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Gathered in the summer sun, under the shade of trees and enjoying a fresh coffee, members of the Urlingford Town Team are enthusiastically planning their upcoming golf classic. Little over a year ago the scene couldn’t have happened. Not only had the Town Team still to be formed, but there was no café in Urlingford. However, since May 2021 things have started to change in the North Kilkenny town, and it’s that wave of enthusiasm embodied by the Town Team that will see everyone in their community benefit. Scroll down to read on, then click 'NEXT' to see more photographs and read about the golf classic and the other ambitious projects of the Town Team. Like the mythical rising tide that lifts all boats, the strategic plan that is currently being drawn up for Urlingford by consultants, with the input of the whole community, including the Town Team, will bring advantages for everyone. “ASPIRE is the word that encapsulates our vision for Urlingford - attractive, safe, prosperous, inclusive, respectful and empowering,” says Fiona Joyce, chairperson of the Town Team. Practically, what this means is a wide scope of individual projects with the aim of creating an overall improvement in the living, working and recreational environment in the town. One of the keystone projects for the Urlingford Town Team is to get a remote working hub up and running. With the help of Kilkenny County Council the former Bank of Ireland building has been bought for lease by the Town Team and this town-centre site will be converted into a remote working hub. Alongside this, in the coming weeks, will be the Town Team’s major fundraising event, a golf classic (see poster below). An essential step in the project. Urlingford is the most recent of several towns across Kilkenny to form a Town Team, with the support and encouragement of Kilkenny County Council. The council carried out a ‘health check’ on the town early last year, with a view to drawing up a town plan. With the encouragement and support of the council, members
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During the recent lockdowns many people had to quickly get used to working from home. While they might not want to return to the traditional, big office, the advantages of working from a hub are many - it eliminates the need for long commutes giving people more time in their community and with family; it also means people don’t have to heat their home during the work day. But there’s also the other side to working from home, being alone. A hub offers camaraderie and the mental health boost to being in an environment with others around you, even if you’re not directly working with them.“When restrictions eased, a lot of people went back to the office because they missed that,” Fiona said. ABOVE: Some of the members of Urlingford Town Team, outside the former Bank of Ireland building on Main Street, Urlingford. They have plans to transform the building into a remote working hub. Picture: Christine Tobin Pat Wall agrees. A member of the Town Team, he worked from home one day a week, pre-pandemic. Now his company, an accounting software firm with offices in Dublin, is all ‘work from home’. On-site visits with clients were replaced with online meetings. His experience is an insight into why remote working is useful for people based in far-away offices, and why people now working from home in the area will use it. “You miss the interaction with other people, even when you’re not working with them,” he said. As Urlingford is so central, if someone did want to meet in person it might suit to meet there, Pat said. The hub could attract remote workers in general. A lot of people stop at places like motorway food courts, between client visits, but they don’t have facilities for these ‘barstool workers’. “If you could stop some place like Urlingford for an hour or two, then go on your way again, that would be good,” Pat said. He stresses, the hub would not be a standalone concept, but part of a multi-faceted approach to the town. “Urlingford is very well located, has a good primary
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With ambitious plans, the Town Team needs to build a strong financial base. The hub project is supported by Town and Village Renewal Scheme grant aid, but, as Dympna says: “Costs are very easy to underestimate. We will be pursuing every line of public funding available but we will be depending on the public as well. This is by the community for the community.” Coming up in September will be the Town Team’s inaugural Cross Border Challenge Golf Classic. JJ Kavanagh is one of the Town Team organising the event and said new Kilkenny hurling boss Derek Lyng will be leading the Kilkenny challenge, with former and current Kilkenny players supporting the side. Tipp manager Liam Cahill will lead the challenge from over the border. “We’re inviting the county’s diaspora to take part, and attend the social event afterwards,” JJ said. The day will start with a ‘Drive Fada’ event off the first tee. The golf challenge will be held at Rathdowney Golf Club on Saturday, September 24. Team entry to the three ball scramble is €180, which includes a meal. Tee times are filling up so players are urged to contact JJ on 087-2624818 or John Maher, 086-2943684 soon to book their slot.You can also sponsor a tee, for €150, or support the challenge with corporate sponsorship of €500. This includes a tee box and photographs with Derek Lyng and Liam Cahill.By supporting the golf classic you will be supporting the community. The winning team will each take home a Garmin Golf GPS watch, and, John said, there will be lots more prizes. Click HERE to return to the Kilkenny People homepage or read on... Thank you - for making the Iverk Show a success! Kilkenny IHL- Fourteen man ’Fort dig deep for victory against Rower Inistioge