Category Archives: Uncategorized

Kieran’s Motions and Question to the City Manager, Cork City Council Meeting, 14 March 2011

Kieran's Council Work, Uncategorized

 Motions:

To get a report on why BAM construction have not removed their hoarding erected on Penrose Quay? (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)

As per a previous motion in mid 2009, to ask the relevant directorate, when is the area around the town wall under the ramp under Kyrl’s Quay going to be cleaned up? (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)

 

Question to the City Manager:

To ask the manager about an update on the revamp of Christ Church and the redesign of the adjoining section of Bishop Lucey Park? (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)

Cork City Hall under construction, c.1934

Deputy Lord Mayor – Launch of the Photographic Work of Ruben Ochoa at UCC, 10 March 2011

Arts, Cork City Events, International, Kieran's Council Work, Uncategorized

I was delighted to be able to deputise last Thursday (10 March 2011) and receive in the Lord Mayor’s Chamber the Chargee d’Affaires, Ms. Alicia Kerber of the Mexican Embassy in Ireland. We spoke about Mexico’s connection to Ireland and the future plans the embasy have. We then attended the opening in UCC of a travelling photographic exhibition across the globe called 360 degrees by Ruben Ochoa. For the Cork leg, the exhibition is being hosted  in the Department for Hispanic Studies in the O’Rahilly Building in UCC until the end of March.

For more on Ruben’s work, click on the link, http://www.rubenochoa.com/

UCC’s write up:

 http://www.ucc.ie/en/news/fullstory-118281-en.html

Kieran and Ms. Alicia Kerber, Chargee d'Affairs of the Mexican Embassy in the Lord Mayor's Room, Cork City Hall

Kieran, Alicia Kerber and Prof. Nuala Finneran of the Hispanic Department at the launch in UCC of Ruben Ochoa's work

One of Ruben Ochoa's photograph's, well worth having a look at UCC

Kieran’s launch speech:

 

Ms Kerber, Professor Finneran, Ladies and Gentlemen, Ruben Ochoa. On behalf of the Lord Mayor, many thanks for the invitation to come and chat to you this evening.

 

They say that art has the power to stop, impress, make one question, wonder, dream, remember, be disturbed, explore and not forget – a whole series of emotions – all of which echo throughout Ruben’s photographs. Walking around one can see the amount of work that has been put into the photography on display.

 

What is very evident is the amount of planning, design work, thought, emotion and building work that has gone into these photographs. While these images speak volumes to the photograph lover, the quality, detail and narrative work gives Ruben’s a much broader appeal. Anyone who appreciates the processes of photography, the freeze framing of landscapes, people and their way of life cannot but be drawn in – taken on a journey looking at Ruben’s work.

 

 

Journeys through Landscape:

 

As a student geographer in the Department of Geography near here my own interests have been for some many years exploring Irish culture, history, landscape and identity making. I have a passion for exploring Cork City and its region’s rich historical tapestry which to me is an enormous and complex artwork, which has its own lines, contours and outward expression, meanings and memories.

 

Ruben’s photograph before us also zoom in on what could be described a piece of life – his photographs create new ways of seeing places, create ways of expressing ideas about the idea of place and create new ways of place making which ultimately, the photographs before do through the act of photographing.

 

Each of Ruben’s work presents a different view but are all connected in some way; each work has its own meanings and memories to him and of course one can say all of that for all those who come to view his works.  Each viewer will take something different away from their visit to view his work.

 

 

The Power of Landscape:

 

Perhaps one of the central threads to Ruben’s work is the power of landscape – his works on display fluctuate between views of bits of buildings and views of people. Ruben seems to be an explorer of place, physically, culturally and imaginatively. He seems to be mesmorised and empowered to react to the narratives – memories and life within landscapes and this draws him closer to his subjects of study. It is clear that landscapes have affected him in different ways. It has slowed him down to observe, ponder and react to its details.

 

He seems to be continually learning how to see, read, understand and to appreciate the landscape. However, with all of the complexities of place-making people like Ruben’s work also presents complexities and cannot be pinned down – Ruben is an installation artist, photographer and much more.

 

The landscapes Ruben engages with, have changed his perception, his beliefs, his worldviews and his journey through life.

It’s clear that for Ruben that perhaps landscape infects him with a longing for it. He presents a multitude of views, very close-up and wide pan shots that present landscape as random and messy but beautiful.

His study of the interface of human and the landscape elements seems also enhanced by wider spatial settings. He presents views changed through weather and its changing moods. It’s like the landscape can change its humour and colour. He explores the resulting and varied colour palettes of places…. that can create a different texture forming a new rhythm and pulse for a place’s identity. So yep for Ruben, landscape with all its strengths and weakness perhaps is a genius which he continues to chat to. It engages, inspires, pushes him on and moulds him.

 

Looking, listening and moving:

 

His photographs as memories light up his canvasses – every story presented is charged with that emotional sense of nostalgia –the past shaping his present thoughts, ideas and actions.

 

It is said that a place owes its character not only to the experiences it affords –sights and sounds – but also to what is done there – looking, listening and moving.  The association between places of meaningful locations and people and actions is often invisible because it is so deeply engrained. In otherwords, the familiar can be forgotten. Ruben explores the richness in the ordinary if one looks, listens and observes.

 

 

Haunted images:

 

       All of what I have noted are ideas. They plus many more ideas certainly haunt Ruben’s own journey in the landscape, physical and imaginative he travels through; but those ideas are not set in stone.

 

But what is quite clear is that Ruben has explored, explores and will continue to explore different ways of looking at what’s in front of us.  Perhaps for us the viewer, he presents a set of lenses or tools perhaps to decode, discover, recognise, reveal, synthesise, communicate, move forward and explore cultural heritage, the environment, society and the very essence of identity-making.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, in this world, we need more of those traits; of thinking outside of the box – more confidence, strength of imagination, freedom to express oneself, determination, force of life – and we need to mass produce these qualities.

 Ruben, may you always have an open mind to ideas, people and places and that your talent will grow with each work. I wish you all the best of luck this week and moving forward into the future as you cross Europe and beyond with your work.

 

It is my great pleasure to launch your art exhibition.

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, 10 March 2011

Cork History, Uncategorized

581a. Photograph from Cork Corporation diary 1934 of the Lee Baths

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town,

Cork Independent, 10 March 2011 

In the Footsteps of St. Finbarre (Part 250)

Cork’s Proudest Possession

“I hope for many years this pool will be a pool of strength, a pool of healthfulness and open air life for the people of Cork. I have pleasure in congratulating the people of its possession and those who  are responsible for it, on the good job they have done; may it remain for a long time one of the proudest possessions of the City of Cork” (Hugo V Flinn TD, Cork Examiner,  21 June 1934 on officially opening the Lee Baths)”.

  Eighteen months after the closure of the Irish Industrial and Agricultural Fair, the summer of 1934 coincided with the opening of Cork’s new municipal and open-air unheated swimming pool on the Lee Fields. Billed as one of the largest of its type in Ireland, it was officially opened on Wednesday afternoon, 20 June 1934 by Mr Hugo V Flinn T.D., Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance.

            The Cork Examiner highlights several reasons for its construction especially the city’s enormous unemployment problems. The City Manager Philip Monahan set out to create an enterprise of considerable magnitude, which would have in it a large labour content for even the unskilled labourer, plus create a municipal project that would have social and economic value. In the wider context, Monahan was probably well aware of the growing interest internationally in swimming and how the popularity of swimming pools was spreading. Oliver Merrington, in his work on the history of open air swimming pools, records that over 37 such pools opened in the UK in the 1930s. In Cork, the Eglington Street Baths (which were opened in 1901) could not accommodate the growing numbers of swimming enthusiasts.

   The Lee Baths cost £23,000 and part of this was paid for by central government whilst the rest was paid for by Corporation bank loans. In a positive sense 75 per cent of £23,000 was spent on wages. Another issue was where the building was to be erected outside the confines of the city boundaries. That was dealt with the assistance of legal teams between Cork Corporation and Cork County Council. The Corporation also sought advice from Mr J Weldon, President of the Munster Branch of the IASA. Resident Corporation engineer Patrick J Harrington was in charge of the construction whilst Mr. Stephen W. Farrington attended to the concrete design.

   According to the Dictionary of Irish Architects, Stephen Farrington (1889-1965) was Cork City Engineer from 1924-1958 and in a sense was a right hand man to Philip Monahan for four decades overseeing and engineering in particular the design of the new suburban local authority housing schemes. Farrington was born in Cork City circa 1889 and came from a distinguished Cork Presbyterian family. He studied at Cork University, where he obtained BA and ME degrees. After graduating he worked for a time in Northern Ireland, first with Belfast Corporation, then with the Belfast & Co. Down Railway, and finally as town surveyor of Lisburn, Co. Antrim. In 1924 he was appointed city engineer of Cork, a post which he held until his retirement in 1958. For many years Farrington lectured on municipal engineering at University College, Cork. A fluent speaker of Irish and French, he was an active member the Cork Literary and Scientific Society. He was also a keen sportsman, which in part also probably influenced the creation of the Lee Baths.

