Annivagh Bridge, Tooman image taken by Gerry Faughnan

Leitrim PPN Plenary Thurs 15th May in

Carrick on Shannon - Last Chance to Register

All PPN member groups invited or come along if you wish to join the PPN.

 

Keynote speaker is Heather Humphreys.

 

Special guest is Ger Deering, who was appointed Ombudsman and Information Commissioner for Ireland by President Michael D. Higgins in January 2022.

 

Information on Town & Village renewal scheme and Love Where You Live Awards. 

 

There will be refreshments, information stands and a chance to chat with member groups and hear of the wonderful work they do. Hear of the work of Leitrim PPN and network with other groups and stands.

All PPN Reps invited to attend.

Love Where You Live Awards NOW OPEN

Leitrim County Council and Leitrim Public Participation Network are delighted to launch the 2025 Love Where You Live Awards.

 

Enter your voluntary or community group under one of the 5 categories:

• Social Inclusion
• Community Achievement
• Age Friendly Community
• Green Community
• Green Estate

Deadline: 26th May

Biodiversity Week in Leitrim

16th – 25th May 2025

Explore the rich variety of life in Leitrim with a host of wonderful events and activities for the whole family.  This year join in with the 13th annual Biodiversity Photographer of the Year competition and events every day on all things wildlife in Ireland!  Events will be both in person and virtual, so everyone can take part. 

 

Leitrim PPN Member Spotlight
The Killenummery Women's Group

Killenummery Women's Group - Meet second Tuesday every month at Killenummery Community Centre at 7pm.

New members always welcome. 

 

In between meetings they meet for classes, outings, sports and walks & they do a 5k fundraiser for charity every year.

The Leitrim Gathering

Spread the Word

23rd to 25th May 2025

Celebrating place, connection, and heritage with Leitrim people at home and around the world. 

Green & Gold Initiative for

Community Groups for The Leitrim Gathering

Calling all Leitrim PPN member Clubs/Groups/Organisations to start decorating!

 

How to Participate:

 

1. Decorate the window or exterior of your organisation/ club with the GREEN & GOLD colours of Leitrim, reflecting the excitement and unity of The Leitrim Gathering in the lead up to 23rd May.

 

2. Get creative — whether it’s banners, flags, balloons, jerseys or anything else that represents our county’s pride!

 

3. Take a picture of your display and email to info@leitrimppn.ie or what’s app it to 086 1281013 by 20th May to be in a with a chance to win a unique prize for your group sponsored by Leitrim PPN.  Also tag Leitrim PPN on all social media of your colourful display - we won't see it unless you tag us and or send us in a picture!!

FREE Training Courses for PPN Member Groups

Have you registered for one of Leitrim PPN’s FREE trainings for community groups?

 

Check out what is on offer.

 

• Thurs 8th May
  Governance/ AGM's Committee Meetings
  7 to 9pm  at Leitrim Volunteer Centre
  

You must register for this course  *Please only sign up for courses you know you will be able to attend, as spaces are limited.

Community Conservation: Workshops for a Wilder World Sun 11th May 11am to 3.30pm

Our colleagues in Cavan PPN extend an invite to the environment pillar.

 

Practical workshops and advice for recording, protecting and enhancing biodiversity in your community 

How to make impactful contributions to the SPC's as a PPN Representative

What: How to make impactful contributions to the SPCs as a PPN Representative

Where: Online

When: Tuesday 12th May, 7pm

 

Councillor Dermot ‘Daisy’ O’Brien, will share his wealth of experience and insight into the Strategic Policy Committees (SPC's).

Learn tips and tricks on how to shape your input to be impactful during an SPC meeting.

 

Dermot will be speaking from his experience as a Councillor serving on Wicklow’s Strategic Policy Committees, and from his experience as a community representative.

 

SPC's can be daunting when trying to understand how to make the most of your time during these meetings.  How do you get your voice heard effectively.  How do you ensure your community’s issue is given space at the meeting?  What are the dynamics of an SPC meeting and how do you negotiate these?

 

This session will benefit anyone who is serving on an SPC, whether you are new to the role or have been on an SPC for some time. 

Social Inclusion, Disability, Rural Development, Peace and Reconciliation Linkage Group

Wed 28th May, Leitrim Development Company, Drumshanbo - 7.30pm.

 

Hear from Caitriona Sinnott, Community Alert Development Officer, Muintir na Tíre on community alerts, supports etc.  Community Alert is the rural crime prevention and community safety programme, operated since 1984 by Muintir na Tíre, in partnership with An Garda Síochána.

 

Also Hear from FND Ireland

FND Ireland is the first Irish charity dedicated to advocating for and supporting those living with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) in Ireland.

