Category Archives: Uncategorized

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town 27 March 2025

1297a. Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Seán French (source: Cork City Library).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 27 March 2025

Making an Irish Free State City – Questions on the Cork Great War Memorial Proposal

Over two months after the initial discussion whether to support a Great War memorial, the Public Works Committee of Cork Corporation met again in mid-October 1924 to discuss the findings of the City Engineer official Mr Hare. Cllr J Kelleher, Vice-Chairman of the committee, presided. 

An application was read into the minutes from the Great War Memorial Committee of the Cork Independent Ex-Servicemen Club, asking for permission to erect a monument on Parnell Place (facing Parnell Bridge) or in the Park at the Grand Parade end of the South Mall.

The Cork Examiner relates that Mr Hare  of the Corporation’s City Engineer’s department reported to the councillors present. With reference to the two alternative sites suggested for the erection of proposed monument to Cork soldiers killed in the Great War, Mr Hare visited both sites in company of the Secretary of the Cork Independent Ex-Servicemen Club, Marlboro Street.

The first proposed position was on Parnell Place. Here Mr Hare found the existence of a large eighteenth century archway or culvert throughout the length of the roadway at Parnell Place. He deemed that the erection of the monument would not be desirable, as its weight would in all probability seriously damage if not cause the collapse of the archway. With regard to the position suggested in the Park on the South Mall, Mr Hare was more in favour of it as it was back off the main road and back from the river front and in a prominent position.

Councillor Byrne spoke up in support of the application of the Memorial Committee and wished for the matter to be dealt with, as the 11 November 1924 had been fixed for the unveiling of the memorial. Councillor Horgan then proposed and Councillor S Mahony seconded that the Council be recommended to grant permission for the erection of such a monument.

As like the situation at the previous Public Works meeting, objections were heard, but voices against the proposal had grown since the last time. As an amendment and further to the previous debate, the Lord Mayor Cllr Sean French moved the rejection of the proposal. He noted that he did so for one reason only. He sincerely regretted that an issue of the kind should be put up to them at the present moment. He was sure he would be forgiven by all the members if he went a little bit back into the past in connection with such a matter. He noted the need to honour the fallen of the War of Independence first; “Ireland’s struggle in the past was a struggle for recognition of the complete independence of their country. During their struggle for such independence men died in the service of Ireland who still remained unhonoured; some owing to personal wishes expressed in their lives, and others by wishes expressed by those who were still in the fight, that when Ireland was free Ireland would be worthy to honour her dead. There were friends of his own very dear friends, school pals, men whom he had known all his life, who went out and died in England’s war. He knew that most of them went out with the one idea and wish, and with one thing to serve, and that was their own country”.

The Lord Mayor continued to detail that there was a “parrot cry” that Irishmen should go out and fight for England, and that “they would be fighting and dying for their own country, and they went out with that idea”. However, the Lord Mayor asserted that while they were dying on the battlefields of Flanders the same British came to Ireland and to Cork and burned down a portion of their city, robbed and plundered their homes, shot down their citizens, men and women, and murdered two of their Lord Mayors. He noted: “There was only one way of looking at the proposed monument, and that was that by having it erected in their city they would be putting up a monument to British ascendancy…If there was a monument to be put up in Cork it should first be put up to their two Lord Mayors who were murdered by British troops”.

Cllr S O’Leary seconded the amendment and said the motives for which the ex-servicemen went out to fight were pure, but they could not separate from their action the cause for which they died; He noted; “Any memorial that would be erected would commemorate such a cause, that of British ascendancy. Such a memorial would simply commemorate England’s cause, and as long as England held Ireland in thraldom they could not commemorate a cause that was not Ireland’s cause”.

Cllr J Hennessy supported the Lord Mayor’s amendment and said such a memorial would only consummate England’s part in the great war. He noted: “Ireland had no part in that war, though some of their countrymen were gulled into going out and taking part in it in the belief that they were fighting for their own country. If they consented to such a memorial it would create the impression that they approved of England’s action in going into the war. He was totally opposed to the erection of such a memorial”.

