Longford property to be developed for community use

Kenagh village is one of 24 locations across the country set to benefit from a Department of Rural and Community Development initiative.
This week Minister Heather Humphreys announced funding of over €4.5 million to tackle dereliction and vacancy in Rural Ireland.

The investment, under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, will see 24 old and derelict buildings repurposed for community use.

The property purchased in Kenagh is the only Longford building on the list. The three bedroom semi-detached house with development site attached at Main Street, Kenagh, which was listed for €199,000 on property website Daft.ie, was purchased as part of the Our Rural Future programme.

Commenting on the announcement Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Colm Murray said: “At the end of 2023, an application I submitted to the Department of Rural and Community Development via Longford County Council was successful in securing funding to buy the building and site in Kenagh village for use as a Community facility.”
Cllr Murray outlined that he will engage with locals to ascertain the best use for the facility. “I will be holding a public meeting in the coming weeks to gain community input on what should be included in the development and how it can best serve the needs of the area.”

Speaking about the focus of the initiative Minister Humphreys said: “This is about repurposing old buildings to benefit rural communities the length and breadth of the country.”
Buildings to be revamped under the initiative include; former Garda stations, schools, post offices, parish halls, restaurants, public houses and other vacant sites.

The announcement represents the second year of investment under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme’s Building Acquisition Measure, which is designed to bring vacant and derelict properties back into use in our town and village centres.
Minister Humphreys explained the reason for the drive. “This initiative is all about giving our local communities the tools to address the challenges of vacancy and dereliction in their towns and villages. Through this funding, we are taking those run-down buildings and turning them into facilities that will benefit communities for generations to come.”

Minister Humphreys concluded: “We will continue to work with local communities to ensure that our rural towns and villages continue to be vibrant places to live and work, with people of all ages – young and old – seeing and realising the benefits.”