Former Offaly councillor plans to convert stables into tourism accommodation

FORMER Offaly councillor and Fianna Fail Dail candidate Ger Killally has drawn up plans to convert stables at his home to self catering accommodation.

In December last year Ardnaranla Hospitality Ltd, a company whose directors are stated on planning documents as Gerard and Naomi Killally, applied for permission for change of use of stables and a domestic garage to eight short-term let apartments for tourism at Shean, Edenderry.

Ardnaranla's architect told the County Council that the maximum stay for any visitor in the new accommodation will be 14 days. Ballykileen Group Water Scheme said it can supply water for the development.

In documents lodged with the council, the applicant set out why additional accommodation is needed for the Edenderry area.

“Edenderry is the county's second largest town, though lacks sufficient short-term accommodation for the surrounding tourism sector, especially locally. Indeed, the nearest bed and breakfast to our site is perpetually at full capacity, even used by the HSE on occasion.

“Beyond, the nearest accommodation is 20km+ away in Tullamore, Mullingar, or Portlaoise. Our application at hand proposes a renovation to produce eight apartments which would continually operate for short-term holidays and visitor accommodation.

“This development would see a three-building stables in a cobble-block courtyard transform but retain its high quality structure. With a stone façade and slate roofs, this stables is surrounded by a sand arena and basketball / tennis court. Our lack of local high quality accommodation would predictably allow this accommodation to successfully fill a market gap.”

The applicant also stated: “Indeed, Edenderry is central for attending the county’s other towns and features of its blossoming tourist sector. We are located on the Bog of Allen while basking by the river Boyne, located only a short drive to Kildare Village, and roughly 63km from Dublin. Between the town and county, unique tourist hotspots are found all over, from heritage oriented pubs and sites, to our historic sports facilities and gastropubs.”

The application stresses that in north Offaly alone, local attractions include the Grand Canal, Edenderry's heritage trail, many pubs and restaurants in the town, and the 10km public walkway at Mount Lucas wind farm.

Offaly County Council gave the go-ahead for the project on Friday, November 28 but with 10 conditions and at time of writing those had not been published.

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Ger Killally (55), established Ardnaranla Hospitality Ltd in October 2024 and then applied for permission for the change of use.

This is not Mr Killally's first venture into the hospitality business. When he was a councillor he headed up a hotel construction project at Downshire in Edenderry and also purchased the Moorhill House (pictured below) in Tullamore.

Construction was well advanced on the hotel in Edenderry but stalled when Mr Killally got into serious financial and legal difficulties.

The Tullamore hotel project never commenced and the Edenderry site is now the proposed location for a new second-level school (pictured below).

The property crash of 2008 resulted in court actions against Mr Killally by former business associates and the former politician, who also ran an auctioneering business, was eventually declared bankrupt. In one case a judgment of €9.7m was entered against him.

He was subsequently convicted of stealing refrigeration equipment from property under the control of the official assignee who was overseeing his bankruptcy and received a suspended sentence.

The following year, 2013, the vehicle in which Mr Killally was travelling near his home was shot at and he ran from the car to escape after it crashed into a field.

In June of this year Ger and Naomi Killally applied for permission to retain three apartments in the basement of their house but were refused. They were granted permission for an outbuilding.

Mr Killally was elected to Offaly County Council in 1999 and re-elected in 2004, eventually becoming council chair.

He contested the Dail elections of 1997 and 2002 in the Laois-Offaly constituency.