Dunhill Eco-Park Brief

Dunhill Rural Enterprises Ltd. 2008 – 2012

An Integrated Set of Innovative Projects

DFBA (Dunhill-Fenor-Boatstrand-Annestown) (one parish) Community Enterprises Ltd was founded in 1993 as a voluntary community based development group. Its aim is to develop our local community/s socially, economically and culturally using all the resources available. We aimed at using all the resources available from community, public agency and private sources. Its formation was prompted by high and growing unemployment, falling pupil and teacher numbers in both local primary schools and many young people leaving to find suitable jobs in keeping with their hard earned qualifications. One of the drivers in taking action was the emergence of the bottom up approach promoted by Co. Council, Government and EU under the PESP (Programme for Economic and Social Progress.

In 1998, DFBA along with Bonmahon and Stradbally founded the Copper Coast Project which concerns a 15 kilometre stretch of coastline which has ecological formations of interest – national and international. It has since received EU and UNESCO designation as a geopark, currently the only such park in the Republic of Ireland.

In 1999, Dunhill Rural Enterprises was formed to develop an enterprise culture and to create new job opportunities locally. DREL is a subsidiary of DFBA as is Fenor Bog, Community Markets, Dunhill, Fenor and Annestown Tidy Towns, Anne Valley Wetlands and Boatstrand/ Annestown Community Group.

Dunhill Rural Enterprises Ltd, (DREL) is a limited, not-for-profit community-based development company, with charitable status.