   The inaugural gala at the Lee Baths took place after the official opening 20 June 1934. Witnessing the events was the Lord Mayor Ald. Sean French, Hugh V Flinn T.D. and other guests. Competitors compared the new site favourably with the Eglinton Street Baths and spectators commented on their spacious accommodation. The programme comprised schoolboy, junior and senior squadron races, a polo match and several novelty events; The schoolboys squadron race was won by Christian Brothers College and second went to Presentation Brothers College. The junior squadron race was won by the Republican Swimming Club, second by Sunday’s Well and third place by Dolphin. The senior squadron race was won by Sunday’s Well, second by Dolphin and third by Highfield. A lifesaving exhibition was given by R Bogan and P Renouf. In the senior polo challenge match, Sunday’s Well were defeated by Dolphin by five goals to one. In the swimming, a number of strokes were demonstrated from breaststroke, lifesaving backstroke, over arm sidestroke, trudgeon stroke, trudgeon crawl, back crawl and dual rhythm crawl.

  In the early years, women were not allowed to swim in the Lee Baths. The Cork Examiner’s record of the opening day highlights a letter of protest against the exclusion of ladies at the baths; seventy signatures were attached to it, the majority of which were women; others included that of a TD. They claimed that the Corporation was abusing its authority by prohibiting a large section of the population from bathing at the Lee Baths. Their letter gave the example of equality at the open air pools at Blackrock and Dalkey in Dublin Dun Laoghaire, Bangor, Portrush, Armagh,Warrenspoint and Newcastle. They asked for restrictions to be lifted at the Eglinton Street Baths and for the entire use of those baths during the summer months for women. Their requests were not met.

To be continued… I’m looking for memories of the Lee Baths, any help much appreciated…

 

Captions:

 

581a. Photograph from Cork Corporation 1934 diary of the Lee Baths (source: Cork City Library)

 

 

581b. Section of 1948 ordnance survey map of Lee Fields showing the Lee Baths (source: Cork City Library)

 

581b. Section of 1948 OS map of Lee Fields showing the Lee Baths

 

 

Deputy Lord Mayor- Launch of Cork French Film Festival, 6 March 2011

Arts, Cork City Events, Kieran's Council Work, Uncategorized

 

Last night (Sunday 6 March 2011) I had the pleasure of deputising for the Lord Mayor and opening the 22nd Cork French Film Festival at the Cork Vision Centre; Very well done to all the organisers, check out  http://www.corkfrenchfilmfestival.com/

Kieran’s Comments at the

 Launch of the Cork French Film Festival, 2011

 

Eye on France

 

French Ambassador, members of the film commitee, sponsors, John X Miller, ladies and gentleman, it’s a great pleasure to be at the launch of one of Ireland’s key film festivals, the Cork French Film Festival this evening.

 

France is the birthplace of cinema and was responsible for many of its early significant contributions. The French film industry in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century was among the world’s most important. Auguste and Louis Lumière invented the cinématographe and their L’Arrivée d’un train en gare de La Ciotat in Paris in 1895 is considered by many historians as the official birth of cinematography.

 

France has a strong indigenous film tradition; France has also been a gathering spot for artists from across Europe and the world. For this reason, French cinema is sometimes intertwined with the cinema of foreign nations. Directors from nations such as Poland, Russia as prominent in the ranks of French cinema as native Frenchmen. French directors have been important in the development of cinema in other countries, such as in the United States. It is noted for having a particularly strong film industry, due in part to protections afforded by the French government.

 

 

Nouvelle Vague and Cléo from 5 to 7:

 

Tonight the programme commences with a screening of Cléo from 5 to 7 directed by Agnes Varda  in 1962. The story starts with a young singer, Florence “Cléo” Victoire, at 5PM June 21, as she waits until 7PM to hear the results of her cancer test. The film is noted for its handling of several of the themes of existentialism, including discussions of mortality, the idea of despair, and leading a meaningful life. Agnes’s movies, photographs, and art installations have often focussed on documentary realism, feminist issues, and social commentary — with a distinct experimental style.  And it is not for me to try and pin down an artist to a genre.

 

Especially as Agnes and many others way back over 50 years ago tried to break the mould of traditional cinema plus influenced the growth of Nouvelle Vague.

 

Many like Agnes in the 1950s and 1960s attempted to engage in their work with the social and political upheavals of the era, making their radical experiments with editing, visual style and narrative part of a general break with the conservative paradigm.

 

The movement has its roots in rebellion against the reliance on past forms, criticizing in particular the way these forms could force the audience to submit to a dictatorial plot-line.

New Wave critics and directors studied the work of western classics and applied new avant garde stylistic direction. The low-budget approach helped filmmakers get at the essential art form and find what was, to them, a much more comfortable and honest form of production.

 

These movies featured existential themes, such as stressing the individual and the acceptance of the absurdity of human existence.

Likewise, the influence of the movement was seen in a number of other national cinemas globally – beginning in the 1960s, and continuing to the present day. Similar movements arose in a number of European countries and further afield to Japan.

 

People like Agnes cannot be pinned down – she is director, screenwriter, editor, actor, producer, installation artist, photographer and much more.

And perhaps that is why her presence is so very apt today especially if we connect it into Ireland’s story. Once again Ireland has come to a cross-roads where it must now once again be creative and think outside of the box, so the nation can move forward.

