St. Conal's Psychiatric Hospital


 * See also: Architecture of Letterkenny - St. Conal's Hospital

St. Conal’s Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. It is adjacent to Letterkenny Town Park near Letterkenny General Hospital. It is the only psychiatric hospital located in County Donegal.

History
The building was designed by architect George Wilkinson, an Englishman employed by the Poor Law Commissioners. The hospital was built in Letterkenny to accommodate 300 patients. The building was completed in early 1866 at a cost of approximately £37,000. The patients were required to do all the farmwork and three wooden sheds were erected near the farm where they took their meals - usually taken out by donkey and cart. To meet with demands extensions were constructed to the building since it opened.

On Monday 27 August 2007 a blaze broke out at the hospital which took fire services approximately four hours to extinguish. The fire was reported to have broken out at 5.45pm in a downstairs room.

Today
Today the building houses the HSE's dental clinics, physiotherapy units and mental health facilities. There is also a library located in the hospital.