Old Letterkenny Courthouse to be revived as a major tourist attraction

The ‘Revival at Letterkenny Courthouse’ is part of the Letterkenny 2040 regeneration strategy.

The programme will focus on the reuse of the historic Courthouse building as a major tourist attraction to increase visitor numbers to Letterkenny’s historic town centre and the wider Northwest region.

“The old Letterkenny Courthouse is an iconic building,” Cllr Kevin Bradley, Mayor of Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District said. 

“It is in a fantastic location in the heart of the town centre. This project is a huge opportunity to create an amazing tourist attraction where we can explore options to showcase the culture and heritage of Letterkenny and our wider County in an exciting and innovative way.”  

Members of Letterkenny-Milford MD together with Donegal County Council’s Regeneration and Development Team and Consultancy Team EPIC Heritage Consulting Ltd

An award-winning consultancy team has been appointed to help Donegal County Council bring forward this project.  It is led by interpretive design consultants, EPIC Heritage Consulting Ltd, and also comprises Povall Worthington, John Ruddle Consulting and RedC. 

“Our site visit to the Courthouse revealed a beautiful, historic building with great potential for an exciting tourist experience in the heart of Letterkenny,” Design Lead of EPIC Heritage Consulting Ltd, Dara Lynne Lenehan, said. 

“We believe there are so many stories that could be told through the redevelopment of the Courthouse and look forward to exploring what experience will offer a really compelling reason to visit.”  

“The Courthouse is in the ownership of Donegal County Council and is, therefore, a huge asset that we would like to see harnessed to realise Letterkenny as a vibrant tourist destination in itself and as a gateway to the exceptional offerings across the County and region,”  Liam Ward, Director of Service, Community Development & Planning Services added.

“This project is not progressing in isolation as it forms part of Council’s wider Leitirceanainn 2040 Regeneration programme which includes the delivery of a high-quality public realm, improved walking and cycling infrastructure and high-quality office accommodation as examples”.

This project is funded by the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), a flagship initiative of Project Ireland 2040. As the project progresses there will be opportunities for the public to get involved with the first public drop-in event scheduled for Wednesday, January 17 2024. 

There is further information to follow in the New Year.