To ask the CE on an update on the current management arrangements for public lighting in the city, and in particular what climate action measure are being taken and what contractors are being engaged with? (Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
Reply:
The Public Lighting Framework adopted 2021 by the City Council identifies three strategic pillars with regards to the provision of public lighting: • Asset management • Service provision • Energy reduction. In relation to Energy Reduction, Cork City Council have identified the need to change public lighting lanterns to LEDs to help reduce the energy consumption related to the provision of this service. As part of our tendered public lighting annual maintenance contract works a small percentage of lights are converted to LED annually. Additional funding, to accelerate the changeover of 1,000 additional old SON/SOX lanterns to LED, was put in place mid-2022 and this accelerated programme will be implemented over a 12-month period.
As a result of this incremental approach, at the end of October 2022, approximately 40% of the public lighting network has been fitted with LED lanterns. In 2022 alone Cork City Council has upgraded 2,500 lanterns (approx. 10%) from old SON/SOX lanterns to LED. In addition, a dimming profile, where lanterns are dimmed to 75% output from midnight onwards, in also in operation on some street lights. A combination of the above interventions has resulted in a reduction of the energy used powering public lighting in the City, dropping from 95.87watts to 84.59 watts in 2022 alone.
The Public Lighting Department of the Operations Directorate is preparing further proposals in terms of a Public Lighting Strategy to tackle legacy electrical issues, old public lighting column issues and the replacement of the remaining old SON/SOX lanterns and converting them to LED. The delivery of this strategy will be subject to securing the required funding for this replacement project.
David Joyce, Director of Services, Roads & Environment Operations Directorate
1176a. Mary MacSwiney TD, 1921 (Source: Houses of the Oireachtas Archive).
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 10 November 2022
Journeys to an Irish Free State: Mary MacSwiney’s Hunger Strike
November 1922 coincided with the hunger strike of Mary MacSwiney as part of her continued protest at the Treaty and as her part in the Irish Civil War. After Mary’s re-election to Dáil Éireann in June 1922 she abstained from the political institution. She fought the Irish Civil War making regular speeches in the public realm but remained in a non-combatant role.
On 4 November 1922, Mary was arrested at the home of Nell Ryan at 40 Herbert Park, Ballsbridge, Dublin. Her premises were raided by National Army soldiers. She was interned at Mountjoy Gaol where she immediately went on hunger strike. At once Mary’s national political presence attracted attention. The gaol doctor, Dr O’Connor, asked for a waterbed for her comfort. Nevertheless, during the hunger strike Mary refused doctor visits. Just outside the prison walls Cumann na mBan members held vigils demonstrating against Mary’s internment and the internment of others like her.
The Cork Examiner reported on 9 November 1922: “Dublin, Wednesday 8 December 1922 – Miss Mary MacSwiney, sister of Terence MacSwiney, late Lord Mayor of Cork, entered today on her fifth day of hunger strike in Mountjoy Prison. She has been joined since Monday in the hunger strike by four other prisoners, Madame O’Rahilly, widow of the [Michael Joseph] The O’Rahilly, Mrs Humphries his sister and her daughter, Sheila, and Miss Honor Murphy”.
In connection with messages of protest received by President WT Cosgrave of the Irish Provisional Government from the American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic referring to the arrest and detention in prison of Miss Mary MacSwiney, TD, the Government Publicity Department issued a statement in the evening of 3 November. President Cosgrave wrote about returning with General Richard Mulcahy from a tour of the Dublin hospitals where he had visited seriously injured soldiers of the National Army and his thoughts upon such suffering;
“Deaths and sufferings, and a daily toll of further deaths and sufferings, are the direct consequences of the doings of people who formerly were, and still claim to be, political leaders, the consequence of the action which Mr De Valera has described as Rory O’Connor’s unfortunate repudiation of the Dáil, which I (De Valera) was so foolish as to defend”.
“Mr De Valera, Miss MacSwiney, and their associates, far from wishing to make amends for what they refer to as their ‘foolishness’, show that they intend to go on being foolish, even at the terrible cost of Irish blood and suffering. They are responsible for the shedding of blood in Ireland, and for its continuance cannot themselves claim immunity. We, on whom the Irish people have placed the responsibility of asserting their authority, will not allow the discharge of that duty to the nation to be hampered by the consideration of any individuals, be they whom they may”.
At a Cork Harbour Board meeting in mid-November 1922 the chairman received a delegation of ladies (Mrs Sheehan, Mrs K Riordan, and Miss Sheehan) who read a document asking for the release of Mary MacSwiney; “We the constituents of Miss MacSwiney ask the Provisional Government, as an not of chivalry, to forthwith release Miss MacSwiney, hoping by this kindly act to alleviate bitterness between Irishmen will help towards the cessation of fratricidal strife, which is slowly destroying our country”.
Continuing the Chairman said he appreciated the manner in which the document had been worded. He described it as having no party bitterness in it, and he hoped that as they were celebrating the second anniversary of Terence MacSwiney’s death, which had evoked such world-wide admiration, he hoped the Government would act on it.
Board member and member of Cork Corporation Sir John Scott, in proposing the adoption of the resolution, said that there were times in the “affairs of men and women when politics had to be put aside”, and he thought that was one of them. He regretted that Miss MacSwiney had been arrested, because he thought that action was an “error of judgment”, and he had no hesitation in asking that she be released Mr Barry Egan seconded.
Mr T J Murphy wished to be associated with the request. He noted that Miss MacSwiney was a member of their Board and TD for the city, and he did not think it would hurt the Provisional Government to grant her release. He thought, in fact, it would be much better for the Provisional Government if they did so. Mr O’Brien also supported the resolution. He did not think it would serve any patriotic purpose to keep Miss MacSwiney in prison. The Chairman said he supposed there was no objection whatever to passing the resolution. The motion was formally passed and the deputation withdrew.
Members of Cork Corporation also called for Mary’s release as well as the Cork Worker’s Council. In addition on the twentieth day of the hunger strike, Mary’s sister Annie MacSwiney, who had been fasting outside the gaol for a week, was removed in a very weak state to a private nursing home in Eccles Street, Dublin. Annie was determined to fast until she was admitted to the gaol to see her sister.
Beyond the twentieth day of Mary’s hunger strike, her condition was grave and she was given the Last Rites by a Roman Catholic priest. On the 24th day though the Government were not prepared to let hunger strikers die, and she was released.
In early April 1923 Mary was arrested again and taken to Kilmainham Gaol and was released after 19 days of hunger strike.
Caption:
1176a. Mary MacSwiney TD, 1921 (Source: Houses of the Oireachtas Archive).
1175a. Interior view of Albert Road electricity power house with some electric trams worked by the Cork Electric Lighting and Tramway Company (source: Tram Tracks of Cork by Walter McGrath).
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 3 November 2022
Journeys to an Irish Free State: The Civic Guard Arrives
On 4 November 1922, about 7.40pm the entire city of Cork was plunged into darkness. Ten armed men Anti-Treaty IRA Volunteers with sledge hammers entered the Albert Road electricity power house, run by the Cork Electric Lighting and Tramway Company. They commanded the staff at the point of revolvers to enter a room, and there kept them prisoners, and immediately set about to reduce the plant to bits with sledge hammers.
The Cork Examiner records that the first immediate effect was that all electric current ceased, and the city was in darkness. The trams halted and shops that were still carrying on business continued with the aid of candle light, while others were more fortunate to have an auxiliary supply of gas. The city’s churches, where the Litany in honour of the saints of Ireland and special prayers for peace were being recited by large congregations, were also thrown into darkness. It being a Saturday night, there was the usually large numbers of people going to Confession, and in some of the churches the priests suspended the hearings.
Once the National Army troops arrived at the power plant, they freed the engineer and five other members of the staff who had been locked into one of the offices. The Cork Examiner reported on the quick response by the troops: “The Power House was probably only saved from complete destruction by the alertness of the military, who became suspicious when all the lights failed suddenly. It was realised, of course, such as failure might occur from ordinary causes, but it was fortunately worth investigating and two officers and four men rushed off to the Power House from Headquarters. They arrived just in time to prevent the total destruction of the plant…as soon as they entered the building the raiders made a hasty exit from the rear, their work unfinished, and indeed scarcely started”.
The engineering staff quickly got to work to remedy the damage done. The steam pump, and booster had been put out of action and the feeding tubes damaged. These were badly bent, but not broken. They were, however, rendered inoperative, and had the machinery been allowed to run for any time afterwards, an explosion would have taken place, bringing the centre building to ruins. Repairs were duly made. After 40 minutes the city was lit up once again, the trams were running, and everything was normal. Searches were carried out in the neighbourhood and several arrests on suspicion were made. All were subsequently released.
