Kieran’s Report to Cork City Council on re: Change of name, 9 October 2009

Lord Mayor,

I sincerely welcome the O’Callaghan Development.

I wish to make two points to the name Faulkner’s Lane

Firstly, in the bigger picture there seem to be inconsistencies in the protection, enhancement and carrying forward of Cork’s heritage

Two weeks ago, we see an investment of over E.3 million into the revamping of Christ Church, an eighteenth century building – now the memory of an eighteenth century street name is at risk.

The council have through their own heritage plan spent several thousand euro on protecting and enhancing the memory of street plaques and street furniture.

My second point I wish to make regards the memory of Riggs Faulkner, a mid eighteenth century banker is at risk of being erased as well the context of the street.

Very little of the built heritage of the eighteenth century has survived in Cork.

However, the people of the 1760s brought us huge vision and action

·         The initial arching over of the city’s canals – for example the creation of Cornmarket Street

·         The creation of the Navigation Wall, later to become the Marina Walk

·         The creation of the committee of Butter Merchants which led Cork to be the leading exporting city in Ireland and a prominent exporter of butter in the British Empire

·         The provision of a pumped water supply, the site being the present day Lifetime Lab

·         The creation of the Cork Mansion House – now the Mercy Hospital

·         The initiation of a south docklands plan – still doing the rounds.

·         The very chain of the present Lord Mayor came into being in 1787

These icons, elements of the city made our modern city. Riggs Faulkner was part of the cog-wheel of those visionary times. We in 2009 should be slow to erase memories from the eighteenth century. In fact there is probably alot to be learned from this era in terms of vision. I call for the retention of the name Faulkner’s Lane.

Thanks Lord Mayor