North Kerry, West Limerick: Smart Villages, Stronger Communities: Project Closing Events
The ‘North Kerry, West Limerick: Smart Villages, Stronger Communities’ project is an initiative jointly led by North, East and West Kerry Development (NEWKD) and West Limerick Resources (WLR) in association with KPMG Future Analytics and University College Dublin. The project addresses the unique challenges facing Ireland’s rural regions today. With support under the Rural Development (LEADER) Programme 2014-2020, this project aims to unlock innovative new solutions for the sustainable growth and development of rural communities within the North Kerry – West Limerick region.
The Smart Villages, Stronger Community Project was publicly launched in September 2021 with the “Co-Developing Smart Villages – Towards Stronger Rural Communities” event. The central objective of the project is the co-development of an integrated plan for the North Kerry, West Limerick region. This will be supported by the development of 25 local community plans.
The project is now in its final stage and will conclude with two closing events in January 2023. These are as follows:
- Webinar – “Smart Villages – Promoting Rural Action”
Date: 11/01/23
Time: 18.30 – 19.45
Where: Online (via Zoom)
The webinar will explore what the concept of ‘smart villages’ means in practice; its growing relevance within a “post-COVID” context; and how it can apply within rural Ireland and specifically within the context of the North Kerry, West Limerick region. Speakers will include Dympna Harney (Department of Rural and Community Development) and Jamie Cudden (Leader of Dublin City Council’s Smart City Programme and the ‘Smart Dublin’ Initiative).
- In person Launch Event – “North Kerry, West Limerick: Smart Villages, Stronger Communities – Launching the Plan”
Date: 18/01/23
Time: 18.30 – 20.30
Where: The Listowel Arms Hotel, Listowel, County Kerry
This event will present findings from the ‘North Kerry, West Limerick: Smart Villages, Stronger Communities’ project and will launch the regional and local plans developed as part of this process. It will also highlight important ongoing initiatives and projects across the North Kerry and West Limerick region which present further potential opportunities for the roll out of the smart villages project. Speakers will include Veronica O’ Connor (Failte Ireland); Paraic Rattigan (Shannon Estuary Economic Taskforce); and Liam Cronin (RDI Hub).
To register for either or both events please visit: https://nkwlsmartvillages.ie/events-calendar/