Category Archives: Improve Your Life

Second Call Out – Kieran’s National Heritage Week Events, 13 August-21 August 2022

Saturday 13 August 2022, A Tour of Cork City Hall as part of Cork Heritage Open Day, with Cllr Kieran McCarthy, 10am, meet at entrance at Anglesea Street (90 minutes, booking required at Cork Heritage Open Day website with Cork City Council, from 3 August 2022). Update, 5 August, booked out.

Sunday 14 August 2022, Cork Through the Ages, An Introduction to the Historical Development of Cork City; meet at the National Monument with Cllr Kieran McCarthy, Grand Parade, 6.30pm (free, 2 hours, no booking required). 

Monday 15 August 2022, Shandon Historical Walking Tour with Cllr Kieran McCarthy; explore Cork’s most historic quarter; meet at North Main Street/ Adelaide Street Square, opp Cork Volunteer Centre, 6.30pm (free, duration: two hours, no booking required).  

Tuesday 16 August 2022, The Northern Ridge – St Patrick’s Hill to MacCurtain Street; Historical walking tour with Cllr Kieran McCarthy of the area around St Patrick’s Hill – Old Youghal Road to McCurtain Street; meet on the Green at Audley Place, top of St Patrick’s Hill, 6.30pm (free , duration: two hours, no booking required). 

Thursday 18 August 2022, Views from a Park – The Black Ash and Tramore Valley Park, historical walking tour with Cllr Kieran McCarthy in association with the KinShip Project; meet at Halfmoon Lane gate, 6.30pm (free, duration: 90 minutes no booking required). 

Saturday 20 August 2022, Douglas and its History, historical walking tour with Cllr Kieran McCarthy in association with Douglas Tidy Towns; Discover the history of industry and the development of this historic village, meet in the carpark of Douglas Community Centre, 2pm (free, duration: two hours, no booking required, circuit of village, finishes nearby). 

Sunday 21 August 2022, The Battle of Douglas, An Irish Civil War Story, historical walking tour with Cllr Kieran McCarthy, meet at carpark and entrance to Old Railway Line, Harty’s Quay, Rochestown; 2pm, (free, 2 hours, no booking required, finishes near Rochestown Road). 

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, 11 August 2022

1163a. Cork City Hall, one of Kieran’s National Heritage Week tour sites, 13-21 August 2022 (picture: Kieran McCarthy).
1163a. Cork City Hall, one of Kieran’s National Heritage Week tour sites, 13-21 August 2022 (picture: Kieran McCarthy).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 11 August 2022

Kieran’s Heritage Week Tours, 13-21 August 2022

It is great to be back to physical tours after a hiatus of two years with Covid. So far this summer, my tours across the city’s suburbs for locals have, in particular, been very busy. Certainly, the Covid period and this post Covid era has brought a renewed interest in people’s local areas and their development and sense of place. The tours I have chosen for National Heritage Week this year are all important areas in the city’s development plus they all have a unique sense of place and identity. I will host seven tours, and all are free. There is no booking required bar the one for Cork City Hall for Cork Heritage Open Day.

 Saturday 13 August 2022, A Tour of Cork City Hall as part of Cork Heritage Open Day, 10am, meet at entrance at Anglesea Street entrance (90 minutes, booking required from Cork Heritage Open Day website with Cork City Council).

Learn about the early history of Cork City Hall and Cork City Council; learn about the development of the building and visit the Lord Mayor’s Room. The current structure replaced the old City Hall, which was destroyed in the Burning of Cork in 1920. It was designed by Architects Jones and Kelly and built by the Cork Company Sisks. The foundation stone was laid by Eamon de Valera, President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State, on 9 July 1932.

Sunday 14 August 2022, Cork Through the Ages, An Introduction to the Historical Development of Cork City; meet at the National Monument, Grand Parade, 6.30pm (2 hours, no booking required). 

