Loughrea Town Hall is turned down for funding

A proposal to sell off the Loughrea Town Hall to a private developer is likely be raised again after it emerged that an application for state funding to restore the iconic building was turned down.

Last September an application for a capital grant made to the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs was submitted jointly between the local authority and an amalgamation of community groups, called LARC (Loughrea Artistic and Recreational Community).

The grant would have covered half of the cost of its restoration. The remainder would come from the former town council, which had set aside €150,000, as well as an allocation from the Council’s own capital budget and public donations.

The director of water services and environment at Galway County Council Jim Cullen told this month’s Loughrea Municipal District meeting that the application had been rejected so this avenue was now closed.

Cllr Shane Donnellan asked if trees near the building could be removed as they would damage it. Cllr Pat Hynes said the rejection was not good news for the future of the former cinema.

Mr Cullen said they [the Council] took the opportunity when it arose. “But we haven’t pinned all our hopes on it,” he added.

At a previous meeting, Cllr Michael ‘Moegie’ Maher asked if it was possible for the Town Hall to be sold off as he was aware that a businessman was willing to fund its restoration and create a public cultural space.

Mr Cullen said any decision on the sale of the building would be ultimately for the councillors.

“It’s a reserve function of the councillors…You’re right to raise it – it’s time to bite the bullet. There’s nowhere to go at that stage.”

LARC later expressed concern that councillors were prepared to consider selling the Town Hall to unspecified commercial interests; they want it transferred to a community trust.