26 January 2021, “Independent Cork City councillor Kieran McCarthy said a member of the public contacted him in December last year, with concerns that the iconic sign at the Fingerpost roundabout in Douglas had collapsed slightly on the mound it stands on”, Work undertaken to stabilise iconic sign at busy Cork roundabout,
Work undertaken to stabilise iconic sign at busy Cork roundabout (echolive.ie)
Category Archives: S.E. Ward Local History
Cllr McCarthy: Mural paying tribute to Cork Hospital staff vandalised, 22 January 2021
22 January 2021, “Local Cork City Councillor Kieran McCarthy was disappointed with the recent acts of vandalism; “I am disappointed. It is a pity. We have earmarked various commissions in recent months throughout the city, but this one seems to have particularly annoyed somebody who lives in the local area. There is no reference to Covid, it is actually a thank you message to the workers across the road”, Mural paying tribute to Cork hospital staff vandalised, Mural paying tribute to Cork hospital staff vandalised (echolive.ie)
Cllr McCarthy commissions two new street art murals on Douglas Road, January 2021
Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy continues his commissions of street art on Douglas Road. In recent weeks, two new pieces have emerged on traffic switch boxes. The first mural, which is located at Cross Douglas Road, is that of Terence and Muriel MacSwiney who lived at 5 Eldred Terrace in 1917.
Cllr McCarthy highlighted: “There was a commemorative plaque erected on the wall of their former house in June 1980 but unfortunately the plaque was taken down a few months later. There have been calls within the Ballinlough area and Douglas Road by locals to once again mark the story from over hundred years ago of the MacSwineys living within the local community. This mural’s central image is from an old photograph of the couple whist the rose motif is a nod to the always beautiful adjacent flower shop.
The second mural is opposite the entrance to St Finbarr’s Hospital. Cllr McCarthy noted: “The mural has the theme of “hold firm” and is dedicated to healthcare staff within the hospital who have held firm against COVID-19. The mural adds to the existing street art mural, which was painted Kevin O’Brien outside CUH last year”.
“It has been great to commission artist Kevin O’Brien again. This is my sixth commission with him. He really brings ordinary municipal utility boxes to life with his creativity, imparting uplifting and positives messages. Roads such as Douglas Road are well walked everyday, so it is great to bring his work into heart of suburban communities, concluded Cllr McCarthy.
Artist Kevin O’Brien noted: “Street art is a fantastic way to improve the aesthetic of urban areas and build a sense of character in communities, but beyond that, with cultural spaces currently closed, the availability of street art in public spaces takes on an even greater importance”.
Kieran’s 2021 Ward Funds, Now Open
The call for Kieran’s 2021 Ward Fund is now OPEN.
Cllr Kieran McCarthy is calling on any community groups based in the south east ward of Cork City, which includes areas such as Ballinlough, Ballintemple, Blackrock, Mahon, Douglas, Donnybrook, Maryborough, Rochestown, Mount Oval and Moneygourney with an interest in sharing in his 2020 ward funding to apply for his funds. A total of E.11,000 is available to community groups through Cllr Kieran McCarthy’s ward funds.
Application should be made via letter (Richmond Villa, Douglas Road) or email to Kieran at kieran_mccarthy@corkcity.ie by Friday 5 February 2021. This email should give the name of the organisation, contact name, contact address, contact email, contact telephone number, details of the organisation, and what will the ward grant will be used for?
Please Note:
– Ward funds will be prioritised to community groups based in the south east ward of Cork City who build community capacity, educate, build civic awareness and projects, which connect the young and old.
– Cllr McCarthy especially welcomes proposals where the funding will be used to run a community event (as per COVID guidelines) that benefits the wider community. In addition, he is seeking to fund projects that give people new skill sets. That could include anything from part funding of coaching training for sports projects to groups interested in bringing enterprise programmes to encourage entrepreneurship to the ward.
– Cllr McCarthy is also particularly interested in funding community projects such as community environment projects such as tree planting, community concerts, and projects those that promote the rich history and environment within the south east ward.
– Cllr McCarthy publishes a list of his ward fund allocations each year on this page.
Cllr McCarthy: Democratic Call Held Up On Pedestrianising The Marina, December 2020
Press Release:
Cllr McCarthy has welcomed that the democratic call on permanently pedestrianising The Marina has been upheld and passed at the most recent City Council Ordinary Meeting. Cllr McCarthy notes; “The recent public consultation process of 250 submissions showed that 90 per cent were for the plan, with 5 per cent with specific issues on carparking and access, which are also resolved in the Directors response leaving 5 per cent against the proposal.
