“THE voice of the people”, expressed through its Town Team is key to making Sixmilebridge such a strong community says Company Secretary Colette Myler.
Originally from Dublin, Colette moved to the area in 2020 and recently sat down with The Clare Echo to discuss the Town Team’s role in shaping one of Clare’s most vibrant communities.
On how she came to be involved with the Town Team, Colette says that before she fully moved down she “was around the area and noticed a questionnaire in a local pub about what the town would like to see happening and what improvements they wanted. I actually filled it out and when they started to form the town team in 2023, I thought I’d get involved”, the Dublin native explains.
“My background is that I worked at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire, which deals with spinal injuries, amputees, and brain injuries and rehabilitation after tragic accidents or complicated medical surgeries. I am an Access Auditor and I realised that my passion is to be part of whatever changes happen in the town, I really want to have some say in accessibility”. Colette went on to volunteer for the role of company secretary with the Town Team and has worked in the role ever since.
The Town Team works on a monthly basis to progress its masterplan. The masterplan (Sixmilebridge Town Centre First Plan, June 2023) was funded by Clare County Council and collated with extensive input from the people of Sixmilebridge Town itself. The Town Team is the voice of the community works in partnership with Clare County Council through its Town Centre First Team and the Shannon Municipal District. As an administrator with the Town Team, Colette highlights that “If small groups in the town don’t have the capacity to go for grants or projects, they can come to us and we should be helping them”. Projects do need to fall under one of the master plan’s documented goals.
The people of The Bridge are renowned for their hard work in achieving the best for their area, something which Colette notes helps to make the town a better place. “The people I’m involved with are very passionate about wanting to see the town improve for the greater good of the people. They want the best for the area. It shouldn’t ever just be the majority shouting; we have to see the minorities as well and try to support them too”.
“There are a number of people on the Town Team that identify that need; they just love the place and are passionate about it. They are upset when they see negative behaviour, but they want to do something about it rather than sitting back and letting it happen. We also have a fabulous Sixmilebridge Community Development Association (SCDA/Tidy Towns) with people doing amazing work that a lot of the town’s people don’t realise. The town looks fantastic because of their efforts and the significant group of people that actually come out to work on it”, she continues.
Despite only residing in The Bridge for a relatively short amount of time, Colette has noticed a number of changes in the town. Sixmilebridge has seen a number of large scale housing developments in recent years as well as improvements to its rail service, the only active station outside of Ennis in the county.
Since the Town Team’s official incorporation in 2024, Colette’s proudest achievement with the group is the main committee’s excellent working relationship. The committee of circa 19 to 23 members is crucial in achieving the best for Sixmilebridge. “The people around the table are vital. What’s really important to me is that when they come, they actively participate What we need more than anything else is the voice of the people at the table”, the Access Auditor outlines.
On a positive note, Colette advised that the Town Team with Clare County Council is actively engaged in plans for a Park-for-All. There is much work to be done on this project, including community engagement, however there is a hard working local community project team steering the proposal. Colette added that it will be a huge asset for the wellbeing of the town when it is realised.
