Major step forward for Kilmurry Ibrickane community hub plan

MOVES to build a centre in Quilty for the promotion of community and sports activities across the parish of Kilmurry Ibrickane, and further afield, have been boosted in recent weeks with the appointment of an architect to draw up a detailed design.

The centre, which is proposed for a site at Páirc Mhuire, is tipped to be a venue for sports activities and tournaments, as well as a hub for community gatherings and potentially even local business development.

“We’ve been working on this for quite a while,” said Chairperson of the KIB Development Committee and RTÉ presenter, Marty Morrissey. “The lack of a design plan has been a stumbling block to-date and we were literally looking at a blank page in terms of what the centre might look like. We had been down a bit of a cul-de-sac, but soon, we’ll have something that will enable us to move forward. Once we have the plans, which we’ll be consulting people about, we’ll be a position to apply for different funding grant streams. KIB GAA Club are central to all of this and their support is crucial and very much appreciated. We’ve also received wonderful support from Clare County Council and the TOMAR Trust who have provided a substantial amount of money to progress the architectural design.”

In terms of the role of the centre, Marty is hopeful that it will be widely used within the community of Kilmurry Ibrikane and beyond. “We’d like to see a sports and community hall and a coffee dock for people to meet,” he said. “I’d imagine it will be ideal for things like basketball and indoor soccer tournaments, as well as a range of other sports activities. We’re looking too at the idea of having a hub for small businesses. This is something that will be a huge asset and we’d see people from across West Clare being able to access it through the activities of KIB GAA.”

In terms of the timeframe for the project, Marty said that a number of factors will determine that. “We are two to three years down the line already and would have been further along if the pandemic hadn’t happened,” he said. “Being able to go to an architect is a major step forward. We are setting up a steering committee to progress things. They’ll consult with the architect and refer back to the bigger committee. When a potential plan is in place, we’ll be letting everyone know. The ball has just been thrown in on this and the game is just starting.”