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Dundalk Leader 9th September 2026
Dundalk Leader Local Democracy Reports By LAUREN ROSS l lauren@dundalkleader.com
€57,885-funded upgrade “Ongoing battle” between completed at The Demesne delivery trucks, bollards WORK has finished on a €57,885-funded upgrade of the Demesne in Dundalk, with new seating, improved footpaths, landscaping and a solar-powered litter bin among the changes made to the town centre space. The project was funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht through the Community Recognition Fund, and Louth County Council carried it out in collaboration with Dundalk Tidy Towns, with the work aimed at making the area easier and more comfortable to use for both residents and visitors. Age-friendly seating has been installed, paths through the Demesne have been improved and landscaping work has also been carried out, alongside the installation of the new solar-powered litter bin. Cathaoirleach of Dundalk Municipal District Cllr Andrea McKevitt welcomed the completion of the work, describing the Demesne as an important amenity in the centre of Dundalk. “The Demesne is a valuable public amenity in the heart of our town,” she said. “These improvements make the space more accessible, safer and more welcoming for everyone who uses it. Projects like this encourage people to spend more time outdoors and help ensure our public spaces can be enjoyed by people of all ages.” Dundalk Tidy Towns chairperson, Helen Byrne, said, “Dundalk Tidy Towns is delighted to have worked alongside Louth County
and cycle lanes
The Demesne in Dundalk has received an upgrade in recent weeks.
Council on this project. “The improvements at The Demesne have enhanced an important community space and will help ensure it remains an attractive and enjoyable place for residents and visitors for years to come. “We are particularly pleased to see features that support both sustainability and accessibility.” The Community Recognition Fund was set up in recognition of the contribution made by communities across Ireland which have welcomed and supported new arrivals and provides capital funding for projects such as community infrastructure and facilities, with the aim of improving local amenities and quality of life for the wider community. Louth County Council Director of Services David Jones said the
Demesne project was an example of what could be achieved when the council and local community groups worked together. “This project shows what can be achieved through collaboration between local authorities, community groups and Government,” he said. “Working closely with Dundalk Tidy Towns has enabled us to deliver improvements that respond to local needs and enhance a wellused public space. “We are grateful for the support provided through the Community Recognition Fund, which has helped deliver valuable projects for communities across County Louth.” The Demesne is one of 11 projects across Co Louth currently receiving support through the Community Recognition Fund.
Questions raised over NTA powers after Hill Street bus stop concerns QUESTIONS have been raised over how much say the National Transport Authority has in choosing bus stop locations in Dundalk following concerns about the new stop on Hill Street Bridge. Independent Cllr Maeve Yore raised the issue at the September meeting of Dundalk Municipal District, asking whether the NTA could effectively dictate where stops go. “Everybody is going mad about the bus stop on Hill Street Bridge,” she said.
“Do the NTA dictate to us where to put stuff? Have they more power than us?” Council officials said the NTA would normally suggest a general area for a bus stop, but the location would then come back to the council’s operations team. The council would look at the proposed location in terms of safety under the Road Traffic Act. The NTA also says individual bus stop locations are subject to approval by the relevant road authority, which in most cases is the local council.
Cllr Maeve Yore.
A TIMED loading bay could help solve the ongoing problems between delivery trucks, bollards and the cycle lane on Chapel Street in Dundalk, councillors have heard. Speaking at the Dundalk Municipal District meeting this month, Independent Cllr Ciarán Fisher said there was an “ongoing battle” at the location, with businesses trying to take deliveries on what is already a very tight one-way street. “There’s an ongoing battle between delivery trucks and bollards there and the cycle lane,” he said. He said he liked the idea of the cycle lane, but felt it was not being used as much as it could be and pointed out that the two-way cycle lane takes up a lot of space on Chapel Street. At the same time, he said cyclists should not have to put up with vehicles blocking the lane. “I’d like an end to the conflict between bollards and also people complaining there are people blocking cycling, as they shouldn’t, but also there’s also the necessity of increasingly busy businesses there,” he said. Cllr Fisher asked if a temporary or timed loading bay could be looked at for some of the businesses, rather than having delivery trucks trying to squeeze in around the cycle lane and bollards. A spokesperson for the
Cllr Ciaran Fisher. council said the problem was already proving costly, “We’ve had issues at that location and it’s costly as well because a lot of bollards get damaged because we’re constantly repairing them.” Cllr Fisher then raised parking problems elsewhere in Dundalk, saying he had received reports of vehicles parked on footpaths and double yellow lines. “We do have a duty to stop people parking on footpaths. We do have a duty to stop people parking on double yellow lines we put in in the first place,” he said. He also asked when the council’s pay parking review was due and whether there was any chance of extending the
pay parking area, or doing more about persistent parking problems outside it and pointed to footpaths which were being improved to make them more accessible, only for vehicles to be parked on them. Cllr Fisher also welcomed the work carried out at The Crescent and around the Friary Church, saying it “looks great finally”, with new yellow lines there, which he hoped would stop the roundabout being blocked, although he said enforcement still seemed to be an issue. A council official said they had no update on the pay parking review as it did not fall under their section, but would take the matter back to the right department.
Still no opening date for Dundalk athletics track Dundalk’s new athletics track has already hosted the homecoming of European champion Kate O’Connor, but there is still no confirmed date for when it will open to the public. Independent Cllr Maeve Yore raised the issue at this month’s Dundalk Municipal District meeting, saying the first phase of the Muir-
hevnamor project was now finished. “The first phase is finished. It’s fabulous,” she said, as she asked when the facility would open. Louth County Council had said at the end of July that work was entering its final stages and the track was on schedule for completion by mid-August.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
Cllr Yore also asked where things stand with the wider Muirhevnamor Park masterplan. The council has €150,000 set aside for that work this year. No further timeline was given at the meeting for either the opening of the track or the masterplan.