After ten years of planning and renovations, St Bernadette's Hall in Errill has finally been completed and unveiled to the public.

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The grand unveiling took place on Friday June 13, where a wide range of high profile attendees descending upon Errill.

The original hall was built in 1832 and used as a school until 1963. It then became the local Community Hall, used for a multitude of purposes, ranging from cabarets, social dancing, school activities, the staging of the annual drama group’s plays, to refreshments after funerals and doubling as a place of worship during the refurbishment of the church. 

The renovations were entirely a community effort, and were spearheaded by the Errill Vision Group and the St Bernadette's Hall Committee. This hall is the heartwarming proof of what can be achieved when a community bands together.

Bishop Niall Coll, Bishop of Ossory blessed the fantastic new hall, accompanied by Parish Priest Fr Martin Delaney. Bishop Coll praised the community for coming together to build a fantastic hall. 

"The fact that in this day and age, you are able to do the work that you are doing, pull your community together in a very materialistic and individualistic world, is a great credit to you," Bishop Coll said.

"You haven't lost your human touch, and you haven't lost your spiritual touch. You haven't forgotten that we need eachother, that you need family, and that we need community. I am articulating what you know in your hearts to be true, but no one says it to you! So I say to you; thank you for being a community of Christians.

"Thank you for being people who look out for each other. Thank you for being people who build, wo want to leave a legacy and to create infrastructure that allows for friendship and community. God Bless you, and to many more happy years," Bishop Coll finished.

Parish priest Fr Martin Delaney praised the committee for their hard work.

"On behalf of the parish community, I want to congratulate the people in Errill, and the members of the hall committee, who carried this vision forward through very difficult times and turns," Fr Delaney said.

"Through disappointments and delays, you stuck with it, and here is the end result; this most beautiful facility which we can all be proud of."

Mr Pat Lalor of the Errill Vision Group thanked all of the individuals and local businesses who have each contributed to the renovation of the hall.

WATCH: Bishop praises Laois locals at unveiling of new community hall

"It truly is a story of community, and what a community can achieve when they all work together," Mr Lalor said.

"After four years of planning, we began working six years ago. We planned to bring the hall up to date on a budget of €250,000, which is a lot of money. The hall you see around you now, that we are incredibly proud of, we didn't get it for that price, as you may have guessed," he said.

"As of now, we stand €540,000 spent on this wonderful facility. Even at that, I hope you'll all agree that it's incredible value for money, considering what we now have. Funding has been a big part of this, and without the incredible support of our public bodies and of local people, we never would have been able to start.

"We received significant funding through the community centre fund, CLÁR, Laois Sports Partnership and Laois Partnership Company. Of the old building, one trailer would take away how much of the material is left. It really is a new building," he said.

Mr Lalor went on to thank all individuals and businesses who contributed to the hall's renovations, including Fine Gael Cllr and committee member John King. 

Cllr John King reminisced on the social dances that once took place in the hall, and highlighted the fantastic amenity the young people of Errill can now enjoy. 

Fine Gael TD Willie Aird and Independent Republican TD Brian Stanley were present for the unveiling, congratulating the community on their hard work. 

"It's fantastic to see the hall revamped, it's a testament to the community," Deputy Aird said. "I also think that the voluntary work that was done here, is what community is all about. It's important for a community to have a hall like this in this day and age. It's a space for people of all different ages to come and congregate, it's very good," the Deputy finished.

Mr Leonard Moore, Chairperson of St Bernadette's Hall, thanked the community for their help and generosity. 

Mr Moore announced that in a touching tribute, the hall's stage would be named in honour of Committee member Mr John Campion. 

"John Campion as you all know, has lived and breathed St Bernadette's hall for the past 60, 70 years," Mr Moore said.

"As a young man he was involved in the St Bernadette Fife and Drum Band, he has always had a love of song, drama and dancing. The new stage is bigger and better than ever. So on behalf of the Committee and the Errill Vision Group, we would officially like to name this the John Campion Stage."

Mr Campion had some words of advice for the younger crowd in attendance. "Keep the place going. We need a certain younger crowd for the future," he said.

A 'buy a brick' fundraiser was established, where locals could donate towards the renovations and receive a brick with their name or a loved one's inscribed upon it. This fundraiser proved highly successful, with bricks to purchase still available. 

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