Happy Christmas to everyone, time to slow down and enjoy
Monthly Archives: December 2013
Proposed Alterations, Draft Mahon Local Area Plan
Cork City Council has prepared the Proposed Material Alterations of the Draft Mahon Local Area Plan. Please click on the link for more information http://www.corkcity.ie/services/strategicplanningeconomicdevelopment/localplanning/localareaplans/mahonlocalareaplan/.
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, 19 December 2013
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 19 December 2013
“Technical Memories (Part 65) – Marshalling a Future”
In 1949, the principal J F King retired at the Crawford Municipal Technical Institute. He had reached the 66 age mark. He was replaced by James Barry for a short time. At the annual inaugural mass to mark the opening of the Cork City Vocational Schools at St Finbarr’s Church of the South Chapel, Mr Barry was in attendance. The Cork Examiner lists the members of staff present by their surname – Cornelius Murphy, P J Hurley, J C Aherne, J A Kerrigan, Miss M O’Mahony, Miss H Hennessy, Miss K O’Sullivan, T Glavin, P M McDonald (Mechanical and electrical engineering), S J Bennett (Elect. Eng.), T O’Sullivan, T Murphy, T E Urell, P Lane, W Cleary, P J Cleary, P J McSheehy, C J O’Mahony, Terry Layton, M Kelleher, P McCarthy, C O’Riordan, W Beecher, Mrs A Quinn, S Clayton, E Mansfield, R Hurley, Miss J Kelly, E F Casey, J O’Beirne, Miss M O’Halloran, Miss H M Healy, Mrs H J Hill, C Collins, Miss E Barrett, Miss M F O’Farrell, Miss E Buckley, Mr M Black (If anyone knows more about these individuals, give me a call, 087663389).
The following year, 1951, Mr Ted Murphy was appointed principal. The archives of the VEC remark that he was from Montenotte Park. He received his early education at St Patrick’s National School and at the North Mon. He subsequently was a student of the Crawford Tech. In 1927, he became a part time lecturer at the Tech and a senior whole-time one in 1932. In 1935 he obtained the Ceard Teastas Gaeilge whilst in 1940 he entered the Physics Department in UCC pursuing a four year course in a BSC Honours degree. He took experimental physics as his major honour’s subject with mathematics. After graduation, Murphy helped as a part time demonstrator in experimental physics at UCC. He was also an examiner in engineering for the Cork Harbour Commissioners, the Department of Education, Lockeed Aircraft Corporation and Irish Shipping Ltd.
Between 1949-1951 Ted Murphy and his staff witnessed a change in Irish government twice, which altered the educational needs of the country. Although World War II had ended several years earlier, rationing continued and massive inflation plagued the economy. Fianna Fáil’s defeat in 1948 came because the other parties in the Dáil, led by Fine Gael, joined together to form an Inter-Party Government (1948-1951). Led by John A Costello as Taoiseach, his government declared Ireland as a Republic and will be remembered for the controversy surrounding the Mother and Child Scheme, designed by the Health Minister Noel Browne. Significantly during their short time in office, they did take over the negotiation from Fianna Fáil to attain funds from the Marshall Plan. Bernadette Whelan’s book, Ireland and the Marshall Plan, 1947-57, elaborates that The United States initiated the Marshall Plan, or the European Recovery Program, in 1947 to try to foster growth in the postwar European economy to make it self-sufficient. The American vision for Europe was multilayered. It was in America’s self-interest to support its best customers to recreate enough prosperity to be able to buy American goods again.
By the time the program was ended more than $13 billion had been sent to Europe in grants or loans. The coalition government headed by John A Costello, which came into office in early 1948, seemed to regard the aid program as a way to finance purchases and improvements not otherwise affordable – that this was a way to create a modern, out-ward-looking, export led economy. Seán MacBride, the Minister for Foreign Affairs saw the numerous meetings in Europe and the United States as opportunities to procure international support for ending the separation of the Six Counties from the rest of the country. The end result was that Ireland obtained $128 million in loans, $18 million in grants, and $1.25 million in technical assistance, as well as appropriating “counterpart funds” through its own budget to parallel the monies received. These funds were used both to purchase American goods, otherwise not obtainable because of the dollar shortage, and for costly capital improvements within Ireland.
An examination of Dáil Éireann records released on 6 July 1950 reveals that the goods received from the United States of America under Marshall Aid during the year ended 31 December 1949 totalled $63,929,000 in value. A sum of $14, 351,000 was spent on foodstuffs from wheat to tobacco (408,331 tons of food) and $49, 518,000 spent on non edible materials. Top of the latter list iron and steel materials and products amounted to $1,645,000, electrical apparatus at $429,000, construction equipment at £514,000, industrial machinery at $979,000 and motor vehicles and parts at $899,000.
Where the Marshall aid didn’t provide all monies for industrial development, it did kickstart the country in developing industrial policies and related jobs education programmes. The Cork City and harbour region in the 1950s witnessed the creation of four large industrial projects, two developed by the ESB – the Lee hydroelectric scheme and the Marina plant; then there was Whitegate Oil Refinery and fourthly Irish Steel Ltd on Haulbowline.
To be continued…
Kieran’s new book (with Dan Breen), West Cork Through Time, is now available in shops and on Amazon. Happy Christmas and New Year to all readers of the column.
Caption:
722a. European Marshal Aid Poster, c.1950
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town 12 December 2013
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 12 December 2013
“Technical Memories (Part 64) – Electrifications and Emigrations”
Opportunities in engineering materialised further in the late 1940s, notably through rural electrification. In County Cork it was introduced officially on 23 December 1947. The Cork Examiner related that by throwing a switch at Curraheen, Henry Golden, a director of Electricity Supply Board, brought light to 100 houses in the Inniscarra area. This was the first rural electrification scheme to be put in operation in County Cork. Rural electrification had become a reality in Kerry a day earlier at Ballymacelligottt, four miles from Tralee.
When Mr Golden operated the Cork switch (which was on a pole), a lamp on the pole was lit and bulbs in nearby houses glowed in the “gathering darkness”. Thirty-two more houses were to receive their electric current supply soon after Christmas, and by March 1948, the 750 houses, which had contracted to take the supply in this area had the benefits of electricity. The switching-on ceremony at Curraheen followed a function at Inniscarra Hall, where the Inniscarra Branch of Muintir na Tíre, sponsors of the electrification scheme in this area, were hosts. Professor J Lyons, UCC, Chairman of the Regional Council of Muintir na Tíre, presided and extended a warm welcome to Mr Golden and Mr J Ware, district engineer of the ESB. He noted that “they had learned from history books and ballads of the dark and evil days in Ireland in the past. Freedom and liberty had come to Ireland in our time, and now the darkness was being removed from the lives of the people who lived in the rural areas”. Professor Lyons continued to highlight that electricity would make life “in the home more enjoyable and enable the farmer to get more work done in the short winter days”. It would also bring the necessary power needed for rural industries.
Great credit, Professor Lyons noted, was due to Muintir na Tíre for what it had done in paving the way for the ESB. He praised the work of the Mr P Moriarty, a national school teacher, from Clogheen, and Honorary Secretary of the branch. In addition, William Roe, national engineer-in-charge was praised as the man who had selected this area to be one of first to be electrified in rural Ireland. The final speaker was Mr Moriarty of Muintir na Tíre who stressed that the whole effort had been a co-operative one. They hoped in the future to get a scheme for rural craft going and intended to start a rural industry. They were in communication with a firm, which was interested and which might supply materials, and the people to train home workers, as well as selling the finished products.
The end of the war also led to new engineering opportunities for ship owners. On Friday 12 December 1947, Mrs F P Hallinan, wife of the Chairman of the Cork Harbour Commissioners, launched the new MV Innisfallen for the Cork-Fishguard at Dunbarton. She noted; “I name this ship Innisfallen, May God care and keep all who travel in her”. A bottle of champagne then hit the bow of the new vessel, with the tricolour on the foremast.
According to the Cork Examiner, the new passenger-cargo vessel had been built at the yards of Messrs Denny and Brothers, Ltd, Dumbarton, Firth of Clyde, for the British and Irish Steampacket Co., which operated the City of Cork Steam Packet Co. (1936) Ltd. This was the third Innisfallen. Her predecessor sunk at the mouth of the Mersey in 1940 after she had given excellent service between Cork and Fishguard for over ten years. The first Innisfallen was lost during World War I. The new vessel was built expressly for the direct Cork-Fishguard service. She took up her station in the early summer of 1948, a thrice-weekly run in each direction. A unique feature of the new vessel was a stabiliser, which would prevent rolling in bad weather. This would be the first vessel running between Britain and Ireland to have a stabiliser. In addition as World War II caused the loss of more than B & I vessel, it hastened developments in ship construction and aids to mariners. One of the most important of these was radar which the new vessel possessed.
The new Innisfallen had a green coloured hull and cream upper works, departing from the old black and white colour scheme of the City of Cork Steam Packet Company. The Innisfallen had accommodation for 950 passengers, with first class berths for 193 passengers and third class berths for sixty passengers. The cargo capacity was in the neighbourhood of 700 tons, and for the conveyance of perishable goods there was refrigeration between decks aft plus space for the conveyance of motor cars aft. Another feature of the design was that in the lounge and smoke room the lighting and ventilation fittings were combined, leading to a simplification of the architectural treatment of the ceilings. In the deluxe cabins and the forward sections of the first class accommodation, thermostat control was installed for individual adjustment of room temperature.
To be continued…
Kieran’s new book (with Dan Breen), West Cork Through Time, is now available in shops and on Amazon.
