26 February 2022, “Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy said that, while any measure to tackle vacancies in Cork is welcome, the new regulations could open up a ‘can of worms’. “Many of these pubs are historic structures within villages and towns. My concern would be that someone could now just come along and create some modern monstrosity and not need planning permission”, Pubs to homes plan: Residential potential for disused pubs in Cork, Pubs to homes plan: Residential potential for disused pubs in Cork (echolive.ie)
Kieran’s Press, European Committee of the Regions Work, 26 February 2022
26 February 2022, “Independent Cork city councillor Kieran McCarthy has said he will be using his position on the European Committee of the Regions (COR) to lobby the European Commission and Parliament to issue humanitarian aid to Ukrainian people”, City Hall lights up in support of Ukraine, City Hall lights up in support of Ukraine (echolive.ie)
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article, 24 February 2022
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 24 February 2022
Journeys to a Free State: Challenges of Commercial Life
There were plenty concerns for Cork society in early 1922. In early February, the 39th annual report of the Cork Incorporated Chamber of Shipping and Commerce – and one of two Chambers of Commerce in the city at the time – was published in the Cork Examiner. Reflecting on the previous twelve months, the Chamber report describes that during 1921 they hosted fifteen meetings of the Chamber’s central council and several meetings of subcommittees dealing with special subjects were held. John Crosbie was the elected president and the Vice President for 1921 was Braham E Sutton.
Social and political unrest were key characteristics of their 1921 report, which details the practical paralysis of business. In the early part of the year, large areas were cut off from communication with Cork by rail owing to the shutting down of portions of the railway system by the military authorities and through the closing down of the Cork and Bandon, and Cork-Macroom railway lines, due to industrial strikes in late 1921. In June 1921 the Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway was closed by the military and was shut down for nearly four weeks. The transport situation was much alleviated after the proclamation of the Truce in July 1921.
During 1921 the topic of the transhipment of the mails to the south of Ireland was one of the most repeated campaigns by the Chamber’s council. They continued to point out that the delivery of cross channel letters to Cork at 1pm daily rendered it impossible to reply to them for the next outgoing mail at 2pm the same day. A Belfast incoming mail delivery system of cross channel mail had been accelerated to 10am. No solution was forthcoming for Cork.
The Chamber’s council identified that firstly an acceleration of 40 minutes in the delivery of mail could be affected by firstly a quicker transfer at Holyhead and Kingstown. The delay at Holyhead had been due largely to the examination of luggage there. Secondly the Great Southern and Western Railway could run a special engine with the South of Ireland train from Kingstown to Kingsbridge at an extra cost of £450 per annum to the post office. Representatives of the Great Southern and Western Railway Company promised to bring the matters affecting their mail system before their directors but by early 1922, everyone was still waiting for that outcome.
In general, though, the Chamber’s council expressed ongoing and strong disapproval of the postmaster general’s increased postal charges on the ground. This was also coupled with a late morning delivery of local letters and the curtailment of Sunday mail facilities. They also championed the acceleration of the Fishguard and the Rosslare mails service.
The aftermath of the Burning of Cork was still felt in early 1922. However, in the early part of 1921, the Chamber lobbied for the General Strickland enquiry into the Burning of Cork in December 1920 be published. In a letter by the Council’s Honorary Secretary, Christian Danckert, to UK Prime Minister Lloyd George in February 1921 the Chamber noted: “We learn from the newspapers that it was considered by the Cabinet some weeks ago, and we are at a loss to understand why no indication of its contents has as yet been allowed to transpire. Seeing that property and the value of millions of pounds is in question, the very existence of the city as a commercial community may be said to be at stake. The Council think it lamentable that the unfortunate victims of this terrible calamity should be left in suspense week after week. Nor is interest in the matter confined to Cork, seeing that London underwriters are also concerned for large amounts of compensation. One would suppose the common feelings of humanity would prompt those in authority over this unhappy country to allay the lacerating anxiety, both public and private, which for more than a month has been allowed to prevail. No other means being available to us, my council now addresses this enquiry to you in the hope that I will obtain a response more adequate than the bold acknowledgement, which was thought sufficient for previous communications to the Chief Secretary on this terrible subject”.
