Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr Philip Brady, joins representatives from Cavan, Cootehill, and Virginia Town Team (TT) as they launch their Town Team Plans 2023-2026 at Hotel Kilmore on Monday, June 17. Front (from left): Jean Kirwan, Cootehill TT; Bridget Boyle, Cootehill TT; Martin Connolly, Cavan TT; Cllr Philip Brady, Cathaoirleach; Cllr TP O’Reilly and Angela Deehan, Virginia TT; and Tina Tully, ÓMRA; back, John Donohoe and Bernie O’Rourke, Cavan County Council; Paul Connolly, Cavan TT; Cllr Carmel Brady, Cootehill TT; Tomás Young, Cavan TT; Mary Bridget Duffy, Cootehill TT; Rhona Creegan, Cavan TT; Michelle Boyle and Bridie Sheridan, Virginia TT. PHOTO: Adrian Donohoe Adrian Donohoe

Town Teams plans launched for County Cavan

Town Teams in Cavan, Cootehill, and Virginia came together on Monday, June 17, at Hotel Kilmore Cavan to launch their Town Team Plans, which will guide the Town Teams as they work to encourage businesses, local communities, and others to work together to energise and reinvigorate their towns.

A Town Team is a group of local residents, businesspeople, community representatives and other stakeholders who come together to make their area a better place to live, work, visit and invest. They represent diverse sectors and backgrounds. They have a unique position in the community to become ‘local experts’ in their area and to take a lead on the development of interventions that can make positive long-term changes for the town.

Town Teams were set up in County Cavan in 2016-17 and have enjoyed great success in reinvigorating their local towns. To help continue and build upon this success, Cavan County Council engaged the support agency Ómra to assist the three Town Teams in developing their vision and objectives for the coming three years, and these ambitious plans represent the outcome of a consultation process which included a public workshop and several strategy meetings.

Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr Philip Brady said Town Teams represent an important voice in the development and reinvigoration of our towns. “I welcome the publication of Town Team Plans for Cavan, Cootehill, and Virginia. The members of these Town Teams care deeply about their locality, and bring a diversity and depth of experience that is invaluable in charting a course forward for these towns."

Chief Executive of Cavan County Council, Eoin Doyle hailed the efforts of all those who worked to develop these plans. “I thank all of our Town Team members, and all those who attended the meetings and workshops which have informed these plans, not to mention our own staff who support the work of the Town Teams, and their desire to create more welcoming, thriving, and colourful urban centres in County Cavan."

"We are delighted to launch the Cavan Town Team Plan 2023-26, which provides a roadmap to continue our work in developing our historic county town. We look forward to engaging with the people of Cavan, Cavan County Council, and local stakeholders over the lifetime of this plan," said Martin Connolly of Cavan Town Team.

"This plan represents an important document for Cootehill Town and outlines our vision for creating an inclusive and welcoming community for all, with a welcoming community spirit, strong environmental awareness, and involvement from local clubs, organisations, and businesses", said Bridget Boyle of Cootehill Town Team.

"We welcome the launch of the Virginia Town Team Plan, 2023-26 which will guide our membership as we seek to advance our priorities of developing the potential of Virginia's assets such as Lough Ramor, Deerpark Forest, and our town's extensive history, in addition to keeping our town a clean, safe, and vibrant place to live and do business in," said TP O’Reilly of Virginia Town Team.

The plans are available to view at www.cavancoco.ie/townteams