 

 

Film and motivation:

 

The medium of film power has the power to grasp, encourage wonder, inspire confidence, motivate a self-purpose, provoke questions and the imagination and even draw in the viewer and even disturb and so much more – lessons of life can be presented and debated. Unlike music or theatre, a movie can show different aspects of the society. And the full diversity of French film is covered in the programme in our City.

 

I have no doubt for many of those present to view Cork’s French Film Festival, you already have a love of film and even art house cinema. Ladies and gentlemen perhaps there is so much to learn through the medium of film – Actors and directors all bring their own talents, confidence self pride, self belief and a desire to perform their medium. Those are all very important traits

 

Ladies and gentlemen, in this world, we need more of such confidence, pride and belief – we need to mass produce these qualities, all of which these films stand for

I would also like to thank all of the grant aided bodies and sponsors who saw the opportunity to bring a taste of international culture to Cork. But I encourage all of us to keep watching, praising, critiqing and even giving our own direction to what not only film genres we should watch but also how film can be harnessed to nurture people’s motivations.

 

This is where film gives hope and have no doubt has saved souls.

I wish to congratulate all involved in the festival and wish the festival all the best for the future. And to the cinema goer, keep watching!

 French Ambassador, Kieran McCarthy, Nora Callanan of Alliance Francaise at the launch of the Cork French Film Festival, Cork Vision Centre, Sunday 6 March

Cork French Film Festival brochure cover, March 2011

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, Cork Independent, 2 March 2011

Cork History, Uncategorized

580a. Coming of Age, North Mon Past Pupils Reunion,1958

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article

Cork Independent,  3 March 2011

 

Coming of Age

  

This year Cork celebrates 200 years of the North Monastery or the North Mon School being opened in 1811. Recently, I was privileged to be able to speak at the first commemoration event and wanted to write something in this column to mark the centenary as well.

At the beginning, I can’t speak from being a North Mon boy but like many people I have personal connections to this great school. Hanging on the wall next to my stairs at home is a picture taken in 1958 of several past pupils of a class from the North Mon. In the centre of the photograph is my grandfather, Donal Sexton – his former classmates were Jack Lynch, Tadgh Carey of UCC, Gus Healy of Cork Corporation, Lt. Collins Powell, nephew of Michael Collins – all distinguished Corkonians in their own right – each of whom made their mark on this city and further afield.

The picture has remained in position in my house since 1958 next to the sacred heart picture and the coat stand – in a sense illuminating every exit and entrance from my house for 53 years. The caption of the picture is entitled Coming of Age, which is also quite an apt title to describe a 200 year celebration. The North Mon has once more has reached a milestone in its life, which rightly needs to be reflected on. Two hundred years of the North Mon is a really long time made up of thousands of young people, teachers, comings and goings and many a debate about the future of different generations. The North Mon is a place deeply rooted in Cork’s cultural identity. Indeed one is dealing with a long standing culture of hard slog, struggle, hardship, discipline, ambition and determination that has brought the North Mon to this point in its life. It has been no easy road.

The picture on my hall wall is just one picture that shines a light on past pupils and past experiences. A glance through the old roll books also reveals thousands of names of students that attended there. One cannot avoid thinking of all the trials and tribulations of past students and teachers who are not on any role of honour and who came through the school. All those that passed through its doors have given the place a continuity and have kept values going and standards high. Perhaps one can ask the big question, how many of these young people’s lives were saved through their attendance at the North Mon? How many were inspired to make a difference, to use their talents?

 

The North Mon School was established as a response to rampant poverty in the city. Way back 200 years ago John Carr, an Englishman, a travel writer of sorts in 1805, describes Cork’s economic fabric and social life. Cork was the largest butchery in Ireland and living conditions for the poorer classes in Cork were terrible and shocking. Many of the impoverished homes were located in narrow lanes and varied from cabins to cellars. It was realised in the early 1800s that the above problems could not be stopped but could be controlled as best as possible. Charity and education were key to curtailing some of the poverty. The North Monastery School was founded on 9 November 1811 when two Christian Brothers Brother Jerome O’Connor and Brother John Baptist Leonard were given charge of a school in Chapel Lane by the North Cathedral by the Bishop of Cork, Rev. Dr. Moylan. Seventeen students attended on the first day. In 1814 a fourteen acre sloping site was acquired from a wealthy catholic businessman, Sir George Gould Bart, and a new school was built. The North Monastery had found its permanent home. For the teachers in those days, it would have been no easy task and one of hard slog and hardship. Education and opportunity for them would have become mainly about giving relief, hope, dignity and faith. There were days of darkness and frustration and I have no doubt days of light.

