16 May 2025

Community Fund

RISE Community Fund awards three cash grants in Emyvale to support community groups investing in new technologies

RISE grants in partnership with NBI are helping people to capitalise on their recent connections to the high-speed broadband under the National Broadband Plan

Clara Community Hall, St Patrick’s National School and the Waller Family Farm have received a quick cash injection to invest in new technology thanks to the RISE Community Fund supported by National Broadband Ireland (NBI).

Established by NBI Chairman, David McCourt, RISE has awarded over 140 cash grants across the country to rural organisations seeking to boost their digital ecosystems. The fund is further supported by corporate sponsors including KN Circet, KPMG, Test Triangle, DreamDev Technologies, and TLI Group.

The latest funding comes off the back of a call for entries that NBI had announced as part of its national roadshow celebrating areas of the country that have shown the highest demands for its new high-speed fibre broadband network under the Government’s National Broadband Plan. Damian McCarron from the Clara Hall BCP Committee and Monaghan’s Broadband Officer, John McArdle, helped support the local grant applicants.

The Emyvale groups will receive grants of €1000 each to invest in new digital initiatives since they’ve all become connected to the new NBI network.

With over 12,000 homes, businesses and farms in county Monaghan now able to order or pre-order high-speed, reliable broadband on the new NBI network thanks to the Government’s National Broadband Plan, David McCourt, Chairman of NBI and founder of RISE, explained why he was keen to visit the area and give back to the community with these grants.

“We’re delighted to have had this opportunity to meet with a fantastic array of community groups in Monaghan and give a financial boost to those who really want to capitalise on their new high-speed connectivity. We received an amazing number of entries from people looking to embrace new technologies to scale the impact of their work, which paints a bright future for rural communities such as those we’ve visited in Emyvale and across the county,” said McCourt.

NBI recently announced that over 4,700 connections in County Monaghan have already been made to the NBI network. So far, take-up of NBI’s fibre broadband is highest in rural areas of the county near Emyvale and Monaghan town where take-up has surpassed 42%.

Matthew McArdle from St Patrick’s National School, commented: “One of our main objectives in the school is to increase STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and as part of this, we’re beginning to teach our whole school about computer coding. Thanks to this grant from RISE and NBI, we’re investing in equipment to combine our ICT project work with real-life, hands-on activities.”

“The RISE and NBI grants are a fantastic initiative and empower schools and community groups like ours to use connectivity and technology in new and exciting ways.”

NBI is reminding Monaghan residents to visit nbi.ie to check if they can already place an order with their chosen broadband provider. Alternatively, locals can sign up for Eircode specific updates on the rollout of the National Broadband Plan.

Saint Patrick’s National School, Clara
Pictured: Matthew McArdle, Principal, Saint Patrick’s National School, Jenny Fisher, Chief Legal and Administration Officer, NBI, Sandra Dinan, Senior PR & Stakeholder Engagement Manager, NBI, and The Senior Room class.

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