Killaloe Courthouse set for cultural revival as funding application is submitted

Plans to transform Killaloe Courthouse into a cultural and musical venue have taken a significant step forward after Clare County Council applied for funding under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.

Following the completion of a feasibility study, the Local Authority is seeking to undertake a detailed design of the repurposed building, which has been an important part of Killaloe’s civic and societal history for almost two centuries.

Built by The Courts Service in 1837 and listed as a building of national importance in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, Killaloe Courthouse remained in operation as a District Court until 1994.

Derelict and vacant since the mid-1990s, the Courthouse was acquired by Clare County Council in the early 2000s and was subsequently identified as an Opportunity Site in the Killaloe-Ballina Town Enhancement and Mobility Strategy in 2021.

Funded under the Government’s Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the recently completed feasibility study by Drake Hourigan Architects involved extensive consultation and input from Elected Members of Killaloe Municipal District and the local community in the southeast Clare town.

The success of similar repurposing projects across the Mid-West, including Tulla Courthouse and the Nenagh Arts Centre, were key focuses of the feasibility study process.

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Cathaoirleach of Killaloe Municipal District, Cllr Pat Hayes, noted how the public’s input has helped to steer the direction of the project, which he said, “will keep Killaloe Courthouse alive through performance, arts, culture and most importantly diverse community usage."

Continuing, the Cathaoirleach said, “The overall feedback from stakeholders was overwhelmingly positive with consensus achieved on potential use of the vacant courthouse for arts, culture and community use. Killaloe and southeast Clare need a development like this as it would revitalise the town and help to showcase the vibrant arts and culture sector that exists there. We have seen the contribution made by similar developments across the country and, therefore, the Elected Members and local community are fully behind this proposal.”

A/Director of Service, Rural Development and Corporate and Cultural Services with responsibility for Killaloe Municipal District, Ann Reynolds, said, “The primary recommendation emanating from the feasibility study is the importance of a shared venue for the arts community akin to Clarisford Park and others nationally that service the sporting community. Killaloe Courthouse is ideally situated to provide an important focal point for the wider community, which would attract increased footfall to the town.”

The Department of Rural and Community Development is expected to announce successful funding applications by the end of September 2025.