University College Cork

Located on 42 acres of wooded ground just off the Western Road, a short distance from the city centre and Fitzgerald Park, the university was founded in 1845 as one of three Queen’s Colleges located in Belfast, Cork, and Galway. It became University College Cork, under the Irish Universities Act of 1908.

The university was named Irish University of the Year by The Sunday Times on five occasions; most recently in 2017. The student population has grown from 115 students in 1849 when it opened to over 24,000 in 2023.

Noteable Events

In 1862 the West Wing of the Quadrangle was almost completely destroyed by a fire. The cause was never discovered.
George Boole died in 1864. He was the first professor of mathematics at the college and he is renowned for his work in laying the foundations of the information age. See georgeboole.com for more information.
In 1875 the Medical (Windle) Building was completed.
In 1880 the Crawford Observatory was completed.
In 1911 UCC acquired a lease on the Mardyke Athletic Grounds. The grounds were purchased in 1922.
In 1916 the Honan Chapel was built. It reflects the best skills of the Arts and Crafts Movement of the Twentieth Century.
In 1928 W.T. Cosgrave laid the foundation stone for the Dairy Science Building.
In 1929 the Western Road Gates and bridge were completed.
In 1934 a statue of Queen Victoria was removed from the top of the Aula Maxima and replaced with a statue of St Finbarr. Queen Victoria’s statue was stored in the East Wing for over a decade and in 1946 it was buried in the President’s Garden. It was later recovered and is displayed in the Graduates Room.
In 1942 UCC acquired a part of the Old County Gaol site, acquiring the rest of the site in 1958.
In 1963 Sean O’Riada was appointed Lecturer in Music.
In 1967 the Kane (Science) Building was commissioned.
In 1977 Aras na Laoi, formerly La Retraite was purchased.
In 1982 the Boole Library was built on the site of the former UCC Quarry (the site of many student soccer matches!).
In 1994 the Castlewhite Student Apartments were built.
In 1995 Aras na Mac Leinn (UCC Student Centre) was built.
In 1998 the O’Rahilly Building was built on the site of the former Honan Hostel.
In 2001 the foundation stone for the Biosciences Institute was laid.
In 2004 the Lewis Glucksman Gallery was opened by the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese.
In 2009 the Western Gateway Building was completed.
In 2010 the world’s first Junctionless Transistor was developed by the Tyndall National Institute located in UCC’s Lee Maltings Complex.
In 2020 The Hub was opened on the site of the former Windle (Medical) building. Its purpose is to facilitate learning, networking, and student interactions.