'Money from hall sale must stay in the town' says Kildare councillor

Concerns have been raised in Newbridge following the revelation that the proceeds from the sale of the historic O’Modhráin Hall, totalling €213,097, may be transferred to a restricted fund managed by the national organisation Conradh na Gaeilge.

Local community leaders and residents are voicing their concerns, saying the proposal does not reflect the best interests of Newbridge, the town that the hall was built to serve.

The trustees of ‘Coiste Cuimhneachán Eamonn Ó Modhráin’, who are responsible for the assets of the hall, have initiated a statutory process with the Charities Regulator to transfer the proceeds to Conradh na Gaeilge. The sale was authorised following the building’s dereliction and inclusion on the Derelict Sites Register.

Despite the charitable goals of Conradh na Gaeilge to promote the Irish language, a local councillor believes the sale proceeds should directly benefit Newbridge, aligning with the original mission of O’Modhráin Hall.

“This is an unbelievably poor proposal, especially for such a high-profile case,” said cllr Chris Pender, deputy mayor of the Newbridge-Kildare Municipal District.

“Have the trustees something against engaging with the local community or our representatives?” he asked. “Why didn’t they work with Kildare County Council to put the hall to use when they were first approached? Why didn’t they seek proposals from the community to use the proceeds of the sale? And why is the Charities Regulator endorsing this approach?” 

The hall, originally dedicated to Eamonn Ó Modhráin, a local figure of national importance in the Irish National Revival Movement, was meant to serve as a hub for fostering Irish culture, education, and youth activities within Newbridge. After falling into disrepair, it was sold in 2021. Cllr Pender believes the funds from the sale should remain in Newbridge, supporting local cultural and educational initiatives, rather than being potentially allocated to national projects under Conradh na Gaeilge’s direction.

He is concerned by the lack of transparency and engagement in the decision-making process, and has highlighted that neither the trustees nor Conradh na Gaeilge engaged with local representatives or the community before initiating the statutory process.

Despite interest from Kildare County Council in acquiring the hall in previous years to retain it as a community resource, no local consultations took place regarding the future use of the sale proceeds.

“This money belongs in Newbridge, where it can support local projects that honour the original charitable purposes of Ó Modhráin Hall,” added cllr Pender.

“The hall was built for our community, and the funds raised through its sale should remain here,” he said. He is now urging local residents to make their voices heard by submitting objections to the Charities Regulator before the deadline on Monday 23 October.

“This is an opportunity for the people of Newbridge to stand up and ensure that these funds stay within our community,” said cllr Pender. “We need to let the Charities Regulator know that we believe these funds should be used to benefit the town they were raised for, not transferred to a national body with little direct connection to Newbridge.

“From education to youth services, the funds should be used to foster the kind of cultural and community spirit that Ó Modhráin Hall was built for. This proposal risks diverting that legacy away from the very people it was meant to serve.” O’Modhráin Hall, situated on Cutlery Road in Newbridge, was a prominent cultural centre and hub for fostering Irish culture and education, especially among youth. After years of disrepair and being listed as a derelict site by Kildare County Council, the hall was sold in 2021 for €260,000, with the net proceeds of €213,097.50 available for charitable purposes.