Muintir na Tíre on the frontline of rural battle
From rural electrification to the fights for broadband and against rural crime, Muintir has been a key ally to many for generations, its members tell
IN Michael Shiel’s book A Quiet Revolution, he calls the electrification of Ireland’s countryside “the greatest social and economic revolution in rural Ireland since the Land War.”
In 1947 Muintir na Tíre, an up-and-coming rural empowerment organisation, was a key driver in encouraging communities to take part in the new rural electrification scheme.
Now over 70 years later, Muintír na Tire CEO Niall Garvey says he won’t accept the popular opinion that rural Ireland is dead or dying and feels that the organisation can play a huge part leading another social revolution in the region.
Muintir na Tíre has been in existence since 1937 and has over 200 community councils operating in virtually every parish in the country. These councils are involved in setting up community crèches and playgrounds and work in conjunction with the Gardaí in sending vital community text alerts.
Neil says that these text alerts offer a lifeline to those who are vulnerable or fearful of rural crime.
“The community text reduces fear for elderly people or those who are vulnerable, even if they are on their own they will be aware of what is happening,” says Neil.
“At times I think there is a fear of crime in rural Ireland rather than a fear of actual crime. In reality crime in rural areas here is much less than in other countries, but if someone doesn’t have a neighbour when they read about high-profile violent crimes of someone being tied up or beaten, they often think: ‘that could be me’.
“Some people in communities do sleep with bolts on the door and with a shotgun by their bed because if intruders get in to their house, at least they won’t get them in their room.”
In October, Muintir na Tíre president Mike Sweeney, an agricultural consultant based in Kilross, Co Tipperary, told the Oireachtas Justice Committee that crime gangs use drones to target rural areas.
He told the Farming Independent that crime gangs are “better financed and are better equipped” than the Gardaí and that’s why they outsmart them.
“Communities are in constant fear of professional criminals who are targeting rural areas. These criminals are better financed and better equipped than the Gardaí and have the latest technology,” he points out.
In an effort to reduce the fear of crime that is felt by many in rural Ireland and to help give isolated people a sense of belonging, Muintir na Tíre have developed an app called Cairde which is running in three pilot areas in Wexford, Cork and Kildare.
The app involves every member having a cairde on their phones which is a group of people who have agreed to come to your aid if there is an emergency.
The app also allows unlimited messages to be sent to your cairde or community group. A panic button feature can also be pressed to alert the cairde or Gardaí when a person is in danger and needs help.
Suckler farmer and poultry producer Paddy Byrne is a Muintir na Tíre member in Askamore, Co Wexford where Cairde is being trialled. He says the app is making people feel safer in their own homes and feels that it could be rolled out to other areas in the future.
Askamore member Helen Kearney adds that since the recent trial began: “We have been able to use Cairde to post about social events, upcoming trips, electrical outages, fallen trees, classes and courses, and new transport services within our area.
“This has been a great way for us to ensure that everyone in our area knows what’s happening and that we have
MUINTIR NA TÍRE IS ALL ABOUT EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES SO IF THERE WAS ANY WAY WE COULD HELP WITH BROADBAND, WE WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING