Report Paul Murphy
Councillors of Ashbourne Municipal District received a deputation from Ashbourne Community Centre at their first meeting of 2026. The deputation was led by Brendan Dollard, company secretary, and included John Mooney Chairman, and Tom Mulvaney treasurer. Cathaoirleach Cllr Conor Tormey welcomed the deputation.
Mr Dollard thanked the councillors for giving them the opportunity to outline the “exciting developments” at the centre. The centre started up in 1981 and Mr Dollard showed images of the building as it was at that time. A company was set up in 2001 to run the centre and it now runs a community employment scheme along with the centre itself. The company is run under company law and its accounts are audited.
The centre has an international baseball section, soccer pitches and a cricket pitch. There are also new tennis courts. The centre covers 13.4 acres. Killegland soccer club has 14 underage teams catering for boys and girls. Outlining the indoor facilities at the centre he said that big users of the centre, particularly at weekends, were local churches. Thirty four clubs involved in sporting and cultural activities use the
centre on a regular basis.
Mr Dollard said that the centre unfortunately had to turn away clubs on a weekly basis because of lack of facilities. The front car park was resurfaced recently and a new pathway in 2019 and lighting on the pathway was installed last year and 60 solar panels were also installed.
The centre is soon to get a seven-aside Astro pitch. The bottom line in the presentation was that the company was making its case for an urgent extension to accommodate rapid population growth, a possible extension would cost in the region of €2 million.
Mr Dollard and his colleagues were calling on the Ashbourne councillors for their help in raising the need for further funding and asking for their continued support from Meath County Council. Reminding too that most of the work over the last 46 years has been provided on a voluntary basis. The village of Ashbourne was has seen its population has grow from 1,800 in 1981 to 16,000 in 2026 and growing.
