14 New Cottage Markets To Open Across Ireland
14 new Cottage Markets are set to open in towns across the country this year as a result of the ‘Cottage Market’ initiative unveiled by GIY and supported by The Ireland Funds. The 14 new market locations are in addition to the 15 markets already established by the initiative in 2017. And today, GIY is calling on locals and visitors alike to visit their local market for the 2018 ‘Love Your Local Market’ campaign which takes place over a fortnight in May & throughout the year to celebrate and support local markets.
In February of this year, community groups from across the country were invited to apply to the initiative for funding in order to establish and run their very own Cottage Market. 14 groups have been successful in their applications and they were awarded a tailor-made training programme by GIY, which provided them with the skills they need in order to firmly place fresh homegrown and homemade food back into the hearts of their communities. Each group will also receive funding towards marketing, insurance and set up equipment costs.
Pictured is GIY community manager Karen O’Donohoe as GIY announce 14 new Cottage Markets are set to open in towns across the country this year as a result of the ‘Cottage Market’ initiative unveiled by GIY and supported by The Ireland Funds. The locations include Dublin, Offaly, Wicklow, Cork, Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim, Galway, Limerick and County Wexford. For further details see http://thecottagemarket.ie/
The Cottage Market days in May are St. Anne’s Park, Dublin, and Monaghan Town on May 4th; Kilmallock Cottage Market, West Cavan Cottage Market and Newbridge Cottage Market on May 5th, along with Drogheda Cottage Market on May 7th; Kildorrery Cottage Market, on May 12th and Caherline Cottage Market in Limerick on May 13th.
The fourteen new market locations set to establish themselves over the summer of 2018 include Goleen in Cork, three markets in county Dublin, one on Bridgefoot Street, one in Crumlin and one in Clonsilla Village, Moneygall in Offaly, Glenealy in County Wicklow, Leamlara and Cobh in County Cork, Castlebar in Mayo, Strokestown in Roscommon, Dowra in Leitrim and a market in Gort in County Galway and in Castleconnell in County Limerick plus a new market in Wexford Town.
Commenting at the announcement of the 14 new Cottage Market’s GIY’s Head of Community Development Karen O’Donohoe said, “We are delighted to help start 14 brand new Cottage Markets across the country this summer. It’s so impressive to read the applications and hear the enthusiasm and vision of the communities behind them. The continued interest in growing, creating and selling local produce again proves that communities are keen to participate in initiatives which offer them independence around the production and provision of local food. It is fantastic to now have 30 Cottage Markets led by these hugely inspirational communities established in Ireland.”
According to GIY a Cottage Market differs from a Farmer’s Market concept in that it is all about bringing hobbyists and amateur producers from a local area together to showcase their often hidden skills and talents in areas such growing, sewing or baking.
In 2017, the initiative supported the establishment of the first 15 Cottage Markets for the first time in the country with many of these markets being the catalyst of at least 16 new enterprises across Ireland over the last 12 months. For further details on each of the existing Cottage Markets see http://thecottagemarket.ie