 

During the difficult days of the late nineteenth century, three individuals brought the school to another level of contribution to Cork society more so than a response to poverty.  The North Mon was to become a place of literary thought, experimentation and invention. Br. Gerald Griffin, the celebrated poet and novelist became a member of the North Monastery in 1839. In 1857 Br. James Dominic Burke arrived at the North Monastery and under his guidance the students began the study of natural philosophy (science). Br. Burke is widely acknowledged as the father of vocational education in Ireland and made the North Mon a centre of excellence in scientific and technical education. At this time Br. John P. Holland (inventor of the submarine) studied in the ‘Mon’ under the guidance of Br. Burke. These three individuals would provide the creative foundations for the North Mon going forward.

            As a Corkman, I’d like to say thank you to the North Mon and all it stands for, for its contribution to Cork and Irish society. Here’s to the next 200!

 

 Check out North Mon Past Pupils on Facebook plus check out their bicentenary book for more memories of the school.

 

Captions:

 

580a. North Monastery Past Pupils Union “Coming of Age”, 19 April 1958

 

Back row; D. Cullinane, Prof. T. Carey, UCC, A.O’Mahony, K.V. Downing, Rev. D. Canon Connolly; Third row: Rev. J. Canon Kelly, Chief Sup. Dowd, Donal Sexton, Lt. Col. Collins Powell, Rev. Br. Nolan; Second Row: W.V. Dynan, Hon. Secretary, M. O’Brien, Hon. Treasurer, S. O’Connell, A.A. Healy, T.D., P.J. O’Leary, Vice President, C. Young; First row: R.Br. Clancy, Superior General, J. Lynch, Minister for Education, C. Murphy, President, North Mon Past Pupils Union, Bishop Dr. C. Lucey, Br. Mc Conville, Ald. R.V. Jago, Prof. H. St. J. Atkins, Br. O’Brien (picture: K. McCarthy)

 

580b. Brother James Dominic Burke (picture: North Mon, Cork) 

 

580b. Brother James Dominic Burke, North Monastery, Cork

Kieran’s Comments on George Boole House, No.5 Grenville Place, Cork City Council Meeting, 28 February 2011

Cork History, Kieran's Council Work, Uncategorized

I would like to welcome the Council’s interventions here and acknowledge the hard work of Pat Ruane and Jeremy Ward.

The building at no. 5 Grenville Place has been vacant for a period of at least ten years and suffered from neglect and then collapsed.

The same thing happened it seemed last week on Kyle Street and before that Castle Street.

Lord Mayor, I’m worried about the strength of our Building Control unit. Over the last year, three buildings have now collapsed within a short space of each other. I worried about health and safety with such structures collapsing. And that’s not scare-mongering that’s being realistic plus I’d like to call for a swot analysis from that unit on what is going on.

I suppose on the heritage and history front; on one level, old nineteenth century buildings are all over the place in Cork and the vast majority are protected structures. But I still worry in how we don’t market and harness some of the key buildings of Cork’s built heritage – on a bigger scale, I could talk on about places such as the old Butter Exchange, which I have not seen a decent plan yet to really make it a centre piece of tourism in the Shandon area and in the city; I also worry and could also talk about Elizabeth Fort and its surrounding heritage and the challenges facing that 400 year old fort.

But here is a house where George Boole and eminent Mathematician lived.

Born in Lincoln, Boole went on to be an English mathematician and philosopher.

As the inventor of Boolean logic—the basis of modern digital computer logic—Boole is regarded in hindsight as a founder of the field of computer science.

 

George Boole Portrait

Way back in 1849, he came to Cork to be  the first professor of mathematics of then Queen’s College, Cork in Ireland (now University College Cork, (where the library, underground lecture theatre complex and the Boole Centre for Research in Informatics  are named in his honour).

 Living on Grenville Place, his mathematical skills were fully realized.

Boole approached logic in a new way reducing it to a simple algebra, incorporating logic into mathematics. He also worked on differential equations, the calculus of finite differences and general methods in probability

.

The 8 year stretch from 1847 to 1854 possibility when he was living at Grenville Place starts and ends with Boole’s two books on mathematical logic. In addition Boole published 24 more papers on traditional mathematics during this period, while only one paper was written on logic,. He was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Dublin in 1851, and this was the title that he used beside his name in his 1854 book on logic- Mathematical Analysis of Logic and his 1854 book, Laws of Thought..

During the last 10 years of his career, from 1855 to 1864, Boole published 17 papers on mathematics and two mathematics books, one on differential equations and one on difference equations. Both books were considered state of the art and used for instruction at Cambridge. Also during this time significant honors came in:

1857 

Fellowship of the Royal Society

1858 

Honorary Member of the Cambridge Philosophical Society

1859 

Honorary Degree of DCL, honoris causa from Oxford

Unfortunately his keen sense of duty led to his walking through a rainstorm in late 1864, and then lecturing in wet clothes. Not long afterwards, on December 8, 1864 in Ballintemple, County Cork, Ireland, he died of pneumonia, at the age of 49. Another paper on mathematics and a revised book on differential equations, giving considerable attention to singular solutions, were published post mortem.

