A 4,300-strong community in the rainforests of Nicaragua is benefiting from the revival of an old Irish craft in the north Connemara community of Leenane.
A voluntary scheme by people in Leenane to make St Brigid's Crosses is expected to raise £2,000 to aid bridge building in Los Chiles, a parish in the south east of Nicaragua, close to the Costa Rican border.
More than 40 rural villages in this parish have no roads or bridges, so all travelling is by horseback or on foot through mucky terrain, according to Mr Michael O'Toole, one of those involved the project.
"The parish is divided by a river and at times half the community is cut off. Medical facilities in Los Chiles are poor, drinking water is frequently contaminated, there is very little primary education, while agricultural facilities and alternative crop production are limited," he said.
The Leenane community first became aware of the needs of this Nicaraguan parish following a visit by a Divine Word priest, Father Neil Doogan, a native of Donegal, who had previously worked abroad with Deirdre Noone of the Delphi Adventure Centre. He told locals of his work in Los Chiles and just how little money was needed to make a difference to the lives of his parishioners.
For instance, £500 would pay a teacher for a year, Mr O'Toole explained. Leenane people who wanted to help Fathr Doogan's work set up the Leenane/Los Chiles partnership in August 1999.
"One major problem people there have is drinking water and last year we raised £1,500 running a raffle to fund the sinking of a well," Mr O'Toole said.
This year, the fundraising committee decided to raise money for a bridge, to help improve Los Chiles's local infrastructure. But rather than holding another raffle, they decided to make this project into a real community event. Hence the St Brigid's Crosses.
So far, local people have made over 700 crosses which are being sold mainly through tourist outlets in Connacht.
Money raised from the crosses will be forwarded to Father Doogan via his family in Donegal.
For further information, or to make a donation, contact Los Chiles Partnership, c/o Leenane post office, Leenane, Co Galway, Ireland.