Putting Monaghan on the menu
The Taste of Monaghan is not just a showcase of the best food and produce from the county, it also radiates positive local energy and gives a boost to the town.
Fine Gael councillor Pauric Clerkin is among those looking forward to the street festival.
“Taste of Monaghan is crucially important for a lot of our local food producers and food vendors to come into the town,” he says, describing it as “a great family day out for all the kids” and “one of the bigger days in our calendar in Monaghan town.”
He believes the festival gives people “an opportunity to see the great food, cuisine and vendors that we have on our own doorstep”, while also supporting local businesses, hospitality and coffee shops.
Cllr Clerkin’s affection for town and county is clear: “I absolutely love Monaghan, love the town,” he says.
He said events such as Taste of Monaghan do much to promote the town and complement other positive developments in the area.
He pointed to projects such as the Peace Campus, new housing schemes and the Monaghan Town Southern Link Road as signs of progress.
From his North Monaghan base, Cllr Clerkin is also passionate about the Sliabh Beagh area and the potential of Shared Island funding to rejuvenate the locality and encourage tourism.
He brings a practical, community-driven focus to his work in the Monaghan Municipal District. A public representative for two and a half years, Cllr Clerkin says politics was not something he originally planned: “I never had any plans to enter politics, but I suppose working with Minister Heather Humphreys, at the time, she was always encouraging me.”
That encouragement, combined with a desire to improve local services, prompted him to run: “I felt I should give it a go and try to help my community improve infrastructure and improve amenities.”
Since being elected, Clerkin has championed issues and causes including affordable housing, childcare, rural amenities and road safety across villages such as Tydavnet, Ballinode, Scotstown and Knockatallon.