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About The Dock

The Dock is Leitrim’s flagship arts centre, housed in a landmark, riverside venue in Carrick-on-Shannon, Ireland. We present an artistic programme that spans dance, music, theatre, visual arts and more. We host an arts education and outreach programme that provides people of all ages and backgrounds with opportunities to engage in a meaningful way with artists and communities.

About

  • About The Dock
  • Board & Governance
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History

Built in 1828 as a courthouse, The Dock is a significant heritage building which was restored by Leitrim County Council and reopened in 2005 as an award-winning arts centre. The venue has three galleries, a performance space, community meeting spaces, and artists’ studios. We continue to improve our facilities and to work towards the green transition of the building.

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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

Networks

The Dock is a member of the Irish Museums Association, the Irish Network Against Racism, the Performing Arts Forum, the Public Participation Network, Trans Europe Halles and Visual Artists Ireland. The Dock is a member of the Cultural Transformation Movement, an international alliance of multidisciplinary arts centres committed to diversity and inclusion in the arts and culture sector.

Support The Dock

If you would like to support our efforts, a donation can make a big difference to the communities that we serve. There are a number of ways to support The Dock:

Buy a ticket for a friend


Buy a gift voucher

Make a once off donation online

Stay in Touch

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Telephone
071 965 0828
Address
The Dock
St. George’s Terrace
Carrick-on-Shannon
County Leitrim, Ireland
N41T2X2
Building opening hours

Monday to Saturday, 10am—6pm Closed Bank Holidays

Gallery opening hours

Tuesday to Saturday, 10am—5pm
Closed Bank Holidays
 

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© 2025 Leitrim Arts Development CLG t/a The Dock. All rights reserved.
Charity Number: CHY16668. Company Number: 404407.