Thirty years of Community Employment celebrated in Enfield

Thirty years of the Community Employment (CE) scheme was celebrated in Enfield last month when a plaque was presented to Brian O'Donoghue of Enfield Tidy Towns to mark the occasion.

The Community Employment scheme was launched in Ireland in 1994 as a crucial tool to address the challenges faced by communities across the country, providing temporary work opportunities to alleviate unemployment while also equipping participants with essential skills, training, and hands-on experience in tandem with supporting local development. CE has been a cornerstone of local development providing vital support, skills, and opportunities in the Enfield community since then.

Under Brian O’Donoghue’s leadership, over the last 30 years nearly 400 people have participated in the Enfield CE Scheme who have all made a significant contribution to Enfield, Rathmolyon, Rathcore and Killlyon. Recently the CE participants transferred over to new CE schemes and are working in Enfield Tidy Towns, Vincents SVP, Enfield GAA, Rathcore and Rathmolyon graveyards, Rathmolyon Village and Killlyon Tidy Towns.

Brian O'Donoghue outlined that the impact the CE Scheme has had on the local communities, including Enfield has been huge. “They’re embedded in a lot of organisations that are there in the community that are providing community services, and people don’t realise that they’re actually there. If you look at sporting clubs or community groups, there is usually someone from the community employment scheme working there. None of these organisations would be able to afford to employ people themselves. It’s playing a vital part in all these organisations. Community employment scheme is the heartbeat of a lot of these local groups.”

Over the last 30 years, there have been a number of board members in the Enfield CE Scheme, but especially the local community wish to acknowledge the leadership of Brian O’Donoghue, Peggy O’Sullivan, David Ferris and the late Patsy Prendergast.

To mark this important milestone, a commemorative plaque was presented to Enfield by Noeleen Madden and Paul McArdle from the Department of Social Protection. Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary also wrote to all CE Schemes and said: “I wish to express my good wishes to your organisation. The CE programme is 30 years in existence and to mark this important milestone, a commemorative plaque is presented to over 810 CE sponsors nationwide.

“Since its inception in 1994, CE has provided many valuable opportunities to participants in the supporting the delivery of key services to our local communities around the country. I recognise and value the benefits that CE Sponsor Organisation bring to our rural and urban communities. The work undertaken nationwide, is a great example of what can be achieved with determination, great community spirit and the pooling of resources”.

While the community employment scheme as we now know it began in Ireland just over 30 years ago, its roots in Enfield goes back further.

Brian O'Donoghue, well known local barber, fisherman and chair of Enfield Tidy Towns recalled how in 1983/1984 Enfield started an ANCO scheme, which was a youth employment scheme that predated CE schemes.

“CE started 30 years ago but before that we had the ANCO scheme where we restored the canal leisure park in Enfield which had all become overgrown,” he explained.

Since then CE workers have continued to work along the canal and with the local tidy towns group but have also been working with the St Vincent de Paul shop and maintaining local graveyards.

Enfield's scheme also took in Rathmolyon Rathcore and Killyon and was managed by the local Enfield committee up to last year when responsibility moved to Balyna Rural Enterprise Development Association based in Johnstownbridge which looks after several schemes in the area and currently has about 40 CE workers.

Over the past thirty years, Brian looked after the workers at the Canal Leisure Park and Enfield Tidy Towns, Peggy O'Sullivan looked after the workers in St Vincent de Paul and David Ferris looked after the workers in Rathmolyon.

“They are a great asset to the place,” said Brian. Without the help of the CE schemes all over the country, there are lots of towns and villages where the council doesn't seem to have the resources to do much maintenance any more so it is down to voluntary groups and the CE schemes to do it.”

Brian has been involved in Enfield Tidy Towns for 42 years and has been cutting hair even longer. Known as Brian the barber, he is due to turn 80 in July but shows no sign of slowing down. “I've been involved in Tidy Towns for 42 years and I've been cutting hair for 65 years,” he said.

Brian told how served his time as a barber in Kilcock in the 1960's and went to London, came back to Dublin and then to Enfield. Although now 79 years of age, he still cuts hair four days a week. “Hair cutting is a hobby I get paid for,” he said.

Brian is involved not just in the tidy towns and with the CE scheme but also with the local fishing club and has been teaching juniors to fish with the club for more than 40 years. He is a founder and President of the Royal Enfield Coarse Angling Club established in 1957.

The club was delighted to launch Meath's first accessible fishing platform last year at the Royal Canal.

“I spent most of my time off volunteering, I enjoy it, its good therapy,” said Brian.