Civic buildings and spaces in Tippeary Town are set for a new lease of life

Two transformative projects for Tipperary town are set to bring life back into two derelict civic buildings and areas.

Multi million projects will see the development of the former civic offices, Dan Breen House, and the development of the former Courthouse/Bridewell area in the town. They are exciting projects that have taken many years to bring together through a collaboration of multiple stakeholders.

Dan Breen House will be reimagined as a Youth and Further Education and Training Centre in partnership with Youth Work Ireland Tipperary and Tipperary Education and Training Board, while the former Courthouse/Bridewell will be transformed into a day service location for adults with intellectual disabilities in partnership with Moorehaven Centre.

Funding just short of €1o million has been allocated to the two projects.The Dan Breen House project is at tender assessment stage, the successful tender is to be chosen and and a contract is expected to be signed by the end of the year.

The Courthouse/Bridewell project is in the procurement process and tenders will be invited for that project within weeks.

These projects emerged initially through the work of Tipp Town Revitalisation.

The collaboration involved the Moorehaven Centre, Youth Work Ireland Tipperary, Tipperary ETB Task Force members, the elected members and the staff of Tipperary Cahir Cashel Municipal District, along with South Tipperary Development Company who supported the business case under the LEADER programme.

Proposals to repurpose and fully restore Tipperary Courthouse & Bridewell have been welcomed in Tipperary Town, with MooreHaven set to become the new custodians of the historic buildings. The Courthouse & Bridewell campus will be repurposed as a hub for adults with intellectual disabilities, bringing a long vacant building back into everyday use. The project is a partnership between MooreHaven, Tipperary County Council and Tipperary Town Revitalisation.

Since its formation in 1981, MooreHaven has grown steadily and now provides a broad range of supports and services to 120 users through the work and commitment of over 80 staff. Demand for its services is expected to grow in the coming years and the Courthouse & Bridewell project is part of an ambitious expansion plan.

MooreHaven’s Chairman, Denis Kennedy, and his colleagues believe the Courthouse & Bridewell is an ideal fit for their service for a range of reasons, including its location and size. “ We are hugely committed to the services we provide to our users and their families and also recognise demand for our services is growing. We have been looking to expand to a new hub close to our main location on Tipperary Town’s O’Brien Street for some time as our current locations in Tipperary and Cashel are at capacity. We are very pleased to work with Tipperary County Council on this project and, on behalf of all connected with MooreHaven, in particular our services users and their families and our staff, I want to thank the Council and their staff for working with us and for giving us this opportunity”.

The proposal will consist of the full refurbishment of all buildings and the grounds.

The old civic offices at Dan Breen House will be brought back in to use as a Youth & Further Education and Training Centre. The project is a collaboration between Tipperary County Council, Youth Work Ireland Tipperary, and Tipperary Education & Training Board and is supported by the Tipperary Town Revitalisation Task Force as a priority action under the Tipperary Town Revitalisation Strategy & Action plan to 2035.

The project will aim to provide the infrastructure to support a range of youth programmes and training opportunities in Tipperary Town and will target supports towards people from economically and socially disadvantaged backgrounds in particular. The project includes the provision of new classrooms and workshop areas, as well as office and a flexible event space. Research carried out by the Task Force shows that Tipperary suffers from very high levels of disadvantage relative to other comparable towns, with low educational attainment being a significant barrier for people trying to access the labour market. This new facility in the town will allow for greatly enhanced service and training provision, and will be a cornerstone in the efforts to address a myriad of socioeconomic issues that prevail in Tipperary Town.

Cllr Annemarie Ryan paid tribute to the various teams who worked tirelessly to progress both projects.

“I am very pleased that Dan Breen House will soon be brought back into active use as a new Youth & Further Education and Training Centre. In tandem with this project, the Courthouse and Bridewell complex will be transformed into an exceptional facility for MooreHaven. MooreHaven provides irreplaceable activities and educational programmes in our community, and this beautifully renovated, dedicated space will allow them to significantly expand the vital training they offer to a growing number of service users. The revival of these beautiful buildings is very important.

Both Dan Breen House and the Courthouse/Bridewell complex are key historical landmarks in Tipperary Town. For many years, it has been deeply disheartening to see these heritage buildings sit vacant, slipping into dereliction and decay. I believe we have a duty to protect our town's architectural legacy. Finding sustainable, forward-looking uses for these spaces is the only way to breathe new life into our streetscape, preserve our rich history, and guarantee their survival for generations to come,” said Cllr Ryan.

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