AT the launch of Mountbellew ‘Smart Village’ last week were Senator Aisling Dolan, Steve Dolan (CEO, Galway Rural Development), Anne-Marie Cunningham (Mountbellew District Development Association), Tracey Noone (Chairperson, MDDA), Maria Walsh MEP, Marylin Fleming (MDDA), Sean Broderick (RSS/Tús Manager, GRD), Cllr Michael Connolly, and Conor Carty (Leader Manager, GRD).

Mountbellew gets smart

Another thumbs up for new university town

Mark Walsh

Published: Fri 19 Nov 2021, 2:25 PM

MOUNTBELLEW has been given several boosts of late and being chosen as the prime Galway area for the ‘Smart Villages’ programme is another fill up for the town and the people that live in it.

Last week, Galway Rural Development (GRD) confirmed that Mountbellew had been given the go ahead to avail of the range of services that will be provided as part of the nationwide and EU-driven initiative.

A fine crowd had gathered in the Mountbellew Pastoral Centre last month to discuss the possibility of receiving selection for the Smart Villages scheme.

Maria Walsh MEP was in the town to welcome the announcement. The Shrule native had her picture taken beside the famous Bobbyjo statue in the square, along with Moylough man and Fianna Fáil Councillor Michael Connolly, Aisling Dolan, Fine Gael Senator for Roscommon-Galway, and members of the Mountbellew District Development Association (MDDA) and GRD.

Mountbellew will be one of 16 districts across Ireland in the national Smart Villages plan. GRD, Kilkenny Leader Partnership and IRD Duhallow (Cork) have joined forces to roll it out across the island.

The MDDA and the local Galway Telework Group will administer the services in the town alongside GRD.

Read the full story in this week's edition of The Tuam Herald, on sale in shops and online www.tuamherald.ie