This community owned company was formed in 1992, the company manages an Incubator centre of 10,500 sq foot. The current project under construction will see the development of 550sq metres of additional enterprise space. This new development will provide additional enterprise space for new business assisting with the creation of 10 full time and 5 part time positions.

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Arigna LEADER works closely with community and voluntary groups in realising their objectives for their respective areas and provides an aftercare service to community based projects in terms of follow-up and on going advice, including information on future development

Through animation and capacity building Arigna LEADER seeks to ensure that local communities build up their own capacity to assess, plan and manage rural development projects.

Fenagh Development Company

Fenagh Development Co Ltd was established in the mid 80s to develop the area around the Fenagh Village. The proposed project will see the establishment of a community resource centre, Arigna LEADER funded the group to prepare a detailed Feasibility Study and business plan for development of old hall at Fenagh. The completed centre will include a leisure and recreation area, heritage / Display area, craft section, coffee shop, kids play area, meeting rooms, office space. The Centre will provide much needed meeting facilities for a whole range of community organisations in the area, who currently have no such facility. The Centre will also act as a focal point for the establishment of Youth Service.

Loughglynn Parish Community Centre Ltd, Loughglynn, Roscommon

Loughglynn Community Centre Committee was formed in 1998. The main aim of this group was to provide facilities for the local community and surrounding areas. The proposed project consists of a two storey community centre with a main hall, toilets, changing rooms, meeting rooms, function room. This project the development of a new community Centre will be a flagship project for the Loughglynn Parish which will act as a focal point for local development and the development of the Parish into the future.

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Cruachan Aí

The Cruachan Aí Visitor Centre, Tulsk Co. Roscommon opened in August 1999. The archaeology, mythology, and history of the renowned areas of Rathcroghan, Tulsk and Carnfree, are interpreted in three exhibition rooms, Cruachan Aí Visitor Centre was approved funding to complete a strategic development plan.

Arigna LEADER has approved funding towards many groups undertaking feasibility studies and plans, resources audits and local publications.

Training

Training programmes develop the skills of individuals and enable strategic programmes to be developed at a County Level. The objective of many training programmes has been to enhance the promoters capacity for development in key areas. Training programmes have been run for the benefit of the following target groups, youth, community groups; farmers and tourism businesses.

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Rural Agri- Tourism

Rural Tourism has a considerable role in the future development of rural areas. It combines well with agriculture in supporting population levels by providing supplementary income and stimulating enterprises thus improving the local economy and quality of life of rural communities.

Ballinamore & Ballyconnell Canal Communities Development Co Ltd

The company was formed in 1993 by members of the local community with the aim of deriving maximum benefit for the area from the re-opening of the Ballinamore - Ballyconnell Canal (Shannon-Erne Waterway).

One of its flagship projects was the construction of a large marina with the capacity to accommodate up to thirty cruisers. Ballinamore Development Company Ltd now propose to undertake a second phase of development of the Marina, which incorporates the construction of a Boat Maintenance Shed and a lifting-Out Facility.

Arigna Mining Experience

2003 saw the opening of Arigna Mining Experience. The brain child of the local community group A.C.D.C, this innovative enterprise has welcomed 12,000 visitors through it’s doors since 24th April. Since the closing of the mine in 1991 the mines were left idle, until now when many tourists come to experience Ireland’s only mining museum.

The mine shows a realistic view of what miners endured during in their day to day lives. One of the biggest hits with the tourists is the fact that all five tour guides were ex-miners and therefore better equipped than anyone to explain the whole experience as they bring visitors underground in the mine.

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Arigna LEADER’s Tourism Development Programme for County Leitrim

In March 2001 a County Leitrim Tourism Research project which was funded through the EU Special support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation implemented by ADM/CPA was completed. It concluded that there was an alarming lack of visitors to county Leitrim. To put this into perspective in 1999, 55,000 tourists visited county Leitrim compared to 415,000 tourists who visited Bunratty Castle in County Clare during that same period. The report concluded that this was mainly due to the lack of tourism based businesses which included accommodation, activities and services, particularly in Rural areas. Recommendations were made to develop the capacity of the low income householders in order that they acquire the skills and confidence to become involved in the tourism sector.

The programme is funded by the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation which is implemented by ADM/CPA who have awarded €256,000 to this programme between now and December 2005. To ensure the effective implementation of this programme Lorna will be working closely with Leitrim Tourism, North West Tourism, the Western Development Tourism Programme and other community and sectoral interests.

Left To Right: Paddy McGinn Joint Manager PEACE programme, Martina Earley Manager Arigna LEADER, Minister Éamon Ó Cuív T,D, Lorna Broomfield Arigna LEADER Tourism Development Officer, John Ellis T.D

To date the programme has included the setting up of a walking network which includes representatives from throughout Leitrim who are involved in a walk in their area or who are in process of setting one up. The aim of the network is to jointly address issues which they are facing, such as Marketing, Insurance and Maintenance.

Also a training programme started in September 2003. Courses include Home Hospitality, Introduction to Tourism and Marketing. More courses will be run throughout the duration of the programme.