On 10 November 1922, between 7pm and 8pm, an attack was made on Victoria Military Barracks, Cork. Snipers opened fire on the buildings from the Blackpool side, and heavy firing continued for over twenty minutes. The troops replied to the attackers, who ceased fire altogether after about half an hour. The soldiers suffered no casualties.
About the same time, two civilians were wounded in Blackpool. It was not clear whether they were hit by stray bullets from the direction of the Barracks during the attack, or were hit during some firing in Blackpool, where a patrol carrying out searches were said to have been fired on.
The two civilians were standing near the corner of Messrs Murphy’s Brewery with others, and a military patrol a short distance away were carrying out searches. Suddenly shots rang out and one of the group of men was hit in the leg. They scattered, and a one armed ex-soldier named James Murphy ran for cover towards a doorway. He had just reached the house when he pitched forward gasping “I’m hit”. The ambulance was immediately sent for, and in it James Murphy was conveyed to the North Infirmary. The other man who had been shot had apparently gone home. He was not admitted to hospital.
In the midst of scuffles in the neighbourhoods of Cork, a party of the Civic Guard, numbering about sixty men, arrived in Cork on 9 November 1922 from Dublin to take up their police duties in the city and county. The Civic Guard (renamed the Garda Síochána na hÉireann on 8 August 1923) had earlier in 1922 been established by Michael Collins and the Irish Provisional Government. The first contingent of Civic Guards came to Cork by boat and were stationed in the Cork School of Music as the former RIC barracks at Union Quay had been burned by the Anti Treaty forces in the wake of its evacuation. It was intended to send some of the members of the Civic Guard to Bandon, Clonakilty Midleton, and Youghal.
The editorial in the Cork Examiner wrote about the need for citizen co-operation with the Civic Guard: “A sense of civic responsibility will, it may be assumed, urge all classes to co-operate with the Civic Guard and on all occasions to give its members every assistance possible.…The creation of the Civic Guard is a direct result of Irish liberty, and it is for the people to prove that they appreciate that freedom by cordially upholding the body that has been brought into being to maintain the peace and to ensure that order and honesty are fundamental parts of the society to which we all belong, and which it is everyone’s duty as worthy citizens to uphold”.
Caption:
1175a. Interior view of Albert Road electricity power house with some electric trams worked by the Cork Electric Lighting and Tramway Company (source: Tram Tracks of Cork by Walter McGrath).
Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has welcomed Cork City Council’s proposed junction safety works on Carrigaline Road between lower Maryborough Woods and Berkley estate, and calls on local people with issues or concerns to engage with the consultation process.
Cork City Council proposes to provide a shared cycle track on the western side of the distributor road within Berkeley to the junction with Carrigaline Road and through to the distributor road within Maryborough Woods. This shared space will provide a safe route for cyclists from Ballybrack Walkway Phase 3 and the proposed Ballybrack Walkway Phase 4 through Berkeley to the Carrigaline Road and into Maryborough Woods.
The main elements of the proposed works are; Provision of a 3m shared cycle facility connecting Ballybrack Phase 3 in Berkeley to Maryborough Woods. The length of this shared facility is approximately 160m; Footpaths in Berkeley and Carrigaline Road adjacent the scheme will be upgraded to 2m; There are new proposed zebra crossings to facilitate a safe crossing point for both pedestrians and cyclists while also slowing vehicles for added safety; Modification to kerbs and road widths to accommodate proposed cycling infrastructure; And new road marking and signage.
Cllr McCarthy noted: “There is quite a number of small footpath widths in this area – so making the immediate area pedestrian friendly and creating pedestrian crossings are welcome. On any given day, the traffic moves at speed through the area. With the opening of the new school shortly nearby, there will be much more pedestrians on local footpaths. It is also not envisaged to take any treeline. It is important though that local residents are aware of the proposals”.
Any observations in relation to this proposal should be made electronically through https://consult.corkcity.ie or forwarded in an envelope marked “Active Travel Improvement Works Maryborough Woods to Berkeley, Douglas” to Senior Engineer, Infrastructure Development, City Hall, Anglesea Street, Cork. Final date for submissions is 5pm on Monday, 28 November 2022.
1174a. Fr Thomas Dowling, on the left, c.1924 from The Irish Capuchins, Record of a Century, 1885-1985 (source: Cork City Library).
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 27 October 2022
Journeys to a Free State: Quests by the Trade Union Movement
During October and November 1922, the Cork and District Trade and Labour Council came to the forefront of promoting peace plus endeavoured to champion local industry. With regard to peace, on 26 October 1922, at a meeting of the Council, Mr George Nason, Chairman, presided, and praised the peace seeking work of their Honorary President, Fr Thomas Dowling, had, for some time past, been very busy in an endeavour to bring about peace in the country.
Fr Dowling’s obituary in the Cork Examiner on 9 January 1951 highlights that he was a native of Kilkenny, where he was born in 1874. He entered the Capuchin Order in his native city at the age of sixteen and was ordained in the Capuchin Church in Kilkenny in December 1896. He arrived shortly afterwards to Holy Trinity Church in Cork.
During the Great War 1914-1918 the cost of ordinary commodities rose considerably in Cork City. As a result, the interplay between rising costs and wages began to affect the economy. Wages could not match prices so strikes were called. Fr Thomas, who had studied social reform, threw himself wholeheartedly into the work of mediation and arbitration in 1918 between employers and trade unions. Fr Thomas clocked up notable accolades. The Freedom of Cork City was conferred upon him in June 1918. The Senate of the National University of Ireland paid tribute in 1920 by conferring on him the honorary degree of LL.D. A physical recognition for his general services for the Cork Trade Unions exists in a stained-glass window, to his memory in Holy Trinity Church.
George Nason commented that Fr Thomas was leaving no stone unturned to bring about peace, and he asked the delegates, to pass a resolution showing that the workers of Cork were with him in his good work. Proposing the motion, Mr Weldon said they heartily welcomed the efforts of Fr Thomas, and felt proud that these efforts emanated through him as a representative of Labour. Mr Weldon proposed the following resolution:
“We, the Workers’ Council of Cork, gladly welcome the news of the efforts for peace that have reached us. We appeal to all concerned to submerge all personal feelings in an effort to save our loved country from the ruin that threatens it. The stagnation of industry is causing appalling suffering, to thousands in our midst, and on their behalf we strongly appeal. We congratulate our beloved Honorary President, Very Rev. Dr. Thomas on his patriotic efforts to end the present deplorable position in the country, and feel sure that if any man could effect a settlement he will do so”.
Mr Matheson seconded. The resolution was passed unanimously. Miss Buckley of the Women’s Workers’ Union), supported the motion and called for peace; “If we do not take a stand now and put an end to this awful tragedy we cannot expect other people to do it for them…I hope that this peace would be a lasting peace, and not one calculated to give breathing space to either side”.
Apart from promoting peace, the Cork District Trades and Labour Council objected strongly through a campaign to lessen the wholesale importation of goods, which could be very easily manufactured locally. They liased closely with the Executive Council of the Cork Industrial Development Association. They asked the Association to appoint a deputation to interview the manager of the Cork Clothing Factory for the purpose of discussing ways and means to avoid the importation of ready-made clothing. As a result of the interview, it was discovered that in the purchase of ready-mades the public still regarded price as the chief determining factor. Indeed the workers and housekeepers when purchasing ready-made garments rarely enquired as to whether such garments were made in Ireland or were made up of Irish material.
It was demonstrated to the members of the deputation of the Cork Industrial Association that in the case of two to three garment articles of Leeds and Cork manufacturersthat although the Leeds product was a few shillings cheaper in price, the Cork product had wearing properties of three times the duration of the corresponding English ready-made suit. However, the material of the all-Irish ready-made very much excelled the material and finish of the corresponding English ready-mades.
The Cork Industrial Development Association were quick to note that in purchasing a ready-made suit turned out in Leeds that Cork workers were keeping English woollen mills in operation and English workers in constant employment.Whilst on the other hand the Association argued that they were helping to close up Irish woollen mills and to disemploy Irish factory hands in clothing establishments.
Under these circumstances it was decided to circularise all the trade unions in Cork asking the officials of same to circularise all their members a request that when purchases were being made that Irish goods should be given preference. Where there was a marked discrepancy in prices as compared with those of foreign make, the Cork Industrial Development Association was prepared to investigate the reasons and to take up all cases.
Coupled with the promotion of Irish goods, the Association approved of the formation of the Cork Animated Advertising Agency at St Patrick’s Street, Cork and several “Irish manufacturers of good standing” availed of the medium of advertising offered through the Agency. The Association was satisfied that the advertisements inserted in the publication of the Agency would be in the interest of Irish industry.
Caption:
1174a. Fr Thomas Dowling, on the left, c.1924 from The Irish Capuchins, Record of a Century, 1885-1985 (source: Cork City Library).
