Two Ballyshannon Men and their Amazing Generosity to their Home Town Remembered

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.

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 19^th 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

This beautiful building was constructed thanks to the bequest of William Stephens.

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  recently published 2020 Donegal Annual entitled "Two Ballyshannon Philanthropist and their Legacy"  by Anthony Begley. The 2020 Donegal Annual has a wonderful selection of stories and history from all parts of County Donegal. Editor Sean Beattie. 

The Annual is available in A Novel Idea Ballyshannon  and Four Master's Bookshop Donegal Town and also from Una McGarrigle Parkhill Ballyshannon . 

Limited edition quality hardback with dust jacket as above available in A Novel Idea and Local Hands Ballyshannon and Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town. Also available for postage from anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com

Topics include: How to go about Tracing your Roots/The first settlers in the area/ Newly researched history of the town of Ballyshannon and the townlands in Kilbarron and Mágh Éne parishes/ Records of the first travellers and tourists to Ballyshannon, Bundoran, Belleek, Rossnowlagh and Ballintra/An aerial guide to place names along the Erne from Ballyshannon to the Bar/Flora and Fauna of the area/ A history of buildings and housing estates in the locality/Graveyard Inscriptions from the Abbey graveyard, St. Joseph’s and St. Anne’s /Rolling back the years with many memories of the Great Famine, Independence struggle, hydro-electric scheme, Gaelic games, boxing, handball, Boy Scouts, soccer, mummers, characters, organisations, folklore and lots more.