On July 26th Anna Mulcahy, chair of the Municipal Hall Revival Group, Alan Clayton of Future Kinsale, and Fiona McGeown also from the Hall Revival Group, presented a draft proposal of how we believe the Municipal Hall could be revived as a sustainable community venture, providing iconic space for arts, performances, co-working space for local startup enterprises, and more. Next step is a feasibility study and financial plan – into which YOUR comments, suggestions, contributions are welcome – speak now, as they say !! futurekinsale@gmail.com
Kinsale Municipal Hall revival ?
Could Kinsale learn from the experience of Caernarvon in Wales ? A small seaside town with empty public spaces and buildings – ring a bell ? Future Kinsale would love to know what you think of this project – including community performance/presentation space, small business facilities, top quality cafe, program of courses and events. And it all pays for itself supported by a local coop ! What do you think ? What would you like to see in the Municipal Hall ?
Good news, there is already a dedicated group of residents working to turn such a vision into reality, but it’s a ‘participation sport’ where everyone who wants to benefit, can.
Future Kinsale Co-Op membership
In order to join Kinsale CoOp, either as a resident or a visitor, you only need to print off the form at the bottom, and either make a bank transfer or drop in the standing order form to your bank. But to notify Future Kinsale of your membership, please also send us the form by email to futurekinsale@gmail.com
KCEP – Kinsale Community Energy Project – Information Evening
KCEP – Kinsale Community Energy Project – Information Evening
Transition Town Kinsale set up Kinsale Community Energy Project, and became a member of the Sustainable Energy Communities network, early in 2018. KCEP has been set up to facilitate the community to benefit from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s (SEAI) Community Grant Scheme. We hope KCEP will help in providing everyone in the community a support network, and greater bulk buying power, as we make our energy transition. We are currently waiting to hear if we have received funding from the SEAI to carry out an Energy Master Plan for the area.
We are inviting the community to an information evening with Xavier Dubuisson, the Sustainable Energy Community Mentor for the area, on Thursday 7th March at 7.30pm in The Friary Centre, Kinsale. All are welcome to come along and find out about the grants available from the SEAI for homes, businesses and community buildings, and why we will get so much more if we work together as a community.
These grants facilitate the community to upgrade buildings and facilities to high standards of energy efficiency and renewable energy usage, massively reducing our energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Funding is available for upgrading insulation, installing heating controls, a heat pump or solar panels and for carrying out a ‘deep-retrofit’. If you have already done some work on your home or other building, and are happy to share your experience, please contact us at info@transitiontownkinasale.
And finally, we are looking for a cross section of different properties owners to volunteer to take part in our energy audit for the Kinsale area as part of ‘The Energy Master Plan’ so if you are interested in being involved please get in touch, or come along on the night to find our more and share your ideas for this.
Contacts:
Donal Chambers: 087 641 7924 donal_chambers@yahoo.com
Elizabeth Creed: 087 2894077, lizmcreed@gmaill.com
Want to know what a great ‘business hub’ looks like ?
There has been talk of a ‘business hub’ in Kinsale for a few years now. And we know from the recent survey that demand is growing, from residents in the town working for a large company remotely, or running a micro enterprise that doesn’t require a full time office, or starting a brand new venture when you can’t afford an office, or for many other reasons, so we thought we’d show you a few to whet your appetite !
There was also an article in the Indo recently that surveyed some of the best in Ireland.
One of Dublin’s best (pictured above) is the Dogpatch Labs hub in the Docklands run by a Kinsale resident !!
I went to look at few in London this week, which are well beyond what we will start with here, but hey !.. you have to have a vision right ?
Closer to home my own office is a shared space in the Republic of Work hub in South Mall, Cork (above). Bank Of Ireland in Patrick St, Cork has it’s Workbench hub, and Glandore just opened up in Cork City Centre. Why not go visit these places and tell us what you think.
Africa 2 Kinsale 0
I always find it inspiring to see communities who have nothing behave like they everything, while those of us who have everything behave like we have nothing. And I know that’s an exaggeration, but look at this – a car free day in Addis Ababa. Wouldn’t it be great if St Patricks Day was a car free day in Kinsale or May Bank Holiday Monday ? Or what about a $4,000 fine for dumping a plastic bag in Kenya !! Nobody here would agree to that right ? And what about delivering prescriptions (and people,) instead of driving into town in the car as they do here in Kigali, Rwanda . And this latter startup is part funded by an irish investor. Really the world (kinsale for us) is our oyster, if we keep it cleaner than it is right now
Future Kinsale 