A TRULY HISTORIC BUILDING
WHILE Mallow can consider itself fortunate to have a number of aesthetically striking buildings, the Clock House, quite possibly due to its prominent position at the end of Davis Street is one that possesses a universal appeal to locals and visitors to the town alike.
While it is not clear in which year the Clock House was completed, it is known that construction took place under the direction of Sir Charles Denham Jephson-Norreys of Mallow Castle.
Sir Charles’ talents as an amateur architect and the scale of his ambition for the Clock House were already evidenced through his direction in the construction of the Market House (1823) and the Spa House (1828).
Under a 99-year-lease, dated April 30, 1860 Sir Charles contracted with the trustees of Richard Langford Esq to; ‘within said period of five-years expend and layout in the erection of such House, building or office Fifty Pounds sterling at the least’.
An advertisement from 1861 seems to suggest that the Clock Tower was already in place, with the main body of what was to become known as the Clock House built afterwards. This may account for the varying dates attributed to the completion of the Clock House, with the clock itself transferred from one of the towers in Mallow Castle and the bell cast at Millerd St in Cork City.
The ad, placed in the Cork Recorder in October, 1861, announced ‘TO BE LET, the LARGE HOUSE adjoining the Clock Tower at the eastern end of the Main Street and also sought a ‘Person of Capital’ who will carry out a First- Class business in them. The rent, considering the large cost of their erection, will be found moderate’.
Michael Nunan, who had been in business in Mallow in the 1860’s, came to eventually occupy the building. Within a short space of time the new building had become a key feature of the town and was even mentioned in an article celebrating the marriage of the Prince of Wales in 1863.
The long and varied career of the first Clock House tenant came to an end in early 1900 when Michael Nunan passed away, with the large crowd that lined the streets of the town testament to his popularity and high standing within the local community.
The Nunan name and family continued their association with the building for at least another 35-years with Michael’s daughter, Honora Mary Celestine Nunan, who was described as a Brewer’s Agent and Vintner, listed at the address in 1903.
Following Honora’s death in 1908 the licence was transferred to her younger sister Louisa McDonnell who managed the public house in the Clock House until 1918 when the licence passed to her sister-in-law Hannah Nunan.
The transfer of the licence may have been hastened by the floods of 1916, when the River Blackwater burst its banks inundating Bridge Street, Bridewell Lane, St Joseph’s Road, Spa Walk and Spa Terrace. The Clock House was also not left unscathed. Throughout the period of uncertainty that marked the War of Independence and the Civil War the Clock House remained a public house.
In 1929 the Clock house was placed on sale and despite the town flourishing remained unsold until 1940 when it was bought by The Hazelwood Land Industries Co, owned by local family the Lysaghts.
Local woman Sheila Owens ran a shop in the building, which was one of the first businesses in Mallow to sell oranges after WWII. Such was the interest in this new ‘exotic’ fruit that a queue formed outside the Clock House.
In 1940 Edward Kelly replaced John Kelly as the occupier of the upper part of the building. He was replaced in 1943 by Lieutenant White, with one Larry Enderson taking over the lease in 1946.
In 1947 Martin McGrath applied for a licence to ‘sell beer, cider’ spirits and wine....at my house known as the Clock House and he opened the Ingle Nook Bar soon after.
He shared the occupancy of the building with the newly formed Clock House Mineral Company, while Larry Enderson continued to work in the upper part of the building.
By 1948 the Clock House Mineral Company, founded by Sean Moylan and John McGrath, was listed as the sole occupant and a bottling plant was constructed on the site now occupied by Mull’s Bar from where the company produced their distinctive mineral drinks and bottled Guinness for distribution across North Cork.
From the mid 1950’s the Clock House in its entirety was put up for rent and a variety of occasional tenants used it including local sisters Kitty and Julia Linehan who ran a confectionery business which they put up for sale as a “going concern” in 1957.
The new cafe, trading as R & K Magner, continued to trade well and diversified into catering, eventually operating canteens in the Mart, Dairygold and the Beet factory.
The cafe closed in 1971 and two years later the Clock House was purchased and used as the Mallow district office of the First National Building Society until 1977.
In 1978 the Cork Examiner published an article outlining plans for the renovation of the Clock House by its new owner, local chartered accountant Colman Dalton.
The Dalton practise continued to trade there until 2009, when it moved to new premises at Buttery Court in the Market Square development. Ironically, the new shopping centre was built on the site of the old Market House – built by Sir Charles Denham Jephson Norreys in 1823.