Sligo Courthouse
Sligo Courthouse re-opens its doors
The €7.3 million refurbishment of Sligo Courthouse is the most ambitious building project undertaken by the Courts Service in Ireland to date. The doors of this historic building were closed three years ago for the work to be carried out and they were officially opened to the public on 5th April 2002.
As one of the county’s most striking buildings, the Courthouse remains an important landmark in both Sligo’s landscape and history. It was designed by well known Dublin architect, J. Rawson Carroll, whose work also included Classiebawn Castle, Mullaghmore.
The official first opening was held on February 26th 1876. It is said that that the Courthouse was modelled on the Law Courts in London. Material employed in the construction included stone from Mount Charles, County Donegal, which is sandstone and therefore could be shaped into many ornate features that can still be admired today.
As the Courthouse was erected on the site of the old Courthouse and Gaol, an element of the Gaol was incorporated into the new building and the outline of the old cells can still be seen today.
The primary objective of the refurbishment of the Courthouse was to retain the unique style and qualities of the existing building. Architectural features were preserved, with all the original doors, wall panelling and courthouse furniture restored, but retained.
Enhancements to the historic building also included a new central staircase that leads from the front door to the Grand Jury Room - the venue for Sligo County Council’s inaugural meeting over one hundred years ago - and two new court rooms, bringing the total number to four. The new Jury facilities, two new legal representatives rooms, new offices, restored Courtroom and new Family Court and High Court have been undertaken with a view to significantly improving the facilities for both the public and the legal profession.
Modernisation of Sligo Courthouse also includes the introduction of a video link system, enabling people to give evidence from other locations. Sligo has the distinction of being the first Courthouse outside Dublin to house this facility.
In addition, the new works have made the building accessible to people with disabilities and fully complies with Health and Safety Requirements.
The Design Team comprised of McCullough Mulvin Architects, Dublin, Kavanagh Mansfield & Partners, Dublin, Structural Engineers, Homan O’Brien Associates, Mechanical Engineers McCaul & Associates, Quantity Surveyors, Sligo and Historic Building Consultants, David Slattery, Dublin. Galway based company, Purcell Construction was awarded the main contract. Sligo County Council’s Clerk of Works for the project was Brendan O’Dowd.
The refurbishments that have been carried out on the Courthouse have significantly enhanced the importance of Sligo as a Court venue. At the contract signing, Minister John O’Donoghue stated that he was confident that Sligo would have the best court facilities in the country. The project has further added to the civic transformation of Sligo, with the Sligo Local Authorities overseeing the development of the City Hall, County Hall and the newly refurbished Model Arts and Niland Gallery.
