Over €100m for rural regeneration projects will give towns 'a new lease of life' - Humphreys

Over €100 million has been allocated for dozens of rural regeneration projects across Ireland. 

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, today (November 10) announced news of the €115 million funding for 23 landmark projects which will see "long vacant, disused and derelict buildings in rural towns given a new lease of life and purpose for the 21st century". 

Successful projects - funded as part of Our Rural Future - will focus on combatting vacancy and dereliction by regenerating iconic town centre buildings including old courthouses, creameries, hotels, churches, banks and schools. 

Funding will also go towards the development of town parks, pedestrian areas and outdoor dining zones. 

Speaking about the news in Cappoquin, Co Waterford, Minister Humphreys said, "We are all familiar with historic old buildings in our local towns which have lay vacant for far too long. In many cases, these are old courthouses or churches of real historical significance and heritage value. These are iconic buildings in our town centres and I don’t want to see them lying idle, falling into disrepair or becoming dilapidated eyesores.

"The funding I am announcing today will help redevelop these buildings and give them new purpose as community & cultural facilities, libraries, co-working hubs, enterprise and tourism hubs and of course like here in Cappoquin, they can even become new homes.” 

Funding of over €5 million is being provided to convert three derelict town centre buildings in Cappoquin including a former hotel, pub and department store into residential accommodation.  

The Cappoquin Regeneration Project will also [ensure] the development of ‘over the shop’ living accommodation in the town centre as well as the renovation of three historic town houses on the main street.

Minister Humphreys continued: "Other exciting projects being funded today will see the development of new Town Parks as well as Pedestrian Zones and Outdoor Dining Spaces. This will help to make out towns vibrant spaces for people to live and work in. 

"There are also a number of important projects which will help drive job creation in areas such as food innovation and offshore renewable energy.”

The 23 projects announced today support a range of sectors and services, including town centre regeneration and residency, remote working, enterprise development, tourism development, remote learning, community development and repurposing of heritage buildings.

As well as Cappoquin, other successful projects include €5.2m for the renovation of a number of vacant and derelict buildings in the heart of Charleville in Co Cork, including the conversion of a heritage building into a new arts and community centre, and an old HSE building into the new home of the Men's Shed and local snooker club.  

Over €4 million has been allocated to Athy, Co Kildare for the conversion of the Old Model School and grounds into a state-of-the-art food, drink and skills innovation hub along with a food discovery centre and café. 

An old stone creamery building in Pilltown, Co Kilkenny will be redeveloped into a social enterprise and community space thanks to €1.34 million in funding, while €11.9 million for the regeneration of the town centre in Cahir, Co Tipperary will go towards renovating the historic Market House into a co-working/hot desk facility with additional space for Cahir Enterprise Centre. 

The old Granary Building on Church Street will also be refurbished and renovated to become a new Town Library and Gallery.

Just under €1.5 million will go towards the redevelopment of the former Methodist Chapel and Hall in Durrow, Co Laois into an enterprise centre with co-working space as well as a cultural/gallery and exhibition space. 

The projects announced today are across two phases; the projects in Phase 1 can be commenced immediately while the projects in Phase 2 will be delivered based on a timeframe to be agreed with the Department of Rural & Community Development. 

This timeframe will be linked to the level of progress achieved on the Phase 1 projects located in the county concerned and on existing projects already funded by the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund in the relevant county.

The full list of projects is available to view here.