€200,000 awarded towards development of Birr Courthouse

€200,000 has been allocated towards works for the conservation of Birr’s nineteenth century courthouse with a view to re-use it as a community arts hub, under the 2021 Historic Towns Initiative.

The announcement was made on Thursday by Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD, with nine other projects being funded to a total of €1.5 million.

Tenders were sought towards the end of 2020 for a Conservation Master Plan for the building which is located in Townsend Street but has been closed since 2013.

Offaly County Council and community group Birr 2020, the intended tenants of the premises, are at the helm of the project, which will lead to the development of ‘Birr Creative Court.’ This will include a studio space, artist studios, a multi-functional space for dance and rehearsal, exhibition space and community art space.

According to a report on the potential of Birr Courthouse, the overall concept is to “create a cooperative and supportive working environment for creative artists, nurtured by the artistic and cultural community of the town, inspired by the heritage and history of Birr and supported through specific residency programmes and grant-aided initiatives.”

Plans are also underway to develop a permanent home for Birr Boxing Club in the yard of the re-imagined Courthouse complex.

Independent Councillor for Offaly John Carroll, who is also a member of the Birr 2020 group, has said the funding is a “very welcome development.”

“It was an objective of Birr 2020 when it was founded to restore the building and not have it go derelict,” he said.

“There were feasibility studies done and we worked closely in hand with the council and court services. The council looked at the structure of the building and the studies on the necessary works to be done, and when this application was made there was a very strong case put forward for it.

“I look forward to it being developed into the creative hub that we have in mind. The building has been unsightly since 2013, and it’s important that first impressions of Birr are high now that it is a heritage town. I have no doubt that this investment will turn the building into a very useful asset for the community in the years ahead.”

Cllr Carroll complimented the CEO, management team and Heritage officer for their commitment and efforts in securing the funding and willingness to take a lead role in promoting the project, as well as the sub-committee of Birr 2020 under the guidance of Michael Hanna for their contributions including work on original scoping study and been willing and ready to work with all agencies to promote the Town.

As for a time-frame for the development, he said that the submission was made on the basis of the project being “shovel-ready.”

“It’s only a matter of liaising with the department and Heritage Council now. The next stage would putting a tender out for a summary of the work that should be included under this funding.”

Green Party Minister Pippa Hackett has said that “Birr deserves to have its exceptional courthouse building protected and put to good community use.”

“It’s a protected structure which is worthy of investment. The plan to convert it into the Birr Creative Court, as a hub in which artists can live and work, is inspired.

“The additional intention for the Boxing Club to use of the yard space ensures that it would be used to its full potential. The first step is to refurbish it, so I’m delighted to see €200,000 being allocated.”

The Historic Towns Initiative is a joint initiative between the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Heritage Council and this year’s scheme follows on from highly successful programmes in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

The aim of the initiative, which is a joint undertaking with the Heritage Council, is to provide jobs and economic stimulus through heritage-led regeneration and will aid the rebuilding of local economies with heritage as a focal point.