Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article, 24 August 2023

Cork History, Kieran's Council Work, Lord Mayor's Work, Uncategorized
1216a. Mary MacSwiney, c.1920 (picture: Cork City Library).
1216a. Mary MacSwiney, c.1920 (picture: Cork City Library).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 24 August 2023

Recasting Cork: Sinn Féin Prepares for a General Election

In light of the impending General Election on 30 August 1923, the Sinn Féin election campaign was ramped up. On 24 August 1923 in the city, a public meeting was held on the Grand Parade. Speeches wero delivered by well-known supporters of the Republican movement. The Cork Examiner describes the event. The MacCurtain Pipers’ Band was in attendance. During the meeting bouquets were presented to two of the speakers. Miss Mary MacSwiney and Miss Mary Comerford. Mr Daniel Corkery occupied the chair.

Daniel Corkery, who first spoke in Irish, claimed that the election was an unfair one due to its summer date. He thanked those who were assisting their candidates in the election. He referred to the raiding of the Republican offices in Dublin, the arrest of their director of elections, and the treatment of the prisoners. He appealed to all present to keep together and to join Sinn Féin clubs.

Daniel claimed that the Labour movement had been weakened by its representatives remaining in the Dáil in the post Treaty era. He denoted that the only force in Ireland that had beaten the “capitalistic Press and Capital was the spirit of Irish Nationality”. He continued; “No one from a Republican platform wants to say anything that would injure the Labour Party or divide the ranks of Labour, but there was a terrible fight before the working man in the country”.

Mary MacSwiney, who spoke first in Irish and afterwards in English, received an ovation. She claimed that the Sinn Féin movement were asked to go into the British Empire with their heads up or their hands up with a leadership she could not trust; “We stand for a free and independent Ireland; we swore our oath to the Republic and mean to keep it. mean to make Ireland free and prosperous, and we would not be mislead into thinking that they could make Ireland prosperous by sending work out of Ireland, by sending goods made out of Ireland, and by giving unemployment doles to the people at home”.

Mary argued that the proper way to support Irish industries was by purchasing them and by protecting them and guarding them against all profiteering, and that was what Sinn Féin and the Republican Party promised them to do if they were returned at the General Election.

As regards the interned Republican prisoners in Irish gaols, Mary wanted to tell the assembled crowd that for two months the relatives of the men in Newbridge had no letters from them and had not been allowed send parcels to them. The reason was that the men tried to make a tunnel; “The men in the prisons of the Free State Government could hardly live on the food they were getting, and if they bad extra food and cigarettes they came from friends outside, who at enormous sacrifice were trying to send them a little help”.

There was one matter Mary wanted particularly to deal with. She drew attention to the fact that some of the Republican literature was printed in Manchester. She claimed that the reason they had had to get pamphlets and papers printed in Manchester was because twenty printing machines had been destroyed by the Irish Free State; “We have not been allowed to print even a little leaflet until recently, and since the election campaign began their papers had been seized and burned and their people threatened…we therefore ask them by their votes on Monday next to declare for free speech and for free press, and that we can no longer support people who have hounded the Republicans, who have burned our printing presses and destroyed our means of living, because that is not the will of the people, and the people will not stand for it”.

Mary wished to also say some words about majority rule. She maintained that she was a democrat but would not respect the Irish government giving allegiance to the King of England; “I stand for the upliftment of every man. woman and child in Ireland, for an equal chance for the poor and the rich, but if there was to be inequality that the advantage was to be given to the poor for a change… I stand for the right of every man to the inheritance of his country, that he must be a free citizen in every shape, free to educate his children as he likes, free to bring thorn not with the bare sustenance…I stand tor majority rule, but will never obey a government that gives allegiance to the King of England”.

Professor Stockley, Mr McArthur (Dublin), Mr Nolan, Mr K Walsh, and Máire Comerford also spoke, and appealed for united support for the Republican candidates. Wicklow-born Maire Comerford (1893-1982) was a leading national figure in Cumann nBan during the Irish War of Independence and her anti-Treaty stance led her to go on hunger strikes whilst imprisoned in gaol like Mary MacSwiney. In August 1923 she helped the Sinn Féin General Election campaign in Cork.