 Cork City city possesses a unique character derived from a combination of its plan, topography, built fabric and its location on the lowest crossing point of the river Lee as it meets the tidal estuary and the second largest natural harbour in the world. Indeed, it is also a city that is unique among other cities, it is the only one which has experienced all phases of Irish urban development, from circa 600AD to the present day. This tour explores the city’s earliest historical phases.

Monday 15 August 2022, Shandon Historical Walking Tour; explore Cork’s most historic quarter; meet at North Main Street/ Adelaide Street Square, opp. Cork Volunteer Centre, 6.30pm (2 hours, no booking required).  

 Tradition is one way to sum up the uniqueness of Shandon Street. Despite being a physical street, one can stroll down (or clamber up), the thoroughfare holds a special place in the hearts of many Corkonians.  The legacy of by-gone days is rich. The street was established by the Anglo-Normans as a thoroughfare to give access to North Gate Drawbridge and was originally known as Mallow Lane. Shandon Street locals identify with the special old qualities of the street. Different architectural styles reflect not only the street’s long history but also Cork’s past.

Tuesday 16 August 2022, The Northern Ridge – St Patrick’s Hill to MacCurtain StreetHistorical walking tour of the area around St Patrick’s Hill – Old Youghal Road to McCurtain Street; meet on the Green at Audley Place, top of St Patrick’s Hill, 6.30pm (2 hours, no booking required; finishes on MacCurtain Street). 

This is a tour that brings the participant from the top of St Patrick’s Hill to the eastern end of McCurtain Street through Wellington Road. The tour will speak about the development of the Collins Barracks ridge and its hidden and interesting architectural heritage.

Thursday 18 August 2022, Views from a Park – The Black Ash and Tramore Valley Park, historical walking tour in association with the KinShip Project; meet at Halfmoon Lane gate, 6.30pm (90 minutes; no booking required). 

 The Tramore Valley Park tour will explore the development of the area from being a swamp through to being a landfill and then onto being an artificial mound to enable the development of a park. Historically William Petty’s 1655 map of the city and its environs marks the site of Tramore Valley Park as Spittal Lands, a reference to the original local environment and the backing up of the Trabeg and Tramore tributary rivers as they enter the Douglas River channel. Of course, there are green spaces scattered across the city but none with the same scale of development and story as the 160 acre site off Kinsale Road. This is a site where the city’s environment has also been a regular topic of debate across local newspapers and in the city’s council political chamber.

Saturday 20 August 2022, Douglas and its History, historical walking tour in association with Douglas Tidy Towns; Discover the history of industry and the development of this historic village, meet in the carpark of Douglas Community Centre, 2pm (no booking required, circuit of village, finishes nearby). 

The story of Douglas and its environs is in essence a story of experimentation, of industry and of people and social improvement. The story of one of Ireland largest sailcloth factories is a worthwhile topic to explore in terms of its aspiration in its day in the eighteenth century. That coupled with the creation of forty or so seats or mansions and demesnes made it a place where the city’s merchants made their home it. Douglas makes also makes for an interesting place to study as many historical legacies linger in village’s surrounding landscapes.

Sunday 21 August 2022, The Battle of Douglas, An Irish Civil War Story, historical walking tour, meet at carpark and entrance to Old Railway Line, Harty’s Quay, Rochestown; 2pm, (free, 2 hours, no booking required, finishes near Rochestown Road). 

The Battle of Douglas is a three day Irish Civil War battle, which occurred from 7-10 August 1922. In particular, the battle sprawled across the heart of Rochestown Road to Garryduff. Across fields and woodlands, Anglo Irish Treaty supporters faced off against Anti-Treaty forces. Aiming to take Cork City, General Emmet Dalton of the National Army of the Irish Provisional Government led over 450 men, with two artillery pieces and armoured cars, all of whom landed at Passage West.

Caption:

1163a. Cork City Hall, one of Kieran’s National Heritage Week tour sites, 13-21 August 2022 (picture: Kieran McCarthy).

First Call Out, Cllr McCarthy Launches Walking Tour Programme for National Heritage Week

Tours of Douglas and Rochestown respectively and across to Shandon and St Patrick’s Hill are part of Douglas Road Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy’s upcoming National Heritage Week programme. The Week takes place from Saturday 13 August to Sunday 21 August.

Cllr McCarthy noted; “It’s great to be back to physical tours after a hiatus of two years with Covid. So far this summer, my tours across the city’s suburbs for locals, in particular, have been very busy. Certainly, the Covid period and this post Covid era has brought a renewed interest in people’s local areas and their development and sense of place. The tours I have chosen for Heritage Week this year are all important areas in the city’s development plus all have a unique sense of place and identity. I will host seven tours and all are free. There is no booking required bar the one for Cork City Hall for Cork Heritage Open Day”.

Kieran’s National Heritage Week 

All tours are free.

Saturday 13 August 2022, A Tour of Cork City Hall as part of Cork Heritage Open Day, 10am, meet at entrance at Anglesea Street entrance (90 minutes, booking required from 3 August at Cork Heritage Open Day website with Cork City Council).

Sunday 14 August 2022, Cork Through the Ages, An Introduction to the Historical Development of Cork City; meet at the National Monument, Grand Parade, 6.30pm (2 hours, no booking required). 

Monday 15 August 2022, Shandon Historical Walking Tour; explore Cork’s most historic quarter; meet at North Main Street/ Adelaide Street Square, opp. Cork Volunteer Centre, 6.30pm (2 hours, no booking required).  

Tuesday 16 August 2022, The Northern Ridge – St Patrick’s Hill to MacCurtain Street; Historical walking tour of the area around St Patrick’s Hill – Old Youghal Road to McCurtain Street; meet on the Green at Audley Place, top of St Patrick’s Hill, 6.30pm (2 hours, no booking required; finishes on MacCurtain Street). 

Thursday 18 August 2022, Views from a Park – The Black Ash and Tramore Valley Park, historical walking tour in association with the KinShip Project; meet at Halfmoon Lane gate, 6.30pm (90 minutes; no booking required). 

Saturday 20 August 2022, Douglas and its History, historical walking tour in association with Douglas Tidy Towns; Discover the history of industry and the development of this historic village, meet in the carpark of Douglas Community Centre, 2pm (no booking required, circuit of village, finishes nearby). 

Sunday 21 August 2022, The Battle of Douglas, An Irish Civil War Story, historical walking tour, meet at carpark and entrance to Old Railway Line, Harty’s Quay, Rochestown; 2pm, (free, 2 hours, no booking required, finishes near Rochestown Road). 

The Mangala Bridge Proposal, Public Meeting No.2, Friday 22 July, 6.30pm

Site of Mangala Bridge Proposal by the NTA (picture: Kieran McCarthy)
Site of Mangala Bridge Proposal by the NTA (picture: Kieran McCarthy)

As noted in my flyer to houses in Donnybrook and in (some of- photocopying issues!) my Maryborough Woods flyers this week, I note I will host another Q & A meeting on Friday 22 July 2022, 6.30pm, Ballybrack Woods.

The meeting is on the flat green area by the stream at the proposed site of the bridge, next to the central tree in the picture.

Last week’s meeting was targeted at the social media market but I got alots of emails and calls during the week recommending another meeting for those not on social media.

So Many thanks to the flyering team yesterday and today. Over 1500 houses were flyered. We put in alot of steps 🙂And there may be people on social media who missed the meeting last Friday, are seeing this, and want to attend 🙂

But if you are concerned and are up to speed with the bridge proposal, don’t leave your submission to someone else.

It doesn’t have to be an epic submission, but why the woods is important to you.Make your submission here: https://busconnects.ie/cork/

We Can and we Will stop this together.#saveballybrackwoods#savethemangalaView the scale of the Mangala bridge proposal and what it impacts here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDkqzvd8qe8

My thanks as well to all those I met last evening at the public meeting on Boreenmanna Road, and the calls and emails that came into from the Shamrock Lawn area today.

Cllr McCarthy: Shock and Anger at Environmental Vandalism Proposal, 15 July 2022:

Cllr Kieran McCarthy at Ballybrack Woods, Douglas, July 2022
Cllr Kieran McCarthy at Ballybrack Woods, Douglas, July 2022

“A shocking act of environmental vandalism” is how Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has described the proposal by the National Transport Authority to place a 20 metre wide bridge to facilitate bus and cars over Ballybrack Woods from Donnybrook Hill to Maryborough Woods as part of the Grange to Douglas Bus Corridor.

To view the plans, log onto busconnects.ie

Cllr McCarthy noted: “This is a shocking act of environmental vandalism. Yes there is a need to improve the nature of public transport in the city and in the south east of the city but not at the expense of demolishing half a woodland to do it”. “One just can’t have one climate action agenda dominating over a dozen other climate action priorities. They are all important. In this case, it is literally being proposed, amongst other concepts to eliminate the last green lungs of Douglas, to seriously interfere with a biodiversity corridor, and to remove a significant site of enormous health and well-being added value from its surrounding communities”.

“What is also shocking and very disappointing coming from the NTA is the downplaying of a such a removal of urban forestry. Their proposal is hidden away in its series of online bus corridors map proposals, which require the citizen to have a detailed knowledge of map reading and ready access to their own measuring tape”. “The consultation and info sessions are taking place during July when people are away on holidays and people are just beginning to feel freedom post a very tough two years of COIVD”.

“The communication to local communities of the detail of proposals has been shocking and instead of leading to support from communities or encouraging support for change have led directly and certainly led to fear, anger, grief, panic and sadness amongst my constituents. Supposed partnership has turned into a battleship”. “At this moment in time I have no confidence at all in the NTA to deliver the Cork Bus Connects programme that will enhance the city’ public transport in a sustainable and inclusive way”, concluded Cllr Kieran McCarthy.

NTA Bridge Proposal, Ballybrack proposal, July 2022
NTA Bridge Proposal, Ballybrack proposal, July 2022

Marina Promenade Project, 23 June 2022

Marina Promenade Project, 23 June 2022
Marina Promenade Project, 23 June 2022 (image: Cork City Council)
Marina Promenade Project, 23 June 2022 (image: Cork City Council)
Marina Promenade Project, 23 June 2022 (image: Cork City Council)

Lots of people have asked over the past two years is there a plan to resurface the Marina Walk with a more amenable surface. The old concrete in many places is broken and is dangerous to the walker. So I am delighted to see the Marina Promenade progressing now to public consultation.

The project will in essence restore the road to its original state as a walkway (see the images attached). It is also more or less 150 years to the day since the name The Marina, named after a walkway in Palermo, Sicily, replaced the name Navigation Wall. So this public call is very apt.

Details:

Cork City Council is asking residents, communities, businesses, and other key stakeholders to have their say on a proposed upgrading of the Marina which will further enhance the much-loved amenity for pedestrians, cyclists and people with disabilities.

Today, it published a planning notice seeking Part 8 planning permission on the promenade which was pedestrianised nearly two years ago.

The project team are seeking to repurpose approximately 1.8km of the existing Marina Promenade to deliver a combined footpath-cycle path and improved public spaces.

The plans also provide for the creation of plazas, balconies and new seating areas at intervals along the Marina.Public lighting will be replaced between Church Avenue and Blackrock Harbour and new public lighting and feature lighting installed between Centre Park Road and Church Avenue.

As is currently, the Marina promenade will remain car free from Centre Park Road to Church Avenue (1.5 km) with a shared 6-metre-wide surface for pedestrians and cyclists, widening to 7.0m at the filtered permeability gate at Church Avenue. Similarly, car access will be maintained for residents on Church Ave and those living north of Church Ave on the Marina.

The plans also include:

• Provision of new pedestrian and cycle access points from the Marina Promenade into the adjacent Marina Park including Atlantic Pond and the Cork City to Passage West Greenway.• Retention of the iconic formal tree planting along the route

• Protection and enhancement of the natural heritage, green space and biodiversity of the area and the conversion of some footpath areas to green space

• Provision of an access road serving Lee Rowing Club, Pairc Ui Chaoimh/Atlantic Pond and the lands in between.

