Monthly Archives: July 2021

Cllr McCarthy: Consultation on Draft Cork City Development Plan Open, 31 July 2021

Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy is calling on residents, and communities in the south east of the city and beyond to have their say on the 2022-2028 draft Cork City Development Plan. The draft Cork City Development Plan, has recently been published and provides an overarching framework to help shape the transformation of the City over the next six years by supporting the creation of 20,000 homes and 31,000 jobs.

Cllr McCarthy noted: “Eight weeks of public consultation on the plan have just commenced and I encourage members of the public, community groups, representative organisations to make a submission to the draft plan before the closing date of 4 October. The draft plan can be viewed at www.corkcitydevelopmentplan.ie and the public can have their say on the Plan at https://consult.corkcity.ie/”

“There is some great ideas and opportunities within this draft blueprint for Cork as the city embarks upon an exciting phase of growth and change – with sustainability, quality of life, social inclusion, and climate resilience at the plan’s core. In particular the need to protect green spaces and create more in areas from Ballinlough to Douglas is essential”.

Cork City Council CE, Ann Doherty said: “This Plan is significant in many ways; not least it is the first local policy-based expression of the ambition for Cork contained in ‘Project Ireland 2040’ and the National Planning Framework. The Plan follows widespread listening and engagement with stakeholders in the first round of public consultation. The draft plan’s rationale is further informed by a suite of evidence-based studies on the various opportunities and challenges facing the city”.

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, 29 July 2021

1110a. Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Donal Óg O’Callaghan, 1920 (picture: Cork City Council).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 29 July 2021

Journeys to a Truce: Lord Mayor Donal Óg Returns

The Truce amongst Cork politicians was largely welcomed. In his diary, Alderman Liam De Róiste of Cork Corporation and TD comments at length on the multitude of nuances and correspondence between Lloyd George and de Valera. The diary can be viewed in Cork City and County Archives. He ultimately embraces the truce but acknowledges the long road ahead to create a mutually acceptable agreement on Irish and British sides. On the 9 July 1921, at 1pm Liam De Róiste writes: “The details of the truce are to be published today. There are many rough rocks in the road of peace yet, but this at least is the evidence of the will to peace. I am sure the mass of the people are filled with joy. As for me, I accept the matter calmly. We are not yet sure of our footsteps. The joy of my companions here is also subdued. They incline to be critical. A few moments ago, Black and Tans appeared: ‘Here They are’; a rush to search a hiding place. They came on ordinary business to convey a poor patient to the institution. The rush shows that through the dawn of the peace appears with the announcement of the truce, the shadows of the night are still dark and thick over the land”.

The Lord Mayor of Cork Donal Óg O’Callaghan had recently returned after an eight months’ public speech tour across America to grow interest in Irish Independence and to raise finance for Dáil Éireann. His campaign work, which wove with the visit of de Valera and Harry Boland to the United States is well captured in the fine book Forgotten Lord Mayor Donal Óg O’Callaghan, 1920-1924 by Aodh Quinlivan. Through Aodh’s research, he discovers that Donal Óg, on the whole, was welcomed by those communities he engaged with. There were a number of small exceptions. Politically though, Donal’s journey ended as America’s Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby came under British diplomatic pressure to end his permission to stay longer in the States. Through the Truce, Donal returned to a less threatening environment. Heretofore he was on a most wanted list by the Black and Tans.

ln the course of an interview with a Cork Examiner representative on 18 July 1921, Donal Óg  noted that it was very gratifying to find the state of affairs which existed in Ireland. He noted: “It seems possible that the just object for which the people of this country have been fighting for years is at last about to be secured through negotiations. Like the President, the people of Ireland heartily desired to see peace, to see the end of the state of war and destruction which has been obtaining in this country for some years past, desired to devote themselves to the work of reconstruction and to the general development of the prosperity of our country”.

The Lord Mayor continued that the manner in which the Truce has been observed throughout the country was a tribute to the discipline and unity of the people of Ireland. He noted: “Nowhere has it been more loyally observed than in Cork. While I would regret at the moment to say a word which might be construed as calculating to interfere with the existing peace. I feel bound to say that the truce doesn’t appear to have been on loyally kept by the British Army in Cork as it might have been. For the past few days I have seen police and military fully armed parading the streets; armoured cars and lorries containing armed troops driving through the city, in what I can only regard as a wantonly provocative planner. I trust that this matter will be immediately remedied, and that nothing will occur to mar the favourable conditions of the moment or the atmosphere of the negotiations  about to take place, which we all sincerely hope will be successful, and will make the temporary peace of to-day the lasting peace of to-morrow”.

