THRIVE

THRIVE – the Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme

This funding, secured through the EU’s THRIVE – Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme – Application Strand 1, is a significant step forward in the Council’s vision to transform the old Sligo Gaol into a modern tourism and community facility.

The €200,000 grant will support the development of a further application by Sligo County Council, for funding of between €2-7m for Strand 2 in 2025.  This competitive bid will be made against other eligible partners within the Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA), encompassing 9 local authorities.

Sligo Gaol, built between 1814 and 1828, stands as a significant historical landmark and a testament to Sligo's rich heritage.  The Gaol, designed as a panopticon, features a semicircular arrangement of cell blocks around the Governor's House.  Although a portion of the original complex was replaced by Sligo Fire Station, substantial elements, including the Governor's House, the Marshal sea, a 3-storey cell block, and portions of the original 8-section 2-storey cell block, remain intact.

The redevelopment of Sligo Gaol will create a modern tourism and community facility that complements the town's vision for a vibrant town centre.  The Council's plans align with THRIVE's objectives to revitalise town centres and repurpose publicly owned heritage buildings for the benefit of the local community.

THRIVE supports local authorities and communities in reimagining town centres and transforming vacant or derelict heritage buildings within those centres.  By renovating, renewing, and adaptively reusing these buildings, THRIVE aims to create vibrant, attractive, and functional town centres that serve as hubs for residents, businesses, and visitors. In implementing this THRIVE project, Sligo County Council will promote the values and working principles of the New European Bauhaus – an initiative of the European Union – which aims to ensure strategies and projects are sustainable, aesthetically pleasing, inclusive and accessible. This THRIVE project will provide the opportunity for citizens, communities and stakeholders to have their say in the on the plans to develop Sligo Gaol.  Sligo County Council's successful funding application under THRIVE's Application Strand 1 is an encouraging step towards achieving this vision.

THRIVE is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Northern & Western Regional Programme 2021-27.