OPW and Kerry County Council welcome progress in the development of Dún Chaoin Community Playground, Co. Kerry

The Office of Public Works (OPW) and Kerry County Council are delighted to announce the signing of the lease to provide the land to develop the much anticipated community playground at Dún Chaoin, West Kerry.

Following on from constructive dialogue with Kerry County Council, elected representatives and the local community groups, progress has been made in relation to the lease of land to facilitate the provision of a playground in Dún Chaoin.

Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Kevin “Boxer” Moran stated: "I am delighted to be able to assist the local community in Dún Chaoin in providing much needed amenities in the area. Having recreational spaces for children is essential for their growth and development. I look forward to witnessing work commencing on site which will allow for the provision of playground facilities for the children in the community and for future generations to enjoy."

Comharchumann Dún Chaoin, a community group local to the Blasket Centre, approached the OPW with a proposal to develop a community playground in the immediate surroundings of the Blasket Centre. The OPW is delighted to support this initiative. The playground will be operated and maintained by Kerry County Council in conjunction with Comharchumann Dún Chaoin and will be a valuable amenity for the local area.

The OPW is committed to conserving and protecting the island while providing facilities on both the island and mainland so visitors can appreciate and enjoy An Blascaod Mór.

The OPW has been a core stakeholder in the conservation of An Blascaod Mór since 1988. Ionad an Bhlascaoid (the Blasket Centre) was developed with the assistance from the locally based voluntary group, Fondúireacht an Bhlascaoid in 1992/3. It was officially opened in April 1994. The state purchased the majority of the holdings on the island in 2009 and since then the OPW has restored a number of the houses in the island’s village, including the home of pre-eminent Blasket author, Tomás Ó Criomhtain.

In 2020, €1.2 million was invested in a clifftop Wild Atlantic Way viewing platform in partnership with Fáilte Ireland to provide an accessible viewing point for the Island and to create a unique way for visitors to experience the dramatic landscape of West Kerry. It connects with the headland walking routes which provide a safe way for visitors of all ages to enjoy the natural landscape.

The Blasket Centre reopened in 2022 after an investment of €2.9 million under a strategic partnership between Fáilte Ireland, OPW and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

OPW spokespersons are available for interview upon request. Please contact pressoffice@opw.ie for more information and to arrange an interview.
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