The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
A year of success with plenty of optimism for Castleisland...
In terms of development, Castleisland is faring better than most towns its size in recent years. Castleisland Chamber Alliance Chairman Michael John Kearney gives an overview of 2019 as the Chamber continues to make huge strides in its work and aspirations for the town.
CONSTRUCTION at the Windmill Group Nursing Home site (on College Road) is a welcome development and proves the strategic importance of Castleisland in serving the wider region.
When fully operational this facility will employ up to 75 people directly and create indirect value for the town in spin off services.
In the Care Sector, the much-awaited Primary Care Centre on Limerick Road is progressing to a start date with completion scheduled for late 2020. This will be a major boost to the town, providing many direct jobs and indirect benefits. The Cluid Housing Complex, and the Acquired Brain Injury Centre are also at finishing stage, while the extension to Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal provides specialised educational services.
The Talbot Grove and the Mount Eagle facility on the Brosna Road is also indicative of success as the town is fast developing a reputation as a Centre of Excellence in the area of Community Health Care. It highlights the strategic importance of Castleisland and its capacity to serve Kerry and wider Cork, Limerick regions.
From an Enterprise/Industrial and Service development point of view, Walsh Colour Print, Tralee Road, Daly Transport & Storage, Dooneen, and the newly renovated Island Point Business Centre, also on Tralee Road, are leading companies with room for growth. They offer services to customers across the country attracting custom to Castleisland. Indeed, the Island Point facility, for the first time since Aetna closed its doors in the same building, gives Castleisland a facility to attract large scale businesses to the town.
Designer Minds have set up in the Mart Unit, while an English Language School is now up and running at the Island Centre. There is continuing interest in warehousing in the area to avail of the central regional location that Castleisland occupies. The Fastways facility at Dooneen enables Castleisland to compete for work as far away as Belfast, offering the earliest daily delivery (in Kerry) and the latest collection times.
Castleisland is known for its dairying hinterland and an interesting addition this year is Kerry Kefir, which is developing and selling products based on the ‘the good for you probiotic/ gut health’ trend.
Retailing/Service provision is also expanding, with a number of new additions on the street. Hats/Fashion, Accounting Services, Grooming and Clothing, and Dental Engineering are just some examples. The Chamber will shortly be supporting the development of a Retailing Strategy with the objective of promoting the town as a leading ‘destination’ Shopping Centre and delivering same through branding, promotion and media coverage. Add to these developments the various upgrading investments behind the scene in websites and online retailing and social media presence and it makes for a good mix of online and good old fashioned-walk in customer service and value for which Castleisland is nationally renowned.
Lastly, the Carnegie’s refurbishment is almost complete. This attractive facility will provide hot desking and a meeting facility. We cannot underestimate this project as it is a means of introduction for companies to the town, so that we can encourage and help them grow and develop.
Within the next 2 years we should see employment in the town increase by up to 200+ people, and leading to continuous opportunity for much indirect spin off in the region, all of which augurs well for the future of the town. This is in addition to the many opportunities, for labour, services and capital goods supply in the construction phases of the various projects. We also need more housing and accommodation for the many people who will take up jobs in the area. The first mass build of houses in years is being undertaken by Walsh Colour Print in a unique project designed to bring continuity to their expanding work force. Hopefully, more new builds will follow, and there is much opportunity for regeneration of properties on the street to meet the demand. All in all – a busy year.