As part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, the Fermanagh Trust is honouring 30 remarkable individuals whose commitment to their communities has made a lasting difference. Each awardee receives a £1,000 bursary to benefit the organisation they’re involved with. A gift that celebrates their service while investing in the future.
Our latest recipient is Oliver McCaffrey, a man whose life and work have been dedicated to strengthening community life in Roslea and the wider Erne East area. From education and local history to regeneration and health services, Oliver has been at the heart of countless initiatives that continue to shape the place he calls home.
Fermanagh Civic Honour Award recipient Oliver McCaffrey
“At 18 I went over to England and started out as a teacher’s aide in Birmingham. Later I got into teacher training in Manchester and spent a number of years teaching in both primary and secondary schools,” Oliver recalls. But in 1976 he returned to Fermanagh to care for his mother and to run the family farm. That decision also marked the beginning of a community journey that has now spanned nearly five decades.
“When I came back home from England, what struck me was how little was being done by the statutory agencies for local communities. That’s when a few of us got together and started developing a community centre,” he says. From those early days, Oliver recognised the power of local people taking action for themselves.
His interest in heritage provided another path into community life. “I’d always had an interest in local history, so in the early 1980s I joined the local historical society. That really sparked further community involvement.” By 1985 he was a founder member of the Roslea Community Historical Society, leading efforts to restore an old stone schoolhouse into a Heritage Centre. “We managed to secure £50,000 in funding to open a historical centre in 1991. It was a big achievement, and since then it has attracted plenty of visitors.”
Oliver’s leadership extended into job creation too. “I chaired the Rosslea ACE scheme, which gave jobs to about 12 local people doing all sorts of things from gardening to odd jobs around the town.” He also spearheaded regeneration efforts. “Through the Community Development Association, we worked on regenerating Rosslea and it badly needed the investment. We were able to bring real improvements to the town.”
Cross-border cooperation was another area where Oliver made an impact, helping to establish the Sliabh Beagh Partnership which brought in significant peace funding and, most recently, a €6 million investment from the Shared Ireland Fund.
Perhaps his most enduring achievement has been the Oak Healthy Living Centre, founded in 1986. “The Oak Centre has been important in tackling big issues like drugs, alcohol and mental health. The plans we have in place on moving to larger premises on Main Street were a huge risk, but we got the funding and the support of the local community through various fundraisers. That stands out as one of the biggest successes of my voluntary work, because it will bring so many health and wellbeing programmes to the area.”
Even in retirement, Oliver remains hands-on. At the Drop-In Centre he established, he still volunteers weekly, supporting over 30 clients with a warm meal, a listening ear, and activities such as Boccia, mindfulness, and arts and crafts.
For Oliver, the motivation is simple. “Volunteering is just in me. You see things that need to be done, and you get on with it. Of course, there are challenges, but the successes keep you going. It gives a real sense of achievement and you have to be persistent, otherwise nothing happens.”
Receiving the Civic Honour is something he accepts with modesty. “I’m delighted to receive this Fermanagh Trust, but I do ask myself, ‘why me?’ There are plenty of others who give their time and help their communities too.”
Looking ahead, Oliver remains hopeful. “I hope the spirit of volunteering continues. It would be a pity if we became like America or Canada where the government does everything. Local people know their communities best and what’s really needed.”
As a fellow volunteer put it: “Oliver has been a driving force in Roslea for decades. He has vision, but more importantly, he has the persistence to turn that vision into reality. He treats everyone with respect and has earned the admiration of the whole community.”
Please be advised that applications for the Fermanagh Civic Honour Awards are now closed. All 30 recipients have been selected.