Portumna Courthouse is set to be converted into a state of the art remote working hub and arts centre to serve the town and wider region.
The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund has awarded €2.55 million for the redevelopment of the historic 19th century courthouse and courtyard.
The project will deliver a a state of the art venue for the arts and culture, a remote working
space for entrepreneurs and a new meeting and social space for the community.
Galway East TD Ciaran Cannon said that this project will be a “complete game changer” for the region, and will provide an amazing new space for Portumna’s existing arts scene.
“Portumna has an incredibly rich cultural history with its Shorelines Arts Festival having received numerous awards for its groundbreaking work in promoting the arts, the Portumna Players staging superb productions, and a town renowned for its contribution to Irish music. The arts will now have an amazing new space in Portumna.”
“The courthouse has been vacant for over two decades and it will now be brought back to life. This beautiful limestone building, which dates back to 1847, hosted many concerts over the 19th and 20th centuries.”
“It will be fantastic to witness new performances there. In addition we will also see the development of a new remote working hub to facilitate those who want to live and work in Portumna, availing of cutting edge technology and participating in the remote working revolution.”
This is one of 24 regeneration projects which will receive €75 million in funding under the RRDF to convert old cinemas, courthouses, convents, and market houses into remote working hubs, libraries, e-learning, cultural, enterprise and community spaces.
Along with deliver new cultural and economic spaces for rural towns, it also aims to combat dereliction in town centres by bringing vacant historic buildings back into use.
Announcing the funding, Minister Heather Humphreys said “These projects will breathe new life into towns and villages across the country making them attractive and vibrant places for people to live, work, socialise and raise a family.”