In time Boole’s work formed the basis of mechanisms and processes in the real world and that it is therefore highly relevant. The use of Booles Boolean algebra could optimize the design of systems of electromechanical relays,his basic ideas underly all modern electronic digital computers.

The crater Boole on the Moon is named in his honour.

So in terms of the history of Boole’s House, we are dealing with something richly steeped in research and pushing forward the discipline of maths.

The Grenville Site is another example of how this city is not good at engaging and harnessing its history, its built heritage and minding it.

To conclude

I would like to observe that this city needs to (a) review the effectiveness of our Building Control Unit and (b) invest more in the harnessing of the city’s history, otherwise, the memory of such people as George Boole will disappear from this city with others – we’ll have a city with no uniquenesses and we’ll have a generic looking city that looks like any other city in the world.

thanks

George Boole house

George Boole House, Grenville Place

 George Boole, reply from City Manager, 28 February 2011

Kieran’s Comments on Draft North Blackpool Local Area Plan, 28 February 2011

Cork History, Kieran's Council Work, Uncategorized

North Blackpool Draft Local Area Plan

 

Lord Mayor,

At the outset, I’d like to thank the planning unit for their work on this document.

I would also like to compliment the North Central ward councillors for their active pursuit to get two local area plans for their central core area. And I look forward to the first draft of the Mahon Local Area Plan.

Lord Mayor, I stand here now after three local area plans have gone through this council’s hands in the last 18 months.  They have all varied in their design and I would argue in their approaches as well. The document before us has a very different style than the south Blackpool local area plan- from perspectives on the urban landscape to even the maps that were produced. I don’t think we’re getting a standard delivery of quality with regard to our local area plans.

I’m a big fan of the North Blackpool area especially from a historical perspective. From the train, I love the sweeping view of the City from Kilbarry and admiring how the houses were engineered into the steep hill of Farranree or Spangle Hill itself.

I remember in 2003 going out to Sunbeam and witnessing the building burning down and speaking with older people in the area as they looked on and how strong their respect for that place was. I remember afterwards going away and doing some research on the place.

Sunbeam, 19th century building

The main building, a five storey brick building, which was the first to be demolished after the fire was constructed between 1864 and 1866 and was the brainchild of William Shaw. Designed by Belfast architects, Boyd and Platt, it was the first industrial linen yarn-spinning mill outside of Ulster.

The Millfield Mill was operated by the Cork Spinning and Weaving Company whose directors chose the site outside the city’s municipal boundary. This was due to the fact, the company would not have to pay rates to Cork Corporation.

By the beginning of the twentieth century, the mill was one of the most important flax spinning mills outside of Ulster. As a symbol of local enterprise, the mill was also operating looms for weaving and by 1920 was employing upwards on 1,000 people.

The year 1924 marked the closure of the Cork Butter market adjacent Shandon and the opening of a knitwear factory on the site by William Dwyer. In 1928, William Dwyer transferred his factory from Shandon to the Millfield textile factory Blackpool in order to expand his business.

In the 1930s, Dwyer transferred his factory from Shandon to the Millfield textile factory Blackpool in order to expand his business. Three decades later, the Dwyer factory in the 1960s, the factory was witnessing much success and employed 1,100 people. It also attracted other smaller firms to the complex and was one of the city’s largest employers. The “House of Dwyer” also operated the Lee Hosiery Factory, Lee Shirt Factory and Lee Clothing Factory.

In the mid 1970s,the Millfield Factory was sold to UK firm, Courtaulds. Subsequently, in the 1980s, the factory employed over 3.500 people and in the early 1990s was taken over by Sunbeam Industries Limited, based in Westport. In 1995, Sunbeam Knitwear closed and the site became home to many local enterprises.

Talking to the people who watched the complex burn down, the Sunbeam complex had not only been a part of the twenty first century city but stood as a symbol of the city’s economic and social development, which many, many Corkonians are proud to be associated with. It was sadly missed and memories of it are still evoked. And I have no doubt if I said the word Sunbeam and asked some of the older members here to discuss; you’d talk on…  a place where friendships were formed, romances kindled and the long hours of hard work.

But thinking of all that nostalgic energy and then looking at the plan – there is a disconnection in how planners think about placemaking; Indeed there is no mention of Sunbeam or really any other iconic historic sites in the area.

In fact we now more or less have two plans for Blackpool, a place dripping in stories, memories, nostalgia and no plan to use any of it in creating or injecting the future of Blackpool with an identity.

In fact, l would like to observe especially in this plan that this plan is lacking imagination in how we can really inspire and create public spaces of meaning; When I was thinking of Sunbeam I was thinking, wouldn’t it be great to have a sunbeam square where once more friendships and dates could start from.

