The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, has confirmed that Kerry County Council has purchased Teach Siamsa na Carraige in Baile na nGall with support from the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.

A grant of €250,000 under the 2025 Building or Land Acquisition Measure covered the full purchase price. Built in the 1970s as one of the National Folk Theatre of Ireland's Tithe Siamsa training centres, the venue has been inactive for around two decades. The local community will work with the council on plans to refurbish and modernise the building, with the aim of reopening it as a flexible arts centre delivering a diverse programme through the Irish language.

Officials said the investment aligns with the Our Rural Future and Town Centre First policies to draw more people to live, work, invest and spend time in rural towns and villages.

Speaking about the decision, Minister Dara Calleary said: "It gives me great pleasure to announce the purchase of Teach Siamsa na Carraige by Kerry County Council under the 2025 Town and Village Renewal Scheme. Teach Siamsa, which provided a vibrant hub for cultural and artistic activities in the past, can now be redeveloped and revitalised as a community led Arts Centre."

-- Advertisement --

The Minister added: "This project received funding under the 2025 Building or Land Acquisition Measure. It is one of 33 projects across the country that were awarded over €6.7 million in funding under this measure. This funding is supporting the purchase of vacant or derelict buildings, or land in towns and villages which will be used in the future to provide multi-purpose community spaces in line with the aims of the Town and Village Renewal scheme."

The Town and Village Renewal Scheme forms part of Project Ireland 2040 under the Government's Our Rural Future policy. Since 2016, more than €210 million has been approved for over 1,900 projects nationwide.

The 2025 scheme includes three funding streams: the Building or Land Acquisition Measure, the Main Scheme and the Project Development Measure. The BLAM strand closed to applications on 2 May 2025, with details of individual projects published only after purchases are completed for commercial reasons.

Applications for the 2025 Main Scheme and Project Development Measure closed at the end of July, with results announced on 22 December. Minister Calleary confirmed €26 million in total funding for over 100 projects, including €24.4 million for 77 projects under the Main Scheme and €1.85 million for 39 projects under the Project Development Measure to build a pipeline of shovel-ready proposals.

The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is administered by local authorities on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development.