| Cork, 30th October: The President of Ireland, Mary McAleese visits Cork today, Thursday, 30th October to honour Cork Civic Trust and the City of Cork by unveiling a plaque to mark the completion of the restoration of 50 Pope’s Quay, the Trust’s flagship conservation project. |
| Built circa 1730, the distinctive Queen Anne red brick building is unique not only to Cork but to Ireland and is very much a city landmark. |
| Believed to have been originally built for Richard Boyle, the 4th Earl of Cork, the house has undergone a number of uses down through the centuries. It was occupied by a Master Cooper, Henry Maultby, until 1876, when the building was used as “The County and City of Cork Hospital for Women and Children”. |
| In 1885, the hospital, later renamed the “Victoria Hospital” moved to Infirmary Road when the building reverted to a cooperage. By 1907, Patrick Ryan, and R.I.C sergeant, and his family occupied the house, and at least two of his daughters – the building’s last known residents -lived there until the 1980’s. |
| The Restoration Project commenced in 1997 as a result of private, business, government, EU and Cork City Council support. However, restoration work ceased in 2000 due to a shortage of funds until the Musgrave Group came to the rescue in December 2002 sponsoring completion of the project to the tune of €450,000. |
John Miller, Cork Civic Trust General Manager, is eagerly looking forward to the President’s visit.
“Cork Civic Trust is delighted the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese has agreed to mark the completion of the restoration of this wonderful building, and its new role as Cork 2005 Headquarters. The presence of the first citizen of Ireland is a wonderful recognition of the successful outcome to what has been a difficult and challenging project, and we look forward to giving President McAleese and her husband, Martin, a warm welcome.” |
| John Kennedy, Director of Cork 2005 commented. “Cork Civic Trust are to be congratulated for restoring and preserving this building. The marking of the completion of this project by the President of Ireland symbolises the links between the city’s past, present and its future as the European Capital of Culture in 2005.” |
