The first housing estate built by the Rural Housing Organisation is opened in Feakle County Clare.
The scheme of sixteen houses is the first of its kind to have been completed by the not for profit Rural Housing Organisation (RHO), which was set up by Shannon based priest Father Harry Bohan and a group of local people three years ago.
The aim of the association is to encourage development and growth in rural villages, primarily by providing housing for families who might otherwise have had to move to towns and cities.
As part of the ceremony a tree is planted by Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave, and the houses are blessed by Doctor Michael Harty, Roman Catholic Bishop of Killaloe.
At present two similar schemes are under construction in County Clare, and there are plans for the construction of similar schemes in villages in Galway, Limerick and Tipperary. The Rural Housing Organisation says the response to the scheme shows
An evident desire by people to live in the rural areas if they can get the right housing.
Father Harry Bohan does not see current issues with housing finance affecting the organisation’s work, as the majority of those who apply already qualify for local authority loans, which are used together with finance from banks to build the houses.
Communities who wish to participate in the scheme contact the association directly, and if there are sufficient young families in the area, a plan can go ahead. Father Bohan’s hope is that this model of housing provision will expanded nationwide,
Bring life back into the villages by housing young couples in the villages.
A member of the RHO echoes Father Bohan’s belief that change comes from the ground up,
Tháinig na daoine féin chugainn leis na scéimeanna.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 20 September 1973. The reporter is Tom MacSweeney.
