During the bank holiday weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting the picturesque village of Courtmacsherry, a medium-sized village located on the coastline between Timoleague and Clonakilty, in West Cork.

HORSES have galloped across the Fell family farm in Ballindenisk, Co Cork, for generations.

Greater alignment of local government and local development has sparked a major political row over the €314m of LEADER funding for rural development.

There are many sources start-ups can try for funds, so explore the many avenues, writes John Finn.

Family-run Wild Irish Sea Veg is tapping into consumers’ growing taste for seaweed and after bagging a deal with a NY deli and aiming to grow sales to Britain and beyond, there’s no limit to the company’s ambitions, writes Trish Dromey

A Tipperary farmer looking for diversification ideas has cornered 2% of the Irish market and built up an estimated €1.5m in sales just two years after embarking on a hand-made crisp enterprise using his own potatoes, writes Trish Dromey

THE publisher of the Limerick Leader newspaper saw turnover fall from €3.9 million in 2009 to just over €2m last year.

OVER 175 businesses yesterday attended the Mid-West’s first Pop Up Bank initiative at Thomond Park.

FARMERS and rural development officials are becoming increasingly frustrated by a freeze on LEADER funding applications for food-related projects.

A MERE 4% of Irish farmers are involved in non-farming secondary activities on their own land, according to a study issued by the National Rural Network, Teagasc and LEADER.

PEOPLE in the midlands and south-east have endured the worst impact of the economic downturn, economist Jim Power told those attending yesterday’s National Rural Development conference in Tullamore, Co Offaly.

A father died of suspected swine flu just 10 days after his wedding.

LEADER and Teagasc offices should be used as incubation premises by farmers and rural entrepreneurs to develop new non-traditional businesses, according to a report by the National Rural Network (NRN) at the Tipperary Institute.

CREDIT difficulties are holding up progress in the LEADER rural development scheme, for which funding of more than €425 million is allocated for the six years to 2013.

A HIGH-POWERED political delegation from Poland is on a fact-finding mission to east Cork to see how an EU-backed rural investment programme has created jobs and industry.

ARISING from the most recent letter from Kathy Sinnott MEP (November 5) I wish to again clarify that the proposed number of local action groups to deliver the new integrated Rural Development Programme, which supersedes LEADER+, is being increased to 40, not being reduced to 22 as Ms Sinnott claimed.

A PIONEERING farming and food partnership, based on the Burren’s unique natural heritage, aims to become the leading producer of quality beef and lamb from the region.

FARMERS have warned that rural development will suffer due to being combined with social inclusion programmes in new county structures which will implement LEADER and other local development initiatives.

A REFURBISHED website, www.irishleadernetwork.org (ILN) has been launched by Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Eamon Ó Cuiv for the Irish LEADER network.

THE LEADER rural development programme, the Rural Social Scheme, and Partnership services (known as the Local Development Social Inclusion Programme), will all be delivered by one company in each area from 2007, in a shake-up of community services announced by Éamon Ó Cuív, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

WEST Cork LEADER’s regional branding exercise is paying off, by linking the region’s natural beauty and heritage with its reputation for quality products.

SMALL food companies operating in rural Ireland are to be boosted with funding of over €348,000 for training and development.

STAFF at the Limerick Leader newspaper will ballot over the coming days for industrial action.

IN AUTUMN 2004 I donned my wellies and visited the Ploughing Championships for the first time. I was impressed by the sheer scale and organisation of the event, but baffled by the absence of a food pavilion to showcase Irish food.

STATE agencies will focus on job creation in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, Transport Minister Martin Cullen has vowed.

THE Leinster Leader has beaten off Irish Independent owners, Independent News and Media to secure the purchase of the Limerick Leader for close to €23 million.

The Government tonight gave the go-ahead for the takeover by Scottish Radio Holdings of the Today FM independent national radio station and the Longford Leader newspaper group.