Scaffolding to remain on Shandon’s four-faced liar as cleaning works are carried out

The scaffolding at the famous clock tower at St Anne’s in Shandon had initially been expected to come down before Christmas, once the repairs were complete, but it’s staying up a little longer so the historic structure can be cleaned as well.

Shandon’s four-faced liar, as the iconic clock has been known to generations of Corkonians, has been telling the wrong time since May of 2024, while its eastern face has been completely stopped for all of that time.

Last year, Cork City Council, which is responsible for the maintenance of the clock, had initially estimated the cost of repairs would likely start at €400,000.

Sally Stokes of Stokes Clocks on MacCurtain Street holding a restored clock face, proud to contribute her craft to the restoration of Shandon’s Four-Faced Liar. Picture Chani Anderson

In March of last year, the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage announced an investment of €250,000 for Shandon under the Historic Structures Fund (HSF), and that was followed in April by an allocation of €130,000 under the Government’s Community Monuments Fund (CMF).

When the scaffolding, surrounded by an eye-catching white plastic wrap, went up around the clock tower in July, it was announced that works would only cover the refurbishment of the support beams, the clock-face windows, and the clock mechanism itself.

However, before Christmas, the decision was taken to leave the scaffolding in place a while longer so further remedial work, including the cleaning of the tower’s famous red sandstone and limestone walls, could be completed.

Architect Peter Bourke, Reverend Meghan Farr and Hearthstone MD Keith Starr stand before the scaffolding that now enshrouds Shandon Bell Tower, where Cork’s iconic “four-faced liar” clocks were removed for the first time in decades in October 25. Picture Chani Anderson

Lord Mayor Fergal Dennehy,said it was “very prudent” to carry out those additional works while the scaffolding was already in place.

“From a practical point of view, the cost of scaffolding is quite expensive, so it would be pointless deciding in a year or two to do the remedial work that’s being done now and face that additional cost,” Mr Dennehy said.

“The whole Shandon St area is under regeneration at the moment. It’s a very historic part of our city, and it’s great to see the revamp that’s happening, it’s not just the clock, but it’s the whole Shandon area.”

It is expected the scaffolding will come down in the coming weeks.