More detail is available on https://consult.corkcity.ie/en or alternatively, plans & particulars will be available for inspection or purchase on working days at Reception Desk, Cork City Council, City Hall from Thursday 23 June to Thursday 4 August 2022.

Closing date for all submissions is Thursday 18 August 2022 at 4pm.

Kieran, Read more on the history of The Marina on my heritage website, http://corkheritage.ie/?page_id=5989

Marina Promenade Project, 23 June 2022 (image: Cork City Council)
Marina Promenade Project, 23 June 2022 (image: Cork City Council)
Marina Promenade Project, 23 June 2022 (image: Cork City Council)
Marina Promenade Project, 23 June 2022 (image: Cork City Council)

McCarthy’s Make a Model Boat Project 2022

Create your own model boat from recycled materials and bring it along for judging at the Lough.

The entrant(s) will be placed in categories or levels, of which there are three, 4-6 years olds, 7-11 years olds and 12-15 year olds.

All model boats must be brought to the Lough at 18:30 on Thursday 9 June for display, launching and adjudication. There will be prizes for the best boats and all prize-winning boats will be exhibited during this year’s Cork Harbour Festival 3-13 June, at Cork City Library.

This event is being run in association with Meitheal Mara and The Old Cork Waterworks.

Register now: Cllr. Kieran McCarthy’s Make a Model Boat Project 2022 – Cork Harbour Festival

Cllr McCarthy presents his report on New European Bauhaus

Douglas Road Independent Kieran McCarthy recently presented his report on the New European Bauhaus initiative to the European Committee of the Regions plenary in Brussels, to which he is a member. Kieran was tasked by the Committee to prepare a report on the initiative due to his interests in cultural heritage and climate action. 

The New European Bauhaus is based on a concept from one hundred years ago in Europe but has been modernised and is now a creative and interdisciplinary initiative across areas from architecture to housing the circular economy that connects the  European Green Deal programme to living spaces and experiences.

Cllr McCarthy in his report noted that the New European Bauhaus initiative is a key opportunity to harness the creative potential of regions and municipalities, provide jobs locally and create accepted and sustainable solutions. Kieran noted: “The European Commission must ensure that cities and regions are at the centre of the initiative and receive technical assistance and appropriate funding”.

The opinion proposes a New European Bauhaus Lab voucher scheme for 100 cities and regions to help them co-create, prototype and test the tools, solutions and policy actions that will facilitate transformation on the ground.

Kieran concluded: “I believe that the New European Bauhaus must become a real movement, which involves local and regional authorities and is not just another top-down project. It must be a project for everyone, not just the few. To be successful, this exercise must be socially, culturally and territorially inclusive”.

Read more here: New European Bauhaus: Voucher scheme planned to support cities and regions (europa.eu)

Press Release – Cllr McCarthy: Timeline given on Old Railway Line Greenway Re-opening, May 2022

An update on the Old Railway Line greenway was given to Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy at last Monday’s City Council meeting.

The Contractor is currently working within the old Blackrock Station. During the course of these works it was necessary to undertake additional conservation and repair work to boundary walls, platforms and adjoining structures. The full extent of this work only became apparent when the overgrowth was fully removed.

Cllr McCarthy noted: “A good few people are asking about the delays to the re-opening of the Old Railway line walk. I questioned the Chief Executive at the last Council meeting and it has been the conservation works around the old Blackrock platform, which has delayed the works. On pulling back the vegetation, the damage on the masonry was worse than expected. I realise that many people are anxious to get back to using a much loved community space. It’s down to a few short weeks now before it’s re-opening”.

Completion works for the new access ramp between the Greenway and the Marina (i.e. through Holland Park) is scheduled to commence in late 2022 as per the original programme. The work on this ramp is staggered to allow for the settlement of the earthwork’s embankment.

The last remaining section of the Passage Greenway Project Phase 1 is scheduled to be fully open to the public in mid-July. The Contractor is likely to have some remaining off line works to complete beyond this date such as the completion of snags etc however this work will not affect users of the Greenway.