In his press interview the Lord Mayor also thanked the people of America for the manner in which they received him while in the United States, and to thank them, on behalf of the people of Ireland for the deep interest they took in Ireland fight for freedom and what he described as “the spirit animating them in doing all they could to assist in the fight”. To the people of Cork he wished to say that he left Cork, and left momentarily the duties to which they had elected him, “as the result of an order from the Republican Government”. Only on such an order would he leave them or lreland under the circumstances. He noted: “While the people of Ireland hoped to see their freedom achieved as a result of the present negotiations going on their spirit and determination are alike unimpaired, and should they have to continue the fight for freedom they will continue to rely on the liberty loving people of America for assistance”.

A few days after the 18 July, the Cork Examiner records that Cork Corporation had a Council meeting but it was again chaired by Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr Barry Egan. Donal Óg had gone to Dublin to be part of the welcoming group for the Peace Delegates at Kingstown (now Dún Laoghaire), Dublin. De Valera had returned from talks in London with the British Prime Minster Lloyd George. A famous picture was taken by photographer W D Hogan of the welcoming group and this forms part of the National Library of Ireland photographic collection. In the picture is Donal Óg as well as Chairman of Dublin County Council, H Friel, the acting Mayor of Limerick, Máire O’Donovan, Waterford TD Vincent White, Limerick TD Kate O’Callaghan, and Cork Corporation Alderman and TD Liam De Róiste. All six greeted de Valera as well the large number of general public waiting. All six were also involved in the early peace talks in the summer of 1921 offering advice and support.

Captions:

1110a. Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Donal Óg O’Callaghan, 1920 (picture: Cork City Council).

1110b. Welcoming group for the Peace Delegates at Kingstown (now Dún Laoghaire), Dublin with Chairman of Dublin County Council, H Friel, the acting Mayor of Limerick, Máire O’Donovan, Waterford TD Vincent White, Limerick TD Kate O’Callaghan, Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Donal Óg O’Callaghan, and Cork Corporation Alderman and TD Liam De Róiste (picture: William Hogan Collection, National Library of Ireland).


1110b. Welcoming group for the Peace Delegates at Kingstown (now Dún Laoghaire), Dublin with Chairman of Dublin County Council, H Friel, the acting Mayor of Limerick, Máire O’Donovan, Waterford TD Vincent White, Limerick TD Kate O’Callaghan, Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Donal Óg O’Callaghan, and Cork Corporation Alderman and TD Liam De Róiste (picture: William Hogan Collection, National Library of Ireland).

Cllr McCarthy: Outdoor Seating Grants for Tourism and Hospitality Still Open

Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy wishes to remind business owners that grants applications are still being received for outdoor seating and accessories for tourism and hospitality businesses in Cork City for 2021.

Cllr McCarthy noted: “Outdoor hospitality was much enjoyed by the public last summer and is playing a key role this year as well in welcoming people back to a vibrant and safe Cork City. A new outdoor seating and accessories grant scheme, supported by Fáilte Ireland  in partnership with local authorities such as Cork City Council, is now open for applications. Grants are available to support businesses in the hospitality and tourism sector in enhancing their outdoor offering”. 

Any restaurant, cafe, bar, hotel, visitor attraction or other hospitality/tourism business where food or drink is sold for consumption on the premises. The scheme is open to existing businesses located throughout Cork City. 

Applicants should have no commercial rates outstanding to Cork City Council, or have a payment plan in place. Applicants must have signed up to the Covid 19 Safety Charter (Apply for the Covid 19 Safety Charter. All applicants are required to comply with planning codes, legislative requirements and other compliance requirements.  Only premises branding is permitted. No fixtures with commercial/product advertising are eligible.

Those businesses availing of public land for outdoor furniture must be in possession of a Street Furniture License for 2021 from Cork City Council before availing of the scheme. Each business can apply for up to €4,000 per premises (exclusive of VAT) towards the above eligible costs, up to a maximum of 75% of the total cost. Applications can be accepted at any time between now and 5pm on Thursday, 30 September 2021. More information can be got from outdoordininggrants@corkcity.ie or log onto the Council’s website home page at www.corkcity.ie

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article, 22 July 2021

 1109a. Colourful front cover of first Anvil Books paperback edition (1962) of Guerilla Days in Ireland by Tom Barry (picture: Kieran McCarthy).
1109a. Colourful front cover of first Anvil Books paperback edition (1962) of Guerilla Days in Ireland by Tom Barry (picture: Kieran McCarthy).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 22 July 2021

Journeys to a Truce: Guarding the Truce

On the advent of the Truce, Michael O’Donoghue, Engineer Officer with the 2nd Battalion of Cork No.1 Brigade, remarks in witness statement (WS1741) of the Bureau of Military History of a new-found freedom. He had been based in the West Cork Brigade in the early summer of 1921 and decided to return home to Cappoquin in Waterford to study for his final engineering exam in UCC. He returned though via Cork and ended up staying in his old digs in the Shamrock Hotel on the Grand Parade, where he spent a few days and nights before heading for home. On his first post Truce night in Cork, he notes that he was amazed at the reactions of the public to the abolition of curfew and other restrictions on their freedom.

