A walk around some of my head space – Great to be involved in this “Person to Person” article in tonight’s Echo ahead of National Heritage Week next week, https://www.echolive.ie/corklives/arid-40936976.html
The City Hall tour on Saturday 13 August is booked out but all the rest require no booking and all are free!
Here is the link to all my historical walking tours starting this Sunday, 14 August, http://kieranmccarthy.ie/?page_id=122677 tours! Game on!
In the last few weeks though funding for a second but separate Cork City Council project/ contract for the top of the junction of Bellair Estate with Ballinlough Road has also come to fruition. This is a response to public and local political pressure over many years to make the junction safer.
The proposals include the construction of two table top raised areas at the junctions of Bellair Estate and Ballinlough Road, and Wallace’s Avenue with Ballinlough Road, respectively, and a zebra crossing from Our Lady of Lourdes School to the current Bean Brownie shop. In the early discussions on design a controlled crossing was ruled out due to people’s driveways adjacent to the junction.
It is also proposed to reconstruct and improve footpaths in the vicinity of both junctions, and modify and improve public lighting, road markings and road signage.
The public consultation is open from Wednesday 3 August 2022 until 4pm on Thursday 15 September 2022.
The full set of drawings and maps are on Cork City Council’s Online Consultation Portal at https://consult.corkcity.ie or atthe public reception desk of Cork City Council, City Hall, Anglesea Street, Cork between the hours of 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays.
Submissions and observations with respect to the proposed development can be made on the Consult website above or in writing to “Executive Engineer, Traffic Operations, Room 338, City Hall, Anglesea Street, Cork.
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 4 August 2022
Journeys to a Free State: The Battle of Douglas
Over the next weekend, 5-8 August, the town of Passage will be the host to a series of major historical events. The inspiring committee of the Passage West Maritime Museum is currently engaged, with the specific aim of furthering reconciliation, in an initiative to acknowledge the centenary of one of the most significant events of the Irish Civil War – the 1922 Battle of Douglas.
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. 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.
The museum’s website http://passagemuseum.ie has a full and impressive programme of events. Among the events to be held throughout the weekend will be re-enactment displays, with armoured car and 18-pounder field guns, a special exhibition at Passage West Maritime Museum, guest panels of speakers, walking tours, unveiling of commemorative plaques at Passage and Garryduff upper, and schools’ projects. Members of the defence forces, RNLI and community groups will be attending.
Among those visiting from throughout the country will be archaeologists from University College Dublin, who will be arranging an open artefact day. They have requested that anyone with memorabilia, including photos or other historical items from around that period may like to come to have it appraised. The items can be brought along on the day, or any member of the museum committee can be contacted in the meantime.
The centenary event is one which brings together much information and it really is the first public attempt since 1922 to mark the battle of Douglas. The programme of events is inspired by the great series of community historical events, which the Maritime Museum’s committee have hosted over many years now. The work of UCC historians such as Dr John Borgonovo have been crucial and his book The Battle of Douglas (2011 & published by Mercier Press, and still available) has been very important in placing a focus on the events in the past few years. The revisiting by John and others in the Atlas of the Irish Revolution (UCC Press) has inspired others such as historian Niall Murray and archaeologist Damian Shiels in exploring what kind of archaeology has survived from the battle between Passage West and Garryduff. In addition, there is a very rich local history in all the battle locations, which is an aspect I have tried to connect to in my recent walking tours across the battle’s site.
Throughout July 1922 Irish Free State supporters collected intelligence on Cork Republican defensive positions across Munster. In early August 1922, the largest seaborne landings took place in the south. Ships disembarked about 2,000 well equipped Free State troops into the heart of the “Munster [IRA] Republic” and caused the rapid collapse of the Republican position in this province. On Tuesday 8 August 1922, Free State forces landed at Youghal, Union Hall and Passage West.
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.
Emmet Dalton’s plan was to enter Cork Harbour, follow the River Lee all the way to Cork and dock at the Ford tractor factory’s marina. The SS Lady Wicklow carried about twenty soldiers and initially acted as a scout ship, running before the packed SS Arvonia. The Harbour pilot was Joey O’Halloran, a Republican. He refused to guide the invading force into Cork, citing the Republican dreadnoughts and sea mines upriver. Dalton selected Passage West to dock in the early hours of Tuesday morning of 8 August 1922.
Republicans hustled to Rochestown, where they met gathering IRA Volunteers. Across the river, Cobh Republicans threw themselves into the emerging contest. IRA riflemen took up positions around Carrigaloe, and began heavy firing on the two ships. At 4am, IRA engineers blew up Fota railway bridge, severing the Cork/Cobh rail line. This seems to have been part of a predetermined defensive response to an expected landing in Cobh. A little later, about 4am on Tuesday morning, the Irregulars set off a mine placed under the bridge on the main road at Rochestown station and was destroyed.
