Senator urges council to seek funding for Longford music museum

Longford Fianna Fáil Senator Joe Flaherty has called on Longford County Council to seek funding for a Museum of Music Ireland and locate it at the former Providers building on Lower Main Street in the county town.

The Lanesboro native said the project would be an immersive heritage attraction that could celebrating Longford's strong connections to Irish country music.

The development could be supported in terms of funding by a a new €7.5 million Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund, which opened for applications earlier this week.

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The new initiative will replace the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) and and is specifically designed to provide greater focus on disadvantaged areas and widen the scope of eligibility to include more smaller towns.

Funding is capped at €7.5m per proposal, rising to €9m for projects in deprived areas eligible for the 90% rate.

Senator Joe Flaherty said the project could play a big part in revitalising the Lower Main Street area and it would be an ideal accompaniment to the planned redevelopment of Connolly Barracks.

 "I would suggest that the county council revive a previous plan for a Museum of Music Ireland (MOMI) in Connolly Barracks and package it for old Providers Building. 

"As you will know anyway, a new variation of the URDF scheme opens this week and there’s potentially €7.5m for  ready to go projects. "

Senator Flaherty said the new 'Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund' could be a very beneficial support.

"The MOMI pitch was for a  fully immersive heritage and cultural attraction based on Longford’s rich links with Irish country music. Previously the council’s regeneration team and external consultants submitted a very ambitious pitch to Bord Failte for the plan but it missed out on the Bord’s large projects funding in 2022.

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"The Providers building repackaged as an interactive heritage and cultural experience would link perfectly with the redevelopment works at Connolly Barracks (due to start later this year) and would be transformative for a  long forgotten Lower Main Street.”  

Senator Flaherty said people have seen the potential with the Longford Lights project.

“The Council spent thousands on an excellent proposal for this project just a few years ago and it can easily be dusted down and submitted with the Providers building in mind ahead of the May 1st closing date for applications.”

The fund will offer two distinct categories of support in its first 'Call for Proposals', which include 'Category 1A (Plan and Project Pipeline Development' which focuses on helping local authorities create a pipeline of future projects, including masterplans and initial design works. Funding is capped at €150,000 per proposal.

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The second type Category 1B (Project Delivery) is targeted at the construction of capital works that are already sufficiently advanced in design or planning. 

The closing date for all applications under the new scheme is 1 May 2026.

Senator Flaherty attached a copy of the application and project brief which was submitted to Bord Fáilte previously.

“Excellent work was done here by Lorraine O'Connor. The ground work is effectively done on this project.”

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