Cork buildings to bare all

Ever wanted to nose about the Cork Circuit Courthouse, have a wander through the Heineken brewery, or even have a sneaky sconce inside the mysterious Masonic Hall? Well, this weekend you can!

This Saturday, kicking off Heritage Week 2026, 42 buildings will be opening their doors to the public for one day only in Cork.

This year, ten new buildings have been added to the Open Day line-up making it one of, if not the biggest Heritage Week events in Ireland this year.

One of the new additions is the Graffiti Theatre in Blackpool which was originally built in 1907 as the Assumption Convent. The distinctive building has been home to Graffiti Theatre Company since 2005. Carefully converted from a deconsecrated chapel and dormitories into a creative centre for children and young people up to the age of 22, the building is a striking example of sensitive architectural reuse. A tour of the building will be given by the architect behind its conversion, Paul Hudson of Hudson & Associates.

Another new addition this year is St Michael’s Church in Blackrock where architect Sir Thomas Deane and mathematician George Boole are buried. The present St Michael’s stands on the site of a church of the same name which served Blackrock from 1822. It was tragically lost in an accidental fire in 1962. The current church was designed by James Rupert Boyd Barrett and opened its doors in 1964.

Some of the other new buildings this year include Blarney Woolen Mills, which has a long association with Cork’s textile history, and Blackrock Castle Observatory, one of Cork’s most iconic heritage buildings.

Also new to the Open Day programme this year is the LÉ Samuel Beckett, one of the most advanced and recognisable ships in the Irish Naval Service. Commissioned as part of the naval service's offshore patrol fleet, the LÉ Samuel Beckett was designed to operate in challenging conditions across the Atlantic Ocean. Its primary role is to patrol Ireland's vast maritime territory, helping to safeguard national interests at sea. The ship is involved in a wide range of duties, including fishery protection, search and rescue support, maritime surveillance, security operations, and humanitarian missions.

One of the most popular Open Day tours each year is that of Cork Opera House, easily one of the city’s most fascinating heritage buildings. The structure began its life as The Athenauem when it was first built on Anglesea Street to house the National Exhibition. Designed by the much-celebrated architect Sir John Benson, the structure was deconstructed brick by brick to be rehoused on Emmet Place where it stood until it was destroyed by a fire in 1955. Following a huge fundraising effort by the devastated people of Cork, a modern theatre designed by Scott Tallon Walker was rebuilt on the same site in 1965.

Also taking place as part of Cork Heritage Open Day are a series of talks across a number of historic buildings in Cork. Well-known local playwright Cónal Creedon will give a talk on Heritage and the Big Bang of Storytelling in Civic Trust House, while historian Dagmar O’Riain Raedel will give a talk on the architectural legacy of the Hill Dynasty in the Metropole Hotel.

While all events are free of charge, some must be booked in advance. See corkheritageopenday.ie for a full programme and for bookings.