Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 25 June 2020

Remembering 1920: The Return of the White Star Line

In the summer of 1920 there was much excitement at the resumption of the call to Queenstown (now Cobh) by the White Star Line and their America to Europe line of ships. The connection to Queenstown had been broken since 1907. In late April 1920 the ships RMS Celtic and RMS Baltic were scheduled by the White Star Line to arrive at Queenstown on the outward bound route to New York, from 3 June to 23 September 1920.

The linkage to such a prominent liner company and its heritage was important for Cork and the country. In 1845, John Pilkington and Henry Wilson in Liverpool established the first company displaying the name White Star Line. It concentrated on the UK–Australia trade, which grew subsequent to the discovery of gold in Australia. In 1871 White Star began their journey across the North Atlantic between Liverpool and New York (via Queenstown) developing six nearly identical ships, known as the ‘Oceanic’ class.

The White Star Line is more famous for its losses more so for what its passenger liners achieved. These included the wrecking of the RMS Atlantic at Halifax in 1873, the sinking of RMS Republic off Nantucket in 1909, the loss of the RMS Titanic in 1912 and the RMS Brittanic in 1916 while serving as a hospital ship. However, the company retained a prominent hold on shipping markets around the globe before falling into decline during the Great Depression, which ultimately led to a merger with its chief rival, Cunard Line. The Cunard-White Line lasted until 1950.

The RMS Celtic was an impressive liner, which was built at Harland & Wolfe in Belfast in 1901 and was over 21,000 gross tons in weight. Leaving New York on 15 May 1920 the liner was bound for Liverpool with a stop at Queenstown. Over a week later on 23 May 1920, “Celtic Abreast” was the radio message received at the White Star Wharf in Queenstown. The Cork Examiner records that the Clyde Shipping Company’s tender Ireland cast off about 3.30pm from Queenstown and proceeded out the harbour to await the liner coming along the coast from the Old Head of Kinsale.

 Approaching Spike Point those on the tender could see that a thick fog was coming in as Roche’s Point was approached. But this was where Pilot James O’Donovan was taken on board. Locating the RMS Celtic would not be an easy matter. After a time the tender began to steer due south towards Daunt’s Lightship. Before reaching she blew her siren to alert the RMS Celtic. There was no sign of the liner in any direction. The fog at this time, was very dense, and appeared to be much more so further out.

The lonely lightship Fulmar, which marked Daunt’s Rock, ten miles south of Queenstown loomed up out of the fog and a megaphone message to the crew on board brought the disheartening response: “Yesabout half an hour ago, we heard her siren going  it seemed to be coming from about two miles astern, and the ship sounded as if travelling to the eastward”.

This dispelled all hope of the RMS Celtic stopping to land the 380 passengers due to disembark at Queenstown and after a short interval the tender’s bow was put towards Scot’s Wharf at Queenstown – a town which was decked with flags to celebrate the beatification of Oliver Plunkett at the time. It was estimated that the fog cost the town a loss of £1,000 – the loss being to the hotels, boarding houses.

The RMS Celtic made for Liverpool where passengers for Queenstown and Ireland were transferred and sent via Holyhead to Dublin. On 26 May 1920 they arrived at Dublin’s North Wall just in time to meet the Railwaymen’s strike arising out of refusal to carry British munitions to meet the ongoing War of Independence. The strikers downed tools and left the passengers’ luggage buried deep in the hold of the Dublin-Holyhead ship the Curraghmore. The Americans were kept all day at North Wall Station, where they sat surrounded by cabin boxes and light luggage until the evening train to came to move the heavy goods from wall.

On 3 June 1920, the RMS Celtic arrived to Cork Harbour again bound for New York. This time the tender did connect with her. Upwards of 500 people wished to travel on the steamer. One of the noted passengers on board was merchant and yachtsman Thomas Lipton, who was presented with a series of addresses of presentations by Crosshaven yacht Club and Cove Sailing Club.  Thomas Lipton was a Scotsman with Irish parentage. He pursued broad advertising for his chain of grocery stores and his brand of Lipton teas. As a keen yachtsman between 1899 and 1930 he challenged five times the American holders of the America’s Cup through the Royal Ulster Yacht Club. His yachts were named Shamrock through to Shamrock V. His endeavours met with failure but were so well-publicised that his tea became famous in the United States and made the cover of Time magazine in November 1924.

