Study Visit Ireland 2016
Lifelong Learning's Community Development MA group have just returned from a diploma level study visit to Ireland. The week long visit was a great success with excellent speakers, community and student engagement.
After a gap of some 5 years since our last visit, it was interesting to see the impact of the crash and subsequent austerity on community organisations, communities of interest as well as geographic communities. Despite recent economic growth in Ireland, the distribution is very unequal and the gaps between socio-economic groupings are growing ever wider; communities were ever hopeful and active but often struggling.
TASC and Maynooth University staff provided us with both an introduction and conclusion to our exploration of the relationship between regional and community development in Wales and Ireland. Our thanks go to the Gaeltachta and Galway communities, the communities of county Offaly and all the organisations who met and guided us.
The next study visit is certificate level and in the south Wales valleys.
Related documents:
Publication date: 27 April 2016