Space on offer at historic Camden Fort Meagher

Fancy working inside a building steeped in history?

Creative practitioners, educators, community groups, and enterprises are being invited to submit expressions of interest (EOI) for room or space hire inside Camden Fort Meagher.

Open to the public during the tourist season, the fort is now seeking to expand its offering through new partnerships.

The Cork County Council initiative is looking for collaborators who can contribute to Camden Fort Meagher’s mission of heritage preservation, cultural engagement, and community enrichment, while respecting and enhancing the fort’s unique historical significance.

Eligible activities include, but are not limited to: art exhibitions, performance arts, educational workshops, historical interpretation projects, community initiatives, film and media production, and cultural events.

All proposed activities must be compatible with the conservation and protection of the historic site and must enhance the visitor experience.

Located at the mouth of Cork Harbour, Camden Fort Meagher boasts more than 400 years of military history.

The fort, which was originally known as the Ram’s Head Battery, after the headland it is built on, was named for John Pratt, 2nd Earl of Camden, in 1795, while he served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Originally built in the 16th century, the current fortifications date from the 1860s. It was one of the Treaty Port installations which remained under British control after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1922, and wasn’t handed over to the defence forces until 1938.

The site includes underground magazines, artillery batteries, and expansive views across the harbour, offering a distinctive and atmospheric setting for creative, cultural and educational activity.

Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Mary Linehan Foley welcomed the news.

“Camden Fort Meagher is a site steeped in military history, and this new initiative will help make it even more accessible to the community while also enhancing what the fort has to offer commercially,” she said.