A major refurbishment gives Westport Town Hall a new lease of life as a theatre.
The town hall in Wesport has been completely renovated and will now reopen as a state of the art theatre and exhibition space.
A jewel in the crown of Westport's famed octagon.
Westport Town Hall was built in the 1700s and has served many purposes over the years. Noel Kavanagh, explains how the town hall was the focal point of the community.
Ten years ago, the building was closed for health and safety reasons. The Westport community started a fundraising campaign to secure the future of the town hall. Fundraising manager Mel Kenny says that they originally hoped to raise €360 per household. Volunteers went door to door to collect donations. €1 million was raised and this was matched by contributions from the local authority and Fáilte Ireland. These fundraising efforts have resulted in the renovation of the town hall into a multi-purpose space fit for a range of artistic endeavours.
Rosaleen Heraty, manager at Westport Town Hall Theatre says the venue will offer a performance space where local people and visitors can enjoy a variety of shows.
The newly refurbished venue includes a 250 seater theatre, exhibition spaces and meeting rooms. Bronagh Joyce, Westport Historical Society, says that the renovated town hall provides a new centre for the town.
The Westport Town Hall Theatre will reopen with a free concert.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 11 June 2015. The reporter is Pat McGrath.
