Kobe McDonald shone as Mayo and Monaghan clashed in Round Four of the National Football League Division One in Saint Tiernach's Park, Clones. Pic: Sportsfile
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23 Feb 2026
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23 Feb 2026
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The Convent of Mercy in Ballina (Pic: George Goldie)
A planning application has been lodged with Mayo County Council for the conversion of Ballina Convent to a multi-use community facility.
The Convent of Mercy was established in 1867 on McDermott Street and was officially closed in 2008. The building lay vacant for over 15 years. However, in March 2024, the Sisters of Mercy gifted their convent building to Ballina Convent Regeneration CLG.
Coleman Architects, a conservation architecture company in Ballina, was retained in March 2025 by Ballina Convent Regeneration CLG to provide design and documents for the development at Ballina Convent.
According to the planning application report, the proposed works have been designed to have minimal interventions to the historical fabric, with all works reversible.
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The proposed plans seek to repurpose the convent’s ground floor as community facilities, alongside the construction of a two-bedroom apartment intended for use by residents associated with the operation of the facilities.
The community facilities will include continued use of the existing chapel for religious purposes, as well as continued use of the kitchen areas and dining/meeting room.
Additional community facilities will include counselling and therapy functions, meeting rooms, training rooms, music and art facilities, and a community courtyard.
Construction works will include new mechanical, electrical, and drainage services throughout. The proposed development plans also state that the work will include various conservation-related works to the historical internal nd external fabric of the convent.
Both St Mary’s and St Anne’s unused school buildings will also be converted into spaces for community facilities.
The reinstatement of the existing gatehouse as a residential building, including refurbishment works and a two-bedroom extension, has also been proposed. A new parking area with a new road access from the convent site will be constructed as part of the proposed plans.
A decision is due to be made on the proposed repurposing plans in mid-April 2026.
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