Aoife Moriarty, Cork Chamber of Commerce; John Hayes, Cork City Council Tourism; Kate Culhane, Neville Jewellers and Cork Business Association; Pat Keane, Works Dept. Cork City Council; Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Fergal Dennehy; Valerie O’Sullivan, Chief Executive, Cork City Council; John O’Connor, Works Dept. Cork City Council (kneeling); Cormac Ó Suilleabhain, Director of Services, Cork City Council; and Cliona Barnes, Cork Business Association, announcing details of the new grant. Photo: Brian Lougheed

Grant to help people to do-up Pana properties

Steven Fox

Published: Wed 28 Jan 2026, 11:08 AM

Last updated: Wed 28 Jan 2026, 11:14 AM

A grant aimed at revitalising St Patrick’s Street, which was announced as part of Cork City Council’s City Centre Action Plan, has begun to invite applications.

The fund will provide financial assistance of up to €10,000 to property owners on St Patrick’s St to help them “enhance their building frontages, and to help create a more attractive and welcoming city centre and boost economic vibrancy”, according to an announcement from Cork City Council.

The funding was agreed at the City Council’s December 2025 meeting.

Owners of properties located between St Augustine’s Church at the southern end of St Patrick’s Street, and Lavitt’s Quay/Merchant’s Quay at the northern end, are eligible to apply for the scheme.

Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Fergal Dennehy, said the grant is a “hugely positive step in supporting building owners and businesses to refresh the heart of the city”.

“This initiative will help brighten façades, enhance the overall streetscape, and create a more inviting environment for shoppers, workers, and visitors alike. It’s exactly the type of practical, visible action that shows Cork City Council’s commitment to maintaining a vibrant and attractive city centre,” he said.

There are two key funding elements.

The first is designed to help improve building façades through painting and minor external works. Supports of up to €5,000, or 25% of the costs of the work (excluding VAT), whichever is lower, will be made available.

The second will focus on upgrading and restoring shopfronts at street level and will “encourage businesses to adopt traditional designs that enhance the historic streetscape”. Grant support of up to €5,000, or 25% of costs (excluding VAT), whichever is lower, will be made available.

Business owners may apply for funding under both funding elements for a single property, and applications will also be accepted where property owners are receiving other grant aid, for instance the vacant property grant.

The funding will encourage the use of traditional materials, the use of sensitive signage, and “visually appealing façades that reflect Cork city’s unique identity”.

Council Chief Executive Valerie O’Sullivan said the scheme is a great opportunity to be part of the positive change happening in the city.

The council has also said a number of trade partners will offer exclusive discounts to successful applicants on painting materials and certain other equipment to help reduce the overall cost of the works.It also said it is waiving a range of scaffolding and hoarding fees to encourage applications and wider take-up of the scheme.

The fund is being overseen by the City Council’s City Centre Development and Operations Directorate.

This article was produced with the support of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme funded by Coimisiún na Meán.