Cllr C Neenan supported the amendment and said he could never be a party to the erection of such a monument. He noted; “It would be just a monument to British rule, and in their country that had been tyranny, and England of the past was the same England at the present day”.

In support of the construction of the memorial Cllr Egan said he did not suppose England had any knowledge that such a monument was going up in Cork. It was a project by the men who went out to the war and came home and now wanted to pay a mark of respect to the memory of the comrades they left behind, and who died for Ireland. He noted: “Such a step showed the energy and spirit of those young men and their desire that their comrades who fell by their side should not be forgotten”.

Cllr J Allen did not see why there would be any objection to the memorial the man to whose honor the memorial was to reflect upon went to fight in a just cause.

Cllr D Horgan declared that he was surprised at the distorted views that had been put forward about men who gave service in defence of their own country and in defense of countries like Belgium; he noted: “I was surprised what’s the narrow political objection being connected to the monument… the position is acutely political stop the men to whom it was sought to pay a tribute of respect to went out to fight for the freedom of small nations and with their help they succeeded”.

A vote was taken with six councillors for the motion and five against the motion. The motion to recommend the council to grant permission for the erection of the monument at the park at the South Mall was then declared carried.

Caption:

1297a. Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Seán French (source: Cork City Library).

April 2025 Historical Walking Tours with Kieran, All tours free, 2 hours, no booking required

Saturday 5 April, The Friar’s Walk Tour; Discover Red Abbey, Elizabeth Fort, Barrack Street, Callanan’s Tower & Greenmount area; Meet at Red Abbey tower, off Douglas Street, 1pm in association with the Cork Lifelong Learning Festival.

Sunday 6 April, Shandon Tour; explore Cork’s most historic quarter; meet at North Main Street/ Adelaide Street Square, opp. Cork Volunteer Centre, 1pm, in association with the Cork Lifelong Learning Festival.

Saturday 26 April, The Cork City Workhouse Tour; learn about Cork City’s workhouse created for 2,000 impoverished people in 1841; meet just inside the gates of St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 1pm.

Sunday 27 April, Fitzgerald’s Park: The People’s Park Tour, from stories on the Mardyke to the Cork International Exhibition, meet at the band stand, 1pm.

Cllr McCarthy’s Historical Walking Tours Return for 2025

Former Lord Mayor and Current Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy is to restart his free historical walking tours during the month of April. Tours will be of the Barrack Street/ Friar’s Walk area, the Shandon quarter, the old Cork City workhouse site on Douglas Road in St Finbarr’s Hospital, and Fitzgerald’s Park respectively. 

Cllr McCarthy noted; “Having an opportunity to show people around the heritage of Cork City has always been an important job of work for me. I have pursued more research than ever in recent years. As more and more old newspapers and books are digitised it has allowed greater access to material and hence more material to create historical walking trails of some of Cork’s most historical suburbs and heritage set pieces”. 

“I am also trying to sharpen the tours I have and to create new ones in a different suburb. The four areas I am re-starting with for the 2025 all have their own unique sense of place, their own cultural and built heritage, their own historic angles, some really interesting ‘set pieces’ and add their own stories to how the city as a whole came into being. They also connect to the upcoming 2025 Cork Lifelong Learning Festival and its motto of Investigate, Participate and Celebrate”, concluded Cllr McCarthy.

Full details of Kieran’s April tours are below; All tours are free, 2 hours, and no booking is required.

Saturday 5 April, The Friar’s Walk Tour; Discover Red Abbey, Elizabeth Fort, Barrack Street, Callanan’s Tower & Greenmount area; Meet at Red Abbey tower, off Douglas Street, 1pm in association with the Cork Lifelong Learning Festival.