“At 10pm they could be seen sitting on the pavements, in doorways everywhere, on the streets under the open air, as if they were trying to assure themselves that it was really true that British tyranny no longer operated and that they were now free and no longer under the baleful hostile gun-muzzle of Tan and Tommy. But Republican Police appeared like mushrooms and enforced the licensing laws with strictness and even harshness. The RIC and Tans strolled around aimlessly and at ease and seemed to regard the rather puritanical activities of their successors in lawenforcement with amused benevolence. The citizens played holiday round their streets until well past midnight each night, rejoicing in their new found liberty. The young girls, particularly, fell over themselves in their admiration for the returning Republican Volunteer youths, and I and young IRA men like me basked in the sunshine of female smiles and admiring glad eyes”.

West Cork Brigade Commander Tom Barry in his book Guerilla Days in Ireland gives a chapter to the Truce negotiations and the impact of the peace. He relates that the sudden ending of hostilities left IRA men dazed at first and uncertain of the future, as no one considered during those early July days that the Truce would continue for more than a month. Tom notes that his own concerns were not eased by the arrival of a dispatch on 9 July, from Sinn Féin headquarters, stating that the President de Valera had appointed him as Chief Liaison Officer of the Martial Law Area of Cork or an important post making sure the ceasefire and peace was kept. Tom describes of the Truce:

“As July 11 approached one slowly began to appreciate what the Truce and all it entailed signified. Gradually it dawned on me that the forcing of the enemy to offer such terms was a signal victory in itself; that days of fear were ended, at least for a time, and that one could return to normal life and thought, away from the hates, the callousness and the ruthless killings of war. The respite might only be brief, but one would not dwell on that. The sun blazed from God’s Heavens during those cloudless days of the longest and most brilliant summer in living memory, as if to remind man that the world held brighter things than the darkness of war. At peace and relaxed we rejoiced with our own people, who had been so good to us in the troubled past, until it was time for me to leave for my new liaison post”.

The Bureau for Military History has a number of files in its archives on the correspondence and work of the Office of the Chief Liaison Officer. It operated from the Gresham Hotel, Dublin and was set up following the successful negotiation of a Truce between the British Government and the Army of the Republic (also known as Irish Republican Army), effected on 11 July 1921.

Representing the British was General Sir Nevil Macready Commander in Chief, Colonel J Brind and A W Cope, Assistant Under-Secretary, acting for the British Army. They agreed as follows that there would be no incoming troops, Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), auxiliary police and munitions. There would be no movements for military purposes of troops and munitions, except maintenance drafts. There would be no provocative display of forces, armed or unarmed. It was understood that all provisions of the Truce apply to the martial law area equally with the rest of Ireland. There was to be no pursuit of Irish officers or men or war material or military stores. There was to be no secret agents, noting description or movements, and no interference with the movements of Irish persons, military or civil, and no attempts to discover the haunts or habits of Irish officers and men. There was also to be no pursuit or observance of lines of communication or connection.

Commandant Robert C Barton TD and Commandant Éamonn J Duggan TD, acting for the Army of the Republic agreed as follows; Attacks on Crown forces and civilians were to cease. There was to be no provocative displays of forces, armed or unarmed. There was to be no interference with Government or private property. There was to be no move to “discountenance and prevent any action likely to cause disturbance of the peace which might necessitate military interference”.

The Chief Liaison Officers included Commandant Éamonn Duggan, Commandant F Murphy and Commandant Emmet Dalton. By December 1921, the Office of the Chief Liaison Officer was liaising with 30 appointed Liaison Officers with locations amongst 30 counties and liasing with the British authorities in reporting and investigating alleged breaches of the Truce. 

Caption:

1109a. Colourful front cover of first Anvil Books paperback edition (1962) of Guerilla Days in Ireland by Tom Barry (picture: Kieran McCarthy).

