From:Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht

Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, has officially opened the newly refurbished Ballaghaderreen Library and launched Roscommon’s very first'My Open Library'service on a visit to the county.

Housed in the historic 18th-century Dillon House on Market Square, the library has undergone an extensive and sensitive refurbishment. The works were supported by the Small-Scale Capital Works Scheme and Libraries Capital Programme funding through the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, alongside energy-efficiency upgrades through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s (SEAI) Pathfinder Programme.

The project introduces the innovative'My Open Library'service to County Roscommon for the first time. Funded with an allocation of €95,250 under the Libraries Capital Programme, the service extends library access far beyond traditional operating hours. Members will now be able to access the self-service facility from 8:00am to 10:00pm, 365 days a year.

Speaking at the official opening in Ballaghaderreen, Minister Calleary TD, said:

"It is both an honour and a personal joy to stand here in Ballaghaderreen this evening to celebrate the reopening of this remarkable library and unveil a historic milestone for Roscommon Libraries. Dillon House is woven into the very fabric of Irish political and cultural history. By transforming this distinguished building into a modern, energy-efficient library, we are preserving our heritage while investing directly in the future of rural Ireland.

"This evening’s celebration is part of a much bigger story. Our national public library strategy, ‘The Library is the Place: Information, Recreation, Inspiration’, sets out a bold vision for the future across our 330 library branches nationwide. The Government remains firmly committed to investing in our libraries as engines of rural regeneration, lifelong learning, digital inclusion, and community wellbeing".

Welcoming the launch of the extended out-of-hours service, Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development and Charities, Jerry Buttimer TD, stated:

“I would like to commend Roscommon County Council and the dedicated library staff for their hard work and commitment in delivering this wonderful, refurbished facility for the town. The introduction of the 'My Open Library' service is truly transformative for rural communities like Ballaghaderreen. It offers flexibility for workers, commuters, students, and families, providing a warm and welcoming public space that is free and open to all.

"By providing automated self-service options 365 days a year, we are ensuring optimal delivery of public facilities that adapt around people's busy daily lives rather than forcing them to adapt to traditional operating hours. This capital funding underpins our strategy to ensure local infrastructure directly serves the grassroots needs of our communities”.

Director of Services with Roscommon County Council, Chris Flynn, added:

"Roscommon County Council is deeply committed to investing in our local communities and supporting initiatives that strengthen resilience, inclusion, and long-term sustainability. This sensitive architectural design and refurbishment ensures that Ballaghaderreen Library is fully accessible to all.

“With dedicated interactive sections for children, a custom area for young adults, free high-speed Wi-Fi, and a versatile community meeting space, we have delivered a world-class, multi-functional resource for the town. The integration of specialist access-control technology ensures wheelchair-accessible, self-service entry to library spaces during unstaffed hours. I want to give praise to our library staff, our design partners, and the people of Ballaghaderreen whose vibrant community spirit is the heart and soul of this wonderful facility”.

Also on his visit to Roscommon, Minister Calleary visited Castlerea to inspect improvements made to Castlerea Swimming Pool thanks to Community Recognition Funding of €73,000. Works completed include the construction of outdoor showers, a staff room and insulated pool covers. Staying in Castlerea, Minister Calleary visited ‘The Hub’ which was approved almost €50,000 in CLÁR funding for the installation of a lift to improve accessibility to the first floor of this community building.

Ballaghaderreen Library Refurbishment

Ballaghaderreen Library originally opened on the ground floor of Dillon House in July 2001. Following temporary closures for extensive structural, mechanical, electrical, and insulation upgrades, the library initially re-entered service on 31 July 2025 ahead of tonight's official opening and out-of-hours service launch.

The historic building has been transformed into a state-of-the-art facility, offering a range of modern amenities designed to serve residents of all ages. The revamped library features:

The refurbishment project showcases unique artwork by Roscommon artist Annmarie Murray, created specifically for the children’s and young adult sections.

In addition, it introduced discreet internal insulation and a comprehensive heating upgrade across all three floors, significantly improving energy efficiency without compromising architectural character. Inclusive access was central to the design approach, with the integration of wheelchair-accessible, self-service entry to library spaces and the meeting room through specialistMy Open Libraryaccess-control technology.

Further enhancements included new floor finishes, upgraded mechanical and electrical systems, the selective replacement of internal and external doors and windows, and targeted reconfiguration at ground-floor level to support contemporary library use.

External works addressed footpath alignment, improvements to the rear entrance, and upgrades to the surface water drainage network, alongside a series of fire-safety improvements to ensure full compliance with current standards.

The 'My Open Library' initiative provides automated self-service access to library facilities from 8:00am to 10:00pm, 365 days a year. It complements regular staffed hours, allowing members to borrow books, use computers, print, study, or hold community meetings at times that suit their daily schedules. Ballaghaderreen is the first library branch to offer the service in County Roscommon making it a total of 61 library branches open to date.

Public Library Strategy - ‘The Library is the Place’

The national public library strategy, ‘The Library is the Place’, was launched in July 2023 and was developed by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht in partnership with the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and local authorities.

It is a 5-year plan for the period 2023-2027 which sets out the strategic context for further investment in library infrastructure, technology, programmes and services. The strategy was drafted following an extensive consultation process that included a public consultation which resulted in 2,993 returned questionnaires, focus groups with over 300 libraries staff members, further focus groups with key stakeholder groups and interviews and workshops with key interested parties.

The strategy contains three overarching themes – People, Spaces and Connections. Some 66 strategic actions have been listed under nine strategic objectives and three enablers. Some of the specific actions to deliver these are: