The head of pastoral studies in Mary Immaculate College was speaking to the local media after the recent ‘Building Rural Communities – Lessons from the World of Sport’ conference in Thurles.

While the theme of the conference is around taking lessons from sport, which currently plays a huge role in rural Ireland, the conversation on the night will embrace broad issues affecting rural areas and trying to re-imagine ways to revitalise them.

Wreath laid as a mark of respect to the 30 people who died last year in farming accidents, an 87% increase on 2013.