On 30 August 1923, Mary MacSwiney was elected for the Cork Borough in the general election. Her two running colleagues for Sinn Féin, Frederick Murray and Con Lucey, were unsuccessful in their quest for a seat.

Upcoming Historical Walking Tour (free, no booking required):

Sunday 27 August, Stories from Blackrock and Mahon, meet in the carpark below Blackrock Castle, 2pm.

Caption:

1216a. Mary MacSwiney, c.1920 (picture: Cork City Library).

Lord Mayor of Cork, The Echo Column, 26 August 2023

Kieran's Council Work, Lord Mayor's Work, Uncategorized

The Gastronomy Region of Ireland:

Great credit is due to the organisers, gastronomic advisers, restaurant owners involved in Cork on a Fork Festival.  Enormous goodwill, genuine interest, and leadership over the openness of the festival combine to push the culture of food and the climate action element of food forward.

This festival is an important piece of Cork’s festival diary – Cork can boast over 25 festivals and nearly 100 festival days. Festivals like this to bring Corkonians together to not only celebrate our gastronomy culture but also concept of bringing people together. In the world we find ourselves, bringing people together matters as well as building communities more so than ever before. Our social bonds are more important than ever.

The element of food is really important to the Cork City Development Plan, 2022-2028 and onto 2040.With a population of over 210,000, Cork City is an emerging international city of scale and a national driver of economic and urban growth. The quest is to be an innovative, vibrant, and resilient healthy city. At the heart of these aims are the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which are embedded across the development plan.

Working together for Climate Action is Crucial:

One of Cork City Council’s flagship projects, which works across all its strategic aims is it Cork Healthy Cities initiative. It’s about a city and its communities that connects to improve the health and well-being of all its people and reduce health inequalities. 

Whilst a significant all-encompassing project for Cork City Council and the entire City is the quest to become Climate Neutral by 2030. Cork is proudly one of the 112 cities involved in the European Commission’s five missions, one of which is climate neutrality.

Climate neutrality is not an easy task and there are many parts where climate actions and engaging the general public are crucial. Where early mapping of the challenges ahead have been made public there is as one would expect a huge piece of work required for local government such as Cork City Council to pursue and be successful in.

However Cork City Council also needs numerous sectors working with it towards Cork’s climate neutrality goal, and a broadening range of stakeholders involved in the co-creation of climate action programmes.

When it comes to food, there are large pieces of the puzzle, such as engaging in public procurement, creating local food system, dealing with food waste, empowering food rural and urban food connections or food corridors, ensuring bio school canteens, and developing more community food gardens.

Meeting Notes from the Lord Mayor’s Desk:

My social media at present is filled with short interviews with people I am meeting. It is a personal pet project I call #VoicesofCork, which over the next few weeks and months will build into not only a mapping of the diversity of the work of the Lord Mayor but most importantly also to give a voice to a cross-section of those I meet.

16 August 2023, My Lord Mayor’s Heritage Week historical walking tours are ongoing. The eight tours so far have been very well supported and many thanks to everyone who turned out to support. More upcoming tours can be viewed at www.corkheritage.ie under walking tours.

15 August 2023, Honoured to meet two hard working dedicated young fighters of Siam Warriors Cork. Both are new World Championships Gold Medalist Winners. Major congrats to Aideen Mullins & Colm O Mahony 🇮🇹.

14 August 2023, Margaret Long and Jenny Webb were both involved in Ballincollig Heritage Festival this year and I met them to discuss ongoing ideas around promoting the history of the historic gunpowder mills.