Sunday 6 April, Shandon Tour; explore Cork’s most historic quarter; meet at North Main Street/ Adelaide Street Square, opp. Cork Volunteer Centre, 1pm, in association with the Cork Lifelong Learning Festival.

Saturday 26 April, The Cork City Workhouse Tour; learn about Cork City’s workhouse created for 2,000 impoverished people in 1841; meet just inside the gates of St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 1pm.

Sunday 27 April, Fitzgerald’s Park: The People’s Park Tour, from stories on the Mardyke to the Cork International Exhibition, meet at the band stand, 1pm.

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, 20 March 2025

1296a. Commemorations at First World War Memorial, South Mall, 11 November 2018 (picture: Kieran McCarthy).
1296a. Commemorations at First World War Memorial, South Mall, 11 November 2018 (picture: Kieran McCarthy).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 20 March 2025

Making an Irish Free State City – A Great War Memorial Proposal for Cork

The construction of First World memorials in Europe inspired small voluntary organisations in cities such as Cork to think about commemorating deceased veterans. A proposed Great War memorial for Cork City was championed by The Cork Legion of Ex-Servicemen and the Cork Independent Ex-Servicemen Club.

At a meeting of the committee of the Cork Independent Ex-Servicemen Club held at their premises on Marlboro Street in late July 1924, the Cork Examiner records that Mr J Kelleher presided and that the following members were present – Messrs G Byrne, T O’Neill, D Fenton, W H Wynam, M O’Brien, M Burke, and P Byrne. On the proposal of Mr D Fenton, seconded by Mr M O’Brien. Messrs T O’Neill and V Byrne were appointed joint honorary secretaries.

Several designs for a memorial were submitted for approval and on the proposal of Mr O’Neill, seconded by Mr D Fenton, the one submitted by a local ex-service man was agreed to.

The Chairman, Mr Kelleher, congratulated those present on adopting one of the designs placed before them. He noted that every city, town, and village in England could proudly boast of a monument or other token of remembrance to the men who gave their lives in the cause of justice and the rights of small nationalities. He continued; “Now, it is our duty as comrades of those lads who gave their lives so freely in a just cause, and it is the duty of every person who mourns the loss of their departed ones to give every assistance to fulfil our obligations to our dead comrades by erecting a suitable monument to their memory”. The Executive members of the Club unanimously decided to place the sum of £50 to the credit of the memorial committee.

Mr Wyman noted that it would be advisable to have church door collections and to also invite female advocates who would be interested to give their support to such collections. Mr O’Brien proposed that arrangements be made to carry out those collections immediately as they were aiming to unveil the monument on Armistice Day in November 1924. Mr M Burke, in seconding Mr O’Brien’s motion, said he was very pleased with the work done by the Committee in placing the contract for the monument in the hands of an able city sculptor, and in so doing he noted they were advocating for “local skill and manufacture”.

It was further decided to submit the plan of the monument to the Public Works Committee of Cork Corporation for the purpose of getting a suitable site in one of the city’s most prominent city public thoroughfares. A small delegation was appointed.

A week later, the proposal was discussed at Cork Corporation’s Public Works Committee. The Cork Examiner noted on the 7 August 1924 that Mr M J O’Riordan, who led the Club deputation, said that he had no need to say many words to commend such a project and highlighted Ireland’s part in the Great War. He detailed: “At the beginning of the Great War, Ireland was called upon to play her part, and she took a noble and honourable part. Her old ally, France, was in danger – France, where Irishmen always found a refuge. They took their part in the fight for small nationalities. Some of the young men who fell in the war were his comrades and playmates. If this monument were erected in Cork, it would show all the world that Ireland had done her part when called upon, and not shirked it”. Before concluding he suggested as a site for the memorial at the corner of Winthrop Street as the most central position in the city.

Cllr D Horgan, the Chairman of the Corporations Public Works Committee, said he did not think there was any need to hear the other members of the deputation or to labour the matter further. He felt the members were in entire agreement with the deputation. It was proposed and seconded that the plans and other details be submitted to the engineering officials for a report.

The Lord Mayor, Cllr Seán French, who entered the debate at this stage, said the position was a very delicate one. He was one of those who thought that the men who died in the Great European War would, if they get the chance, have fought in Ireland for Ireland in 1921. He noted: “I am not going to take away from any tribute to the dead, but I want to see the way clearly. The European war was not theirs. A lot of their men gave their lives in what they thought was the defence of small nations, and the first test of the sincerity of the ideal was in Ireland. This was not certainly carried out with sufficient justice to the men who fought for that ideal. Their memory of England’s justice was the burning of half their city and the Municipal Buildings”.

The Lord Mayor argued that he would be very slow to make a monument to the memory of the English nation. He was prepared to admit that the majority of the men who fought in Flanders would have died in Ireland fighting against England. In conclusion, the Lord Mayor said he was not going to have his name associated with anything to perpetuate the memory of “England’s tyranny in Cork”.

Club committee delegation head M J O’Riordan asserted he was not there to uphold England’s banner. He was there in the cause of the men who gave their lives in the fight for humanity “against tyranny and infidelity”. He was one of the men outside their party honoured by the Republican Corporation to form a guard of honour over the body of Terence MacSwiney. He noted; “When bringing the body across to Cork the men who were most prominent and fearless in wearing the badge of the Republic in England were the Munster Fusiliers…I am a Republican, and I am not at the meeting to uphold the banner of England, but on behalf of the men who fought and died for freedom”. The majority of the Public Works Committee assented to the development of the memorial project.

In the days and weeks that followed a site for the memorial was chosen at the intersection of the South Mall and the Grand Parade.

To be continued…

Caption:

1296a. Commemorations at First World War Memorial, South Mall, 11 November 2018 (picture: Kieran McCarthy).

Cllr McCarthy: Reminder of Submissions for Clanrickarde Estate Development, 19 March 2025

Former Lord Mayor of Cork and current Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy is reminding those living in the Boreenmanna Road area that Cork City Council has given notice to develop a piece of land at the junction of Boreenmanna Road and Clanrickarde Estate. The site is in the ownership of the City Council.

The Clanrickarde Lodges proposed development comprises of the construction of a new part 3-storey/part 2-storey/part single -storey residential building comprising four number own door access residential units, including two number accessible 2-bed ground floor units, one number 2-bed first floor unit and one number 3-bed duplex unit on the first and second floor.  The proposed development also comprises the demolition and reconfiguration of the existing front wall.

Cllr McCarthy noted; “There have been many local questions todate on this proposed development. It is important to have your voice heard through making a submission whether one is in support or not. The resulting public consultation report must address the comments made. The closing date for submissions and observations is Monday 28 April 2025 at 4pm. Submissions and observations may be made electronically through https://consult.corkcity.ie/ or in writing to Mark Birch, Acting Programme Manager, Housing Directorate, Cork City Council, City Hall, Anglesea Street, Cork”.

Read more here: Part 8 Planning Notice – Clanrickarde Lodges, Boreenmanna Road, Cork City. | Cork City Council’s Online Consultation Portal

McCarthy: Pedestrian Safety Around Local Schools is Crucial, 14 March 2025

Former Lord Mayor and current Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has called on Cork City Council’s roads section for an audit of road safety needs surrounding schools in Douglas. There has been much discussion in recent months at the south east local area meeting between local Councillors and the local roads engineers on a future pedestrian safety plan for Douglas Road. In particular the footpaths and lack of footpaths around Eglantine National School have been the subject of much discussion.

Cllr McCarthy noted; “I have received much correspondence from parents asking for safer footpaths on Douglas Road and in Eglantine Park for students to walk on and for a safer crossing from Go Go’s restaurant section across into Browningstown. I continue to call upon the Council to address the dangers connected with this crossing and to address how much of a blind spot it is and the need to create safety mechanisms to slow down traffic”.

