Neighbourly love? 10% of people in the area don't know their neighbours
Seven in 10 (70%) of adults in Leinster feel that children today feel a lesser sense of community than they themselves did growing up in Ireland. Not being familiar with neighbours is also prevalent in Leinster communities with more than one in five (22%) saying that they would only ever have a brief chat with their neighbours, whereas, almost one in 10 (8%) would not know their neighbours at all. The research was commissioned by Calor in support of the launch of Macra na Feirme’s ‘Know Your Neighbour’ campaign.
Broadcaster and campaign ambassador, Síle Seoige, who launched the campaign, commented: “As a native of the village of Spiddal in Galway, I know how much those living in rural communities can rely on their neighbours and how important a strong sense of community is. This summer, I’m delighted to be working on this campaign with Calor and Macra na Feirme, asking people, whether in an urban or rural setting to organise a community event in order for neighbours to get to know one another.”
When it comes to unneighbourly behaviour almost one in five adults in Leinster (18%) admit that they have had a row with their neighbour, whilst a shocking one in 10 adults (9%) in Leinster admit to putting their rubbish in a neighbours bin. It would seem that this has not gone unnoticed with a further one in 8 adults (12%) suspecting their neighbours of putting rubbish in their bin. And while most people in Leinster (70%) believe that it’s highly likely that their neighbour would give a ball back if it was kicked over their fence, one in 10 (9%) do not believe that their neighbour would oblige.
Commenting on the research at the launch of the 11th annual ‘Know Your Neighbour’ campaign, Macra National President, Seán Finan said; “Those living in isolated parts of the country with limited access to services rely on their closest neighbours for support, security and friendship. The aim of ‘Know Your Neighbour’ is to bring everyone together at community events, to get to know these neighbours and establish a strong support network. I am encouraging every community, rural or urban, to get involved.”
Speaking at the launch of the 2016 campaign, Sharon Nolan, Marketing Manager, Calor, said: “At Calor we understand what makes living in a rural community so special, we also understand that it brings with it its own challenges. We operate in rural Ireland where we support homeowners, rural enterprises and larger industries by providing a cleaner, efficient fuel source for communities who cannot avail of natural gas. We are delighted to partner with Macra na Feirme in this campaign as it allows us to provide support to the communities in which we operate.”