14 August 2023, It was Pakistan Independence Day and the 46th year. An event was held in the Council Chamber of City Hall. Fahmeda Naheed, one of the core organisers, spoke to me for the Voices of Cork project about her love of Cork and the sharing of cultures and opportunities between Ireland & Pakistan

13 August 2023, It was my first formal visit to Nano Nagle Place. Their latest temporary exhibition is entitled Branching Out – Presentation Convents 1775 – 1828. It explores the spread of the Presentation Sisters across Ireland in the period before Catholic Emancipation. You can also view this exhibition online thanks to the support of the Heritage Council of Ireland, with bonus video content of convents across Ireland and interviews with Presentation Sisters.

12 August 2023, Cork Heritage Open Day was a very busy one between giving a tour on the history of Cork City Hall and visiting a few of the other historic buildings that were open on the day. It was great to catch up with building promoters from the Firkin Crane to St Peter’s Church to the Masonic Lodge. It was also great to participate in the Coal Quay Festival by singing a few songs. 

11 August 2023, It was a pleasure to welcome two distinguished Corkonians, Denis Mulcahy, founder of Project Children, and Maureen Forrest, founder of the Hope Foundation to City Hall to honour their work in association with Cork New York Association.

10 August, This year Cork Sports Partnership and Volleyball Ireland are coordinating a Volleyball participation programme at a makeshift sand arena in Marina Park. It was good to catch up with regular players in the Park and to try out the new sand arena.

10 August 2023, It was a great honour to launch of Tour de Munster with cycling legend Sean Kelly. The tour started at the English Market and took 100 cyclists on an epic 600 kms trek through Cork, Waterford, Tipperary, Kerry, Clare and Limerick.

9 August 2023, It was a visit to The Lough Céilí, which is run every summer by Tony McCarthy. It was a case of polishing off the cobwebs on Irish dancing and singing a few classic Irish ballads.

9 August 2023, My #VoicesofCork project interviewed Kate Shaughnessy who is the Cork Rose bound for the 2023 Rose of Tralee event. Very best of luck Kate in Tralee this week coming!

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, 17 August 2023

Cork History, Kieran's Council Work, Uncategorized

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 17 August 2023

Recasting Cork: Forming the Cork Progressive Association

In the first week of June 1923 and in view of the vital importance to Ireland of the impending parliamentary elections, a preliminary meeting of Cork citizens was held with the object of forming an organisation for safeguarding and furthering the interests of the general community. Several gentlemen, representing all shades of business, were present.

At the meeting – the minutes of which were published by the Cork Examiner – it was decided that the new organisation should be called the Cork Progressive Association. A work programme was drawn up dealing with questions around representation in Dáil Éireann from the commercial and industrial community, with a particular focus on the development or the industrial our cultural and fishery resources in the country. In addition, the intention was to support proper schemes for the housing of the working classes, to lobby for the completion of land purchases, to improve and cheapen transport, and secure resilient administration in the public service.

On 3 July 1923, the Honorary Secretary John C Foley (President of Cork Chamber of Commerce) was in a position to report very satisfactory progress in the development of the organisation. He said that applications for membership were coming in and with increasing numbers the time had arrived that the association should appoint official organisers to look after the work of the association; “The feeling amongst the people of all classes and creeds who had any stake in the country was that such an organisation as theirs is very badly needed, on the head received congratulations from many large centres and being the first to take up seriously the questions of safeguarding the interests of Commerce and Industry in the coming elections”. Messrs John P O’Brien and John Clery were appointed to receive membership subscriptions.

Some days later the new chairman Thomas P Dowdall even went to Dublin to meet some of the leading businessmen there. There some expressed great interest in what was being done by the Association in Cork to conserve the interest of the ratepayers. They even asked that copies of any circulars and leaflet issued by them should be forwarded with the object of starting an organisation on similar lines in Dublin. They congratulated Cork on being the first place in the Irish Free State to set in train a movement for the “safeguarding of the commercial and industrial interest of the country”.

Several weeks later on 19 July 1923, the first meeting of the general committee of the Cork Progressive Association was held at their offices on the Grand Parade. Chairman Mr Thomas P Dowdall was present with 30 individuals also present all of whom came from different backgounds.