Kieran’s Press, Bessboro Update, 19 July 2021

19 July 2021, “This is great news; apart from a possible judicial review by the developer, the legal planning processes have now been gone through- it is clear that the potential of babies buried beneath parts of the grounds has seriously hindered future development; More and more the process is leading to the need for State intervention on the future of Bessborough and other Mother and Baby Home sites”, Independent Cork city councillor and historian Kieran McCarthy also welcomed ABP’s decision, Developers unsuccessful in their appeal of refusal for apartments at Bessborough site, Developers unsuccessful in their appeal of refusal for apartments at Bessborough site (echolive.ie)

Cllr McCarthy: Monahan Road Extension Project Open to Public Consultation, July 2021

Independent Cllr McCarthy wishes to remind residents and businesses in the vicinity of Monahan Road that Cork City Council’s Monahan Road  Extension  (MRE)  project is now open to public consultation until 3 September.

Cllr McCarthy noted: “The new roadway will begin on Monahan Road, at the existing junction with the ‘Marquee Road’ where  a  new  cross-roads  junction  will  be  formed. From there, the extension project will extend eastwards and pass to the northwest of Páirc Uí Chaoimh. At the eastern end of the proposal, the road levels will be elevated above existing ground level to connect to the future Eastern Gateway Bridge over the River Lee estuary. Approximately 400m of new four-lane two-way carriageway (two eastbound and two westbound) with central reservation, verges, cycle tracks and footpaths is proposed”.

Plans and particulars of the proposed development, including an Appropriate Assessment screening report and an Environmental Impact Assessment screening report are available to view by visiting https://consult.corkcity.ie.

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, 15 July 2021

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 15 July 2021

Journeys to a Truce: The 11 July 1921 Settlement

This week is the centenary of the signing of the Truce on 11 July 1921 bringing the Irish War of Independence in Ireland to an end. Technically talks had begun in December 1920 but they petered out when British Prime Minister David Lloyd George demanded that the IRA first relinquish their arms. Renewed talks began in the spring of 1921, after the Prime Minister was lobbied by Herbert H Asquith and the Liberal opposition, the Labour Party, and the Trades Union Congress.

From the perspective of the British government, it seemed as if the IRA’s guerrilla campaign would persist indefinitely, with escalating losses in British casualties and in finance. In addition, the British government was confronting acute blame at home and abroad for the measures of British forces in Ireland. On 6 June 1921, the British made their first peace-making act, calling off the strategy of house burnings as reprisals.

On the other side, IRA leaders and in particular Michael Collins, felt that the IRA, as it was then organised, could not continue indefinitely. It lacked arms and ammunition to face down the even regular British soldiers arriving into Ireland.

On 24 June 1921, the British Coalition Government’s Cabinet decided to propose talks with the leader of Sinn Féin. Coalition Liberals and Unionists agreed that an offer to negotiate would strengthen the Government’s position, especially if Sinn Féin refused. On 24 June Prime Minister Lloyd George wrote to Éamon de Valera as “the chosen leader of the great majority in Southern Ireland”, suggesting a conference. 

Sinn Féin agreed to talks. De Valera and Lloyd George ultimately agreed to a truce that was intended to end the fighting and lay the ground for detailed negotiations. Its terms were signed on 9 July and came into effect on 11 July. Negotiations on a settlement, however, were deferred for several months as the British government demanded that the IRA first decommission its weapons, but this demand was ultimately withdrawn. It was arranged that British troops would stay restricted to their barracks.

However, in the three days between the terms being signed and coming into effect, Irish Truce historian Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc details at least sixty people from both sides of the conflict were killed across the country. Such stories appear in the heart of Dara McGrath’s photographic exhibition entitled For Those That Tell No Tales in the Crawford Art Gallery on sites associated with the War of Independence. There is a poignant picture of an execution location of The Lough with associated descriptive text. It was at 8 pm, on the evening of Sunday 10 July 1921, four young unarmed and off-duty soldiers, Private Henry Morris (aged 21) and Corporal Harold Daker (aged 28) of the South Stafforshire Regiment and Sappers Albert Camm (aged 20) and Albert Powell (aged 20) of the Royal Engineers were seized by a patrol of seven Volunteers. The Volunteers had been searching an area from Donovan’s Bridge along the Western Road in search of a suspected civilian informer. Executed on the northern side of The Lough, the four bodies were dumped at Ellis’s Quarry on its southside. All four were found blindfolded and shot dead.

