Chance of half a century

Tommy Barker sees potential in a Georgian original on the North Mall

COULD No 8 North Mall become, once again, one of Cork’s most fashionable townhouses?

The Georgian original, one of the very finest houses on this very impressive and almost intact stretch of period terraced architecture, is up for sale by auction next month. Miss it, and you could wait another half a century again for such a chance.

The North Mall is visually one of Cork’s most pleasing scenes, with the north channel of the River Lee alongside, bookended bridges and with swans and ducks regular passers-by. It is an easy street upon which to watch the world go by... even if some of the apartment blocks across the Lee on Bachelors Quay let down the air of faded grandeur: already-faded cheap modern just doesn’t have the same visual appeal.

The rock-set St Vincent’s church on Sunday’s Well stands sentinel above North Mall in the western distance and directly behind the mall is the sheer escarpment of sandstone cliff which holds up Blarney Street.

In the midst of this relatively unchanging streetscape lies No 8, a three-storey terraced Georgian townhouse house full of intact architectural detailing. It stands out from its neighbours by virtue of its recently-conserved railings and first floor ground level wrought iron balcony and flag pole.

No 8, also known as Dunlaoi, has been used by a range of political/cultural/educational organisations over the past 50 or 60 years, since first taken in hand in 1951 by Scéim na gCeardchumann, moving then from trade union activism to the Dunlaoi Group in 1961 and administered ever since as an “umbrella” voluntary movement by the now 80-year-old Criostoir de Baroid.

Trade union education, human rights, Irish language classes and nationalist groups all met here, as well as its being a base for Between, a North/South inter-community organisation giving relief to families and children under stress during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, on a non-political basis.

As it comes up for public auction, its future may be in continuance in some communal or commercial use, or it could be reconverted back to use as a fantastic family home of quality.

It has already had some €250,000 spent on its conservation but as it doesn’t have the look (or functions) at present of a private home, it will need changes such as kitchen, bathrooms, and assigned reception rooms.

There’s lots of scope, in any case, with 1,500 sq ft at ground level, a fantastic and elegant stairwell which serves the next two floors, each with 1,350 sq ft of space. There’s access via an arched over side passage to a rear yard, where old coachouses have been removed after becoming dangerous. There’s clear potential here for gardens, several mews buildings or other uses, as well as car parking. The scope to the back may lure developers to view the overall package. Estate agent is Andrew Moore, jointly with David Daly of Sherry FitzGerald O’Donovan Daly in Carrigaline, and no AMV is quoted, but the price expectation is clearly around or over the €1 million mark.

Back in the Middle Ages, the North Mall was home to a Franciscan friary and its ruins survived up to the 1800s when Abbey Square was built.

North Mall is now home to a number of very large and very small houses, a microbrewery, the offices of the Cork County Fire Services, some student accommodation and there are plans mooted for a merged public hospital on the Distillery field just to the west.