Active Retirement Ireland

02/06/2026

Members Pat and Marie of Edmund Rice ARA in Co. Waterford recently presented Waterford Hospice with a donation of €1000 from their ARA fundraiser in October. Well done Pat, Marie and all the ARA members 👏👏👏

02/06/2026

Members of the Active Virginians ARA in Co. Cavan enjoyed a wonderful outing to Castletown House in Celbridge in May, with lunch afterwards in the Abbey Lodge where the food was delicious food and the staff were very friendly and helpful.

01/06/2026

A group of 36 Templemore ARA members enjoyed a fabulous three-night break in Wexford recently, traveling with McGinley Coach Travel. The trip included a visit to Arboretum in Carlow, Johnstown Castle, the Dunbrody Famine Ship and the John F. Kennedy Arboretum where the group also made sure to head up to the lookout point where the view was spectacular. Of course, there was plenty of time in their busy schedule for retail therapy too!

Templemore ARA in Co. Tipperary has been operating since 2004 and has around 90 members. The ARA meets every second Wednesday, where their varied activities and events include information sessions with speakers on health issues and services and supports available in their area, exercise classes, games, bingo and table quizzes. At other times during the week some of the members attend computer and phone classes, craft and stitching groups, art classes and bodhrain and ukulele classes. Some members also get together to attend their local gym for circuit training and the ARA also has a weekly games of whist. Recently, this busy and very community engaged ARA organised an Alzheimer’s Tea Day, raising €2000 for The Alzheimer Society of Ireland.

31/05/2026

Active Retirement Ireland are delighted to announce that we have been awarded €7,500 under the Department of Foreign Affairs' Communicating Europe Initiative (CEI) 2026 programme.

This marks ARI's third consecutive year participating in the initiative and creating opportunities for older people to engage with European issues and have their voices heard.

On Friday, representatives from Active Retirement Ireland attended the official launch of the 2026 Communicating Europe Initiative. The announcement was made by Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee TD and Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Thomas Byrne TD at Citywise Education in Tallaght, a youth education organisation reflecting the community-centred spirit of the initiative.

As part of the event, attendees were shown a short film highlighting Active Retirement Ireland's 2025 CEI project, featuring ARI National President Mai Quaid, Newbridge ARA Chairperson Brian Newman and ARI Head of Policy & Advocacy Alison Bough reflecting on the importance of ensuring older people's voices are included in discussions about Europe's future.

The CEI supports projects that deepen public awareness of the European Union and encourage participation in discussions about Europe's future. Our 2026 project will continue to amplify the voices of older people and promote meaningful engagement with EU issues ahead of Ireland's upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Active Retirement Ireland would like to thank the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for their continued support and look forward to building on the success of our previous CEI projects.



Pictured at the launch with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee TD are ARI National President Mai Quaid, Newbridge ARA Chairperson Brian Newman, ARI Head of Policy & Advocacy Alison Bough and ARI National Board Member John Horan.

The government press release is here: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-foreign-affairs/press-releases/communicating-europe-initiative-grants-announced-ahead-of-irish-eu-presidency/

Watch the CEI Video featuring ARI here: https://youtu.be/-r1tJOnRuoY

29/05/2026

👏👏👏 Congratulations and well done to Gerri Gavin, Knocknacarra ARA, and everyone who took part in yesterday's community awareness walk in Galway in support of publicly funded shingles vaccination for older people.

The walk, which took place from the Claddagh Hall to the Circle of Life Garden in Salthill and back, brought together Active Retirement Ireland members and supporters to raise awareness of the need for fair and equitable access to shingles vaccination.

The vaccine is recommended for adults aged 65+, yet it remains available only on a private basis in Ireland, at a cost of almost €500.

The event attracted significant media attention and was featured by TG4 Nuacht, Galway Bay FM and the Galway Advertiser, helping to bring this important issue to a wider audience 🙌

Our campaign continues to grow, with more than 25,000 people now supporting our petition for publicly funded shingles vaccination.

✍️ Sign the petition:
https://activeirl.ie/shingles-vaccine-petition/

27/05/2026

📣Issue 47 of the ARI Members' Newsletter is now available. Read it on our website at https://activeirl.ie/publications/ — and if you'd like to subscribe to receive ARI Members' News direct to your email inbox each month, you can subscribe at https://activeirl.ie/ -newsletter ✅

27/05/2026

REMINDER: Knocknacarra ARA's community support walk to raise awareness of the need for equitable access to shingles vaccination for all people aged 65 and older is tomorrow (Thursday 28 May) from 11am in Salthill Co. Galway ☀️All welcome!

📍 Claddagh Hall to the Circle of Life Garden and return
🕚 Thursday 28 May 2026 at 11am

Contact Gerri Gavin for more information via email at [email protected]

27/05/2026

🎙️Yesterday morning, Active Retirement Ireland’s Head of Policy & Advocacy, Alison Bough, spoke with Hannah Kelly on Kfm Radio Kildare about our campaign for publicly funded shingles vaccination for older people.

The reality is simple: a vaccine recommended for adults aged 65+ is still only available privately in Ireland, at a personal cost of almost €500. For many older people living on fixed incomes, that puts prevention out of reach. Our petition has now passed 25,000 signatures, showing the strength of public support for fair and equitable access to the shingles vaccine.

This campaign is about prevention, independence and ensuring older people are not forced to choose between their health and their finances.

If you are in the Galway area, Knocknacarra ARA is holding a community awareness walk tomorrow in support of fair and accessible access to the shingles vaccine — all are welcome to join!

📍 Claddagh Hall to the Circle of Life Garden and return
🕚 Thursday 28 May 2026 at 11am

Listen back here:
https://www.kfmradio.com/on-air/podcasts/kildare-today1/episode/tuesday-26th-may-2026-hour-2/

with Hannah Kelly

26/05/2026

💣 More than 25,000 people have already signed our shingles vaccine petition calling for fair access to the shingles vaccine for all adults aged 65 and older.

❌A recommended vaccine that is available only to those who can afford to pay privately is not equitable.

✅Have you signed the petition? It takes just two minutes. Join the call, add your name at https://activeirl.ie/shingles-vaccine-petition/

26/05/2026

Congratulations to Dungloe ARA Co. Donegal who celebrated their 20th anniversary on 12 May 🥳 Members began the celebrations with a special mass before heading to their meeting place at Rosses CDP where they unveiled a commemorative bench that will be placed at the shoreline in Dungloe.

Founder members Nuala Campbell and Mary Coll spoke at the event and Chairperson Rory Cleary thanked everybody for their help in making the day so special, in particular member Rosemary Harrison for making the fabulous and very special anniversary cake.