In 1996, 19-year-old Gillian Bell was doing a degree in Hotel & Tourism Management at Ulster University Magee.

Lifford Old Courthouse had contacted the university looking for someone to develop the restaurant, and due to her third year being a placement year, Gillian applied for the job. 

She went for an interview, and due to having experience working as a cook in Portrush, as well as kitchen and restaurant training at Magee, she was offered the job.

READ NEXT: Ardara musician ‘delighted’ at Cup of Tae Festival honour alongside wife

On May 6, 1996, Gillian began her life sentence at the Courthouse as a Trainee Manager, for a grand total of 50 Irish Punts per week.

At that time, the kitchen was extremely basic, having only an ordinary oven and four-ring cooker. Gillian even had to bring in her mother’s saucepans from home, and when they wanted to start serving Sunday lunch, most of the cooking had to be done at home and brought in.

When she had to return to university for her final year, Gillian continued working part-time at the Courthouse. After graduating, she was also working as a Head Receptionist at the Inn at the Cross in Derry while still working part-time at the Courthouse.


Gillian’s 21st birthday

 In August of 1998, a FAS Community Employment Supervisor position became available at the Courthouse so Gillian applied for the job and was successful. She then had another exciting milestone in October when she married her husband, Maurice Graham, In 1999, at only 23, Gillian took over as Manager of Lifford Old Courthouse – while also continuing as CE Supervisor for 15 participants.

In 2001 and 2003 she had her first two children and continued to work right up until the day before giving birth to both. And of course, what better venue for the christenings of both than Lifford Old Courthouse!


Back in 2001 at Lifford Old Courthouse

In 2004, Gillian asked the board for a budget of €50,000 to purchase equipment and redecorate the restaurant before reopening as Acquolina. One board member later told Gillian that they thought the idea was mad, but they allowed it. Later that year, along with Head Chef Ed McGroarty, Gillian opened Acquolina Italian Restaurant. The restaurant was very successful, often serving up to 100 customers in a night while only having the capacity to seat 50 at a time due to limited space.


Gillian at Acquolina in 2004

Due to the success of Acquolina, it was felt that a larger kitchen and restaurant was needed. After securing funding from the International Fund for Ireland, they started renovating the former land registry offices in 2007 to be used for a new kitchen. Once completed, the kitchen was moved and the restaurant also relocated to the former courtroom. 

Unfortunately, due to the recession in 2008, they had to make the difficult decision to close Acquolina. In order to stay in business, they had to cut back to a skeleton staff and stop evening and weekend trading. The restaurant was then renamed The Courthouse Bistro and continued to operate for breakfast and lunch Monday – Friday.

Gillian’s next milestone was in 2015, when she returned home from work and went straight to hospital to give birth to her third child. Yet another christening in the Courthouse!


2015, at the Courthouse

After securing funding for Phase 2 renovations, work began in 2017 on the construction of the atrium, refurbishment of former circuit court offices and updating of the restaurant. The work was finally completed at the end of 2018. This brought the whole building back into use for the first time since 1996. The addition of the lift also meant that the building was fully accessible for the first time, and could be enjoyed by all.

In 2020, after 3 weeks of lockdown stuck at home desperately missing her usual cell (office), and feeling it was important, as a social enterprise, to do something for the community, Gillian joined a local committee (Lifford Covid Community Response Group). After consulting with the board as well as Chef Carmel McMenamin, she offered to start providing a meals on wheels service from Lifford Old Courthouse to those in need in Lifford and surrounding areas. With the support of the staff and volunteers, the service has now been operating for six years and in 2024 was extended to the Castlefinn and Raphoe areas.

In 2025, the new Lifford Museum opened in the Courthouse, and in 2026 after a long moving process Donegal Ancestry also relocated to the Courthouse.


Gillian at the Courthouse now, 30 years on

After 30 years of hard labour, Gillian continues to develop the Courthouse to benefit the community and generations to come. She still loves her job (most of the time) and hopes that her life sentence at the Courthouse will last another 30 years.