AN iconic building in Timoleague where Daniel O’Connell orated outside in 1822 has been given a new lease of life.
The Old Courthouse, which was built 1700, has been developed into a modern co-working space.
The building has seen many changes down through the years from the original courthouse upstairs and a livestock market downstairs every Thursday, to a petrol pump station, an English language school and now, a co-working hub.
Paul and Sharon Crosbie, originally from Cork and Kinsale, spent 23 years in Dublin and have settled in their cottage in nearby Cregane which was a summer bolthole for their family over the last 15 years.
They purchased the building in 2021 during the height of Covid and have been developing the ground floor of the building into a co-working space whose motto is ‘sometimes… everybody needs a little space.’
‘After a number of delays, we are delighted to finally open the doors of the Courthouse Hub. After 35 years of working in an office environment within the Irish media industry, I felt this was the way work-life was going,’ said Paul. ‘Pre-Covid, the key word in business was “work/life balance.” Some companies made half-hearted attempts to satisfy this staffing aspiration, but saying and doing are two different things,’ said Paul
‘Then Covid-19 came along and changed everything. Work habits had to adapt and so did companies. Anyone at the time, still in a functioning working role had to adapt and work remotely. This was the start of the remote working revolution and how people would work and have life balance in the future.
‘Co-working spaces became a huge part of this change and is now part of the working fabric in Ireland coupled with the re-generation of rural towns and villages. It has also forced the government into accelerating the push for nationwide broadband which has certainly had its issues, but at least it has started which is welcomed,’ he added.
The hub will open from March 13th, with an open day on March 10th from 10am to 2pm. Local historian, Donal Whooley will perform the opening at 2.30pm and everyone is welcome.
Meanwhile, Canadian artist Deirdre Keohane will visit the hub later this month where she will reproduce her well known painting of Daniel O’Connell at the building, as a mural at the hub.