Surplus St Brigid's lands to be brought to open market next week
Approximately 163 acres of surplus land and buildings at the main St Brigid’s Hospital campus in Ballinasloe are to be brought to the open market by the HSE next week.
The property is expected to be offered for sale by public auction in early December.
Public signage is due to be erected at the site towards the end of this week, while the lands are expected to be advertised next week.
The move represents a significant step forward in the long-running process concerning the future of the wider St Brigid’s Hospital campus.
According to Claire Kerrane TD, the HSE has made “significant progress” in planning for the future of the St Brigid’s Campus in partnership with key State stakeholders.
Agreements are said to be in place with the Department of Education and Galway County Council concerning the transfer of some lands and the former nurses’ home building.
The HSE will retain approximately 49 acres of land and buildings at the campus. This area includes existing operational healthcare facilities and land intended to accommodate future healthcare developments.
Plans to dispose of a large portion of the land and buildings at the former St Brigid's Hospital were first revealed in 2019, but it wasn't until 2023 that the HSE sought to appoint expert property service providers to prepare open market valuations.
The massive landbank is seen as a pivotal opportunity to help revitalise Ballinasloe and to provide a platform for future growth and development. The landbank comprises of a mixture of undeveloped lands and existing buildings totalling over 31,500 sq. m (340,000 sq. ft.) and circa 91 ha (225 acres).
In 2023, the HSE indicated that intended to retain part of the lands for future development of healthcare facilities, however, the majority of the buildings and land in the central section of the former St Brigid's Psychiatric Hospital were being considered for disposal.
St Brigid’s was opened as the Connaught Asylum in 1833 with accommodation for 150 patients. St Brigid’s remained the Connaught Asylum until 1850, when it was renamed Ballinasloe District Asylum, to serve the counties of Galway and Roscommon only. New buildings were added in 1848, new wings were added in 1871 (male, east side) and 1882 (female, west side).
Various alterations and additions were constructed on the complex between 1880 and 1915 including the Roman Catholic Chapel, a new dining hall and laundry, a school and farm buildings.
What is known as the new hospital, a detached H-shaped block on the eastern side of the complex, was constructed and first occupied in 1901. In 2001 the male wards at the east end of the original hospital were demolished. At that time the hospital was still in use as a long stay psychiatric hospital for 270 patients. The hospital finally closed in 2013.
A number of years ago, a workshop initiated by then TD, Denis Naughten, produced a report on potential uses for the campus, which suggested a multi-use space including, an interactive museum and heritage site, forming a global centre of excellence around this centre with research and training facilities, as well as a wellness village and trails. These would complement a commercial development and training and education facilities.
The area is identified as a regeneration site in the Ballinasloe Local Area Plan 2022-2028.