Cork Harbour as a call location for the RMS Celtic lasted for 8 years till her dashing off the rocks adjacent Roches Point on 10 December 1928 by a southerly gale. Her two hundred and sixty-six passengers were placed on tenders and landed at Queenstown at noon. At low tide the RMS Celtic was virtually high and dry about thirty yards from Calf Rock, hump of rock, and lying parallel to the mainland, three hundred yards distant.

Kieran’s new book Witness to Murder, The Inquest of Tomás MacCurtain is now available to purchase online (co-authored with John O’Mahony 2020, Irish Examiner/ www.examiner.ie).

Captions:

1054a. Postcard of RMS Celtic, 1920 (source: Cork City Library).

1054b. White Star Wharf at Queenstown (now Cobh), c.1910 (source: Cork Harbour Through Time by Kieran McCarthy, Dan Breen & Cork Public Museum).

Great news for Old Court Woods at Garryduff People power wins out! Officially, the application for the road has been withdrawn 🙂

I look forward to engaging with An Coillte at the Local Area Committee Meeting in the days to come. There are alot of questions to ask on what their future plans are.

I received the email below this morning.

“Dear Sir/Madam,

I refer to an application for a forest road licence, reference CN86326, and to your recent submission.
The Department has been advised by the applicant that they have decided to withdraw this application.
The Department will therefore not consider the application further.

Best regards,

Approvals, Forestry Division
__
An Roinn Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Eastát Chaisleán Bhaile Sheáin, Co. Loch Garman, Y35 PN52

Johnstown Castle Estate, Wexford, Y35 PN52″

Fourteen sections/ parts of main roads in the south east were officially signed off on 19 June 2020 by ward councillors; they are listed in green on the attached picture.

Usually 5-6 housing estates are sanctioned for resurfacing each year. However due to the economic downturn in the Council’s financial income arising from Covid-19, only a large section of just one estate is going to be done – that of Pic Du Jer Park in Ballinlough.

All works are to be completed over the summer of 2020.

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 18 June 2020

Remembering 1920: The Dilemmas of Dockers and Railwaymen

With the early summer of 1920 passing it coincided with violence escalating in the War of Independence. In late May and early June 1920, the Cork Examiner records several ships, which docked at Queenstown (now Cobh) and at the city’s Custom House Quay to unload British soldiers and weapons.The SS Csaritsa made a number of trips between England and Ireland bringing soldiers to be quartered in the South of Ireland. At Queenstown on 26 May 1920 the War Department vessel Sir Evelyn Wood came alongside the Deep Water Quay to discharge some guns destined for removal to Ballincollig Barracks and provisions destined for the military in Limerick. However, civilians unloading the goods onto the quayside put anything in the nature of war aside and refused to unload them.

Similar problems of resistance by dockers occurred on 7 June 1920 at the city’s Custom House Quay. The dockers would only work on the ordinary cargo from the SS Eblana. The unloading of the barbed wire from was completed by the military. Similarly, on the same day, at the unloading of the HMS Bacchus at Custom House Quay, resistance was also met. Motor lorries were removed, many of which contained ammunition. However, to discharge her it was necessary to use the crane erected on the quay. Application was made to the Board of Cork Harbour Commissioners for the key of the crane. However British soldiers did not wait for the meeting later that day and broke the crane lock to use the crane for unloading. Later in the day, the breaking of the lock drew the anger of some members of the Cork Harbour Commissioners.

At the meeting of the Law and Finance Committee of Cork Harbour Commissioners (on 7 June 1920), Cllr Seán Good, took the floor to call for solidarity of resistance amongst dockers and railwaymen. Seán was an active Trade Unionist within the Cork and District United Trades Council. He was elected in January 1920 to Cork Corporation representing the College Road district. At the meeting Seán drew attention to the breaking of the lock of the crane. He did not know whether an application had been made for the use of the crane.

