North Monastery Christian Brothers School

Attached eight-bay two-storey school building, built c.1910. With gable-fronted two-bay two-storey projection at front (east) elevation. Pitched slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles, limestone verge coping, red brick corbelled chimneystacks and profiled rainwater goods. Red brick walls laid down in Flemish Bond with red and yellow brick stepped decorative eaves course, recessed window bays having corbelled cornices, yellow brick platbands, yellow brick and stone dressings and chamfered plinth course. Pointed arch window openings with rubbed yellow brick window heads having roll moulded soffits, Portland Stone impost blocks, stone sills and replacement uPVC windows throughout. Blind oculi to front (east) and south gables. Pointed arch door openings with rubbed yellow brick heads having roll moulded soffits, Portland Stone impost blocks and stone blocking stops and thresholds. uPVC doors throughout. Set in large grounds on sloping site. Attached to adjacent building at north-east. Forms one element in a large complex of school buildings, including 1960s buildings to north-west and 1990s school buildings to north-east.

This polychromatic brick school building was constructed in the early twentieth century to commemorate the first centenary of Christian Brothers education on the site. Replete with fine brick detailing this is a landmark building which appears to be in very good condition externally. Forming an essential element in a complex of education buildings at the site, this building is an important example of the legacy of the advancement of technical education in the early years of the last century. Despite the loss of the original fenestration, the building has been well maintained and the school continues to present a coherent aspect with the original attributes surviving in place together with most of the original fabric. An attendant range similarly presents an early twentieth century character and contributes positively to the group and setting values of the site in the local area. The building is also an important part of Cork’s social and educational history, with former Taoiseach and renowned sportsman, Jack Lynch, and patriot and former Lord Mayor of Cork, Terence McSwiney, among its past pupils.