€100,000 Awarded to Newmarket Sports & Leisure for Island Wood Trail Resurfacing

Newmarket will benefit from €100,000 in funding to resurface the trail at Island Wood as part of a nationwide €12.3 million investment in rural communities announced today.

Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, has announced funding for 206 community projects under the 2025 CLÁR programme. The scheme supports areas that have experienced significant depopulation by providing small-scale capital funding for community facilities and amenities.

The Newmarket Sports & Leisure project is among eight highlighted examples from across the country, demonstrating the type of community infrastructure being supported through the programme.

Dara Calleary, Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht:

"The CLÁR programme continues to provide vital support in some of our most remote rural areas. These projects help build strong resilient and vibrant communities through the enhancement of existing community facilities and the provision of new amenities to support young and old across a range of services."

The minister noted that today's announcement brings total CLÁR funding for 2025 to €14 million, the highest allocation since the scheme was reintroduced in 2016.

The CLÁR programme targets parts of 23 counties across Ireland, including Cork, that have experienced significant levels of depopulation. Funding is delivered through three measures: developing community facilities and amenities, transport for mobility and community services, and support for living islands.

Full details of all 206 funded projects are available on the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht website.