Council Announces 2026 Rural Engagement Event: Championing Rural Communities – Vision, Voice and Action
20th March 2026
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has announced a rural engagement event aimed at strengthening the voice of rural communities and fostering new opportunities for collaboration, innovation and shared action across the District.
The event, “Championing Rural Communities: Vision, Voice and Action,” will take place on Thursday 26 March 2026, from 7:30pm to 9:30pm at Newtownbutler Community Centre, with refreshments and registration available from 7:00pm.
Speaking ahead of the event, the Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Barry McElduff, highlighted the importance of empowering rural communities and addressing the challenges they face.
“77% of our residents live outside the towns of Omagh and Enniskillen. This underpins the rural character of our Council area.
Often distant from services, rural communities and places bespeak the need for resilience, enterprise and community spirit.
This event is an opportunity for people to come together, share experiences and ideas, and take meaningful action to strengthen rural life.
We expect government departments to sit up and take note of what the people will be saying on the night in Newtownbutler.”
The evening will bring together leading rural thinkers and practitioners and discussions will be facilitated by Louise Cullen, Agriculture and Environment Media Correspondent. Panel and group sessions will explore key themes including:
- Service delivery and distance from essential services
- Connectivity
- Regeneration
- Rural business and entrepreneurship
- Tourism opportunities
The event is designed for community groups, voluntary organisations, businesses, statutory agencies and interested residents who wish to contribute to shaping the future of rural communities across the District.
Due to limited capacity, attendees are asked to RSVP by emailing ruralcommunitiesevent@fermanaghomagh.com or registering through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/championing-rural-communities-2026-vision-voice-and-action-tickets-1983353299108