A fair deal is needed to help save rural Ireland

Country Living with Francis Farragher

Maybe it goes back to the old terminology that prevailed when I first set foot in a pre-fabricated classroom in Tuam CBS many moons ago. Back then there were two classes of people – the townies and the buffs, the latter being those of us who travelled in from rural areas to further our education.

There was many’s the initial scrape – even scrap – between the country urchins and the townies, some of whom refused to believe that a world existed past the railway bridge on the Athenry Road edge of the town.

After a while though, we all settled down to a large extent with our little and mostly imaginary barriers between our two classes eventually broken down. The townies and the buffs even became good friends in many cases.

And yet, there are those of us who love to live in the country where that feeling of space and freedom can never be replaced by the services and facilities of a larger town or city.

Conversely, there are city folk who could never contemplate that sense of isolation and being away from the bus-stop around the corner; the supermarket that just a few minutes away; or the choice of restaurants that’s within a stone’s throw of their house.

Both ways of life have their intrinsic merits but probably the one that’s now facing the greatest challenge is the rural way of life as more and more post offices, local shops, Garda stations and pubs close their doors.

There’s also the influence of online shopping where practically anything can be bought without leaving your computer screen as compared to traipsing into your local town and village and purchasing from your local shop.

The demise of the rural pub has also had a hugely negative impact on the social interchange that used to occur on a weekend and often nightly basis as farmers and neighbours enjoyed a chat and banter while consuming a pint or two.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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