Irish-owned paint brand Colourtrend has announced the rollout of an initiative with Kildare Local Community Development Committee as part of the Celbridge Heritage Town Enhancement Pilot Project
The front of some shops and houses on Celbridge’s Main Street are to be given an immediate paint refresh as part of the innovative Project.
The Project will see the shops and houses on Main Street painted in a colour scheme devised by Colourtrend’s design experts, in conjunction with the local property owners, and will be painted with Colourtrend’s top quality paints. The pilot will bring together the local community, local businesses and the private company to deliver a fresh look for the County Kildare town in a model that could work well for towns all over Ireland.
The initiative is part of Kildare’s Integrated Services Progamme’s Tourism and Heritage Plan 2016—2020 where Celbridge is identified as the ‘Gateway to Ireland’s Ancient East’. The plan aims to develop Celbridge as a leading base for heritage-based tourism activities in Ireland. Celbridge is a town rich in history as the birthplace of Arthur Guinness, the home of the Connolly family of Castletown House, the Grattan family and Jonathan Swift. An attractive village centre is seen in the plan as paramount to enable Celbridge to benefit economically from visitors to nearby heritage sites.
Celbridge TD Frank O’Rourke, who has been one of the champions behind the Project, said the aim of the plan is to develop the town as Ireland’s leading base for heritage based tourism activities. “Kildare’s Tourism and Heritage Plan 2016—2020 rightly has Celbridge as the Gateway to Ireland’s Ancient East. I’m absolutely delighted to see this Project finally get over the finish line. It’s been a priority of mine since being on the Council and I believe it will play a positive role in developing the town into a tourism hub, not only for the county but in the region. An idyllic town centre is important to enable Celbridge to benefit economically from the rich and diverse heritage of the locality.”