Apartment plans for former Convent in heart of Galway town
It was sold this summer for €1.5 million
Developers have applied to build 51 apartments in the former Convent of Mercy in Loughrea in a significant redevelopment of the protected building.
The three-storey building which spans 3,600m² on Cross Street was sold in June for €1.5 million.
The global private equity company, AEA Investment Holdings, has sought planning permission to turn the main convent into eight two-bedroom apartments, 24 one-beds and one studio apartment. In the outer building the architects have put four two-beds and 14 one-bed apartments.
The main building of the convent is on the record of Protected Structures of the current Galway County Development Plan and its curtilage is being retained in the design. There will be no increase in the floor area of the buildings, according to the designers.
There will be private and common amenity and spaces, with walkways, pathways and roadways throughout the property including marked external car parking areas.
The application has provoked the ire of some local residents who raised concerns over traffic, loss of privacy and over-development of the site located in quiet residential neighbourhood.
Among them, Eugene and Caitriona O'Grady of Bohercom said the proposal to reopen an entrance on their road which had been closed for at least eight years was a real one of contention for them.
“Our road will be significantly impacted by any additional traffic redirection,” they said.
“Our property is located on a quiet narrow, one-way residential street with limited sight lines and footpaths.
“The reopening of the vehicular entrance across from our house, which has been closed for years for safety reasons, will create a serious traffic hazard for residents exiting their properties and pedestrians restricted to walking on the road due to the lack of footpath.”
They state the proposed development is located on an area zoned as 'community facilities' in the Loughrea Local Area Plan and within the site lines of an area of Architectural Conservation. The conversion works including new windows and door openings, roof lights, and external alterations will have “detrimental impact on the architectural character and setting of this protected structure”.
The height of the existing three-storey convent and outbuildings will result in “overlooking, overshadowing and complete loss of privacy for the existing dwellings on Bohercom, Cross Street, and Moore Street”.
AEA Investment Holdings is a New York-based firm managing over €16 billion in assets with offices in the US, London, Munich and Shanghai. Its director in Dublin is listed as Padraig Carroll on the application.
The company applied to build a 24-hour gym and 55 housing and letting units in Carrick-on-Shannon last April.
The convent closed in March 2022 when the six last remaining nuns relocated to other convents. While the school had not been used for years, it became home to 48 Ukranian refugees for a year at the start of the Russian invasion.
After being used by the Mercy nuns for over 140 years, it was put on the market in December 2024.
Built in 1880, the ten-bay building is characteristic of convent buildings built throughout Ireland, according to the National Built Heritage Service. The Sisters of Mercy were invited to Clonfert Diocese in 1850 and Loughrea was the ‘Mother House’ from where they ministered in education, health care, pastoral care and social work.