Posted by JDP on July 17, 2001 at 22:30:59:
In Reply to: Re: Castlebar memories posted by Emigre on July 17, 2001 at 01:08:12:
Turlough Hse. was acquired from the Fitzgerald family by Mayo c.c. in the early 90s. Not sure for how much, but if it was for £250,000 for the house and 40 acres it seems like a good deal.
The design of the house is regarded as having been unsuitable for a parkland setting and it has been refurbished as part of The National Folklife Museum project to act principally as offices.
The new museum buildings have been designed by architects of the Office of Public Works Architectural Section and I beleive are very unobtrusive on the landscape leaving the round tower as the dominant feature on the landscape.
The Project has received a regional award from the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland.
The builders were a Galway firm and the contract sum was approx. £8m The facility opens to the public in autumn.
I beleive this is a great boost for Castlebar and Mayo. A facility for all concerned to be proud of and to be enjoyed by the public.
There is an excellent feature in last Sat. Irish Times (july 14th) entitled " The charm of the new" http://www.ireland.com
Lord Sligo opened his house to the public in 1960.
No doubt he has received tax breaks for the development of the Estate as a tourist centre. ( no different from every tourism project in the country). Westport and the economy have benefitted greatly from the annual influx of visitors. Public Money goes round and round Emigré, unless it ends up in the off shore secret bank accounts of corrupt politicians and business people, all of whom of course are "our own".