A FORMER school building in Cork has been purchased by the city council at a cost of €1.25 million and is set to be transformed in to a cultural centre.
The red brick "North Mon" school on Cork's north side, which dates back to 1811, is to be refurbished next year for possible use as a photographic museum and/or cultural centre.
The school building has been out of use for a number of years having been replaced by a new premises.
Cork City Council has agreed to buy the building from the Christian Brothers, with the first phase of renovation expected to be completed by 2010. North Monastery is due to celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2011.
The green area in front of the historic school will be maintained as a park.
Meanwhile, Cork City Council has also issued a draft local area plan for Farranferris college in Cork's north side.
The former secondary-school site has been designated as a training/educational facility, while a portion of the grounds is being zoned for recreational and residential development.
A total of 4.4 hectares of land within the college grounds have been identified for low density housing, while the existing playing pitch will be retained for sporting events in the area.
In early 2007, a plan was drawn up for the college by developer Michael O'Flynn on behalf of the diocese of Cork and Ross.
Under the plan, the main Gothic-style 120-year-old building, measuring some 3,700sq m (40,000sq ft), would be retained and refurbished. Six new buildings would be constructed nearby.
The three-storey former seminary would be used to accommodate Fás, the Northside Community Enterprise and the Cork City VEC, to provide adult education and progression to programmes provided by University College Cork and Cork Institute of Technology.
However, the plan was rejected by Cork City Council amid suggestions that it would be irregular to have a private local area plan.
The seminary building at Farranferris, which closed as a post-primary school in June 2006, is a listed structure.
The boys secondary school included RTÉ's Bill O'Herlihy and hurler John Gardner among its alumni.
In its final year it had just 73 pupils. Known as "Farna", it was considered one of the finest "nurseries" of hurling in the country.