“The discussions so far at City Council level have noted that any new wider footpaths on Douglas Road will come as part of the National Transport Authority’s Bus Connects corridor work on Douglas Road. Roll out for this project is still 2-3 years away. The corridor must still go through An Bord Pleanála for approval. The Eglantine Park piece can be pursued through the National Safe Routes to Schools pedestrian safety programme. I’d ask the school and its Board of Management to keep pursuing that route. It’s an easier way for all stakeholders to assemble the funding needed for design and construction of any safety measures. Whether or which, I’ll keep my own pressure on the need to deliver pedestrian safety measures. There is also a need to make sure a full complement of Lollypop persons are also available to our local schools. They are a very important addition to the safety around our schools”, concluded Cllr McCarthy.

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, 13 March 2025

1295a. Gerry White, Historian with former Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Kieran McCarthy & Dimitry Soenan, Deputy Mayor, Ieper, April 2024 (picture: Cork City Council).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 13 March 2025

Making an Irish Free State City – The Munster Cross at Ieper

In April 1924, the Cork Legion of Ex-Servicemen, through large scale funding, erected a 20 feet high memorial Cross at Ypres/Ieper in Belgium. The Munster Memorial had its origins in a decision taken by the Cork Legion early in 1924 to erect a suitable memorial in Flanders in memory of the comrades from Munster whom sacrificed their lives fighting to liberate Belgium from German occupation. The person chosen to design and manufacture the memorial was John A O’Connell, a well-known Cork sculptor, who had his studio in Cork City.

A memorial committee was also formed to raise funds for the memorial and oversee its erection, and among its patrons was William F O’Connor, a former Lord Mayor of Cork, Richard Beamish, the High Sherrif of Cork, Field Marshal Haig, and General William Hickey, the former commander of the 16th (Irish) Division.

While the necessary funds were being raised and the memorial was being designed and manufactured a suitable location for it to be erected in Flanders had to be found. To facilitate this, the committee contacted members of the Ieper League in the city and they in turn spoke to the Burgomeister (town Mayor) and members of Ieper City Council.

During these discussions the Ieper City Council suggested that the memorial be erected near the ruins of The Cloth Hall and St Martin’s Cathedral and this was accepted. On 1 July 1924 the Irish newspapers reported that “The Burgomeister sent a message to the Secretary of the Memorial Committee, stating that that the city of Ypres [Ieper] is proud at having been chosen as the site for the memorial”.

The Cork Examiner records that on 5 July 1924, around one hundred of Irish veterans of the First World War left Cork City bound for Ieper where they would attend the unveiling of an Irish memorial dedicated to the men of Munster who died fighting for freedom and visit other battlefield sites. Before leaving Ireland, they were joined by a large crowd of veterans from other parts of the country who were accompanied by members of their families.

On the morning of 7 July 1924, the Irish veterans arrived at Ieper train station for the dedication of the Munster Cross and they were met by the Burgomeister, members of Ieper City Council and many of the city’s citizens. Among those who attended the dedication were Count Gerald O’Kelly, the Irish Free State Representative in Belgium, members of the Belgium Government and Major-General Sir Bryan Mahon, former commander of the 10th (Irish) Division and a senator in the Irish Free State.

Mahon also thanked the Burgomaster and councillors for granting such a splendid site for the memorial stating:“Our honoured dead will rest at peace under the shadow of the new Cathedral, and within the ruins of the old”.

  The Burgomeister also spoke saying that he recalled the sacrifices made by Irish soldiers to save his country and congratulated the Irish people on attaining their long-fought-for freedom.

After the speeches, wreaths, including many from Cork, were laid at the plinth and after the ceremony a deputation visited the grave of Willie Redmond MP at Locre. The Irish veterans went on to visit many of the battlefields of the First World War and they returned to Ireland on 11 July.

