Date confirmed for opening of new Ballivor Library

Meath County Council has confirmed that Ballivor Library will open its doors to the public next Tuesday, 23rd July.

The library is located in the former St Kinneth's Church in the village, which has underwent a major refurbishment project.

The opening hours for the new library will be as follows:

Tuesday: 12 noon to 4.00 pm and 4.30 pm to 7.00 pm

Wednesday: 10.00 am to 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm

Thursday: 10.00 am to 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm

Saturday: 10.00 am to 1.30 pm.

The opening of the library follows a 20-year campaign by the local community for a library for the south Meath village.

The building, which dates back to 1821 lay empty for almost two decades and had become an eyesore in the village until its refurbishment.

Meath County Council purchased the building from Ballivor Historical Society in 2004 with a view to turning it into a library.

The refurbishment project included the construction of a new accessible toilet, office and tea station within the church, and the installation of a new insulated floor slab as well as restoration works to the stained glass windows, roofs, ceilings, stairs and woodwork.

Minister Heather Humphreys visited St Kinneth's to officially open the building in May of last year, the same day she also opened Trim Cultural Library and Library and the community hub building in Enfield. Now more than a year later, it will finally open as a library, something the local community have been campaigning for for two decades.

Ten years ago, community library was established in Ballivor in 2014 by a group of volunteers who were fed up waiting for the long-mooted library to materialise. Volunteers ran the community library in rooms at the local community centre but later had to vacate those rooms due to works at the community centre.