Malahide's historic Casino building has been given a new lease of life as a museum thanks to a €4 million restoration programme.

The Casino building, the only cottage Orne of this type in Fingal, now houses the newly opened Casino Model Railway Museum. It was carefully conserved, restored and extended to become a modern visitor attraction that is now the permanent home of the Fry Model Railway collection.

As well as the Fry Model collection, the museum will also accommodate a large modern model railway layout depicting several railway scenescapes in Ireland, interactive displays, soundscapes, an education and exhibition space and historical interpretations and memorabilia from Irish Railways.

Fingal County Council led the project with funding coming from the local authority's capital programme and a generous donation of €1.5m from the late Mr Michael Gaffney of Malahide. The design by Fingal County Council architects on behalf of the Economic, Enterprise and Tourism Development marries the historic original cottage with a complementary new building.

-- Advertisement --

Mayor of Fingal Cllr Eoghan O'Brien visited the site of the new attraction to officially declare it open.

"I am delighted to be here today to officially open the Casino Model Railway Museum, which has been beautifully conserved and restored," Mayor O'Brien said. "The redevelopment of the Casino has been one of the most eagerly-anticipated projects in the Malahide area so it fills me with pride to be able to stand here today to open this wonderful heritage property.

"It goes without saying that the Casino Model Railway Museum will be a spectacular amenity for local and visitors, both young and old, to enjoy for years to come.

"I would like to pay tribute to the Malahide Group, comprising GV Wright, Colette Smith, Michael Howard, Matt Ryan Jnr, Nora Owen, Matt McNulty and Alfie O’Dowd, who worked tirelessly over the years to ensure this project got to this point today."

The Mayor was also joined by Fingal County Council's Chief Executive AnnMarie Farrelly, County Architect Fionnuala May and Director of Economic, Enterprise and Tourism Development Emer O'Gorman to mark the occasion.

Council leader AnnMarie Farrelly commented: "The restoration and redevelopment of the Casino building has been a major capital project for Fingal County Council and I am delighted to be here today at the official opening of our newest heritage property. This is a truly wonderful day for the Malahide area, and indeed Fingal as a whole, and I have no doubt that the Casino Model Railway Museum will become a popular tourism attraction going forward.

"The Casino is a unique property and the meticulous restoration and conservation work will ensure that the public will get to enjoy this modern visitor attraction accommodation in such an architecturally significant and historic building."

(CM/MH)