Transfer of hall funds to benefit Kildare town

THE Charities Regulator has made a formal application to transfer over €200,000 from sale of O’Modhrain Hall in Newbridge to the local charity Cill Dara le Gaelige (CDLG) for the continued promotion of the Irish language and culture in the town.

A notice was published in the local press last week to give formal public warning of the proposed transfer of €211,504 from the trustees of O’Modhrain Hall on Cutlery Street to CDLG, with the public allowed to make submissions on the issue to Wilkinson and Price Solicitors in Naas up to 23 July.

This follows a failed effort to sell the hall Conradh na Gaelige back in 2020, which was sucessfully opposed locally as CnG has no significant presence in Newbridge.

The legal mechanism that allows this potential transfer is called a ‘cy près’ scheme - from the Old French meaning ‘as near as possible’ – so that transferred monies can only be used in as much a similar way for cultural promotion as the trust originally intended.

There has been some disquiet in the town that because CDLG does not have a very large presence in Newbridge these proceeds – which were originally collected from the people of the town – might be dispersed elsewhere in the county.

This was not allayed by the fact that on CDLG's website, the Irish language group say they are in discussion with Kildare County Council and community group Sult na Sollán to build a cultural centre in Sallins.

“Cill Dara le Gaeilge believes that it is vital that there is a centre for the Irish language in County Kildare and is working with the community group Sult na Sollán to achieve this vision,” CDLG state on their website.

“Both groups believe that Sallins would be a very suitable venue for a cultural centre, central to the county for the entire Irish language community”. CDLG has been approached for further comment, but has not replied as of yet. 

“There’s a real concern that the money raised from the sale might not benefit our Newbridge community as it should,” said Orla O’Neill, a daughter of an original trustee, and long-time campaigner on the issue.

“This hall was meant to serve our town—to foster local culture, education, and community spirit. These funds must remain within Newbridge, supporting local initiatives, not be spent elsewhere,” she worried.

“We’re a bit disappointed CDLG doesn’t know there’s a pressure group, and they haven’t contacted us.

“The question for CDLG is what do they intend to do with the money?

“They may have someone in the town, so we wouldn’t want to be too negative until we’re aware of their plans,” said Orla.

Section 29 of the Charities Act as quoted in the public notice from the Charities Regulator last week seems unambiguous that it will benefit the Newbridge local area.

“In circumstances where the trust has not been operational for many years, there is a requirement in charity law for the funds to be applied for similar charitable purposes,” it said.

“The Section 29 application is to transfer the trust fund as a restricted fund for the benefit of the people of Newbridge to CDLG … on the basis its objectives are consistent with the trusts original and intended beneficiary class,” it continued.

“The Board of the Charities Regulator at its meeting on 21 May … ruled to make a ‘cy près’ scheme… such that CDLG will use, manage, invest and apply the fund - and any income derived therefrom – for its exclusively charitable objectives and activities in the Newbridge local area."

When approached for clarification, the Charities Regulator stated: “We do not comment on individual applications, (however) on a general note, following publication of the public notice, any statutory objections or suggestions received are submitted by the applicant’s solicitor to the Charities Regulator for review”.

“The application is then considered by a committee of the Charities Regulator’s board, known as the Charity Services Committee.

“It reviews the proposal and any statutory objections and suggestions received. It may make recommendations to the board of the Charities Regulator, which makes decisions in the case of these applications.

“The possible outcomes from this stage of the legal process are that queries are raised with the applicant, the he proposed scheme is approved without modification, or approved with modifications, or the proposed scheme is not approved."

Sold at auction by trust on 26 July, 2017 for €260,000, the net proceeds remaining are €211,000 after nine years of legal contests, including an appeal to An Bord Pleanala.

“When legal action is taken money goes out the door pretty damn quick,” said Cllr Chris Pender, a close follower of this campaign since the start.

“Under no way, shape or form should that money be re-directed to Sallins,” he added emphatically.

“I’d have massive issues with that.

“CDLG don’t really operate in Newbridge and I’d love if they came to say how they would promote Irish in the local area, I would have no problem with them”.

Cllr Pender confirmed that O’Modhrain Hall had been acquired by Kildare County Council in September 2025 by a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) under “URDF 3 funding”.

“Unfortunately, this means it will have to go back on the open market (after renovation), but that means it will still have to go for a Section 183 (of the Local Government Act – disposal of public lands) which I will vote against. A large building like this in the middle of town? It should have retail on the ground floor and apartments above it,” he concluded.