Galway Arts Centre warmly welcomes the award of €170,000 under the Historic Structures Fund 2026 to support essential roof works at No.47 Dominick Street Lower, which it shares structurally with No.45, home to Áras na nGael. Find out more here...
Megs Morley, Artistic Director of Galway Arts Centre, said; "This Historic Structures Fund award is hugely significant for Galway Arts Centre and for the wider cultural life of the city. As one of Galway’s most important cultural organisations, and as custodians of a historic building at the heart of the city, this investment will allow us to undertake essential works that protect both the fabric of the building and the vital artistic activity that takes place within it. No.47 Dominick Street has been home to generations of creativity, dialogue and cultural exchange, and this support helps ensure it can continue to serve artists, audiences and communities long into the future. We are proud to steward this important part of the city’s heritage as a living space for contemporary culture, and are deeply grateful for this support."
The funding will enable a comprehensive programme of roof repairs, including the reinstatement of historic dormers, ensuring the long-term stability and sustainability of the building. These works follow the completion of Conservation Management Plans for both No.45 and No.47 in 2025–2026, which identified the roof as a priority area requiring a coordinated conservation approach.
No.47 Dominick Street Lower has been home to Galway Arts Centre since 1988 and plays a central role in the city’s cultural life. Alongside Áras na nGael, located at No.45 since 1938, the buildings collectively represent over 125 years of continuous contribution to the artistic and linguistic heritage of Galway.
Commenting on the award, Michael Scott, Executive Architectural Conservation Officer Galway City Council noted the architectural and cultural significance of the buildings, saying; "No.45 and No.47 are a rare, and handsome example of ‘Galway Georgian’, an architecture which is characterised by a robust form, refined detailing, simple composition, a dignified presence to the street, and constructed in limestone, a material synonymous with the built heritage of the city since the medieval period."
Their continued use as vibrant cultural spaces demonstrates the enduring value of historic structures in supporting contemporary arts and community life.
Mícheál Mac Aoidh, Manager of Áras na nGael, added; "Gael Forbairt na Gaillimhe, the operators of Áras na nGael, are delighted to receive news of the grant from the Historic Structures Fund. Áras na nGael is a distinguished historical landmark in Galway city, providing resources, services and cultural activities to a thriving, vibrant and inclusive Irish language community. It is a building where Irish is not only learned but lived and celebrated."
The Historic Structures Fund, administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, supports the conservation and enhancement of Ireland’s built heritage, enabling historic properties to remain in active use for the benefit of communities.
Further information on the fund is available via the Department’s website.
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