Roscommon Social Enterprise and Autism Arts Project Recognised in Bank of Ireland Community Fund
Two County Roscommon organisations working at the intersection of creativity, sustainability, and social inclusion have been named as recipients of the Bank of Ireland Community Fund for 2026, with judges praising both projects for delivering tangible benefits to their local communities while addressing broader societal challenges.
Background
The Bank of Ireland Community Fund has operated for more than a decade as one of the most significant sources of private philanthropic support for grassroots community initiatives across Ireland. Unlike many corporate social responsibility programmes that favour large, established organisations, the fund has a deliberate focus on smaller, locally rooted projects that might struggle to access mainstream grant funding. This year's round attracted applications from across the country, with the Roscommon recipients standing out for the originality and social impact of their work.
County Roscommon, with a population of just over 70,000, is one of Ireland's more rural and sparsely populated counties. It has historically faced challenges around economic development and service provision, but has also demonstrated a strong tradition of community self-organisation. The two projects recognised in this year's fund reflect that tradition, addressing real local needs through creative and entrepreneurial approaches.
The awards were announced at a ceremony in Dublin attended by community leaders, Bank of Ireland representatives, and local elected officials. Both Roscommon projects were described by the judging panel as exemplifying the kind of community-led innovation that the fund was established to support.
Key Developments
CycleUp, based in the village of Athleague in south Roscommon, is a social enterprise that collects waste textiles — including clothing, curtains, and upholstery fabric — and transforms them into new products ranging from bags and accessories to home furnishings. The enterprise operates a workshop that provides employment and training opportunities for people who face barriers to mainstream employment, including those with disabilities and long-term unemployed individuals. The Bank of Ireland funding will allow CycleUp to expand its collection network and invest in new equipment that will increase the range of products it can produce.
The Autistic Musician-in-Residence 2026 project, based in Boyle in north Roscommon, takes a different but equally innovative approach. The project places an autistic musician at the centre of a series of community workshops and public performances, creating a space where neurodiversity is celebrated rather than accommodated. Participants — including autistic young people, their families, and members of the wider community — engage with music-making in a structured but flexible environment designed around the specific needs and strengths of autistic participants.
The project's organisers have emphasised that it is not a therapeutic intervention but a genuine artistic endeavour, one that takes seriously the creative contributions of autistic musicians and challenges assumptions about who gets to make and perform music in public spaces.
Why It Matters
Both projects address challenges that are particularly acute in rural Ireland. Access to meaningful employment and creative outlets for people with disabilities is consistently identified as a significant gap in rural service provision, where the concentration of specialist services in urban centres leaves many people without adequate support. CycleUp's model of combining environmental sustainability with social employment is particularly well-suited to the rural context, where waste textile collection and processing can be organised at a community scale without the infrastructure costs that would apply in a larger urban setting.
The Autistic Musician-in-Residence project addresses a different but equally important gap. Ireland's arts infrastructure has historically been concentrated in Dublin and the larger cities, and rural communities have often been left behind in terms of access to high-quality arts programming. By bringing a professional musician-in-residence to Boyle, the project challenges that geographic inequality while simultaneously advancing a more inclusive understanding of artistic participation.
Local Impact
For Athleague, a small village of fewer than 500 people, CycleUp represents one of the most significant local employers and a genuine anchor for community life. The enterprise has already diverted more than fifteen tonnes of textile waste from landfill since its establishment, and the new funding is expected to increase that figure significantly. In Boyle, the musician-in-residence project has already attracted participants from across north Roscommon and south Sligo, drawing families who had previously had little engagement with the local arts scene.
Roscommon County Council's arts officer has confirmed that both projects will be featured in the county's forthcoming cultural strategy, which is due to be published in autumn 2026. The council is also exploring whether the CycleUp model could be replicated in other parts of the county.
What's Next
CycleUp plans to use the Bank of Ireland funding to launch a new product line by October 2026 and to establish collection points in three additional Roscommon villages. The Autistic Musician-in-Residence project will culminate in a public concert in Boyle in November 2026, which will be open to the wider community. Both organisations have indicated they will apply for further funding through the Creative Ireland programme in the next funding round.
