News



This Position Has Been Filled
Vacancy: Leisure Centre Manager
KCC is seeking to recruit a Manager for our Sports Hall and All Weather Pitches.  The ideal candidate will be a motivated person with an understanding of the sport, leisure and events industries.  The successful candidate will be tasked with the day to day management of the Sports Hall, Meeting/Event Rooms and our All Weather Pitches.  Flexible work hours including some weekend work will be required. Please apply by sending your CV to:
Kilcullen Community Centre, Newbridge Road, Kilcullen, Kildare
or email claire@kilcullencommunitycentre.com
or pass to any Board member.
Closing Date for application Tuesday 17th December 2019

About Us

Kilcullen Community Centre is a sports and recreational centre built by the community of Kilcullen in 1982. It comprises an all-weather pitch, sports hall and meeting rooms. Over the years other buildings have been added including St. Brigid's Pitch & Putt Club, Kilcullen Scouts, Kilcullen AFC and Kilcullen Boxing Club. The centre is also home to The Elms Montessori School, Kilcullen Area Community Employment Scheme Offices and Kildare Badminton Association.

KCC became a Limited Company on 25th January 1988 with company number 128371.  It has charitable status with charity number 11600.

Directors

Enda O Neill 087 968 1040
Ronan Murphy (Chairperson) 087 257 3538, Darragh Fitzgerald (Treasurer), Cathy Phelan (Secretary), 
Barry Magee, Liz Maloney, Jimmy Cahill and Sarah Walshe

History

In 1979 Kilcullen Community Council applied for and was awarded a Government grant of £106,000 towards the building of a Sports Complex. Kilcullen was one of sixteen towns in Ireland to be granted over £100,000 and one of only five towns to accept it. The site and remaining costs had to be funded locally. 
Sr Joan CPC

Site Donated by CPC Nuns

The CPC order of Nuns kindly donated two acres of land for this project. A lease on the lands was signed for 1000 years.

Local Funding

The balance of £214,000 was financed by a BOI loan and by community donations and fundraisers by the KCC, chaired by May Connolly.  The Ball Alley trustees (Thomas Berney snr, Pat Lynch, Andrew Maloney, Jim Berney and Tommy Wallace) donated £10,000 from the sale of a property on Lower Main Street. Jim Collins, Frank Nugent, Jerry Kelly, Brian Keyes, Tom Carter, Joe Corrigan and Pat Dunlea were other notable donors.
Interest rates in the early 1980's were often over 17% per annum. Ireland was in a recession and money was scarce. The debt owned on the BOI loan rose to over £280,000, an unmanageable amount. Despite local fundraising efforts, the KCC Finance Committee struggled to repay even the interest on the loan. In 1983 KCC chairperson Mary Connolly died suddenly and some months later the Finance Committee decided to disband. Some years later Pat Dunlea successfully brokered a deal with the bank for £20,000 as full and final settlement of the debt. Pat personally loaned the Community £15,000 towards this settlement. In 1988 a Limited Company with Charitable status was formed. Since then the centre has been run by a Manager and a Voluntary Board of Directors.

Opening Day

The  centre was officially opened on 2nd May 1982 by Kildare politician and Minister for Defence Mr Paddy Power TD.

In December 2002 a 6400 square metre all weather pitch was installed. In 2018, thanks to a sports capital grant of 67,500, this was upgraded to a new full size 5G pitch.

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