The Courthouse Anglesea Street

Guided Tour at 1pm and at 2pm

Cork Model National School was first opened on 11th September 1865 and at its peak the school had more than 450 young pupils from all social backgrounds and denominations.

The Cork Model School was in the parish of St Nicholas and was one of the last of 24 Model Schools to be built by The Board of Public Works during the period 1840 to 1870. It was designed in 1862 by Architect Enoch Trevor Owen.

Construction work carried out by local contractor Mr James Delvin, commenced in 1864. Completed in 1865, there was a male and female infant school and a Maritime school, for which the 60ft high tower was intended as an observatory. Other facilities provided included a cloakroom, cap-room and bonnet room.

The school finally closed in 1990 and became the District Court with the first Court Hearings taking place, 130 years after the original opening as a school, on 1st September 1995.

The newly developed Courthouse, Anglesea St, now deals with all criminal matters at District and Circuit Court level and the Central Criminal Court also sits here as required.

The Anglesea St building has recently been extensively redeveloped under a public-private partnership with the construction company BAM design appointed to, build, finance and maintain the buildings for 25 years. The redevelopment also includes a sympathetic restoration of the former model school building, which is currently used to accommodate some office and other support functions.

A guided tour of the Courthouse Anglesea Street will take place at 1pm and at 2pm. Booking is essential on https://corkheritageopendaydistrictcourthousetour.eventbrite.ie