Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 4 May 2023

Kieran’s May Historical Walking Tours

Welcome to the 1200^th article of Our City, Our Town. Many thanks to all those who support and read the column. It has been an enormous adventure over its 24 years of existence so far. As with previous years, my summer walking tours of Cork’s historic suburbs and parts of the city centre are back. To encourage engagement, the tours have been free for many years.  There is no booking required. Just show up on the day.

Saturday 6 May 2023, The Marina; Discover the history of the city’s promenade, from forgotten artefacts to ruinous follies; meet at western end adjacent Shandon Boat Club, The Marina, 2pm, no booking required (free, duration: two hours). 

A stroll down The Marina is popular by many people. The area is particularly characterised by its location on the River Lee and the start of Cork Harbour. Here scenery, historical monuments and living heritage merge to create a rich tapestry of questions of who developed such a place of ideas.

Cork’s Marina was originally called the Navigation Wall or in essence it was a guidance or tracking wall to bring ships into Cork City’s South Docks area. It was completed in 1761.

Following the constitution of the Cork Harbour Commissioners in 1814 and their introduction of steam dredging, a vigorous programme of river and berth deepening, quay and wharf building commenced. The dredger of the Commissioners deposited the silt from the river into wooden barges, which were then towed ashore. The silt was re-deposited behind the Navigation Wall.

During the Great Famine, the deepening of the river created jobs for 1,000 men who worked on widening the physical dock of the Navigation Wall. In essence a fine road was constructed, which linked into Cork’s South Docks. To give an aesthetic to the new road, a fine row of elm trees was planted c.1856 by Prof. Edmund Murphy of Queen’s College Cork (now UCC). The elm trees were part of a crop and tree growing experiment.

In 1870, the Gaelic poet and scholar Donncha Ó Floinn put forward to the Improvements Committee of Cork Corporation that the new road of the Navigation wall be named Slí na hAbhann, which means the ‘pathway by the river’. Ó Floinn’s proposal was not accepted. The matter came before the Improvements Committee again in 1872. This time Ó Floinn suggested that the promenade be named ‘The Marina’. He outlined that ‘The Marina’ was the name allocated to a recently reclaimed piece of land near Palermo in Sicily. In July 1872, Cork Corporation formally adopted ‘The Marina’ as the name of the new road or promenade.

Saturday 13 May 2022, The Battle of Douglas, An Irish Civil War Story, meet at carpark and entrance to Old Railway Line, Harty’s Quay, Rochestown; 2pm, (free, 2 hours, finishes near Rochestown Road).

In the early hours of 8 August 1922, the cross-channel steamers SS Arvonia and SS Lady Wicklow, with more than 450 Irish Free State troops on board, sailed into Cork Harbour and berthed at Passage West dockyards.

The Passage West assault was led by General Emmet Dalton. At just 24 years old, he had First World War combat experience, having won the Military Cross while still a teenager. He had led quite large bodies of British troops, and also studied guerrilla warfare during his later IRA service. The Cork city landing contingent comprised 450 soldiers from the 2nd Eastern Division of the National Army’s Eastern Command. Some came from the Dublin Guards battalion, which had participated in the recent Dublin fighting and comprised former IRA veterans.

In the days that followed, prolonged fighting took place as Anti-Treaty forces struggled to curb the advance of the national army troops. Although the precise figure has never been conclusively established, up to twenty fatalities (with many more wounded) are estimated to have occurred during fierce battles in and around Rochestown, Oldcourt Wood and Garryduff.

Saturday 20 May 2023, The Northern Ridge – St Patrick’s Hill to MacCurtain Street; Tour around St Patrick’s Hill – Old Youghal Road to McCurtain Street; meet on the Green at Audley Place, top of St Patrick’s Hill, 2pm (free, duration: two hours, no booking required, finishes on MacCurtain Street).

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

With the MacCurtain Street area, one is dealing with immense scenic perspectives and beautiful architecture– book ended by the epic St Patrick’s Hill view to the west, Summerhill North and Kent Station to the east, and the river and port frontage to the south. There is something to be said about how MacCurtain Street and buildings are carefully balanced and placed on a steep carved out sandstone ridge to the north of the River Lee– an important story of strategic engineering, which appears in earnest behind the waterfall feature behind Greene’s Restaurant.

When the Corporation of Cork of the time invested in planning St Patrick’s Bridge in 1787, it opened up this quarter for development – this was also the decade that brought us the first south docklands plan and the chain the Lord Mayor wears. The 1790s coincided the creation of St Patrick’s Hill – a hill-up avenue from Bridge Street, which aligned with an old windmill now incorporated into Audley House. The decade also coincided with an early MacCurtain Street– back then known as Strand Street and later King Street, and later Summerhill North from 1820 onwards.

Caption:

1200a. St Patrick’s Bridge, present day (picture: Kieran McCarthy).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 27 April 2023

Recasting Cork: The Cessation of Offensive Operations

The 27 April 1923 coincided with frustration and relief in Cork City – and all is one evening. At a meeting of Cork Corporation, the Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Ellis, presided. When some business had been disposed of, Councillor Fitzpatrick, said he was sorry to see that the Council had proceeded with the business of the evening, considering that ten men had been executed that week in Kerry. He moved that votes of sympathy be conveyed to the relatives of those executed men and that is as a mark of respect the council would adjourn to the following Monday 30 April.

Alderman Kenneally supported the motion for adjournment come out as he believed that the time had arrived when public bodies should take some steps to stop executions. He noted: “It is admitted that great men had come down on each side – men that the country would certainly require, men of intelligence and men of bravery – and it certainly was a sad thing when one took up the morning paper and read of the execution of such brave and noble men”. Alderman Kenneally was convinced that as long as hostilities this went on that they could not have peace in Ireland. He appealed that personal clashes in the Council Chamber should stop. He advocated that the Council needed to avail of every opportunity to secure call and call for peace and that every practical effort should be taken to achieve such an object.

Councillors O’Neill and Byrne argued for an amendment five minute adjournment instead of several days and that the motion of condolences would also contain two National Army officers who were killed. The Council voted seventeen to 12 in favour of their amendments.

On the same evening as the Cork Corporation meeting of 27 April, a proclamation from Éamon de Valera, and a covering order from Frank Aiken, Chief-of-Staff, ordered the immediate cessation of offensive operations as soon us may be, but not later than noon on the following Monday 30 April 1923. Frank Aiken had just been in the post under a week taking over directly after the death of Liam Lynch. It was declared, as evidence of their good will and in order to consider certain peace proposals contained in the proclamation. In the proclamation, six points were highlighted, which covered sovereign rights of the nation, the legitimate governmental authority of the people of Ireland,  the need for citizen voices on disputed national questions, the inclusivity of citizens in national policy, freedom to express political or economic programmes, and that military forces of the nation were the “servants if the nation” and subject to the elected government.

During the Irish War of Independent Armagh-born Frank Aiken was Commandant of the 4^th Northern Division of the IRA. When Dáil Éireann ratified the Treaty in January 1922, he put his energy into trying to avoid Civil War, but to no avail. He attempted to negotiate a Collins-DeValera electoral pact in the elections of May 1922, but that did not materialise. He tried to convince Richard Mulcahy to halt his seizure of Dublin’s Four Courts in July 1922.

Having no success in his endeavours, Frank returned to his IRA division. They had been held responsible of the murder of six innocent Presbyterians in Altnaveigh in County Down on 17 June 1922. Eventually Frank Aiken and 200 of his men were interned in Dundalk Gaol. On 28 July 1922 Frank led a mass escape of over a hundred prisoners. On 14 August, he then recaptured Dundalk and its military barracks imprisoning the 400 in number Free State soldiers whilst freeing remaining Republican prisoners.

