North Mon building to become cultural centre

A HISTORIC building — a symbol of one of the country’s top hurling schools, which produced an All-Ireland-winning taoiseach — is to be transformed into a cultural centre.

Cork City Council agreed last night to buy the original North Monastery School on Cork’s northside from the Christian Brothers for €1.25 million. It has become surplus to educational requirements.

The imposing red-brick Dominic Burke Memorial Building, which dates from 1811, will be completely refurbished.