Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 6 March 2025

Making an Irish Free State City – The Making of the Cork Legion of Ex-Service Men

March 2025 coincides with the centenary commemoration of the unveiling of the First World War Memorial on Cork’s South Mall. The campaign for its construction was organised by the Cork Legion of Ex-Servicemen, which was founded in the middle of 1921, following the formation of the British Legion. The Cork branch was one of several regional branches in Ireland and in the UK.

The British Legion started as a merger of four different organisations, all with a similar purpose. These four organisations were: The National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers, The British National Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers, The Comrades of The Great War, and The Officers’ Association.

The Cork Examiner records that one of the first key events for the Cork Legion was on Sunday 13 November 1921. The members (both Roman Catholic and Protestant in nature) formed up at 9am outside their headquarter rooms at No 6 South Mall and marched to their respective places of worship. The order of the procession was The Band No 1 Company under Mr. T O’Leary, No 2 Company under Mr J Sheehan, No 3 Company under Lieutenant S Ahern and No 4 Company under Captain C Tully. A Captain Murtagh was in charge of the parade. After the band marched the officers and committee.

Fast forward to August 1923 and one can get a sense of the scale of the Cork Legion and how many people it represented. The Cork Examiner records that at special general meeting of 23 August 1923 at 6 South Mall, the Cork Legion met to consider what stance to take on during the upcoming General Election on the candidature of Mr J J Walsh, a Cumann na nGaedheal candidate. Mr Walsh was in attendance and was accompanied by his election agent Mr W F O’Connor, solicitor and former Lord Mayor of Cork.

The Cork Legion noted it represented over 12,000 ex-servicemen in Cork. In return for electoral support, the Cork Legion asked J J Walsh for four acts of supports, which he agreed with and signed a document. Such asks also encompassed the Cork Legion’s work and other legions as well across Ireland. Firstly that if elected that J J Walsh would use his influence and position in the Irish Parliament to obtain from the British Government “just and equitable fulfilment of the claims of Irish ex-service men”. 

Secondly J J Walsh was requested to avail of every opportunity to ensure that past services in the British Army or Navy or in any other branch of the British crown services would not militate against such men in regard to employment and other matters affecting them as citizens.

Thirdly the ask was that J J Walsh would oppose any attempt at interference by the Irish Government with pensions, allowances and housing of ex-service men and their dependents and the dependents of the fallen in the First World War, “whether reserved to the British Government or in the hands of a trust, unless and until the Legion of Irish Ex-Service men desire a change”. Fourthly and lastly J J Walsh was asked to further the interests of ex-service men and the dependents of “all fallen soldiers on all occasions”, and endeavour to have ex-service men accepted for services in the public, departments of the Irish Free State, “equitably with other citizens of the country”. 

By 9 October 1923, further advancement of the Cork Legion had been made, which tallied with the overall work at national Legion level and across other branches in Ireland. The Cork Examiner on 9 October 1923 published a letter by the secretary of the Cork Legion, T Long, who outlined its extent campaigns.

The housing and land question for the soldiers and sailors had been advanced. It was anticipated that houses and plots would shortly be provided within the City area for ex-servicemen and their families. Early applications were requested to be sent to 6 South Mall. Owners of land in the Borough of Cork who wished to offer land for development were asked to come forward.

The provision of a grant from the national Unemployment Grants Committee to provide money for work with a public utility with a view to the employment of ex-servicemen was also receiving careful attention of the national Legion of Irish ex-servicemen. The national Legion were carefully watching on behalf of pensioners and the dependence of fallen soldiers the progress of events in regard to the a change of the pension administration in the emerging Irish Free State. The organisation had already put forward concrete proposals to improve and consolidate the position of the service for disability pensioners in the country.

It was hoped to open a list of ex-servicemen who were in need of employment showing their qualifications. Employers would then be asked to cooperate in placing these members in suitable positions “to enable them to earn a livelihood in their own country”.

In addition arrangements had also been completed by the Cork Legion to receive applications from the next of kin who fell in the First World War and who were buried in the various cemeteries of France in Belgium. This was pursued with a view to providing, in cooperation with the British and French Legion, for the free travelling and hotel expenses of the parents for other next of kin. It was recognised that there were relatives who were not able to visit the graves and who for reasons of financial distress were unable to pay their own expenses.

The Cork Legion continued their focus on the act of pilgrimage to Belgium. Indeed, by April 1924, the Cork Legion, through large scale funding, erected a 20 feet high memorial Cross at Ypres/Ieper. It was carved by Mr A O’Connell, MacCurtain Street, Cork. It was such a cross, which sparked even more the interest in erecting a memorial in Cork.

