Introduction to ABC

Abbeyleix Business & Community Forum is a group of stakeholders who represent the various business, sports clubs and associations and the community of the town in responding to the changes and challenges following the opening of the N8 by-pass in May 2010.

The Committee is made up of the following representatives;

Brian Maher – Chairman
Patricia Ward – Business Community representative and Secretary
Garry Luttrell – Sports Clubs representative and Treasurer
Mary White – Abbeyleix Tidy Towns
Pat Kennedy – Environment representative
Robbie Quinn – Community representative
John Joe Fennelly – Community representative
Ross McDonald – Community & Arts representative
Peter Stokes – Business representative

Aims of Abbeyleix Business & Community Forum

ABC are involved in providing a framework for the various programmes within the town of Abbeyleix and all of the surrounding local villages of Ballyroan, Raheen, Shanahoe, Ballacolla and Ballinakill.

The following are the primary programmes and will be augmented and added to as these programmes develop;

Promote Abbeyleix as a tourist destination as well as a stopover
Promote Abbeyleix as a Centre of Excellence for Food
Launch a Community Website to act as a conduit for all activities in the town & environs
Launch a WiFi network in the town centre
Implement a series of traffic calming measures with Laois County Council
Develop a cycle and walking network around the locality
Promote the Abbeyleix Bog Project as an important part of our amenity
Promote and support Abbeyfest as an annual Arts & Culture Festival and also develop a series of arts programmes to run all year round
Promote the reduction of the Environmental Impact of the locality on the regional and global environment through a series of initiatives
Promote a range of leisure and arts initiatives to run year round to seek inclusion for all of the community and and for young people in particular