27 June 2024
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Cloyne Union has completed a major restoration of its Parish Hall, a familiar piece of the architectural heritage of Midleton, Co. Cork, located across the road from St John the Baptist Church. The roof was completely re-lathed, re-felted, re-leaded and re-slated by John Cody Carpentry Services with great sensitivity towards the heritage building. The parish is grateful to parishioners who have raised funds for the Hall at whist drives over many years and to the Department of Rural and Community Development for a grant under the Community Centres Investment Fund 2022.
The building is over 150 years old. Viscount Midleton granted the land for a two-room schoolhouse, with adjoining teacher’s residence, and the school opened in 1868. The architect was Henry Hill, who also designed Kilgarrife, Rushbrooke and Coolkellure churches and many other public buildings across the county. Generations of East Cork families were educated at St John the Baptist National School in this building, until the school moved to its current site on Connolly Street in 1980. Since then, the parish has maintained the Hall as a venue for cultural activities (dance, music, crafts, games), support groups (addiction, poverty, refugees), small businesses and – of course – church events, and new enquiries are always welcome.