The two plans of Blackpool back to back, I feel are indirectly creating identityless places, a sense of placelessness, souless places, which you can see anywhere in the world

 Indeed with the two plans back to back there is no strategy to harness the energy of the area’s history and memories that make up the sense of place in Blackpool and why people living in that area and from that area are so, so proud of their roots and their identity.

Where this plan does go some way in making the connection better between spaces within the area together, this draft plan I feel lacks a certain quality that plugs into this areas uniqueness – the draft plan does lack depth and imagination in how public space and heritage could go hand in hand.

Sunbeam worker, mid 20th century from Cork Archives Collection

Sunbeam Factory Floor, 1950

Kieran’s Comments on ‘Docklands Gateway Innovation Fund’, Cork City Council Meeting, 28 February 2011

Enterprise, Kieran's Council Work, Uncategorized, Ward Events

Gateway Innovation Fund and Cork Docklands Project

 

Lord Mayor, every now and again, we check the pulse of docklands and see how it’s doing.

This is indeed an interesting report that reveals what we all knew in our hearts all along- that there is no money there to kick-start the real development of docklands.

But in addition, there was no real attempt by the last government to really engage with the future potential of such as a site and to harness its opportunities for Ireland’s long term future. Much of the analysis of its potential has really only being pushed by ourselves and outside agencies in the region.

The national potential of Cork Docklands, I feel, was never really appreciated at National level over the last number of years and the idea of actually creating proper gateway cities was never really pursued by the last government either.

And even the proposed policies of the general election candidates never really bit into the actual potential of Docklands for this region and the country at large.

I would like to commend yourself Lord Mayor for taking the various party leaders to task on their perspectives and question their commitment to Docklands.

I fear for the nature and form of the current plan. There were comments by general election candidates on how is the city going to attract the bones of 22,000 people to live in that area over the space of 20 years. I also share those concerns. The last time the population of the city itself jumped that high was during the creation of the local authority houses in places such as Ballyphehane and Churchfield in the 1950s and 1960s. To build momentum, to attract such a population demands a City that is reaching out not in its own region but reaching out deeply into other regions as well.

I have to say as well I heard during the debates and which I agree with – that the current docklands plan is just about apartments and mixed business units. I feel that the plan in Ireland’s current economic problems does nothing to bring Cork forward or even Ireland forward, economically, socially and culturally. If Docklands was given money for the bridge in the morning, we would end up with vast quantities of empty apartments and business units. Sure there would be a short term benefit in terms of construction jobs and so on, which would be very welcome. But we should question what we want the future of Cork and its Docklands to be.

Map of Cork Docklands Master Plan Overview

The current plan is still bound up with the mythic prosperity of the Celtic Tiger at its heights especially in the property bubble. It is still bound up with a kind of invisible money that we are hoping will appear in today’s world out of mid air like something in a magic show.

Economic momentum, which was there in 2007, has completely dissipated- we are learning now that much of it was based on borrowing money from international bondholders – there is also the issue of a principal developer in the docklands, who is now in NAMA. Certainly we now have a large jigsaw piece of docklands missing and even if found, the piece probably won’t fit into Cork’s economic landscape.

Plus there is the burning question what is going to happen to all these properties that have been NAMA’d.

There needs to be a hard and deep rethink about the docklands plan- the plan was conceived in an economic boom –the current plan has not reacted in any way to the downturn – we will continue to go to the new government saying we need money but we have not factored in the enormous changes in outlook of Ireland’s economic fortunes and the future needs of Irish society; the Cork docklands should feed into the new international outlook and the realistic strategies that Ireland needs to move forward in the longterm.

Docklands has certainly brought Cork to an international way of thinking; it is a very positive project; but economically the docklands as a space is not creative enough to be a sustainable place that connects into the city centre and moves with the rest of the city’s economic momentum.

I reckon that the docklands plan will have to be reconfigured in line with the economic realities of the next 15-20 years, which won’t I hope be bound up with another property bubble – the future of Ireland is going to be all about rebuilding and rebranding Ireland and implementing new ideas for jobs that are not all construction based. The young generation coming up will demand jobs that compliment their technological worlds. 

 I have no doubt that new plans will have to be considered for the Docklands Project. I welcome the move in the business community to consider a new university in the docklands with an Asian  connection. That is about thinking outside of the box.

View from Centre Park Road, September 2007

Cork Docklands Map

Kieran’s Motions and Question to the City Manager, Cork City Council Meeting, 28 February 2011

Kieran's Council Work, Uncategorized

Kieran’s Motions and Question to the City Manager, Cork City Council Meeting, 28 February 2011

Motions:

In order to stress the importance of their work to their respective communities that they work in, that the Community Wardens give a report on their work to the housing functional committee (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)

 

That capital money be put aside for the roof of the local studies section of Cork City Library (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)

 

Question to the City Manager:

To ask the manager will he contact all general election candidates to cut and take away as well their plastic ties that held posters on poles in the city area?

