New lights illuminate county town
While Mickey Graham and the magnificent Cavan team have lit up the whole county with their fabulous win in this year’s Ulster Final, the Cavan Town Team Committee is responsible for the festive illuminations across the county town this Christmas.
Brian Allen from the Town Team hopes the new lights will entice people to shop locally, helping local businesses survive what has been a most challenging year.
There are a few people to thank. The project was supported by County Cavan Local Community Development Committee (LCDC), Cavan County Council, Breffni Integrated CLG, the Department of Rural and Community Development and LEADER funding, which financed 75% of the project.
Brian also extends thanks to Eddie Coleman and Eileen Murphy from the previous Christmas Lights sub-committee of Cavan Chamber of Commerce. John O’Dwyer of Rossa Lighting also comes in for mention.
The members of the current Christmas Lights sub-committee include: Catherine Reynolds, Declan Breslin, Karen McMaster, Jimmy Scanlon, John Smith and Michael Shiels.
The Cavan Town Team is a non-statutory body and provides guidance for the promotion, implementation and timing of community, economic, environmental and social regeneration initiatives.
The provision of the lights is just one of a number of objectives that the team has progressed.
Town enhancement projects
Brian explains that the Town Team Committee works closely with the local authority and is associated with a number of town enhancements such as the display of black and white images of characters and places of ‘Olde Cavan’ on the windows of the Post Office, planting of trees and shrubs along the Town Relief Road and at the Old Abbey, the on-going refurbishment of the Town Square.
Other features include the erection of a number of metal arches in the Lions Club area of the Con Smith Park and the successful property paint scheme supported by Fleetwood Paints that has brought vibrant colour to residential and business properties in the town.
As a result of the large number of property owners who have expressed an interest in the paint scheme, a second phase of applications are currently being accepted.
The Town Team Plan initiative was introduced into Cavan Town in 2016. It aims to support local people to have a prosperous and vibrant town, of which they can be proud.
The committee consists of members of many local voluntary organisations such as Cavan Tidy Towns, Cavan Gaels GAA Club, Cavan Branch Irish United Nations Veterans Assoc, Cumann Seanchais Bhreifne, Cavan Chamber of Commerce and local resident associations, among others. New members are always welcome.
Membership is open to all aged 18 years and over who live or work in the town and its environs.