Section 4 Findings

4 Findings

This section begins to pull together what has been learnt from the considerable research and consultations undertaken above. The findings have been presented under the following headings:

• Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure • Community Cohesion, Partnerships, and Communications • Management, Organisation, and Finance.

1 Facilities,Services,and Infrastructure

1.1 The village has obvious dereliction (domestic houses and retail-related) that needs to be addressed in a coordinated manner. This is contrasted by the significant investment recently in the road and related infrastructural improvements.

1.2 Young people (pre-teens + teenagers) are not suitably supported particularly concerning the public realm, after school and leisure services in a non-sporting environment.

1.3 Older people (i.e. over 65 years) have poor supporting infrastructure or services compared to neighbouring villages.

1.4 The delivery of the Canon Oliver Hughes Park (Phases 1 and 2) is warmly welcomed.

1.5 ‘The Barracks’which is now under the responsibility of the CCDAhas potential for development.

1.6 Public transport provision is weak. It needs better coordination with new services piloted.

1.7 The village has considerable road access to larger centres of population and services such as medical, secondary schools and weekly shopping. 1.8 The current absence of a GP/pharmacy and basic retail is perceived to diminish the quality of life in the village.

1.9 There remains significant greenfield/recreational sites adjacent to the centre of the village that are underdeveloped e.g., Corofin Castle and the riverbank.

1.10 Until there is an adequate investment by Irish Water in a new water treatment facility, further development will be limited.

1.11 There is a concern in the community at the underuse of Dr Duggan Hall.

1.12 The GAAfacilities in the village give a strong sense of parish identity.

1.13 The provision of enhanced broadband and networking support services etc, is required for a growing home-working community.

2 Community Cohesion,Partnerships,and Communications

2.1 Corofin today is a stable and cohesive community. However, there is some perceived disconnection between new residents.

2.2 With five primary schools the community could benefit significantly from its own secondary school in the longer term.

2.3 Corofin has considerable 'competition' from other progressive communities and community organisations in North Galway for finite resources and visibility.

2.4 An opportunity exists for a Corofin Tidy Towns organisation to be formed. The annual Tidy Towns scoring system gives a community a helpful 'benchmark' to evaluate their performance year on year.

2.5 There is no relaxed social 'meeting place' for people (young and old) in the village. The absence of a suitable cafe and/or pub space was highlighted by many.

2.6 While communication by/from individual groups such as the Church, GAAand the CCDAappear good at informing members, there is a perception that general communication could be improved.

2.7 Community appreciation for the heritage (built, cultural or natural) of Corofin is modest compared to many communities in rural Ireland today.

2.8 There is a need to formally audit community, heritage and environmental assets.

2.9 There is a lack of practical connections with the Corofin diaspora. In an era where considerable community investment will be required in new sporting and recreational facilities, an opportunity exists to formalise and strengthen relations with the Corofin diaspora overseas.

2.10 The role of the church regarding pastoral care in the community is acknowledged. 3 Management, Organisation, and Finance

3.1 As the CCDAis about to embark on a significant workload, it will need to recruit new skills (communications, fundraising, report writing, contract management, etc) into the team.

3.2 The CCDAand GAA- it is encouraging to see the ongoing dialogue between both these groups in Corofin. Potential funders and strategic partners like GCC and GRD will welcome practical cooperation and view the sharing of skills and resources as progress. The sharing of community employment schemes between both parties is acknowledged.

3.3 Ongoing fundraising to include new initiatives will be necessary to continue the development of Canon Oliver Hughes Park. Many grant schemes require matching contributions from the grant applicant.

3.4 There appears to be little community desire to establish enterprises such as a regular food market, community garden sales or micro tourism / recreational business.

3.5 There exists a good working relationship between the community and statutory partners like the Council and Galway Rural Development Co. There is public sector goodwill towards Corofin and an appreciation for the work already completed.

3.6 There is a need for the CCDAto visit other progressive community enterprises to review best practices and investigate potential areas for development. The learning and networking opportunities would be considerable.