[3] As of the 21st century, it is predominantly occupied by commercial and retail premises, some of which are built upon earlier structures.

[2] A number of archaeological excavations of the area have revealed the remains of houses which were Anglo-Norman in style, made mainly of timber and wattle.

[13] Slum clearances were conducted around North Main Street in the 1850s and late 1870s, the former "cosmetic rather than socially ameliorative," the latter as part of a rehousing initiative.

[14] A number of businesses on North Main Street were destroyed by fire in late November 1920, shortly before the Burning of Cork on 11 December 1920.

[15] North Main street has undergone some redevelopment in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, with the construction of a cinema, apartment blocks and a shopping centre.