*Members of the Kilfenora Corner outside Linnane’s Pub.
COMMUNITY LED plans to acquire Linnane’s Pub for use as a cultural hub in Kilfenora have been scrapped.
Over €22,000 had been raised for the Kilfenora Corner Project since July but the property has been withdrawn from the market ending the vision of the voluntary community group.
A spokesperson for the Kilfenora Corner project stated, “Regrettably, the owners have withdrawn it from the market and are going in a different direction”.
Generosity from the public and philanthropic donors had the group almost in a position to make an offer for the venue. “Thank you sincerely for the support and encouragement shown over the past few months. Thanks to the generosity of philanthropic donors and everyone who donated, we were nearing a position to make an offer. Despite our best efforts, circumstances outside our control brought the process to a halt”.
Estimates from the group were that €35,000 was required to secure a deposit, €350,000 to purchase the premises and €500,000 would cover the legal costs and building upgrades.
All persons who contributed via GoFund will receive their money “back shortly,” the spokesperson confirmed. “The issues we hoped to address, rural decline, the loss of village spaces, pub closures, are still very real, and we hope our efforts might encourage others to keep pushing for positive change. Whatever happens with the building, we hope it will still become an asset to the village”.
Members of the Kilfenora Corner project included Sonja O’Brien, Sue Targett, Gerard Linnane, Cara O’Donoghue, Orla Vaughan, John Morgan, Aoife Kelly and Daithí O’Reilly. Their aim was to reopen Linnane’s pub as a community-driven social enterprise that safeguards the musical tradition, promotes local culture and fosters sustainable community initiatives.
Linnane’s would have been the heart of traditional music activities with the adjacent property and land supporting broader community projects including a kindergarten, community garden, social housing and a farmers’ market. The pub has been closed since 2022.
