Cork City Council to provide more than €127k for repair of Firkin Crane roof

Cork City Council has agreed to provide more than €127,000 to repair the roof of Firkin Crane, as the owners believe that the building could have to close this winter otherwise.

At a council meeting this week, the chief executive circulated a report explaining that a formal request for financial support was received from the board of Dance Cork Firkin Crane, for the re-roofing of the building in Shandon.

The building, owned by The Firkin Crane CLG, is a protected structure and is also on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

It was designed in 1855 by John Benson, and has served various purposes over the years, including as a butter market exchange.

Refurbished in the 1990s, it became Ireland’s first dance house, before it was rebranded as Dance Cork Firkin Crane.

A report by Southgate Associates, heritage conservation specialists, provided by Dance Cork Firkin Crane (DCFC), recommends “repairs to the roof which, although structurally sound, is leaking badly due to [the] failure of the roof membrane installed in 1985 and now well beyond its design life.”

The management of DCFC says that “without immediate intervention there is a risk of closure, for health and safety reasons, during the upcoming winter months, with consequences for the many schools, artists, and community groups who rely on this space, as well as lost income that could jeopardise the future of the organisation itself”, the report noted.

Cost 

DCFC is requesting €127,364 from the council — the total estimated cost for the re-roofing project is €197,364 — but DCFC has secured €20,000 through its own resources and is proposing to apply for a capital funding grant of €50,000, the maximum available amount, from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

The council report explained: “The executive has engaged with the board and management of DCFC and is satisfied that all available fundraising routes that can secure repairs by this summer have been exhausted and that support from Cork City Council is necessary to expedite the repair and thus safeguard the building,” adding that they recommend DCFC increase its fundraising activities to support future repairs.

The council contribution of €127,364, which was approved unanimously by elected members, includes match-funding the €50,000 DCFC may get from the Government, and providing the remaining balance as an interest-free loan to be repaid over an agreed term.

The loan of €77,364 is subject to provision by DCFC of a confirmed final quote for the works from a competitively-procured contractor.

The report added that the proposed investment “aligns with the council’s commitment to preserving Cork’s heritage; and the commitment to protect and optimise arts infrastructure under the space for art strategic goal in the Cork City Council Arts And Culture Strategy 2022 – 2026”.