Taoiseach Launches €100m Redevelopment of Kilkenny’s Historic Brewhouse

2nd August 2019

In a significant step towards revitalising Kilkenny’s Abbey Quarter, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar launched a major refurbishment project at the historic brewhouse building. The project, part of a €100 million investment, aims to transform the former Smithwick’s Brewery site into high-grade office space and enhance the public realm.

The Abbey Quarter, a 12-acre site steeped in history, is set to become a vibrant hub of activity. The redevelopment includes the creation of a new square, Brewhouse Square, and upgrades to Horse Barrack Lane. Mythen Construction has been contracted to carry out the works, with the building expected to be ready for fit-out by next summer.

Speaking at the launch, Taoiseach Varadkar highlighted the project’s alignment with the Government’s vision for sustainable, community-centred developments. “Over €6 million has been granted to Kilkenny County Council to help achieve the vision for the Abbey Quarter, with the 800-year-old abbey as its stunning centrepiece,” he said. “We want homes, workplaces, schools, and amenities to be built in sensible, sustainable ways that improve the quality of life for families, workers, and local communities.”

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy, emphasised the importance of the Urban Regeneration Development Fund (URDF) in supporting the project. “This project is the very essence of what the URDF was established to deliver,” he said. “It is a spend from the public purse levering private sector investment to deliver redevelopment of a city centre brownfield site for mixed-use development.”

Kilkenny County Council, in partnership with the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), has established the Kilkenny Abbey Quarter Development Limited (KAQDL) to oversee the commercial development of the site. The development will include a mix of offices, residential, education, and retail spaces.

The Abbey Quarter redevelopment is a key component of Project Ireland 2040, which aims to invest in compact, sustainable, and community-centred developments across the country. With over 200 projects funded under the initiative, Ireland is seeing improved transport links, better health and environmental outcomes, and more housing.