When daylight came the whole Passage West to Douglas area was occupied by Irregulars, numbering several hundred. They had machine guns in position at various point with no less than three having been set up at Rochestown Cross.
Obstructed in lower Rochestown and under fire the National Army troops needed to secure higher ground, so they could get around and above IRA defences on the Cork road. The Republicans attempted to counter these attacks, which resulted in heavy fighting around Old Court Wood, between Rochestown and Douglas, about a mile inland. During the afternoon, heavy rifle and machine-gun fire erupted in this labyrinth of fields, narrow country lanes and woodlands.
By Thursday morning 10 August 1922, the Irregulars retreated from Rochestown and blocked the roads at several other points, in order to delay the advance of the National soldiers. Early on Thursday afternoon, the National forces reached Douglas, and the Irregulars commenced evacuating Cork City, which was occupied by the National troops before night fall.
Passage West Maritime Museum hosts commemorative events, 5-8 August 2022, see their website http://passagemuseum.ie/for more. Dr John Borgonovo’s book The Battle of Douglas (2011), is still available from Mercier Press.
Kieran’s National Heritage Week tours, 13-20 August are also posted up under Heritage Events at www.corkheritage.ie
Caption:
1162a. Irish Free State Troops bound for Cork Harbour on the SS Arvonia, 7August 1922 (picture: WD Hogan Collection, National Library of Ireland).
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).
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article
Cork Independent, 28 July 2022
Journeys to a Free State: The Nation’s Death Knell
The build-up of Civil War action continued at pace across Ireland in late July 1922. A Cork Examiner editorial on 20 July 1922 reported on the isolation of the South of Ireland owing to the stoppage of telegraphic communication with Dublin, Northern Ireland, the Midlands. East and West Limerick, Waterford, and Britain. This had a knock-on effect of loss on businesses and their activities. The unsettled situation is also reflected in the accounts of the Cork Harbour Board, and the returns of tonnage dues and harbour dues showed in one week in late July a fall of over £1,600.
The dislocation of the services of the Great Southern and Western Railway was also considerable, and goods and passenger traffic were very much curtailed. On the main line, no trains ran beyond Limerick Junction and no trains connecting Waterford and Limerick were possible. The Limerick to Kerry service was only open to Newcastle West and on the Cork to Rosslare line no train ran beyond Dungarvan.
The Cork Examiner editorial reported of the economic fall-out: “No country could keep its head over water in conditions such as these, which now exist in the South of Ireland, and one needs not be a pessimist to regard the present situation and the results that must inevitably accrue from it as being extremely grave. Poverty is already widespread in Cork City because men willing to work cannot procure it. Even the American tourists who reached the South during the weekend and have been unable to reach their destination are clearing out of Ireland as rapidly as possible. The whole situation is indeed, appalling, and sufficient to cause the utmost misgivings as to the future”.
Calls for peace were ongoing. A public meeting of the women electors of Cork City was held in City Courthouse on the evening of 1 August 1922 for the purpose of supporting the demand for the cessation of civil war in the country. The attendance was small and a Mrs Leader presided over the proceedings. The Chair said the women of Cork were anxious that the hostilities throughout their country should cease. She intended to submit a resolution to the meeting, and if it were passed, to have it forwarded to Dáil Éireann. If it was considered necessary, they could hold a public meeting at a future date.
Part of the resolution, Mrs Leader proposed, focused on the lack of a public mandate for civil war. She commented: “We the mothers of the men and boys in conflict, and the women electors of Cork in meeting here assembled, resolve and demand that our Leaders call an immediate cessation of Civil War. The Irish people gave no gave no mandate for civil war and we hold that no individual despot should assume the right to proclaim war. Is civil war the fulfilment of your joint promise of a ‘Triumph for the Irish Nation’. We say it is the Nation’s Death Knell. The Triumph of the enemy”.
The resolution continued: “We demand that the Leaders on both sides shall meet in legislation and devise means of obtaining the concessions necessary for a satisfactory settlement. The Republican Army was Ireland’s best asset during the fight for Independence. The men and boys of the Free State troops fought side by side with them for the same noble cause. They joined the Free State to protect us from foreign invasion, not for civil war. Are they all to be now unwillingly plunged into continuance of present fratricidal massacre? We, the mothers, must now assert authority over our men and boys, the mainstay of our homes and country. Our claim and right to do so is privileged beyond that of obdurate Leaders”.
The resolution concluded by calling for: “We therefore call on and entreat our noble Irish sons and brothers in conflict on both sides to simultaneously lay down arms and thus end this cruel conflict, forced upon you and which is bringing mourning and desolation into your homes. We willingly gave you to fight the British foe, but the slaughter of one another, owing to the enemy and lack of statesmanship of leaders is only completing the object which the enemy failed to accomplish”.
The People’s Rights Association (an assembly, which arose out of a public meeting at the Cork Harbour Commissioner Offices on 17 July) met local TDs in the Cork Harbour Board offices. They had adopted resolutions, which called on the Speaker of Dáil Eireann to summon meetings of the Second and Third Dáil asking for an armistice to the ongoing civil war erupting across the country. They sent a deputation to Dáil Éireann and representations were sent to the General Headquarters of the Republican forces.
In response, Michael Collins wrote to them outlining his extant position that he would not back down from action until the Republican forces did. On 7 August 1922, his letter was published in the Cork Examiner; “As the Army is concerned, I am obeying the orders of the Government, and all the general staff and soldiers of the army are merely carrying out the instructions given in accordance with such orders. The Government have made it fully clear that its desire is to secure obedience to the proper authority. When an expression of such obedience comes from the Republican leaders, I take it there will no longer be any necessity for armed conflict. When the Republicans – leaders and men – see fit to obey the wishes of the people, as expressed through their elected representatives; when they will give up their arms and cease their depredations on the persons and property of Irish citizens, then there will be no longer need for hostilities”.
Captions:
1161a. Michael Collins, 1922 from the Piaras Béaslaí Collection in National Library of Ireland, Dublin.
View the Mangala Bridge Proposal:
Well Road Bus Corridor Proposals, pages 50, 51 & 52:
https://busconnects.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/STC-J-Mahon-to-City-20.07.22-WEB.pdf
How to find out more and have your say:
Public information events, hosted by the National Transport Authority on the proposed bus corridors, are on Wednesday 27 July 2pm -7pm and on Thursday 28 July 9am – 2pm at Nemo Rangers GAA Club. It is crucial affected residents attend the public information events and put forward comments and/or concerns, and send in submissions to the consultation process.
The NTA will be holding a series of Community Forums beginning on Monday, 12th September 2022. Further information will be posted on the Bus Connect website in the coming weeks. To register your interest for these Community Forums, please email corkstc@busconnects.ie with your name, Community, Residents or Special Interest Group and the Sustainable Transport Corridor of interest.
For further information on BusConnects Cork, please visit: www.busconnects.ie/cork. To review the STC proposals in detail, and to have your say, please visit: www.consult.nationaltransport.ie.
The closing date for receipt of first round submissions is Monday, 3 October 2022.
In the last few days, the National Transport Authority flyered homes along Well Road outlining the proposed Bus Connects corridor route.
A handful of people have been in contact with me noting that they heard of the information being delivered but did not get the information. If you have not received the material, please email me kieran_mccarthy@corkcity.ie or contact me by phone at phone at 087 655 3389.
The main website is www.busconnects.ie/cork/ and the Well Road plans are contained under proposed Bus Corridor K, Kinsale Road to Douglas under pages 50-52.
https://busconnects.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/STC-K-Kinsale-Road-to-Douglas-20.06.22-FA-WEB.pdf
The current draft plan contains very dramatic interventions to widen Well Road such as compulsory purchase orders – please note the draft proposal of taking up and over 2m from a large number of front gardens on Well Road.
The proposals are being led by the National Transport Authority, whose planning authority will be An Bord Pleanála.
In otherwords, the plans will not be formally voted in the City Council chamber. It is my personal view that such a removal of local decision making processes is to be deplored.
A number of residents have been already in contact with me so far and are very upset by the proposed changes. If residents have questions or comments, I can still field them in the City Council Chamber or at the Roads Strategic Policy Committee meetings. My contact details are above.
Public information events, hosted by the National Transport Authority on the proposed bus corridors, are on Wednesday 27 July 2pm -7pm and on Thursday 28 July 9am – 2pm at Nemo Rangers GAA Club. It is crucial affected residents attend the public information events and put forward comments and/or concerns, and send in submissions to the consultation process.
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.
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 21 July 2022
Mother Jones Festival 2022
The 2022 Mother Jones festival and summer school in Shandon– the eleventh annual festival – will take place from Thursday 28 July to Saturday 30 July. It is dedicated to the memory of Mary Harris/Mother Jones and to inspirational people everywhere who fight for social justice. The website for all the details of the event is at www.motherjonescork.com
The Cork Mother Jones Committee have assembled over 20 events ranging from talks and lively discussions, to walks and exhibitions, to presentations of awards and toasts as well as singing, poetry and music. They are working closely with their sponsors Cork City Council, the SIPTU trade union, the ASTI Trade union and IFUT. With their assistance, it is possible to maintain the festival free and open to all.
Highlights for 2022 will include the screening of the Shandon Area History Group/Frameworks Films documentary ‘Ordinary Women in Extraordinary Times’ at the Dance Cork Firkin Crane Theatre on Friday evening, 29 July.
Of special interest this year will be the visit of Antoinette Keegan, whose two sisters Mary and Martina died in the Stardust Fire tragedy in 1981. Christine her mother and John her father were instrumental in establishing the campaign of the Stardust Victims to seek justice for their loved ones over the past 40 years. Antoinette was will be presented with the 2020 Spirit of Mother Jones Award in person on Friday afternoon 29 July at 3pm. The festival committee hopes that the people of Cork will come along and show their support to the victims and survivors of the Stardust tragedy in their efforts to attain justice.
The Cork Mother Jones Commemorative committee was established in 2012 to mark the 175th anniversary of the birth of Mary Harris / Mother Jones (1837-1930) in Cork. After a highly successful festival marking that anniversary it was decided to make the festival an annual event marking the life and legacy of Mother Jones. Although famous in other parts of the world, especially in the United States of America where she was once labelled “the most dangerous woman in America”, Cork born Mary Jones (née Harris) – or Mother Jones as she is perhaps more widely known – was virtually unknown and not recognised as yet in her native city. The festivals and activities of this committee have changed that and now the name of Mother Jones is better known in Cork and beyond.
The Cork Mother Jones Commemorative Committee, in conjunction with Cork City Council commissioned Cork Sculptor Mike Wilkins to create a limestone plaque to honour Mother Jones in the Shandon area of the city, near her birthplace. This plaque was erected near the famous Cork Butter Market and was unveiled on 1 August 2012 which was the 175th Anniversary of her baptism in the North Cathedral.
Mary’s parents were Ellen Cotter, a native of Inchigeela and Richard Harris from Cork city. Few details of her early life in Cork have been uncovered to date, though it is thought by some that she was born on Blarney Street and may have attended the North Presentation Schools nearby. She and her family emigrated to Canada soon after the Famine, probably in the early 1850s. Later in the United States, after tragic deaths of her husband George Jones and their four children, she became involved in the struggle for basic rights for workers and children’s rights, leading from the front, often in a militant fashion.
Mary is best known for her fiery speeches against the exploitation of miners; she was utterly fearless, travelling all over America to defend workers and their families. Mother Jones was one of the best and most active union organizers ever seen in America. She became a legend among the coalminers of West Virginia and Pennsylvania; Mother Jones was fearless and faced down the guns and court threats of the mine bosses. In 1905 she was the only woman to attend the inaugural meeting of the Industrial Workers of the World (Wobblies).
Later Mary became an organiser for the Socialist Party and continued her defence of workers in industrial disputes across America. She was arrested and jailed in West Virginia for her activities during the Paint Creek, Cabin Creek strikes, but later released following large demonstrations of her supporters. Between 1912 and 1914 she was involved in the “coal wars” of Colorado which led to the infamous Ludlow Massacre, where 19 miners and members of their families were killed. She was imprisoned many times but always released quickly due to huge local support for her activities.
Described as “the most dangerous woman in America”, her cry of “Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living” still resonates through history! Her autobiography was published in 1925. She passed away at the age of 93 in 1930 and is buried at Mount Olive Union cemetery in Illinois, where a museum will be erected to her memory shortly. When she died in 1930, she was a legend in her adopted land. A magazine (Mother Jones) is still published to this day, along with dozens of books and countless references in US Labour History. She certainly can claim to be the most famous Cork woman in the history of the United States of America.
See www.motherjonescork.com for more on the Mother Jones Festival 2022 across venues in the Shandon area.
Caption:
1160a. Photo of Mother Jones, 1920s (source: Library of Congress, USA).
A long few hours back on the road again the last few days – this time flyering houses and meeting a good few residents along and off Boreenmanna Road – highlighting the impact of the National Transport Authority Bus Connects project there.
I will host a meeting of local residents who have queries – on the wide pedestrian space as Crab Lane meets Boreenmanna Road on this Wednesday evening, 20 July, 7pm.
Spread the word.
To all residents of Boreenmanna Road be aware of:
– Multiple draft compulsory purchase order proposals of parts of front gardens being proposed- Removal of over 190 on street car spaces
– Destruction of the complete tree corridor line, over 280 trees
– Widening of Boreenmanna Road to host bus lanes, car lanes and bicycle lanes
– as well as a proposal for land to be taken from Ballinlough Community Park
The Full set of draft plans for Boreenmanna Road are available here: https://busconnects.ie/…/STC-J-Mahon-to-City-20.06.22…
Please attend the public information events, hosted by the National Transport Authority to voice concerns on the proposed bus corridors including Boreenmanna Road, which are on Wednesday 27 July, 2pm to 7pm and on Thursday 28 July, 9am-2pm at Nemo Rangers GAA Club.
Most of all Please Please Please make a submission on the Bus Connects Cork website, https://busconnects.ie/cork/
Any questions message me or give me an email at kieran_mccarthy@corkcity.ie
