Sharon Meaney, Manager of Clare Volunteer Centre; Gabriella Civico, CEV; Cllr Paul Murphy, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council; Brendan Boyce, Integration Support Co-ordinator, Clare County Council, at the award ceremony in Barcelona.
CO CLARE has been named the European Volunteering Capital 2027.
A joint bid was prepared by Clare County Council and the Clare Volunteer Centre in June 2025 for the county to be awarded the title. The announcement was made on Monday by the Centre of European Volunteering (CEV) in Barcelona following a competitive process involving cities and regions across Europe.
Mayor of Clare, Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) travelled to Spain with Sharon Meaney, Manager of Clare Volunteer Centre and Brendan Boyce, Integration Support Co-ordinator, Clare County Council to accept the recognition. Clare’s bid was supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.
In July, the trio travelled to Brussels to officially presented their ‘candidacy certificate’. The European Volunteering Capital Competition, launched in 2013 during the European Year of Citizens, is an initiative of the Centre for European Volunteering (CEV). The European network comprises 60 organisations dedicated to the promotion of, and support for, volunteers and volunteering at European, national, and regional levels.
Boyce confirmed “a vibrant programme of events” will be planned for 2027 in Clare, they include volunteer fairs, training initiatives and international exchanges. “This will be a year of celebration and growth for volunteering in Clare.”
“This is a proud day for Clare. Our volunteers are the heartbeat of our communities, and this award is a testament to their dedication and spirit. I want to congratulate everyone who played a part in achieving this honour,” stated Cllr Murphy.
Volunteering’s impact was noted by Sharon. “Volunteering changes lives. It builds resilience, fosters inclusion, and creates a sense of belonging. This award gives us a platform to showcase the incredible work happening in Clare and inspire even more people to get involved.”
Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Gordon Daly commented, “European Volunteering Capital 2027 is recognition of the work being done by our volunteers across the county on a daily basis. Clare has a long tradition of volunteerism, with the Clare Volunteer Centre playing a key role supporting the thousands of people giving of their time and skills for the betterment of their community. Clare County Council is proud to support the Volunteer Centre and this huge achievement by the Volunteer Centre personnel and council staff working in this area”.
Director of Services, Planning, Economic, Rural & Community Development, Clare County Council, Jason Murphy, highlighted the benefits of the accolade, “Being named European Volunteering Capital will shine a spotlight on Clare as a leader in community development and social inclusion. It will open doors for new partnerships and funding opportunities, ensuring that volunteering continues to thrive in every corner of the county”.
Previous European Volunteering Capitals, include Barcelona, Lisbon, London, Berlin and Gdansk. Sligo was the only Irish winner to date, in 2017.
Further details on events and initiatives for Clare’s year as European Volunteer Capital 2027 will be announced in the coming months.
