Westmeath Community Development

Audience and Performers at night of Music, Song and Dance

Ballynacargy Parish Hall came alive with the stories, music, dances and songs of Westmeath last Wednesday night (15^th) for the first event of the Westmeath Rural Arts Initiative. The Night of Music, Story and Song was organised by volunteers and the performers and the audience were drawn from all of the local communities of Streete, Rathowen, Bunbrosna, Ballinalack, Rathconrath, Ballynacargy, Emper, Sonna, Lismacaffrey, Multyfarnham, Ballinafid, Ballymore, Milltown, and surrounding areas.

Thanks were expressed to the Parish for the use of the hall and the M.C. was local woman Eleanor McHugh who introduced the wide variety of talent from the area.

Ballynacargy Community Singing Group

The initiative is supported by Westmeath Community Development Limited through the Rural Development (LEADER) Programme 2007-2013 and seeks to empower the local communities to work together to promote arts and cultural events and activities. The project is being facilitated by Rural Arts Network facilitator, Conor O’Leary.

It is hoped that a wide variety of arts and cultural events and activities will be organised as part of the initiative and already various events have been suggested including touring theatre, drama workshops, youth music workshops, film, art exhibitions and classes, etc.

The next meeting for the project is provisionally scheduled for Tuesday, January 12^th at 7.30p.m. in Milltown Community Centre and all will be welcome on the night including those who haven’t attended any previous events or meetings.

Any monies generated from events will be put towards the cost of organising future arts and cultural events in the local communities over the coming months as part of the Westmeath Rural Arts Initiative.

If you have any event ideas, or wish to be added to the networks mailing list, you can contact the project co-ordinator, Conor O'Leary at (087) 9048095 or by e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


Local musicans in full flow during the night

Supported by Westmeath Community Development under the Rural Development (LEADER) Programme 2007-2013.