Plan for European Grandmothers visit to Dundalk gathers pace and great support

^{Pictured above: Left to right at Dundalk Credit Union on Clanbrassil St: Rebecca, Dundalk CU; MaryAnne Gosling, host organiser; Janina Balynaite; Phil Kileen; Geraldine Meehan; Betty McCrave; Delma Leahy; Imelda Brennan; Frances McCabe; and Naomi O'Donoghue, Dundalk CU, sponsors of the meeting venue}

MaryAnne Gosling, the Dundalk woman who is bringing the Council of European Grandmothers 11th Meeting to Dundalk in September says she is delighted with the response she has received to support the meeting. 

She has been heartened by the number of people across community and town services who are helping to ensure the grandmothers receive a great welcome and that they enjoy a wonderful experience in Ireland. 

The Council meets annually to share traditional knowledge to the people of today, thus ensuring their wisdom continues to be relevant down the generations. They seek to heal family and community with the gifts and resources of nature all rooted in care, compassion and connection to Mother Earth.

MaryAnne set up a working group of Friends of the Grandmothers with some of her fellow members in Dundalk Women’s Shed. The Friends are helping her plan the logistics of the meeting and to publicise it across Louth and elsewhere. She has set up a Go Fund Me page to help defray the many costs associated with the meeting and has been delighted by the positive response from people across the county. 

Dundalk Credit Union, a great supporter of community projects, has offered its premises in Clanbrassil Street Dundalk (the former Houstons Store) to use for meetings with the public taking place on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 September at 10am.

These meetings will offer people the opportunity to spend time in conversation with  the Grandmothers and Elders where they will discuss how wisdom, in danger of being lost, can be passed on the next generation to help them live wiser and more fulfilled lives.

Louth councillors Maeve Yore, John Reilly and Bernie Conlon have offered their support to the meeting while Louth County Council will make a presentation to the Grandmothers during their visit, on their very successful Varcities project which was co funded by the EU Horizon 2020 programme. Dundalk Library which offers great support to the towns many community groups will host a visit for the Grandmothers during their stay. 

They will also explore St Brigid’s shrine in Faughart, the Cooley peninsula, and our world famous UNESCO site, Newgrange and the historic sites of the Boyne valley. For further information on public meetings with the Granmothers and Elders visit here or call  086 824 1514 ( Linda) or 087 289 3685 (Delma).