PICTURES: new action plan sets out roadmap to strengthen Ballymahon's social fabric

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Longford County Council has launched a UR Impact Integrated Action Plan for Ballymahon, setting out a roadmap to strengthen social infrastructure, tackle isolation and improve connections across the town.

The plan emerged from two and a half years of work under the UR Impact project, an URBACT Action Planning Network that brought together local residents, stakeholders and council representatives to place community needs at the centre of urban regeneration.

Through extensive engagement, the URBACT Local Group identified a vision: to create an environment where all sectors of the community feel part of the town and to support sustainable, community-led development with robust governance.

Four goals underpin the plan:

• Develop a community-aligned governance structure to support project delivery and management
• Provide spaces for older people to socialise, engage and contribute meaningfully
• Create a town where young people are supported through high-quality services and welcoming spaces
• Improve connections within Ballymahon

Priority actions include establishing a Men's Shed and bringing Foróige Youth Services to the town. 

An initial community event held at Bridgeway’s Family Resource Centre on November 20 last brought together representatives from Men's Sheds in Granard, Killoe and Edgeworthstown to share their experiences with local men interested in starting a shed in Ballymahon. 

Students from Mercy Secondary School and Ballymahon Vocational School met with Foróige Youth Services Coordinator Dawn Gorman to explore opportunities for youth services.

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Cllr Garry Murtagh said, "This plan demonstrates what happens when we genuinely listen to communities and act on what matters to them. The Men's Shed movement has changed lives across County Longford, and our young people need spaces where they can flourish. These aren't distant aspirations – this is a practical framework that will strengthen the foundations of Ballymahon."

Chief Executive of Longford County Council, Paddy Mahon said, "The Integrated Action Plan represents a fundamental shift in how we approach urban regeneration. By placing social, economic and environmental wellbeing at the core, we're building something that will endure. The engagement and energy shown by Ballymahon residents gives me confidence that this plan will deliver meaningful, lasting change."

The Integrated Action Plan for Ballymahon is available to download from the Longford County Council website. 

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme