This article is from page 75 of the 2008-06-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 75 JPG
AFTER just a few years in exist- ence Macra Na Feirme’s Know Your Neighbours weekend has already grown into one of rural I[reland’s most important social and cultural events.
Last week the young farmers or- ganisation announced more details of the event watch by a star-studded gallery including GAA personality Micheal O Muircheartaigh, Mary Davis, CEO of Special Olympics Ire- land, and Clare TD Tony Killeen.
This year’s Know Your Neighbour Weekend will take place on July 12 and 13 and is aimed at encouraging people to do more to get to know their neighbours.
“While we’ve seen increased pros- perity in Ireland in recent years,
many people are now also faced with the increased pressures that come hand-in-hand with modern living,” said Macra na Feirme’s national president Catherine Buckley.
“Long hours at work, ever-increas- ing commute times, family and other commitments mean that people are spending less and less time involved in community-based activities.
“All too often we hear people say- ing that they don’t even know their own neighbours. This initiative is a great way of encouraging people who don’t know anybody living in their local area to really do something to rectify that situation. Only you can get to know your neighbour.
“Vd encourage anyone interested in organising an activity or event to order their organiser’s pack straight away and start planning for the
weekend of July 12 and 13.”
Also attending the event was Gov- ernment Chief Whip Pat Carey.
“T am delighted to be here to launch the third Know Your Neighbour weekend,” he said.
“The initiative is a great way of encouraging people to do something about the disconnectedness they may feel from community, or people’s lack of belonging to an area.
“There is no magic wand for ener- gising communities but I look for- ward, as Minister for Active Citizen- ship, in working with organisations like Macra to make real progress in communities right around the coun- ae
The initiative is being driven by Macra na Feirme with the support of ESB Customer Supply.
“ESB Customer Supply is once
again delighted to partner with Mac- ra Na Feirme in sponsoring the ini- tiative for the third successive year,” said Pat Fenlon, General Manager ESB Customer Supply.
“ESB has over the decades con- tributed to the development of every community in Ireland, rural and urban, and 1s committed to further enhancing this with support for com- munity based initiatives.”