Date: 17 Oct 2021
Funded by the Government Just Transition Fund
The iconic building of Fiesta Hall, in the town of Kilcormac, Co.Offaly will be restored to a Green Hub with €910,349 secured by the Offaly Local Development Company from the Government’ s Just Transition Fund.The National Just Transition Fund is a Government initiative to support communities transitioning to a local carbon economy.
Fiesta Hall which was built in 1961, has been used as a Town Hall; District Court; Ballroom Dancing; Music venue to name a few and stands at a large 5,900 square feet. It will be the home for Green Offaly, which is a not-for-profit countywide Green Regeneration enterprise operating as a Development Trust.
Green Offaly began life as an Offaly Public Participation Network Initiative; and was devised as a solution to the Government’s Project 2040 seminar, ‘Empowering Communities in the Fight against Climate Change’.
This derelict building has been an eyesore for many years and by developing a Green Hub, it is hoped to revive this part of the town with a long-term sustainable enterprise.
According to Brendan O’Loughlin of Offaly Local Development Company, they are at the design stage of the project and are to meet with Offaly County Council to discuss further ideas and apply for planning permission. The aspiration is to start the refurbishment work on the building in the Spring of 2022, with its opening taking place a year later in Spring, 2023.
Offaly's new Green Headquarters will be devoted to climate action research, green business enterprises and sustainability training programmes.