Cork's 96 FM

The building that Cork’s 96FM occupies first opened its doors in 1888.

In the mid 19th century, the Vincentian Fathers maintained a seminary at Saint Patrick’s Place in Cork, known as the Cork Diocesan Seminary. In 1888 a new seminary with residential accommodation was completed at Farranferris, and the Vincentian ecclesiastical students transferred there. The then bishop of Cork, Most Rev. Dr. O’Callaghan, invited the Christian Brothers to take charge of the St Patrick’s Place establishment.

The school was principally involved in preparing pupils for university entry and operated on St Patrick’s Place for one hundred years. Marking the centenary in 1988, the College moved from its original site to a new location, one hundred metres away, on top of Sidney Hill.

The scale and form of this former school make it a notable and positive addition to the streetscape. The variety of materials utilised in its construction, such as the red brick, yellow brick and limestone, make it a colourful addition to the streetscape. The building retains many original features and materials, such as the timber sash windows, red brick, yellow brick and limestone. This red brick building forms part of an interesting group of late nineteenth-century former school buildings, with the red brick former school buildings to the east and west.

Cork’s 96FM moved into the building in October 1994 after extensive renovations and renamed it Broadcasting House and the rest is history as they say.