Early in 1921, the Chamber’s council created a conference of the owners of property affected by the Burning of Cork. A special committee consisting of representatives of the firms affected and members of the council was formed. This committee held several meetings, collected valuable evidence regarding the origin of the burnings, took up the question with the server insurance companies involved, and obtain special legal advice on the various aspects of the question. They deemed that the preliminary work of that committee would be of much assistance from the final claims for reparation in connection of the Irish settlement come to be adjusted. The council specifically called for Cork claims to be presented separately from these of the other parts of Ireland – due to the extent of “exceptionally aggravating circumstances” and the “convincing evidence of the origin of these fires”.
The Chamber’s council was also involved in a campaign for the establishment of a proper cattle market for Cork. Such a campaign had been ongoing for a quarter of a century. They supported the work of the County of Cork Committee of Agriculture. The proposal was to establish a Cork central cattle market to serve as a clearing ground for the south of Ireland.
A committee was appointed to explore the question and they reported back that their preference was for the site occupied by the corn and Haymarket behind City Hall. However, with City Hall in ruins and its compensation still not sorted the report of the committee was stalled, and ultimately did not come to fruition.
The Chamber’s council was also active in strongly protesting the continuance of the embargo on Eastbourne vessels calling at Cork Harbour. Irish passengers and mails, instead of being landed at Cork harbour, were taken onto English ports and sent back again to Ireland. The embargo was lifted at the end of 1921.
Caption:
1139a. Postcard of Parnell Bridge, Cork City Hall & Cork Carnegie Library, c.1900, pre the Burning of Cork, from Cork City Through Time (2012) by Dan Breen & Kieran McCarthy.
Kieran’s Press, High Street Post Office, 22 February 2022
22 February 2022, “Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy said the decision was like “losing a friend” and he called on An Post to extend the closing time and engage with the local community”, Like losing a friend: Calls for An Post to delay closure of city post office, ‘Like losing a friend’: Calls for An Post to delay closure of city post office (echolive.ie)
Wanted Postmaster at High Street Post Office, Immediate Start, 21 February 2022
An Post Press Office has sent the official press statement below today denoting they have had trouble finding a new postmaster for High Street. I didn’t see the call and I don’t believe at all it was widely advertised. Whether or which, there is a job going for someone.
In otherwords, the only way to save the post office is to find someone interested in taking it over. Full details of jobs spec from High Street Post Office, and it would be an immediate start from early March.
An Post: “Our Postmaster in High Street, Cork City tendered his resignation at the start of January.We advertised the contract on two occasions but we have received no applications and no interest in the vacant contract. Our PM wishes to exit the High Street contract on Saturday 5th March.We have no alternative but to close the High office on that date and transfer customers in receipt of payments from the Department of Social Protections SP to South Douglas Road PO.
Customer notices to that effect will go on display this week.Customers will move initially to South Douglas road, less than 1k away, and will then have the option of transferring to other offices in the area including Albert Road, Friars Road, Ballinlough PO or our Cork city office”.
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, 17 February 2022
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 17 February 2022
Season 20 for Discover Cork Schools’ Heritage Project
This month marks the conclusion of the 20th school season of the Discover Cork: Schools’ Heritage Project. Over the past twenty years the school wing of my local history work aims to engage younger generation to take up an interest in the history, heritage, and geography of the city.
This city-based project is kindly funded by Cork City Council (thanks to Niamh Twomey, Heritage Office), and supported by Old Cork Waterworks Experience Lee Road (thanks to Meryvn Horgan), It is open to schools in Cork City – at primary level to the pupils of fourth, fifth and sixth class and at post-primary from first to sixth years. A total of 25 schools in Cork City took part in this school season. Circa 800 students participated in the process and approx 200 projects were submitted on all aspects of Cork’s history.
A full list of winners, topics and pictures of some of the project pages for 2022 can be viewed on my YouTube film at my website www.corkheritage.ie. A virtual presentation of the projects and students’ work was given to Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Colm Kelleher. For those doing research, www.corkheritage.ie has also a number of resources listed to help with source work and loads of Cork City History virtual trails to discover..
One of the key aims of the project is to allow students to explore, investigate and comment on their local history in a constructive, active and fun way. The emphasis is on the process of doing a project and learning not only about your area but also developing new personal skills. Many of the topics in the city such as general histories of how Cork developed have myriads of history books written on them. However, the challenge in this project is to get students to devise methodologies that provide interesting and personal ways to approach the study of local history for up-and-coming generations.
Submitted projects this year and in previous years have been colourful, creative, contain personal opinions, imagination, and gain publicity. These elements form the basis of a student friendly narrative analysis approach where the students explore their project topic in an interactive way. In particular students are encouraged to attain primary material through engaging with several methods such as fieldwork, interviews with local people, making models, photographing, cartoon creating, and making short films of their study topic.
For example, a winning class project this school season from fourth class in Scoil Naomh Caitriona in Bishopstown focussed on the story of Nano Nagle and her legacy. They visited Nano Nagle Place, took the great educational tour, and returned to their classroom to create a project book thinking about how Nano’s story could be presented to a younger generation. The project book is full of historical snippets but also impressive art and craft work, making their project one that a reader wants to turn the page on. Another impressive and winning project on the life and times of Nano Nagle was delivered by fifth class in St Patrick’s Boys National School, Gardiner’s Hill
Light was also shone on the story of Henry Ford and his legacy in Cork, when an overall winning student, Cuan O’Neill from Beaumont Boys National School wrote about the history of the tractor and car factory on the Marina. He wrote to experts in the field of Ford history engaging their views, and really created a project book, where one could hear the voices of why the Ford legacy should be championed in the present day, but also perhaps how to look at how Corkonians remember such a legacy.
This year marks went towards making a short film or a model on projects to accompany history booklets. Submitted short films this year had interviews of family members, neighbours to local historians to the student taking a reporter type stance on their work. Some students also chose to act out scenes from the past. One winning student, Oscar Ó Loinsigh, from Beaumont Boys National School did a short film tour of the Queenstown Story in Cobh.
The creativity section also encourages model making. The best model trophy in general goes to the creative and realistic model. Models of GAA pitches, Cork City Gaol and the Crawford Art Gallery, and even board games of Elizabeth Fort and Spike Island featured this year in several projects – not only physical models but Minecraft digital models as well.
Every year, the students involved produce a section in their project books showing how they communicated their work to the wider community. It is about reaching out and gaining public praise for the student but also appraisal and further ideas. Covid scuppered a fuller publicity element, but projects were presented to other classes in schools. Over the years students have been putting work on local parish newsletters, newspapers and local radio stations and also presenting work in local libraries. Open days for parents in schools to view projects have been successful as well as putting displays on in local GAA halls, credit unions, community centres and libraries.
Overall, the Discover Cork: Schools’ Heritage Project attempts to provide the student with a hands-on and interactive activity that is all about learning not only about your local area but also about the process of learning by participating students.
Check out the YouTube awards ceremony under the Schools’ Heritage Project at www.corkheritage.ie. Here’s to school season 21 coming this September 2022!
Captions:
1138a. Portrait of Nano Nagle by fourth class in St Catherine’s National School in Bishopstown.
1138b. Minecraft model of old Ford Factory, The Marina by Cuan O’Neill, Beaumont Boys National School.
Cllr McCarthy Welcomes Funding for Junction at Our Lady of Lourdes School, Ballinlough, 16 February 2022
Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has welcomed the allocation by government of e.161,000 for a safety revamp of the junction Bellair Estate and Ballinlough Road, adjacent to Our Lady of Lourdes School. The sum came as part of a central government package of funding to Cork City Council as part of a Low Cost Safety Scheme for local road networks.
