Cumann na Daoine is delighted to be host to the students on the Erasmus+ regeneration project taking place in Youghal this week. It’s an important project for Youghal, as lead Dr. Ruth Vance Lee explains below.
A big welcome to these lovely students – it’s a pleasure to see you, and may the project help our town in its own regeneration.
Why Regeneration Matters for Youghal – Why This Spring Could Be a Turning Point
Youghal has always been a town shaped by tides — not just the ones on the beach, but the tides of history, industry, and people coming and going. We all know the story: the factories closed, the railway disappeared, and a lot of younger people had to look elsewhere for work. Empty buildings and seasonal jobs became part of the landscape, even as the rest of the country seemed to move on.
Something positive is happening here this spring that’s worth talking about.
A group of European universities — including MTU — is bringing an Erasmus+ programme to Youghal. Students from Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Greece, and Lithuania will be here working on ideas around sustainable tourism, wellbeing, local business, and how towns like ours can regenerate in ways that actually benefit the people who live here.
It’s not a conference. It’s not consultants flying in and out. It’s hands‑on, community‑focused work.
What makes this different?
Instead of the usual “how do we get more tourists?” conversation, these students are looking at questions that matter to locals:
- How can we bring vacant buildings back into use in ways that help the town year‑round?
- How can our natural landscape — the estuary, the beaches, the walkways — support community wellbeing?
- How can local food, heritage, and small businesses become a stronger, more resilient part of the economy?
These aren’t theoretical exercises. They’re rooted in the real challenges and opportunities we see every day.
Fresh eyes on familiar places
One of the biggest benefits of something like this is perspective. When people from outside walk the town walls, meet local groups, or talk to businesses, they often see potential we’ve stopped noticing. They’re not weighed down by old debates or local politics — they just see what’s possible.
That kind of fresh thinking can spark ideas, confidence, and momentum.
Real regeneration starts with people
Youghal has had plenty of reports and plans over the years. What we need now is energy, collaboration, and new ways of working together. This programme brings that — not by telling the town what to do, but by listening, learning, and co‑creating ideas with the community.
Students will be spending time with local stakeholders, exploring the town’s heritage, and working alongside people who know Youghal best.
A small step — but a meaningful one
No single project will solve everything. But regeneration doesn’t happen through one big fix. It happens through steady, positive steps — new partnerships, new ideas, and new ways of seeing what Youghal can become.
This Erasmus+ programme is one of those steps. It brings international attention, creativity, and expertise to a town that deserves all three. And it frames Youghal not as a place that needs to be “fixed,” but as a place with the capacity to grow, adapt, and regenerate from within.
For a town with so much history and heart, that’s something worth celebrating — and supporting. So let’s give the students a warm Youghal welcome this week.
Dr. Ruth Vance Lee,
Department of Accounting and Information Systems, Munster Technological University