Mr Dowdall articulated that an involvement in Dáil Éireann was crucial; “Their [Association] programme spoke for itself. The main object was to seek representation for parties who in the past had practically no representation. The commercial class did not in the past pay any real attention to parliamentary representation, but left it to the political parties the reason for that was that the party that would go to the British parliament was comparatively so small compared with the number in that parliament that I cannot influence them. Now that the control of Irish affairs were in their own hands it was for them, the Irish people, to do the best they could to achieve that success which, for one reason or another heretofore did not think they would be able to manage”.

On 27 July 1923 the general committee cast its eye on the fact that the extension of electoral boundaries of the Cork Borough district had brought into the parliamentary constituency nearly 24,000 additional votes and stop the new area took in a large area of the county including Passage West, Monkstown, Currabinny, Carrigaline, Blarney, Ballinhassig, Ballincollig, Dripsey, Firmount and Rathduff.

The chairman Thomas P Dowdall reiterated the point of being not political in the old sense; “The programme was wide enough to interest everybody who had an interest in the country’s welfare, and the intended, with the people’s help, to carry it to success… they wanted unexpected every member to become an organiser in himself, and get his friends to join the association, so that when their candidates were put forward they would have the united backing of the commercial and industrial people of the constituency”.

By 14 August 1923 at a committee meeting on various matters in connection with the impending elections were discussed. It was revealed that the Association’s two general election candidates were to be Andrew O’Shaughnessy of Dripsey and Sallybrook Woollen Mills and Alderman Richard H Beamish, an expert in the dairy industry.

It was the feeling both of the organisers and members that the prospects of getting the Association’s candidates elected were good. It was published: “The people all through the constituency had sent messages approving of the decision to send forward representatives of the commercial and industrial interests, and promising them the support needed”.

At a committee meeting on 15 August 1923, Richard H Beamish was present as well as Michael Murphy, the election agent for the two candidates. Having six years in Sweden and Denmark, during the development of the dairy industry in these countries Richard eventually became manager of the largest dairy in Europe.

On 30 August 1923, both Andrew O’Shaughnessy and Richard H Beamish were elected for Cork in the general election.

Upcoming Historical Walking Tours (all free, no booking required):

Friday 18 August, The Northern Ridge – St Patrick’s Hill to MacCurtain Street;  meet on the Green at Audley Place, top of St Patrick’s Hill, 6.30pm

Saturday 19 August, Douglas and its History, in association with Douglas Tidy Towns; meet in the carpark of Douglas Community Centre, 2pm. 

Sunday 20 August, Views from a Park – The Story of the Black Ash and Tramore Valley Park, historical walking tour; meet at Halfmoon Lane gate, 2pm. 

Sunday 27 August, Stories from Blackrock and Mahon, meet in the carpark below Blackrock Castle, 2pm.

Caption:

1215a. Thomas Dowdall, Chairman of the Cork Progressive Association, c.1923 (source: Dowdall Family Archive).

The Cork City Revolution Trail, 12 August 2023

Cork City Events, Cork History, Kieran's Council Work, Lord Mayor's Work

The Lord Mayor, Cllr. Kieran McCarthy has launched The Cork City Revolution Trail, in the company of historian Gerry White and members of Cork City Council’s Commemorations team. An online story map, the Revolution Trail features 30 historical sites located around Cork City. The areas carry stories of huge significance in relation to the Irish Revolutionary Period. 

The trail, written by Gerry White and designed by Serena O’Connor (Cork City Council) is accessible from anywhere in the world. 

Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Kieran McCarthy said: “I strongly encourage locals and visitors to Cork alike to walk the route and witness the appeal and mystery of the 30 (and counting) sites for themselves. The trail is still very much a work in progress and it is anticipated that up to 50 sites could feature along the route.”