They are an entirely voluntary organisation with a committed team that plans to grow into the future and extend their reach to the entire FND community in Ireland. After being diagnosed with motor FND in 2021 FND founder Eamon McPartlin realised there was no Irish FND support organisation, come along to hear what Eamon has to say.

Connecting Women to

Local Decision Making in Leitrim

SAVE THE DATE

Connecting Women to Local Decision Making in Leitrim

 

Leitrim PPN have teamed up with North Leitrim Women’s Centre & See her Elected to bring you a very exciting half day event on Fri 13th June starting at 10am sharp followed by food at 12.45 at Carrick-on-Shannon Business Campus, Attifinlay, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, N41 N1F2 (beside Avant Card)

 

There will be a keynote speaker followed by a presentation from Dr Michelle Maher the SHE Programme Manager who will examine the history of women in politics in Leitrim.

This will be followed by a panel discussion of influential Leitrim ladies. 

Promised to be a great event.

Foras na Gaeilge - Scéim na bhFéilte:
Festivals Scheme

Beidh Scéim na bhFéilte oscailte do ghrúpaí áitiúla cuí chun deis a thabhairt dóibh féilte ealaíon a fhorbairt nó gnéithe d’fhéilte ealaíon atá á reáchtáil agus á gcur i bhfeidhm trí mheán na Gaeilge nó a bhfuil na healaíona Gaeilge mar chuid lárnach díobh.

 

Ní mór féilte a bheith ar siúl idir 01 Meitheamh - 31 Nollaig 2025.

 

Suas le €5000 ar fáil.

Spriocdháta d’iarratais 14ú Bealtaine 2025

Sonraí iarratais

 

The Festivals Scheme will be open to appropriate local groups to give them an opportunity to develop arts festivals or elements of festivals being run and implemented through the medium of Irish or which Irish language arts are a central part of them.

 

Festivals must take place between 01 June- 31st December 2025.

Up to €5000 available.

 

Deadline: 14th May

Farm Safety, Health and Wellbeing Projects 2025

This open call for project proposals is one of a series of initiatives being implemented in 2025 by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in helping to improve the safety, health and wellbeing of Irish farmers and their families.

 

The Department is inviting applications from individuals, groups and organisations that have the capability and vision, to develop and deliver projects which address farm safety, health and wellbeing challenges on Irish farms.  These projects will support and promote best practice and bring about behavioural change to minimise the risks to the safety, health, and wellbeing of everyone on farms, including farmers, workers, farm families and visitors.

 

Deadline: 19th May

Grants for Churches and Christian Charities

Grants to protect and enhance churches and Christian buildings for future generations in Ireland.

 

Examples: making essential repairs, enhancing accessibility, restoring historic features, and installation of solar panels or energy-efficient systems.

 

Deadline: 19th May

SPADE Open Call

SPADE is funding innovative projects using drones, AI & precision ag to transform farming, forestry & livestock.

 

Up to €60K funding, 6-month projects.

 

Open to orgs from Ireland & Horizon Europe countries.

 

Deadline: 26th May

Leitrim County Childcare Committee

Small Summer Scheme Grant

**Attention Community & Voluntary Groups**

 

This grant is for community/voluntary groups in Leitrim to provide free or reduced cost summer camps/projects for children.

The maximum grant that can be applied for is €500.

For an application form, please email nancy@leitrimchildcare.ie.

 

Deadline: 30th May

Human Rights & Equality Grants Scheme 2025

With this Grants Scheme, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) wish to support civil society organisations that promote human rights and equality, whose values align with the Commission, to contribute to the delivery of their strategic priorities.  These priorities were informed by consultation with civil society.

 

Funding for the projects will be available across three strands and there is a specific focus on the Public Sector Duty across all strands.  There are small grants available of up to €7,000 and general grants of up to €22,000.  Individual grant funding has increased for the first time since 2017.  Funding of €350,000 is available.

Register for Human Rights and Equality Grant Scheme

Information Sessions

The Commission is running an information session to provide details about the 2025-26 Human Rights and Equality Grants Scheme to civil society organisations and trade unions working to promote human rights and equality who are interested in applying.
Please register your interest in attending by emailing rsvp@ihre.ie Please put in the subject line - Grant Information Session with the date of the session you would like to attend:

14.30 to 16.30, Thursday 8 May 2025 – Zoom Platform
 

Deadline: 4th June

Festival Investments Scheme 2026

The Festivals Investment Scheme supports small-to-mid-scale festivals to deliver high-quality arts experiences for audiences. It opens for applications on Tuesday 29th April 2025. Round 1 is for festivals commencing 1 January– 30 June 2026

It focuses on programmes engaged with, and relevant to, local communities or communities of interest.

