TETB Community Education supports
“A Taste of Cahir”

Celebration of diversity and multi-culturalism

Cahir was one of three towns that formed part of a pilot programme run by the not-for-profit Together Ireland initiative set up in August 2018. The aim of this new integration initiative is to promote and enable greater integration in Irish towns and communities through positive local action. Cahir was chosen for the pilot as almost 30% of the population of Cahir is made up of people with non-Irish nationalities according to the last census. Many of these groups are employed locally in food manufacturing. The other two towns that were part of the national pilot included Fermoy and Mitchelstown.

This led onto the establishment of the Cahir International Film Club and weekly cooking classes with Irish and international themes supported by Tipperary Education & Training Board’s (TETB) Community Education Programme. Veronica Crowe, Community Education Facilitator with TETB became involved in the pilot as one of the primary purposes of Community Education is to foster community empowerment through adult education.

TETB Community Education programme supported “A Taste of Home” evening cookery classes, facilitated by Cookery Tutor Carmel Phillips. Participants focused on various countries traditional meals, learned how to cook them and got to enjoy tasting foods from different countries.

Intercultural Cooking Classes which took place in Cahir, kindly supported by TETB, Community Education Programme

Graham Clifford, of Together Ireland said: “This is the latest initiative being undertaken by the Cahir International Social club made up of people from Ireland, Romania, India, Hungary, Poland, Brazil, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Italy and a number of other countries. People who have chosen to make Cahir their home and want to work together to make it into a truly welcoming, diverse and caring community. There’s such a strong spirit in this town already and greater community integration can only reinforce that. In many ways Cahir are leading, and we hope other towns will soon follow.”

The multi-national Cahir group agreed to hold an event that would bring together all the different cultures and traditions and show off the beautiful backdrop of Cahir Castle.

The Cahir Food Fair took please in “The Inch Field “on Sunday 25^th August and was co-organized by Barry O’ Donovan of ABP Meats, Cahir Intercultural Committee and supported by TETB along with other partners. The event started with a picnic and included live music, a boat race, children’s story time and fairy tales.

As part of the day’s celebrations, Veronica Crowe from TETB Community Education programme organized a drumming circle which was enjoyed by adults and children alike. Well done to Andrew Spearpoint, TETB Tutor, on running such an interactive and fun event. A “Bake Off” competition was also held on the day, with a variety of cakes and breads on display from various countries. Judges for this competition were Carmel Phillips, TETB Tutor, and John Hayes, Former Irish Rugby Player.   Well done to all the winners. Congratulations to all the organizers, partners and volunteers on a fantastic event.

Strong Women in the Community

The Title of the Self Portrait Exhibition was Strong Women in the Community – and there was a great turn out and a fabulous atmosphere about what was achieved by all members of the group on the evening itself.

Some positive words from one of our learners who spoke a few words on the night on behalf of all the women of the group…..

Pauline Quigley said ‘we were expertly guided through each piece by our ETB tutor Melissa Sommerville Ryan – we could hardly draw a circle freehand, we have progressed to hairy pigs, cows with flowers in their hair, bowels of fruit and vases of flowers, and this journey has brought us up to our latest masterpiece which brought us here to this exhibition space with our Self Portraits…..it has been a journey of mixed emotions for all and we have bonded as a group, making new friends and it has also been good for positive wellbeing and mental health’ . Thanks was extended to all involved and included;

Self Portrait Artists – Teresa Kearns, Joan Kent, Lori Poley, Donna Lawlor, Susanne Lowth, Winne Morris, Carol O Donoghue, Pauline Quigley, Sinead Sheehan, Kathleen Sheehy

Tutor – Melissa Sommerville Ryan

Photographer – Michael Quigley

Musician – Deirdre Scanlan

Bridge Art Gallery – Arek

Tipperary County Council – Culture Night support

Staff of Killaloe Ballina Family Resource Centre and Tipperary ETB

Aontas Star Awards Winner 2019 Health & Well-being Category!

Liam Ahearn, Chairperson of Tipperary Education and Training Further Education and Training Committee; Gillian Quinn Guest Speaker, Paul Peters Kick-start Programme,, Bernard Prendergast Kick-start Programme , Veronica Crowe Tipperary ETB,, Bernard Sweeney Kick-start Programme, , Tara Farrell Chairperson AONTAS, Niamh O Reilly CEO AONTAS..
Congratulation to TETB’s Community Education Kick-start Your Way to A Healthy Lifestyle Programme for Men in South Tipperary which has won the 2019 AONTAS Star Award on 4 March 2019 in the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin. Veronica Crowe, Community Education Facilitator had entered the project under the Health and Wellbeing category which is open to adult learning initiatives that support increased health and wellbeing for participants such as mental health, physical activity and nutrition.

This programme ran in partnership with ETB, Place for U and other stakeholders. The Men’s Health and Wellbeing programme was launched in Clonmel in September 2017 and was endorsed by senior hurling manager Michael Ryan.

30 men were given the opportunity to experience how small lifestyle changes such as becoming more active, eating a balanced diet, drinking responsibly and quitting smoking can lead to positive healthy benefits The programme concentrated on Fitness, Healthy Lifestyle and Cookery.  These programmes were delivered by expert tutors provided by ETB, Harley Barnes, Martin Coughlan who delivered a professional, coordinated and fun filled programme outline..

Moyle Rovers GAA provided the premises for the men to participate in the Fitness alongside of the VHI who provided the free screening of BMI, Cholesterol.

Well done to everyone on this achievement!

Online Photography and Meditation Class

This video features some of the work produced  by the students of the Online Photography & Meditation Class with Cher Quinlan & Maire Shanahan,

6 weeks of live online weekly class with tutors . Learners  were given interactive assignments merging photographic skills with mindfulness to improve self awareness and observational and technical skills. Students were also in a Whats App  learning group where tutors uploaded tutorials and links to support the live class and keep learners motivated during the week .

Testimonials from students:

” I loved the course, it was my first time doing an online course and I loved having different photographic  assignments each week from Cher , the feedback and support from the tutors was brilliant I really improved my photographic skills and I loved the relaxation as Maires voice is so calming and I can practise this at home , this is  a great positive course for the uncertain times we are in. I would love to do another course like this to learn more and  prepare for long winter nights  ”

Joyce Dolan

“This class couldnt have come at a better time for me mentally with the lockdown and COV-19The assignments were fun but challenging, Cher explained everything clearlyin live classes  and also sent short videos and links to other photographers work  which really opened our minds and helped us to think outside the box. What I like most about Maires meditation was the live meditation at the end of class and then the tutorial to follow to use in our own time, I like to go into the garden for 5 mins now for my time , would love to do more of this course as there is so much to learn  ”

Mary O Donnell

“Thanks so much for this course it was lovely to see other peoples faces each week during the lockdown on the live online class, I hadn’t been very well and this really helped my recovery and assignments kept me motivated our whats app group was a great place to check in with each other and the course was a lot of fun. I hope there will be another one soon and would love to do a practical day class to try my new skills in both subjects with the tutors and meet the other class members in person as I feel like I know them now ”

Patricia Bourke 

“My thanks to Cher & Maire our online facilitators , in a short space of time I have learned about the proper use of my camera, gained lots of inspiration as Cher is very creative and Ive been encouraged to think outside of the box and become confident using materials and props . With the help of Maire and mindfulness I am pausing and observing  more when taking a picture which makes me more mindful of what my finished work might reflect Im so grateful I had the chance to do this course, i would love to meet my classmates for a days landscape photography  and mindfulness class with our tutors”

Mary Kelly