My gut on the Morrison’s Island project at this moment in time is to vote no.
I have many sleepless nights on the whole OPW scheme to be honest; it has really physically upset me. I have had many early morning debates in my head and I v much appreciate the positives, negatives and ways of looking at the project.
Currently I am here in my head.
There are many competing demands on the overall OPW project from government, residents, businesses heritage interests, One size does not fit all the needs of the city and estuarine & Harbour region.
I v much accept that flooding- Riverine and Tidal is a consistent challenge and opportunity to the future life of the city.
I v much appreciate the work of the work of the OPW, Cork City Council & groups such as Save Cork City in raising the profile of this important debate; I wouldn’t overall agree with the strategy of the Save Cork City – some of their social media has been prone to narrative spin at times but I v much respect the essence of their campaign, their passion and their volunteerism. I don’t agree with their terms “Walls Scheme”- what is currently proposed are multi-faceted interventions and what will ultimately appear on the Cork landscape needs also to be multi-faceted intervention. The geography of the river and estuary demands that.
Personally, I think the Morrison’s Island design is too sterile with the metal railings, and story less. The story of the river seems to be lost; that does not mean though I am for open quays. To me it needs a little more investment to make it work better- somewhere between last year’s International Design Competition and the current plan; I recognise there isn’t an endless pot of funding; large scale funding mechanisms do not exist for Cork City Council; the pot for Morrison’s Island needs way more government funding to be honest.
I am pro the substantial tidal barrier in the lower Harbour proposed by the OPW and not at the Little Island location proposed by Save Cork City; places like Midleton and Ballinacurra will need protection in decades to come. We will only get one shot at the tidal barrier if it becomes an option. I am also conscious of the international natural heritage habitats in Cork Harbour, changes upon which are governed by national and EU law.
I am v concerned that any future barrier to combat climate change is not in the National Planning Framework, which takes the country to 2040. A v big discussion needs to take place in the Dail regarding rising sea levels at the country’s principle cities at least – especially the country’s southern growth Centre such as Cork.
I am not for an Independent Review; I think the whole scheme just needs much more substantial funding; I think the OPW reps have proposed a scheme that is within the national budget set and I accept their brief and hard work on this; but as a city we should not just accept the finance and not question the possibilities.
I am for calling for a review of government expenditure on the overall OPW Schemes. It is way too little.
There is a need for riverine defences in the city but I think better ways of raising the old limestone walls need to be thought about; the pumping stations I have a v deep worry about- it is the one issue I am getting a lot of engineers contacting me on,
It also should not be just a question of protection of the city’s heritage but it a question of how we manage our heritage assets such as the limestone wall on our quays.
There is also a huge need to have more public information sessions- the public relations campaign around the whole project has been weak to be honest.
Overall I think we need a bigger vision, yes there has been a lot of work done but can we all live with these interventions ?”
To ask the CE about progress regarding the upcoming opening of Tramore Valley Park? (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)
Motions:
That the Council install flower beds at Audley Place, Our Lady’s Well and clean up the dumped rubbish on the Fever Hospital Steps – ultimately making the space more of a tourist and community quarter (Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
That the Council install air quality monitors in the City Centre (Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
Saturday 9 June 2018, Cork City & its Bridges, historical walking tour (new) with Kieran, learn about the early history of the city’s most historic bridges, learn about their construction and their relationship with the river and surrounding areas; meet at the National Monument, Grand Parade, 2.30pm (free, duration: two hours, finishes in City Centre) in association with Meitheal Mara’s Cork Harbour Festival.
Saturday 23 June 2018, The Cork City Workhouse; historical walking tour with Kieran, learn about the workhouse created for 2,000 impoverished people in 1841; meet at the gates of St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 12noon (free, duration: two hours, on site tour), in association with the Friends of St Finbarr’s Hospital Garden Fete.
