Longford Roma and New Communities Project

03/09/2026

24/08/2026

Last Wednesday, we had the privilege of bringing some of our young people on a day trip. These young people played a huge part in our Roma Day celebrations, which took place in April, so it was lovely to bring them away for the day.

We started at the Ombudsman for Children’s Office, where the young people learned about their rights and the role of the Ombudsman. They also had the opportunity to discuss some of the issues that are important to them. A special thank you to Shauna and Brianna for hosting such an enjoyable and informative session.

Afterwards, we headed to Explorium, where everyone had great fun trying out the different science activities, experiencing virtual reality and conquering their fears on the climbing wall!

A big thank you to the Ombudsman for Children’s Office and Explorium for welcoming us. Thank you also to all of the young people who took part. We were delighted to have you with us and really hope you enjoyed the day! 💙💚❤️


LCRL - Longford Community Resources clg
County Longford Youth Service
Empowering Communities Project Longford
Longford Volunteer Centre

19/08/2026

🌟 Join us for Ardnacassa Community Day! 🌟

A day of fun, friendship, and community spirit awaits! 🎈

Come along and enjoy: ⚽ Sports & Games
🎨 Face Painting
🍦 Ice Cream Treats
🎵 Music & Entertainment
🤝 A chance to connect with neighbours and friends

📅 25th August 2026
⏰ 1pm - 3pm
📍 Ardnacassa Community House, 4 Palace Crescent, Longford (N39 A4W9)

✨ We can't wait to see you there!

Empowering Communities Project Longford

13/08/2026

🎬 Autonomous Community Work in Action 🎬

As part of the Community Development Programme Network, Longford Roma and New Communities CDP, we are delighted to share this powerful new film which was developed collaboratively by the ten Community Development Projects across Ireland.

The film captures what autonomous community work looks like in practice; supporting meaningful participation, building collective action and challenging unequal power structures. Most importantly, it centres the voices, experiences and leadership of the communities themselves.

We are especially proud that our International Roma Day celebration in Longford features in the film, reflecting the strength, culture, participation and collective action of our local Roma community.

We invite community groups, organisations, services and everyone who stands in solidarity with Roma communities and the wider Community Development Programme to watch the film and share it through their networks.

https://youtu.be/wSgeYWJ28kE?si=GDHk02swbSss4nFF


LCRL - Longford Community Resources clg
Empowering Communities Project Longford
County Longford Youth Service
Longford Volunteer Centre
Local Development Companies Network
Community Work Ireland

Developed collaboratively with the ten CDPs, the film was made with...

29/07/2026

🌟 Fantastic Opportunity for Roma Young People! 🌟

Are you committed to challenging anti-Roma narratives and antigypsyism in Ireland?

ERGO Network and ternYpe - International Roma Youth Network are inviting young Roma people to participate in a Study Session in Budapest, Hungary, where they will have the opportunity to become a Youth Ambassador for the Decade Against Antigypsyism.

✈️ The full cost of the trip will be covered.

To take part, applicants should:

Be aged between 18 and 30
Have a good level of English
Be committed to promoting Roma rights and challenging antigypsyism

This is a brilliant opportunity to meet other Roma young people, build leadership skills and contribute to positive change across Europe.
If you have any questions you can contact me Amy on 087 168 5307


County Longford Youth Service
Roscommon Youth Service
Roma Ennis Kilrush

07/07/2026

LCRL - Longford Community Resources clg and Longford Roma and New Communities CDP would like to congratulate Michael Reilly Social Innovation Officer with Longford Sports Partnership on his recent award for Young Thinker of the Year.

We here at Longford Roma and New Communities CDP are very proud of this collaborative programme.

The "Strong Women" Roma Women’s programme was a 12-week pilot programme which aimed to reduce the barriers to participation in sport and exercise faced by Roma women.

Roma women identified the barriers they faced, shared their ideas, and co-designed the 12-week exercise programme to ensure it reflected their needs, interests, and lived experiences.

This project highlights the role that community development plays in engaging with marginalised communities, building relationships and trust within a community which then allows for wider inclusive collaborations to address social exclusion for marginalised and disadvantaged communities.

Longford Roma & New Communities Commmunity Development Project is looking forward to future collaborations that support and empower marginalised communities in County Longford

Well done Michael! 👏


LCRL - Longford Community Resources clg
Empowering Communities Project Longford
Longford Volunteer Centre
County Longford Youth Service
Longford Sports Partnership
Longford County Council
Sport Ireland

We are incredibly proud to share a massive achievement from our own team! 🏆🎉

Michael Reilly, our Social Innovation in Sport Officer, recently represented Longford County Council and Longford Sports Partnership at the Young Ireland Programme in Scotland, where he was awarded second-place runner-up for Young Thinker of the Year!

🥈👏Michael delivered a powerful presentation focused on social innovation and the vital importance of co-design methodologies. He highlighted our work collaborating with Roma women to co-create a 12-week sports pilot. By empowering the community to be the architects of their own solutions and embedding their ideas into the programme📈🤝

This initiative is proudly delivered under the Sport4Empowerment programme 🏃‍♂️. Michael showcased just one snippet of the fantastic work being driven on the ground by the network of ESF+ Social Innovation Officers across Ireland 🇮🇪.

Congratulations Michael! We are incredibly proud of your dedication to championing inclusive, participant-led programmes for our community 💙🙌.


Sport Ireland

19/06/2026

🌍 World Refugee Week Celebration – Everyone Welcome! 🌍

We would especially like to invite Roma families and community members to join us TOMORROW, Saturday, 20 June, from 11am to 3pm at Longford Athletics Centre, N39X6X8

This is a FREE event for all communities and a chance to come together, celebrate our cultures, meet new people, and enjoy a fun day with family and friends.

✨ There will be special Romani performances during the day, and lots of activities for children to enjoy.

The event includes:
🎶 Music and cultural performances
🎨 Arts and crafts
⚽ Sports and games
📚 Storytelling and workshops
🤝 Community information stalls
🍴 Free refreshments

We would love to see Roma families come along and be part of this celebration. Please share with your family, friends, and neighbours.