Those present at the launch were treated to a fascinating discussion between the Lord Mayor and Gerry White. Both local historians, they spoke of the history of Cork’s streets and the revolutionary tales associated with them. The group took in historic sites such as the National Monument on Grand Parade, the site of an assassination on South Mall and the centre of Patrick Street, which bore witness to large-scale destruction during the Burning of Cork in 1920.

The lesser-known site along St. Augustine Street, which was home to the Wallace sisters, Nora and Sheila, was also visited by those walking the route on launch day. The former site of the shop belonging to the Wallace’s, it served as a secret communications centre and headquarters for the IRA’s Cork No. 1 Brigade.   

Journey back in time and learn about more revolutionary tales at Cork sites such as Broad Street, Dillon’s Cross and UCC. Check out the Cork City Revolution Trail by visiting: 

https://www.corkcity.ie/en/a-city-remembers-cork-1920-to-1923/

Lord Mayor of Cork, The Echo Column, 12 August 2023

Cork City Events, Cork History, Improve Your Life, Kieran's Council Work, Lord Mayor's Work, S.E. Ward Local History, Uncategorized

This week coming is National Heritage Week and it celebrates Ireland’s cultural, built and natural heritage. This week’s theme is Living Heritage and the week brings together volunteers, community groups and heritage enthusiasts to share their experience, knowledge culture and practices.

The tours I have chosen for National Heritage Week this year are all important areas in Cork city’s development plus they all have a unique sense of place and identity. I will host seven tours. There is no booking involved and all are free. My tours are the tip of the iceberg, so to spea,k on the array of events on this week in Cork City. Check out National Heritage Week.ie for more information on talks and walks on the City and its region.

Sunday 13 August 2023, Cork Through the Ages, An Introduction to the Historical Development of Cork City; meet at the National Monument, Grand Parade, 6.30pm (free, two hours, no booking required). 

 Cork City possesses a unique character derived from a combination of its plan, topography, built fabric and its location on the lowest crossing point of the River Lee as it meets the tidal estuary and the second largest natural harbour in the world. This tour explores the city’s earliest historical phases. In particular there is a focus on the walled town of Cork, which would have dominated the swampy estuary of the River Lee. Imagine an eight to ten-metre high and two-metre-wide rubble wall of limestone and sandstone, creeking drawbridges, mud filled main streets and laneways, as well as timber and stone built dwellings complete with falling roof straw and a smokey atmosphere from lit house fires keeping out the damp.

Monday 14 August 2023, Shandon Historical Walking Tour; explore Cork’s most historic quarter; meet at North Main Street/ Adelaide Street Square, opp Cork Volunteer Centre, 6.30pm (free, duration: two hours, no booking required).  

 Tradition is one way to sum up the uniqueness of Shandon Street. Despite being a physical street, one can stroll down (or clamber up), the thoroughfare holds a special place in the hearts of many Corkonians.  The legacy of by-gone days is rich. The street was established by the Anglo-Normans as a thoroughfare to give access to North Gate Drawbridge and was originally known as Mallow Lane. Different architectural styles reflect not only the street’s long history but also Cork’s past.

The name Shandon comes from the Irish word ‘Sean Dún’, which means old fort and it said to mark the ringfort of the Irish family, MacCárthaigh who lived in the area circa 1,000 A.D. The site of this fort is now marked by the Firkin Crane, Dance Cork centre. Nearby St Anne’s Shandon was built in 1722 to replace the older and local church of St. Mary’s, Shandon, which was destroyed in the siege of Cork in 1690 by English forces. In 1750 the firm of Abel Rudhall in Gloucester cast the famous bells of Shandon. On 7 December 1752, the bells were first used and were rung in celebration and recognition of the marriage of a certain Mr Henry Harding to Miss Catherine Dorman. Inscriptions can be found on the bells, which contain messages of joy and death.

Tuesday 15 August 2023, The City Workhouse and St Finbarr’s Hospital; meet just inside the gates of St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 6.30pm (free, two hours, no booking required). 

