Former health hubs could be transformed into homes, community centres or small businesses
Former Eyeries Health Centre, West Cork
Health centres in two of the most lovely villages in West Cork could get new leases of life as former HSE buildings on the Beara are up for auction.
The two former healthcare centres, in Allihies and Eyeries will be very familiar properties for the small Beara Peninsula communties. Both are part of a property auction by Galway-based O’Donnellan and Joyce Auctioneers on December 5. The former local health centres “offer exceptional potential for renewal and reuse” and bidding for each starts at €75,000.
The detached single-storey Allihies HSE Health Centre building is in the heart of the little village, known for brightly painted houses and colourful cafés in scenic mountain and sea surroundings. It is directly on the Wild Atlantic Way, and in a prime location in one of West Cork’s most picturesque coastal settings.
Subject to planning permission, the property experts at O’Donnellan and Joyce say it could easily be adapted and could become a lovely village home, tourist guesthouse or community space. It is around 20 km from the town Castletownbere and about 140 km southwest of Cork City.
The former Allihies Health Centre is in one of the most scenic villages in West CorkREAD MORE: How much it costs to rent each house and room type in CorkREAD MORE: Old Cork school for sale for €45k is ‘reminder of a bygone era’
The former HSE property at Eyeries is just a few kilometres away, also with ample potential. The Eyeries Health Centre offers similar potential. The single-storey property is in the Cluain area of the village, and is closer to the main town of Castletownbere. The right buyer could make a lovely little home, small business, or creative community space.
Auctioneer Colm O’Donnellan said the two listings reflect a wider trend of renewal in rural Ireland. He said: “Across the country, we’re seeing former community buildings take on new life. In places like Allihies and Eyeries, where there’s such strong local identity and tourism appeal, these properties offer real opportunities whether for local enterprise, creative use, or coastal living.”
The auction will be live-streamed online on December 5 at 12pm, and will include a mix of residential, commercial, and redevelopment properties across Ireland.
A number of former HSE properties have been sold off by auction in recent months as the health executive refines its portfolio and disposes of unused and vacant buildings.
In 2023 it emerged that the HSE has a portfolio of vacant properties worth up to hundreds of millions. At the time, over 250 publicly owned properties were sitting empty across Ireland with an estimated value of up to €400 million.
A story by the Irish Mirror revealed vacant HSE properties in Cork including St Stephen’s Hospital in Glanmire (earmarked to be reopened as a new elective hospital by 2027), the former Mount Alvernia Hospital in Macroom and the former Grattan Street Dispensary building in the city centre.
Empty HSE properties which have been disposed of, sold or up for sale include the huge Heatherside Hospital building near Buttevant, the Passage West Dispensary building, the Rathduff Dispensary premises and buildings in Rathduff, Ballyhooley and Ballynoe, with many more earmarked for disposal to the State or private buyers.