THEFIRKINCRANE Close to the famous St Anne’s Church of Shandon, there is a unique rotunda called the Firkin Crane. Designed by Sir John Benson and opened in 1855, the building was part of Cork’s original butter exchange. Firkin was a measure of butter. The butter market slipped into decline and closed in 1924 at which point James Daly and Sons took over the building and used it until the 1970s when a cap and hat company took over for a few years. After being gutted by a big fire in 1982 the Firkin Crane was re-opened ten years later and is now a centre for dance of all kinds. A visit here can be combined with a visit to the Butter Museum which is only yards away. You might even catch a show in this busy building.