3-008-560 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Destruction by fire of the western wing of Queen's College, Cork, on Thursday week, 1862. 'Fire-engines were soon on the spot; but the fire raged so furiously that there was no hope of saving the wing, and all that could be done was to prevent the flames communicating with the other parts of the building, which was fortunately done. This wing is a large cut-stone building, about 120ft. long by 25ft. or 30ft. wide, containing a range of lecture-rooms connected by a corridor, which runs the whole length. Under each of the doors of the lecture-rooms half-consumed matches were discovered, and the lower edges of the doors just over them were charred and burnt. This has given rise to a suspicion that the fire was the work of an incendiary, and the council are engaged in investigating the matter...Everything in the materia medica room...was destroyed...The pathological museum was destroyed...valuable scientific and other instruments were completely destroyed. Most of the contents of the laboratory were saved, and some of the contents of the engineering department, but very little more. The Queen's College is a handsome quadrangular structure in the Tudor Gothic style...Sir Thomas Deane was the architect, and Mr. John Butler, of Dublin, the builder'. From "Illustrated London News", 1862.