Breathing new life into vacant buildings was key to Minister Heather Humphreys’ Kilkenny visit today.

She began and ended at premises that once housed dancehalls, in between stopping off at a former bank, to hear more of how all might serve their communities with their new or future purpose.

First stop was at the Abbey Quarter where the Mayfair Library opens to the public tomorrow morning.

For Kilkenny County Council Director of Services Mary Mulholland, who hosted the ministerial visit, it was a poignant day personally as well as professionally;

The Minister used the occasion to reveal that €25million is to be spent helping to transform 11 similar buildings across the country while also delivering 12 new Next Generation mobile library vehicles, including one for Kilkenny;

The facility opens to the public tomorrow (Thursday, 25th April) at 10am – some invited guests and service employees gave their verdicts to KCLR;

THOMASTOWN

The next local spot due to get a new €4.5million premises for its book fans is Thomastown and the Minister arrived there to turn the sod at the site.

Some people from the community outlined what the facility will mean for the area;

URLINGFORD

In Urlingford, Minister Humphreys officially opened Exit 4 Urlingford Remote Working Hub at the former Bank of Ireland premises.

Here’s her speech to those who gathered there;

Afterwards, she popped around the corner to the nearby community hall, once the parochial dance hall, which is undergoing a refurb.

Town Team Chair Dympna Hayes told KCLR about both projects.