Several referred to The Marina’s function as a road in modern times and several have called for a review of the heavy traffic on Blackrock Road – and that latter thorn is something the City Council will have to grasp – especially around traffic speeds and pedestrian safety.
What we have seen down The Marina in recent months – in terms of the temporary pedestrianisation and the investment into Marina Park, phase 1 – is probably the first time in several decades that investment has filtered into renewing this area as one of the City’s key recreational areas.
The Marina as a pedestrianised space has a great future ahead of it – there is much to do on its place-making vision and to enhance the vision of the Council for The Marina walk, that has been around for almost 170 years.
My hope is that Marina Walk 2.0 would be worked at – I certainly would like a refocus to be placed on some of the heritage assets both built and natural – and also that we become bold in beginning to look at river front of ESB Marina and the Marina Commercial Park in terms of extending the western end of the Marina Walk and extending it to Cork Docks. That right of way was there 150 years ago when The Marina name was fashioned”, concluded Cllr McCarthy.
Evening Echo, Shalom Park, 17 December 2020
Evening Echo is a public artwork by New Zealand artist Maddie Leach. It is sited on old gasometer land gifted by Bord Gáis to Cork City Council in the late 1980s. This site was subsequently re-dedicated as Shalom Park in 1989. The park sits in the centre of the old Cork neighbourhood known locally as ‘Jewtown’. This neighbourhood is also home to the National Sculpture Factory.
This year the last night of Hanukkah is Thursday 17 December and offers the only opportunity to see the tall ‘ninth lamp’ alight until next year. The cycle begins 10 minutes before sunset, which occured this year at 4.13pm, and continued for 30 minutes after sunset when the ninth lamp was extinguished.
Pictures: Beaumont Park, Cork, 8 December 2020
Cllr McCarthy: “Permanently pedestrianising one of Cork’s best-loved amenities has been cemented by ‘overwhelming’ public support, 25 November 2020
25 November 2020, “Permanently pedestrianising one of Cork’s best-loved amenities has been cemented by “overwhelming public support” and signals a sea change in the urge people have for increased green and liveable city areas. That is according to independent Cork city councillor, Kieran McCarthy”. ‘Overwhelming’ support for permanent car ban at Cork’s Marina, ‘Overwhelming’ support for permanent car ban at Cork’s Marina (irishexaminer.com)
Pictures, The Marina, Cork, 20 November 2020
The Marina, Cork, November 2020 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy)
The Marina, Cork, November 2020 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy)
The Marina, Cork, November 2020 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy)
The Marina, Cork, November 2020 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy)
The Marina, Cork, November 2020 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy)
Cllr McCarthy: Marina Park Progressing, 17 November 2020
Press Release:
Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has welcomed progress on Marina Park. In response to Cllr McCarthy’s question on the floor of the most recent City Council meeting to the Chief Executive, he was informed that Phase 1 of the contract commenced in early March 2020 with a scheduled completion date of May 2021. Works were suspended on 30 March due to the COVID – 19 lock-down in accordance with Government guidelines. Works resumed on site on 18 May following the lifting of restrictions for construction works. The contractor is making great progress on the works and is confident of achieving the scheduled completion date of May 2021.
Phase One, which covers the area from the Marquee Link Road (linking Monahan and Centre Park roads) to Páirc Uí Chaoimh, also incorporates new pathways, the installation of sunken lawn areas as well as the diversion of a watercourse.
The current works comprise the creation of a new public car park at the Shandon Boat Club end of the Marina, as well as a new cycle lane and pedestrian walkway (all completed), and the installation of a prominent red steel pavilion on the site of, and reproducing, the essence of the central hall of the former Munster Showgrounds.
Liam Casey, senior parks and landscape officer with the Council has noted in recent weeks that this structure will be roofed, but the sides will not be enclosed, and there will be opportunities for coffee pods and outdoor seating and arts and crafts.
Cllr McCarthy noted: “there is local excitement about the Marina Park development. It is now over seven years since the Part 8 document came before the City Council. The park was held up in the early days due to a lack of funding but has since received funded from an Urban EU funding pot. This is enough finances to develop phase one of the park, which is basically the foundations and greening of the former brownfields site of the former showgrounds”.
However, Cork City Council anticipates that it will go to tender later in November for the second phase of its bold Marina Park project which will ultimately see the formation of a contemporary city park, about five times the size of the famous FitzGerald’s Park. Phase 2, which concentrates on development to the east of Páirc Uí Chaoimh, takes in the Atlantic Pond and continues down as far as Blackrock Village.