Athenry Railway Station

Detached seven-bay single-storey former railway station, built 1851, having two-bay side elevations. Entrance façade has flat-roofed blank end bays, and second bay from each end is slightly advanced and pedimented. Platform elevation has recessed middle bays with colonnaded canopy to front, flanked by projecting pedimented gabled-fronted bays and in turn by flat-roofed end bays. Now in use as computer training centre. Pitched slate roof with rendered chimneystacks having bracketed cornices, cast-iron rainwater goods, cut limestone coping stones to gables and pediments with modillions. Some terracotta to pediment to front elevation. Yellow brick walls having tooled limestone quoins and plinth to five middle bays. Square-headed window openings to platform elevation with replacement timber windows and one six-over-six pane timber sliding sash window. Segmental-headed openings to front elevation with raised cut limestone arches and keystones, and replacement timber windows. Round-headed door opening to front elevation having cut limestone surround and replacement timber door. Square-headed door openings to platform elevation having decorative limestone surrounds and glazed timber panelled double-leaf door. Canopy to platform elevation supported by ornamental cast-iron brackets and cast-iron columns.

An appealing, well built and elegant mid-nineteenth-century railway station representing an important element of the transport and civil engineering heritage of County Galway. Built of brick with extensive high-quality cut-stone dressings, it reflects the former wealth and ambitions of the Midland Great Western Railway Company and the level of architectural design that went into the stations of small country towns. This fine building is a notable example of its type and forms the centrepiece of an interesting and good-quality collection of related structures at Athenry.