To be continued… 

Caption:

1294a. Battlefields of the First World War, near Ieper, Belgium c.1918 (source: In Flanders Fields Museum, Ieper, Belgium).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 27 February 2025

Making an Irish Free State City – The Retirement of City Engineer Joseph Delaney

Spring 1925 coincided with the formal retirement of Cork Corporation City Engineer Joseph F Delaney who had amassed just over 21 years’ experience working for the Corporation. The aftermath of dealing with the Burning of Cork in 1920 and the long and complicated quest to commence reconstruction within the five acres of burnt out premises brought added stress and health complications for Joseph.

Arriving to Cork Corporation in 1903, Joseph had also overseen improving the water supply system and reducing the abnormally high rate of water wastage in the city. Joseph was also interested in Irish industrial and language movements, in the country’s national well-being, its educational advancement and in economic reform.

The Cork Examiner on 19 January 1925 describe that Joseph was entertained at a farewell presentation function and a concert at the Victoria Hotel by a very representative number of Cork citizens. Mr Barry Egan, former Councillor, who presided, in opening the proceedings said they were meeting that evening to show their appreciation of the work that Mr Delaney had pursued for the city. As a memento of his connection with the city, Barry presented Joseph with a silver cup and a set of special engineering and surveying instruments.

Barry Egan nodded to the unprecedented difficulties that Joseph had to face during the trying times of 1920 and 1921 ending up in the big conflagration in the St Patrick’s Street district. Barry described and shared the belief that that during that time Joseph did the work of ten people; “Mr Delaney kept his head and energies to carry them through the difficulties that presented themselves under circumstances that would break any man’s health and nerves. On the morning of the big fire I met Mr Delaney in St Patrick’s Street, and going around with him I was amazed at his energy knowing as he did that for weeks, before he did not have a night’s rest, and that his position was a nerve-wrecking one”.

Correspondence was read to the assembly from John Callaghan Foley, Managing Director of John Daly and Co Ltd who was away on business. John outlined that he had the pleasure of Joseph’s acquaintance ever since he came to Cork, some 21 years ago;  “It was with great regret we learned that the strain of 21 years’ arduous work, spent in the service of the citizens, and especially the trying period following the destruction of our city, proved too much for his constitution, and caused him to relinquish his post…At this juncture in our country’s history it is men of his status in the engineering world who will be of good account in the conception and development of the numerous schemes of reconstruction, which must be brought to fruition in the near future”.

Mr T F O’Leary, Cork Chamber of Commerce, noted that he had only a short acquaintance with Mr Delaney, but he was greatly impressed by him; “Joseph was an active member of our Chamber of Commerce and his suggestions were invaluable. I felt that wherever Mr Delaney went that particular place would be all the richer, and Cork would be all the poorer for losing him”.

Other speakers followed in equally praise worthy terms. In reply to the praise, Joseph detailed the significance of the occasion to him; “This of all occasions of a lifetime is one of special significance to me. The traveller in life’s highways sooner or later reaches the great divide. For one cause or another he has got to change his course. For health and other reasons, this change has come to me”.

Joseph relates that when he arrived to Cork from Dublin he was full of ambitions for its improvement and welfare in his initial speech possessed the spark of of high civic enthusiasm, and was inspired with a strong sense of duty; “I was full of youthful resolutions – I was 31 then – and professional verve for achievement in my sphere of work…In thanking the Council of the time for doing me the honour of appointing me to the position, which I have just vacated, I spoke as follows; “I hope I shall prove worthy of the trust of the Council has reposed in me. I thoroughly appreciate the importance of my position, and when I enter on my duties it will be our mutual interest – the Council and myself – to serve the citizens, and to help to advance the premier municipality of the south”.

Joseph further related in his speech that since his first speech he strove faithfully to practice the messages given in that first public and official appearance in the city. He was flattered to be entertained that evening by an entourage of friends who were present denoting that they all possessed interests in supporting Cork’s citizenry; “I know you all to be rich in good qualities of citizenship and public spirit and animated by high national ambition and sterling zeal for the moral and material progress of the city and country…I have been in association with you in various paths of endeavour – social, philanthropic, civic, and cultural, and knowing your qualities, I can say that in your hands the city’s welfare and progress is assured. I know of your work, I know of your ambitions, I know of your ideals, and I feel that it is only with the aid of such a coterie of citizens as you, who are inspired with a strong sense of public responsibility, fired by civic pride for local development and improvement that this city, with its fine traditions, its literature, history, and its exceptional opportunities for the future will it be properly piloted to its true destiny”.

Caption:

1293a. Joseph F Delaney, City Engineer, c.1911 in W.T. Pike’s “Contemporary Biographies”, published in Cork and County Cork in the Twentieth Century (1911) by Richard J Hodges.

