"Without the ability to communicate clearly, the chances of integration for an individual greatly diminish” - Graham Clifford, Together Ireland.

A pilot initiative aimed at promoting and enabling greater integration across Irish towns will seek the involvement of locals, Transition Year students and those new to or who have settled in the area, with the aim of forming stronger and more cohesive towns.

In the absence of a national integration plan, Together Ireland – a not-for-profit initiative – aim to work with local communities to bring people together for the benefit of all.

The organisation will be piloting their initiative, which is supported by the TOMAR Trust, in three towns – Fermoy, Mitchelstown and Cahir.

Together Ireland is led by Graham Clifford, a Fermoy-based freelance feature writer and broadcaster, who works mainly with the Irish Times and the RTÉ Radio 1 Drivetime Programme.

Full story in this week’s Print & Digital Edition