- Sod turned for new Community facility in Kilcloon
Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, today (Tuesday, 2 June 2026) visited County Meath to officially open the historic Kells Printing Works.
A key element of the ‘Kells Creative Placemaking Project’, led by Meath County Council, with investment support of over €1.97 million under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, Kells Printing Works has seen the restoration and repurposing of the
town’s former sawmills into a tourism and creative industry hub. This innovative project has readapted the historic building to provide a commercial letterpress workshop, operating Victorian printing press machines, and historical archives.Speaking at the opening, Minister Calleary said:
“I am delighted to officially open Kells Printing Works, Ireland’s First Centre for Typography. Supported through my Department’s Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the project presents a fantastic opportunity to establish a new chapter in Kell’s rich heritage and artistic identity.
“It is through completed projects like we see here in Kells today, that Government is helping to enhance the physical, social and economic capacity of our local communities.
“We are working with local authorities like Meath County Council to stimulate regeneration, address dereliction, and support towns that people want to work in, live in and visit.”
Earlier in the day the Minister visited Kilcloon, where he turned the sod at the new Kilcloon Community Centre.
Over €2 million in Community Centre Investment funding was provided to deliver a new single-storey community facility incorporating a sports and assembly hall, meeting rooms, youth room, changing facilities, toilets and car parking.
The centre will provide a multi-purpose space for community, cultural, sporting and social activities and will support wider rural and community development in the area.
Speaking in Kilcloon, Minister Calleary said:
“I am delighted to be here with you today to turn the sod on this fabulous project here in Kilcloon. This will be a state-of-the-art community space which, I know, will support the needs of many organisations and people in the area.
“I am pleased to see that funding of over €2 million was provided through the Community Centre Investment Fund 2023 towards the construction of this facility here in Kilcloon and it is fair to say that this will be money well spent.”
Notes
The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF)
To date, RRDF funding of over €11.5 million has been allocated to 12 projects located across Co. Meath, including €620.3k awarded to Meath County Council for Clonkeehan House in Slane, under the recent Fourth Call for Category 2 proposals.
The Community Centres Investment Fund
Under the Community Centre Investment Fund 2022, there were 19 centres in Co Meath approved funding worth over €1.8 million. Over €1.1 million was approved for 24 centres in County Meath under Community Centre Investment Fund 2024. The Community Centre Investment Fund is there to provide that unity and that resilience by supporting communities to enhance and refurbish their community facilities, to act as a go to place for meetings, for social events and for the wider community to engage in a range of social, sporting and community services.
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