A building twice the size of the tallest building in Ireland could soon be coming to Cork

Reports suggest an iconic tower could be twice the size of the Elysian Building in Cork.

A Kerry businessman has spoken of plans to construct Ireland’s tallest building in Cork city in a project that would cost upwards of €100 million. According to the Irish Examiner, Kevin O’Sullivan of Tower Development properties has proposed the construction of an iconic tower in the Cork docklands, having completed the purchase of the Port of Cork site for a figure reported to be in the region of €5 million. O’Sullivan, who is originally from Ballinskelligs in Kerry, has been based in the US since the mid-1980s after emigrating with his brother Donal. Together, they have been involved, as contractors and developers, in a number of well-known projects in New York City, such as the 9/11 memorial, Ground Zero towers and the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue. Specific details regarding the tower are thin on the ground for now and will require consultation with City Hall planners, but the Irish Examiner reports that the O’Sullivan brothers hope to build a tower of 30-40 storeys, primarily for international hotel and foreign direct investment (FDI) offices, and possibly apartments for people working in the docklands area. “(Over 30 years) I’ve seen the ups and downs of the US economy; this has to happen now for Cork, the city doesn’t want to miss out on another cycle,” Kevin O’Sullivan told the Irish Examiner. Standing at 68 metres tall, the Elysian Building in Cork is currently the tallest building in the Republic of Ireland, slightly taller than Google Docks, Cork County Hall and Liberty Hall in Dublin. At 85 metres in height, the Obel Tower in Belfast is currently the tallest building on the island of Ireland.