The Commercial Development of Sligo Town

The commercial development of Sligo Town and surrounding area’s is partially catalogued here, with some of the entries containing links to pages about the development’s in question.

If you have any suggestions for additional entries to this list, please send your suggestions to us by E-Mail and we shall get back to you as soon as possible.

1888 Whytes Tobaccionists, John Street opened.

1968 Best’s supermarket opened on Adelaide Street, in the building now occupied by Dunnes Stores.

The 1980s

1981 August: Gaiety cinema expanded, adding 2 new screens, to bring it up to a 3 screen cinema.

1984 Snia plant at Hazelwood closed.

1987 Sligo School Project opened on The Mall in the town, in the building now occupied by the Model Arts Centre and Niland Gallery.

1988 January: Construction began on new building of Sligo General Hospital.
1988 January: Construction of Government office complex on College Road began.
1988 January: The Queens Stores demolished.
1988 December 9: Hughes Bridge is opened.

1989 March: Construction of Saehan Media factory at Hazelwood is started.

The 1990s

1990 January: Redevelopment of The Market Yard completed (excluding the apartments).

1991 January 14th: New building of Sligo General Hospital opened to patients and staff.

1993: Sligo Leisure and Bowl Centre (bowling alley etc.) on Ballast Quay opened.
Construction began on the regeneration of Rockwood Parade.
The Factory performance space opened.
New Tourist Office on Temple Street completed and opened.
Lake Isle Road approved for construction.
Fisherman’s wharf apartment complex opened.
April 30: New building of Sligo General Hospital officially opened.

1995: Lake Isle Road opened.
September: New footbridge and railings on Rockwood Parade completed.
September: RTE transmitter station on Truskmore completed.

1996 March: Work began on Collooney-Ballisodare bypass.
June: Old Gaiety Cinema demolished for construction of new building.

1997: Full redevelopment of Rockwood Parade officially opened.

1998 January 26: Collooney-Ballisodare bypass opened.
January: Redevelopment of The Buttermarket (eventually named The Quayside) approved for construction.
January 28: Sligo Regional Technical College had it’s name changed officially to Sligo Institute Of Technology.
August: New Gaiety Cinema 7 screen multiplex opened.
Sligo School Project moved from The Mall to the new site near Cranmore, previously occupied by St. Annes school.
November: The Galaxy centre on The Riverside opened.

1999 March: Millennium House on Stephen Street completed (Call Of The Wild, Lock and Safe, Deirdre Cook’s, etc.).
April 12: Curlews bypass officially opened in south county Sligo.
New building on Bridge Street which replaced the Bective Hotel opened.
December 17: New Footbridge opened on The Riverside, beside the new Riverside Hotel.

The 2000s

2000: Kennedy Parade redevelopment completed with new paving.
The War memorial on Kennedy Parade unveiled.

2002 June: Work began on 5 new screens in The Gaiety cinema.
December: Work (above) completed in The Gaiety cinema, bringing it to be a 12 screen multiplex.

2005: Gaiety Cinema opened on Wine Street.
September 2: Inner Relief Road opened to traffic.

2006 August 15: O’Connell Street Pedestrianised.

2007 October: Johnston Court Shopping Centre opened to the public.
The Glasshouse Hotel opened on Hyde Bridge.

2009 December 9: O’Connell Street de-pedestrianized.

The 2010s

2010 March: First section of the “Western Distributor Road” opened, linking the Strandhill Road with Ballydoogan road.