Erne Pallais to make way for social housing

The historic Erne Palais building in Belturbet is to be demolished to make way for social housing, The Anglo-Celt can reveal.

Cavan County Council has purchased the now derelict structure for its housing programme, a spokesperson for the local authority confirmed this week.
The council is proposing, subject to departmental approval, to erect six new housing units at the site on the junction between Holborn Hill and Barrack Lane.
The Anglo-Celt understands that the council purchased the site, which in the past had been the subject of several development applications, for a sum of €85,000.
Built in 1947, the curved gabled-fronted three-bay building was a cinema before it was purchased in 1963 by brothers Tom and Michael Corrigan who turned it into one of the region's premiere dance halls.
They spent £10,000 at the time to install a Canadian Maple floor. The opening night on October 10, 1963, celebrated with music by local favourites ‘The Mighty Avons’.
In 1979, the building was again put up for sale, and at one stage served as home to Erne Tool and Die company.
The building was also used as a community centre, the local Belturbet 1st Cavan Scouts among its residents during that period.
Its unique facade furthermore served as a background in one of the scene in the film adaptation of local award-winning Shane Connaughton's books, 'The Run of the Country'.
In the Celtic Tiger years two planning applications were successfully attained in respect of the property – one for a retail unit and, another, later to develop apartments over a basement carpark.
The property failed to sell in 2005 and was later among those properties listed in NAMA portfolios.
Confusion over ownership was acknowledged as a major factor when, in 2015, The Anglo-Celt reported that the Palais building was being used to facilitate anti-social behaviour including drug use and the property was subsequently boarded up.
Welcoming the move, Sinn Féin Councillor Daniel Downey, who had previously raised the situation regarding the Palais property at Municipal District level, said: “It will be made safe finally and I know for much of the community, that has been a major concern, especially when it was a veritable death den so close to a children's playground.”
Cllr Downey added: “At the next Municipal District meeting we will raise the matter again and be able to progress the situation further. A community element would be something I would like to see attached.”