The inscription on the Munster Cross is in English, Irish and French. It reads: “In memory of Those men of Munster who died fighting for freedom, A tribute Erected by the people of the Province And Cork its capital City”.

Immediately under the shaft of the Cross are richly wrought symbols – on one of which are the Three Crowns, the Arms of Munster. The Cross proper is an imposing monolith, 11 feet high, the shaft being divided into panels filled with interlaced carving, and the ancient “Trumpet” pattern. On the centre of the Arms is a raised monogram of the Redeemer, and the Arms themselves are richly and boldly decorated.

Two additional historic connections between our Cork and Ieper are in the fact that Lieutenant Colonel James Lee, a graduate of the North Monastery School in Cork, was the town Mayor of Ieper from April 1916 to April 1918. In addition to that, a substantial amount of the funding for the cross was provided by the people of Cork.

Followed delegation visits in 2008 and 2015 by former Lord Mayors Cllr Brian Birmingham and Cllr Tony Fitzgerald, it came to the attention of Cork City Council that the Munster Cross was in a state of disrepair. A project team from Cork City Council were sent on a site visit to assess the situation in Ieper. As a result of that, the Common Wealth Graves Commission completed repair works to the Munster Cross. 

Last year, 2024, coincided with the centenary of the dedication of the Munster cross. New benches to sit upon and reflect upon were unveiled as a partnership project between Cork City Council and Ieper City Council. The benches are a quiet reflective space for visitors to the Cross to take time to remember those lost.

As Lord Mayor of Cork in April 2024 I visited the City of Ieper to thank the Mayor, Emily Talpe, Deputy Mayor, Dimitry Soenan and Chief Executive Steofan Depretere who were so positive and helpful in their response to Cork City Council’s conservation proposals for the Munster cross and associated bench projects.  Cork historian Gerry White gave a brief history of the cross at the unveiling of the benches with support from Nuala Stewart, Corporate Affairs in Cork City Council. Dan Breen, curator of Cork Public Museum was a massive help at the time and helped with the research of this column.

To be continued…

Caption:

1295a. Gerry White, Historian with former Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Kieran McCarthy & Dimitry Soenan, Deputy Mayor, Ieper, April 2024 (picture: Cork City Council).

Kieran’s Question to the CE, Cork City Council Meeting, 10 March 2025:

Question to the CE:

To ask the CE on the progress of reinstating the playground at the Old Cork Waterworks Experience and the fixing of the roof within the visitor experience building ? (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)

Motions:

That the yellow box at the intersection of Clover Hill Estate and Bessboro Road, Blackrock be repainted (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)

For the south east LEA, the existing speed ramps on Ardfallen Estate were never raised when the road level was raised two years ago. I ask that the ramps be redone (Cllr K McCarthy)

That the patch of road opposite St Anthony’s School in Beechwood Park, Ballinlough be resurfaced due to the fall of drainage issues (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)

That the broken seats at Beaumont Park be replaced (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, 6 March 2025

1294a. Battlefield of the First World War, near Ieper, Belgium c.1918 (source: In Flanders Fields Museum, Ieper, Belgium).
1294a. Battlefields of the First World War, near Ieper, Belgium c.1918 (source: In Flanders Fields Museum, Ieper, Belgium).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 6 March 2025

Making an Irish Free State City – The Making of the Cork Legion of Ex-Service Men

March 2025 coincides with the centenary commemoration of the unveiling of the First World War Memorial on Cork’s South Mall. The campaign for its construction was organised by the Cork Legion of Ex-Servicemen, which was founded in the middle of 1921, following the formation of the British Legion. The Cork branch was one of several regional branches in Ireland and in the UK.

The British Legion started as a merger of four different organisations, all with a similar purpose. These four organisations were: The National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers, The British National Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers, The Comrades of The Great War, and The Officers’ Association.

