Last week, the Irish Aesthete featured the former Convent of Mercy in Ardee, County Louth, which is now for sale. Today, here are some pictures of the former St Joseph’s School which was run by the same order in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo; the main block may have been designed by busy Dublin architect William Henry Byrne who was certainly responsible for the adjacent convent. St Joseph’s School opened in October 1901, and closed in July 2012. Since then the property appears to have stood empty on a large site in the centre of the town and left to fall into its present decay. Not only does this make the centre of the town look unsightly, it is also gratuitous waste of sound building stock.
If the local authority leaves this building to rot and be vandalised they will bare a grave responsibilty. No point blaming former owners, they have no interest. But Mayo Co Co have a good record in Westport and Castlebar in finding new uses for old buildings. This should not be allowed go on too ,long?
There are rumours of Mayo Co Co turning it into a digital hub, new library, Scout’s Den, arts centre…fingers crossed!
Good to hear that.