Excitement builds as Killeigh centre nears completion

After years of planning and fundraising, the construction of a new community centre in Killeigh is approaching the finishing line.

In an update on the project this week, the Killeigh Community Centre Development Association said it was very pleased with the progress made to date and was hopeful the facility would be completed by January 2024.

Following a public procurement tendering process, local company Allen Kenny Construction Ltd was awarded the contract for the building of the community centre and moved on site last November.

The bad weather in July and August caused some delays, but "overall the project is progressing well with the new build of a social room, toilets and office space completed," according to the development association.

"External insulation is in progress, the building is now airtight and internal plastering, mechanical and electrical first fixings are all complete.

"Over the next few weeks, the progress will become a lot more visible to passers-by when the external plastering is complete and the new colour scheme for the building is unveiled," it said in a statement on Tuesday.

The development association said its committee members were "excited to see all their hard work in planning and fundraising come to fruition," and were looking forward to the opening of the centre early in the new year.

The association's AGM will take place on Wednesday, October 11, and a further update will be given at that meeting. Members of the public are also being invited to consider getting involved in the planning of the operation of the community centre when it opens its doors.

The new community hub is located on the site of the former Macra Hall, which was built in 1965 but had fallen into disrepair in recent times.

For a number of years now the village, eight kilometres south of Tullamore, has been without a community centre.

The construction of the new facility was aided by a significant local fundraising effort, including the holding of a 'Win a House in Meath' draw which took place in Tullamore's Bridge House Hotel last December and was won by Paula Atkinson of Enniscorthy, Wexford.