Castlepollard Local Development is the recognised “Local Action Group” for Castlepollard.
In this section, you can find out how we started, what we have achieved, who we are and how YOU can get involved.
In 2018, Westmeath County Council commissioned a five-year Community Action Plan for Castlepollard under the Department of Rural and Community Development’s Town & Village Renewal Scheme. The plan was informed by consultation with the local community, including a stakeholder workshop held at St Michael’s Sport, Culture and Community Centre in December 2017.
The plan identified a number of challenges facing the town, including the loss of banking and retail services, limited public transport, vacant and derelict historic buildings, a lack of recreation and youth facilities, poor broadband and the need to develop Castlepollard’s tourism potential.
At the same time, it highlighted significant opportunities. These included the regeneration of the Market House and former St Peter’s Hospital campus, bringing vacant buildings back into use, improving the town’s streetscape and signage, developing walking and cycling routes, and supporting local enterprise. The town’s rich hinterland - including Tullynally Castle, Fore Abbey, Lough Derravaragh, Mullaghmeen Forest and the Loughcrew and Bog Road areas - was identified as having particular potential for heritage and rural tourism.
The plan’s vision was for Castlepollard to become “a socially inclusive town with a strong community and entrepreneurial spirit”, acting as a hub for responsible, heritage-led rural tourism. Its recommendations covered six areas: infrastructure, enterprise, streetscape and environment, community, recreation and linkages, and tourism.
Among the proposed projects were a heritage trail, tourism marketing strategy, redevelopment of the Market House for arts, heritage and tourism use, shopfront improvements, green infrastructure, youth and community facilities, and greater support for local tourism and genealogy. The plan also provided a snapshot of Castlepollard’s social and economic position at the time, using Census 2016 data and a town-centre health check.
Castlepollard will be a socially inclusive town with a strong community and entrepreneurial spirit. With a rich and unique heritage, we will be a beacon for responsible and innovative rural tourism. The village will be a vibrant hub, based around an attractive centre that is alive with activity and that caters for all members of its community.
Castlepollard has had town committees in the past, most notably The Town Improvement Committee, The Town Development Association, and the Muintir na Tire (inspired) Town Council.
Our group was formally established in 2018, to work with Westmeath County Council, Westmeath Community Development, and various other agencies and stakeholders, to deliver on the needs and opportunities identified in the action plan.
To date, this partnership has secured in excess of €4.5m for investment in local projects.
Our work continues!
As a group, we continue to focus on four core categories:
1. Business and commercial2. Services and amenities3. Culture, heritage and tourism4. Sustainability
Our current officers are:
We are local – just like you. We are volunteers. We are independent and have no political affiliations. Our work is driven by one thing: the continued development and betterment of our community for everyone.
