Mr. Brian Hayes, TD, Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW) today (29 July 2013) officially received the keys of the former Kilmainham Courthouse from Chief Justice of Ireland, Mrs. Susan Denham.
The former Kilmainham Courthouse occupies a site immediately adjacent to Kilmainham Gaol and has been vacant since July 2008. The OPW propose to adapt the Kilmainham Courthouse building for visitor use; this is a unique opportunity to create additional space to deal with visitors and to provide ancillary curatorial, exhibition, research and welfare facilities. It is envisaged that the entire project will be complete in time for the 2016 centenary commemorations.
Speaking at the event, Minister Hayes said “It is my great pleasure to be here today to receive the keys of Kilmainham Courthouse on behalf of my office, the OPW. I am extremely grateful to the Chief Justice, Mrs Denham and the Courts Service for facilitating the proposed development of this building to complement the Kilmainham Gaol visitor site. The Gaol is one of the State’s premier visitor heritage sites, attracting approximately 310,000 visitors annually and the addition of this courthouse building will enhance and expand that visitor experience. My Office will develop proposals which will, in time, commemorate and honour the many important historical events which were played out here and indeed, the building is an important social and judicial witness to the development of our Nation”.
The Chief Justice, Mrs Susan Denham said “It is with great pleasure that the Courts Service hands over Kilmainham Courthouse to the OPW. This is a building in which decisions were made affecting the lives of many in troubled times – and it is very appropriate that it be recognised as an historic building of the Nation. It will add greatly to the facilities already on offer here and I look forward to seeing the completed project”.
Ends.
For further information or if you wish to interview Minister Hayes please contact
Colette Davis, OPW Press Officer at 046 942 6128, 087 947 5552 or colette.davis@opw.ie
Note to editors:
Background
The event is being held to mark the handover to the Office of Public Works of the keys to the former Kilmainham Courthouse by the Chief Justice, the Hon. Mrs. Susan Denham to the Minister of State at the Office of Public Works, Mr. Brian Hayes TD.
Kilmainham Gaol is a National Monument in the care of the Commissioners of Public Works (OPW) since it was handed over to the State in April 1986 and is a very popular visitor destination.
The Project
The former Kilmainham Courthouse occupies a site immediately adjacent to the Gaol to the East and presents a unique opportunity to create additional capacity to deal with visitors and to provide ancillary curatorial, exhibition, research and welfare facilities. In the context of the focus currently on identifying suitable opportunities to mark the key upcoming centenary events, the Courthouse can provide a greatly enhanced visitor experience at Kilmainham and at the same time commemorate some of the seminal moments in the history of the formation of the State.
The OPW propose to adapt the Kilmainham Courthouse building for visitor use and work is already underway on the first element of the project, which will involve substantial repair to the external fabric of the Courthouse by the end of 2013.
The larger project will see the upgrade and fit-out of the building for visitor use, providing a new visitor experience and entrance facility to Kilmainham Gaol and is targeted to be complete by the end of 2015, in time for the 2016 commemorations.
When fully complete, the former Courthouse building will provide new spaces for visitors including a new Reception, Cafe, Exhibition area, Toilets etc. The project will also free up space in the existing Gaol building and allow it to be used for other purposes. In overall terms, the aim of the project will be to greatly enhance the visitor experience and allow for a better presentation of the Gaol and its iconic place in Irish History.
Items that will be on display at the official opening include:
An original stone Crown from the wall over the Judges chair from the Courthouse – in situ during the Invincibles Trial in 1883;
Lower half of Proclamation of the Republic, 1916 – printed in Liberty Hall in 1916. Was printed in two parts. When the Crown Forces seized Liberty Hall, they found the lower half of the Proclamation still set up on the Press. They printed some copies as souvenirs and this is one of those.