“Methods of Modern Meitheál”, is seeking to encourage local people to think about new ways of working and co-operating to bring about real and sustained economic and social growth in West Clare.

As the recession drags on, more and more people are beginning to realise that perhaps traditional economics and traditional business, are not going to bring the country out of recession this time around.

Community resilience and social economics are being trumpeted as possible answers. Social entrepreneurship and the re-invention of the concept of meitheál have been suggested as a means to develop local economies.

”Methods of Modern Meitheál” looks at these ideas, and sees how they might actually work in practice. In the first programme, presenter and producer Jason Murphy meets with Davie Phillip of the Community Resilience organisation based in Cloughjordan in Tipperary. It also looks at the emergence of the Grow It Yourself movement, and how this is changing individuals’ lives as they become more involved not just in growing their own food, but in joining with like-minded individuals in their communities to learn how to do it better.

In the second programme, Jason travels to Skibbereen to meet with Adrian Marsh to discuss a co-operative working model used by artists and craftworkers successfully in West Cork, and how this could be transferred and adapted to work in West Clare.

It is hoped that this series will encourage and inspire people to look at different approaches to working, and how by working together within the community, it might be possible to make a difference to West Clare and help to bring about a much needed economic upturn in the region. Presenter and producer of the series, Jason Murphy said of the experience of making this series, “Economic theories are all well and good but seeing different schemes in practice across the country really brought home the idea that by coming together communities can make a real and substantial difference to the wellbeing of people living in them”.