Minister Cowen announces almost €1.5 million for Reconciliation Groups (Part III - Recipients)

The Integrated Education Fund aims to provide a financial foundation for the development and growth of integrated education in Northern Ireland. Current activities include support for schools seeking to transform to integrated status; the growth of Integrated Pre-School units; and new parents’ groups seeking to provide an integrated service in areas where there is no such provision.
Allocated: €20,000

The Irish Association, which was established in 1938, is a voluntary organisation which seeks to address issues that affect Ireland, North and South. The association’s principal aims include promotion of communication, understanding and cooperation in the fields of cultural, economic and social relations. Allocated: €10,000

The central aim of The Irish Peace Institute (Limerick) is to promote understanding and mutual respect amongst people in Ireland, North and South. This allocation will fund the institute’s ‘people2people’ programme, which focuses on improving cross-border and cross-community understanding through a series of activities.
Allocated: €40,000

Lartigue Monorail Restoration (Co. Kerry) is a community, voluntary organisation, who plan to reconstruct the Lartigue Monorail, with the help and advice of Downpatrick Railway Society (Co. Down), who have undertaken a similar project. Through this project, they hope to promote cross-border and cross-community relationships. Allocated: € 30,000

The Limerick International Band Festival places special emphasis on developing cross-border activities and encouraging bands from various traditions in Northern Ireland to visit Limerick. Allocated: €2,500

The Linen Hall Library (Belfast) aims to increase knowledge and understanding, both locally and internationally, by collecting, curating and providing access to an historic library and cultural centre with unique strengths in Irish and local studies. Allocated: €25,000

The founding aim of the Maiden City Festival was to reduce the potential for violence at Apprentice Boys of Derry events by creating a better understanding of Protestant culture in the different communities. The Committee aims to reach out to the entire community, promoting goodwill and tolerance and works towards a shared city. Allocated: €40,000

Moy Circle of Friends is run by a group of women working together to bring a sense of community in a rural area where the Protestant community, to which they belong, feel marginalised. Allocated: €2,000 Newhill Youth and Community Centre in West Belfast aims to meet the economic, educational and social needs of the local residents. Current activities include addiction support, a dance school, outreach programmes, a cultural programme and an after-schools club. The group has been awarded funding for cross-community dance workshops, in which groups of young people from both communities in Belfast will participate. Allocated: €15,000

The New Ireland Group (Co. Antrim) seeks to achieve equitable and participatory forms of government and promotes the right of free expression of all cultures and traditions within Ireland. The Group has been awarded funding for a publication, which aims to stimulate debate on ways to achieve a lasting peace on the island of Ireland. Allocated: €1,500

Established in 1984, the Northern Ireland Trade Union Educational and Social Centre Ltd. (Belfast) provides a neutral venue that aims to promote the interests of both communities through education, training, representation and counselling. The group works with ex-political prisoners from both communities in an anti-sectarian programme. Allocated: €45,000

North West Rural Development Co. Ltd. facilitates focus meetings between women’s groups in Donegal and the Ballybeen Women’s Centre from loyalist East Belfast. They also deliver a leadership programme for community leaders. The group has been awarded funding for a cross-border training project aimed at rural women from the Coleraine, Limavady, Derry and Inishowen areas. Allocated: €15,000

The Parishes of Ballyroan / Drumcee bring children from Drumcree, Portadown to Ballyroan, Co. Dublin during the marching season, in order to foster understanding and friendship between the two groups and to remove children who are at risk during this sensitive time. Allocated: €1,250

P.E.A.C.E. - Prayer, Enterprise and Christian Effort - (Co. Cork) promotes peace and reconciliation in Ireland through religious, cultural and youth events. Funding is being granted for their ‘International Song Contest for Peace’ event, which attracts entrants from all over the world and brings people together in music and song. Allocated: €2,500

This Shankill / Shankill Project brings together young people from different backgrounds to discuss and learn about their cultural identity. Currently, the Project works with 15 different schools; 6 in Belfast, and 9 in Dublin and North Wicklow. Allocated: €20,000

Established in 1991, the Short Strand Community Forum (Belfast) has community development at the heart of its agenda. The centre provides a refuge for the community during the summer months, when tensions can be high in this area. Allocated: €15,000

The aim of the Somme Association (Newtownards) is to educate people about the contribution made by Irish people who have died in international conflict.
Allocated: €20,000

S.P.R.I.N.G. Trust Ltd. contributes to reconciliation in the Armagh and border areas by focusing on educational and confidence building programmes for youth and women in marginalised areas. Allocated: €25,000

The Tim Parry/Jonathan Ball Trust is recognised as a leading organisation that helps young people to develop a better understanding of the nature and causes of conflict and equips them with peace building skills. Funding is being granted for a youth exchange project involving young people from Warrington and Ireland. Allocated: €30,000

The Tipperary Peace Convention was established in 1983 with the aim of promoting peace and reconciliation through music, dialogue, discussion and debate. The Convention’s allocation will help fund the Tipperary Festival of Peace.
Allocated: €2,000

The Department of Access and Educational Partnerships at the University of Ulster is dedicated to the provision of educational opportunities for marginalized individuals and groups and their ‘Step-Up Programme’ provides an opportunity for pupils from disadvantaged areas within the loyalist community to gain access to, and complete degree level programmes. Allocated: €50,000

Established in 1997, the West Belfast Partnership Board is a representative agency drawn from the community, voluntary, public, private and statutory sectors. The aim of this particular project is “to contribute to building a common social and economic regeneration agenda on a Belfast, cross-border and east-west, Irish-British basis”.
Allocated: €70,000

Based in Ballincollig, Co. Cork, the Westgate Foundation aims to promote relationships between North and South. The group is currently involved in North/South exchanges between Cork, Derry, Belfast and Donegal; a Peace and Reconciliation conference and a counselling programme. Allocated: €25,000

Youth Action N.I. (Derry) is a voluntary youth organisation, which helps young people, by enabling them to become active and equal citizens through personal, creative, cultural, social and political development. Allocated: €20,000


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