Educational Buildings

The Deanery Gardens

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Located beside St. Finbarr's Cathedral, the Old Deanery stands on approximately 2 acres of grounds and gardens in one of the most historic parts of Cork City. Originally home to the deans of St. Finbarr's Cathedral, it came into the ownership of the City of Cork Vocational Education Committee (V.E.C.) in the late 1960's and was in use by the Crawford College of Art and the Rural Science section of the Cork RTC for a number of years.

Since 1989 the building and gardens have been home to a Further Education course for school leavers known as Youthreach and since 2002 to a Back to Education Initiative for Adults. The gardens have been restored over the years and are set out in two sections; a leisure garden and a kitchen garden.

There is evidence of occupation in the main house since the 1700's, although the location in the grounds may have changed. The Old Deanery formed part of what was church property all around the vicinity of St. Finbarr's Cathedral, which included the Choristers House (next door) and the Library house in the grounds of the Cathedral.  The building and grounds exist in the designated medieval zone of Cork City. 

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