Court House, Cork City
- Prior to 1835, a City Courthouse and a County Courthouse, adminstered the City. In 1829 Cork Corporation decided that both of the courthouses should be merged into one building. A site in Washington Street was selected. A competition for the design of the new City Courthouse was held. This competition was won by the Pain Brothers. A Corinthian design was proposed and accepted. At some stage during the construction the Pain Brothers lost the contract to the Dean Brothers. The building was completed in 1835.
The original 1835 building was destroyed by fire on Good Friday, 27th March 1891. Despite a full investigation it was never ascertained how the fire started. The fire destroyed many of the municipal records of Cork.
Designs for a new Court House on the same site were invited by Cork Corporation. The chosen designer was William Henry Hill. All that was allowed to stand of the original building in the new Court House was the front walls and the very fine portico in the Corinthian style.
The new Courthouse was officially opened in September 1895 by Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Earl Cadogan.
The sculpture on the pediment "Justice, Hibernia & Commerce" is by the Cork-born sculptor Thomas Kirk.
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