I have just found this account of the opening, in the
" Western People" on 13.10.1999

"Care continues after 150 years in former Achill Coastguard station
By Christy Loftus
There was a great sense of community spirit and celebration at the former Keel Lifeguard station when Housing and Urban Development Minister Mr Bobby Molloy TD officially opened a magnificent new eleven unit sheltered housing development at the weekend.

The entire community was en-fete for the visit of the Minister, who was paraded to the venue by a pipeband, and exhibited a tremendous pride in their achievement of completing the £500,000 development to an extraordinary high standard.

Behind the project was the Achill Island Housing Association, who purchased the derelict building from Mayo County Council at a time when it was planned to level the structure, which has a 150 year long association with the area.

Opened first as a coastguard station, the property passed into the hands of Presentation Sisters and was used as a convent before being taken over by the State and used, for over sixty years, as a Garda Barracks. It is now "home" to a group of the island's senior citizens and

handicapped, and as well as living accommodation, comprises a laundry, day care and communal facilities.

A feature of the development is the manner in which the rising site has been designed so as to eliminate the need for steps and the construction and presentation of an old thirty foot deep stone well which was originally used as the water source for the coastguard personnel.

Minister Molloy paid tribute to the local Committee under Dr Edward King for their hard work in fundraising for the project, their attention to design and detail and, most importantly, their dedication and commitment to the care of the elderly and disadvantaged in their community.

He recognised that dedication in a most tangible way by announcing (under threat from former Minister Denis Gallagher!) that he was making a grant of £46,500 available to the community for the provision of the communal facilities.

There was also good news from Archbishop Michael Neary who, through local parish priest Fr Paddy Gilligan, passed on a cheque for £5,000 for the project."