The only surviving account of the executions by a Volunteer participant is the official report sent to IRA Headquarters. It simply reads: “We held up four soldiers and searched them but found no arms. We took them to a field in our area where they were executed before 9pm”. It has been suggested that the killing of these men was a personal reprisal by the IRA for the murder of Volunteer Denis Spriggs just two days earlier on 8 July. Private Morris was from Walsall and served in the East Kent Regiment during the First World War. He is buried in Ryecroft cemetery, Walsall. Corporal Daker was the son of William and Mary Daker. He is buried in St Ann’s Churchyard, Chasetown, Walsall. Sapper Albert Camm was from Holland Street in Nottingham. Sapper Powell was the son of Arthur and Jane Powell of Abbott Road, London. He is buried at Nunhead, All Saints Cemetery in Southwark.

On the advent of the Truce, Michael O’Donoghue, Engineer Officer with the 2nd Battalion of Cork No.1 Brigade remarks in witness statement (WS 1741) of the Bureau of Military History of a new-found freedom and an almost too good to be true scenario;

“Now came July, and with the scorching summer heatwave came rumours of peace and negotiations for a cease fire. Then before we had time to realise what was happening, as everything moved so suddenly, the Truce was upon us on a July 11th 1921 at midday. Overnight everything was changed. The fugitive rebel army, the IRA, was recognised as Ireland’s national army by the British Government. There was an uneasy peace. ‘Twas hard, even for the IRA themselves, to credit that the fortunes of war had changed to such an extent. we could now move everywhere in town and country. We exulted in our new found authority and importance. Everywhere the people regarded us as heroes and hailed us as conquerors and turned our heads with flattery, adulation and praise. We were youngsters in our teens and early twenties, and who could blame us if we got intoxicated with all the hero worship and rejoicings. Even those people who had maintained a cautious neutrality, standing on the ditch during the War of Independence, now rushed to acclaim us and to entertain us”.

Caption:

1108a. Execution location site for four British soldiers, 10 July 1921 at northern side of The Lough, Cork, present day (picture: Kieran McCarthy)

Kieran’s Question to CE and Motions, Cork City Council Meeting, 12 July 2021

Question to the CE: 

To ask the CE on the city schools, which received Safe to School funding through the NTA and the associated Green Schools An Taisce initiative in 2019, 2020 & 2021, and how much was allocated to each school? (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)

Motions:

That the entrance to Broadale be examined from a safety perspective. Double yellow lines may be required to dissuade parked cars from blocking the entrance (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)

That a more user friendly Planning website be explored where is easier to access information such as letters and drawings (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)

Kieran’s Press, McCarthy Calls for anniversary of Cork city landmark to be celebrated

10 July 2021, “Independent Kieran McCarthy have asked that Cork City Council, in partnership with the parish of Shandon and Diocese of Cork, mark the 300th anniversary of the construction of the church, recognising its impact on the citizens of Cork city and its unique landmark for Cork citizens and beyond”, Calls for anniversary of Cork city landmark to be celebrated, Calls for anniversary of Cork city landmark to be celebrated (echolive.ie)

Cllr McCarthy: Ballybrack Woods Stream Needs to be Protected, 9 July 2021

Cllr Kieran McCarthy has asked Irish Water that Ballybrack Woods stream needs to be protected more from pollution outbreaks as witnessed in recent weeks. Cllr McCarthy noted: “I was very disappointed to see the pollution outbreak in the stream. Much work has been done by volunteers such as Douglas Tidy Towns, citizens environment activists and Cork City Council to protect this gem of a green space within the heart of Donnybrook”.

 “Irish Water has got back to me and have completed their site investigation; the water quality is back to normal and whoever the culprit was and has stopped pouring a chemical or chemicals into the stream. Many thanks to everyone for raising the pollution incident so quickly. Irish Water at this point have not formally discovered who the culprit was, so one needs to be legally careful on naming anyone.  I’d ask though that all users of the woods and the Mangala just keep an eye out for future pollution incidents and report them just as fast”, concluded Cllr McCarthy.

In correspondence to Cllr McCarthy, Irish Water confirmed that a site inspection of the wastewater infrastructure was undertaken in the Calderwood/Ballybrack area on 7 July following Irish Water receiving this report. The wastewater infrastructure at Calderwood Road and the Ballybrack Walkway were inspected and was observed to be operating normally. A full walk through check of the Ballybrack Stream was undertaken – there was no evidence of pollution (no gross solids, no ragging, no evidence of third party discharges) on the date of the visit.

The wastewater network was inspected along the route of the pollution incident. This was observed to be operating normally. In addition, a member of the public advised the team during the site visit that construction work in the area may be the cause as they had observed similar incidents over recent weeks. From these investigations Irish Water have noted: “it would appear that the most likely source of this issue would appear to be related to third party activity in the area. However Irish Water are unable to formally confirm this issue”. The wastewater infrastructure in the area is fully operational and is operating normally.