Towering ambition at stylish city centre walled scheme

CALLANAN’S TOWER and the apartments built around it can now speak for itself. Just as well.

Even those used to estate agents’ enthusiastic prose would have had to cock a snoot at the description of this Cork folly tower and its attributes when first built almost 150 years ago. It was supposed to be at the centre of a pleasure gardens and racecourse to be developed by local grocer and wine merchant, Michael Callanan.

It had, went an advertising description in 1871, “a bird’s eye view of the entire city and suburbs” — so far, fair enough.