Craughwell Athletic Club’s ambitious facility development has been in progress for 8 years now having commenced in 2014, and Galway Rural Development and the Community Employment Scheme have been there every step of the way with the club. From day 1 after the club’s initial purchase of the site adjacent to the primary school, the scheme’s workers have been doing Trojan work for the club under supervision of GRD’s Mary Feeney. Initially the work required lots of cutting back hedges and bushes to reclaim ground, lots of ground repair works and lots of strimming of running routes through the field.

As the 8-acre agricultural field gradually evolved into a top-class athletics facility, so too did the nature of the work for the CE Scheme workers. Every task that the club asked them to do, they did with enthusiasm and pride in their work – from filling the regular potholes that appear in the road and carpark areas, to strimming the edges of paths and fences, to weed control, to clearing up storm debris, to clipping back hedges and ivy, to small construction projects on site, to power-washing paths and sheds, to regular cleaning of the indoor building and toilets, to maintenance of the long jump pits. The list of jobs is endless and GRD and the CE Scheme workers are taking a huge workload off the shoulders of the club’s hardworking volunteer coaches which would otherwise have to be either done by them or others employed and paid to do so – when the club needs all of its limited finances to continue its facility development.

The club is delighted to see GRD and the CE Scheme reach their joint 20th year anniversary and hope its own partnership with both will reach its own significant anniversaries in years to come.

Michael Tobin Craughwell Athletics

The community employment scheme has been like water and air to the Craughwell GAA Club. Without it, we would not survive with our daily operational needs and special projects. The essence of the club that people see is based on a lot of the work that that scheme members do. Quite frankly, it is essential to the running of the club.

The club liaise with Mary Feeney on a daily basis, through Eamonn Gilligan and Chairman Kevin Quirke on special requests. No task is too big or too small. We set out our plan of works at start of year, and Mary assures this is implemented in a timely and professional manner. Over the years, the schemes work has been important to the upkeep of our facilities, and it was no more important than during Covid when the guys continued doing their work.

This year has been a busy year with the scheme members helping Jarlath Doyle and Eammon with the Foundations of the Ball Wall lights. This was an essential project to the club. We have had our dressing rooms painted in Gilligan Park, and the normal upkeep of the grounds and cutting of the pitches. Over the last 10 years, the scheme has allowed our progressive and expanding club to flourish, and we are truly grateful to Mary and the team.

Kevin Quirke, Craughwell GAA.

I first became involved with Galway Rural Development Community Employment (CE) Programme on behalf of the Galway Branch of the Alzheimer Society of Ireland in 2006 in providing Dementia specific services in Galway. That partnership between the Sponsor (GRD) and the Sub Sponsor (ASI) has continued to the present day. Over the years, it has been a highly valued support to many families on their journey with dementia.

Galway Rural Development and the Alzheimer Society of Ireland have cooperated in the recruitment, training, and placement of Day-Care, Home carers and admin staff. This partnership has resulted in excellent people providing the opportunity to provide first-class dementia-specific care to families. Several CE participants went on to become employees of the ASI.

When our first Day Care centre opened in Galway, it was run mainly by the CE care support workers and a Nurse from the Alzheimer Society. The success of this led us to be able to open a second centre. Home carers and admin staff from GRD CE Scheme have contributed massively to the delivery of services and helped out in the Galway Alzheimer Café.

We have always found Mary Feeney, CE Supervisor, to be very approachable, professional and helpful, and as the result of this partnership, many people developed very satisfying and rewarding careers. We look forward to working closely with Galway Rural Development in the future.

Maureen Mannion, Alzheimer Society of Ireland

Craughwell United FC have been very fortunate to have the GRD CE Scheme in place since as far back as 2013. In that time our club has grown from just one pitch in a field to having four pitches and dressing rooms at our main facility at Coleman Park. With that growth comes maintenance and upkeep on a year round basis.

We would find it very difficult to cover all the essential tasks with club volunteers alone and that is where the GRD staff become invaluable. They offer a broad range of skills including dressing room maintenance, painting, pitch lining, strimming, litter control and football equipment repair.

During the season, many visiting teams comment on the high standards that we keep at Coleman Park and that is mainly due to scheme supervisor Mary Feeney along with regular staff Brendan and Dave who do a wonderful job and take great pride in their work. We hope that they remain with us for many years to come.

Tom Cunningham, CUFC.