City Hall Anglesea Street Tour at 10am from Anglesea Street Entrance Full wheelchair access 11
Cork Savings Bank
1 Lapp’s Quay Tour at 10.30am Full wheelchair access 12
The Cork Savings Bank was established in 1817 following the passing of a law to encourage the establishment of savings banks across England and Ireland. Savings Banks targeted the lower income groups of society with the aim of encouraging thrift amongst these users, offering security for their savings whilst paying a fixed interest on deposits. In November of 1839 the design submitted by the architectural practice of Thomas and Kearns Deane was chosen for the new Cork Savings Bank, to be located on the corner of Lapp’s Quay and Warren’s Place (now Parnell Place) The building was opened for business in 1842 and a plaque above the doorway to the banking hall commemorates the date and those responsible for designing and building the bank. It continued to operate as a bank until 2012, when owners, Trustee Savings Bank, closed a number of branches, including Lapps Quay. In 2015, UCC made a decision to locate their Centre for Executive Education in a dynamic, city centre location, and entered into an agreement with Cork City Council to re-use the former Savings Bank on Lapp’s Quay for this purpose. To facilitate this refurbishment and reuse of the Savings Bank a new extension was constructed within the enclosed yard to the east. The new extension enables direct circulation across the upper floors of the former secretary’s house on Parnell Place to the southern rooms of the Bank. This extension also facilitates circulation through the building without requiring one to circulate through the main Banking Hall. (Facilitating reusing the Banking Hall as an independent multi-purpose/ conference facility.) Support functions for toilets, and required services have also been efficiently catered for in this new construction, facilitating maintaining the large historic rooms in their original form. The new accommodation is hidden from view from the exterior of the landmark historic building, but is designed to read clearly as a modern addition from within the building. Architect Gareth O’Callaghan will give a guided tour of the Cork Savings Bank at 10.30am. Booking essential on www.corkheritageopenday.ie/events
City Hall is one of the most splendid buildings of Cork. The current structure, replaced the old City Hall, which was destroyed in ‘The burning of Cork’, in 1920. It was designed by Architects Jones and Kelly and built by Cork Company Sisks. The foundation stone was laid by Éamonn de Valera, President of the Executive Council of the State on 9th July, 1932. The first meeting of the Council was held on the 24th April, 1935 and the building was formerly opened by Éamonn de Valera on the 8th Sept., 1936. The building is designed on classic lines to harmonise with the examples of eighteenth and nineteenth century architecture, fundamentally Georgian in character, that so richly endow Cork City. The main entrance to the offices is from Anglesea St, through a marble paved vestibule to the main staircase hall. The City Hall contains works by Séamus Murphy, R.H.A., including busts of Lord Mayors Tomás MacCurtain and Terence MacSwiney, and a profile of the late US President John F. Kennedy erected over the main entrance door commemorating his visit to Cork in 1963. Discover the beauty and the architecture of Cork City Hall on a guided tour at 10am with Cllr. Kieran McCarthy. Booking essential on www.corkheritageopenday.ie/events
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