 

Deadline: 29th May

Michele Panuccio Memorial Grant

The Michele Panuccio Memorial Grant provides financial support for field research on raptor migration and conservation in the European region by young researchers (no more than 35 years old).  The annual grant will be up to €1,500.

 

Deadline: 30th June

 

Work and Access Employment Programme

The new Work and Access employment programme offers a range of supports aimed at breaking down barriers and ensuring equal opportunities for people with disabilities in the workplace.

 

Grants available:

• Workplace needs assessment
• Communication support
• In-work support
• Personal reader
• Work equipment
• Workplace adaptation
• Disability equality and inclusion training

SHORE Grant for Schools

The SHORE Open Call welcomes proposals on a variety of topics aimed at increasing the ocean and water literacy of primary and secondary schools students. Ocean and water literacy relates to the understanding of how ocean, seas, and rivers impact us and how we affect them.

 

Deadline: 30th June

Physical Activity in Teaching and Learning Pilot Programme

Schools can apply for up to €10,000 out of a total €300,000 made available in funding through the programme to support them in integrating physical activity into their teaching and learning.

 

This is in addition to the physical activity experienced by learners during designated physical education lessons.

 

Primary, special and post-primary schools who have not previously participated in this pilot and who would like to take part in the second year of the pilot programme have until 27th May to apply.

 

Further details in relation to the Pilot Programme are available on the Department of Education website.

The Tuath Foundation

Tuath Housing is proud to announce the launch of the Tuath Foundation.  This dedicated initiative will enhance residents’ wellbeing and promote community engagement by bringing together new and existing support programmes under one umbrella.

 

These programmes include the established New Horizons Education Bursary and Tuath Community Fund, as well as three new initiatives: the Digital Support Fund, the Social Inclusion and Diversity Fund, and the Climate Action Fund.

 

Tuath Foundation funding is open to Tuath residents, residents’ groups, community organisations, and voluntary groups.

 

Deadline: Applications for the various funds will open at different intervals throughout the year

Public Consultation on a new

Action Plan for Insurance Reform

The Department of Finance invites interested parties to submit their views as part of the public consultation on the development of a new Action Plan for Insurance Reform (2025-2029).

Deadline: 19th May

Houses of the Oireachtas: Connecting with your Parliament - Online Survey

The Houses of the Oireachtas wants to hear your opinion on how we communicate the work of our national parliament. By taking part in our brief survey you can help improve how we show the work being done by TDs / Senators in Dáil Éireann & Seanad Éireann.

Deadline: 25th May

Consultation on Carbon Budgets

The aim of this consultation is to gather stakeholder feedback from the public on aspects of the Climate Change Advisory Council's latest recommendations for the Carbon Budget periods 3 (2031 – 2035) and 4 (2036 – 2040), ahead of Minister Darragh O'Brien making recommendations to the government.  The carbon budgets (and associated sectoral emissions ceilings), along with our national Climate Action Plan provide the framework necessary to meet our national climate objective. Together, they set out a pathway to achieving our 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction goal of 51% (compared to 2018 levels), and our 2050 climate neutrality goal. 

 

The Minister would welcome responses on

1. How effort is shared to meet the required emissions reductions by 2050 across the second two carbon budgets, 2031-2035 and 2036-2040
2. The CCAC Carbon Budget Proposal Report as published by the CCAC
3. Any other observations you wish to make

 

Deadline: 4th June

Public consultation on the successor to the “Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025”

The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 was published in 2020.  It followed the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion which ended in 2017.  This series of plans has been ongoing since 1997.

The Roadmap for Social Inclusion aims to reduce the number of people in poverty in Ireland and increase social inclusion for the most disadvantaged. 

 

Deadline: 30th June

Centre for Cross Border Cooperation:

Online Training Programme

Getting Started with Cross Border Cooperation is the Centre for Cross Border Cooperation's free online training programme which aims to help those people and organisations thinking about, or beginning to plan, a cross-border project to increase skills and knowledge in delivering an effective cross-border programme.

 

The online course is split into six interactive modules, each dealing with different aspects of the design of a cross-border cooperation project.  If you take it independently you can take as long as you need to complete it.  The content consists of text, videos and interactive exercises.

 

The Centre for Cross Border Cooperation is also currently in the process of finalising a guided learning option which will allow you to further explore the contents of the course via a series of six online sessions with Centre for Cross Border Cooperation’s Director Dr Anthony Soares.

 

A cohort of 6 guided learning sessions is scheduled to begin in October 2025. 

Sport Ireland Safeguarding 3 - Thurs 22nd May

Safeguarding 3 is a 3-hr, online child protection in sport workshop for the Designated Liaison Officer.                                 

