€1.4m awarded for construction of new community centre in Offaly

MONEYGALL Development Association (MDA) was thrilled to receive the news last week that the Department of Rural and Community Development has awarded €1,407,660 in funding towards the construction of a new Community Centre in Moneygall.

This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a hub for the entire community, conveniently located adjacent to existing MDA developments such as the Community Garden, Walking Track, Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA), and playground, the new centre will feature a spacious function room, a modern catering kitchen, as well as essential amenities including toilets, showers, and dressing rooms.

With this new facility, the MDA aims to host a wide range of activities and events, including training courses, bingo nights, concerts, and community gatherings. This project represents a significant step forward in enhancing the social and recreational opportunities available to residents of Moneygall.

Sean Nolan, Chairperson of the Moneygall Development Association, expressed gratitude to Moneygall FC for their co-operation and commitment of land, highlighting the collaborative spirit that has enabled this project to move forward. He also extended appreciation to local representatives, including Councillors, Senators, TD’s, and Ministers, for their unwavering support in securing funding for the Community Centre.

The MDA acknowledges the crucial role played by Offaly County Council in supporting the application process and looks forward to collaborating with the Regeneration Team to bring this transformative project to fruition. Sean emphasised that this milestone marks an exciting day for the entire community and expressed delight in commencing work on the much-anticipated Community Centre.

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, announced an investment of over €30 million, which will deliver 12 new community centres nationwide. It’s the first time in the history of the State that a dedicated fund has been set up to deliver new-build community centres in Rural Ireland.

The successful community centre projects will receive capital grants of between €1 million and €6 million to build multi-functional centres in areas that currently lack community facilities.

Making the announcement, Minister Humphreys said: “I am delighted today to announce details of the successful projects under the Community Centre Investment Fund 2023. Today, we are investing over €30 million in 12 new build facilities – this will be transformational for our rural towns and villages.

“Our community centres bring people of all ages together, whether it be for sporting, educational or social occasions. They are vital for engaging with those who may find themselves marginalised and they give everyone in the community a great sense of belonging.

“They build, stronger, more vibrant communities – places that for so many people act as a home from home. You could say that the Community Centre is the cornerstone of community life in many towns, villages and cities around the country.”

These projects are all on brown or green field sites and have all the necessary planning and consents secured so they are already at an advanced stage and ready to commence following a tender process.

Cllr Peter Ormond welcomed the announcement for the construction of a single storey community centre comprising of meeting room, two changing rooms, toilets, shower areas, officials room, storage rooms, kitchen, plant room and including all associated site works.

The facility located at Moneygall Football Club will greatly enhance the community amenities and those of Moneygall Football Club.

“The fund announced today will provide 90% of the total project value with the remaining 10% to be provided in matching contributions from the local community. A minimum of 5% of the matching contributions element must be in cash. The total contribution for this project will be €1,407,660 from the Department, €117,305 from Offaly County Council and €40,000 from the local community,” said Cllr Ormond.

He stated that he is delighted with the announcement and that he had been working with Moneygall Development Association on this project since 2020.

Cllr Ormond would like to thank the commitment and vision of Moneygall Development Association and Moneygall Football Club for their commitment to this proposal. “They had a number of set-backs along the way and thankfully these were all overcome. I look forward to working with the two committees for the implementation phase of the project.

“This was a real community effort and thankfully the Department have rewarded them for their proposal.” According to Cllr Ormond, this is a ground-breaking investment in the village and it will bring real improvements to the heart of Moneygall.

“I would like to thank the regeneration team on Offaly County Council, led out by Olwyn Cummins, my colleagues, Deputy Barry Cowen who visited and met with the committee on a number of occasions, and Minister Jack Chambers and Minister Thomas Byrne who also met with the committee.”

Councillor John Clendennen also warmly welcomed the funding.

‘I am delighted to receive confirmation from Minister Humphreys today that Moneygall has been approved funding for such an ambitious project, the development of a new Community Centre that will be truly transformational for the village and the surrounding area’, according to Cllr Clendennen.

Minister Heather Humphreys reinforced her support for the Moneygall project - “the funding has been made available under the Community Centre Investment Fund New Build category, and is designed to assist the Moneygall community in striving to build their own community centre to service local needs. The level of interest in this funding scheme to date has proven that these centres, once complete, are the beating heart of the community”.

“The community centre is a safe, positive and accessible space for all manner of community activities and I want to ensure that community centres continue to remain a hive of activity. I want to congratulate Offaly County Council and Moneygall Development Association and to thank them for the vital work they do in providing services in their local communities. This funding will deliver high quality community facilities that will bring benefits to this community for many years to come,” continued Minister Humphreys.

Cllr Clendennen emphasised that “the community spirit in Moneygall is palpable and the new community centre will mean that the community will continue to grow, and for generations to come there will be a modern facility that will be second to none, building on the great work of the community in recent years.

“I want to thank Minister Humphreys for her support in delivering this important project for Moneygall and the surrounding area, which will be match funded by Offaly County Council. This government commitment to the project will ensure a facility that will be truly transformational for the local community, and I wish Moneygall Development Association well with the construction process, and every good wish and success to the entire community with this impressive facility. I will continue to work with Minister Humphreys and her officials to advocate for other projects in Offaly and will continue to help all community groups so as to ensure every community will have a real community space to come together in,” concluded Cllr Clendennen.
Minister Pippa Hackett said “I am very aware of the work of Moneygall Development Association, with Offaly County Council, on this application for a new Community Centre. There can be no doubting the community in Moneygall’s excellent track record of working together for the betterment of the village and wider community. This takes planning and a lot of voluntary dedication and today’s announcement is just reward. I look forward to the completion of a new Centre, filled with arts, culture, social and sporting activities and, importantly, which can facilitate larger gatherings. This is the only project to receive funding in the Midlands, with 12 successful applications across the country.

“I am aware of Moneygall Development Association’s vision of an inclusive space for all. Government policy, in Our Rural Future, is to support rural communities, and we are doing that and it was my privilege to support this application. But it is the people of Moneygall who are building the sense of belonging – and it is tangible. Hats off to them for that and best wishes for the wonderful new home at the heart of the Moneygall community.”