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| The Sheil Hospital built in 1894 thanks to Dr. Simon Sheil |
Two
Ballyshannon men who spent their lifetimes working in the local community,
deserve to be remembered for their amazing generosity in providing funding for
facilities which are benefitting the wider area to this day. They left the modern equivalent of over one million euro for the construction of two of the finest buildings in Ballyshannon which are both used for the medical welfare of the wider community in the Ballyshannon area.
One of the men died in 1852 and left a substantial sum of money for the building of a convent in the town which today houses the newly opened HSE Primary Care Health Centre. The other benefactor died in 1889 and left a substantial sum of money for the building of a hospital for the poor which still survives today as the Sheil Hospital. This hospital is to be extended with a 3 storey extension at the rear to accommodate 80 new bed units. Both buildings are very important parts of the built heritage in the ancient town of Ballyshannon.
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| Artist impression of 3 storey extension to the Sheil Hospital with 80 new bed units construction to commence in 2020. ( courtesy of John Hayes HSE) |
Who were these two men who left huge sums of money for the building of a convent and a hospital?
Little did they know that they were laying the foundations for the provision of modern facilities for health care in the community. Without their initial generosity who knows if the recent major projects by the HSE would ever have been developed in Ballyshannon? Dr. Simon Sheil is still remembered as the hospital he endowed is named in his memory; but the second man has been largely forgotten and William Stephens deserves to be remembered also, for providing funds for the building of a convent which served the community since the 19th century.
Many people still remember William Stephens' descendants Cecil Stephens, Postmasrer, at the Hardware and Fancy Goods stores in Castle Street and Brian Stephens in the extensive Drapery store where Saimer Court is today. The impressive Sheil House still stands on College Street at the entrance to the St. Patrick's Church carpark where the HSE offices are today.
The full story of William Stephens and Simon Sheil and their very generous gift to their hometown is contained in this year's Donegal Annual 2020
Little did they know that they were laying the foundations for the provision of modern facilities for health care in the community. Without their initial generosity who knows if the recent major projects by the HSE would ever have been developed in Ballyshannon? Dr. Simon Sheil is still remembered as the hospital he endowed is named in his memory; but the second man has been largely forgotten and William Stephens deserves to be remembered also, for providing funds for the building of a convent which served the community since the 19th century.
Many people still remember William Stephens' descendants Cecil Stephens, Postmasrer, at the Hardware and Fancy Goods stores in Castle Street and Brian Stephens in the extensive Drapery store where Saimer Court is today. The impressive Sheil House still stands on College Street at the entrance to the St. Patrick's Church carpark where the HSE offices are today.
The full story of William Stephens and Simon Sheil and their very generous gift to their hometown is contained in this year's Donegal Annual 2020
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| This beautiful building was constructed thanks to the bequest of William Stephens. |
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| Renovation and additional buildings were recently added to the original Convent in Ballyshannon. the character of the original building is beautifully kept as you can see in this image ( Courtesy of John Hayes HSE) |
Full article with rare photographs and lots of information about both men is contained in the published 2020 Donegal Annual entitled "Two Ballyshannon Philanthropist and their Legacy" by Anthony Begley.
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