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CORK CITY’S NEW courthouse was officially opened today, incorporating a modern building with an old red-brick school building.

The Model School, located on Anglesea Street, has gone under refurbishment works worth €35 million and been joined up with a new building that will become part of Cork city’s new courthouse, which the Chief Justice said is now “probably the best in the country”.

The works form part of a large refurbishment plan of courthouses across Ireland which involves incorporating new buildings and designs with the old, original architecture. The Cork Centre of Justice is the sixth of seven courts buildings to become operational.

Located at the rear of the former Cork Model School, the site was chosen to extend the courthouse because it “makes use of a vacant city site”, and “provides a landmark building in an existing civic quarter”.

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It has six courtrooms, a vulnerable witness suite, a victim support room, a legal practitioners room, a jury reception room, consultation rooms and other support facilities.

The Courts Service said that the new space “reflects and respects the importance of the work of providing justice; acknowledges the dignity and privacy of the people the court seeks to serve; and through its architecture and restyling, it reflects a relationship between old and new”.

The courthouse is the second in the city – there’s also the Cork Courthouse on Washington Street.

The city now has two fine court venues which reflect its importance as a metropolitan area of much business, commerce, human endeavour, education, living, and as a centre of court administration.

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Model School

Cork city’s Model School first opened its doors in September 1865 for “45 infants, 61 boys and a similar number of girls”. Enrolment later peaked at 450.

In the early 20th century there was also a maritime college based on site which served an important role in the First World War, when Cork was the principal transatlantic port for the British Empire.

The school closed its doors in 1990 and in 1995, the building was converted to a courthouse by Office of Public Works architect Michael Haugh.

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The Chief Justice of Ireland, Mr Justice Frank Clarke said that the new courthouse would “ensure that this site will continue in public use for the people of Cork long into the future”.

This fine refurbishment and new building is a very successful solution to providing additional and improved court facilities in the city.

“The improved facilities and the attractive design of the new building, complementing the historic structure, will help create an atmosphere beneficial to all who have business in the courts in Cork.”

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