Seán sympathised with the railwaymen and dockers who he deemed were doing everything they possibly could to prevent disturbances in the country. He argued that the Commissioners should not help in the bringing of people to the country to “mow them down when the first opportunity arose”. He also drew the attention of the Seamen’s and Firemen’s Union to the men working the crane. He deemed them not to be the paid servants of the British Government and called on them to continue to desist. Seán believed that as soon as the Government had completed its landing arrangements that it was going to make a “wholesale attack on the people”.

In particular, Seán Good was angry by an intervention the previous days in the British House of Commons when the question was debated on the hoisting of the Irish Republican flag over the flag staff at the Admiralty Pier, Queenstown, and across their buildings. He noted that it was “downright impertinent for anyone to question their right to do as they liked with their own flag”.

Captain Collins, supporting the general remarks of Seán Good, said that the action taken in regard to the crane was a most high-handed one. He denoted; “Any English ship, or any other ship, going into a foreign or any other port dare not disrespect the authority of the port which she entered to the extent of breaking a padlock on a crane. They are not getting the crane for nothing. It will have to be paid for, but common courtesy must be used towards the harbour authorities”. In response to the debate.  Mr Lucy, as Chairman of the Board, gave directions that the key was not to be given in any circumstances until application and a decision was made by the Board.

On 17 June 1920, the HMS Bacchus arrived back off Queenstown Harbour and called upon the services of a pilot being required to enable her enter port. She blew her siren repeatedly but to no avail. No civilian pilot responded to her call. The King’s Harbour Master came out and the Bacchus was brought to Custom House Quay. The vessel had on board a cargo of motor lorries for the military. When unloading, the military sentries were armed with fixed bayonets on the quay and subsequently took up positions on the vessel itself.

Meanwhile In Dublin since late May 1920 there was an ongoing refusal continued of the members of the National Union of Railwaymen to handle munitions of war carried by cargo or express vessels. By 28 June the usual trains on the main lines ran to time but there was a serious dislocation of the service between Mallow and Tralee and on the Nenagh-Limerick and Nenagh-Dublin lines, where it was found impossible to get substitutes for the men dismissed for their refusal to work trains carrying police and military.

On 28 June 1920 a statement was issued by the Irish Labour Party with reference to the special conference they held whereby it was unanimously resolved that railwaymen would continue their refusal to work trains, which carried munitions of war. Railwaymen were also to refuse to work trains conveying armed soldiers or police in any number. Ireland’s train system descended into complete chaos and ultimately stoppage as British troops were refused to be carried.

Kieran’s new book Witness to Murder, The Inquest of Tomás MacCurtain is now available to purchase online (co-authored with John O’Mahony 2020, Irish Examiner/ www.examiner.ie).

Captions:

1053a. Custom House Quay (centre), Spring 2020 (picture: Kieran McCarthy)

1053b. Kennedy Quay, Spring 2020 (picture: Kieran McCarthy)

Three interim cycle infrastructure are proposed as follows:

1 Centre Park Road Scheme

2 Monahan Road Scheme

3 Terence MacSwiney Quay, Horgan’s Quay & Victoria Road

If approved, these measures will be constructed in the coming months. The infrastructure is an interim solution pending delivery of more comprehensive plans for the relevant areas i.e. The Docklands to City Centre Project and the broader infrastructure plans for Docklands. The drawings can be viewed by clicking on the following link as the file sizes are too large to email.

https://consult.corkcity.ie/en/consultation/interim-cycle-infrastructure-phase-1

“The Watcher”

Carvings and Meanings:

Congratulations Lord Mayor on a really great year as a leader in Cork.

I’d like to v briefly tell a story.

In my daily evening walks around Cork during the heart of the lockdown in April and May, empty streets spanning for entire vistas make for some interesting photography opportunities. And features, which you wouldn’t normally see because of the cars and busyness usually at the forefront. One of the features I began to photograph on my solo walks were the depictions of the city’s Coat of Arms on various buildings and in public spaces.

There has never been any history project compiling these pieces – some are stone carvings, some are mosaics, some are plaster casts, and of course some are pure gold in terms of the Lord Mayor’s chain.

