Mayo village earmarked for transformative scheme

Efforts are being made to ensure The Neale is nominated for the Town and Village Renewal Scheme in the coming weeks.

Last week's meeting of Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District took place in the O’Brien Memorial Hall in the south Mayo village. The head of the district Padraig Flanagan told councillors that a lot of work has gone into the documentation required for an application to the scheme.

“Our aim is the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, which would give us funding of 80% with an additional 20% coming in local funding through the Local Property Tax (LPT),” he said.

Chairman of The Neale Heritage and Development Association Jackie Clancy told the meeting the village is excited at the prospect of such a scheme progressing in the area.

“It can be difficult to keep the local group motivated but we look forward to getting something new online,” he said. “It is important to hand this place over to the next generation in a better place.”

Cathaoirleach of the municipal district Cllr Damien Ryan said it was an honour to chair a meeting in his native village.

“This is a community that does a lot for themselves. If you give them a little, they will do the work for themselves.

“The Town and Village Renewal Scheme now needs to be an absolute priority and needs to proceed to a Part 8 application without delay. I would be asking management, my fellow councillors and engineers the give this a chance to push on without delay.”

Cllr Michael Burke praised Cllr Ryan and Mr Clancy for the role they have played in the village’s development.

“The village has been transformed, there’s no doubt about it. The next step is a big step and I have been impressed with the draft proposals we’ve seen so far.”

Cllr Patsy O’Brien said The Neale was a model for how other local communities should approach projects in their locality.

“And it’s lovely that ye have named the hall here after me,” he added, jokingly.