EVERY TIME A son or daughter cannot build a home in the community where they grew up, rural Ireland loses something.

It loses another family from the parish. Another child from the local primary school.

Another customer for the village shop. Another player for the GAA club.

In my previous life as a Kilkenny hurler and camogie coach, and now as Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Rural Affairs, I have met countless young people who are not asking for anything extraordinary.

They simply want the opportunity to build a home on family land, close to their parents, grandparents and neighbours. They want to raise their own children in the same parish, send them to the local school and see them wear the colours of the local club. In Gaeltacht communities, they want to pass on the Irish language as a living language, rooted in the place they call home.

Communities bring cohesion

As someone whose life has been shaped by the GAA, I know that communities like these are built by people long before they are built by bricks and mortar.

The GAA tells the story better than any statistic.

Every weekend, volunteers coach underage teams, cut grass, wash jerseys, organise fundraisers and mentor young players. They also sit on school boards, lead community groups, organise festivals and support neighbours in times of need. They are the quiet strength of rural Ireland.

Volunteers do not appear by accident. They come from families who have the opportunity to stay.

Alamy Stock Photo........

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