Indentikit architecture and tidy-town pastiche have ruined too much of rural Ireland. A north Tipperary initiative wants to renew the area’s villages
COMMUNITIES, it is said, are no more than dense networks of social interaction, and for many generations Irish rural villages were the focus for these interactions. Then came the Celtic Tiger, out-of-proportion housing estates, ribbon developments and franchised shops and filling stations – an identikit formula that made little concession to vernacular architecture. Much positive work was done in this period by the Tidy Towns Awards but in too many cases the result was a pastiche of hanging baskets, Victorian lamp posts and gaudily painted buildings.
Now a North Tipperary programme is working to reverse the trend while at the same time promoting economic regeneration. Reclaiming the identifying features of villages from multi-coloured sameness is the objective.
Sean Crowley, the rural development manager with North Tipperary Leader Partnership, displays an infectious enthusiasm for the partnership’s “village enhancement initiative”. He believes that “emphasising and enhancing the special features and character of communities” – as opposed to a one-size-fits-all-model – “creates a stronger sense of place and makes villages more attractive for family living. “We provide the technical expertise by assigning a landscape architect to each village so that communities can move from concerns with flower beds and lampposts to a deeper involvement with mapping the future,” says Crowley.
Cloughjordan in Co Tipperary is one of the villages taking part. No flower beds or faux Victorian lamp posts are in evidence, and while the approach roads are trimmed, they remain reassuringly unmanicured. Its streets aren’t exactly biscuit-tin pretty, but they exude a lived-in attractiveness and unpretentious charm that clearly has potential to be further accentuated by a sound village renewal programme.
Donald Austin, who runs the local supermarket, is the treasurer of Cloughjordan Development Committee. As we walk down the elegantly wide main thoroughfare, the sense of community is palpable. People greet Austin warmly and everyone recognises him.
“You know the Celtic tiger never really arrived in Cloughjordan,” he declares with surprising satisfaction for a businessman, “and we are now reaping the benefits in terms of less social problems and a stronger community spirit.”
Austin readily admits that, as a shopkeeper, prosperity for Cloughjordan is in his interest, “since there is no passing traffic”, but he also believes that local business must take a broad view. “Service retention is terribly important for this community as we are a good distance from a major town,” he says, pointing out some local artisan enterprises.
“A hard-working tidy towns group is part of the Development Committee and their efforts are crucial for our success,” he continues, “but our primary focus remains social and economic.”
He points proudly to a new, community-owned creche, before going on to mention the development committee’s flagship project – the Thomas McDonagh Cultural Heritage Centre. This involves extending the family home of Cloughjordan’s most celebrated son – the 1916 leader Thomas McDonagh – in time for the 2016 centenary. His house would then be a cultural resource at the heart of the community, with exhibition space, library, tourism resources and a focus for celebrating the life of McDonagh.
The Development Committee also has ambitions for a community play area, walking trails through natural woodlands, and to make Cloughjordan an overnight stop on the O’Sullivan Beara Way – a long-distance trail being developed from Cork to Leitrim.
Work is also ongoing towards the sustainable development of the village with the landscape architect Tricia Purcell.
Village enhancement in Tipperary isn’t confined to Cloughjordan. Silvermines community is developing a tourist trail using works of art to tell the story of its ancient mining tradition. Upperchurch already has four new walking trails, and plans are well advanced for a walking hub, to include showers, tourist information, self-catering apartments and possibly even a climbing wall, to facilitate longer stays by visitors and student groups. Down the road the denizens of Kilcommon have linked old masspaths to create an innovative Pilgrim Trail leading to the famous local prayer garden, while Killea is developing a cultural centre based on its abiding tradition of Irish music.
“We are only now coming to realise the full value of sustainable village communities when it comes to enhancing the quality of life in rural Ireland and their importance in creating the infrastructure for tourism development,” says Crowley.