The Cork Examiner records that one of the first key events for the Cork Legion was on Sunday 13 November 1921. The members (both Roman Catholic and Protestant in nature) formed up at 9am outside their headquarter rooms at No 6 South Mall and marched to their respective places of worship. The order of the procession was The Band No 1 Company under Mr. T O’Leary, No 2 Company under Mr J Sheehan, No 3 Company under Lieutenant S Ahern and No 4 Company under Captain C Tully. A Captain Murtagh was in charge of the parade. After the band marched the officers and committee.

Fast forward to August 1923 and one can get a sense of the scale of the Cork Legion and how many people it represented. The Cork Examiner records that at special general meeting of 23 August 1923 at 6 South Mall, the Cork Legion met to consider what stance to take on during the upcoming General Election on the candidature of Mr J J Walsh, a Cumann na nGaedheal candidate. Mr Walsh was in attendance and was accompanied by his election agent Mr W F O’Connor, solicitor and former Lord Mayor of Cork.

The Cork Legion noted it represented over 12,000 ex-servicemen in Cork. In return for electoral support, the Cork Legion asked J J Walsh for four acts of supports, which he agreed with and signed a document. Such asks also encompassed the Cork Legion’s work and other legions as well across Ireland. Firstly that if elected that J J Walsh would use his influence and position in the Irish Parliament to obtain from the British Government “just and equitable fulfilment of the claims of Irish ex-service men”. 

Secondly J J Walsh was requested to avail of every opportunity to ensure that past services in the British Army or Navy or in any other branch of the British crown services would not militate against such men in regard to employment and other matters affecting them as citizens.

Thirdly the ask was that J J Walsh would oppose any attempt at interference by the Irish Government with pensions, allowances and housing of ex-service men and their dependents and the dependents of the fallen in the First World War, “whether reserved to the British Government or in the hands of a trust, unless and until the Legion of Irish Ex-Service men desire a change”. Fourthly and lastly J J Walsh was asked to further the interests of ex-service men and the dependents of “all fallen soldiers on all occasions”, and endeavour to have ex-service men accepted for services in the public, departments of the Irish Free State, “equitably with other citizens of the country”. 

By 9 October 1923, further advancement of the Cork Legion had been made, which tallied with the overall work at national Legion level and across other branches in Ireland. The Cork Examiner on 9 October 1923 published a letter by the secretary of the Cork Legion, T Long, who outlined its extent campaigns.

The housing and land question for the soldiers and sailors had been advanced. It was anticipated that houses and plots would shortly be provided within the City area for ex-servicemen and their families. Early applications were requested to be sent to 6 South Mall. Owners of land in the Borough of Cork who wished to offer land for development were asked to come forward.

The provision of a grant from the national Unemployment Grants Committee to provide money for work with a public utility with a view to the employment of ex-servicemen was also receiving careful attention of the national Legion of Irish ex-servicemen. The national Legion were carefully watching on behalf of pensioners and the dependence of fallen soldiers the progress of events in regard to the a change of the pension administration in the emerging Irish Free State. The organisation had already put forward concrete proposals to improve and consolidate the position of the service for disability pensioners in the country.

It was hoped to open a list of ex-servicemen who were in need of employment showing their qualifications. Employers would then be asked to cooperate in placing these members in suitable positions “to enable them to earn a livelihood in their own country”.

In addition arrangements had also been completed by the Cork Legion to receive applications from the next of kin who fell in the First World War and who were buried in the various cemeteries of France in Belgium. This was pursued with a view to providing, in cooperation with the British and French Legion, for the free travelling and hotel expenses of the parents for other next of kin. It was recognised that there were relatives who were not able to visit the graves and who for reasons of financial distress were unable to pay their own expenses.

The Cork Legion continued their focus on the act of pilgrimage to Belgium. Indeed, by April 1924, the Cork Legion, through large scale funding, erected a 20 feet high memorial Cross at Ypres/Ieper. It was carved by Mr A O’Connell, MacCurtain Street, Cork. It was such a cross, which sparked even more the interest in erecting a memorial in Cork.

