Well-known Ballinrobe bar and hotel could soon house refugees

TWO prominent properties in Ballinrobe could soon become accommodation for refugees, The Mayo News has learned.

Mayo County Council has confirmed that discussions are ongoing regarding the use of Gannon’s Hotel on Main Street and O’Connor’s Bar on Glebe Street for the housing of Ukrainian refugees.

Renovation works have been ongoing for several weeks in Gannon’s Hotel, which has been vacant since closing its doors in 2012. The Mayo News understands that the property is owned by a relative of a local man who lives in Kilkenny.

O’Connor’s Bar on Glebe Street was a popular establishment in Ballinrobe for many years, but it has yet to reopen since being closed due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Other properties in the South Mayo town are being used to accommodate refugees, including accommodation above Art O’Neill’s bar on Abbey Street.

The Railway Inn is the only hotel currently operating in the town, though the Valkenburg Hotel will provide tourist accommodation when it reopens as part of the multi-million-euro town hall development in the coming years.

Social housing

SEPARATELY, it was revealed at a meeting of Mayo County Council’s Housing SPC that Stage 1 approval had been granted for 14 social-housing units in Ballinrobe.

The council also intends to convert other local properties acquired by CPO into social housing. However, a source familiar with situation estimated that work may not commence on these for at least another two years.