A shared passion for soccer has inspired a group of young unemployed people in Co Wexford to leave the dole queue and undertake an ambitious publishing venture. They founded Intermedia, a workers' co-operative, and next week will publish a glossy new colour soccer magazine for Irish fans.
The group of seven, four men and three women, met 2 1/2 years ago on a FAS-funded Community Employment Scheme in New Ross.
They included a former oil salesman, a walking-tour guide, a farm labourer and a housewife. All they had in common, it seemed, was an interest in soccer. But once they started a desktop publishing and journalism course, the die was cast. The seven decided to pool their energies and abilities and learn the skills necessary to carve out a career in publishing.
They gained experience by producing two magazines covering Co Wexford junior soccer fixtures. This led to the idea for a major project, a nationwide soccer magazine for the young Irish fan, following the exploits of Irish soccer stars around the world.
They are convinced that the time is ripe for this venture. "Football madness seems to have taken over the whole country. There must be at least 10 television soccer programmes," says Colin Kehoe, who is circulation manager of the forthcoming new magazine, Kickin'.
"We've done a lot of market research. We're at this for nearly three years," Colin Kehoe points out. "We're aiming at the Ireland soccer fan, the best fan in the world. There's something like 250 Irish guys playing in the English leagues, so the interest is at an all-time high. In Co Wexford alone, there's something like 5,000 people playing in the junior soccer league."
Theirs is a genuine workers' coop. The Intermedia Workers' Co-operative Society Ltd was registered in March 1997, with the help of a small grant from the local area-based Partnership.
They did extensive market research and approached FAS, which provided a grant for a major professional feasibility study. That confirmed the potential of the project, and Intermedia successfully submitted a business plan to the FAS Co-operative Development Unit for major grant aiding.
The group now had the impetus and motivation, and further funding and local private investment was secured.
The first edition of Kickin' reaches the news stands next week. The 64-page magazine will feature Paul McGrath's career and forthcoming testimonial.
Kickin' will be published monthly at £2.20, compared to almost £4 for the British monthly soccer publications. It will be test-marketed in Northern Ireland as well as the Republic and should also be in demand among Irish soccer fans abroad.