All the pieces on buildings are from different eras, where the civicness of Cork was drawn upon when needed and usually the building on which they appear was important to Cork’s future and the idea of pulling people together to build a resilient future.

The theme of togetherness, which was very prevalent in your year of office, was one you championed very well– the thread of togetherness was at the heart of the boundary extension last June and at the heart of the Community Response team and even this week at the launch of the Council’s regeneration social housing project, which you launched.

Some of the Coat of Arms depictions are more thought provoking than others with liberty taken to etch in some features within and outside of the Coat of Arms spaces especially adjacent the Latin inscription of Statio Bene Fida Carinis or the safe harbour for ships. Certainly, the journey to having an official registered coat of arms in 1949 – a document, which hangs in the Lord Mayor’s office – has been several centuries in the making.

Versions of the Past:

My solo walks led me to doing research in the oldest of Cork’s newspapers, which are now online. An archival record of a seal cast from 1498 records the original Coat of Arms, which was just one castle with two towers coming out from either side; a person stands in one tower with a bow, and in the other a person blows a trumpet. A bridge connects the two towers in the background, and beyond which a ship is seen.

 During this year I didn’t see you blowing your own trumpet but perhaps you symbolised the bowman, serving the office of Lord Mayor with accuracy, credibility and professionalism.

Nearly 200 years ago, in 1825 a digging up beneath the floors on North Main Street around Castle Street and the site of the reputed medieval custom house – a stone carving of a coat of arms was discovered, which local historians at the time said it came from the early 1600s.

The stone has been lost to time but a pen and ink sketch by early nineteenth century Cork artist Daniel Maclise of it still can be viewed in our public museum. The sketch shows the Coat of Arms having being upgraded again since the 1400s version. The arms was now a ship between two towers or castles with a sailor in Elizabethan period dress and a bird, both on the rigging of the ship.

There is no record to who was the Elizabethan Sailor and clearly the sailor and the bird did not make it into the modern day depictions.

But certainly there is a sense in the old coat of arms depictions of denoting those who looked upon Cork from a physical height, and to reflect on their very responsible posts in protecting and watching over the infrastructure of the physical walled town of Cork, the shipping docked within its walls or over its citizens.

Very little information has been gathered on who could be called the watchers, who they were, their experiences, what they saw of everyday life from their physical height, and their perspective on citizenry.

A Watcher of a City:

I would deem you one of the core positive Cork watchers in the present day. 

It is very clear that you are someone who is aware through your professional work and other hats, the importance of the physical space of Cork for people’s health plus also the importance of the human spirit and maintaining the resilience of such. One of the most apt terms you used this week in one your speeches this week was– Ar Scáth a Chéile a Mhairimid or ‘We live in each other’s shadows’.

You certainly championed the importance of people’s stories of resilience for the greater good of the community and the city – whether that be the Mary Elmes story, those who sat on the council in 1920 during such turbulent times, the stories of Tomás MacCurtain and Terence MacSwiney, those who you gave Lord Mayor’s community awards to, or those who you met on your community visits in recent visits.

The beliefs you champion about people and their voices, and the importance of listening and being listened to need to continue to be the bedrock of Cork’s rebuilding into the future.

I want to sincerely thank you for your work and know that historically the City will not forget your service especially over the past 12 months for not just embodying the symbolism of the coat of arms but also pushing for a safe harbour or place for all citizens.

I’d also like to give a nod of congrats to the Deputy Lord Mayor, Cllr Sean Martin, who I listened to with impressiveness at many public events, when he let his historical knowledge loose.

Once again sincere thanks to you Lord Mayor, your Deputy and to the Lady Mayoress. Go raibh maith agat.

Press Release:

Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy wishes to remind residents within the Maryborough Ridge area that public consultation for the proposed Glenveagh Homes Ltd project is still open. The full application complete with architectural drawing and photo montages are available to view at www.maryboroughridgeshd.ie

Cllr McCarthy noted: “Strategic Housing Developments are overseen by An Bord Pleanála as a fast track approach to large scale housing proposals. Many of such developments usually have a large knock-on effect on the local road network and create more neighbourhood needs such as the need for more creches and more school spaces. It is important that concerned residents send in their submission to An Bord Pleanála, in this case by 29 June. Glenveagh is applying for a 5-year planning permission for a strategic housing development, which will include a mix of residential units, a creche and amenities”.

