I drove down through Innishannon and on through Bandon. I veered left at the fork signposted for Timoleague. The expanse of the countryside was breathtakingly beautiful. I pulled in at a field gate to have a proper look. Grass fields carpeted the hills and valleys. Beautiful well-kept farmhouses stood proudly amidst the fields. A small quarry and a winding country road broke up the scene. Dairy cows grazed in sunshine. A beef herd added distinctive colour. I was on my way to participate in one of the discussions at the Máire Ní Sithigh Autumn School in Courtmacsherry. The school emerged out of a primary school commemoration project about 1916.

The pub was packed on an otherwise quiet Saturday afternoon, illustrating how initiatives like the autumn school can work

Harold Kingston, west Cork’s IFA county chair had invited me to participate in the conversation “Rural Ireland – What does the future hold?”. I was joined by Mattie McGrath TD, Jim Power, economist and Adrienne Harrington, CEO of the Ludgate Hub in Skibbereen. We were moderated by Fiona O’Donovan of Cork’s Red FM. We had a robust discussion in the Anchor Bar in Courtmacsherry.

The pub was packed on an otherwise quiet Saturday afternoon, illustrating how initiatives like the autumn school can work. It takes the commitment of local people like Barry Holland, chair of the Seven Heads Peninsula Tourism Group to make community projects succeed.

Discussion

Before the autumn school I had thought we might discuss various things, but I was not prepared for the first topic being a long discourse on the new drink-driving laws.

Cartoon by Clyde Delaney.

I was also surprised that I was in the minority in my support of them. I am a much happier driver, wife and mother if I know that people in general are not driving while under the influence. As a society, we do not have a healthy relationship with alcohol. I lived through a time when it was tolerated to drink and drive, and I did find myself in cars where the driver was under the influence. Many of you will agree that we were lucky to escape.

The argument that the rural pub is dying is of course valid but are we prepared to continue to sacrifice lives to keep it alive? Alternative ways must be found. The continued development of inclusive, appropriate, rural transport is an answer. Or maybe it’s time to change altogether.

The growth of Men’s Sheds across the country is one example of people finding other ways.

Local providers understand their areas and are making great strides and need to be part of the overall plan

The rollout of broadband to every house in the country is of paramount importance in order for us to do business, fight isolation and support education and development. I was of the view that the current plan should be supported but I’ve moderated that view as a result of our discussion.

Local providers understand their areas and are making great strides and need to be part of the overall plan. As I write this column, I’m aware that the internet is down in our house again. It is such an annoyance.

The Ludgate Hub in Skibbereen is a great example of a digital hub born out of the frustration of local people coupled with their own inventiveness to provide top-class connectivity to people needing to be connected. The underlying aim is to retain and bring people back to west Cork.

There are over 50 people using the rural hub as their place of work now with loads of other knock on initiatives. It’s well worth looking it up – if you have internet.

Job vacancies

Our discussion touched on the ongoing crisis that beef farmers are experiencing. There were no magic bullets suggested except for agreement that support and new initiatives were needed for these farmers.

There was wide-ranging consensus that by supporting local businesses they will in turn support the community

Apparently businesses have a lot of job vacancies in west Cork and are failing to fill them. There was wide-ranging consensus that by supporting local businesses they will in turn support the community. This was evidenced in the sponsorship given to the autumn school by local employers.

Our trip was completed with a visit to Courtmacsherry’s Community Shop that was set up by the community and is manned by local volunteers. It is a delightful place servicing a need for some people in the community. It is a model that can be recreated around the country in other towns and villages. The Courtmacsherry community is a prime example of people doing particular things to ensure the future of their rural town and surrounding community.