Proposals for Road Safety Improvements at Ballinlough Road, Wallace’s Avenue and Bellair Estate Junctions, 2022 (image: Cork City Council)
Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has welcomed the formal passing of a planning proposal by members of Cork City Council for proposed Road Safety Improvement Scheme on Ballinlough Road. The proposals include the construction of two table top raised areas at the junctions of Bellair Estate and Ballinlough Road, and Wallace’s Avenue with Ballinlough Road, respectively, and a zebra crossing from Our Lady of Lourdes School to the current Bean Brownie shop. In the early discussions on design a controlled crossing was ruled out due to people’s driveways adjacent to the junction. It is also proposed to reconstruct and improve footpaths in the vicinity of both junctions, and modify and improve public lighting, road markings and road signage.
Cllr McCarthy noted: “Twenty submissions were received from the general public with the majority of them being supportive. The next steps now were to carry out an independent Road Safety Audit followed by the tender process. It is hoped that works will commence in late 2022. Discussions will take place with the school prior to commencement”.
“The corner of Old Lady of Lourdes National School is a blind corner and has many people crossing this dangerous stretch of road every day. Public safety has been a regular issue that local people have raised with me. Over many years, I have received much correspondence and phone calls from people highlighting stories of near misses and outlining fears for themselves and in many cases, children living in the local area”, continued Cllr McCarthy.
“It was people power, which drove the funding to be put in place. The funding came as part of a central government package of funding to Cork City Council as part of a Low Cost Safety Scheme for local road networks”, concluded Cllr McCarthy.
1172a. St Patrick’s Street, c.1920 from Cork City Through Time by Kieran McCarthy and Dan Breen.
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 20 October 2022
Journeys to a Free State: Skirmishes on the Streets
Whereby September 1922 coincided with offensive and randomly located rifle fire by Anti Treaty IRA volunteers on the National Army troops, October 1922 coincided with a step up in the type of weapon used especially using hand grenades. The Mills grenade was a traditional design; a grooved cast iron “pineapple” with a central striker held by a close hand lever and secured with a pin. The casing was grooved to make it simpler to grip. The Mills type was a defensive grenade to be thrown from behind cover at a focus in the open, wounding with fragmentation.
However, story after story, which appears in the Cork Examiner tells of warning shots more so than anything else by the IRA. However, they still shocked the general population, who tried to go about their daily business and found themselves part of tit-for-tat skirmishes on Cork City’s main streets.
A bombing of National Army troops occurred in Cork on 19 October 1922. Since the closing down of the railways owing to the destruction of local and regional bridges, a military guard was placed on duty in each station to prevent damage to rolling stock and railway property generally.
At the Cork-Bandon Railway terminus on Albert Quay, a party of 49 men were placed on duty. There were stationed at various points in the yard, but the greater number remained in the centre. At 1.15pm, an IRA volunteer came over a new bridge connecting Rockboro Road with Anglesea Street, and which ran immediately underneath the South Infirmary church and wards. After he arrived about the centre of the bridge, he flung four hand grenades in quick succession at the sentry on duty underneath. At the time, the sentry was in the engine shed, but this was not observed by the bomb-thrower.
Of the four grenades thrown only one exploded, and this was outside the shed inside, where the sentry was. The other three remained where they fell. The explosion of the single bomb while it caused consternation, fortunately did no damage, and no one was injured. The troops in other parts of the yard observed a man running towards Rockboro Road, and shots were fired at him. He, however escaped, jumping up the three steps leading from the bridge to Rockboro Road, where he had the shelter of the houses. The three unexploded grenades, which were fired at the sentry lay unexploded and were rendered harmless.
On 21 October 1922 at about 1pm a three ton lorry, containing National Army troops, was coming through St Patrick’s Street from a westerly direction, and when it had arrived in the vicinity of Messrs Thompson’s and Messrs Lipton’s, a bomb was thrown at it. It rolled a short distance after it landed before it exploded. The bomb damaged the premises of Messrs Whelan and French.
A small pony cart, which was in the vicinity at the time, was damaged. A boy named William Hornibrook was unfortunate. When the bomb was thrown, the lorry, in an endeavour to get away, struck into William’s small pony cart. The animal bolted and William’s cart was smashed into small pieces. The pony though escaped uninjured.
Others who were in the street at the times also suffered, though their injuries were fortunately of a minor nature. John O’Leary, an employee of the Macroom Railway Company, sustained an injury to the head, and he and the William – the boy – were removed to the Mercy Hospital. John has mild bruising and William suffered from shock.
The National Army troops were soon on the scene and the locality was searched, but no arrests were made. Another live grenade was found on Paul Street, which suggested that the perpetrator of the bomb escaped that way and got rid of the bomb through fear of being held up. A short time later the tram service, which was held up resumed its business.
On 22 October, at about 8.30am two lorries in convoy was on its way towards the County Gaol. When it reached the Grand Parade, it was fired on near Woodford Bourne. Several volleys were discharged from the shelter of crowds, but the troops suffered no casualties. The officer-in-charge within the National Army gave the order to his men to fire in the air, which dispersed the assailants and the general crowd very quickly. A little girl named Ms O’Donovan, aged about 13 years, was hit in the knee by some splinters. She was treated by Dr Joseph Dalton in the Mercy Hospital. About the same time snipers opened fire on several of the city’s posts, particularly at the Custom House, but return fire silenced any further hostilities.
On 30 October 1922, at 12.15pm, there was another street attack on St Patrick’s Street. The throughfare was crowded at the time. A private touring car containing three or four of the National Army was passing through the street towards the Grand Parade. They just reached Fr Mathew Statue when the attack was made.
Two bombs of the Mills’ type grenade were thrown. One was a number nine and the other number five – the number nine bomb being the larger of the two. One of the bombs struck the wooden pavement in a line with the Irish Lace House, while the second lodged on the opposite side of the street in the direction of Messrs Evans establishment. The large size bomb hit the iron work of a passing tram car – the fragments of the bomb entering the windows of the establishments of Messrs Dowden’s and Piggott’s and those of the Irish Lace House.
The passengers in the tram car were naturally terrified. One of the female occupants fainted and had to be assisted out of the car, which was not damaged to any material extent. Another female had a lucky escape when she had the heel of her boot blown completely off by a splinter of a bomb. Again, National Army troops arrived on the scene, nearby houses were searched but again no arrests were made.
Caption:
1172a. St Patrick’s Street, c.1920 from Cork City Through Time by Kieran McCarthy and Dan Breen.
1171a. Remnants of Cork County Gaol, off Western Road, Cork, present day (picture: Kieran McCarthy).
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 13 October 2022
Journeys to a Free State: The Gaol Shooting
On Thursday night 21 September 1922, thirty-nine anti-Treaty IRA men made their escape from Cork County Gaol off Western Road. Of these two were recaptured near Ballinhassig the following day, but of the remaining in the ensuing days after their escape there was no trace.
The Cork Examiner recalls that the men got away by means of a tunnel, or rather a disused ventilation shaft. Becoming aware of the existence of this shaft, the men confined in one cell dug their way down until they met with the shaft, and then broke into the narrow passage. A man was sent down to explore and came back with the news that the tunnel was just passable and led out through a larger shaft beyond the gaol premises.
One by one then, the 39 prisoners who had access to this particular portion of the gaol went into the cell and down the narrow hole at the back, through the shaft, and up through a manhole in the centre of the road outside the gaol walls. As each man made his way out, he quickly disappeared. It was not until a considerable time afterwards that the escape was discovered, but by then the men had got clear away.
Following the escape of thirty-nine prisoners, the remaining colleagues interned there rioted on Sunday, 24 September 1922. The Cork Examiner records that circa 435 IRA volunteers went on strike while on the parade ground at 7am on the 24th. Having previously been on hunger strike, they refused to go into their cells when the time had arrived for doing so, and the National Army guards were obliged to use force in order to get them to comply with the regulations. They still refused, and the guards forced them from the recreation ground with the butts of their rifles.
The prisoners on reaching the cells smashed the doors, and refused to enter, and continued the disturbance which they had initiated on the parade ground. After some hours, during which every effort was made to induce the prisoners to desist from their conduct, the guards gave them a quarter of an hour in which to return to their cells. They still refused to obey, and an extra five minutes was give as a warning to back down. When the five minutes expired the prisoners still made no attempt to obey. The guard then fired one volley, and two of the prisoners were hit, both being seriously wounded. One of them, Lismore born but Cork based Volunteer Patrick Mangan Junior, died on the following day at the Mercy Hospital.
A military inquiry was held by the National Army. The inquiry found that Patrick Mangan met his death as the result of a rifle shot fired by a sentry “in the execution of his duty”, and that the officer, who gave the order to fire was justified, as the prisoners had sufficient warnings and ample time to comply with the order to return to their cells.
