Cllr Kieran McCarthy will take part in Cork Heritage Open Day on Saturday 17 August through giving a tour of Cork City Hall. The open day is a unique event, which is held on the first Saturday of National Heritage Week. Cork Heritage Open Day will see over 42 buildings open their doors to the public for one day only.  A series of guided walking tours, heritage events, exhibitions, talks and children’s events will also take place.  All events are free.

   Cork Heritage Open Day is organised by Cork City Council as part of Heritage Week in partnership with the National Heritage Council and with media sponsorship from Cork’s 96FM and The Echo.

   A tour of City Hall by Cllr Kieran McCarthy will take place at 11am, which will include the architecture and history of the building and finishing with a visit to the Lord Mayor’s Chamber. This event is one of several building tours to be held on the 17 August. They are all free but some tours of buildings are ticketed. Please see www.corkheritageopenday.ie for more information or pick up a Cork Heritage Open Day brochure from the City’s libraries.

   Cllr McCarthy noted; “City Hall is one of the most splendid and historic buildings of Cork. The current structure, replaced the old City Hall, which was destroyed in the ‘The burning of Cork’ in 1920. It was designed by Architects Jones and Kelly and built by Cork Company Sisks”. The foundation stone was laid by Eamonn de Valera, president of the Executive Council of the State on 9 July, 1932. The first meeting of the Council was held on 24 April, 1935 and the building was formerly opened by Eamonn de Valera on 8th September 1936. 

   Kieran has also posted his walking tours for National Heritage Week, 17-24 August online on his website under the “tours” section at www.kieranmccarthy.ie.