Galway City Council has welcomed an award of €170,000 for roof works to No 45 and No 47 Dominick Street Lower, home to Áras na nGael and Galway Arts Centre, under the national Historic Structures Fund 2026.
The funding will be used to carry out works to the shared roof of both buildings, which were once home to Lady Augusta Gregory and her sister, Arabella Waithman.
“No 45 and No 47 are a rare, and handsome example of ‘Galway Georgian’, an architecture which is characterised by a robust form, refined detailing, simple composition, a dignified presence to the street, and constructed in limestone, a material synonymous with the built heritage of the city since the medieval period," said Michael Scott, Executive Architectural Conservation Officer with Galway City Council.
“No 45 and 47 have a long-standing historic relationship to the city from their association to the Persse family and Lady Gregory, as a technical school, the offices of the then Galway City Borough Council, to their current use as the home of Áras na Gael since 1938, and Galway Arts Centre since 1988. With a combined presence of over 125 years, Áras na Gael and Galway Arts Centre have in their respective ways worked to promote and enhance the value, understanding and enjoyment of the arts, culture, and language in the city.”
Following completion of Conservation Management Plans for both buildings in 2025-2026, the need for a shared approach to the roof was identified. The proposed works represent an important action identified in the Conservation Management Plans.
“No 45 and No 47 are excellent examples of how historic buildings can support the cultural life of the city," commented Brendan Dunne, Senior Executive Planner for Architectural Conservation and Heritage, Galway City Council. "The works will involve a comprehensive package of roof repairs and the reinstatement of the historic dormers which will ensure the long-term good condition of these historic buildings, while supporting their continued use as important centres of the Irish language and the arts in Galway City.”
Megs Morley, Artistic Director, Galway Arts Centre added: "This Historic Structures Fund award is hugely significant for Galway Arts Centre and for the wider cultural life of the city. As one of Galway’s most important cultural organisations, and as custodians of a historic building at the heart of the city, this investment will allow us to undertake essential works that protect both the fabric of the building and the vital artistic activity that takes place within it.
"No 47 Dominick Street has been home to generations of creativity, dialogue and cultural exchange, and this support helps ensure it can continue to serve artists, audiences and communities long into the future. We are proud to steward this important part of the city’s heritage as a living space for contemporary culture, and are deeply grateful for this support.”
Mícheál Mac Aoidh, Manager at Áras na nGael commented, welcomed the funding. "Áras na nGael is a distinguished historical landmark in Galway city, providing resources, services and cultural activities to a thriving, vibrant and inclusive Irish language community in Galway city," he said. "It is a building where Irish is not only learned but lived and celebrated. The building itself is central to the organisations identity and success, symbolizing its enduring commitment to the Irish language and culture. It is a space where Irish is not only learned, but lived.”
The Historic Structures Fund, from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage / National Built Heritage Service, invests essential capital in our valuable built heritage in order to help the owners and custodians of historic structures to safeguard them into the future, for the benefit of communities and the public.