Saturday 30 June 2018, The Lough & its Curiosities; historical walking tour with Kieran, explore the local history from the Legend of the Lough to suburban development; meet at green area at northern end of The Lough, entrance of Lough Road to The Lough; 12noon (free, duration: two hours, on site tour)
One hundred years ago, in early May 1918 the upper portion of No.1 Barrack Street showed physical signs of serious deterioration and a portion of it was ordered by the engineering department of Cork Corporation to be taken down. Today, the gap in the building line is clearly visible in front of Fordes Pub, at the intersection of Sullivan’s Quay and South Gate Bridge. The Barrack Street Band started in the upper part of the premises. The premises was a focal point for the band took part in various political or social incidents. For nearly 80 years it was the rallying place for large sections of the people of the city’s south ward whose interests were identical with those of the band.
Founded in 1838 and inpired by the work of Fr Theobald Mathew, the band room and its associated temperance hall recruitment space was one of the first Cork recruiting quarter for the temperance cause. By the end of 1838, it is argued that 6,000 people were recorded on the temperance pledge register in the Cork region through the springing up of other local recruitment spaces and band spaces. The lead organisers on Fr Mathew’s campaign in the early months were James McKenna and William Martin. John Hockings, a leading teetotaller campaigner in Birmingham was also invited over to lecture to teetotallers in Cork.
By 1839, the temperance movement began to gain popular support in rest of the country. Branches were organised in surrounding towns. These included Passage, Cobh, Aghada, Whitegate, Blarney, Cloyne, Midelton, Carrigtwohill, Glanmire, Fermoy, Rathcormac, Riverstown, Ladysbridge and Carrigaline. John O’Connell was primarily involved in visiting these branches. Large numbers also began to flock to Cork from the surrounding countryside to take the pledge. By the end of 1839, the reputation of the Cork Temperance Society began to spread further into north Munster into areas like Limerick.
Within four years of the founding of the Cork Total Abstinence Society, the movement had found its way into every corner of the country. It was not a political movement; indeed Fr Mathew’s principal concern was to keep it clear of politics, but it had, nevertheless, a deep political effect. With their new-found dignity, the converts became more acutely conscious of the weaknesses that surrounded their social state and thinking inevitably led to more constant support for the national cause. The temperance movement brought an immediate accession of strength to Daniel O’Connell, his successors benefited from it, and the foundations were laid for the better things that were to follow.
Scholars John Borgonovo and Jack Santino in a book entitled Public Performances: Studies in the Carnivalesque and Ritualesque (2017) note that Fr Mathew encouraged the formation of temperance brass bands at the local level to gather crowds for pledge meetings and to offer non-alcoholic entertainment to working classes. Band practice kept men out of the public house, while Sunday band processions and concerts served as a wholesome nonalcoholic family events that spread the temperance message. bands were locality based and had numerous followers who would accompany them on excursions through the city. At the movement’s height the city of Cork maintained thirty-three temperance bands, with uniforms financed by Father Mathew. The instructors of the Barrack Street Temperance Band at this time and up to the 1870s were non-existent; but according to tradition the military bands had a great influence on them Brass bands often developed alongside reading rooms. Working class self-improvement was a key point.
At the Annual Temperance Rally in late March 1842, the Cork Examiner notes the location of the event was at the new Corn Market (now Cork City Hall site). It was densely crowded with countless societies, each headed by its band of 20 or even 30 musicians. According to the media, there was much pomp and ceremony; “members dressed with blue, or pink, or green scarfs of Irish Manufacture, and holding a long white wand decorated with colored ribbons or laurel. Before the several societies was borne a flag or banner, generally with either the name of the particular room to which they belonged, some having painted on them an appropriate device, or allegorical representation, and, in many at least 23 city bands, each containing 20 to 30 musicians, participated in a huge temperance procession through the centre of Cork. Many came from poor localities such as Fair Lane, Blarney Street, Blackpool and the Barrack Street area. cases, a full-length figure of the Apostle himself”. In further newspaper articles across the Cork Examiner in the ensuing two years, it is revealed that up to 55 bands became operational.
