List of market houses in the Republic of Ireland

Market houses (sometimes earlier called tholsels) are a notable feature of many Irish towns with varying styles of architecture, size and ornamentation. They are usually located at the centre of the town at which at one stage a market was held. Originally there were one, three, four or even five or more bays on the ground floor which formed a covered arcade to protect traders from the elements and allow access for carts, animals and produce. An upper floor was often used as a court house or ballroom while the cellar or basement was often used as a local gaol. Ornamentation consisted of a cupola, a clock or sometimes a dome or tower. Today most of the market houses in Ireland have been put to use as cultural venues, business premises, town halls or have been left derelict pending development. Many are listed as protected structures while very few have been demolished in recent times due to a newfound architectural, historical and social appreciation.

Table of market house locations Town County Date built Description Image and/or link Abbeyleix Laois 1836 5 bay, two-storey building until 2005 used as a fire station and library. Renovated as a state of the art library/exhibition centre in the 2000s by de Blacam and Meagher Architects.ArdaraDonegal c. 1840 Heritage centreArvaghCavan 1837 Library and council officesAthboyMeath Pre-1837 Bridal shopAthloneWestmeath 1703 Tholsel demolished 1830AthyKildare 1745 Heritage centre and library (formerly Athy Town Hall and fire station)AughrimWicklow c. 1860 RestaurantBailieboroughCavan 1818 Library (previously co-op store and jam factory)BalbrigganDublin 1811 Furniture store – paid for partly by subscription and partly by the Hamilton family BallaghadereenRoscommon Pre-1837BallinaghCavan 1821 Disused BallinamoreLeitrim – Library BallinasloeGalway 1832 – BallinrobeMayo 1752 5 bay with cupola. District Court HouseBallitoreKildare c. 1780, renovated c. 1840 In ruins BallybayMonaghan 1848 For saleBallybofeyDonegal c. 1820 Post office and training centre BallyconnellCavan c. 1838 DisusedBallyhaiseCavan c. 1740 – BallyjamesduffCavan 1813 Restaurant and shopBallymahonLongford 1819 Sponsored by the Shuldham family. Renovated into new library, one stop shop and community hall 2011BallymoteSligo c. 1870 South Co. Sligo community mental health service of the Health Service ExecutiveBandonCork 1817The Shambles, built on the site of an earlier North Market House by the Duke of DevonshireBantryCork – Offices BelturbetCavan c. 1800 Demolished 1927 and replaced with current town hall. Also known as The Workingmen's Hall.BirrOffaly 1845 Formerly a church hall, now a market. Original is shown on Michael Richards map of Birr in 1691.BlacklionCavan – Tourist information centreBlessingtonWicklow c. 1820 Credit unionBorris-in-OssoryLaois 1880 Storehouse BoyleRoscommon 1826 The Shambles – still in use by various retailers. An older building at market square was demolished in the 1800s.BrayWicklow Original demolished in 1830s. Rebuilt 1881–1883. Previously Bray Town Hall, now McDonald's fast food outletButtevantCork 18th century Community centre (formerly court house), community hallCahirTipperary c. 1770 Library and court houseCahirciveenKerry 19th century ? Shops and filling station CallanKilkenny c. 1825 Town hall CappoquinWaterford – Shop Carrick-on-ShannonLeitrim 1830 formerly Carrick-on-Shannon Courthouse, now a Design and craft centreCarrickmacrossMonaghan 1770s Previously County Fire Service and County Library Service now Lace Gallery Tourist Office and Gift ShopCashelTipperary 1866 Formerly town hall, now tourist information centreCastleblayneyMonaghan 1826 Derelict with restoration plannedCastlecomerKilkenny c. 1809 Court houseCastleislandKerry c. 1745 Department storeCastlemartyrCork – Car showroomCastlepollardWestmeath c. 1815, burned c. 1921, rebuilt c. 1926 Town hall, fire stationCastlereaRoscommon c. 1825 ShopCavanCavan ? Constructed by Lord Farnham. Demolished in 1969 along with the public toilets to make way for new post office building.CelbridgeKildare 17th century School in 