Town Hall Theatre (Galway) facts for kids
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Amharclann Halla na Cathrach
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Town Hall Theatre
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 Town Hall Theatre
Location in County Galway
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| Location | 1 Courthouse Square, Galway, Ireland |
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| Coordinates | 53°16′34″N 9°03′14″W / 53.276177°N 9.053985°W |
| Public transit | Galway railway station |
| Capacity | 393 (Main Auditorium) 52 (Studio Space) |
| Opened | October 1995 |
The Town Hall Theatre (Irish: Amharclann Halla na Cathrach) is a well-known theatre in Galway, Ireland. This building has a long and interesting history. It was first built as a courthouse. Later, it became a place where the city's government met. Today, it is a busy theatre that hosts many different shows and events.
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History of the Town Hall Theatre
From Courthouse to City Hall
The building was originally designed to be the courthouse for the town of Galway. It was built by an architect named Alexander Hay. The construction was finished in 1825. The building was made in a style called neoclassical. This means it looked like old Greek and Roman buildings. It had a grand front with columns.
After being a courthouse, the building was used as a town hall. This was where the Galway Corporation, which was like the city's government, held its meetings. Over time, the way the city was governed changed. The Galway Corporation was later reformed. Its main offices moved to other locations in the city.
Becoming a Cinema and Then a Theatre
In the 1950s, the building changed again. It was turned into a cinema. People came here to watch films for many years. However, by the 1990s, the building started to get old and needed a lot of repairs.
The Galway Corporation, which is now called Galway City Council, decided to fix up the building. They received help from the government to do this. The big renovation project happened between 1993 and 1995. After all the work, the building reopened as a public theatre in October 1995.
A Popular Venue Today
The Town Hall Theatre is very popular. More than 100,000 people visit it every year. Since it officially reopened in 1996, almost 2 million people have enjoyed shows there. This makes it one of the most successful theatres of its size in Ireland.
The theatre is also a key location for several annual festivals. These include the Cúirt International Festival of Literature, which takes place every April. Another major event is the Galway International Arts Festival, held every July. During the Cúirt festival, a local bookshop called Charlie Byrne's even sets up a temporary shop inside the theatre.
