The people of Knocklong in County Limerick are currently drawing up and designing a five year plan for the area, a process being facilitated by Ballyhoura Development Ltd and Limerick Institute of Technology, Tipperary.

The process started early in 2012 when Knocklong Development Association requested support from Ballyhoura Development to develop a community plan for the area. Community socio economic planning is a service offered to communities in the Ballyhoura area by Ballyhoura Development Ltd. The aim of the process is to empower communities throughout the Ballyhoura area to participate more actively in the development of their local communities, based on agreed actions and projects.

LARGE INVOLVEMENT

A questionnaire was circulated in September 2009 to over 400 households in the community of Knocklong, then followed public meetings with the themes of history, culture and heritage, employment and education, services for people, the physical environment and Tidy Towns. Over 100 people from Knocklong have contributed to this process to date.

Knocklong Development Association with the support of Ballyhoura Development Ltd and Limerick Institute of Technology, Tipperary have identified 8 issue groups based on the findings from the questionnaire and the meetings. Knocklong Development Association encourages each member of the community to choose one area of interest and to join this group. Community members may join two groups if they wish to do so, but not if they are meeting at the same time.

The groups will meet on Tuesday, 29th January in the community centre, Knocklong – for further details please contact the relevant KDA member. Meeting times of issue groups and contact details as follows: 7.30pm-8.30pm: (Group) Services for children and young people, (community convener) Pauline Walsh 087-9641388; Tidy Towns/visual impact, Mags Creed 087-9924001; Employment and enterprise, Joe Moloney 087-9136882; Community safety, Ned Moloney 087-2932320; 8.30pm-9.30pm: Education and training, Mary Harty 087-9776047; Tourism, history and heritage, Patsy Walsh 087-9979380; Leisure and recreation, Joe Keogh 086-3051976; Services for people, Kathryn Fitzpatrick 087-2265936.

Each and every community member is encouraged to support this worthwhile iniatitive and according to Dermot Carroll member of the steering group, “the idea is to try and build a brighter future for the place where we live”.