Local historian, Richard T Cooke in his book Cork’s Barrack Stret Silver and Reed Band (1992) recorded from the band’s annals that the No 1 Barrack Street building comprised three storeys and was constructed at the end of the eighteenth century. The society occupied the first and second floors of the building. On the first floor was the society’s reading and recreation room and the second floor housed the bandroom where instruments and banners weres tored. Its rooms were quite spaciousand well-lit with the main entrance on Sullivan‘s Quay, No. 37. The building had no water supply, drains or backyard; and, therefore no outhouse forpublic convenience. The opening hours of the society were from 7pm to 11pm each evening and remained open all day Sunday.When the building was condemned in 1918, the Barrack Street Band moved to Tuckey Street for a time.
Captions:
945a. South Gate Bridge c.1900 (picture: Cork City Library)
945b. Portrait of Fr Theobald Mathew from Frank J Mathew’s (1890) Fr Mathew’s Life and Times (source: Cork City Library)
945c. Site of No. 1 Barrack Street, present day (picture: Kieran McCarthy)
This year’s National Famine Commemoration will take place on Saturday May 12 at University College Cork (UCC). The event will be hosted by UCC in collaboration with Cork City Council.
President Michael D. Higgins and Tánaiste Simon Coveney will attend the State Ceremony on Saturday week as will ambassadors. The President will unveil a plague to commemorate local famine victims. There will also be a wreath laying the following day, Sunday May 13 at St Joseph’s cemetery in Ballyphehane.
As part of the 2018 commemoration The Great Irish Famine Online will be launched. This is a world class free digital resource which will provide detailed information on how the famine impacted upon each of the 3,000 parishes and 1600 towns on either side of the border.
Cork City Council have also organised a programme of surrounding events through Cork City Libraries, Cork Public Museum and Cork City Councils Heritage office.
Lord Mayor Cllr Tony Fitzgerald said: “We are honoured that this year’s National Famine Commemoration will be held in Cork as in recent years the National Famine Commemoration has been held in such historic sites as Glasnevin Cemetery. Cork City Council has organised a strong programme of surrounding events and I am certain that the City will come together to produce a fitting tribute to those who suffered during the Famine”.
Cork City Council Programme of Events:
May 1–Monday May 14 –“Famine in Cork” an online exhibition available on www.corkpastandpresent.ie May 1 – Monday May 14 – Famine Exhibition in the Cork City Library featuring extracts from Cork Constitution, Cork Examiner and Illustrated London News from 1845 to 1850 with supporting exhibitions at all of the city’s six local libraries.
May 1 – Monday, May 14 – Famine Exhibition at the Cork Public Museum
Sunday May 6 @ 2pm – Walking Tour of St Finbarr’s Hospital by Cllr Kieran McCarthy.
Monday May 7 @ 7pm – Walking Tour of St Joseph’s Cemetery by Ronnie Herlihy.
Tuesday May 8 @ 7pm – Talk on the Famine in Cork by Pat Gunn at the Central Library
Stories from 1918: Medical Adventures at the Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital
The death of Dr Henry MacNaughton-Jones, which occurred at his residence in London, on Friday 26 April 1918 was a shock for the people of Cork. He had earned a distinguished reputation as a specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology, on which he was an acknowledged authority. Henry was a central figure in the development of medicine in Cork.
Henry was born over seventy years earlier in 1845. Born in Cork City, he was the son of Dr William Thomas Jones MD, and Helen MacNaughton Jones. He received his early education at the Queen’s College, Cork, graduating with an MD (1864) and further qualifications as the years progressed. At the age of nineteen he was appointed Demonstrator and Lecturer in Descriptive Anatomy. Later, in 1876, he became Professor of Midwifery in the College, and in 1881 Examiner in Midwifery (obstetrics and gynaecology) in the Royal University of Ireland.
During this period, however, as a junior doctor Henry did duty in no less than eight of the Poor Law dispensary districts of the city for some years with a degree of skill and kindness, which made him one of the most well-known and popular junior medical men of his time. For eleven years he acted as physician to the Cork Fever Hospital, and for a good period also he was surgeon to the South Infirmary.
