€36,000 in development grants awarded to groups

Over €36,000 in development grants have been awarded to nine youth and community groups across south Dublin.

The Community and Sports Development Grants are awarded by the council on a rolling basis throughout the year to community and voluntary groups who are responding to locally identified needs within their communities.

Ten grants totaling €36,044.20 were approved for nine local groups for sports and community development and for events.

Ballyroan Community and Youth Centre, Bros Pearse AC and Manortown Utd FC were awarded €2,000, €4,500 and €1,500 respectively for equipment costs, while Lucan Festival received €10,000 towards their yearly festival which took place from September 2-7.

Knocklyon Women’s Group received €1,000 for running costs, while North Clondalkin Community Safety Programme and St Finian’s GAA Club were awarded €7,544.20 and €1,000 each towards family fun day events.

Westside Boxing Club received a sports development grant of €2,500 for program delivery, while The Unforgettable Womens Network (TUWN) were awarded two grants: €2,000 for equipment and €4,000 in community events funding for ‘community celebration’.

Director of community Lorna Maxwell also noted that a discretionary grant of €10,000 from the community department budget was also being made to support a special event in Áras Chrónáin, Clondalkin in October “celebrating Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D Higgin’s contribution to Irish language and culture”.

A question was raised in the chamber during the presentation asking for more information on the work done by TUWN and where they were located.

Cllr Emma Murphy asked for more information as she was unfamiliar with the work done by the group, adding that she had done a quick Google search and that she wasn’t “the only councillor” who hadn’t heard of them.

Ms Maxwell, who moved into the director of community role in June of this year, admitted that she herself had just “googling them myself”.

“They have a website, and they are particularly targeting migrant women, in terms of location I need to get further information from you,” she said.

The Unforgettable Women’s Network, according to their website, women-led community network uplifting migrant and minority women through education, leadership, and personal development.

The group appears to be based in Lucan, based on the location of past events they have held and taken part in such as the 2025 Lucan Adamstown Africa Day Celebration and prayer meetings held in the Lucan Spa Hotel.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme