Kieran’s Our City, Our Town,

Cork Independent,  9 December 2010

In the Footsteps of St. Finbarre (Part 240)

A Sense of Free State Ireland

If anything the Irish Agricultural and Industrial Fair on the Straight Road, Cork in 1932 was an enormous concerted effort by the Cork business class to do something positive in light of a worldwide depression – to promote Cork, the idea of an Irish product and to promote what Ireland had to offer. A walk through the various exhibit halls using the Fair catalogue, a copy of which survives in the Cork Museum, is a worthwhile exercise to get a sense of what the visitor was shown. Extra information below on each industry is provided from the multiple books on industrial development in Cork that exist also in Cork City Library.

In the second main exhibit area known as the Industrial Hall, the first stand the audience met was that of the Irish Tourist Association. This body was established in 1925 to market the young Irish Free State as a tourist destination internationally. It also aimed to organise the hotel and transport industry and to standardise and regulate charges. The head office was on O’Connell Street in Dublin with their Cork Office at New York House at 12 Patrick Street. They also had a London office in Piccadilly. Their exhibit at the Cork fair showed all the publications of the Association and their photographic displays.

Little seems to be publicly recorded of the impact of the Irish Tourist Association.  In the early 1940s, the Association carried out an impressive topographical and general survey on a parish by parish basis within each county. In an effort to gather information to promote Irish tourism post World War II, surveyors were appointed and information was gathered by visits to each parish. Photographs were taken of numerous sites and the filling in of forms/ fieldnote sheets were pursued. Five different forms were issued to the surveyors. Not all were relevant to each parish. Forms covered natural features, sports and games, holiday seaside resort amenities and general information, town or village amenities and general information and town or village accommodation and catering. A copy of the County Cork survey is in the Cork County Library. In 1939, Bord Cuartaoíchta na hEireann was established by an Act of Dáil Éireann. This organisation took over from the Irish Tourist Association eventually with statutory powers to register and grade hotels. The Bord was the forerunner of Bord Fáilte. In 1955 Bord Fáilte Éireann was created under the Tourist Traffic Act, to develop and promote tourism in the Republic of Ireland.

Stands number three to five in the Industrial Hall was held by the Great Southern Railways Company. They had a general display of models of transportation routes and tourist information. Provision for the creation of the company was made by the Railways Act 1924, which mandated the amalgamation of four major railway companies and the absorption of 22 smaller railway companies, all which were within the Irish Free State. From 1929, the Great Southern Railways Company also ran bus services when it acquired a stake in the Irish Omnibus Company. Under the Transport Act 1944, Córas Iompair Éireann was formed as a private company and incorporated the Great Southern Railways Company and Dublin United Transport Company.

Cork Harbour Commissioners presented a contour map of the port of Cork showing Cork Harbour and the River Lee from Power Head to St. Patrick’s Bridge to the scale of one foot to one mile. The map was designed and completed by John Power, Second Master of the Cork School of Art. In 1930 the Port extended its services from the City to Tivoli, which was a milestone development. The Cork School of Art exhibited a relief map of the City of Cork showing all heights and streets correct to scale. The model was executed by Mr. C. Huston, a modelling master in the School of Art, Cork at the request of the Executive Fair Committee.

Stands number 14-20 was a health section that was organised by Dr. John C. Saunders, the Medical Officer of Health for Cork in association with the Central Council for Health Education, London. The provision of health services in the early years of the Irish Free State was primarily provided by city and county hospitals. In the early 1930s, there were also some developments aimed at improving general public health such as the provision of free milk to children and pregnant women. In Cork, a tuberculosis clinic was held at 18, Parnell Place whilst a child welfare service was provided at Tuckey Street. The School Medical Service had routine inspections of all school children in the city. The bringing in by Dr. Saunders of the following Health Associations from London was probably strategic and important to draw focus on what he thought should be provided or improved in the then national health system. Present at the Cork fair were the Health & Cleanliness Council, London, Institute of Hygiene, London, National Milk Recovery Publicity, Dental Board of United Kingdom, National Council for Maternity and Child Welfare, Fruit Trades Federation, Model Abattoir Society and General Council for Health Education. In the broader scheme of government history, it was only in 1947 that the Department of Health was established.

To be continued…

Captions:

569a. Map of Fair Grounds, Straight Road, 1932, now occupied more or less by the playing pitches opposite the Lee Fields walk (sketches: Cork Museum)

569b. Sketch of Halls of Industry & Commerce

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 2 December 2010

In the Footsteps of St. Finbarre (Part 239)

Cork on Display

According to the catalogue for the Palace of Industries or principal exhibition hall at the Irish Agricultural and Industrial Fair, Cork in 1932, Cork industry was very well represented. Murphy’s Brewers, Blackpool exhibited casks and bottles demonstrating their draught and bottled stout. In addition samples of hops and malt, made only from Irish barley, were presented. Work at branch factories at the West Cork Bottling Co. Ltd, Bandon and W.H. O’Sullivan and Sons, Killmallock, who manufactured minerals of all descriptions, was also highlighted.

Occupying stand numbers 40 to 45, T. Lyons and Co. Ltd displayed samples of their well known ‘Gent’s Ready Made’ suits and shirts produced in their own factories at South Main Street, Cork. They employed a great number of people and the clothing factory was one of the oldest in Ireland. Research by the excellent Cork City library’s website www.cork pastandpresent.ie notes that in the 1790s Thomas Lyons opened a woollen draper’s shop in Tuckey Street. The shop moved to the South Main Street in the 1800s. By 1892 the firm had become a major commercial enterprise. Its frontage was on the western part of the site of the present-day Bishop Lucey Park. The company worked over an extensive and conveniently arranged block of buildings, which included an immense warehouse having a total floorage area of 200,000 square feet. Lyons & Co. Ltd remained in business until the late 1960s. The retail houses associated with the South Main Street site were also represented at the 1932 fair. The Queen’s Old Castle had a comprehensive exhibit of the famous art silk manufacturers Messrs. Courtaulds, Ltd, covering a wide range of their patterns and designs.

Stand no. 46 was the Irish Hospitals Trust from Dublin but they had a Cork Office at no.2 South Mall, Cork. Held in aid of hospitals in the Irish Free State, the ‘Irish Free State Hospitals’ Sweepstake’ was conducted and managed by a committee, including Viscount Powerscourt, Sir Thomas Myles, Sir William Taylor, Sir Conway Dwyer, Sir Joseph Glynn and Dr. P. McArdle. An article by M. Coleman in the Irish Economic and Social History in 2002 and research most recently shown in a TG4 documentary, they revealed that that the sweepstake was a horse-racing based lottery established in the Irish Free State in 1930 to build new hospitals and improve facilities in existing ones. During the 1930s alone gross income from the sweepstake was £71 million, of which £45 million was allocated in prizes and £13.5 million to hospital building. It closed in 1987 and was replaced by the present-day Irish National Lottery.

Cash & Co. Ltd. Patrick Street occupied stand no. 50 and 51 and displayed complete furnishings, all of Irish manufacture such as Irish carpets and Irish linen, for sitting rooms and bedrooms. In 1877 the firm J. Carmichael & Co. became a private company with the title Cash and Company Ltd. After various changes of ownership during the 1970s and 1980s, the company was sold to Brown Thomas in April 1991. It was officially renamed Brown Thomas on 27 March 1998.

Brabants & Co. of 76 Grand Parade occupied stand no. 54 and exhibited the latest marconiphone productions and the latest idea in battery manufacture by Exide plus a display of manufacturing gramophone records. Radio in Britain grew with the birth of the BBC in 1922 and the ‘wireless’ became popular in well-off homes across Britain and Ireland by the early 1930s. Robert Scott & Co. Ltd, ironmongers, of St. Patrick’s Quay occupied stand no. 55. They displayed a range of spades and shovels for all districts in the Irish Free State as well as turf slanes, griffuans, axle arms, cart axles, pickaxes, field Gates. All products were made in their works at Monard. Henry Ford & Son Ltd. occupied stands no.59 and 60. Originally set up in April 1917, the company was incorporated to build Ford cars. Post the global depression from the Wall Street Crash of 1929, it diversified into manufacturing tractors at their Marina site. Exhibits at the Cork Fair showed the details of the up to date improved tractor types as adapted for agricultural and industrial haulage purposes.

T. O’Gorman of 8 and 16 Pope’s Quay were at stands number 62 and 63. The firm made hats, caps, braces and garters. In 1940, O’Gormans took over the Butter Exchange Building in Shandon for its hat factory until it was destroyed by fire in 1976. The last stand in the Palace of Industries (stand no.65 and 66) was P.O’Sullivan & Co., Red Abbey Tobacco Factory, 19 Mary Street. They were manufacturers of coupon plug, coil and roll tobacco, Red Abbey Snuff in 1/2 –oz. Tins and Cork and High Toast Snuff. Paddy O’Sullivan was an astute entrepreneur who had travelled to America to study the techniques of growing and processing tobacco. It proved to be a profitable crop for farmers who participated in it in the late 1920s and early 1930s. In 1927, Paddy O’Sullivan decided to “cut out the middle man” and built a tobacco and snuff manufacturing plant in Mary Street (now the site of the revamped Red Abbey Square). The legacy of this factory is in the current Cork company, M.&P. O’Sullivan.

To be continued…

Captions:

568a. Advertisement for Fordson Tractors, from catalogue for the Irish Industrial and Agricultural Fair, Cork, 1932 (source: Cork Museum)

568b. Advertisement for Irish Hospital Sweepstakes, from catalogue for the Fair (source: Cork Museum)

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, 

Cork Independent, 25 November 2010

In the Footsteps of St. Finbarre (Part 238)

The Palace of Industries

“The speeches at the opening ceremony were broadcast. Senator Crosbie then handed over the silver key to the Fair to Senator Connolly, which he in turn would hand to President DeValera. The closing portion of the ceremony was the hoisting of the tricolour on the flagstaff by Senator Connolly, the no.1 Army Band playing the National Anthem and all present standing to attention” (Thursday, 12 May 1932, Irish Examiner, p.9).

The central hall of the Irish Industrial and Agricultural Fair 1932, held on the Carrigrohane Straight, was the ‘Palace of Industries’. The companies listed as having stands are worth exploring as they flesh out further what the visitor engaged with and the overarching aims of the Fair in terms of promoting Irish manufactures. The Cork Examiner reported that immediately on the opening of the hall in which the stand of the City of Cork Steam packet Company was situated, a gentleman came along and booked passages on the M.V. Innisfallen for five of his English friends. The stand presented cross channel services to the public i.e. Cork to Fishguard, Dublin-Liverpool and Belfast-Liverpool. A working model displaying interior and exterior views of the M.V. Innisfallen were shown. The ship was built in Belfast, launched in 1930 and was the second ship to have the name. At the time the ship was the only motor passenger vessel running to South Wales and proved very popular. In December 1940, while outbound from Liverpool the ship struck a magnetic mine off shore near New Brighton and went down with the loss of 4 lives. Fortunately no passengers were killed and all 157 and the rest of the crew were rescued.

Moving along in the Palace of Industries, John Lane’s Distillery Dublin (stand number 2) was represented as was C. McCarthy and Sons of Emmett Place who specialised in modern bathroom and fittings. Walking further along, one met the Mountjoy Brewery from Dublin and John Jameson & Son Ltd from Dublin. Stand numbers eight and nine showed the products of the Cork Chemical and Drug Co. Ltd. Cook Street, Cork. The company had been founded in 1805 and was up to the early years of the twentieth century called William Harrington & Son. Paints, varnishes and distemper were on display and manufactured by Harrington’s and Goodlass Wall, Ltd., Shandon Paint Works, Cork illustrated the many high class specialities manufactured. At the stand also were various brushes made at Harrington’s Brush Factory, Cork.

Next up at stand numbers were 10 and 11 was the Munster Arcade, ‘Manufacturers and General Drapers’. The Munster Arcade was one of the principal department stores in Cork on St. Patrick’s Street. The elaborate building was designed by Robert Walker for Robertson Leslie Ferguson, following the following the destruction of this part of the city by fire in 1920. Now occupied by Penney’s, the building retains many interesting features, such as the ashlar limestone and carved limestone details. The Munster coat-of-arms can just be seen on the façade. For the 1932 Fair, it exhibited ‘Watt’s’ Fitted Wardrobes, ‘Nesta’ upholstered settees and divan chairs made in their own factory through arrangements with patentees. They also exhibited Irish linens, Irish made tweeds, cheviots and serges from what they deemed the “best mills in the Free State” – Mahony’s of Blarney, O’Brien Bros., Morrogh Bros. Douglas, Dripsey, Athlone and Kilkenny Mills and Round Tower Home Spuns. They also sold souvenirs of the Fair through Carrigaline Pottery, tea sets and vases.

Stand no. 12 displayed the work of McConnell’s Advertising Service, Dublin whilst Beamish and Crawford took stand no.13. Beamish displayed the casks made by the brewery workmen and malt made at the brewery. They also showed the hops used in the manufacture of its stout and mineral waters manufactured at the company’s premises in Bandon. Further along Dripsey Woollen Mills and Hadji Bey et Cie presented their goods. Hadji Bey’s shop and factory were located on McCurtain Street and was headed up by Harutun Batmazian. Originally from Armenia, Harutun in 1902 set up his stall at the Great Cork International Exhibition in the Mardyke making Turkish Delight. He quickly established a shop and factory which became a famous Cork landmark. Despite its small size, the reputation of Hadji Bey soon expanded beyond Cork and Ireland to some of the great department stores of the world.

The viewer in the Palace of Industries also encountered Booth and Fox from Lavitt’s Quay who presented various satin and silk quilts. Further along was Williams & Woods Ltd, Dublin who made marmalade, peels, jams, confectionary and chocolates. Liam Russell of the Fountain Bookshop of 50 Oliver Plunkett Street displayed books on Irish and English and displayed his school book stock. Stand no. 26 and 27 showed the products of the Bandon Milling and Electric Company of Coolfadda Mills in Bandon, Co. Cork. Their exhibits comprised samples of all oat products and also the ‘patent motor-driven oat shelling machine’. They also displayed textile samples of the woollen manufactures of Bantry Textiles Ltd., Bantry. Next door was a display by Castlecomer Collieries Ltd, Kilkenny and their graded anthracite coal, of which in 1932 they extracted 75,000 tons of coal for selling nationwide.

To be continued…

Captions:

567a. Sketch of entrance to Fair, from catalogue for Irish Industrial and Agricultural Fair, 1932 (source: Cork Museum)

567b. Advertisement for Morrogh’s Bros, Douglas, from the catalogue for the Irish Industrial and Agricultural Fair, 1932 (source: Cork Museum)

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 18 November 2010

In the Footsteps of St. Finbarre (Part 237)

With Confidence in Ourselves

“The State is greater than any of its individual interests and I would express the belief that no purpose can be served by any attempt to subordinate the national well-being to any sectional or personal interest. The people of the country will not tolerate it, and I am satisfied that all elements will realise that their best interests are here in Ireland. And that by serving Ireland and co-operating with the people of Ireland their own interests will also be served.” (Senator J. Connolly, Fianna Fail Minster for Posts and Telegraphs, at the opening of the  Irish Industrial and Agricultural Fair, Cork, 11 May 1932)

By the opening of the Irish Industrial and Agricultural Fair, Cork, in early May 1932, President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State, W.T. Cosgrave , who had turned the sod for the event in August 1932, had lost the 1932 general election and he and his party Cumann na nGaedheal were replaced by Fianna Fáil. The election took place on 16 February 1932. Cosgrave’s government fought the general election on its record of providing ten years of stable government. The party sought and brought stability following the chaos of the Irish Civil War. However, since the party in general had no solution to the collapse in trade which followed the depression of the early 1930s, they failed to stay in power. Instead of offering new policies the party believed that its record in government would be enough to retain power. Fianna Fáil created an election programme, designed to appeal to a wide section of the electorate. The 1932 general election was the beginning of a sixteen year period in government for Fianna Fáil headed up by Eamonn Devalera.

President DeValera had consented to perform the official opening ceremony of the Cork Fair but the fact that the Free State budget, was being introduced in the Dail rendered his attendance at Cork impossible. The President appointed Senator J. Connolly, Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, to officiate at the ceremony on the 11 May 1932. The Cork Examiner on the following day, 12 May, recounted that previous to the opening ceremony of the fair a luncheon was provided for some 250 guests at the grounds. Senator Crosbie, President of the Executive Committee of the fair, presided. On his right was Senator J. Connolly, Bishop of Cork, Dr. Daniel Cohalan and the Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor P.J. Daly. A vacant chair between Senator Crosbie and the Lord Mayor was reserved for Mr. W.T. Cosgrave T.D. Mr. Cosgrave arrived ten minutes late after the luncheon had begun and his entry into the large dining hall was the occasion of an ovation.

Senator Crosbie rose to propose the toast of “Éire”. The Lord Mayor in proposing the toast of “our guests” in Irish said “with confidence in ourselves, confidence in our country and confidence in the future; Cork extends a hearty welcome to our visitors today”. Continuing in English, he said:“ This Industrial and Agricultural Fair forcibly demonstrates that Cork stands for progress and prosperity and that here in the Capital of Munster there is no place for soul-destroying depression or despair. Here today we show the world examples of Ireland’s industrial capacity, and that as an agricultural nation we are ready, capable and willing to compete with other nations. With our National Government at our backs we have practically an unlimited field for the development of our cattle industry, our butter industry, our egg industry and bacon  industry. Today we hold a national Agricultural and Industrial Fair in order to stimulate practical industrialists and agriculturalists. We cordially invite our fellow countrymen from all parts to rally to the Irish Fair.”

Around the entrance to the main entrance of the industrial hall a temporary platform , fitted with broadcasting apparatus was erected, around which gathered hundreds of people. The speeches of the opening ceremony were broadcast on radio. Senator Crosbie handed over a silver key to the Fair to Senator Connolly, which he in turn was to hand over to Eamonn DeValera.  Senator Connolly in his opening address spoke about the country’s problems; “it is encouraging to find that despite world-wide industrial depression the directors and organisers backed up by the citizens of Cork showed such commendable courage as to proceed with this great venture which afforded the citizens of the State and the visitors to this country some examples of what the country is doing and can do in productive enterprise….if we are to learn anything from recent economic history we will examine for ourselves what is meant by success and prosperity. We have before our eyes today countries where unemployment, want and starvation are present side by side with every conceivable commodity and luxury, where the productive capacity knows practically no limits, and where men stand by a machine that they cannot control. We in Ireland must keep these factors in mind if we are to plan intelligently in the future development of this country. Watching, what I might call the failures of success, the dangers of monopoly, the menace of uncontrolled exploitation; we can learn from what has resulted elsewhere.”

To be continued…

Captions:

566a. Illustration of fair grounds, 1932, Carrigrohane Straight Road (sources: Cork Museum)

566b. Advertisement, Irish Industrial and Agricultural Fair, 1932, Cork

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town article, Cork Independent,

 11 November 2010

In the Footsteps of St. Finbarre (Part 236)

Building an Irish Affair

President of the Executive Council (head of government) of the Irish Free State William T. Cosgrave visited Cork in the first week of October 1931 and cut the first sod for the buildings of the Irish Industrial and Agricultural Fair.

Two well known Corkmen were engaged as manager and secretary respectively, namely Mr. P.J. Dolan and Mr. M.J. Mahony. The fair committee also secured the services of Mr. J. Hainsworth as organising adviser who had over 18 years experience of exhibition organisation . He had been assistant manager of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Exhibition in 1929. A prospectus was written up and circulated looking for interested exhibitors. Applications for space for exhibits had to made on official printed forms, which were to supplied on application to the manager. All particulars of exhibits had to be clearly stated and the forms returned to the manager. No article, which had not been described in the application form, was to be allowed to be exhibited without the sanction of the fair committee. The charge for floor space in the ‘Palace of Industries’ and other exhibit buildings was at a rate of 7/ and 10/- per square foot. Exhibitors had to pay all expenses of conveying, delivering, arranging, fixing, and removing their exhibits. They had to personally or by representative, superintend the transport, reception and unpacking of their goods. Exhibitors were allowed to sell articles manufactured by them at the fair.

 In terms of using Irish materials, a letter to the Irish Independent, published on the 14 April 1932 (p.10) and penned by the Exhibition secretary, Mr. M.J. Mahony noted the ruling principle of the fair committee was from the beginning that “all advertisement matter and exhibits which were in any way injurious to the interests of Irish manufacturers should be excluded”. All material used in connection with the fair was to be of Irish manufacture, where such was procurable. In consequence of the restrictions imposed, tempting offers for various concessions were declined and lower figures from Irish advertisers were accepted. As a consequence a sum of £1000 was declined for the general advertising rights on the outside of the hoarding surrounding the fair grounds. In addition, numerous applications for space, including one from the Empire Marketing Board, were declined on the grounds that the articles were in competition with the products of Ireland.

The fair committee discovered in the early stages that Gestetner style paper of foreign manufacture was being used, although such paper was produced by the Saggart Paper Mills in Dublin. Instructions were issued by management to procure paper of Irish manufacture. In the early stages it was also pointed out that although the steel work required for the buildings could not be manufactured in Ireland, certain firms gave employment in the finishing of the required steel. From knowing that, only steel finished in Ireland was sourced from a well known Dublin firm, Messrs. Smith and Pearson Ltd, who also supplied the fencing and gates for some of the agricultural exhibits.

The architect responsible for the layout and design of the buildings was Mr. Bartholomew O’Flynn, 60 South Mall, Cork. The Irish Architectural Archive reveals that his father was Edmond O’Flynn (d.1917) of Watercourse Road in Blackpool who was head of the building firm of E. & P. O’Flynn.  Bartholomew (b.1874-d.1950) was educated by the Christian Brothers at the North Monastery, Cork and when he was nineteen he registered as a first-year engineering student at Queen’s College, Cork, in the academic year 1893-94. He received the BA degree in 1895 and the BE degree in 1896. In 1908 he was elected engineer to Cork Board of Guardians and in the same year engineer to Cork Rural District Council. Later he was engineer to the South Cork Board of Public Health and the South Cork Board of Public Assistance. During his career he was responsible for a large amount of public housing. In 1919 or earlier he entered into partnership with Dominic O’Connor but the partnership was dissolved in November 1927. Bartholomew O’Flynn retired from his duties with the Board of Health in 1941 and died in October 1950. The practice was continued by his son Edmond Patrick Joseph O’Flynn whom he had taken into partnership circa 1936.

The key buildings at the 1932 fair were listed as the ‘Industrial Hall’, ‘Palace of Industries’, ‘Hall of Commerce’, ‘Hall of Agriculture’, ‘Concert and Lecture Hall’, ‘Art Gallery’, ‘Tea Rooms’ and two large bars for which special licensing legislation was passed. Messrs. O’Shea Ltd., 41 South Mall, were the successful contractors for the building of the industrial halls, restaurants and car parks. The ‘Hall of Agriculture’, main entrance and offices were constructed by Mr. E. Barrett, Knockeen, Douglas Road, Cork while the bars and lavatories were built by Messrs. Coughlan Bros. Sawmill Street. The latter was also responsible for the enquiry bureau on St. Patrick’s Street as well as the drainage system of the fair and a number of stalls and kiosks. Greenhouses and other structures in the agricultural and horticultural sections were erected by Messrs. Eustace and Co. Ltd., 43 Leitrim Street. Messrs. Barry and Sons Ltd. of Water Street provided the timber for the buildings.

Captions:

565a. Foreword page of guide to the Irish Agricultural and Industrial Fair, 1932 (source: Cork Museum)

565b. Portraits of organising adviser Mr. J. Hainsworth and P.J. Dolan, manager of the Fair (source: Cork Museum)