‘A dream come true’in Killeshandra

There’s a renewed sense of enthusiasm in Killeshandra, which was greatly boosted by last week’s funding announcement of €240,000 for the former Stuart’s shop.

The funding will see the premises re-developed into a vibrant hub for all the community. The development is one of the many projects taken on by the community there to invigorate the town.

While the funding has been warmly welcomed, steps to breathe life back into Killeshandra have already been taken, which was evident over the bank holiday weekend. Tradfest, Killeshandra’s annual traditional music festival, brought young and old, musical and not so musical, to the lake town. New shop signs were hung over doors, and lights now illuminate buildings that were previously vacant. Many new businesses have opened their doors in the town too and several community events, such as the Camino Calling, has brought new energy to the town.

The GAA pitch is also being re-developed, several buildings have been renovated and residents have moved into the new homes at Portaliffe; just some of the many new initiatives benefiting the lakeside town.

A lot has been done, but there’s still more left to do.

The most recent funding announcement is a product of years of work by Killeshandra’s Town Centre First Team, which comprises Anne Shanley, Barry Carson, Joanne Arnold, John Cosgrove, Kieran Fitzpatrick, Margaret McGerty, and Thérèse Teevan. The regeneration is being carried out with the help of Killeshandra Community Council, Cavan County Council and by the community members. The town team decided they wanted to save Killeshandra’s “most significant historical building” - Stuart’s shop.

Speaking on the funding, Thérèse told the Celt the news “was like a dream come true” .

“It seemed like an impossible task. We didn’t want to be the committee to let that go so we said we’d push for it and we did,” she says.

To the left of the building was Joe Stuart’s hardware store, where you could get “anything”; while the right-hand side was Emma Stuart’s shop, which contained groceries, fabric, wallpaper and more.

“You could get literally anything,” Thérèse recalls, meanwhile houses at the back were occupied by residents. The shop closed in 2005, while the ‘Waste Not Want Not’ charity shop occupied the building for a time after that.

Over the past couple of years, public consultations and surveys have identified that the main problem residents would like to see tackled is dereliction and this funding, provided under the Building and Land Acquisition Measure of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, will go towards addressing that issue.

It is intended that the property will be repurposed as a multi-use community space incorporating a cultural centre that will support the return of Irish language and dance classes.

The grounds to the rear of the property will be used to extend the existing community garden and the produce will be sold in the farmers’ market. The outbuildings will be repurposed for use by the local men’s and hen’s shed and tidy towns groups.

Located in the town since 1750, initial works will focus on “saving the building” by stabilising it and removing ivy and vegetation. Many of the original features of the building remain, such as the unique carriage archway, and works will focus on preserving these traditional features.

Community involvement will be key to bringing Stuart’s shop back to use, and the town team will be putting the call out for volunteers shortly. Some of the original sash windows remain on the building, and the town team hopes to bring in an expert to host a workshop to restore them with the help of many local hands.

“That’s a dying art and it’s a great opportunity for people to learn that skill. We hope to do the same for the original features inside,” Thérèse says.

“There’s many possibilities in a building like this; retail, social enterprise, dressmaking workshops, a dance studio, music school, pottery and art studio, a repair shop,” she suggests.

“It’s going to take a few years, but the important thing is that the building is going to be saved. This is a multi-year project.”

Meanwhile, the town has also benefitted from town and village renewal funding, which has greatly enhanced its visual appeal. Buildings have been painted, new sign posts and information points has been installed, works that saw Killeshandra named the second tidiest town in Cavan last year. Meanwhile, the Killeshandra Tidy Towns Committee received word last week that they have been nominated for the Best Kept Town in Ireland accolade.

“We’re going to need a big push from as many volunteers as possible to make the town look as good as it can,” she urges.

The projects are being carried out with the help of the entire community, and “tremendous support” from Cavan County Council’s Town Regeneration Office and Economic Development Unit.

Hillside Taven re-opens

In other news for the town, The Hillside Tavern re-opened its doors to the community with “partners in crime” Edel Lynch and Niall Sheridan at the helm.

Formerly a thriving pub owned for a “lifetime” by the Fitzpatrick family, the doors re-opened on Friday (January 30) just in time for a jam-packed TradFest weekend. They had musicians in every day over the weekend, creating an “electric” atmosphere

How was the first weekend in business? “Fantastic,” Mountnugent woman Edel tells the Celt.

“The community in Killeshandra were very very welcoming to us. The young people in Killeshandra should be very proud of themselves, we came across some lovely young people.”

The new Killeshandra publican also praised the help and support from other businesses around the town and staff.

“They were very welcoming and excited for us.”

Initially “wondering would anybody come in” Edel was delighted to report the pub was full of “excited” customers all in “good humour”.

“A lot of elderly people came in because that’s where they drank so that was a lovely feeling. They were quite happy to be sitting there. The memories are in the walls,” she says.

Hailing from Mountnugent and Crossdoney, the couple hope they will bring “new people” to the town, which will also “help” other businesses.

“We’re hoping to bring new people for everybody.

“It’s exciting for the town, it’s something for people to be talking about.”

The couple plan to “start as we mean to go on” and will open their doors every day of the week.

“We’ll see and take it from there,” she adds.

She concluded by saying they look forward to welcoming customers both old and new into the Killeshandra pub once again.