From Department of Rural and Community Development
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The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has today officially unveiled Ireland’s newest library and announced a major investment of over €25 million in our Public Library Service.
The Minister made the announcement in Kilkenny City, where she opened the Mayfair Library, a €7.2 million project funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and Kilkenny County Council.
The ambitious project involves the transformation of the Old Ballroom in the Abbey Quarter of the city into a state-of-the-art library and community facility.
During the visit, Minister Humphreys announced an investment of over €25 million in our public library service.
The investment includes the delivery of 11 new library buildings across the country, along with 12 new Next Generation mobile library vehicles.
This represents one of the most investments in our library service in years.
Among Projects that will be funded include:
Also today, Minister Humphreys announced almost €2.7 million in funding for new mobile library vehicles.
These will be rolled out in Clare, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Limerick, Louth, Roscommon, Sligo, Waterford and Wexford. (Details below).
Speaking as she performed the official opening in Kilkenny, Minister Humphreys said:
“I’m delighted to officially open Ireland’s newest library facility – a €7.2 million state-of-the-art project in the heart of Kilkenny City. I’m pleased that my Department of Rural and Community Development was in a position to provide €4.7 million of the overall investment. This facility is on the site of the old Mayfair Ballroom and it has been totally transformed for 21st century use. I’m also very pleased today to announce a €25 million investment in our public libraries and library vehicles.”
“This will see the delivery of 11 new library facilities across the country, in places such as Drogheda, Bray, New Ross, Swords, Ballymote and Clonmel. The projects include old churches and priories, cinemas and market-houses which will be transformed for 21st century use. This goes to the heart of what we are working to achieve under our five-year rural development strategy, ‘Our Rural Future’.”
Minister Humphreys added:
“As part of this announcement, there will also be an investment of almost €2.7 million in our mobile library vehicles, which have proven extremely popular in towns and villages across the country. Investing in our library service is a key priority for as Minister and goes to the heart of our new public library strategy that I launched last year. I’m very pleased to be making this announcement in Ireland’s newest library in Kilkenny City, which I know will make a such a difference to this community for generations to come. I want to take this opportunity to once again thank our dedicated library staff across the country, who contribute so much to our public library service and our communities.”
Mayfair Library, Co. Kilkenny
The impressive building will be an integral part of the Abbey Quarter Regeneration Plan in the heart of medieval Kilkenny City. The new building will provide library space of 1,800 square metres, comprising of flexible digital spaces for training and innovation with a dedicated makerspace providing access to 3D printers, 3D scanners and sewing machines.
It also features meeting room for workshops, lectures, training and events to enhance community engagement.
The Minister also acknowledged the role of Kilkenny County Council staff and commended the collaboration between local and central government that has ensured the successful delivery of the new facility.
Table 1 - Infrastructure Projects
| No. | Project Name | Total Project Cost | Grant Approved |
| 1 | Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council – Ballyogan Library | €3,296,426 | €450,000 |
| 2 | Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council – Stillorgan Library | €6,761,518 | €1,000,000 |
| 3 | Fingal County Council – Swords Library | €55,467,730 | €3,000,000 |
| 4 | Kildare County Council – Clane Library | €3,800,000 | €1,900,000 |
| 5 | Kildare County Council – Kildare County Library, Archives Cultural Centre | €17,884,425 | €3,000,000 |
| 6 | Louth County Council – Drogheda Library * | €7,141,669 | €3,000,000 |
| 7 | Monaghan County Council – Ballybay Library | €2,500,000 | €1,250,000 |
| 8 | Sligo County Council – Ballymote Library | €2,601,995 | €1,300,998 |
| 9 | Tipperary County Council – Clonmel Library | €10,000,000 | €3,000,000 |
| 10 | Wexford County Council – New Ross Library | €3,410,000 | €1,705,000 |
| 11 | Wicklow County Council – Ballywaltrim Library | €8,554,824 | €3,000,000 |
| Total | €22,605,998 |
Table 2 – Next Generation Mobile Library Vehicles
| No. | Library Authority | Vehicle Cost | Grant Approved |
| 1 | Clare County Council | €270,000 | €202,500 |
| 2 | Galway County Council (Vehicle 1) | €330,000 | €247,500 |
| 3 | Galway (County Council Vehicle 2) | €330,000 | €247,500 |
| 4 | Kerry County Council | €300,000 | €225,000 |
| 5 | Kildare County Council | €310,000 | €232,500 |
| 6 | Kilkenny County Council | €240,000 | €180,000 |
| 7 | Limerick County Council | €300,120 | €225,090 |
| 8 | Louth County Council | €230,000 | €172,500 |
| 9 | Roscommon County Council | €300,000 | €225,000 |
| 10 | Sligo County Council | €300,120 | €225,090 |
| 11 | Waterford County Council | €300,000 | €225,000 |
| 12 | Wexford County Council | €350,000 | €262,500 |
| Total | €2,670,180 |
Samuel Beckett Civic Campus, Ballyogan Ct, Ballyogan, Dublin D18 HT72
This project involved the construction of a campus to create a new vibrant focus for the community and to encourage and promote active lifestyles. The project was to be completed over two phases.
