About SOAR
WHO’S WHO IN SOAR
At the local level, the programme is strategically delivered by a Joint Committee representing all three Councils and implemented by a Local Action Group comprised of local Councillors and Social Partner representatives.
Craigavon Borough Council acts as the Lead Council with responsibility for all financial and administrative matters.
Joint Committee (JC)
The Joint Committee is made up of 4 elected members from each of the three Council areas of Craigavon, Armagh and Newry & Mourne. The following elected members are currently represented on the SOAR Joint Committee;
| TRANSITIONAL JOINT COMMITTEE | |||
| Title | Council | ||
| Councillor | Mick | Murphy | NEWRY |
| Councillor | Terry | Hearty | NEWRY |
| Councillor | Henry | Reilly | NEWRY |
| Councillor | Josephine | O’Hare* | NEWRY |
| Councillor | Thomas | O’Hanlon | ARMAGH |
| Councillor | Margaret | Black | ARMAGH |
| Councillor | Eric | Speers | ARMAGH |
| Councillor | Darren | McNally | ARMAGH |
| Councillor | Mary | McAlinden | CRAIGAVON |
| Councillor | George | Savage | CRAIGAVON |
| Councillor | Brian | McKeown** | CRAIGAVON |
| Alderman | Sidney | Anderson | CRAIGAVON |
*Chairman
** Vice-Chairman
Local Action Group (LAG)
The Local Action Group is made up of 4 elected members from each of the three Council areas of Craigavon, Armagh and Newry & Mourne; and also 7 social partner representatives from each of the three council areas.
The following members are currently represented on the SOAR Local Action Group;
COUNCIL PARTNERS
| Name | Council Area | ||
| Councillor | Mairead | O’Dowd** | CRAIGAVON |
| Councillor | Philip | Weir | CRAIGAVON |
| Councillor | Meta | Crozier | CRAIGAVON |
| Councillor | William | Irwin | ARMAGH |
| Councillor | Jim | Speers | ARMAGH |
| Councillor | Gerald | Mallon | ARMAGH |
| Councillor | Mary | Doyle | ARMAGH |
| Councillor | William | Burns | NEWRY |
| Councillor | Ciaran | Mussen | NEWRY |
| Councillor | Michael | Ruane | NEWRY |
| Councillor | Geraldine | Donnelly | NEWRY |
SOCIAL PARTNERS
| Name | Council Area | |||
| Ms | Gráinne | Close | CRAIGAVON | |
| Mr | David | Reiley | CRAIGAVON | |
| Mr | Charles | Neville | CRAIGAVON | |
| Mr | John | McCullagh | CRAIGAVON | |
| Mr | Charles | Bell | CRAIGAVON | |
| Mr | Adrian | McKinney | CRAIGAVON | |
| Mr | Conor | McHenry | CRAIGAVON | |
| Ms | Elaine | Leonard | ARMAGH | |
| Ms | Deirdre | Conlon | ARMAGH | |
| Mrs | Reatha | Hassan *** | ARMAGH | |
| Mrs | Mary | Loughran | ARMAGH | |
| Mr | David | McMullen | ARMAGH | |
| Mr | John | Robinson | ARMAGH | |
| Ms | Majella | Murphy | ARMAGH | |
| Ms | Patrica | Devlin | NEWRY | |
| Ms | Jacinta | Linden | NEWRY | |
| Ms | Patricia | Buckley | NEWRY | |
| Mr | Bryan | McLaughlin | NEWRY | |
| Mr | Damien | McGenity | NEWRY | |
| Mr | Miceal | McCoy* | NEWRY | |
| Dr | Conor | Patterson | NEWRY | |
* Chairman
** Vice Chairman
***Secretary
Administrative Unit
The following staff is available to assist you in your dealings with SOAR;
Craigavon Borough Council
Programme Manager : Elaine Cullen
Deputy Programme Manager : Maria Magennis
Project Officer : Lynn Morrow
Project Officer : Patricia Lappin
Verification Officer : Emma McCabe
Administration Officer : Rebecca Gordon
Armagh City & District Council
Project Officer : Rosemary Hughes
Project Officer : Emma Gribben
Administration Officer : Libby Lamont
Newry & Mourne District Council
Project Officer : Amanda Smyth
Project Officer : Siobhan Shepphard
Administration Officer : Claire Cunningham
Click here to view contact details.
AREA COVERED
The NI Rural Development Programme Southern Cluster area consists of the Armagh, Craigavon and Newry and Mourne Council areas. The population of the Cluster area is 236,987 (NISRA 2006 estimate). The rural population is 107,337 (DARD Guidance).
The Cluster area is one of great size and variety. It covers some 1,950 sq km and brings together areas and topography of great contrast. These range from the wet lowlands along the southern shores of Lough Neagh in the north; through the drumlin belt of mid-Armagh; to the high uplands of The Mournes and Slieve Gullion in the south and the Irish Sea coasts to the east.
Although Axis 3 is a rural development programme, focussing on the Cluster’s “non-urban” areas, those rural areas cannot be looked at in isolation from the main local urban centres. Armagh city is Ireland’s ecclesiastical capital and enjoys a living heritage matched by few other places on the island, north, or south. It is also an important sub-regional administrative centre. Craigavon meanwhile is home to nearly 60,000 people and remains NI’s only 20th Century planned “new town”. Newry continues to grow as an important commercial centre strategically.