To be continued… 

Caption:

1294a. Battlefields of the First World War, near Ieper, Belgium c.1918 (source: In Flanders Fields Museum, Ieper, Belgium).

Cllr McCarthy: Community Grants Promote Togetherness, 1 March 2025

Former Lord Mayor and Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy wishes to remind community groups in the south east of the city that Cork City Council’s community development grants have an upcoming closing date. Applications for Community Associations Capital Grant and Small-Scale Programme Grant 2025 close on 5 March. Applications are welcomed from community groups who wish to apply for small once off programme grants or community associations with community centres/buildings that require works of a capital or building maintenance nature. Further details in relation to 2025 grants, including the online application form for funding can be found at www.corkcity.ie    

The Cork City Council Small Scale Programme Grant 2025 is aimed at community groups in the Cork City area for once-off, small scale programme activities excluding arts, sports activities and estate management including landscaping, tree/flower planting. The maximum grant that can be applied for will be €2,500. 

            The Community Associations Capital Grants 2025 is for recognised community associations in Cork City who own or can get permission to carry out works of a capital or major building maintenance nature. Funding will be awarded towards large scale Capital Grants between a minimum of €5,000 and a maximum of €35,000. 

  Cllr McCarthy noted: “The continuance of such grants is to be welcomed by Cork City Council. Our community centres do trojan volunteer work. Their centres are beacons of togetherness and solidarity and showcasing the myriad of reasons why building community capacity matters. The small scale grants are also very important to running community events, which are also all about bringing people together, learning from each other and progressing community life and activities in our neighbourhoods”.

Upcoming Consultation Closing Date for Cork Docklands to City Centre, Road Network Improvement Scheme

Cork Docklands to City Centre, Road Network Improvement Scheme, 2025
Cork Docklands to City Centre, Road Network Improvement Scheme, 2025

This is a kindly reminder of the upcoming closing date for the above project.

The project’s primary objectives are as follows:

  • To improve access between South Docklands and the City Centre in terms of convenience, safety and capacity across all modes but with emphasis on sustainable modes of transportation (walking, cycling and public transport).
  • To provide a high-quality public realm aligned with the ambitious redevelopment plans for the area and respectful of the existing community within Docklands. The public realm will seek to achieve the correct balance between hard & soft landscaping, uniqueness and sustainability while also embracing the riverside amenity potential of the area.

To achieve these aims it is proposed to make the following modifications:

  • Introduction of a City Centre bound contra-flow bus lane on Victoria Road (North) and Albert Quay.
  • Introduction of an outbound bus lane on Albert Quay East & Victoria Road (North).
  • Introduction of a 2-way Cycle Track on Albert Quay and Victoria Road (North).
  • Replacement of the Victoria Road / Centre Park Road Roundabout with a sustainable transport focused traffic signal-controlled junction.
  • Improvement and reconfiguration of Monahan Road / Victoria Road Junction.
  • Enhancement of the Old Blackrock Road / Victoria Road Junction.
  • Public realm improvements on Albert Quay East, Victoria Rd, Albert Rd, Marina Terrace etc.
  • Kennedy Quay access from Albert Quay will be restricted. The primary access to Kennedy Quay will be from Marina Walk.
  • Introduction of a new residential access link between Marina Terrace and Rosefield Terrace.
  • Footpaths will be widened and repaved for the safety and convenience of pedestrians.
  • Crossing facilities will be provided at all junctions for the safety of vulnerable road users.
  • All bus stops will be upgraded.
  • Public lighting will be renewed, and feature lighting provided.
  • Utility services will be renewed, and spare capacity provided.
  • Land acquisition will be required to facilitate aspects of the above work.

 Information and maps are available at www.consult.corkcity.ie. Closing date for receipt of submissions is Monday 10 March 2025 at 4pm to Senior Engineer, Infrastructure Development, Cork City Council in City Hall