The Housing Minister was in Kilkenny today to officially open three key sites.
James Browne landed at Croker’s Hill where a host of homes have been built in the last two years with occupants moving in within the past 12 months.
He told those gathered that “Kilkenny has a proud record of delivering” and said the county council, as well as Carlow’s, were great to get “everybody pulling together”.
Minister Browne spoke to KCLR News’ Edwina Grace while on site;
Some of the residents outlined what it was like to secure a home there and how the new neighbourhood’s coming together;
Eimear Cody is Senior Engineer with Kilkenny County Council and she outlined details of this, the local authority’s biggest ever social housing scheme which is already an award-winning development designed by van Dijk Architects and constructed by Ormonde Construction Ltd. It includes Universal Design Homes, an Aurora Group Home and Community Centre faciltiies;
Michael Beatty outlined what it took to turn the green space into close to 90 homes – and of the birch tree the Minister planted;
Lus na Gréine (Sunflower) Community Centre at Croker’s Hill includes the new city base for the Thomas Hayes Trust/Teac Tom – its Angela Hayes explains it all;
Kilkenny Mayor Andrew McGuinness called the official opening ‘a great day for Kilkenny’;
While John McGuinness was delighted to see what had been done with the space, having played there as a child;
Watergate Urban Park URDF
The second stop was Jenkins Yard – the Watergate Urban Park URDF Scheme.
Greensbridge Boardwalk
The third place for Minister Browne to visit was the new boardwalk which connects the Abbey Quarter with the Bishops Meadows.
Robert Kelly outlines the work that was carried out there;
For Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr Joe Malone, it was the personal favourite of the Minister’s stops, he outlined why;
These people are delighted too with the provision;
Minister James Browne at his last #Kilkenny city stop today, the official opening of the boardwalk linking Bishops Meadows and the Abbey Quarter pic.twitter.com/kUIN8sPP5t
— KCLR 96FM (@kclr96fm) September 25, 2026
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