Speech & Reading

  • The Clara ‘You Tube’ project for The Gathering 2013, was launched in early February by Cllr Molly Buckley, Offaly County Council, and Chair of the Social Inclusion Group of the Offaly County Development Board. Please see YouTube for the three videos:

‘Clara Bog Boys’  by 5th Class Boys from Scoil Prionsias Naofa, Clara, Co. Offaly

‘The Little Town of Clara’ by 6th Class Girls from Scoil Bhride, Clara, Co. Offaly

‘Br. Urban League’ - 20th Anniversary in 2013 by Transition Year students from Ardscoil Chiaran Naofa, Clara, Co. Offaly

 

  • Gathering Participants invited to a Failte Ireland / AOIFE Training night re The Gathering on Feb 20th 2013. Separate invites issued.
  • Launch of The Gatherings for Offaly and overall Calendar of Events for the County (to date) - LONDON CALLING! Saturday night 2nd Feb 2013, Offaly had a 15 minute videoconference link from Rhode (over three large screens in Killeen’s Village Bar and Lounge) to London, for the occasion of the Annual Dinner of the one of the Offaly Associations in London, at the London Irish Centre. Both locations played their part in launching The Gatherings for Offaly and overall Calendar of Events 2013!
  • The Holiday Fair ran in the RDS over 25-27 January 2013. Offaly had some presence there via tourism agencies and groups.
  • Announcement on Failte Ireland fund allocations and IPB fund allocations, for The Gathering, were revealed mid January 2013.
  • 30/11/2013 is the closing date for the fund applications for The Gathering re the Failte Ireland community fund.
  • 26/10/12 - The Gathering 2013 announces a fund and application process for 2013 community events. See here for details.

  • 15/10/12 Real Sim Games have recently announced a new app for the iPhone and the iPad: Lost City of Clonmacnoise- see http://www.realsimgames.ie/apps

  • Offaly County Council commissioned 3 public art projects interpreting the Grand Canal in Offaly, via funds from the % for Art, scheme early in 2012. One of these films, the documentary film ‘A Grand Experience’, was broadcast on Tue 16th October 2012 at 22.15, RTE 1. Wayne Brennan, the musician from the film, has also now won two national balled awards. Download the song from iTunes here.
  • Congrats to the recently formed Offaly Tourism Network, who launched a new offalytourism.com website on Saturday 29th Sept 2012.
  • 02/09/2012: Offaly County Council commissioned public art projects via the % for Art scheme early in 2012. Download the Offaly balland 'Roots in these Lands' from the website of musician Wayne Brennan. The song has won two national ballad competitions, a great way of promoting Offaly.
  • The Gathering meetings for Offaly in Sept last were a great success. Many communities are now very interested in how they can contribute. Check back here for more soon.

 

1.       What is ‘Ireland Reaching Out’ and how can you benefit?

Ireland Reaching Out logo .jpghttp://www.irelandxo.com

Ireland Reaching Out (Ireland XO) is based on a simple idea. Working through voluntary effort at a townland, village and parish level here in Ireland, you can identify who left, and trace them and their descendants worldwide. In this way, the entire Irish Diaspora of 70 million can be systematically reunified online and invited back or can engage with their ancestral parish for the benefit of all.


2. What is ‘The Gathering 2013’ and how can we promote our county?

TheGathering_logo_Green_Pos EPS.epshttp://www.thegatheringireland.com

The Gathering Ireland 2013 is about the people of Ireland throwing open our arms and inviting anyone with a connection to our country to come and visit. It’s about asking anyone who has Irish blood, a link to Ireland, or even just a love of our country – to join us for a series of amazing and diverse events throughout 2013.

3.       What are Offaly organisations and other agencies doing to assist tourism in Offaly?

Various agencies are working on aspects of tourism in Offaly. This interagency group has a review planned for mid November 2012 - as to feedback from previous projects; future possible direction; members of the IAG etc. This is an initiative of Offaly County Council in conjunction with partner agencies on the Offaly County Development Board ‘Tourism Inter Agency Group’ – Failte Ireland; Shannon Development; the Offaly County Enterprise Board and the Offaly Local Development Company.