New Kingdom Hall in Portlaoise

TO CELEBRATE the construction of a new Kingdom Hall the Jehovah Witness congregation is inviting the community to an open day on Saturday 31 May from 10am to 4pm.

After months of volunteer construction work by Jehovah’s Witnesses who handled every aspect of the project, from laying the foundations to applying the final touches to the building, the work began in December 2024 and was completed by February 2025.

During the construction stages, volunteers could choose how many days they wanted to contribute, balancing their commitment with daily activities like work, studies and family.

Spanning an area of 180 square meters, the facility located along the Dublin Road (R32 Y6YF) features an auditorium with a capacity for 90 people. Weekly meetings held at this location will centre on Bible study and will be open to the public and free of charge. The hall has been carefully designed from the outset to be energy-efficient, with a low-energy and low-carbon footprint.

A spokesperson said: “We are very excited to open a new Kingdom Hall in our community with a beautiful facility where families can gather for educational Bible seminars on timely subjects. We are thrilled to see the hard work of our volunteers come to fruition.” 

Benjamin, who lives near Dublin worked on the construction for three to five days per week.

He says: “I assisted in multiple areas such as painting and decorating, laying carpets and groundworks. I live approximately an hour from the site, but I was kindly accommodated by my fellow friends in the Portlaoise congregation throughout my time supporting the project.

“As Jehovah’s Witnesses all of the work that we do to support these projects is voluntary, which contributes to a positivity on site. This positive atmosphere is one of the many reasons that I’m motivated to dedicate my time and resources to projects like the one” 

Portlaoise man Robert Banwell said: “By supporting construction projects, I make many friends. The atmosphere is so happy and joyful that we hardly notice the time passing. It's truly wonderful to participate in the creation of a space where people in the community can find help to face difficult situations and discover a welcoming, pleasant, and friendly environment."

As well as dropping along on the open day the pubic is also welcome to attend the Jehovah Witness weekly meetings at the new building every Tuesday evening at 7pm or Sunday mornings at 10.30am.