Laois community gather to plot roadmap for community facility

People in Killenard are invited to a consultation event in May as part of process to plot a roadmap for the future of the community centre that serves an area that has grown rapidly.

In 2023, the Killenard Community Centre committee requested feedback on the centre from local people through a survey with more than 400 responses. The 2022 Census put the population at 741.

On the back of the survey, the development committee secured funding from Laois Partnership to complete a feasibility study of the Coummunity Centre.

The committee will host an open evening from 6-9pm on Friday, May 17 in the Community Centre to cover the report, options and costings to gather feedback.

The Killenard Community Centre Committee: Ailish McLernon, Alex O’Connor, Anne Hogan, Ciaran Guinan, Enda Behan, Francis Finn, Giles Bennet, Ken Finn, Kieran Kehoe, Louise Kehoe, Maria Whelehan, Mark Deverall, Niamh Hogan, Pieter Jansson, Seamus Muldowney.

A draft of the survey is now available - from Enda on 087 976 5406 for a copy, or any committee member.

The population has grown by nearly 30% since 2011 after most of the new houses were built. The population grew by 20% between 2016 and the last census in 2022. Laois County Council says the population growth is higher than the average rate though organic residential development is all that will be accommodated within the lifetime of the current County Development Plan.

Killenard is home to the famous Heritage Hotel which was built during the Celtic Tiger when most of the new housing was constructed. The community is also the location of a Seve Ballesteros-designed golf course.

Funding of €60,000 was secured in 2017 under the Town and Village Renewal scheme to overhaul of a car park in the middle of the village. A process started in 2018 to prepare a sustainable community development plan.