The Castleconnell Development Association has been in existence for almost 30 years in the Parish. The mission of CDA (formerly called CCDC) are to encourage, support and lead broad based community development in the parish.
Some of its early achievements included the founding of the Pink Cottage Craft Shop which formed the origins of the long established Castleconnell Craft Fair. CDA also founded the ACM Community Centre (Millenium Committee) in 1998. Other initiatives over the years include:
- Gooig Bog Cleanup
- Major Inputs to Castleconnell Local Area Plans I & II
- Inclusion in LAP of provision of community space as housing development proceeded. Only Local Area Plan in Ireland to have this provision.
Monitoring of Planning Permission applications in the Parish. Several notable successes have been achieved with detrimental proposals being rejected by An Bord Pleanála. - Development and hosting of Castleconnell website www.castleconnell.ie
- Development of Castleconnell Heritage Centre.
Space for same now acquired in Castleconnell Village and project in commencement. Initial plans are:
- Digitally scan all Parish records including birth, marriage and death certs and make same available online.
- Digitally scan old photographs and articles of local cultural, environmental and historical interest.
- Commence recordings of oral history.
- Commence collection of historical artifacts for permanent display in the new Village Heritage Centre.
- Redevelopment of Community Website
Current committee members are John Mac Namara (Chairperson), Kay Lee (Treasurer), Nicky McNamara (Secretary), Catherine O’Doherty, Colm Martin, Brendan Murphy, Tom Walsh, Josephine Joyce, Janet Harbison, Macdara Butler.