Our OPC members are from many different groups from all over Roscommon. Because we have increased our membership in 2025, we are reaching a larger amount of people and in turn are finding out more about the issues affecting older people in Roscommon, in particular, the barriers facing those living in rural areas.
Our OPC Chairperson Bernie Kearney was shortlisted as ‘Community Volunteer of the Year’ at this year’s LAMA awards. This was so deserved and we were all so proud of him. He is pictured here at the awards with his wife Patricia and Roscommon County Council’s Chief Executive, Shane Tiernan.
OPC members, Bernie Kearney (Chair), Majella Dodd (Vice Chair), Margaret Mulligan, Ruth Wallace & Sheila Coyle (AFPM) attended the Age Friendly Convention in Dublin on 8th & 9th May 2025. It was a very informative and enjoyable trip. Professor Ronan Collins, Age Friendly Ambassador in South Dublin County Council gave an incredible presentation, this was the highlight of the Convention for Roscommon’s OPC.
Paddy Joe Burke (AF Ambassador), Majella Dodd (Vice Chair), Shane Tiernan (CE) & Sheila Coyle (AFPM) attended the Age Friendly Ambassador Day in Carlow on Wednesday, 18th June 2025. This was a wonderful day showcasing the amazing work the Age Friendly Ambassadors are doing throughout the country and great networking opportunity for the Ambassadors.
Ice-cream on the way home!
Roscommon OPC successfully applied under Roscommon County Council’s Creative Roscommon Open Call to host a ‘Night of Culture’ in King House, Boyle on Friday, 26th September 2025. The theme for the night will be ‘The Ballad of Mary Spain’, which was a song that one of our OPC member’s i.e. Veronica Barrett wrote. It is about a mother who had a son in the Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, he was taken away from her & she never got to see him again. It is based on a true story and Veronica will perform it on the night. This will be lots of musicians there, it will be a night of traditional music and culture, see poster below.
Roscommon’s OPC will be travelling to Athlone TUS to take part in a Regional Sports Day on Friday, 3rd October 2025. In partnership with Westmeath, Longford, Offaly and Laois Age Friendly Programmes, our OPC members will sample various sporting activities on the day e.g. Walking Football, Activator Pole Walking and Tai Chi. The ‘Rossie’ bus is booked to bring everyone to and from the venue on the day.
The Age Friendly Citizen’s Information Services Roadshows continue in King House, Boyle on 1st and 8th October 2025. See attached poster below. These sessions are a collaboration between members of the Age Friendly Alliance i.e. Citizen’s Information Services, Roscommon Leader Partnership (LDC), Roscommon’s OPC and Roscommon County Council’s Age Friendly Programme.
