Following its 10-year genesis, Letterkenny's Regional Cultural Centre, wedged into the slope behind An Grianán Theatre, has that new-building air of being a mirage. In fact, it is still a not-quite-new building, but a work in progress, due to open officially towards the end of the year. It initially opened its doors, however, during the Earagail Arts Festival, with the exhibition currently on view - Painting in the Noughties - and documentary displays on the design and construction of the centre. "Letterkenny, situated on the River Swilly," reads an old AA Gazetteer , "is conspicuous on the hillside for many miles." Returning today, the writer would find the town even more conspicuous, with a greatly expanded population and sprawling development. One of the most dramatic innovations has been the creation of a new, lower road, Pearse Road, paralleling Main Street and chiefly consisting of nondescript retail units. There is a haphazard quality to the way Pearse Road has developed that seems, fairly or not, typical of the growth of Letterkenny in general. The Regional Cultural Centre looks all the more mirage-like, given the frankly poor architectural quality of most of the surrounding development in the town. Designed by MacGabhann Architects, the structure is sleek and surprisingly unobtrusive given its scale and its glass, silver and gold exterior.
