Limerick town going ‘creative places’ with award honour

KILFINANE is celebrating the beginnings of an Arts Council Creative Places Research and Development Award for the community.

The town is one of two recipients of this award, issued by the Arts Council in 2024, and the first in County Limerick.

Creative Places Kilfinane is led by Ballyhoura Development CLG, who, alongside a creative practitioner, will implement “a participative community-led research and development project in the months ahead, encouraging open access to great art in our community, a new understanding and appreciation of the work of artists, and a deep understanding of the myriad of tangible benefits the arts bring to us all for connection, integration, participation and sense of place”.

They hope to build on the work of the community organisations and events that already take place in the area, including Hearsay International Audio Festival, Kilfinane Community Council, Ballyhoura Comhaltas (CCE), the Old Chapel Rooms, the Kilfinane Traditional Skills and Arts and Crafts group, the Ballyhoura Bears and Ballyhoura Walking Festival and the newly established conversation club. 

Padraig Casey, CEO of Ballyhoura Development said, "We are thrilled to receive this Creative Places Research and Development Award from Arts Council Ireland. Ballyhoura Development is committed to integrating socially engaged and collaborative arts practice across our strategic approach to community development".

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Etain McCooey, Limerick city and county arts officer, “proudly supports the award and Ballyhoura Development CLG in development of a plan for Kilfinane that can create a dynamic and vibrant sustainable artistic and creative community in the Ballyhoura region that both serves and is supported by all in the community” 

Ballyhoura Development thanked and acknowledged the community of Kilfinane and “looks forward to working with the community and the Arts Council in the months to come”.