Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has announced his free historical walking tours for June, which will have a focus on the city’s suburban development and also on the city’s nineteenth century social history. He will conduct walks across Shandon, The Marina, Douglas, Ballinlough and Blackpool.

Cllr McCarthy noted: “The June tours are all about showcasing Cork City and its suburbs’ unique character, plan, topography, and built fabric. It is also a city that is unique among other cities, it is the only one which has experienced all phases of Irish urban development, from circa 600AD to the present day. So, there are so many histories to view in just a cross section of a section of the city suburbs.

All tours attract large groups of people and offer interesting lens to view the realities of living in a port city, beset by large scale poverty, whereby everyone did not make money and lived in a sense on the edge of making ends meet”, concluded Cllr McCarthy.

Tour Schedule:

Monday evening, 2 June, Shandon Quarter; meet at North Main Street/ Adelaide Street Square, opp. Cork Volunteer Centre, 6.30pm.

Wednesday evening, 4 June, The Marina, meet at western end adjacent Shandon Boat Club, The Marina, 6.30pm.

Thursday evening, 5 June, Douglas and its History, meet in the carpark of Douglas Community Centre, no parking in the centre, 6.30pm. 

Saturday afternoon, 21 June, Ballinlough: Antiquities, Knights, Quarries and Suburban Growth; meet inside Ballintemple Graveyard, Temple Hill, opp O’Connor’s Funeral Home, 1pm.

Sunday afternoon, 22 June, Blackpool: Its History and Heritage; meet at the square on St Mary’s Road, opp North Cathedral, 1pm.