Commandant of the Gaol Mr Scott, being sworn in, noted that on the night of 23 September he received a deputation from Mr Carey, who introduced himself the Commandant of the Prisoners, at 10.30pm. He handed Commandant Scott a list of demands, and informed him if they were not granted the prisoners would go on hunger-strike the following morning at 7 am if demands were not met – (1) the cell doors and yard doors should open from 7am to 9pm; (2) there should be free communication between and all wings; (3) parcels, letters in and out should be allowed; and (4) there should also be a supply of mattresses, blankets, mugs, plates, knives and forks.
Regarding requests no.s 1, 2, and 3, Commandant Scott informed the inquest that he had instructions from Headquarters, owing to the taking of advantage of privileges previously given, that all privileges were withdrawn, except exercise two hours a day – one hour in the forenoon and one hour each afternoon. Privileges would be renewed at a later date, when according to Scott the prisoners became “amenable to discipline”. As regards request no.4, Scott deemed that the prisoners had a sufficient supply of blankets and mugs, and as regards bedding and equipment in general, he argued they were better equipped than his own men.
The tension between prison guards and prisoners was highly charged. The prisoners were boisterous all through the night, and after Mass next morning refused breakfast, except a handful of men. Commandant Scott allowed them out between 8am and 11am but was unable to get them to return them to their cells. Scott detailed that he ordered a party of soldiers to fire over the prisoners’ heads at the wall. After cautioning the prisoners that he intended firing, he ordered fire. The deceased, Patrick Mangan Junior, further desisted any order to leave. He was fired at. A priest and doctor immediately went to attend to him and he was removed to hospital as soon as possible, but was declared dead.
Chaos continued to reign in the weeks that ensued. About 8pm on 6 October 1922 there was an attack on the Cork County Gaol, apparently from the western side. The sniping was replied to by the guard with equal vigour. People in the district quickly moved within doors, and many who were going to evening devotions at St Finbarr’s West or The Lough Church, returned to their homes. The shots came apparently from the area directly west of the Gaol Walk. No casualties were sustained.
The guards, both inside and outside the Gaol, was promptly supplemented, and searches and investigations were immediately began, with the result that a number of arrests were made.
About the same time a small party of National Army troops were fired on at the Mardyke Walk near the entrance to Fitzgerald’s Park. Only a few shots were fired, and no damage was done.
Caption:
1171a. Remnants of Cork County Gaol, off Western Road, Cork, present day (picture: Kieran McCarthy).
Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy is encouraging local secondary school students in the Douglas area to sign up for this year’s Student Enterprise Programme. An initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices, the country’s largest enterprise programme for second level students begins its 21st year and over 300,000 students have taken part since it began.
Cllr McCarthy noted; “The programme is open to all secondary school students from 1st year through to 6th year. The programme is run through the network of Local Enterprise Offices, which includes Cork City’s very active office, supported by Enterprise Ireland and local authorities such as Cork City Council. Local coordinators are located in every area to support teachers and students through the year of the programme, which helps foster entrepreneurship in students and gives them key skills they can bring with them into later life”.
The Student Enterprise Programme has been in operation in Cork City since 2003, as part of the National Student Enterprise Programme. The programme begins each year in September with a student induction held where students from across the schools located within the Cork City boundaries are invited to participate.
Students across the participating schools take part in idea generation exercises, they produce their products and deliver their services, market their business and sell their products. Local Enterprise Office Cork City run a number of events during the calendar year which includes a Student Induction Day, held in September, MD’s day in collaboration with Otterbox, held in October, Christmas Market, Business Plan writing workshop held in January and concludes in March with a Cork City final. The city’s finalists go on to represent Local Enterprise Cork City at the National final which is held in May annually.
Contact info@corkschoolsenterprise.ie for more information.
1171a. Eugene McCarthy’s wooden river ferry or pontoon with horse and cart on board at East Ferry, c. 1910 from Cork Harbour Through Time by Kieran McCarthy and Dan Breen.
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 6 October 2022
Journeys to a Free State: A County De-Railed
Building on last week’s column, in early autumn 1922, the Irish Civil War also happened within the satellite area of the city, where surprises attacks on National Army troops were regular by Anti-Treaty IRA members. But in particular the damage inflicted on key infrastructure points was high.
The Cork Examiner reported that on 31 August, Macloneigh Bridge, near Coolcower demesne, about two miles from Macroom was blown up by Anti-Treaty IRA members. This was the last bridge through which connection was maintained between Macroom and Cork on the south bank of the River Lee valley.