The Cork workhouse, which opened in December 1841, was an isolated place – built beyond the toll house and toll gates, which gave entry to the city and which stood just below the end of the wall of St. Finbarr’s Hospital in the vicinity of the junction of the Douglas and Ballinlough Roads. The Douglas Road workhouse was also one of the first of over 130 workhouses to be designed by the Poor Law Commissioners’ architect George Wilkinson. 

 Wednesday 16 August 2023, Cork South Docklands, in association with the Cork Jewish Community and Heritage Team; meet at Kennedy Park, Victoria Road, 6.30pm (free, duration: two hours, no booking required). 

Much of the story of Cork’s modern development is represented in Cork South Docklands. The history of the port, transport, technology, modern architecture, agriculture, sport, the urban edge with the river – all provide an exciting cultural debate in teasing out how Cork as a place came into being.  

Friday 18 August 2023, The Northern Ridge – St Patrick’s Hill to MacCurtain Street; Historical walking tour; Discover the area around St Patrick’s Hill -Old Youghal Road to McCurtain Street; meet on the Green at Audley Place, top of St Patrick’s Hill, 6.30pm (free, duration: two hours, no booking required). 

 This is a tour that brings the participant from the top of St Patrick’s Hill to the eastern end of McCurtain Street through Wellington Road. The tour will speak about the development of the Collins Barracks ridge and its hidden and interesting architectural heritage.

 Saturday 19 August 2023, Douglas and its History, in association with Douglas Tidy Towns; Discover the history of industry and the development of this historic village, meet in the carpark of Douglas Community Centre, 2pm (free, duration: two hours, no booking required, circuit of village, finishes nearby). 

The story of Douglas and its environs is in essence a story of experimentation, of industry and of people and social improvement. The story of one of Ireland largest sailcloth factories is a worthwhile topic to explore in terms of its aspiration in its day in the eighteenth century. That coupled with the creation of forty or so seats or mansions and demesnes made it a place where the city’s merchants made their home in. Douglas makes also makes for an interesting place to study as many historical legacies linger in village’s surrounding landscapes.

 Sunday 20 August 2023, Views from a Park – The Black Ash and Tramore Valley Park, historical walking tour; meet at Halfmoon Lane gate, 2pm (free, duration: 90 minutes, no booking required). 

Historically William Petty’s 1655 map of the city and its environs marks the site of Tramore Valley Park as Spittal Lands, a reference to the original local environment and the backing up of the Trabeg and Tramore tributary rivers as they enter the Douglas River channel. We are lucky that there are also really interesting perspectives on the area recorded through the ages.

Come and take a walk with me this week!

National Heritage Week Tours with Lord Mayor Cllr Kieran McCarthy

Cork City Events, Cork History, Improve Your Life, Kieran's Council Work, Lord Mayor's Work, S.E. Ward Local History, Uncategorized, Ward Events

(All tours free, no booking required, all finish near their original start)

Sunday 13 August 2023, Cork Through the Ages, An Introduction to the Historical Development of Cork City; meet at the National Monument, Grand Parade, 6.30pm. 

Monday 14 August 2023, Shandon Historical Walking Tour; explore Cork’s most historic quarter; meet at North Main Street/ Adelaide Street Square, opp. Cork Volunteer Centre, 6.30pm.  

Tuesday 15 August 2023, The City Workhouse and St Finbarr’s Hospital; meet just inside the gates of St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 6.30pm. 

Wednesday 16 August 2023, Cork South Docklands, in association with the Cork Jewish Community and Heritage Team; meet at Kennedy Park, Victoria Road, 6.30pm. 

Friday 18 August 2023, The Northern Ridge – St Patrick’s Hill to MacCurtain Street; Historical walking tour; meet on the Green at Audley Place, top of St Patrick’s Hill, 6.30pm. 

Saturday 19 August 2023, Douglas and its History, in association with Douglas Tidy Towns, meet in the carpark of Douglas Community Centre, 2pm. 

Sunday 20 August 2023, Views from a Park – The Black Ash and Tramore Valley Park; meet at Halfmoon Lane gate, 2pm.