works at Drumgoon Community Centre and a community garden for Kingscourt Community Centre. €2,000 has been awarded for a pool table in Cootehill Youth Hub, €2,000 for a lawnmower for Tullyvin Tidy Village, and €1,000 for tables for Bunnoe Community Enterprise Centre.

€1,000 will go towards purchasing a TV monitor and live camera feed system for Tullyvin Musical Society, €1,000 for summer bedding plants for Ballyhaise Development Association Ltd, €1,000 for roof repairs and other essential works for Kingscourt Social Services, €500 for equipment and musical instruments for Le Chéile Cootehill Group and €500 for table tennis equipment for Billis Table Tennis Club.

Cootehill CCE has been awarded €1,500 towards the organisation of the Gerry Whelan Memorial Weekend, and €1,500 goes to the Knockbride Festival Committee for the Knockbride Festival Family Fun Day.

Tullyvin Musicial Society will get €1,000 for their production 'Shrek the Musical', while the Bunnoe Summer Festival will also benefit from a €1,000 bursary and the Ballyhaise Development Association Family Fun Day is also being supported to the tune of €1,000.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Donohoe council official explained that there were a “small enough” number of applications for festival and events grants funding, which has an annual budget of €7,000.

He proposed that the extra €1,000 be transferred into community and voluntary grants funding as the “flexibility” is there to do so, which was agreed by councillors.

He also explained that there is an annual budget of €10,000 for community and voluntary grants but a “big tidy up” in exercising unclaimed grants added more “money for the pot”.

Councillors welcomed the funding, and Fine Gael’s Carmel Brady thanked Cavan County Council for “keeping communities alive” by donating what some might think is a small amount of money.

Likewise, MD Chair Val Smith said the funding was “very much appreciated”.

Cllr Brady also thanked Mr Donohoe for organising a recent grant application information evening, which is set to be repeated in January next year.

She said the meeting is a “great idea” to ensure that councillors understand the application process and in making people aware of the work that goes on in the background.

Fianna Fáil’s Niall Smith said it was a “very important” meeting, which helped people understand who is eligible to apply for grant funding.