Cllr Kieran McCarthy’s new book, the eighteenth in his series of publications, is entitled Cork 1916, A Year Examined. It is co-written with solicitor Suzanne Kirwan. This book takes the year 1916 from the point of view that there were multiple conversations to be heard during the year – a kaleidoscope of ideas, which provided the context and framework for revolution – everyday life being one – some led Cork citizens to connect with the Republican mantra at the time and others to just maintain existence, survive and struggle with the bleakness of a national and local economy. Entering the Cork Examiner on 1 January and progressing page by page one discovers key nuggets about the nature of Cork society, the soul of Ireland’s southern capital, the ongoing conversations about maintaining a contemporary status of being one of Ireland‘s distinguished port cities, and all the advantages and problems that run with that.
Cllr McCarthy noted; “In this book we publish a cross-section of the more important themes, which emerged during the year. The Cork Examiner in August 1916 celebrated its 75th anniversary and a proud tradition of “influencing public opinion” and offering “fairness” as they noted in their editorials. As a newspaper it was an active driver in the control of media, place and even time. For all the voices within this book about ideas about Cork and its role in the seminal year of 1916, there are also many voices on the role of this ambitious city in Ireland and further afield to questions of poverty that have never been completely solved or overly discussed. Many of the topics on housing, fair wage, political partnerships and similar ambitions still rage across our newspapers. There is much to learn from this time – not just on the political side but that life itself in any city keeps moving and that society needs to grow and evolve with it – and that even from a dark time in Ireland’s past, there is much to learn about the diverse framework of historical events and how they shape ourselves and our future”. Cork 1916, A Year Examined is published by Irish History Press and available in Waterstones and Easons.