This site, which is 13.07 hectares in area is zoned for residential development under the Ballincollig Carrigaline Municipal District Local Area Plan 2017. The proposed development, comprises: a) The construction of 449 no. residential units in to include 315 no. dwelling houses (comprising a mix of 2, 3, & 4 bed detached, semi-detached & terraced/town houses); 46 no. duplex-apartments comprising a mix of 1, 2 & 3 bed units), 88 no. apartments (comprising a mix of 1 & 2 bed units in 3 no. 3-5 storey blocks over basement); and one creche.

The provision of landscaping and amenity areas is to include a multi-use games area (MUGA), playgrounds, kick about areas, an amenity walkway along the western boundary of the proposed development, pocket parks, localised seating areas, garden parks, footpaths and cycle lanes. Two vehicle accesses are proposed via the existing and proposed road network.

Any person interested in putting in a submission must make a cheque out for e.20 to An Bord Pleanála and send with their letter to An Bord Pleanála, 64 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1 by 29 June.

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 11 June 2020

Remembering 1920: Sick Poor Society Celebrates 200 Years

One hundred years ago on 13 June 1920, to celebrate the centenary of Cork’s Sick Poor Society, Solemn High Mass was held at the North Cathedral at 12noon. Bishop Daniel Cohalan in his homily related some of the important work of the society.  The Cork Examiner also provided a short history of the Society, some of which I detail below. In 2020 the Society celebrates its bicentenary.

Throughout the early nineteenth century narrow lanes were widespread in Cork’s suburbs. The various habitations varied from cabins to cellars. Reports on their terrible nature record the presence of large dunghills strewn across adjacent laneways. In the northern district were the most crowded and populous streets. Wretched houses, divided into separate tenements, accommodated a large number of people – upwards of four people in small rooms. Many families were on the verge of starvation and many were ashamed to ask for help. The North Chapel and the South Chapel provided for the religious and charitable needs of the impoverished population.

In the early months of the year 1820, Bartholomew Murphy and his friend, both working men of the Cathedral Parish, met on their way home from early Mass on Sunday morning. Their conversation turned to the poverty and sickness all round them. One family near him (three being sick) had no food of any sort. They decided that they would go around the locality and collect some aid for them. They were joined by a third man, who, hearing of their determination to do something for the poor, decided to accompany them on their mission of charity.

The collection was far more successful than they anticipated, and the result was they were able to assist, not one, but three families. They decided to repeat the collection on the following Sunday, being assisted by three more volunteers. Henceforth their work was carried out on Sunday after Sunday and always with many additional Volunteers coming forward to help. By 1822, the membership stood at twenty-six.

Bishop John Murphy asked that these men should band themselves into a society, which he named the Sick Poor Society. Rules were formed for its better government and management. Notwithstanding the name of the Society, the members were always known, as the Friendly Brothers. Early records of the Society record that in addition to monetary aid to families the members had very often to enlist the assistance of some kind neighbour, to look after the wants of those who were unable to do anything for themselves.

In the olden days some of the members did not possess finance themselves, and when financial trouble came their way, the Friendly Brothers were there to assist. An example is given on the death of a member’s wife in the year 1839 when his 28 fellow members subscribed monies for her funeral expenses.

In 1848 under the guidance of Bishop Delany, members formed a Rosary Society for the purpose of reciting the Rosary each night in the Cathedral, an activity, which continued for very many years.

During the Society’s existence the parish experienced many severe and trying visitations of sickness and want, notably those of the cholera, the Great Famine period of 1847, small pox in 1872, and last, but not least the trying visitations of influenza during 1918 and 1919, all of which taxed the members and their funds to the utmost.

The average membership of the Society from 1822 to 1920 varied from 35 to 40, and the Cork Examiner estimated that between 1820 and 1920 that upwards of £50,000 was raised. Many miles had to be walked to make up this sum in pennies, and very often half pennies.