Phase One delivered a sports building with gym and changing facilities, provision of pitches, playground and skate park, a surface level car park and some landscaping works. A Crèche, temporary changing areas, Dance & Exercise Studios also operated in the building, as well as Barnardos, and Tusla basing offices there
Phase 2 of the development now commencing was to further develop the site by providing a Library over 2 floors (1400sq metres approx.) following a change of use from Sports facility to Library facility.
St Laurence’s Park A94 XT02
Development of a new multifunctional Library in St Laurence’s Park as a focal point and destination for the local community as part of the regeneration of St Laurence’s Park. The new Library will replace the existing library which was housed in an aging prefabricated structure built in the 1970s which has since been demolished
Fingal County Council executive carpark. The location is the site of the Fingal County Council executive car park at the junction of North Street and Seatown Road.
This County Library will be the main tenant in a Civic Centre situated in the Swords Cultural Quarter. It will be the flagship library for the County and will replace the existing branch library in the town. The new County Library will also house the Local Studies and Archives section of Fingal Libraries, which is currently in a leased building on North Street, Swords. As well as housing the library, the Civic Centre will also accommodate a 163 seat theatre, a gallery, café, a tourist information bureau and office space.
Units 8 & 9, The Village Centre, Clane W91 X860
Kildare County Council has purchased two properties— Unit 8 (formerly operating as a Childcare Facility) and Unit 9 (formerly operating as a retail outlet), The Village Centre, Clane for the purpose of developing a new library for Clane. The site is located in Clane Town Centre within a development as the 'Village Centre' which consists of a small cul—de—sac Of retail units and a surface car park leading from
Main Street, Clane. Units 8 and 9 are the end units forming the eastern end of the site.
Athgarvan Road, Newbridge, Co Kildare W12 W861
Category B application for URDF funding which plans to re-invigorate the historic heart of Newbridge and establish a "Cultural and Civic Quarter"
These schemes 'Will be supported by a series of. proposed and existing initiatives that will underpin and complement the "Cultural and Civic Quarter" including the redevelopment Of St. Conleth's Park by the GA-A, the redevelopment of Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge Town Hall, the NTA transport plan, Newbridge Courthouse and Town Renewal Plan.
The Kildare County Library, Archives and Cultural Centre will serve the population of
Kildare giving access to the specialised Kildare Local Studies Collection, the County Archives, Genealogy Services and additional cultural space. The new County Library will replace the existing Newbridge Library and provide a central library service not just for the Kildare/Newbridge Municipal District but a modern, high quality service that will be accessible to all the citizens of Kildare.
Dominican Church, Dominic Street, Drogheda A92 DKR0
Louth County Council has acquired the Dominican Church and Priory situated on the riverfront in Drogheda. The proposed design will be not only to preserve the unique church features, but to keep the original character of the building and create a statement community library facility in the centre of the town. The space will consist of 1077sqm indoor space inclusive of new mezzanine floor and a possible 1125sqm of outdoor public realm space, with a myriad of uses, an oasis for people to connect, engage, immerse in and be inspired by the rich cultural fabric of Drogheda.
Ballybay Library, Main Street, Ballybay A75 AO31
Monaghan County Council proposes to conserve, refurbish the Market House, Main Street, Ballybay into a modern public community library facility. This landmark building on the lower part of Main Street, is a detached four-bay two storey former market house. This proposal for The Market House, which is currently transferring into Monaghan County Council ownership will bring back into active use an existing derelict listed historical building with the refurbishment of the building over three floors; ground floor, mezzanine and first floor, and the construction of a small extension to the side to accommodate a lift and other utilities in order to maximise the overall floor area and facilitate access. Lift access will be provided to all floors to ensure that all areas of the building are fully accessible,
Pearse Road, Ballymote, Co. Sligo F56 DV29
Sligo County Council has identified a former cinema building in the centre of the ‘Key Support Town’ of Ballymote (2016 pop. 1,549) as a suitable site for a new Community Library serving the wider South Sligo region. Purchased by the Council in 2000, the 75-year-old building with ‘Art-Deco’ style façade was built as a cinema but has been vacant for much of the period following its closure in 1975. The redevelopment of this Council owned will provide much needed space for modern Community Library appropriate to a town the size of Ballymote and the wider rural region it serves.
Emmet Street, Mick Delahunty Square, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary E91 N512
it is proposed to build a transformational Library in Mick Delahunty Square on a site opposite the current Library and adjacent to Tipperary County Council’s Civic Offices. The Library site in Mick Delahunty Square is the main cultural and administrative centre of Clonmel and is situated in the wider town centre area. It is located on a primary linkage between the shopping street (Market Place) to the west and The Kickham Barracks Quarter. Tipperary County Council are committed to a redevelopment of this square. A new Library in Mick Delahunty Square will be the flagship project in this redevelopment. This Library will be 2,000 square meters over 3 floors. The proposal is based on utilising the new building, a prime town centre site for maximum public use.
