ST Colman’s Church in Macroom has moved a step closer to receiving a new lease of life as a community space after increased funding was confirmed as part of a regeneration of the town.
The government has confirmed an extra €1.285m of funding has been confirmed for works in the town.
The development plans for Macroom include the refurbishment of the vacant St. Colman’s Church off the Main Street and its re-use as a flexible arts, community, cultural and heritage location.
The building was gifted to the town by the Church of Ireland in 1992 and plans to repurpose the building were mooted in recent years.
The additional funding will also go towards:
• The reconfiguration of O’Riada’s car park and surrounding footpaths to fully utilise the available lands for public amenity;
• A public realm development at Mill Dam/Masseytown to showcase the river and the dam and provide for a raised viewing area;
• The development of a riverbank walk linking O’Riada’s car park to the existing Fairy Garden Park and the connection of Mill Dam/Masseytown to the town park and Macroom Castle;
• The development of enhanced public realm on South Square to provide for a better public space.
Local Fianna Fáil TD Aindrias Moynihan has said the additional funding for Macroom town centre will allow regeneration works to progress.
Deputy Moynihan welcomed the ‘significant extra funding’ under the Rural Regeneration Development Fund (RRDF) for Macroom town centre.
‘The Council have been advancing plans for properties in the town centre and this additional investment will enable the renovation of a number of vacant and derelict buildings in the heart of the town to be carried out,’ said Cork North West Deputy Aindrias Moynihan.
‘I would urge the Council to move ahead with their plans for these projects immediately as planning permissions have been granted.’
‘Macroom is now an attractive destination for locals and visitors with through traffic now using the bypass. With this additional funding, all the development plans for the town will be realised. I look forward, firstly, to the library taking residence in the new Briery Gap building in August.’