Caption:
721a. Poster advertising the Innisfallen, c.1950 (source: Cork City Library)
Kieran’s Question to the City Manager and Motions, Cork City Council Meeting, 9 December 2013
Question to the Manager:
To ask the manager when will the Fireman’s Hut, formerly on St Patrick’s Street, be located in Fitzgerald’s Park? (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)
Motions:
To fix the faulty lights at the junction of Skehard road and Church Road Blackrock. When pressing the button for walking across the road and when the green man indicates it is safe to cross on the chemist side of the junction, there is still a green light showing on the Skehard side of the junction allowing cars to carry on, which has caused a couple of near misses (Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
To seek a second ‘lollypop’ warden for Eglantine National School on Eglantine Park due to the large numbers of children crossing over the road at that location (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, 5 December 2013
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 5 December 2013
“Technical Memories (Part 63) – Graceful Places of Beauty”
If anything in 1945 there were opportunities that existed in the city for potential builders, architects and engineers who were studying at the Crawford Municipal Technical Institute. For example on 8 October 1945, the solemn blessing of Cork’s new Church, the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin took place. It was a gift of William Dwyer TD of Sunbeam Wolsey to the North Cathedral Parish.
Affectionately known as ‘Dwyer’s fire escape’ (from hell), the dedication ceremony, as described in the Cork Examiner, was performed by Bishop Daniel Cohalan and was followed by Solemn High Mass at which there was an overflow congregation. Following the blessing of the outer walls, there was a procession of the clergy into the church, where the ceremonies included the blessing of the surrounding of the High Altar and the interior walls. The foundation stone had been laid previously in the year on 10 January. A special choir of eighty voices under the conductorship of Philip Ó Laoghaire, gave a highly praised rendering of Palestrina’s Miss Brevis. The Choir was composed of the some of the workers of Sunbeam-Wolsey, assisted by the Gaelic choir of the Cork Municipal School of Music. The sermon was delivered by Fr R J Dalton CC of SS Peter and Paul’s who spoke about its “architectural grace and beauty” and a church where one “may come to rest and pray, to forget the worries and the hates that embroil this turbulent world”.
Addressing the congregation at the close of the church ceremonies, Bishop Cohalan recalled that the older church of St Nicholas, which the 1945 structure replaced had been built by the late Nicholas Mahony of the well known Blarney Woollen Mills. St Nicholas’ was constructed in 1895 by adapting the Blackpool National School building, which then moved to Brocklesby Street. Bishop Cohalan noted that this was the second occasion on which thanks to the generosity of “an industrialist”, the people of Blackpool had been presented with a new place of worship. He also referred to the presence of the Lord Mayor and City manager and the creation of new housing by the Corporation in Spangle Hill, which created a growing population who used the new church.
A luncheon was given afterwards in the Presbytery of the Cathedral of the North Cathedral. The health of William Dwyer was proposed by Bishop Cohalan who noted that William “was one of the city’s great figures who because of his own talents, push and flair for business created a wonderfully successful industry in the city. Mr Dwyer in reply said that a great deal of the credit was due to the large numbers of people of Blackpool who were his employees; there were three essentials to church-building he noted –“a bag of money, a bag of nails and a bag of patience; it was due to the people of Blackpool that he had the first of these”. Mr Dwyer then paid tribute to Seamus Murphy, the sculptor and E P O’Flynn, the builder. He also thanked Mick O’Callaghan, the general foreman.
A later Cork Examiner article describes how the Church of the Annunciation is constructed of concrete blocks, stipple plastered inside and out. There is an 80 ft bell tower and two smaller towers that form the transepts. The stained glass, including the impressive crucifix, sanctuary windows and the picture gallery of Our Lord (Nave windows) are by Harry Clarke Studios in Dublin. The tabernacle, lamp, candlesticks and other brasses were designed by Seamus Murphy and made by Gunnings in Dublin.
The design of the stonework in the church is mostly by Seamus Murphy. His other works include: The Annunciation panel over the front door; The Annunciation tablet on the exterior side wall; the Dwyer plaque in the porch; The baptismal font originally at rear of the church, now near the altar; The holy water fonts in polished black limestone; The Main Altar depicting corn and grapes; The Children’s Altar depicting the Holy Family; and Our Lady’s Altar depicting a crowned angel and foliage. The most striking stonework in the church includes the Madonna and Sacred Heart Statues on either side of the main altar. The Sacred Heart is in Portland stone with a marble base and was added to the church in 1947. It is 6ft high. The Madonna was in the church in 1945 but was located on Our Lady’s altar and is signed “Seamus Murphy 45”.
Meanwhile in the city centre, fundraising was ongoing at St Augustine’s Church. A bazaar to raise funds was held on the 19 December 1947 in the Clarence Hall in the Imperial Hotel. The new church replaced an earlier one built on a back street in Penal times. The present church structure was dedicated in 1944 but took several years to build due to World War II. The lack of raw materials such as steel and stone for building existed. Stone had to be attained from the blown up remains of a stone viaduct in Mallow. The church was designed by Dominic O’Connor and it took seven years to construct, but when work discontinued in 1944, the planned 250 ft (76m) tower to the east was excluded.
To be continued…
Kieran’s new book (with Dan Breen), West Cork Through Time, is now available in shops and on Amazon.
Caption:
720a. Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin, Blackpool, 1940s (source: Crawford Art Gallery, 2007)