Former Lord Mayor and Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy will host the upcoming award ceremony of the Discover Cork Schools’ Heritage Project 2025 in the Concert Hall in City Hall on 3 March. A total of 29 schools in Cork City took part in the 2024/25 school year, which included schools in Douglas, Ballinlough, Beaumont, Blackrock and with a reach to Glanmire, Ballincollig, and inner city schools as well. Circa 800 students participated in the process with approx 200 project books submitted on all aspects of Cork’s local history and it cultural and built heritage. 

The Discover Cork Schools’ Heritage Project is in its 23rd year and is a youth platform for students to do research and write it up in a project book on any topic of Cork history. The aim of the project is to allow students to explore, investigate and debate their local heritage in a constructive, active and fun way.

    Co-ordinator and founder of the project, Cllr Kieran McCarthy noted that: “Every year the project books that are produced are amazing. There is a huge appetite amongst our young people to learn about our local history and to celebrate it. For every student as well there is also family support – so whereas there are 800 students involved, one could multiple that by a factor of four or five when you take the support of immediate family members into account”.

“This year great projects were written up on Cork landmarks such as The River Lee to Shandon to streets such as MacCurtain Street to an array of oral history projects – I’ve even seen very original projects, such as this year I received a number of history trails on local neighbourhoods. The standard of model-making and short film making – to go with project books – continues to be very high and very creative”, concluded Cllr McCarthy.

The Project is funded by Cork City Council with further sponsorship offered by Learnit Lego Education, Old Cork Waterworks Experience and Cllr Kieran McCarthy. Full results for this year’s project are online on Cllr McCarthy’s heritage website, http://www.corkheritage.ie

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 20 February 2025

Making an Irish Free State City – The Work of Henry Dale

The announcement in the Cork Examiner on 12 January 1925 of the death of 84 year-old Mr Henry Dale (1841-1925) at his residence, Riverview House, Sunday’s Well, was received with widespread regret in the city. It was marked as an end of an era – the end of an era for an important Cork figure and one of the drivers of public health reform in particular in late nineteenth century Cork.

Contemporary biographies edited by W T Pike (Brighton, 1911) outlines that Henry was a Managing Director of Richard Clear & Company and a Managing Director of Cork Cold Storage & Warehousing Company. He was also a Director of Dwyer & Company Ltd.

Henry was a leading member of the Corporation of Cork for a long number of years. He sat uninterruptedly on the Corporation of Cork for upwards of 40 years. He was a senior Alderman for the greater part of that period as well as being a Justice of the Peace. He took a deep and active interest in the city’s affairs.

As Chairman of the Corporation’s Public Health Committee he gave great attention to the carrying out of the Public Health Act of the 1880s and 1890s with reference to the sanitation and supervision of the health of the citizens of the city. 

Henry was Chairman for a long time of the Corporation’s Waterworks Committee. During his chairmanship many important improvements were carried out. He led the support needed for important improvements with the general supply of water to the city. In 1887, such work was pursed in conjunction with local academic knowledge as well as with Mr William H Shaw and Mr Arthur Hill. A new American turbine system for pumping water to the reservoirs was introduced, which effected a considerable saving in the consumption of fuel. Up to that time the city was mainly dependent on the working of the old-fashioned, but picturesque old water wheel and the Cornish engine.

Henry Dale pushed the Corporation to build and erect a new turbine engine house and a new pair of 60in “American” turbines installed. This story is more detailed at the Old Cork Waterworks Experience on the Lee Road. One of their history panels notes; “The excellent performance of this equipment influenced the decision to acquire two additional turbines in 1895, bringing the total to four all of which operational by 1901. The waterworks was upgraded again between 1904 and 1907 when the two Lancashire boilers and three Inverted Triple Expansion Engines were installed. These engines and boilers were in use up to the late 1950s”.

In his day Henry was a keen angler and knew the river well from Gougane Barra to Cork. He was a founding member of the Cork Angler’s Club, which was established in 1870.

Henry was for many years a member of the School of Art Committee. He was also President for two years of the Cork Literary and Scientific Society.

Henry also took a distinguished and beneficial part in practically all movements aimed at improving the industrial, commercial and social life of his native city. He was an enthusiastic member of the committees that successfully created the two great Cork Exhibitions of 1883 and 1902 respectively.

Henry was President of the Cork Butter Exporters’ Association and was also President of the Flour and Bread Trade Association. He was an original member of the Chamber of Commerce and Shipping, and ably filled the position of President for two years.

At a special meeting of the Council of the Cork Incorporated Chamber of Commerce and Shipping on 19 January 1925, Mr William Dinan, President, was in the chair. The Cork Examiner write-up details that the President noted that they met to express their sorrow at the loss of their colleague, the late Alderman Henry Dale.

