Dún Laoghaire Town Team
Dun Laoghaire Town – The town team committee
The Dún Laoghaire Town Team
The town team committee for the 2024/25 year comprises Eoin Costello (Digital Dun Laoghaire, retiring Chair of the Town Team), Niall Lawlor (new Chairperson of the Town Team), Chad Gilmer and Brian Dunphy (DLBA), Frances Kelly, Paul Coffey and Mary Kelly Borgatta (Dún Laoghaire Central Residents Association), Ursula O’Connor (Urban Regeneration Development Officer, DLR CoCo), Dave Lawless (Tourism Development Officer, DLR CoCo), and Paddy Boyd (Dún Laoghaire Harbour representative).
Eoin Costello, outgoing chair, provided the following review of the year
As Chair for the period May 2022 to August 2023 it was a busy time for our Town Team.
Discussions commenced on what action might be possible in respect of vacant Dunnes Stores buildings on Georges Street. Cllr Hall followed through on this with an online campaign and petition.
In February Town Team members brought forward suggestions/proposals in respect of the overall makeup and structure of the Town Team going forward.
Myrtle square works commenced and the new plaza is really taking shape now. While there has been inconvenience, the resulting plaza will prove a fantastic attraction to that end of the town in the years to come.
The Dun Laoghaire Baths opened in December to much enthusiasm from the public. Concerns were raised subsequently about wheelchair access and Cllr Hall raised these concerns with the Council.
Sinead got the DLBA Cruise Ship Ambassador Programme up and running.
The inaugural COASTIVAL festival in conjunction with the Volvo regatta was a great success. Digital Dun Laoghaire ran a B2C campaign to attract COASTIVAL visitors to local businesses and also delivered the Dargan Forum as part of the festival.
Brian and a group of volunteers helped carry out an audit of the town’s buildings, the audit ranked their physical appearance, use and quality of signage. Digital Dun Laoghaire helped correlate the results into an online map and the results were launched at the ‘Why Choose Dun Laoghaire’ event in April.
The huge commitment shown by Tidy Towns will be evident in this year’s Tidy Towns Awards which take place this October.
In August the town team made a fact finding visit to Cobh/Queenstown and lots of useful connections were made between the two towns.
An ongoing public consultations concerning Dun Laoghaire Living Streets points the way to a vibrant Dun Laoghaire town centre in the years to come.
I wish the next Chair Niall Lawlor every success in creating the collaboration that underpins both the town team and the town itself’s growth and vibrancy in the coming year.
History of the Town Team
Arising from the increased collaboration that the 2019 entry in the National Enterprise Town Awards (NETA) created amongst various public and private sector groups in the town, it was agreed that everything possible should be done to build on that positive momentum. This desire amongst the stakeholders to help the town was given a big boost by the success of the town’s entry in the NETA Awards in December 2019.
In November 2019 the steering group that helped deliver the National Enterprise Towns itinerary for the NETA 2019 met for a detailed scoping workshop in the Glasshouses 2, George’s Street.
“For the Town Team to be an “effective partnership” it should comprise public, private, voluntary, and community sectors as well as all other relevant stakeholders. “
Source – A Framework for Town Centre Renewal – Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation
Based on the model contained in “A Framework for Town Centre Renewal” it was agreed that the Town Team’s work programme would focus on projects that are:
- Discrete
- Tangible
- Time delimited
- Highly visible
The outputs of that workshop included agreeing on the common purpose for the Dún Laoghaire Town Team, namely to enable our town to deliver on its huge promise and potential.
ABOUT OUR TOWN
Dún Laoghaire’s stunning views, cosmopolitan culture, Mediterranean appearance, and physical
beauty make it a very special place. Few places in Europe, let along Ireland, bring together its sea
views, magnificent parks, old and new architecture, mountain views, food culture and transport links
making it accessible to all.
One in five of its population are non-nationals and a diversity of languages – French, Russian,
Chinese and many others – can be heard on its streets daily.
A paradise for pedestrians and a sense fest for cyclists, Dún Laoghaire is working hard to reinvigorate
its town. It recently introduced a new family friendly coastal cycle route that attracts thousands of
cyclists every day. A newly installed outdoor photography exhibition, urban parklets spilling over
with pollinating plants, wheelchair and age-friendly seating, and cargo-bike parking are pleasing the
masses.
We are working to ensure that Dún Laoghaire Town is filled with people and activities. A brand new
town plaza has been created off George’s Street Lower, and through the Summer Streets initiative
we have reclaimed the street and pedestrianised George’s Street Lower, to create a people friendly
welcoming space for everybody to enjoy, and to bring this area to its fullest potential. A programme
of events and activities for families, children and older people will run over the summer. Dún
Laoghaire has also become an open-air canvas for 14 established, and up-and-coming, local artists,
who have captured the essence of the town, borrowing from its maritime heritage and elements
that make it unique. The Pier Walk, Farmers Market, Lexicon and Maritime Museum continue to
inspire.
Not only does it want to give a pleasing passage through the town but attract more people to enjoy
all it has to offer. Visit the Tourism Office or check out the Love Dún Laoghaire campaign for further
information!
Our town is –
- Full of character and characters
- Full of unique shops and places to wander
- Historically a centre of connectivity and innovation for railways, maritime, radio, local government, architecture
- Filled with nostalgia
- Full of unique architecture
- Full of life
- Full of experiences
Dún Laoghaire Town Team