The Yard Hub, Abbeyshrule officially opened by Minister Heather Humphreys

The Yard Hub, Abbeyshrule officially opened by Minister Heather Humphreys
Book your workspace in The Yard Hub on ConnectedHubs.ie

The Yard Hub opening plaque

Press Release
21 April 2023

Longford County Council is delighted to announce the opening of The Yard Hub, Abbeyshrule, a high-quality remote working space developed in the heart of the village of Abbeyshrule.  

This project, supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development, the local community and Longford County Council, has transformed a number of vacant and derelict buildings into a new village hub. It creates space for economic and enterprise development while improving the first impression of visitors to Abbeyshrule and County Longford as they travel along the Royal Canal Greenway.  

A group of local people came together to form The Yard Hub company. This group developed a vision of how they wanted to support the regeneration of their local community and the development of infrastructure for future generations. They have been pivotal in bringing the project to fruition.

Funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund; Just Transition, and Longford County Council, this project represents very good value for money coming in at approximately €1.4m.  

The project partners Waterways Ireland provided the site which now incorporates the new remote working hub and a new service block. The service block contains showers and toilets that will be available to people using the Royal Canal and Royal Canal Greenway. The Yard Hub development is also delivering a new purpose-built home for the Abbeyshrule Canoe Club on site. This will allow the club to grow and expand and it will facilitate groups and individuals interested in the activity.

Architects deBlacam and Meagher were appointed to design and deliver the development, a high-quality working space with an exceptional finish. The Yard Hub hosts two standalone offices, each accommodating up to four people; a larger office/shared working space; separate meeting room and a large co-working/event space that can also accommodate education and training. The Yard Hub forms an important addition to the network of existing remote working hubs. It also serves as an inspiration for other communities that are planning or developing facilities around County Longford.

Opening the facility on Wednesday, Minister Heather Humphreys congratulated all of the project partners. “This is a stunning project and I'm sure it will be a huge boost for local workers and businesses. By bringing these derelict buildings in Abbeyshrule back into active use, this project is breathing new life into the area while addressing a clear need for the village. As well as the economic and social opportunities this project will bring, it will also add to the town's tourism offering.”

Welcoming the opening, Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council Cllr Turlough McGovern said, “Projects like this one here in Abbeyshrule are a fine example of how, with a strong vision and a good community group behind it, our older derelict buildings can be rejuvenated and brought back to life to support the economies of our beautiful rural areas. Congratulations to all involved with The Yard Hub and may I wish it every success going forward.”  

One of the members of the team of directors behind The Yard Hub is Edward Egan. He says they are delighted to see the opening of this Government and local authority supported remote working hub here in Abbeyshrule. “This beautiful heritage building with strong local roots and connections, is a top-class facility and is adding to the quality of life in the community. It's bringing activity into the village and the economic impact has great potential. We are thrilled to have been part of developing this project. It is helping to preserve our local heritage, protect our environment and facilitate modern, best in class remote working in rural Ireland.”

Chief Executive Paddy Mahon added, “These remote working hubs enhance the work life balance of our citizens and help us move closer to a low-carbon economy. Longford County Council is committed to making Longford a better place to work, live and do business and The Yard Hub is another step towards that goal.”

Speaking after the opening, Senior Engineer for Waterways Ireland Jean Errity said, “Waterways Ireland were delighted to partner with Longford County Council and the community in Abbeyshrule in the development of the Yard Hub. This project has transformed a Waterways Ireland property into a facility that will benefit the local community and the general public alike, making Abbeyshrule a great place to live and work.”

The Regeneration team at Longford County Council recognises the importance of hard-working community groups who come forward with a vision for new projects. Working closely with the elected members and executive, Longford County Council continues to deliver significant regeneration projects across the county. 

The Yard Hub in Abbeyshrule is co-funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) as part of Project Ireland 2040, Longford County Council, and the Just Transition Fund.

To find out more follow The Yard Hub on Facebook or to book a workspace, visit ConnectedHubs.ie. Further information is also available on Longfordcoco.ie or by following Longford County Council on social media.

Further photographs of the event are available below and should be credited to Shelley Corcoran Photography.