Frank was invited to join the IRA executive but declined it until De Valera established a Republican government in October 1922. In County Waterford in March 1923, Frank supported de Valera’s peace resolution, which was defeated by six votes to five). He was present on 10 April 1923 on the slopes of the Knockmealdown mountains in Sout Tipperary when Liam Lynch was shot. On 20 April 1923 Frank was appointed Lynch’s successor as IRA chief of staff, a post he held until the end of 1925. 

On 27 April 1923 some of the Cork theatres conveyed the information on cessation of offensive operations to its audience whilst others who received the informato went to the Cork Examiner offices on St Patrick’s Street to confirm the news. Days later on Monday 30 April, the suspension of hostilities in Dublin and Cork was not marked by any formality. The Free State lorries containing soldiers with rifles drove through the streets as usual.

On Wednesday 2 May 1923 edition, the Cork Examiner reported on the peace; “So far as Cork city and county are concerned, the terms of Mr De Valera’s order to the irregulars to cease fire seem to be fulfilled. The weekend was one of the quietest for many months, scarcely a shot been fired, while from noon on Monday when the proclamation came into force, nothing has been reported from either city or county to show that there has been any departure from the order given. Of course, people do not anticipate the dying out of the movement without an occasional outburst, but it is believed in well informed circles that should anything untoward occur, it will be the work of irresponsibles”.

Caption:

1199a. The note that ended the Civil War. IRA Chief of Staff Frank Aiken’s order to all units to cease operations, 27 April 1923 (source: National Museum of Ireland).

Saturday 6 May 2023, The Marina; Discover the history of the city’s promenade, from forgotten artefacts to ruinous follies; meet at western end adjacent Shandon Boat Club, The Marina, 2pm, no booking required (free, duration: 2 hours).�

Saturday 13 May 2022,‭ The Battle of Douglas, An Irish Civil War Story‭, meet at carpark‬‬ and entrance to Old Railway Line, Harty’s Quay, Rochestown; 2pm, (free, 2 hours, finishes near Rochestown Road).

Saturday 20 May 2023,‭ ‬ ‭The Northern Ridge – St Patrick’s Hill to MacCurtain Street‭;‬‬ Tour around St Patrick’s Hill – Old Youghal Road to McCurtain Street; meet on the Green ‭ ‬at Audley Place, top‭ ‬ of St Patrick’s Hill, 2pm (free, duration: 2‭ ‬hours, no booking required, finishes on MacCurtain Street).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 20 April 2023

Recasting Cork: The Tragedy of the Stray Bullet

OnSaturday night, 21 April 1923, one of the last tragic deaths pre to the Truce of the Civil War occurred on the streets of Cork City. The Cork Examiner records that William Murphy, 42 years of age, married, a labourer employed at Murphy’s Brewery, and a resident of 24 Ninety-Eight Street (off Bandon road), was fatally shot in St Patrick’s Street. About 9pm an outburst of firing occurred near the corner of Winthrop Street, which was responsible for William’s death.

The initial story was that an attack was made by a number of armed youths, on a National Army officer passing through St Patrick’s Street. Several shots were reputed to have been fired at him from revolvers. William Murphy was unfortunate in coming into the line of fire, with the result that he was struck in the side by one of the bullets. William was conveyed to the Mercy Hospital, but it was obvious to everyone that his injury was a fatal one, and less than an hour after being wounded, he succumbed to his injury. Another man had a very narrow escape, a ricochet bullet struck him on the face. The wound, however, proved to be a slight one, being only skin deep.

The shooting created considerable alarm in the centre of the city. The usual Saturday evening crowds at the time were startled, but when there wasno repeat of theshots people became reassured, and again moved about as before.

At the Mercy Hospital on the afternoon of 23 April 1923 an inquest was held by Mr. Coroner William Murphy, solicitor. The Cork Examiner records that a military officer represented the authorities and Inspector Cronin was present on behalf of the civic police force. A jury, of which Mr John A Kelleher was foreman, having been sworn in and viewed the body, they began to take evidence.

The first witness was Jeremiah Murphy, brother of the deceased, who said he lived at Dean Rock, Togher Road. He had seen the remains, and identified those of his brother. Jeremiah saw him on the Saturday evening in question about 8.30pm. William was then in perfect health.

