Former Leitrim Lough Allen Hotel earmarked for nursing home development
Site that once housed Ukrainian refugees and featured in crash-era court case enters new phase
The former Lough Allen Hotel in Drumshanbo is set to be redeveloped into a large-scale care facility, with early-stage plans outlining a nursing home alongside a broader retirement-style development.
Proposals currently being prepared centre on a 60-bed nursing home, but a pre-planning masterplan also indicates a significantly expanded vision for the site. This includes assisted living apartments, independent residential units and dedicated on-site staff accommodation, as well as a range of wellness and community-focused facilities.
Among the features outlined in the concept design are therapy and physiotherapy suites, a spa and wellness centre, dining and communal areas, landscaped sensory gardens and outdoor recreational spaces designed to support an age-friendly living environment.
The lakeside site, extending to over 40,000 square metres, would represent a substantial redevelopment of the existing hotel complex if plans proceed.
However, the project remains at a pre-planning stage, with no formal application yet submitted. It is understood that developers are currently preparing documentation, with a planning application expected in the coming months.
The Drumshanbo property has seen a number of distinct phases over the past two decades. During the financial crash, the hotel and associated developments were linked to High Court proceedings involving loans of more than €12 million connected to developer Patrick White.
More recently, the building was used to accommodate Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war, with 170 Ukrainian residents living there under the State’s temporary protection programme. In 2024, those residents were given short notice to vacate, prompting concern locally as many had become embedded in the community through work and school. Following their departure, some remained in Drumshanbo and surrounding areas, while others were relocated elsewhere.
The hotel subsequently passed through receivership under the National Asset Management Agency before being reacquired by Mr White, who is now understood to be involved in a proposed sale of the property to a developer progressing the current plans. The company behind the proposal is believed to be Bayer Developments.
At present, there are no works under way on site. If approved, the development would mark a major shift in the use of the property—from a hotel and temporary accommodation centre to a long-term healthcare and residential facility—potentially delivering new services and employment opportunities in the region.