The long-awaited demolition of the Ouncel (public house) building at The Square in Johnstown has finally commenced, much to the relief of locals and political representatives in North Kilkenny.
The news was confirmed at the January meeting of the Castlecomer Municipal District (MD) and was warmly welcomed by local Councillor and County Council Cathaoirleach Mary Hilda Cavanagh (FG).
“It’s been an absolute pain in the neck for the residents of Johnstown and for anyone passing through the village, but in particular for the (Council’s) Town Team that are trying to make Johnstown the best possible place to live in,” Cllr Cavanagh told KCLR News. “Looking at that eyesore hasn’t done anyone any good. They’ve painted up the windows but they’ve rotted again in the meantime so it’s great news that work has finally started there.”
Detailing social housing completions in the district during 2025, Kilkenny County Council Senior Engineer Eimear Cody confirmed that 37 units had been delivered in North Kilkenny, including the Turnkey/Part V projects at Ardreagh, Lumper Lane in Urlingford (18 units), Ogenty in Gowran (17) while there had been individual renewals of old properties in Paulstown and Gowran respectively. This compared favourably with the 55 units that were completed in Kilkenny City last year.
All bar the restored two-bed house on Gowran’s Main Street, opposite St Mary’s Church, have since been allocated, Ms Cody confirmed, adding that the Council is currently attempting to acquire a derelict house “right beside it” to undertake similar transformative works.
There are currently 169 social housing applicants on the Castlecomer MD list, which breaks down as follows: Castlecomer (44), Ballyragget (42), Goresbridge (20), Gowran (19), Urlingford (17), Johnstown/Galmoy (12), Clogh (4), Paulstown, Coon and Moneenroe (3 each) and Tullaroan (2).
In terms of stated unit preferences, just over half of applicants (86, 80 of whom are single) have requested a one-bed unit, followed by 48 seeking a two-bed home (28%), while 28 applicants (17%) had sought a three-bed home. The remaining seven applicants (4%) are seeking a four-bed home. “But, as you know with Choice Based Letting, anything we advertise, anyone in the county can apply for,” Ms Cody stated. “It has traditionally taken longer to get houses for single people but that is something we need to do more of.”
Ms Cody also noted the Council’s ongoing inability to advance social housing projects within the Clogh-Castlecomer Water Supply area, along with the areas served by the Ballyragget Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), the Clogh-Mooneenroe WWTP and Paulstown WWTP as no mains wasterwater connections are currently possible. The dearth in water service provision has become a monthly feature on the District’s agenda, as Councillors continue to highlight its absence.
When it comes to this year, Ms Cody told the meeting that 34 further units are expected to be delivered locally, namely, the ‘Red Barn’ at Ballyragget (11 units that are due for completion by the end of Q1), 8 and 9, Kilkenny Street in Castlecomer (3, due in February) and An Tobar in Freshford (20, with an estimated finish in June).
The meeting was also told that there were no incidences of rough sleeping on the city’s streets which had been brought to the Council’s attention. Regarding the continued reduction in the housing list, Cllr Mary Hilda Cavanagh commended the “trojan work” of the Council’s Housing Department.