Axis 3 will apply to rural areas only: in this Cluster that means Craigavon urban area (including Lurgan & Portadown), Newry city; Armagh city; Warrenpoint; and Kilkeel aren’t eligible. The following wards are located in the three council areas. Eligible wards are classified as ‘rural’ or parts of ‘mixed’ wards.
| Armagh | Rural | Mixed | Total | ||
| Abbey Park | Urban | 2,583 | |||
| Ballymartrim | Rural | 2,423 | 2,423 | ||
| Callan Bridge | Urban | 2,447 | |||
| Carrigatuke | Rural | 2,235 | 2,235 | ||
| Charlemont | Rural | 2,368 | 2,368 | ||
| Demesne | Urban | 2,709 | |||
| Derrynoose | Rural | 2,981 | 2,981 | ||
| Downs | Urban | 2,658 | |||
| Hamiltonsbawn | Rural | 2,764 | 2,764 | ||
| Hockley | Rural | 2,293 | 2,293 | ||
| Keady | Rural | 1,951 | 1,951 | ||
| Killeen | Mixed | 2,686 | 2,686 | ||
| Killylea | Rural | 2,411 | 2,411 | ||
| Laurelvale | Rural | 2,512 | 2,512 | ||
| Loughgall | Rural | 2,531 | 2,531 | ||
| Markethill | Rural | 2,352 | 2,352 | ||
| Milford | Rural | 2,264 | 2,264 | ||
| Observatory | Urban | 2,246 | |||
| Poyntz Pass | Rural | 2,178 | 2,178 | ||
| Richhill | Rural | 2,966 | 2,966 | ||
| Tandragee | Rural | 2,632 | 2,632 | ||
| The Mall | Urban | 2,073 | |||
| 54,263 | 36,861 | 2,686 | 39,547 |
| Craigavon | Rural | Mixed | Total | ||
| Aghagallon | Mixed | 3,796 | 3,796 | ||
| Annagh | Mixed | 2,723 | 2,723 | ||
| Ballybay | Urban | 2,249 | |||
| Ballyoran | Mixed | 2,636 | 2,636 | ||
| Bleary | Mixed | 3,716 | 3,716 | ||
| Brownstown | Mixed | 3,508 | 3,508 | ||
| Church | Urban | 2,188 | |||
| Corcrain | Urban | 2,987 | |||
| Court | Urban | 3,456 | |||
| Derrytrasna | Mixed | 4,449 | 4,449 | ||
| Donaghcloney | Rural | 2,791 | 2,791 | ||
| Drumgask | Urban | 3,279 | |||
| Drumgor | Urban | 2,841 | |||
| Drumnamoe | Urban | 3,209 | |||
| Edenderry | Urban | 3,239 | |||
| Kernan | Urban | 3,699 | |||
| Killycomain | Urban | 2,674 | |||
| Knocknashane | Urban | 2,872 | |||
| Magheralin | Rural | 3,883 | 3,883 | ||
| Mourneview | Urban | 2,623 | |||
| Parklake | Urban | 2,555 | |||
| Taghnevan | Urban | 2,748 | |||
| Tavanagh | Urban | 2,207 | |||
| The Birches | Rural | 3,042 | 3,042 | ||
| Waringstown | Rural | 3,349 | 3,349 | ||
| Woodville | Urban | 3,952 | |||
| 80,671 | 13,065 | 20,828 | 33,893 |
| Newry and Mourne | Rural | Mixed | Total | ||
| Annalong | Rural | 3,036 | 3,036 | ||
| Ballybot | Urban | 2,132 | |||
| Bessbrook | Mixed | 2,399 | 2,399 | ||
| Binnian | Mixed | 2,799 | 2,799 | ||
| Burren and Kilbroney | Rural | 3,313 | 3,313 | ||
| Camlough | Rural | 2,884 | 2,884 | ||
| Clonallan | Urban | 3,975 | |||
| Creggan | Rural | 2,586 | 2,586 | ||
| Crossmaglen | Rural | 2,465 | 2,465 | ||
| Daisy hill | Urban | 3,067 | |||
| Derryleckagh | Mixed | 3,861 | 3,861 | ||
| Derrymore | Mixed | 2,925 | 2,925 | ||
| Donaghmore | Rural | 2,938 | 2,938 | ||
| Drumalane | Urban | 2,885 | |||
| Drumgullion | Urban | 3,006 | |||
| Fathom | Mixed | 2,786 | 2,786 | ||
| Forkhill | Rural | 2,894 | 2,894 | ||
| Kilkeel Central | Urban | 3,556 | |||
| Kilkeel South | Urban | 2,851 | |||
| Lisnacree | Rural | 2,551 | 2,551 | ||
| Mayobridge | Rural | 3,014 | 3,014 | ||
| Newtownhamilton | Rural | 2,424 | 2,424 | ||
| Rostrevor | Rural | 2,605 | 2,605 | ||
| Seaview | Urban | 3,100 | |||
| Silver Bridge | Rural | 2,987 | 2,987 | ||
| Spelga | Rural | 2,772 | 2,772 | ||
| St Mary’s | Urban | 2,351 | |||
| St Patrick’s | Mixed | 3,417 | 3,417 | ||
| Tullyhappy | Rural | 2,577 | 2,577 | ||
| Windsor Hill | Urban | 2,902 | |||
| 87,058 | 39,046 | 18,187 | 57,233 | ||
| (1) Area is on Census day, 29 April 2001. | 88,972 | 41,701 | 130,673 |
