Ireland Trip # 58: A Look at the Architecture of the Cork City Gaol & a Ghost

This is a panoramic shot I managed to take!

In this blog, we'll take a look at the architecture of the creepy Cork City Gaol, because Tom is an architect and has an appreciation for it! Of course, we also ran into a ghost in one of the outbuildings.

The museum's website: http://corkcitygaol.com/about/architecture/ 
said: The Cork City Gaol was built in 1824. It is a listed building, an important part of Irish architectural heritage. A fine example of the work of Sir Thomas Deane, it dates from one of the most distinguished periods in Cork’s architectural history.

Western side of the Gaol

It is a wonderful piece of Georgian/Gothic architecture, with a number of particularly pleasant and unusual features – in fact, from the outside, it looks more like a castle than a purpose built prison. The classical proportions of the building feature Gothic details such as turreted battlements, dripstones etc. The basic shape of the main building is like the capital letter “H”, with the Governor’s House forming the central block.
At each end of the Governor’s House are circular drum galleries, 3 storeys high linking into the cell wings. These are lighted from central roof lanterns. The ends of each of the single-sided cell wings have beautifully proportioned circular towers, offsetting the austerity of the wings.

Hallway in an outbuilding

The remodelled (1870s) double-sided West cell wing, in contrast to the others, gives a remarkable sense of space with its high arched hallway and catwalks on either side giving access to the cells. Behind the main building was the Hospital and also, the Debtors Prison (both yet to be restored).

GHOST IN THE OUTBUILDING - Of course, ghosts weren't just limited to the main gaol. There was one in the outbuilding, too, and he gave me his name! 
  As we walked by the outbuilding (pictured here with the long, empty corridor) Tom said he smelled a "sickly sweet smell." Right at that time I clearly heard the name "MacGhee!" from inside the building. Of course, there was no one there... it was just a former inmate or employee calling out a name (which may or may not have been his). 

One of the outbuildings behind the Gaol

The entire Gaol complex is contained within an oval outer wall, with entry through the Gatehouse ……
an entrance door of strong oak, studded with flat nails and situated under the Gallows.

Backside of the Gaol

NEXT: WHAT IT"S LIKE TO BE IN A CELL