Limerick horse-lovers are hoping that the success of a Dublin-based community stables project can be replicated in the Treaty City.
City North councillor Cian Prendiville (Solidarity) and Anna Gallagher, chairperson of the Horse Education Limerick Project Southside (HELPS) were joined on a visit to Clondalkin in Dublin by young members of the project to see how the community stables there is run.
“We spoke with Brid Farrell, a senior official in the Department of Agriculture who worked with the Clondalkin committee to get the funding for their project and she was very enthusiastic about the prospect of a similar initiative in Limerick,” Cllr Prendiville told the Limerick Post.
Anna Gallagher said that the Clondalkin facility was absolutely amazing.
“It is a place where young people interested in horses can come together, care for their horses, learn more about animal welfare, horse riding, making horse shoes – literally everything about horses.
“It’s fantastic for the young people, but also for the horses who are now safe and secure inside, rather than left wandering the streets. This is precisely what we need in Limerick,” she said.
Cllr Prendiville said that a similar project in Limerick would first require land and then set-up funding from the Department of Agriculture.
“Once a project is up and running, it can become a special enterprise, not a charity. For instance, the Clondalkin group works with organisations such as Jigsaw, the youth mental health organisation. That produces revenue to help keep the project going,” he explained.
“It was excellent to get to talk with officials from the Department of Agriculture about the funding that is available for a project similar to this in Limerick. They were very supportive and enthusiastic.
“What we need now is similar support from Limerick City and County Council. The other councillors are due to visit the Clondalkin project to see it for themselves. Hopefully it can happen soon, so we can get a move on and include this in the council plans for next year.
“If the council is on board and we can find a site, there is funding available from the Department to build the actual facilities and to put a club in place to manage it,” Cllr Prendiville explained.
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