Life in session

The history, the heart and the future of Bushmills, all under one roof. Welcome to Life in Session at The Courthouse.

Experience local Incredible

A former Courthouse in the centre of Bushmills, dating back to 1834, has been sensitively restored as a modern creative shared space for local crafters, creatives artists, chefs, artisan producers, guides and storytellers.

What's On

Experiences

Community

Outreach

Decorative hanging mobile with birds and curved wooden elements inside a home near a staircase.

A woman preparing food behind a counter in a cafe, with shelves of dishes, glasses, and coffee supplies in the background.

A woman smiling and wearing glasses, surrounded by two other people, holding a hexagonal frame outdoors with houses and a car in the background.

Eat

The Bistro

The Designerie

Shop

Back from the brink, rescued from ruin, saved by the foresight of local people, The Courthouse has been restored and reimagined. Full of life, creativity and enterprise, every visit to us is a celebration of and a commitment to, the creativity that gave Bushmills its name.

Interior view of a construction site with a staircase, rough-textured plaster walls, exposed blue foam insulation, and temporary wooden scaffolding.

The Courthouse, Bushmills is home to an eclectic bunch of makers, creators and vibrant visionaries. Each area of this 12,000 sq ft building is connected by a shared commitment to recreate ‘Life in Session’ at the heart of Bushmills.

Meet our makers

A white multi-story building with black window frames. The entrance features a small portico with columns, and there are two potted trees flanking the door. The sign on the wall reads "The Designerie." The sky above is cloudy with hints of sunset colors.

The Courthouse was the bustling heart of Bushmills for over a century. When it was built in 1834, the presence of the Petty Sessions Court on Main Street symbolised the strength of community in Bushmills and helped to put the town on the map.

Borrowing the ambition of past communities and recharged with a Giant Spirit, a fully restored and extended Courthouse reopened its doors in 2024. With a unique blend of creative energy and entrepreneurial expertise, it is once again putting the town of Bushmills on the map, recreating Life in Session and preserving this ethos for future generations.