Cork’s historic Shandon Butter Market to become ‘a place of exchange’ once more in €7m regeneration

By Peter McCarthy, Corkman

Cork city’s Shandon area is to get a €7m redevelopment with the historic Butter Market and Weighmaster’s House to be turned into an enterprise and community hub catering for a range of users.

The funding has been awarded to Cork City Council under the THRIVE-Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme funded by the government and the European Union. The project sets out to refurbish the complex, transforming it into a publicly accessible building while giving it a new purpose as an enterprise, community and creative space.

Construction on the complex is expected to start in August 2026, with the project scheduled for completion by February 2028. With cutting-edge studios, incubation space, workspaces and community facilities in the restored landmark, the project aims to create a vibrant hub of activity within walking distance of the city centre.

"The redevelopment of the Butter Market is an important milestone for Cork, demonstrating what we can achieve when local authorities, communities, and enterprise partners collaborate with a shared purpose,” the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Fergal Dennehy, said.

“Once central to Cork’s trading life, the Butter Market will once again become a place of exchange, reflecting Cork’s spirit of resilience, creativity and ambition.”

Chief Executive of Cork City Council, Valerie O’Sullivan, said that the council is proud to lead the transformation of the historic Shandon Butter Market Complex.

“By combining enterprise, education and community use, the Shandon Exchange will act as a catalyst for sustainable growth, talent attraction and job creation on Cork’s northside, ensuring that the benefits extend well beyond the walls of this iconic site and that the Shandon area can reach its potential in the city,” she said.

"For the people of Shandon, the Exchange is more than a building — it’s a symbol of renewal. It will bring new opportunities for the local community, create a stronger link with the city centre, and ensure this historic part of Cork continues to thrive,” James Nolan of the Shandon Area Renewal Association (SARA) said.