Cork City Council Acquires Historic Counting House for New World-Class Library

Cork City Council has acquired the historic Counting House on South Main Street to develop a new world-class public library for the city.

Cork Safety Alerts

11 May 2026 — 1 min read

Cork City Council has acquired the historic Counting House on South Main Street, with plans to adapt the building into a new world-class public library for the city.

The new facility will be over three times the size of the current library, housing a collection of over 500,000 books, magazines, and journals.

It is expected to welcome around 300,000 enquiries each year and deliver up to 1,500 events annually.

The building will include 300 study spaces, a new entrance and concourse, a shop and café, and dedicated lecture, performance, and exhibition spaces.

Separate areas will cater for children, teens, and young adults, while the project will also see an expanded Cork Local Studies collection and an enhanced Rory Gallagher music library.

The development will bring a vacant historic building in Cork’s medieval core back to life as a vibrant public space. A plaza to the front will host concerts, performances, and community events, supporting the wider regeneration of the area.

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