The drive is on to reopen Sligo Gaol
HERITAGE GROUP TALK ABOUT THEIR LONGTERM AIM FOR HISTORIC SLIGO BUILDING
THE historic Sligo jail should be reopened as a tourist attraction. That was the message at Saturday’s successful fundraiser, ‘ Sligo Jail and Bail’ in Johnston Court shopping centre.
Tamlyn McHugh, Chairperson of the heritage group, Friends of Sligo Gaol spoke about the long- term aims of the group. “To fundraise for a feasibility study is ultimately the plan for Sligo Gaol,” said archaeologist, Tamlyn.
Friends of Sligo Gaol are a diverse group of 15 individuals and comprise of County Council employees, a photographer, three archaeologists, a retired editor, a Music Programmer and appropriately a retired Jail Warden.
The aim of the group is to open Sligo Gaol as a tourist attraction in Sligo, but as Tamlyn noted: “We can’t approach Fáilte Ireland without money and we need to fundraise at least 25 per cent to access most grants. We have to put up that money ourselves.”
“We hope to produce a children’s book and a history of the gaol itself. We want to access project funding to record the graffiti on the walls of the cells and we are also hoping to hold a couple of open days for relatives of people who were incarcerated in the gaol or relatives of the governors who worked there over the years. We are collecting the stories of the gaol and want to document all this material.
Building began on Sligo Gaol in 1814 - to replace an earlier Gaol situated at the present day Courthouse. Built by local builder, John Lynn - based on a Russian model and originally designed to hold 200 inmates - it is a polygonal- shaped building, with the Governor’s residence at its centre. Known locally as the ‘ Cranmore Hotel.’ The gaol closed in 1956 under the last governor, John Francis Moody and in 1957, the building passed to Sligo County Council. By the late ‘ 70s the entire west side of the front boundary wall and most of the entrance buildings were demolished. In 1983, a new fire station was constructed on the easternmost portion of the site and the women’s prison was completely razed. “Forty five per cent of Sligo Gaol is now gone,” said Sligo Heritage Officer, Siobhán Ryan.
Ciaran McHugh, photographer and member of the Friends of Sligo Gaol noted: “We are trying to get across the importance of the social and economic history of the last 150 years of this building. We have had people contacting us about the jail as far afield as Nairobi. We are working together with Sligo County Council and the Sligo Gaol Steering group on conservation of the Gaol.
The group are hosting a seminar on the 5th March on the life of women in Sligo Gaol during 1916. Join their mailing list for notifications on upcoming events at www. sligogaol. ie. And if people have any stories they can contact the group on 086- 8706529.”