End of an era beckons as patients set to move out of Toghermore House

Around €1.5 million is to be spent by the HSE in acquiring three houses for mental health patients in Tuam – at the expense of one of the most iconic buildings in the town.

In recent years €2 million was spent in refurbishing Toghermore House, which dates back to the 1700s and currently houses eleven residents with mental disabilities – but now it is set to close.

The house boasts some exquisite chandeliers and over the past couple of years has been transformed into one of the most luxurious centres for residential accommodation in the whole of the country.

Its closure has sparked outrage in the local community – especially as the house was donated by the then owner Bobby Burke to the town so that it could provide residential care for those with intellectual disabilities.

The house was threatened with closure back in 2013 when fire safety issues were identified but these were resolved after a short period of time but now Toghermore House is set to close permanently in around May or June. There are fears that it will be left to fall into a dilapidated state.

Under the new move, it is planned to move the residents from Toghermore House into three five-bedroom houses in the town which have to be modified to accommodate the needs of the residents.

Cllr Donagh Killilea has described the move as ‘a complete waste of public money’ and said that Toghermore House was in perfect condition to house the residents and he now feared for the future of the building.

Cllr Killilea outlined that the expenditure on the facility three years ago included €60,000 on murals and paintings, some €18,000 on chandeliers and a further €100,000 on upgrading a training facility.

The HSE West confirmed that it is their intention to move the residents of Toghermore House in Tuam into ‘domestic orientated housing’ in the town and this will be done in partnership with Respond Housing Association and Galway County Council.

It is their intention to acquire three five-bedroom properties and negotiations with auctioneers are currently taking place. It is estimated that when the houses are bought and refurbished, it will cost the HSE around €1.5 million in total.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.