During the early hours of 2 September 1922, the Anti-Treaty IRA members blew up Dripsey bridge, and the people of Macroom area now had to come to Cork by Berrings and Cloghroe, as other bridges in the same area in the northern bank of the River Lee valley had been removed by explosives.
In early September 1922 the directors and managers of the railway services in the South of Ireland made efforts to maintain to some degree lines of communication with important centres in the country served from Cork. It was repeatedly highlighted that the wholesale destruction of railway bridges and lines was causing the unemployment of hundreds of menand inconvenience on large communities in wide agricultural districts. In early September 1922 due to damage the Cork-Macroom line had to close just beyond Ballincollig at Kilumney.
In East Cork, the loss of the East Ferry floating bridge, which was highly damaged, caused serious inconvenience to passengers and traffic from the Cobh side of the river to the Midleton and surrounding districts, where a considerable amount of communication was carried on. Rare pictures shows the bridge to be two pontoons arranged catamaran-like, decked over and fitted at either end with a landing ramp. The overall pontoon was chained-hauled between its two terminals of sorts. The bridge, which was the property of Mr Eugene McCarthy, East Ferry, was entirely constructed by him several years previous to 1922.
Using Mr McCarthy’s floating bridge locals could convoy livestock from the south of Midleton to Cove (now Cobh), at a considerably lower rate than if the stock were to be conveyed via Midleton by road. By September 1922 traffic by the latter route or road was cut off owing to the destruction of the bridge at Belvelly. The East Ferry route was the only one left. The damage to the floating pontoon to be repaired included the construction of new gangways, and the fact of the bridge had been beached after the chain was cut, caused several, leakages in the boat, and with the repairing of the chain, in all, the cost of repairs amounted to a considerable figure for Mr McCarthy.
The Cork Examiner records that on 7 September 1922 passengers on the Muskerry Railway were held at gunpoint by Anti-Treaty IRA members. Since the partial blowing up of the Leemount bridge, the railway company, for the convenience of the public ran a train from Cork to the Leemount bridge at Carrigrohane while a train was also run from Coachford and Blarney to meet it. At Leemount bridge passengers got out of the trains and crossed the bridge on foot, thus exchanging trains there. The trains then returned, one to the city and the other going on to Coachford.
About 11.30am on 7 September the train from Coachford arrived at Leemount with a large number of passengers. However, it was held up by several armed Anti-Treaty IRA members who compelled the passengers to pass between two men with revolvers for inspection. All the passengers passed through this inspection. The IRA members then removed all the mails from the train and took them across the fields towards Leemount.
On 10 September in the early morning the blowing up of the road bridge by Anti Treaty IRA members near Dunkettle station on the Great Southern and Western Railway branch line, Cork-Cobh, and Cork-Youghal. The familiar old bridge was completely blown away, all that remained were the stone piers. It was a swivel bridge, but seldom was there necessity to open it. Spanning the river stretching along to Glanmire, the only parts of the bridge left were the cylinders which are smashed and broken. It was believed that mines were laid at either end of the bridge and were set off simultaneously.
The Cork Examiner also highlighted that the destruction of the railway lines serving the southern and western coasts reduced the towns of south and West Cork, and practically all the towns of Kerry led to a large shortage of food supplies. The inland centres were even harder hit, and the enterprising shopkeepers of the towns along the coast organised alternative means of transit to the railway system. There were in all between fifty and sixty motor boats and steamers plying between Cork city and the southern and western towns and villages, including Limerick, Tralee, Kenmare, Goleen, Sneem, Cahirciveen, Skibbereen, Union Hall, Cape Clear, Sherkin Island, Schull, Castletownbere, Baltimore, Clonakiltv, Bandon and Courtmacsherry.
Ranging from ten to fifty tons, the boats brought and took the merchandise, which formerly came over the Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway and the Kerry branch of the Great Southern and Western Railway. Cargoes from West Cork and Kerry arrived at the city’s South Jetties and included pigs, bacon, butter, eggs and fresh fish. The return cargo consisted of flour, meal, bran, groceries, salt, and the products of the local breweries and distilleries.
It is recorded that in early September twenty-five motor boats and ten steamers arrived on one day and having unloaded their cargoes of foodstuffs took with them supplies for the shopkeepers of the western County Cork towns. The boats arrived in all hours of the day and night and unloaded and re-loaded within twenty-four hours.
Caption:
1171a. Eugene McCarthy’s wooden river ferry or pontoon with horse and cart on board at East Ferry, c. 1910 from Cork Harbour Through Time by Kieran McCarthy and Dan Breen.
