Old Town Hall, Cobh
| Old Town Hall | |
|---|---|
Aerial view of the building from ocean side | |
Interactive map of Old Town Hall | |
| Location | Cobh, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 51°51′01″N 8°17′28″W / 51.8502°N 8.2910°W |
| Built | 1874[1] |
The Old Town Hall is a 19th century building in Cobh, Ireland. Situated slightly east of the town center, in what is referred to as Lynch's Quay or East Beach,[2] it faces Cork Harbour. It is included in the Record of Protected Structures maintained by Cork County Council.[3]
Design
The single-floor building is based on square plan, with slanted roof covered with slates.[1] Two distinct chimneys dominate the center of the roof. A clock tower is situated in the south-west corner of the building, and has three stages. The building is rendered in peach color and replacement PVC windows and doors have been installed. As of 2025, none of the clocks were in operation.[4]
History
Constructed c. 1870, the building originally served as the Cork Harbour Commissioners' Office, and later used as the Urban District Council Office.[1] It has also been referred to as the Old Cobh Town Hall and Clock Tower Gallery.[5] Since 2010, a Chinese restaurant has been operating in the building, with a 21-year lease. In 2015 the property, including the waterfront jetty, was put up for sale with the guiding price of EUR 350,000.[2]
A monument outside of the building commemorates the "Irish Poplar tragedy", a marine incident which resulted in the death of five people in Cork Harbour during December 1942.[6] A further memorial, which incorporates an anchor, is dedicated to "all Irish seafarers who have served this island nation".[7]
Restoration
In April 2025, an agreement was made by the co-owners, the Port of Cork and Cork County Council, regarding restoration works. The plan was met with criticism claiming the works planned were too superficial.[4]
References
- ^ a b c "Old Town Hall, Lynch's Quay, West Beach, Kilgarvan, Cobh, Cork". Buildings of Ireland. National Built Heritage Service. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ a b Barker, Tommy (5 November 2015). "Historic old Town Hall guiding at EUR350,000". Irish Examiner.
- ^ "Record of Protected Structures", Cork County Development Plan 2022 - Volume Two - Heritage And Amenity (PDF), Cork County Council, p. 91, retrieved 30 November 2025,
RPS No. [..] 01957 [..] Urban District Council [..] Detached five‐bay single‐storey office, built c. 1860 [..] East Beach, Cobh
- ^ a b Galvin, Kevin (19 March 2025). "Historic landmark building in Cork harbour set for restoration". Irish Independent. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ "Titanic Memorial Remembers Victims". Sunday Independent. 12 April 2009.
- ^ MacSweeney, Tom. "Remembering the five men killed in the 'Irish Poplar' tragedy". Evening Echo. No. 19 December 2018.
They are remembered by a monument recalling the [Irish Poplar] tragedy which stands outside the Old Town Hall of Cobh
- ^ "Irish Seafarers Memorial Anchor". publicartaroundtheworld.com. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
The Irish Seafarers Memorial Anchor is located outside the Wan Fu Chinese Restaurant, Lynch's Old Town Hall, Lynch's Quay, Kilgarvan, Cobh [..] Inscription: We Commemorate All Irish Seafarers Who Have Served This Island Nation