How Town Centre First is transforming Urlingford

The town of Urlingford in Co. Kilkenny has long been defined by its location. Halfway between Cork and Dublin, it's been an important stopping point for travellers for generations. In the 19th century, Bianconi coaches passed through the town each day. Later, passing trade from motorists helped support local businesses on the town’s main street.

When the nearby M8 motorway bypassed Urlingford some years ago, business in the town experienced a downturn. Footfall declined and businesses in the town began to struggle. To address these challenges, Urlingford was designated a pathfinder town under the Town Centre First initiative in 2021.

Town Centre First is a national policy that supports the regeneration of towns and villages across Ireland. It focuses on bringing vacant and underused buildings back into use, improving town centres, and supporting towns as places to live, work and visit.

A key part of the Town Centre First approach is that communities help shape the priorities for their own area, working alongside their local authority.

A community-led approach

For Urlingford, the Town Centre First process became an opportunity for the town to consider its challenges and find the best ways to address them.

A group of volunteers representing business, sport and the wider community of Urlingford formed a Town Team to help lead the work locally, collaborating with Kilkenny County Council.

An early step was carrying out a “health check” of the town. This looked at what was working well, what challenges the town faced, and what local people wanted to prioritise in future.

“There was a strong response from the community,” says Dympna Hayes, Chair of the Town Team. “People wanted to see investment in the town centre, recreation, biodiversity and community facilities. There was also a very strong sense that the community centre should be brought back into use.”

Following consultation with the community, a Town Centre First action focused plan for Urlingford was finalised by both the people of Urlingford and Kilkenny County Council in 2023. It provides a long-term evidence based action framework for regeneration and future investment in the town.

The Town Team has continued to represent the needs of the wider community as projects have developed.

Bringing a vacant building back into use

One of the first major projects to emerge from the process was Exit4, a new remote working hub in the town centre.

The building was previously an old bank branch that had been closed for some time. Kilkenny County Council acquired the building in 2022, and with the Town Team’s guidance it was developed as a modern remote working and enterprise space.

The name “Exit4” refers to the nearby motorway exit, highlighting the town’s accessibility and location between larger urban centres.

Inside, many original features of the bank building have been retained, including the old banking hall, beautiful tiled floors and the bank vault. Rooms on both floors of the building have been converted into bright, modern office space.

The hub offers reservable work desks and meeting rooms, making it ideal for people who work remotely and need excellent facilities.

The building is also home to one of four regional hubs established by South East Technological University to support business growth and entrepreneurship. Through the partnership, local businesses and entrepreneurs can access mentoring, networking events and business supports.

Restoring a shared community space

The second major Town Centre First project focused on refurbishing the town's old parochial hall, transforming it into a modern community centre. 

The complex where the community centre is located has a long history in Urlingford. Over the years it served different purposes, including as a parish school and later a dancehall in the 1950s and 1960s. The Town Team preserved as much of the building's heritage as they could while bringing the facilities up to modern standards. 

The development work was significant. It included addressing structural issues and replacing an old asbestos roof. Funding was secured through schemes including the Community Centre Investment Fund and Town and Village Renewal funding.

The refurbished centre now includes space for community events and activities, along with a commercial kitchen and multi-purpose rooms. Sustainability measures such as heat pumps and solar panels were also included as part of the redevelopment.

Hayes believes the project will have a long-term impact on the town. “I think the community centre is going to be a gamechanger for Urlingford,” she says. “It gives people a place to come together. It creates opportunities for activities, events and community life.”

Looking to the future

Further projects are also planned under the Town Centre First process, including public realm improvements designed to make the main street safer and more welcoming.

The Urlingford Masterplan also includes proposals for wider footpaths, improved walking and cycling connections, and a new “Green Loop” route along the River Goul aimed at supporting recreation, biodiversity and tourism. Together, the projects support Urlingford not just as a place to pass through, but as a town where people can live, work, meet and spend time.