Ulster Bank in Sligo to close permanently on April 21
WITH confirmation that Sligo’s Ulster Bank branch on Stephen Street will close permanently this year on Friday, April 21, speculation continues as to what the iconic building will be used for following the bank’s departure.
Locally, suggestions range from housing a museum to a new boutique hotel or a possible home for one of the banks which continue to trade in Sligo. Whatever the famous building may house in years to come, its location at the heart of Sligo would suggest that it will not remain unoccupied for too long.
A move by Permanent TSB to buy 25 former Ulster Bank branches, the last of those in Westport will be open on February 20, has been watched with great interest locally. PTSB bought four former Ulster Bank branches in Donegal but no Sligo purchase was included in a list of 25 branches that were bought. Meanwhile, for account holders at the Sligo branch the immediate future is very clear. They were told by letter this week that they will cease to provide banking services from March 31 other than transactions that are specifically related to the closure of an account or accounts held by customers.
This means account holders will no longer be able to complete transactions either at the counter or through internal automaton devices.
On February 19, 2021, Ulster Bank announced they would begin a phased withdrawal of all their banking activity and associated services in the Republic of Ireland.
Since that announcement in 2021 there has been much comment and debate on what the future holds for the iconic branch building itself in the centre of Sligo.
Built in 1863, the building is described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage as a notable feature of the town centre due to its rich ashlar Scottish sandstone, scale, and prominent position at the junction of three busy streets.
The bank was built to the designs of James Hamilton of Glasgow and Belfast. An appraisal offered by the Inventory adds that “the appearance of the building is enlivened by the high-quality stone masonry which has decorative artistic detailing. The lower floor is articulated by the Tuscan order and the upper floor by the Corinthian gives this handsome Sligo landmark a prominent presence on Stephen Street.”
A more detailed architectural description states: “Detached five-bay two-storey sandstone ashlar classically styled bank, built 1863, returning with side elevations of fivebays and four-bays, extension to rear, c. 1950. Roof hidden behind balustraded parapet with clock face and crest to centre, cast-iron downpipes. Coursed sandstone ashlar walls on limestone plinth with paired Doric pilasters to ground floor supporting plain frieze and moulded cornice, having projecting entrance porch supported by paired, fluted columns with Ionic capitals to central bay. Paired engaged Corinthian columns to first floor supporting plain frieze and moulded cornice. Round-headed window openings with moulded archivolts with inscribed keystones, cast-iron sill guards to ground floor. Cut sandstone surround with decorative colonettes and prominent keystone detail to upper floor, with cut sandstone sills containing painted timber fixed-pane casement windows. Square-headed door opening to main entrance with panelled painted timber door and semi-circular-headed carved stone over with shamrock decoration. Street fronted to three sides.”
The Sligo town website adds that the building was ‘bombed to ruins’ during the Irish Civil War but was rebuilt soon after.
In front of the Ulster Bank stands Sligo’s most popular, and most photographed tourist attraction. A statue depicting the world-renowned poet William Butler Yeats. Built by artist Rowan Gillespie it was erected in this “most obvious place” in 1989, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of William Butler Yeats by the people of Sligo town. “When receiving the Nobel Prize for Literature from the King of Sweden in 1924, William Butler Yeats commented that the Stockholm Royal Palace reminded him of the Ulster Bank in Sligo town,” the website states.