Transformation of landmark Tipperary building into town library will take a year

Work began last week on the transformation of Cahir's landmark Craft Granary building into the town’s new library with Minister of State Jerry Buttimer officially launching the project by breaking through an internal wall with a sledgehammer.

The renovation of the 19th century mill building that formerly housed a crafts and art gallery and shop began on Tuesday, October 28 with the Minister of State for Community Development, Charities & Rural Transport visiting the following day to ceremonially launch the works.

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Tipperary County Council has received €1.7 million under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) to turn the Church Street building into Cahir’s new library.

The library is one of the key projects of the Cahir Town Centre Regeneration Scheme, which has secured €13m RRDF funding from the Government.

Ann Marie Brophy, Senior Executive Librarian with Tipperary Library Service, said the renovation works will take about a year to complete and the result will be a “modern, highly energy efficient and sustainable” library that will be three to four times the size of the town’s existing library.

Cahir Library will continue to operate from its current premises at the former Cahir Courthouse building at The Square until the new library is ready to open.

The refurbishment of the Craft Granary building into the new Cahir Library is being carried out by Mulcahy Construction. Robin Lee Architecture is the project architect overseeing the works.

The new library will be the first in county Tipperary to provide a suite of new technology solutions to the public including a podcasting room and a dedicated makerspace room with technologies such as Robotics and 3D Printing.

The new library will also have a meeting room, gallery space and sensory room.

Minister of State Jerry Buttimer (far right) officially starting the renovation of the Craft Granary into the new Cahir Library with back row from left: Senator Garret Ahearn, Tipperary County Council CEO Sinéad Carr, Cllr Declan Burgess, Joe Mulcahy of Mulcahy Construction, Tipperary County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr John Carroll and Cllr Andy Moloney. Front: Cllr Máirín McGrath, Cllr Marie Murphy, Michael Murphy TD and Tipperary Cahir Cashel MD Cathaoirleach Cllr Rodger Kennedy.

Minister of State Jerry Buttimer said he was delighted to officially start works on this phase of the Cahir Town Centre Regeneration Scheme.

“Investing in ambitious and strategic large-scale projects like Cahir will have a transformative impact in our rural communities across Ireland and help in attracting people back to live and work in rural areas,” he added.

Tipperary County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr John Carroll said he was delighted this wonderful building in the heart of Cahir will undergo such a positive transformation.

“I know this new Library will be a very positive development for the town of Cahir,” he said.

Cathaoirleach of Tipperary Cahir Cashel Municipal District Cllr Roger Kennedy said the project demonstrates Tipperary County Council’s commitment to providing the best possible public services and infrastructure for the county’s citizens.

And Tipperary County Council CEO Sinead Carr said the new library will embody the modern vision of what a library should be - a welcoming, high-quality community space open to all.

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