New Ross Library, Barrack Lane, New Ross, Co Wexford Y34 NW56
This extension and refurbishment project will increase the library size by 136% from approximately 410m2 to 968m2. The building footprint will be enlarged, and a mezzanine floor will be added. The accommodation will be mainly at ground floor level with some additional floor space at a mezzanine level that is serviced by a lift. The library will also have access to the large adjacent Library Park with its amphitheatre for outdoor events. The newly extended library will be constructed to enable it to continue to function as a My Open Library providing optimal opening hours to the public and acting as a focal point for the local community.
The new extended library will provide flexible space that can accommodate multiple resources including a wider range of book stock for all ages, IT capability, dedicated makerspace, sensory equipment and space, exhibitions, a children’s library which allows for leisure reading, activities and school visits, and a quiet area for study and research especially during My Open Library hours.
Ballywaltrim Library, Boghall Road, Bray, County Wicklow A98 DK31
The proposed project envisages the demolition of the current library and the construction of a state of the art 2 storey building on the site. This would provide a site of 710 sq mtrs, approx. Allowing for perimeter access, this will result in a building of 1,316 sq mtrs over 2 floors – comprising 135 sq mtrs entrance from Boghall Road, which is part of the current HQ building, which will lead into 625 sq mtrs ground floor. Above that will be a mezzanine area, with a void of 69 sq mtrs and floor space of 556 sq mtrs The overall feeling will be of a welcoming, inviting, bright and spacious building, with the 1st floor “doughnut” contributing to this effect. The ground floor will comprise stock for loan for all adults and children, plus community room, art exhibition area and easy areas for reading newspapers and magazines. It will also have a Changing Places toilet facility. The first floor will include teenage library area, public access PCs, study desks and individual work from home offices and break out work from home hubs
Mayfair Library
The building was originally constructed as a ballroom and first opened on St Stephen’s night in 1943. It continued to function as a popular ballroom for 30 years when in 1973 it was acquired by St Francis Abbey brewery and converted into offices and for other uses. It was acquired by Kilkenny County Council in 2016. The library is an integral part of the Abbey Quarter Regeneration Plan in the heart of medieval Kilkenny.
There has already been significant investment by Government via the URDF for the development of public realm areas of this site including the Riverside Garden and Tea House, Horse Barrack Lane and the Brewhouse Courtyard. Future public realms plans include the development of the street and an urban park around the upstanding remains of St Francis Abbey (a national monument).
The total project cost was €7.2 million. The Department of Rural and Community Development contributed funding of €4.695 million and Kilkenny County Council provided funding of €2.5 million.
Spanning 1800sqm over two floors, the library will be a destination for learning, for culture, for information, for creativity and literature and for technology. It will be a dynamic and constantly evolving space providing:
In order to preserve the social heritage of the former ballroom a dedicated space to reflect the ballrooms unique and rich social history has been maintained. As part of the Percent for Art Scheme, local artist Pauline O Connell has been commissioned to develop an installation to reflect the unique social history of the ballroom and maintain the connection between the Mayfair ballroom and the community. This installation should be complete by June 2024.
The library will be open six days a week – Monday to Saturday with two late nights for a total of 48 hours a week. The My Open Library service will increase to 98 hours per week providing a significant increase in opening hours and making the library service very accessible to the growing and culturally diverse community in Kilkenny City and County.
It sets a positive example of how the provision of a quality building with modern innovative services will add value to an area and bring increased footfall and cultural vitality. Indications are that the library will achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold standard for measures taken around water efficiency, renewable energy, thermal performance and sustainability which is a huge achievement while bringing an existing building back into use. LEED is the world’s widely used green building rating system and globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement.
This library provides a statement City library and will provide a significant cultural, community, educational and informational space and a destination for the community. As a vibrant cultural space, it will attract visitors, foster community engagement, promote social inclusion and contribute to economic development. The multifaceted benefits of investment in public libraries include the creation of vibrant, resilient connected communities.
Public Library Strategy - ‘The Library is the Place’
The new public library strategy, ‘The Library is the Place’, was launched in July 2023 and was developed by the Department of Rural and Community Development in partnership with the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and local authorities. It is a 5-year plan for the period 2023-27 which sets out the strategic context for further investment in library infrastructure, technology, programmes and services.
The strategy was drafted following an extensive consultation process that included a public consultation which resulted in 2,993 returned questionnaires, focus groups with over 300 libraries staff members, further focus groups with key stakeholder groups and interviews and workshops with key interested parties.
Main points of the Public Library Strategy
The strategy contains three overarching themes – People, Spaces and Connections.
66 strategic actions have been listed under nine strategic objectives and three enablers. Some of the specific actions to deliver these are: