Ireland Reaching Out – Information Evening

West Cork Development Partnership will host an information evening on the Ireland Reaching Out Programme in the Parkway Hotel, Dunmanway on Wednesday October 10^th at 7.30pm. Offering an opportunity for individuals and communities to learn how they can get involved and benefit from the initiative, the event is free of charge and open to all.

Ireland Reaching Out is an Irish government sponsored initiative established to connect people of Irish heritage abroad with the parish where their ancestors originated from in Ireland. Following a pilot initiative in South-East Galway, communities around the country are now being encouraged to get involved and learn how it can help benefit their local heritage, history and economy.

Henry Healy from Ireland Reaching out Headquarters will be on hand on the evening to talk about the pilot initiative and explore the steps which West Cork communities would need to take to become involved. The initiative entails tracing and recording all the people who left local parishes and seeking out their living descendants worldwide. Those identified or recognised as persons of Irish heritage or affiliation are then invited to become part of a new extended Irish society thereby offering an opportunity to boost tourism and bring economic benefit to the area. “This is an untapped market and the Programme will assist local communities in connecting with their diaspora abroad”, says Henry.

Full training will be provided to all parishes taking part and will look at topics such as Genealogy, Local Built and Natural Heritage as well as biodiversity. Parishes taking part will also be supported to develop meet and greet teams to act as the first point of contact for visitors to the area and to organise events for its returning Diaspora.

This information session is an opportunity of individuals and communities to learn more about the initiative as well as for organisers to assess local interest in getting involved. The event is free of charge and open to all. For more information contact Linda or Katie @ 023 8834035 or linda @ wcdp.ie or katie @ wcdp.ie.