Athlone Sub Aqua club was one of the 235 projects to receive funding.

Hundreds of Westmeath and Roscommon groups share over €300,000 in enhancement funding

A total of 362 community and sports groups in Westmeath and Roscommon are to benefit to the tune of over €320,000 in funding announced this morning under the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP).

Some 235 groups in Westmeath have been allocated total funding of €172,055.70, while in Roscommon 127 groups received a total allocation of €151,685.62.

Moate Town Team is one of the big winners locally, with an allocation of €5,000. Grant allocations in Westmeath varied from €250 up to €5,000, and Moate Town Team was one of only four groups in the county to receive €5,000.

In Roscommon, amounts varied from €151.57 up to €5,261.40.

Some of the groups to benefit locally include Abbey Road Active Retirement, Athlone Family Resource Centre, Athlone River Festival, Athlone Sub Aqua Club, Ballykeeran Tidy Towns Committee, Beechpark West Residents' Association, Garrycastle GAA, Lough Ree Yacht Club, Moate Active Retirement, Willow Park Residents' Association, Monksland Active Retirement Association and Moore Community Games.

The funding announcement was made this morning by Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary and Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development and Charities, Jerry Buttimer.

The LEP 2025 was launched in November 2024 and the €7 million available included €1 million in current funding to support local groups with ongoing running costs.

The funding also provides capital supports for many small community groups and organisations, particularly those who serve disadvantaged areas in rural and urban areas.

This morning's funding announcement was welcomed by Minister of State Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, who pointed out that the Local Enhancement Programme provides capital supports that are essential for many small community groups and organisations.

Minister Moran said: “The programme provides vital support to community groups, allowing them to improve facilities and purchase equipment for community use, aligning with my own priorities of supporting local initiatives in this area.”

“The programme provides small-scale funding for projects which range from purchasing IT equipment to minor renovations to buildings and this year also provides an opportunity to groups to apply for help with their operational costs.”

The Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht’s Local Enhancement Programme 2025 is administered by Local Community Development Committees, with support from the Local Authority, in each area.

A list of the local groups and organisations to receive funding is detailed below. Did your local community group receive funding? See full list of Westmeath recipients here and full list of Roscommon recipients here.

Abbey Road Active Retirement Athlone €475

An Grianan Golden Years Group Mount Temple €780

AC Juvenile Athlone €780

Athlone Community Development Association€780

Athlone Community Radio Athlone €780

Athlone Family Resource Centre €465

Athlone Foróige €780

Athlone GAA club Athlone €780

Athlone Photography Club €780

Athlone River Festival €780

Athlone River Safety Awareness Group €780

Athlone Samaritans €780

Athlone Sub Aqua Club €780

Athlone Tidy Towns CLG €780

ATK Community Centre Ltd €780

Ave Maria Park Residents Association Moate €780

Ballinahowen Community Development €780

Ballykeeran Tidy Towns Committee €780

Ballymore Badminton Club €465

Ballymore Bowls Club €475

Ballymore Community Centre €780

Ballymore GAA Club €475

Ballymore Men's Shed €780

Battery Heights Residents Association Athlone €465

Baylin Development and Residents Group €780

Beechpark West Residents Association €780

Bloomfield Drive Residents Association €780

Brawny Community Group €465

Buccaneers Rugby Football Club €780

Castledaly Ladies and Gentlemen Active Age Group €780

Clara Road Residents Association Moate €780

Coillin Búi Residents Association Moate €540

Community Growers The Happy Patch Athlone €780

Connaught Traders and Environs €780

Esker Park Residents Association Athlone €780

Garrycastle GAA €465

Glasson Tubberclaire Community Group€465

Goldsmiths LGFA Athlone €465

Horseleap Streamstown Community Association Streamstown €780

Horseleap Streamstown ICA Streamstown €780

Horseleap Tidy Village Horseleap €465

Westmeath Independent People with Disabililties Athlone €460

Killare Graveyard Committee Moate €780

Lough Ree Yacht Club Athlone €780

Market Hill Residence Association Ballymore €780

Maryland GAA Club Drumraney €475

Maryland Tang GAA Tang €475

Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu International Athlone €475

Midland Amenity Park CLG t/a Dún na Sí Amenity and Heritage Park Moate €780

Midlands LGBT+ Project/ YWI Laois Athlone €780

Midlands Photography Club Athlone €780

Midlands Polish Community CLG Athlone €780

Moate Active Retirement €465

Moate Community Youth & Sports Association €780

Moate Men's Shed €780

Moate Performing & Visual Arts Club €465

Moate Railway Group €780

Moate St Patrick's Day Parade €780

Moate Tennis Club €475

Moate Tidy Towns €780

Moate Town Team Moate €5,000

Mount Carmel Residents Assocation Moate €600

Mount Temple Community Hall Development Committee €780

Mount Temple Holy Trinity Graveyard Group €780

Rosemount Community Centre Committee €780

Rosemount Tidy Village €780

Sarsfield Square Residents Association €595

South Westmeath Ukrainian Representatives Group Athlone €780

Southern Gaels Hurling and Camogie Club Athlone €780

St Joseph's GAA Club Streamstown €475

St Joseph's Ladies Football Club Streamstown €475

St Mary's Community Employment Scheme CLG Athlone €780

St Owen's Restoration Group Ballymore €465

Streamstown Horseleap Community Games €780

Streamstown Playground Committee €780

Streamstown Tidy Village €780.

Tang Muintir Community Council Ltd €780

The Old Athlone Society Athlone €465

Tubberclare Local Action Group €390

Tuesday Club Moate €780

Willow Park Residents Association Athlone €700

Athleague Castlecoote Community Development CLG Athleague €261.40

Athleague Community Centre Athleague €261.40

Athleague Tidy Towns & Development Association Athleague €261.40

Drum Heritage Group Drum €261.40

Dysart Community Centre Dysart €261.40

Infinity Friends CLG Thomastown €1,025.82

Knockcroghery St John's Rahara Community Games €181.41

Monksland Active Retirement Association €261.40

Monksland Community CLG Monksland €261.40

Monksland United Football Club Monksland €261.40

Moore Community Council Moore €261.40

Moore Community Games Moore €156.84

Moore Scouts 5th Roscommon Moore €261.40

Naomh Dominic Knockcroghery €261.40

Rahara Rovers F.C. Rahara €261.40

Rinn Dúin Youth Club Rahara €261.40

Skyvalley Rovers Football Club Taughmaconnell €261.40

St Brigid's GAA Club Kiltoom €261.40

St John's Athletic Lecarrow €261.40

St John's Community Centre Lecarrow €261.40

St Brigid's Handball Club Curraghboy €261.40