Exploitation of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Products

While it is accepted that the decline in farming will continue Arigna LEADER seeks to maintain a maximum number of farms within our Catchment area. The preservation of rural farms is vital to maintaining our rural population and hence the viability of our local services.

Rural Social Scheme

Eamon O 'Cuiv T.D Minister for Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs officially launched the new Rural Social Scheme in Mountbellew Co Galway. The rural social scheme was announced last December as part of Budget 2004. It will provide community based work on a part-time basis. Arigna LEADER is one of 8 LEADER groups nationally who are piloting the programme. It is proposed to role the programme out nation-wide to other areas in a short period time. This scheme will bring many benefits to rural life and rural communities have great expectations of what this scheme will deliver for their locality. This scheme can deliver many measurable benefits to their local communities.

The rural social scheme is specifically designed for rural people and its operations and structures will operate in a farmer friendly manner. The scheme will recognise that the eligible participants in receipt of social assistance are not unemployed, are not technically seeking work and also that they have a wealth of experience and talents that need to be preserved for generations. It is intended to operate the scheme so that the talents of both farming and fisherman and women will be harnessed for the good of the community. As a result this scheme is a community work programme with a focus on the provision of direct services in the community.

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Drumshanbo Food Centre

Drumshanbo Community Council evolved from a public meeting called in Drumshanbo in 1989 to address huge job losses in the area. The company was incorporated in 1990; the overall mission of Drumshanbo Community Council is to facilitate the economic development of the area.

Project - Redevelopment of factory site

During the 1970’s and 80’s this factory employed approximately 150 people while in the ownership of the Laird Family. From 1994-1998 approximately 50 jobs were provided by the Kepak Group all in food processing. The proposal will unlock Drumshanbo’s finest resource and the project is to create a Centre of Excellence for food. This will be achieved through the development of an organic community kitchen and provision of specialised food processing units where a number of producers (not just organic) can develop their product under one roof.

Arigna LEADER has approved this project as one of its flgship projects under the current programme and have approved a grant of 100,000 euro towards its development.

This is a new measure under the current National Rural Development Programme which aims to encourage, environmental management, recycling, sustainable development and conservation initiatives.

Renewable Energy Installers Training Course

A comprehensive training course in household and community-scale renewable energy systems.

Arigna LEADER and WREAN have come together with Renewable Energy Development Agencies and have recently developed new training courses on a cross border basis to help provide all the information on installing and maintaining different types of renewable energy systems.

The course covers the following topics

Small Scale Solar Water Panels
Small Scale wind turbines
Small Scale photovoltaic panels
Small Scale Hydro Turbines
Ground Source Heat Pumps
Biomass boilers (including pellet stoves)

The objective of this course is to increase the renewable energy installer base in N.Ireland and within the six southern border counties.And to address the low percentage of electricity in Ireland created from Renewables.

The course is open to Architects, Plumbers, People looking for a new career,Electricians, and the Unemployed.

All participants will recieve a certificate upon completion of the course.

Irla Hayden (Shred A Bed Recycling)

The promoter has been approved funding to meet the costs of installing and the purchase of an Industrial cardboard machine (Shredder). The promoter currently handles paper but the shredders and electricity supply are not sufficient to process cardboard. This investment will allow the business to expand and create more employment.

Energy Research

Greater use of alternative energy and the reduction of CO2 emissions continues to gain momentum as Ireland reaches its deadline for achieving its commitments under the kyoto Agreement. Arigna LEADER has responsibility for overseeing the Alternative Energy Section of Leitrim County Development Board Strategy. An initial baseline report has been carried out and work has begun on assisting the development of a number of alternative energy projects. Arigna LEADER will also be involved in the Western Commissions Regional position paper on alternative energy.

Recognising that rural people all over Europe have common life experiences, hopes, aspirations and love of the countryside, and given that real and positive policy change can happen at inter regional level within Ireland, Europe and emerging countries. Arigna LEADER has continued to promote external linkages and co-operation.

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Strug Valley Poland

The initiation of this project was made on the bases of two Polish students coming to Arigna Leader for a 3-month placement. They were students at CAH Dronten in the Netherlands studying International Rural Innovation and Development. The students undertook preliminary research in order to find the proper project partner. The result was a project proposal called “Poland in brief” which was presented to and approved by the Board’s Members on the 24 of June 2003. The recommendation was for the Strug Valley area in Poland which is characterized by an interesting landscape, uninfluenced by the expansion of industry. The natural resources of the Strug Valley are the region's economical potential which is still not fully used.

Our Polish Partners visited the Arigna LEADER area in November 2003 with a view to agreeing transnational LEADER. Our polish partners came to find out about the LEADER programme in Ireland with a view to influencing national decision makers in Poland to include LEADER type actions within development measures.

Swedish Trip 2003

Sweden

Arigna LEADER has also undertaken a predevelopment trip to Sweden this year to set about developing a project with partners in Vasternorland in Sweden. This trip enabled Arigna LEADER to meet up with a number of potential partners to discuss the further development of its work plan. The visiting Irish delegates including representatives from Arigna LEADER, Sligo LEADER and Fermanagh LEADER who are hoping to developing joint actions with partners in Sweden around Women in Enterprise, Crafts and Renewable Energy technology.

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