Some of the older members devoted the greater part of their lives to the work of the Society. The Cork Examiner article of June 1920 mentions minute books that show that many old members laboured continuously for over fifty years. Founder member Bartholomew Murphy gave 52 years service before he passed away and was buried in St Joseph’s Cemetery. Some families were recording as having four generations involved. Very often, when the funds were exhausted and the weekly collections became unequal to the demands of all applicants, members came to the rescue with their own money.

Off-shoot branches were also established in the parishes of SS Peter and Paul and St Finbarr’s South Chapel respectively. The South Chapel Society was formed as a Confraternity under the patronage of Mary Immaculate on 8 December 1853 – one year before the Immaculate Conception was made an article of faith by Pope Pius IX. In 1866, the Cork Examiner that over 900 families or 3,168 individuals were provided with relief in the South Parish culminating in near 2,000 visits.

In 1863, the Cork Examiner describes the Sick Poor Society of the SS Peter and Paul’s Parish as one of the most active and efficient benevolent societies in Cork. A total of 1,054 sick and poor persons were visited and relief provided in one year alone and in one parish in the city alone, by members of the society.

In addition to Sick Poor work, the members took a leading part in many other parish functions, such as the distribution of the coal fund, and the successful working of the Bishop’s milk fund, which was distributed to mothers and children of the poor. The Penny Savings Bank of the North Cathedral parish was also practically managed by the members, with marked success together with many other social undertakings.

Happy bicentenary birthday to Cork’s oldest charity – the Sick Poor Society.

Kieran’s new book Witness to Murder, The Inquest of Tomás MacCurtain is now available to purchase online (co-authored with John O’Mahony 2020, Irish Examiner/ www.examiner.ie).

Captions:

1052a. Gravestone of Bartholomew Murphy, founder member of Cork’s Sick Poor Society, at St Joseph’s Cemetery, Cork (picture: Kieran McCarthy).

1052b. Inscription on gravestone of Bartholomew Murphy at St Joseph’s Cemetery (picture: Kieran McCarthy)

Dear Sir/ Madame,

I write with regard to the proposal for Garryduff Woods/ Old Court Woods, Cork and application CN86326.

I have had many constituents write to me to express their worries for the road proposal for the site. Since the boundary extension last year, Cork City has inherited this very beautiful 26-hectare woodland amenity managed by An Coillte. It is a site I am rediscovering over the past year since it passed into the city. In addition, I have also been vocal many times in Cork City Council that it needs an effective urban forestry management strategy within the city area.

Due to the urban location of the woods I would call upon An Coillte and Cork City Council to work closer together on its recreational uses and the management of challenges, which go with that. Good collaboration is crucial going forward especially with a new Cork City Development Plan being put in place.

Since the outbreak of Covid-19 Old Garryduff Woods has seen a big increase in day to day usage by locals for walking and really has stood out as a public local amenity. The people I have met have described it as an oasis in the heart of suburban living. I would deem that An Coillte have done a good management job over the decades but clearly now Garryduff Woods has gone from being a purely rural location to now being in the heart of the urban suburb of Rochestown where over 5,000 people live.

Many locals have expressed the view to me that the woods are very small and the amount of timber that can be harvested is low, especially versus the amount of destruction which will be carried out by another felling. Locals have expressed their worry to me that some trees were never replanted some years back leaving a large gap with very little protection for remaining trees. So, every time there is a new storm, the woodland loses more trees again. 

The Red Squirrel, which I have seen myself on my walks in the woods, are becoming more and more rare in Ireland and the destruction of their habitat would also be lessened by further tree felling.

I do realise that Garryduff Woods is a working forest but with more and more houses being constructed in Upper Rochestown and Maryborough, I am calling on An Coillte to consider the plans they rolled out in Dublin recently and to apply some of these traits to Garryduff Woods.

I have received much correspondence from locals calling for an end to commercial operations in the woods and calling for the further protection of its bio-diverse and climate resilient woodland.

There is an opportune time now for a strategic collaborative plan between An Coillte and Cork City Council addressing the needs of local residents but also the needs of the biodiversity in this district of Cork City.

Sincerely,

Kieran McCarthy