Jeremiah met William at the corner of Ninety-Eight Street. They walked towards the South Gate Bridge, across the Grand Parade, through St Patrick’s Street and McCurtain Street to the corner of the Coliseum. They returned from the corner of the Coliseum through St Patrick’s Street, on the Minister Arcade side. They came back through St Patrick’s Street again. That was about ten minutes to 9 pm. On again returning through St Patrick’s Street, and when opposite O’Regan’s shop, Jeremiah described that a number of rifle shots rang out. The shot came from the direction of St Patrick’s Bridge to the best of Jeremiah’s belief.

Jeremiah continued to describe that William put his hand to his side and screamed. Jeremiah caught him by the arm, and they went a few yards and the deceased said; “I am after being shot”. William then collapsed. Jeremiah immediately got a side car on the stand outside the Victoria Hotel, put William on the car and brought him straight to the Mercy Hospital.

Dr Riordan, house surgeon at Mercy Hospital, was also called as a witness at the inquest ad said the deceased was brought to the hospital on Saturday night about 9.15pm. He detailed that William was in a dying condition and suffered from a wound in his right side. He died threequarters of an hour after admission. Dr Riordan did not make a postmortem, but on examination he found a wound on the right side. It was a small punctured wound, such as would be caused by a rifle or small revolver bullet. There was no exit wound. Dr Riordan had found no bullet, but also did not probe for one. The bullet had probably penetrated the liver. In the doctor’s opinion death was due to shock and haemorrhage.

As the Coroner was about to review the evidence, the officer representing the National Army (whose name was not given in the press) came forward and was sworn in. He said he was in Cork Barracks on the Saturday evening in question. Between 9.15pm and 9.40 p.m. there were shotsfired at the barracks. It was his opinion they were rifle shots. The shots came from the back of the barracks from the area of Goulding’s Glen. It was the officer’s belief that the shots were fired aimlessly in the air with the intention of drawing fire from the barracks. He denoted that the fire was not returned from the barracks. He expressed his sympathy and that of the military authority with the relatives of the deceased.

Replying to the Coroner, the witness said he was of opinion post mortem evidence was necessary. If a rifle bullet had been fired at the deceased in St Patrick’s Street it would have gone clean through him. About twenty shots were fired at the barracks. The Coroner, in the course of his summing up, said “the deceased had done on Saturday night as many decent citizens had a perfect right to do—to walk the streets without being menaced by death”. He detailed that it was for the Jury to consider whether it was possible that the deceased had been struck by a stray bullet from the direction of the barracks.

The Coroner articulated that he had no evidence of firing in the vicinity of St Patrick’s Street. He noted he would leave the jury to consult amongst themselves the evidence as presented to them. The jury having consulted in private for about ten minutes, the foreman announced that they had found that the deceased met his death by a stray bullet. They were unable to say where the bullet came from, except from the military barracks or St Patrick’s Bridge. However, they wished to express their deepest sympathy with the relatives of the deceased.

Caption:

1198a. Mercy Hospital, c.1900 (source: Cork Public Museum).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 13 April 2023

Recasting Cork: The Subduing of Liam Lynch

On 10 April 1923 Irish Free State Troops, in search of hideouts of anti Treaty IRA members, advanced over the countryside at the foot of Knockmealdown Mountains in South Tipperary. At one point they were fired upon. The troops returned the fire and Chief of Staff of the Anti-Treaty side Liam Lynch was captured, was severely wounded and died. Several others, including Eamon De Valera and other notabilities, escaped.

It was evident that a conference of Anti-Treaty supporters was being held in the district. When Liam was wounded, his companions tried to carry him away, but owing to the hot pursuit of the troops they parted and he was captured. Liam was found lying down wounded with two bullet wounds in his stomach. There was an adequate amount of external and a considerable amount of internal haemorrhage and Liam was suffering severely from shock. Those present sent at once for a priest and doctor. Liam was subsequently removed in an ambulance to Clonmel workhouse. His condition, on arrival, about 6pm was low, and he succumbed to his injuries about 9pm.

Born near Mitchelstown in 1892, Liam Lynch at a young teenage age joined the Gaelic League and the Ancient Order of Hibernians. In 1916 after witnessing the arrest of David and Thomas Kent of Bawnard House, Fermoy, being arrested, he swore loyalty to the Republican cause. In 1917 he became a  First Lieutenant of the Irish Volunteer Company. In 1919, he became an active Commandant of the Cork No.2 Brigade. He was amongst those arrested during a raid on Cork City Hall  in August 1920. Whereas his comrade Terence MacSwiney went on hunger strike, was imprisoned, and died from hunger strike, Liam gave a false name and was released a short time after his arrest.

In 1920 Liam oversaw a number of successful ambushes through his Flying Column including the capturing of the British Army Barracks at Mallow. In 1921, Liam became Commander of the 1^st Southern Division and his command was under growing pressure due to lessening arms and ammunition and the tactical countering of guerilla warfare by the British. By the time of the Truce, Liam welcomed it.

With the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in December 1921, Liam was opposed to the Treaty. He felt the Treaty disestablished the Irish Republic proclaimed in 1916 in favour of Dominion status for Ireland within the British Empire. Liam did not wish for the IRA to be so divided and sought compromise with those who supported the Treaty. He sat with Michael Collins a number of times seeking a resolution, but to no success.

On 9 April 1922, Liam was appointed Chief of staff by the Republican Military Council. He did not partake in the capturing of the Four Courts in Dublin in April 1922 but was involved in the creation of the Munster Republic idea in July 1922. He led the capture of Limerick in July 1922 and led its defence up to the point of retaking by Free State troops. On 30 November 1922, Liam Lynch gave orders to kill Free State TDs and Senators in reprisal for the killing of captured republicans.

Liam Lynch’s funeral took place on 15 April 1923 at Kilcrumper graveyard near Fermoy amidst a depth of enormous crowds of people. From many parts of Cork, Tipperary, Limerick, Dublin, Kerry, and other counties, people travelled to the historic town of Mitchelstown to pay their last respects. The funeral cortege, amidst unfavourable weather, was one of large dimensions. It extended for some miles along the country. The coffin, surrounded by the tricolour, and on which had been laid the deceased’s Volunteer cap and belt. The coffin was borne on the shoulders of his comrades from Mitchestown around the principal streets of the town before being placed in a hearse and conveyed to the cemetery. 

Preceding the coffin were two hearses, each drawn by four horses and following the hearses were about 100 members of Cumann na mBan bearing wreaths. Upwards of 200  Volunteers occupied the next portion of the procession, while members of public bodies including Cork Corporation, Cork Rural Council, Cobh Urban Council, Gaelic League and Mallow Urban Council followed.

Professor William Stockley TD delivered the oration.  He was Professor of English at University College, Cork and a Sinn Féin councillor in Cork Corporation. In the course of his remarks said it was a very sad day for the country and the people of the country. William also reflected on sacrifice and the country’s future;

“Ireland should be allowed to live her own life, and it was in that hope Mr Lynch had lived and died. The duty of the people at the present day was to do their work.  Let them do what was right, and then they would be carrying out the will of God. It was in that spirit, that Liam Lynch lived, and acted and died. It would be a heartbreaking thing if they could not see eye to eye on a great matter of self-sacrifice and offer their lives for the right thing, and the good thing and the true thing. They believed in that, and why should they not believe it now. They would believe it as they believed it in the past and they would believe it to the end. Ireland should be more united in doing its own work, but their hopes now centred on young men to keep Ireland a nation”. 

Kieran’s April Tours (free, no booking required):

Saturday 15 April 2023, The Friar’s Walk; Discover Red Abbey, Elizabeth Fort, Barrack Street, Callanan’s Tower & Greenmount area; Meet at Red Abbey tower, off Douglas Street, 2pm.

Caption:

1197a. General Liam Lynch, c.1922 (picture: Cork City Library).