How mining can support a vibrant community

These initiatives, which will serve the area for decades, included major refurbishments of community centres in the local villages of Moyne and Templetuohy. Moyne’s centre was practically rebuilt with a new roof, offices, kitchen and state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment to support its thriving drama group. Templetuohy benefited from a new hall which is used for sports and other community events.

Dominic Everard, who was also part of the community forum, said “The mine changed the lives of the community. Instead of supporting a lot of small projects, we asked them to sponsor specific projects for the community. We achieved a lot together.”

Sporting Success - State-of-the-art facilities for future generations

Thanks to the mine’s community investments, the area’s sports clubs now have facilities that are among the best to be found in any rural community on the island.

Like much of rural Ireland, the villages of Moyne and Templetuohy, are immersed in the sporting traditions of the GAA. However, the area is also well known for its passion for track and field.

It is home to the hugely popular Moyne Athletic Club which is the oldest continuous athletics club in the county. According to Paddy Doyle, club chairperson, funding from the mine helped them build a large indoor facility which “was a huge step forward”.

The mine also funded a new four-lane outdoor track and a new car park, helping attract athletes from across the county.

Paddy added:

“We now have facilities that we can train on regardless of weather. We provided the people, but the mine provided the facilities – both work really well together.

“From a parish point of view, the mine has done so much good – the projects that are here will outlast the mine for generations. You can’t measure what the mine has given us as a parish.”

So, what happened when the mining finished?

Part of the former mine site has been returned to its pre-mine use as grazing for cattle and sheep. The successful closure and rehabilitation of the Lisheen site is believed to be one of the world’s finest examples of environmentally sensitive mine closure and rehabilitation.

The local community worked closely with the mine owners to find other innovative uses for the infrastructure on the site and as a result, €80m worth of facilities were kept. The former mine site has just been granted planning permission for a new Bioproducts Campus.

The campus will create at least 30 on-site jobs and help contribute to reducing Ireland’s carbon emissions. Once completed, the facility will generate sufficient biomethane or renewable electricity to power 33,000 homes. Mining may have ended, but its positive legacy will continue for years.

Our plans for a modern mine in Tyrone

Based upon a decade of exploration, Dalradian expects that its proposed mine will provide employment for at least 20-25 years. We’re already planning for how the site will be restored and as part of our environmental commitments, this process will begin during operations.

Legacy, however, isn’t just about returning the land to its original use – it’s also about leaving lasting community and economic benefits. Lisheen mine in Tipperary is a great example of what is possible and the new opportunities our modern underground copper-gold-silver mine will bring to the people of Tyrone.