Irish Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley was on hand recently to officially open Galway City’s latest visitor attraction, the medieval Red Earl’s Hall.

The remains of the medieval hall, built in the late 12th or early 13th century, were uncovered and preserved as part of the recent extension of the City’s Custom House. The original plans for the Custom House extension were re-drawn by the Office of Public Works to allow the medieval hall to be put on permanent display to the public.

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Speaking at the opening, the Minister said that the preservation of the hall, the earliest surviving settlement structure in the City, would "greatly enhance Galway’s rich educational and cultural infrastructure".

He added that the successful integration of the archaeological find with the new building "testifies to the reality that good planning and development can go hand in hand with the preservation of our built heritage".

The new visitor attraction will be operated by Dúchas na Gaillimhe (the Galway Civic Trust).

(NS/GK)