7. FOR INCLUSION

Kilkenny is a City and County for everyone, so all of our voices and perspectives are important.

Kilkenny is unique in that those who live, work and play here, really care.

From the City to the most rural parts of the County, there are teams of ordinary people who are working hard to make their towns and villages the best they can be. We recognise that from young people to older generations, everyone’s perspective on life is slightly different, so everyone has a role to play in shaping Kilkenny.

It’s Kilkenny County Council’s responsibility to ensure that any proposed changes or strategies are fully understood by everyone and considered from every perspective. Along with active engagement with Town Teams, our approach to public consultation is all about creating transparency, a shared responsibility, a desire to co-design our best City.

The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund has fuelled many of the projects that towns like Callan and Thomastown have benefited from, but it’s the Town Teams who are directing and driving improvements. These groups of ordinary citizens ensure that the projects that happen are going to provide genuine benefit to people living, working and visiting the local area.

Under DRCD (Department of Community and Rural Development) Town & Village funding, Kilkenny County Council carried out Health Checks on a number of towns. They included Goresbridge, Mullinavat, Johnstown, Urlingford, Castlecomer and Thomastown. The Health Checks provided a ‘stock-take’ of the strengths and weaknesses of a town, helping to focus the Town Teams on the priorities for improvement.

The Callan Friary Complex

Callan was identified as the pilot for town centre renewal back in 2016 because of a severe decline in its economy and the dereliction of Mill Street and Bridge Street.

Following a Health Check, Callan’s Town Team developed a Town Improvement Plan which identified a schedule of actions including improvement of the public realm and recreation and amenity enhancements.

The Callan Friary Complex was granted a significant budget to give the old church a new purpose; this beautiful heritage building will now house a new library, guaranteeing its protection for many years to come.

Kilkenny County Council is helping with the regeneration of the town centre through the purchasing and refurbishment of two properties, giving them a new life for residential and retail purposes. The 2022 Town & Village Streetscape Scheme has significantly enhanced other properties in Bridge Street. A proposed new archway could provide a pedestrian link between Bridge Street, Friary Complex and Abbey Meadows.

Graiguenamanagh

Back in 2021, the Barrow Valley Activities Hub secured €92k from the Town & Village Renewal Scheme to create a bespoke community facility on the old Pitch & Putt. Having started as an overnight parking facility, this stunning campervan site has evolved into the primary economic driver for the area.

With shower facilities, kitchen, secure storage and an impressive covered gathering space that perfectly shows off the natural beauty of the area, it’s no surprise that it won the National Pride of Place award in 2022.

By GenesisNZ - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Gowran

The historic town of Gowran is benefitting from plans to develop an outdoor activity hub in the town centre. €250k is to be invested in the creation of a space where people of all ages and abilities can socialise, exercise and play in an inclusive, safe amenity.

In early 2023, Kilkenny County Council appointed a partner to commence the building of 88 social housing units and a community centre at Crokershill in Kilkenny City.

Funded by the Department for Housing, Planning and Local Government under the Housing for all Programme, this is an important development with a significant number of wheelchair liveable and age friendly units. Scheduled for completion in late 2024, this will be just the first of many housing units to come to the City with Kilkenny County Council in partnership with approved housing bodies expecting to deliver 360 housing units in 2023 and 2024.

The Abbey Quarter Kilkenny by Design communicates the vision for this new part of the city.

Designed as a seamless complement to the medieval City, it will be an inclusive place for people of all ages to live, work and play with St Francis’ Abbey at its core. The development of the Abbey Quarter brings more opportunities to reopen car-free pathways through the City, making it easier for people to walk or cycle where they need to go.

With the Abbey Quarter Masterplan, Kilkenny County Council wanted to, “do as little as possible, but as much as is necessary” to unlock the brilliance of this central site. We want every generation to feel welcome to work, live and play here, so inclusivity is a central theme of the development.

Working with the Kilkenny Access Group and NCBI (National Council for the Blind Ireland), we hope to make this newest part of the City, a model of excellence. Measures include recommendations for accessible routes, shared space plazas, pedestrian crossings, variable ground surface materials, visual colour contrasts and strategic signage and lighting.

Free to use, trustworthy, safe and accessible for everyone, Kilkenny County Council’s Library Service really is something to be proud of.

Due to increased and sustainable funding and an experienced, professional and creative team in charge, Kilkenny is lucky to have a contemporary library service that is having a far-reaching impact into our communities across the City and County. With visitor and member numbers constantly rising, this increased usage is testament to Kilkenny's commitment to providing an inclusive, modern service designed for people of every age and every stage of life.

It’s easy to say that everyone is welcome to any of Kilkenny’s libraries, but we want to make sure that everyone is comfortable coming in and using the service.

That’s why Kilkenny County Council Library Service has received autism accreditation from As I Am, Ireland’s National Autism Charity and Advocacy Organisation. To help those living with sensory issues along with a specialist toy collection we also have Sensory Boxes available in every branch to make your experience of using the library service a truly positive one.

Many of Kilkenny's libraries are equipped with technology that can enhance lives.

Originally designed in The Netherlands to help people living with dementia, Magic Tables use clever technology that lets people use their hands or arms to play games with light projections. Kilkenny Library Service has 4 Magic Tables for use across the County.

The movement and engagement of participants boosts their physical, cognitive and social interaction. With multiple games to choose from, everyone from old to young has been really enjoying this unique system. We are really proud that Kilkenny residents have access to something that can have such an impact on people living with cognitive impairments, learning difficulties or sensory challenges.

Anyone is welcome to call into the Kilkenny County Council Library to witness one of our Magic Tables bringing a bit of magic to someone’s day.

Kilkenny County Council's Library Service

Get free access to Sensory Boxes at any of Kilkenny's 8 libraries

A musical game is being played on a Magic Table

Kilkenny Library Service has 4 Magic Tables for use across the County

Kilkenny's new Mayfair Library is due to be completed later this year!

The new Mayfair Library located at the heart of the city is our flagship branch.

This renovation of the old Mayfair ballroom will increase the floor space six fold and will contain spaces designed for every age group. A dedicated Maker Space is also an exciting new addition. With a focus on sustainability and repairing rather than replacing, the Maker Space will be equipped with a 3D scanner and 3D printer and a bank of sewing machines. We are also creating a new purpose built library in Thomastown. You can read more about it in the Community section.

ADD SECTION

Kilkenny County Council's Mobile Library

Kilkenny's Mobile Library Service is popular with those living in rural areas, nursing homes, schools and early learning centres.

Over 70% of the residents of Kilkenny live in rural areas. This makes Kilkenny’s Mobile Library Service a lifeline for many. Having offered this service for over half a century, the mobile service has many regular visitors and library staff have formed strong relationships with many of the county’s most avid readers. Find out when the Mobile Library will be next in your area by clicking here.

Full Forward Kilkenny - Join the Team

We encourage you to join the discussion and help us protect and enhance Kilkenny. Keep an eye on consult.kilkenny.ie to read proposals and have your say!

people sitting on chair in front of table while holding pens during daytime

Kilkenny County Council launched Team up To Clean Up, Together for Kilkenny to create a long lasting legacy in neighbourhoods across the County. This public, private collaboration has empowered local communities to keep their communities litter-free.