About The Dock

Carrick-on-Shannon Courthouse is one of a large number of county court buildings constructed in Ireland in the early part of the nineteenth century. It was designed by William Farrell in the classical style that was popular at the time, as the centre for administration of justice and local government in the county.

The Courthouse is a significant building in County Leitrim dating from the early nineteenth century. Piggotts Directory of 12 August 1824 refers to "a handsome Courthouse built upwards of two years ago" adjacent to the county jail.

It appears that the building suffered from significant defects in the early years after construction. In the Roscommon and Leitrim Gazette of 17 June 1837, a notice on tenders for repairs to the Courthouse is included. Subsequently, on 6 July 1839, there is reference to the works being complete.

In a document titled "Report on the state and progress of Public Buildings, Bridges, Roads and other works; together with improvements necessary in the County of Leitrim" as submitted to the Grand Jury at the Spring Assizes in 1838 by Thomas D. Hall, Civil Engineer (County Surveyor), a more detailed description of the work involved is included:

"The Courthouse has undergone very necessary repairs; being made perfectly staunch in the roof, and free from those defects which would lead to any further leakage"

In 1845, there was a further reference to the state of the building fabric of the Courthouse. In the Roscommon and Leitrim Gazette issue of 22 February, comment is made on the building as fast approaching decay and has cost the county several thousand pounds.

There are many references to activities at the Courthouse in the Roscommon and Leitrim Gazette over the years including a report on 6 March 1841 that a bust of Lord Viscount Clements Leitrim was erected in the building. Subsequently, this bust was removed during the war of independence to Farnaught Church of Ireland near Mohill.

The Courthouse at Carrick-on-Shannon also housed the Grand Jury, which administered local government in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. From 1898 to 1994, it housed the chamber and offices of Leitrim County Council.

The building continued to house the local authority and the courts during the twentieth century. However, like many similar buildings, little maintenance works were carried out and over time the fabric of the building deteriorated seriously leading to local debate in the 1980s and early 1990s about the future of the building. The courts service in particular was very dissatisfied with the poor facilities and decaying condition of the building fabric. Demolition of the building was even raised as a possible option.

Finally, the courts service and the local authority vacated the building in 1994 and it remained vacant until refurbished as Leitrim’s new arts centre, The Dock, which opened on 20 August 2005.

— Seán Gill

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