St Brigid’s to be sold off?

There is growing speculation that the old psychiatric hospital in Ballinasloe and 120 acres of grounds are to be put up for sale – with local estimates putting the value of the property at around €4.5 million.

The former St Brigid’s Hospital, which at one stage housed 1,300 psychiatric patients, has fallen into such a state of disrepair it has now been described as one of the ugliest buildings in Ballinasloe.

It is now understood that the Health Service Executive, who own the extensive property, are now anxious to dispose of it and this has been described as a welcome move.

According to Cllr Aidan Donohue, the revenue generated by the sale of St Brigid’s could advance the state of the health services in Galway city and county. “It is better than leaving it idle,” he added.

If the HSE do put the buildings and extensive grounds up for sale, it has the potential of generating revenue of an estimated €4.5 million.

This is according to local auctioneer John Dolan who told The Connacht Tribune that the lands would probably be sold for development purposes.

He said that at the moment in Ballinasloe, development land fetches between €25,000 and €30,000 an acre and that St Brigid’s would most likely be sold in separate lots.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.