Nostalgia: Looking back at the fascinating history of Cork's iconic Queens Old Castle

Fresh plans for the redevelopment of Cork's iconic Queens Old Castle have been lodged with the city council.

The planning application, submitted by City Properties (Cork) Limited, seeks permission for a range of conservation, demolition, refurbishment and alteration works to allow for the construction of a retail and office development.

Last year, the same applicant received conditional planning permission for a more modest development at the site.

With a decision on the planning application expected at the end of next month this week’s Nostalgia takes a look back at the fascinating history of the Queens Old Castle - a building that has been part of the city centre for centuries.

According to Cork Past and Present, an online service of Cork City Libraries providing information on Cork's history, culture, places, people, and events, it was originally the site of the King's Castle - one of the two fortresses guarding the entrance to the medieval port of Cork.

The original Queen's Castle was further to the north near present-day Castle Street and Cornmarket Street.

The earliest documentary evidence that definitely identifies the location of the castle is from 1608 but some historians believe that the King's Castle was originally built as far back as 1206.

Despite the confusions in the historical record there is a consensus among historians that the castle functioned until the late fifteenth century.

There is also evidence that it was used as a jail in medieval times.

In 1609, following orders from James I, all or part of the castle was demolished and a courthouse was built on part of the site.

The courthouse was built over a two-year period between 1610 and 1612 and stood until 1680 when it collapsed during a trial.

Following the opening of the new courthouse on Great George's Street, now Washington Street, in 1835 the site was developed as a department store owned by a man named William Fitzgibbon.

Around this time the site became known as the Queen's Old Castle, which may have been in honour of Queen Victoria.

From the 1840s to the 1970s, the Queen's Old Castle was one of the most popular department stores in Cork.

It survived the Burning of Cork in 1920 and ownership changed hands a number of times over the decades.

A change was made after it was purchased by Power Securities Ltd, who transformed it from a department store to a shopping centre.

The new shopping centre, officially opened by Jack Lynch in 1980 had 37 individual shops and restaurants.

There was further change in 1996 when Clarendon Properties bought the building. 

It closed for refurbishment and when it re-opened there were just two main tenants – catalogue retailer, Argos and Virgin Music Megastore.

Both stores have since closed and a Dealz is the only business currently occupying the site.