Generally regarded as one of the finest buildings of its kind in the country. Its Greek revivalist design, with eight Ilyssus style columns, was drawn up in 1830. Traditionally, it’s believed that the courthouse was actually intended for Cork, but the plans got mixed up to the benefit of Carlow. It was completed at a cost of A?30,000 – a significant amount of money at the time. A Russian cannon sits in front of the building which was captured during the Crimean war in the late 1800s and then donated to Carlow. The building itself was restored in the 1990s, and the refurbished courthouse was officially opened in March 2002. Throughout the decades, the steps of the Courthouse have been used as a focal point for public occasions. An early example was in 1929, when the 100th anniversary for the granting of Catholic Emancipation was celebrated. Ireland hosted the Special Olympics in 2003, and in June that year, the Olympic Flame stopped at the Courthouse where live music and entertainment marked the occasion, before the town bid farewell to local athletes as well as guests from Bolivia, Slovenia, and Ohio, USA. The building is located at the top of Dublin Street.