Cllr McCarthy highlights: “The corner of Old Lady of Lourdes National School is a blind corner and has many people crossing this dangerous stretch of road every day. Public safety has been a regular issue that local people have raised with me. With colleagues, it’s been a very long battle through many Council motions and debates at Council level to get funding in place for the revamp of the junction. I do think though that when the campaign to seek funding was ramped up last year by the local school community and residents in the local area, that it pushed the narrative strongly to central government to intercede, and finally deal with the large scale funding needed to meet the junction’s problems”.
“Over many years, I have received much correspondence and phone calls from people highlighting stories of near misses and outlining fears for themselves and in many cases, children living in the local area. It was people power, which drove the funding to be put in place. It is envisaged that the junction will be raised with pedestrian crossings. Ward Councillors do not have a design to show yet or a timeline for public consultation and construction, but we can now work on those aspects and through those aspects”, concluded Cllr McCarthy.
Kieran’s Question to CE and Motions, Cork City Council Meeting, 14 February 2022
Question to CE:
To ask the CE about the mechanisms in place to combat homelessness this winter in the city?
How many homelessness cases on the streets in the last weekend of January 2022?
Are their beds available for all homelessness at this point in time in the city (early February 2022)?
How many emergency accommodation units?
To ask for the breakdown of finance given to housing homeless agencies in the city in 2021 & for 2022? (Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
Motions:
That the public lighting provision be examined and new lighting, as appropriate, be installed at Flaherty’s Lane, which gives access into Glencoo Estate, Ballinlough, and at Wallace’s Avenue if needs be (Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
That the circular road/ trail around Tramore Valley Park be examined and resurfaced, if needs, be to help people walk and cycle upon it (Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
That the Skehard Road park get signage erected on site naming it as such, plus an examination of how to deal with flooding and drainage in its southern section plus the provision of new trees, as appropriate (Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
That Ballybrack Heights, Donnybrook be added to the re-surfacing list for the South East LEA, as well as prioritising repairs of the estate’s footpaths (Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
Cllr McCarthy: Grange Bridge construction is another game changer
Press Release:
Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has welcomed the start of the work on the pedestrian and cycle path and new bridge which will provide a safe, sustainable and alternative travel route between Grange and Tramore Valley Park and onwards to Douglas and the city centre.
Funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA), the kilometre-long pathway, which includes the construction of a new bridge over the N40 South Ring Road, will provide connectivity between Grange/Frankfield and the southern suburbs and will support residents, students and commuters to opt for active travel and thereby reduce traffic congestion.
Cllr McCarthy noted: “The path comes in from the Grange Road through what is known locally as the donkey field. The scheme will have a series of steps and ramps along the steeper section down through the valley until it reaches the bridge over the N40. On the other side of the bridge, there will be once again steps and a ramp into the Tramore Valley Park. The four metre wide pathway will also support people with mobility needs and will include environmentally sensitive public lighting”.
“The bridge is another game-changer, which will nicely open up Tramore Valley Park to the city’s southern ridges joining up the dots with amenities such as the Mangala walk and its future extensions upstream”, asserted Cllr McCarthy.
Site clearance works have already begun. To facilitate construction, it will be necessary to remove some trees and greenery on the site. Care has been taken during project design to minimise the impact on biodiversity. A native tree planting programme will also be undertaken at the site as part of the project and trees will also be offered to local community groups.
Infrastructure Development Director of Services with Cork City Council, Gerry O’Beirne said: “ In line with the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy, this project will support residents, commuters and students to make more sustainable transport choices which will help reduce car dependency and therefore traffic congestion in the city. The Grange – Tramore Valley Park path will also make walking or cycling more attractive and support people to easily and safely enjoy a more active lifestyle in their own community”. It is expected that works will be completed in early 2023.
Press, McCarthy: “Quay repairs needed before event centre construction can begin, Cork councillor says”
10 February 2022, “Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy told The Echo he would be calling on Cork City Council to address subsidence along the quay wall on French’s Quay, damage which he predicted could only worsen whenever construction begins on the planned event centre, Quay repairs needed before event centre construction can begin, Cork councillor says, Quay repairs needed before event centre construction can begin, Cork councillor says (echolive.ie)