Town can be landmark on regional tourist map

The final stage of redeveloping the Bailieborough courthouse, along with other key amenity investments, Senator Joe O'Reilly believes, can help turn the town into a landmark tourist destination for the region.

The Fine Gael representative is most excited about proposals to develop a Plantation Museum at the courthouse, the first of its kind on the island of Ireland, that will tell the story of the attached Bridewell jail and of the origins of the town as the most southerly planted town of Ulster.

The Bridewell dates back to 1833 and has the potential to be a "flagship tourist attraction" for the county once complete, says Sen O'Reilly.

The €1,416,870 for Bailieborough allocated through Rural Regeneration and Development Fund follows investment of over €500,000 in the building since 2017 under the REDZ programme, and later through the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the PEACE IV Programme (€335,338).

Bailieborough courthouse, along with the former Market House in Ballyconnell, were two of 24 projects supported nationally.

Already the courthouse in Bailieborough has been transformed into a viable economic, community and cultural hub.

Sen O'Reilly regards the courthouse is "ideally located" on the corner of the Main Street in Bailieborough to cater for tourists visiting the town.

He further welcomed recent investment a providing a recreation space at Bailieborough Lake (€100,000) under Town and Village Renewal, and €101,731 for Castle Lake Demesne Enhancements under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.

"Already the courthouse has been used as an important community space and it is great to see that happen. I look forward to work on the next phase being completed and to see the Bridewell fully refurbished as a flagship tourist attraction for the county."