Mary Anne Kearns

Mary Anne Kearns

MARY ANN KEARNS

I am originally from Dublin and living in Clare since the 90’s. I believe that equality, diversity and inclusion are the pillars to creating a positive environment in our community.  Both my work and education background are varied from sales, childcare, business and administration work. I believe in the power of education and have ongoing studies myself and this enhances my varied outlook on life. Fundraising for charities is a passion for me and has included Laura Lynn, Clare Crusaders, Family Carers Ireland, Haven Horizons and Irish Cancer Society. My volunteering with administration in Mna Ag Gaire started in 2022. Here I have met so many diverse women who inspire me to make a difference, gain confidence in myself and be part of a wonderful community.  Learning about the Clare PPN and the important role it plays it giving a voice to the people and groups of Clare makes me want to participant to reach this laudable goal. I am a mother who is involved with Family Carers Ireland and Ennis Voices for Autism and I want to commit myself to deeper active involvement in the community for present and future generations.

Eddie O’Gorman

Eddie O’Gorman

EDDIE O’GORMAN

Eddie has been involved with local groups over the last few years, including Tidy Towns, Killaloe Community Council and Killaloe Ballina Family Resource Centre. Eddie has also organised several community events during Christmas and Easter to help raise money for local families feeling financial stress. Eddie was also involved in the welcoming of Ukrainian refugees and the ongoing support of their needs. Eddie has very strong ties to Killaloe and Clare and often organises community cleanups and repairs on historical sites, school and church grounds and public areas. Eddie is the Vice Chairperson of the recently established Killaloe Community Council. 

Bridgie Casey

Bridgie Casey

BRIDGIE CASEY

Bridgie Casey is a member of the Traveller community, she is currently employed as Project Co-ordinator with Clare Travellers CDP. Previously, Bridgie was employed by CENA (Traveller lead housing body). Bridgie has worked with Traveller organisations at local and national level. Bridgie is committed to working with and for her community to achieve positive outcomes.

Theresa O’Donohue

Theresa O’Donohue

THERESA O’DONOHUE

I’ve been involved in environmental activism and policy making since 2007. I began to work collaboratively on sustainable community development when I discovered the Transition Network in 2007. I joined a local transition group and we basically went from turning sustainable development ideas into community projects. Some projects succeeded while others did not. I learned a LOT about community development and participation through training and experience. I noticed that many attempts to bring projects to life are blocked by bureaucracy resulting in fatigue and withdrawal by people from participating. Creative, insightful, brilliant people with amazing ideas are beaten down by the system. I’ve done the courses and it’s really the government that gets in the way.

I progressed from projects to analysing and attempting to shape the policy to support the projects. In 2009 I got involved with Laois County Development Board trying to reshape policy to appreciate public participation especially in the transition context. I realised that representative democracy is a joke and that elected officials dependent upon votes are also dependent upon council staff to deliver on their pot hole promises! Therefore they do not rock the boat if they wish to get the jobs done that support their reelection! It’s a vicious cycle.

Turns out changing local policy isn’t enough anyway. Very often the council staff will sit back and refuse to change until they get direction from central government. Effectively – even if they have all these insightful progressive policies that you worked for hours on submissions to infiltrate they will not act upon them unless they are forced to. Of course they need the resources too.

This left me with no choice but to infiltrate national policy. So I became involved with more and more national bodies in order to influence national policy so that local policy can be changed and resourced to accommodate the publics participation in our transition to a resilient, more sustainable society. Also nationally I have been on the steering group of the Environmental Pillar, the environmental social partner made up of Non-Governmental Organisations. I am involved with Transition Ireland and Northern Ireland where I coordinated the People’s Energy Charter. I’m a member of Feasta, Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability and An Taisce’s Climate Change Committee. These have given me an amazing insight into national policy making and governance first hand. I was also a member of the National Economic and Social Council and the National Advisory Groups on PPNs. I am currently a member of Extinction Rebellion and still involved with Transition Ireland and Northern Ireland.

As well as catalysing Laois and Clare Environmental Networks I was a founding Secretariat member of Clare PPN and a cofounder of Futureproof Clare.

Mary Coffey

Mary Coffey

Mary Coffey

Mary has been an active member of the Tuamgraney Development Association and a PPN representative for several years. She has led projects including the redevelopment of the Parish House to function as a Community Centre and a Biodiversity plan involving the children in the National School. She is also involved with activities in the village including the Community Weekend and the Tuamgraney Harp Festival promoting the village and its environs. Mary is working with Failte Isteach which is a community project involving volunteers and is currently part of a group assisting with facilitating conversation classes with Ukranian refugees.

Professionally Mary has worked in the field of radiotherapy education and development for many years. She has wide experience of committee work at local, national and international level. Her work has resulted in professional recognition and improved education for radiation therapists and a national strategy for radiotherapy development. 

“Mary is a woman who believes in local community and is not afraid to speak up and be heard when things need to be said!“