Elementor #11410

Founded in 1991, South West Mayo Development Company (SWMDC) is a community-owned and volunteer-led Local Development Company (LDC), which was established to implement the pilot LEADER European Rural Development Programme in south west Mayo. 

SWMDC has been a cornerstone of the local, rural, community development and social inclusion sectors in Mayo for three decades. We now employ 60+ people, with an additional 450 people employed through social employment schemes. 

Our geographical remit for some programmes now covers all of County Mayo and stretches into Roscommon and Galway. While our initial focus was on rural and community development, social inclusion and employment/activation are now significant areas of work in the company. 

Through the work of SWMDC, communities, enterprises and people across Mayo and the wider western region have benefitted from training, capacity building, animation, investment and the development of projects. All our work is based on the fundamental principle that our interactions with people and communities should be empowering, enriching and energising. 

SWMDC – Growth and Change since 1991

1991
Company founded
1992
LEADER I
1995
LEADER II
1996
Local Development Programmes
1998
Abbey Women’s Group
2000
Little Stars Traveller Childcare Project
2000
National Rural Development Programme LEADER +
2004
Rural Social Scheme (RSS)
2005
Local Development Social Inclusion Programme (LDSIP)
2009
Rural Development Programme (LEADER)
2009
Rural Recreation and Walks Scheme
2009
Local Training Initiative
2009
Community Employment
2010
Local and Community Development Programme
2011
Tús Community Work Placement Initiative
2011
Western Region Drugs and Alcohol Task Force project (WRDATF)
2011
Community Futures
2012
Addition of Gaeltacht areas to SWMDC LEADER remit
2015
SICAP (Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme)
2016
Rural Development Programme (LEADER) 2014 - 2020
2016
Mayo Syrian Refugee Resettlement Programme
2016
Social Farming (1)
2016
Community Food Initiative
2016
Integration Mayo Intercultural Action
2017
Greenway Maintenance (Mayo County Council)
2017
AMIF 1 (Asylum, Migration, Integration Fund) Diversity Mayo
2018
SICAP 2 (Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme)
2019
AMIF 2 Welcoming and Integrating New Communities (WIN)
2020
Social Farming (2)
2021
Transitional LEADER Programme & European Union Recovery Instrument (EURI)

Our Board

Management Team

Lisa Halpin Website

Lisa Halpin

Human Resources Manager

Kevin Cunniffe

RRS & Tús Initiative Coordinator

Catherne McCloskey Website

Catherine McCloskey

Social Inclusion Manager (Coordinator)

Community Employment team

Norah Campbell

Norah Campbell

CE West Assistant Supervisor

Ann Connor

Ann Connor

CE West Supervisor

Declan Walsh

CE South Supervisor

Community FUTURES team

Geraldine Leneghan

Community Development

Marie Reilly Davey

Community Futures Support Worker

Finance and Administration team

Ann Moogan

Finance & Office Administrator

Leanne Loftus

Leanne Loftus

Office Administrator (Newport)

Linda Groarke

Office Administrator - RSS & Tús

Majella Mulchrone

Finance Administrator

Roma Malinovskaja

Finance Administrator

Sinead Gavin Web

Sinéad Gavin

Finance & Office Administrator

HSE - Social Prescribing (Primary Care Centre Castlebar)

Michelle Prendergast

Michelle Prendergast

Social Prescribing Link Worker

HSE - Roma/Migrants/EROC

South West Mayo Development Company Logo on white background

Paula Lenehan

Roma & Migrant Community Liaison Worker

South West Mayo Development Company Logo on white background

POSITION VACANT

BOTP & EROC Ballaghadereen

Ade Adeniji

Migrant Peer Health Support Worker

LEADER Programme team

Norita Clesham

LEADER Community Project Officer

Living well Programme team

South West Mayo Development Company Logo on white background

Fiona Cunnane

Living Well Coordinator

Liam Gildea

Living Well Administrator

Resettlement Support

Patrcia Quinn Web

Patricia Quinn

Resettlement Support Worker

Niail Cherbatji

Intercultural Support Worker

Ready to work

Ann Marie Jordan

Employment Specialist 

Damien Hughes  

Employment Specialist

Deirdre McDonnell

Employment Specialist 

Rural Social Scheme team

Padraic Corcoran

Rural Social Scheme Supervisor

Martina Fadden

Rural Social Scheme Supervisor

Frank McNeela

Rural Social Scheme Supervisor

Laura Commins

Rural Social Scheme Supervisor

Chris Mannion

Rural Social Scheme Supervisor

South West Mayo Development Company Logo on white background

Tony Hetherington

Rural Social Scheme Supervisor

Noel Mulroy

Rural Social Scheme Supervisor

Maura Murphy

Rural Social Scheme Supervisor

Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) team

Anne-Marie Carroll

Employment & Training Officer

Caroline Healy

Community Development, Education & Training Officer

Celesta Khosa

Community Development & Youth Officer

Olivia Kitterick

Enterprise & Social Enterprise Officer

Breda Murray

Self-Employment Specialist

Helen O'Neill

Ukrainian Refugee Intercultural Support Worker

Oleksandra Sikach

Ukrainian Refugee Intercultural Support Worker

Olena Palamarchuk

Outreach Peer Support Worker

Margaret Lawless

SICAP Beneficiary Support

Mikhail Kolchanov

Ukrainian Refugee Intercultural Support Worker

Family Support Practitioners

Galyna Marusych

Family Support Practitioner

Alvina Devaney

Family Support Practitioner

Social Farming team

Deirdre Fahey

Regional Development Officer

Tús Initiative Team

Linda Beirne

Tús Supervisor

Mairead Dooley

Tús Supervisor

Brian Finn

Tús Supervisor

Trevor Grimes

Tús Supervisor

Tony Hynes

Tús Supervisor

Walks Scheme & Rural Recreation team

Martin Dillane

Rural Recreation Officer & Walks Scheme

Welcoming & Including New Communities (win) MAYO team

Catherine McGreal

IPA Support Worker

Peter Duffy

WIN Mayo Outreach & Project Officer &

Western Region Drug & Alcohol Task Force (wrdatf) team

Gillian Conway

Drug Education Support Worker

Mags Dillon

Community Liaison Worker

Our Team