Laois views sought on Tru WAY for Rathdowney
Community workshop for Rathdowney on shared future with Tipperary and Kilkenny towns post-peat
Laois people living in and around Rathdowney are invited to give their views on what the town needs via a project that aims to develop a shared roadmap for Rathdowney, Templemore and Urlingford.
The TRU Way community engagement project is a LEADER-funded regional community development initiative designed to build a shared strategy and future vision for three neighbouring towns in Laois, Kilkenny and Tipperary.
To advance the project the TRU Way team is hosting an information workshop in Rathdowney on Monday, November 16, to inform the community about the strategy being developed and how it can bring benefits to the three communities.
Local people are being asked what priorities should be pursued collectively, whether in tourism, agriculture, local enterprise, sustainability, heritage, community facilities or other initiatives.
These are the kinds of questions they want local people to help answer at the TRU Way community workshop, which is guided by design consultants Workhouse Union:
- What could create more opportunities, investment and jobs locally?
- What would make Rathdowney a better place to live, work, visit or do business?
- Are there opportunities that Rathdowney and neighbouring towns could achieve together that would be harder to deliver alone?
The organisers say the aim of gathering views on these and other topics is to identify practical actions that could help the towns work together more effectively and create new opportunities for residents, businesses and visitors. They say all of this information will be collated and used for the final strategy document.
The organisers say the public do not need to know anything about the project beforehand.
“If you live, work, farm, run a business, volunteer locally, are involved in a community group, or simply care about Rathdowney's future, your ideas are welcome. Come along to the workshop, hear what has emerged so far and help shape the final strategy by sharing your own ideas and priorities for Rathdowney's future,” say the organisers.
The meeting takes place on Monday, November 16 6 pm to 8 pm at the Clochar Centre, Rathdowney. No booking is required.
Just Transition framework, promoting a fair and inclusive shift toward a climate-neutral economy.
Other community engagement and information events took place in Templemore and Johnstown in October.
The project is supported by Kilkenny LEADER Partnership, Connect Laois (formerly Laois Partnership)and the North Tipperary Development Company.
It is funded indirectly via Ireland's EU Just Transition Fund of €169 million, which includes €84.5 million from the EU matched by the Government of Ireland. Just Transition is designed to support workers and communities in the Midlands affected by the phase-out of peat production and peat-fired electricity generation.
Rathdowney has already benefited from regeneration planning. Laois County Council received €100,000 under the Town Centre First policy to tackle vacancy, dereliction to encourage regeneration. The KPMG-authored plan was published in 2023. A further €50,000 in public funds was allocated for projects in 2024.