THE town centre in Dunmanway is set to get a boost after Cork County Council purchased the West End Yard from Drinagh Co-Op.

The 2.5-acre site includes a car park and a protected industrial building which have lain idle for a number of years.

The town centre location is now set for major redevelopment, signalling fresh opportunities for community development and business growth.

It is hoped that regeneration work will start soon, following a drive from the Community Council and others.

Fianna Fáil Cllr Deirdre Kelly has campaigned for the revitalisation of the heritage site for the past five years and has welcomed the move as great news for the West Cork town.

Cllr Kelly said: ‘I am really delighted to announce that the sale of the West End Yard has been finalised. This is great news for our town. Thank you to all helped to get it over the line and thank you to Cllr Daniel Sexton for working with me in the last few weeks to ensure all the i’s were dotted and the t’s were crossed.’

Other representatives involved in the push for renewal were Senator Noel O’Donovan (FG) and Fianna Fáil Minister of State Christopher O’Sullivan. Dunmanway Chamber of Commerce also lobbied the local authority to buy the land to give a boost to local businesses in need of customer parking.

The new car park will encourage to drivers to stop in Dunmanway, rather than just passing through the town, traders hope. The redevelopment plan includes a public consultation process on the optimal future use of the site, including for event such as markets, walkways and green spaces.

Tim Buckley, chairperson of Dunmanway Chamber of Commerce, told The Southern Star: ‘It was a very complicated process and we are very thankful that it’s over the line. This site offers so much possibility and opportunity, and we are looking forward to collaborating with all the stakeholders, local businesses and councillors to find a way forward. It’s long overdue.’

It’s the second boost for the town in a matter of weeks following the announcement that a new site had been identified for a fire station in Dunmanway.

Formal planning for a site near the Brookpark Business Centre on the Clonakilty Road is set to commence in early 2026.

The current fire station opened in 1948, has just one bay and no opportunity of expanding the site.

There is no designated parking and the facilities cannot adequately cater for the crew.

The West End Yard was most recently home to a pub, and previously used as a concert and festival venue.

The building dates back to the 19th century when it was the site of a woollen mill.

The area was also used by the De La Salle Brothers in the late 1800s.

It later became the town’s power station, first supplying public electric lights in 1911.

Remains of the mill race that powered the woollen mill are still visible in the area.