In 1868 at the age of 24 Henry founded a 30-bed Cork Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, in a building at the western end of Sheares Street. He was also physician there between 1868 and 1882. In the first eleven years, the hospital treated over 2,000 intern and 20,000 extern patients. A new hospital building was constructed 200 yards from existing building in 1895-97. Designed by architect James McMullen it has an elaborate ruabon brick with limestone dressings design. The foundation stone was laid by the Mayor of Cork, Patrick Meade on 29 or 30 December 1895. James McMullen had a high profile in the city. He had been High Sheriff for the City of Cork in 1907-08. Significant works by McMullen in Cork city include: Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital, Western Road (1897); conservation of the Firkin Crane, built in 1855 in the Shandon district of the city (1900); St. Finbarre’s West Total Abstinence Club, Bandon Road. (1900), formerly known as “Lough Rovers” and the remodelling of Holy Trinity Church, Fr. Mathew Quay (1906–08).
In 1872 Henry MacNaughton-Jones was co-founder and physician to the Cork Maternity Hospital, Nile Street (which later moved to Bachelors’ Quay). It was established to provide free care to pregnant women in their homes and to educate nurses. During the first five years 1,611 women received care and twenty nurses were trained.
Henry was also co-founder (1874) with a Miss Gibson and secretary to the medical committee (1877-9), becoming visiting medical officer (1874-80), and consulting surgeon (1880-83) for the County and City of Cork Hospital for Women and Children (renamed the Victoria Hospital in 1901).
The creation of the premier branch of the British Medical Association in Ireland was due to Henry’s efforts. His failure to gain the chair of materia medica (1875) or of surgery (1880) at Queens College Cork may have precipitated his move in 1883 to Harley Street London. When Henry MacNaughton-Jones departed Cork he received many tributes and presentations from his colleagues, his patients, and the citizens, generally.
Henry maintained a deep interest in Queen’s College Cork. He founded the Old Corkonians graduate club (1905) in London and made clear his objections and those of the club to the change of name from Queens College Cork to University College Cork. He is reputed to have composed the college motto “Where Finbarr taught, let Munster learn”, though he merely popularised it in verse recited at the inaugural dinner of the Old Corkonians (1905).
Henry was thrice President of the Irish Medical Schools, and Graduates’ Association; twice President of twice British Gynaecological Society, Vice-President and President of the Obstetrical and Gynaecological section of the Royal Society for Medicine 1910-11, mid president of the Irish Association (in London) 1909-10. By members of the medical profession on the Continent he was as highly regarded as by his colleagues at home, and he held honorary membership of the Obstetrical Societies of Leipzig, Munich and Rome, as well as Honorary President of International Congresses of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Amsterdam, Rome and St Petersburg, and Raconteur for Great Britain and Ireland at the International Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Berlin in 1912.
Henry was the author of a number of medical books, which included the Atlas of diseases of the membrana tympani (1878), Points of practical interests in gynaecology (1900), and Practical manual of diseases of women and uterine therapeutics (1884), and joint author of Practical handbook of diseases of the ear and nasopharynx (1887), he published numerous papers on a variety of subjects including ophthalmology, surgery, otology, and anaesthesia. He also published collections of poetry, including The Thames (1906) and A Piece of Delph and Other Poems (1908).
Henry was married to Henrietta, the third daughter of Mr William Veiling Gregg, solicitor of Marlborough House, Cork, and they had five children. During the summer of 1917 Henry contracted a chill at the seaside, and he never fully recovered from the serious effects. His death took place at his residence, on Friday 26 April 1918 at The Rest, Ravenscroft Park, High Barnet, London.
Kieran’s Upcoming Historical Walking Tour
Sunday 6 May 2018, The City Workhouse; learn about the workhouse created for 2,000 impoverished people in 1841; meet at the gates of St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 2.30pm (free, duration: two hours, on site tour), in association with the National Famine Commemoration, 2018, Cork.
Captions:
944a. Former Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, Western Road, Cork (pictures: Kieran McCarthy)
944b. Former entrance to Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, Western Road, Cork
Sunday 6 May 2018 with Cllr Kieran McCarthy, The City Workhouse; learn about the workhouse created for 2,000 impoverished people in 1841; meet at the gates of St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 2.30pm (free, duration: two hours, on site tour), in association with the National Famine Commemoration, 2018, Cork.
