The list of successful applicants under the 2022 Town and Village Renewal Scheme includes several local towns and villages.

The funding announcements by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, prioritised tackling vacancy and dereliction in towns and villages across rural Ireland. Local towns and villages across the Ballyhoura area to benefit include:

🔶 Mitchelstown where the funding will purchase the FCA Hall on the grounds of the old Military barracks for use as a multi-purpose venue for sports activities and organisations: hub for men's shed, indoor training for boxing club, cycling, girl guides, walking amenity/outdoor gym, etc.

🔶 Bruff where the funding allocation of €250,000 will help renovate the former Bank of Ireland at Main Street, Bruff, to develop a remote working hub which will add to Limericks significant remote working infrastructure.

🔶 Herbertstown where an investment of €495,229 will renovate and repurpose the former co-op building to develop it as a multi-use community space (indoor and outdoor) providing: Community café; Men’s Shed; remote working hub; enterprise hub and community garden.

🔶 Croom to support a feasibility study to the value of €41,000, to include a detailed survey and design layouts for the old schoolhouse and school masters house to co-locate FRC services to the building.

Announcing the funding, Minister Humphreys said: "I am delighted to announce a record €27 million in funding under my department’s Town and Village Renewal Scheme. This is all about tackling the scourge of vacancy and dereliction in our rural towns and villages. It’s about taking old buildings and giving them a new lease of life. And it’s about rejuvenating the centre of our towns by developing public plazas, town parks, community gardens and sports facilities for the benefit of local families. This investment today will breathe new life into rural towns and villages across every single county. It’s the largest ever investment under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and demonstrates my passion and ambition for our rural communities.”

Mary Laffan, Chair of Ballyhoura Development congratulated all of the local volunteers involved in bringing the projects forward, adding that "across the Ballyhoura area there are so many old buildings in communities that have the potential to provide valuable spaces and services if restored. Often these buildings are a valuable part of our building heritage, and it is fantastic to see communities create a new future for these buildings for the good of the local community".

The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is administered through the local authorities, who are required to work closely with local communities and local businesses to develop and implement the proposals that can make a lasting impact in revitalising rural towns and villages across the country.