Carlow Courthouse

Carlow Courthouse is a judicial facility in Dublin Road, Carlow, County Carlow, Ireland.

Carlow Courthouse
Teach Cúirte Cheatharlach
Carlow Courthouse
Carlow Courthouse Location within Ireland
General information
Architectural style	Neoclassical style
Town or city	Carlow
Country	Ireland
Coordinates	52.8391°N 6.9301°W / 52.8391; -6.9301
Completed	1834
Design and construction
Architect(s)	William Vitruvius Morrison

History

The courthouse, which was designed by William Vitruvius Morrison in the neoclassical style and built in ashlar stone, was completed in 1834.^[1] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage facing the corner of Athy Road and Old Dublin Road; there was a flight of steps leading up to a large octastyle portico with Ionic order columns supporting an entablature and a pediment: it was modelled on the Temple on the Ilissus in Athens.^[2] A Russian artillery piece, which had been used in the Crimean War, was brought back to Ireland and placed on the steps of the building in 1858.^[2]

The building was originally used as a facility for dispensing justice but, following the implementation of the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, which established county councils in every county, it also became the meeting place for Carlow County Council.^[3] The county council established their County Secretary's Office on the west side of Athy Road in the mid-20th century^[4][5] before moving further north along the road into modern premises which are now known as the County Buildings.^[6] The courthouse was refurbished in 2002 and continues to be used as a judicial facility.^[7]

References

1. "1834 – Courthouse, Carlow, Co. Carlow". Archiseek. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
2. Comerford, Patrick (13 September 2016). "How the classical courthouse in Carlow revolutionised Irish designs". Retrieved 26 October 2019.
3. "History of the Carlow Regional Technical College and the Institute of Technology, Carlow" (PDF). Carloviana. 2010. p. 61. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
4. "Dublin Street 1985". Ireland Genealogical Projects. Archived from the original on 12 November 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
5. Tracy, Alice (1 December 1953). "The Story of Athy Road" (PDF). Carloviana. p. 30. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
6. "Local Authorities". Oireachtas. 26 May 1982. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
7. "Work to finally start on restoring railings at Carlow Courthouse". KCLR. 31 March 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2019.