 

Register: sport@leitrimcoco.ie                                        Cost: €15.00

Child Protection Training with NYCI

It is essential that anyone working with youth groups are aware of the responsibilities they have for safeguarding the wellbeing of the young people in their groups.  This four-hour basic awareness course designed by the National Youth Council of Ireland is the standardised child protection training programme for the youth work sector.  It is tailored to meet the needs of artists working with children and young people and aims to create a basic awareness about the key issues in relation to child protection.  It is also suitable for volunteers and staff members in arts organisations who have not previously attended child protection training or feel they need a refresher and is compliant with Children First Legislation 2015 and the Childrens First National Guidance 2017.

The training is a combination of PowerPoint input, small groupwork, exercises and scenarios which we can tailor to the types of situations your staff will be working. Certification is provided to everyone who completes the full training.

 

Any artists intending to apply to Leitrim Arts Office for funding to support their work with children and young people must have completed the NYCI Child Protection Awareness Training.

 

Date: Wednesday May 7th
Time: Registration and coffee 9.30
Workshop 10.00 am to 2.30pm
Location: The Council Chambers, Carrick On Shannon
Cost: Free

Power Through Perimenopause

3 Week Programme delivered via Zoom

Wed 7th, 14th & 21st May 7.00pm - 8.30pm

with the wonderful Maj Cunningham, Health & Well Being Pharmacist

 

Join North Leitrim Women's Centre from the comfort of your own home for this practical, supportive, interactive & relaxed programme aimed at equipping women from their mid 30's upwards with the knowledge, understanding and practical advice to feel more prepared for their journey through perimenopause, menopause and beyond.

 

Over the 3 weeks you’ll explore -

• Understanding Hormones (Periods to Perimenopause) - learn what changes happen during perimenopause, connecting the dots between hormone shifts and symptoms such as brain fog, anxiety and poor sleep.
• Fuel, Move, Sleep & Stress - Life Style Foundations that help improve energy, weight, sleep and mental clarity.
• Support options and building your Perimenopause Toolkit - learn about treatment options and feel confident to speak to your GP and advocate for your needs - build your own personalised 'Perimenopause Plan.'

To register for this free programme contact 071 9856220/ info@northleitrimwomenscentre.ie.

Get involved in 2026 International Volunteer Year!

JoinThe National Volunteer Network workshop on the future of volunteering to help  develop a Global Call to Action for the Future of Volunteering later this year.

 

The aim of this workshop is to facilitate discussion around key messages and actions that need to be in place to recognize, enable and finance volunteering.  The key issues they want to explore are what changes are required to support volunteering and increase volunteering’s impact; and who is responsible for making this change happen.

 

Tues 20th May, 10-11am - Online

Youth Information Online Chat Service

This collaborative project, led by Crosscare, YMCA Cork, Youth Work Ireland, and SpunOut, provides free, confidential, and professional online support to young people—no matter where they live.

 

Designed by young people, for young people, the Youth Information Online Chat Service is a digital-first solution that connects young people with trained Youth Information Officers for one-to-one guidance on various issues—from education and employment to mental health and relationships.

 

This service bridges the gap for those who cannot access physical Youth Information hubs, ensuring that no young person is left without help when they need it most.

National Age Friendly Recognition and Achievement Awards 2025 | Applications NOW OPEN!!

Galway City Council and Galway County Council are jointly hosting this year’s event in The Galmont Hotel, Galway, on Thursday, October 23rd, 2025.

 

Again this year there are eight categories of awards, aligning to the WHO themes:

• Transport
• Active & Healthy Ageing
• Business Innovation
• Safety & Security
• Communications
• Environment
• Community Innovation
• Housing

 Initiatives at both local and national level are welcomed.

 

Shortlisted projects will be visited by the judging panel across September and invited to Ireland’s Age Friendly Recognition and Achievements Awards ceremony in Galway in October.

 

Deadline: 30th May

Young Farmer of the Year is now open

The search is on for the 27th FBD Young Farmer of the Year, with applications and nominations open for the 2025 awards.

 

The closing date for nominations is Monday 30th June 2025.

 

Application details on the Macra website

Calling all Sustainable Energy Communities!

SEC National Gathering on Saturday June 7th in the Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise to celebrate 10 years and close to 1000 communities engaged in sustainable energy actions across Ireland. 

• Hear from inspirational speakers
• Discover innovative opportunities for your community in our Showcase
• Network with like-minded SEC's and be inspired

Nominations Now Open:

12th European Greenways Award! 

Are you part of an inspiring greenway project or initiative in Ireland ?

This is your chance to shine on the international stage!

 

Award Categories:

• Best Greenways
• Innovative Greenway Initiatives
• Special Award for Green Transition

 

Why Apply?

• Get recognized across Europe
• Boost visibility for your project
• Win a trophy & official diploma
• Featured on EGWA platforms & events
• Attend the Award Ceremony in Spain

 

Deadline: 21st May