Minister for Rural, Community and Gaeltacht Affairs Dara Calleary visited Ballaghaderreen yesterday Friday, June 11th where he officially reopened the town’s refurbished branch library, located in Dillon House.

The new renovated library now includes a large, dedicated children’s section with increased seating areas with a new dedicated area for teenagers with a large collection of manga and graphic novels.

There is also free high-speed internet and Wi-fi, fully accessible entrance and exits, accessible bathrooms, baby changing facilities, wireless printing, lendable tablets, study spaces, leisure reading space and a community meeting room.

The library also features energy efficient and sustainable heating systems, supported financially by the Sustainable Energy agency’s Pathfinder Programme as delivered by the Midlands Energy Agency.

Funding of €155,249.40 was secured from the Department under My Open Library Funding and Small-Scale Capital Works under the Libraries Capital Funding tranche. This was backed with significant matched funding from Roscommon County Council.

Main contractor for the refurbishment was Mountain View Construction, supported by Sweeney Architects from Longford. Furniture and shelving works were delivered by Work Rest Play from Belfast while a series of public art instillations were created by Knockcroghery artist Annmarie Murray.

Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council, Cllr. Liam Callaghan said the reopening of the library was a special day for the town of Ballaghaderreen, remarking, “Today, library services are available outside of normal office hours, thanks to the My Open Library Service.

Our Chief Librarian Sandra Turner was involved in the delivery of the original pilot back in 2014. The library opening hours have also increased from 31 hours per week, to 35 hours per week, with lunchtime opening, allowing for even greater access by the public.

The Cathaoirleach also paid tribute to the late Ballaghaderreen branch librarian Deirdre Creighton, who sadly passed away in 2022 and who assisted in delivering library services over many years in Dillon House.

Chief Executive of Roscommon County Council, Shane Tiernan noted the high demand for services since the facility reopened: “Since our library reopened ten months ago, there have been almost 20,000 users and more than 250 events organised. In the same period, there have been more than 2,000 internet sessions and more than 13,000 books borrowed.

“Not to be forgotten is our new Boyle community library which is an RRDF project also funded by the Minister’s department which will also offer a MOL service and is currently under construction.