Peter McVerry Trust repurpose historic Charleville school building to provide social housing

Peter McVerry Trust’s new social housing project in Charleville redeveloped an historic old school building that had fallen into disuse. Photo: Peter McVerry Trust 

A new social housing scheme in an iconic Cork building where former president Éamon de Valera once attended school is an example of the model urban renewal taking place across the country, the Tánaiste has said.

Micheál Martin was speaking at the launch of new social housing in Charleville, Co Cork, in the historic old school building that had fallen into disuse for many years.

The building was converted into nine bright, spacious apartments while retaining the building's architectural character and integrity through the Peter McVerry Trust and Cork County Council.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin at the launch of Peter McVerry Trust’s new social housing project. Picture: Peter McVerry Trust 

"It is greatly encouraging to see a derelict building brought back into use for social homes, particularly one of such historic importance," said Mr Martin.

It’s an illustration of the types of developments that are happening all over the country now in terms of social housing provision through approved housing bodies such as the Peter McVerry Trust."

Such housing schemes aid in the renewal of town centres such as Charleville, which has also benefitted from an investment of up to €6m for a major new arts centre in the town, he said.

“What we are witnessing now in very real time is the rejuvenation of town centres, and with the Croí Cónaithe town fund [a grant scheme to renovate vacant and derelict buildings] as well, there’s even further opportunities for derelict buildings such as this to be rejuvenated, repurposed for housing, social and affordable housing, and I think that’s the way forward,” he added.

Francis Doherty, Brian Friel, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, and Fianna Fáil councillor Ian Doyle at the launch of Peter McVerry Trust’s new social housing project in Charleville. Picture: Peter McVerry Trust 

Peter McVerry Trust, the national housing and homeless charity, has delivered nine new social housing apartments in the former Christian Brothers School on Main St, Charleville.

The school has been a landmark on Charleville’s Main St since 1866 and was attended by former president and founder of Fianna Fáil Éamon de Valera for three years between 1896 and 1898, with the teenage schoolboy walking seven miles each day from Bruree, Co Limerick.

Remodelled in the 1920s and eventually closed in 1972, the building was delisted in 2014, and used by various community groups until it fell into a state of disrepair in more recent years.

The old building had a BER rating of G, but all apartments have been upgraded to a high BER rating, B1 or A3, above the minimum standard for social housing units in Co Cork. 

In 2022, the charity worked with more than 12,000 people across Ireland, including 125 people in Cork. Peter McVerry Trust delivered 48 homes for people in Cork experiencing homelessness last year and is ramping up its delivery of homes for individuals and families in the city and county in 2023. 

The charity currently supports 77 tenancies across Cork City and county.