 

Cork City Hall

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, 24 February 2011

Cork History, Uncategorized

579a. Portraits of J R Hainsworth and PJ Dolan

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town,

 

Cork Independent, 24 February 2011

 

In the Footsteps of St. Finbarre (Part 249)

A Disappearing Memory

Following the laying of the foundation stone of Cork City Hall on 9 July 1932 and the luncheon that followed, Eamonn DeValera travelled by motor car to the Irish Industrial and Agricultural Fair on the Straight Road. He was greeted by Mr. P.J. Dolan, manager of the Fair and Mr. J.R. Hainsworth, organising manager.

DeValera was eager to inspect the agricultural section. Here he spoke with Mr. D.J. Curran, Agricultural Instructor with Mr. C.F. Moloney, a like official of the County Cork Committee of Agriculture. Curran conducted his explanations of the various plots of seasonal crops entirely in Irish. The fruit and flower departments were equally well appreciated by DeValera who commented positively on its immense value as an educational exhibit for visiting agriculturalists. The brother of the architect Mr.  E. O’Flynn, who was responsible for the entire architectural at the exhibition, was presented to the President at the entrance to the Hall of Commerce. DeValera practically visited each stand in the different exhibition halls and was particularly interested in those promoting home manufactures, conversing with attendants and gaining detailed information about their products.

The summer and autumn of 1932 brought great national attention to the Fair. Certainly the amusements gave Cork people a place to be entertained. The impact of the various fair trade stands is unknown. Certainly during the four months of its existence, people came from over Ireland and the wider world to visit the exhibition. Whereas, one can, through local and national press, articulate that many people walked through the fair stands, how many people bought goods later is unknown. Certainly, the entire venture was a great example of what could be done to engage the general public in the opportunities available in the Irish Free State and framing the national ideals of such a title.

By October 2 1932, the last day of the Fair thousands had come through the gates of the Fair. The Evening Echo highlighted that hundreds of people took advantage of the last opportunity to see the Fair and the grounds were thronged throughout the last day. Buses plied between the city and the Fair and extra buses were put on. A big excursion arrived from Waterford to swell the crowds. During the day, a clay target shoot was held. It was the last shoot of several that were held during the Fair season at the site.

A carnival was arranged to make the closing night enjoyable. Any visitors who arrived in fancy dress were admitted free into the exhibition halls and on to all the amusements. A further attraction was the ‘popular’ Mystery Man, who was present in the amusement park, distributing cash presents to those lucky to attract his attention. Followers of music heard the Butter Exchange Band play a programme from 7pm until 10pm on the bandstand. The grounds were lit up by rows of tiny overhead lights of the national colours of green, white and orange.

There was an intention, as noted in the Cork Examiner and Irish Press that the Fair committee wanted to run the event gain in 1933. Hence in the winter months of 1932, they approached the government to secure a grant of £3,000 to run same. However, by that time, the committee seemed to be up against a number of difficulties. The ESB had dismantled their plant, which meant the committee would have to pay again to get one installed at the site. In December, the winding up of the fair also led to some investors wishing to be paid. These claims ended up in the High Court. I was unable to find out what was the eventual outcome. However the fair was not held in 1933 and probably the bad publicity affected the search for investors and the positive energy needed to push forward such a venture.

Another problem was that by the end of the fair season that a number of the fair’s exhibition buildings were the property of other institutions. In July 1932 according to the minutes of the Munster Agricultural society, their members attended an auction at the industrial fair grounds at the Carrigrohane Straight Road. They purchased the Industrial Hall for the sum of £220 and six kiosks at £6-10-each. The society was further contacted by city manager Philip Monahan who wanted to use the building in conjunction with a proposed new public park at Carrigrohane. He wished for the society to leave the building there till spring of the following year but the committee disagreed with proposal. The building was dismantled and brought to the Show grounds and erected. The steel framing left over was sold off in February 1934. A concrete pathway was created from the Cork showgrounds entrance to the grounds through the quadrangle to the new hall that became known as the Lee Hall.

In the years following the fair, a city dump or landfill was located on the site. This landfill remained in place for a number of decades before the Kinsale Road landfill came into being. That perhaps also added to the memory of the Irish Industrial and Agricultural Fair disappearing out of Cork’s public history. The site is now to become the city’s new park and ride venue.

To be continued…

Captions:

579a. Portraits of J.R. Hainsworth and P.J. Dolan from an official guide to the Fair (source: Cork Museum)

579b. Lee Hall of Cork Showgrounds, formerly the Industrial Hall of the 1932 Fair (picture: Kieran McCarthy)

579b. Lee Hall of Cork Showgrounds, formerly the Industrial Hall at the Irish Industrial and Agricultural Fair 1932, Carrigrohane Straight Road, Cork