1709, later incorporated in mill complex CharlevilleCork 1769 ShopsChurchtownCork 1845 Restored in 2000 as offices and residential ClonakiltyCork 1642 Chinese restaurant History of Clonakilty Market HouseClonburGalway – 1 bay small square market houseClonesMonaghan 1844 Continues to be known as Clones Market House; currently used for the delivery of local services. ClonmanyDonegal c. 1840 Derelict, undergoing restorationClonmelTipperary 1673 Formerly a courthouse known as the Main Guard, later a public house; substantially restored; now houses art exhibitions, with scale models of historic ClonmelClonmelTipperary1817Clonmel Butter MarketClonmellonWestmeath 1835 MarketCobhCork 1851 Public Library, formerly Cobh Town Hall and courthouseCollinstownWestmeath 1806 Demolished in 1950s, for road straightening. Relocation programmed 2010 T.B.C.CollonLouth 1820 Court houseCollooneySligo ? Set fire to and destroyed by the IRA during the civil war CootehillCavan 1806 Demolished CorkCork 1864 Cork Butter Market – see Cork Butter MuseumCorkCork 1843Originally Cork Corn Exchange, destroyed in a fire by the Black and Tans in December 1920, later rebuilt becoming the modern City Hall, Cork todayCorkCork 1739, reconstructed 1843Located on Corn Market. Eleven bay double height former corn market. Still in use as multiple retail outlets and market as well as public house.CorkCork 1860Officially named the Central Markets, they house the more famous English Market.CorofinClare c. 1700, rebuilt incorporating part of old building 1876. Described in 1837 as being an old building supported on slanting buttresses and almost disused as the corn was chiefly sent to Ennis. Commercial DelvinWestmeath c. 1850 Youth club and credit union DonegalDonegal c. 1850 –DroghedaLouth c. 1796 The Corn Exchange, now council offices DroghedaLouth 1769 Mayoralty house, now commercial premises on North QuayDroghedaLouth 1770Formerly The Tholsel, now council officesDrumkeeranLeitrim c. 1850 Retail premises Dublin 2Dublin 1816 Formerly, the Corn Exchange, Burgh Quay. The façade of the building still stands as of December 2022.Dublin 7Dublin 1728 Linen Hall, Yarnhall Street – went into terminal decline following the opening of the Belfast Linen Hall in 1783. The build was later used as a barracks and was finally destroyed by a fire during the 1916 rebellion. See Linenhall, Dublin.Dublin 7Dublin 1892Market hall – Dublin Corporation Wholesale Markets. Closed pending refurbishment 2020.Dublin 7Dublin 1892Market hall – Dublin fish market, closed 2005 and demolished for new markets surface carparkDublin 8Dublin 1727 Market Hall – Corn Market House on Thomas Street. (closed c. 1800) Unknown date of demolition.Dublin 8Dublin 1902Market hall – see Iveagh Markets. Closed since the mid-1990s due to financing issues and ongoing litigation.Dublin 8Dublin 1682–1806The Tholsel, Dublin – once had a tower with cupola and Ireland's first public clockDundalkLouth 1751 7 bay building demolished in 1968DunfanaghyDonegal 1845 CrecheDungarvanWaterford 1690 Arts Centre (formerly a museum)DunlavinWicklow 1743 ? Library, courthouse and art gallery during the annual Dunlavin Arts Festival. Designed by architect Richard Cassels.DunleerLouth 1820s Arts, classes, events and civic centre EdenderryOffaly 1826 Formerly ballroom and museum, later a court house now a business centre.EdgeworthstownLongford – SupermarketEnniscorthyWexford c.1795 Previously a school and a Methodist chapel and later the Urban Council OfficesEnnistymonClare – RestaurantEyrecourtGalway 17th century DerelictFermoyCork 1790 ShopsFethardTipperary 1610 Original tholsel, town hallFinneaWestmeath c. 1850 Private houseFrenchparkRoscommon c. 1840 Derelict GalwayGalway c. 1830 – GalwayGalway1639–1822Galway Tholsel. 6 bay building with cupola on shop street.GlentiesDonegal c. 1840 Community centre GoreyWexford 1709 Local government administration and tourist information centreGraiguenamanaghKilkenny – ShopGranardLongford c. 1785 Courthouse and branch library; part still used for farmers' market. Built under the patronage of the McCartney family. History of Granard Market House