Kilkenny Butts young leaders will train in Malta thanks to Tirlan staff support

Youth leaders from the Butts community will have the opportunity to visit Malta to study youth work and children’s self development programmes thanks to the generous sponsorship from Tirlan workers and from their family parish members. 

The annual Tirlan workers sponsored cycle across Ireland to raise money for two local and one national charity raised €65,000 this year.

The annual Tirlan workers sponsored cycle across Ireland to raise money for two local and one national charity raised €65,000 this year. The Fr McGrath Centre was honoured to be selected by Tirlan staff as a recipient this year. 

The Fr McGrath’s Voluntary Board readily agreed to send the Butts young leaders to study and experience youth practice in Malta. This is a collaboration with the Salesians of Don Bosco, famed for their innovative work with young people over many generations. 

The ten Butts teenagers will travel to meet and be hosted by volunteer youth workers in Malta. 

Co-chairs of the Butts Youth Leaders team, Lillian Long Frear and Joe Donovan, thanked Tirlan and their staff for making the trip possible.

"Since we were infants we were involved with our community play school, after school, summer and youth programmes with the Fr McGrath Centre," they said.

"Now we are getting a great opportunity to work with European youth groups to learn skills that we can share we our own young people in our community."
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The Butts young leaders have been fundraising themselves for some months in preparation for the trip to help cover some of the costs and activities in Malta. Generous sponsorship from Butts families, local auctioneer Fran Grincell, Brian and Mary McEneaney as well as parish families, who wish to remain anonymous.

Co-chairs Lillian and Joe added: "We would like to thank all those people who donated to our flag day and the St Canice’s church gate collection.’

Chairperson of the Fr McGrath Centre Mike Kelly thanked the Tirlan staff and other sponsors.

"You have made this great learning opportunity possible for our young people. It is an investment in the future of all the young people in the Butts. I thank you all for your support and kindness," he said.