On the proposition of Mr C E Beale, seconded by Sir Stanley Harrington, the following resolution was unanimously adopted: “That we, the members of the Council of the Cork Incorporated Chamber of Commerce and Shipping, beg to tender to the relatives of  Alderman Henry Dale our deep sympathy on the great loss they have sustained, and place on record our appreciation of the invaluable services which he rendered the Chamber as a member for many years”.

Mr C E Beale in proposing the resolution said he did so with considerable feelings of sadness, as he had known the late Alderman Dale for many years, and admired so very much the important part which he played in every project connected with the city’s activities.

Sir Stanley Harrington, in seconding, fully endorsed the sentiments expressed by Mr Beale with reference to their late friend and colleague; “I can well recollect the important services which the late Alderman Dale rendered not only to this Chamber, but to the general commercial and industrial interests of the South of Ireland. In the early days of our Chamber he took a leading part in its organisation and left the impression of his sound judgment and outlook on the traditions of the Chamber, which were built up during his time, and which helped in no small degree to give to the Chamber the importance and standing, which it now enjoys…for many years he took an active part in endeavouring to maintain a standard of economy and efficiency in the working of our public departments. He was for many years a member of the Cork Technical Instruction Committee”.

Caption:

1292a. Portrait of Henry Dale from Contemporary biographies edited by W T Pike (1911) (source: Cork City Library).

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 13 February 2025

Making an Irish Free State City – The BBC Interview with Fr O’Flynn

Some of those who began their acting careers at the Cork Shakespearean Company’s Loft became household names, such as Monica Murphy, Joe Lynch, Niall Tóibín, Edward Golden, Chris Curran and Edward Mulhare (who went onto have a successful Hollywood career).  Fr O’Flynn carried on gallantly, holding classes in the Loft, producing plays down the years at various venues and appearing in Sunday concerts. In addition, in 1946, Fr O’Flynn was made Parish Priest of Passage West.

In 1960, Hywel Davies of the BBC visited Fr O’Flynn at The Loft to make a half-hour documentary on his life called, It Happened to Me, produced by James Buchan. Mr Buchan noted of Fr O’Flynn: “I have met many great humanitarians in the course of doing documentary programmes for television, but Father O’Flynn was the greatest of them all What impressed us all about him was his tremendous love of his fellow-man as well as for God. To us he epitomised the Christian”.

Raymond Smith in his book Father O’Flynn – The Well of Love denotes that the 30 minute documentary was televised on Tuesday night, 17 January 1961. It showed Fr O’Flynn taking a Shakespearean production class in The Loft. An estimated 3 ½ million BBC viewers are said to have watched the programme.

The programme opened with children playing ring-a-ring-o’-roses in a street in the Shandon area and there were many scenes taken in The Loft – the old hay loft above Linehan’s Sweet Factory. The programme showed an amazing improvement after six weeks in a young man who was hardly able to say his own name at the beginning, but who finally declaimed a lengthy Shakespearean passage admirably.

Schoolchildren and grown-ups were shown in excerpts from Shakespearean plays. The programme also included a recital by Fr O’Flynn’s school choir, showing his authority on Irish language and Irish music. There was a warm tribute from Gus Healy, who told Mr Davies that but for Fr O’Flynn insisting on his doing principal and minor parts in Shakespeare he would not have had the confidence to go into public life and would probably never have done so.

The programme created a sensation. Fr O’Flynn received hundreds of letters of congratulations and hundreds asking for help with their stammer. Letters asking for advice poured into him from across Ireland, Britain and even from the Channel Islands. They came from people of all religious beliefs. Raymond Smith outlines that one letter from an Aberdeen housewife: “It is good to know that such men as you live in this trouble world of ours”.

Some people asked if they could come to Cork see him and no one who came was turned away. A British doctor wrote that he was so impressed by what he had seen that he was sending over a boy who had. bad stammer.

Fr O’Flynn tirelessly devoted himself to helping the people who wrote to him. Raymond Smith recalls that one evening a well-known Cork journalist, Larry Lyons, told him that he was on the way to Passage West to gather material for a special article for The Guardian on Fr O’Flynn. He suggested that Raymond come along.

When Raymond and Larry called at his house, Raymond recalls finding Fr O’Flynn him sitting in his famous old armchair in front of a blazing fire the sitting room replying to a letter from a Scottish housewife whose brother had a speech defect. Raymond’s eye was immediately caught by the big bundle of letters, divided into two piles those already answered and those yet to be answered. Fr O’Flynn noted; “It’s so easy to show how stammers can be cured but so hard to put it in writing…People are in need of help and we must give it to them”.

Raymond in his account continues to outline that any money enclosed was immediately sent back. In addition, money was sent for special prayers by people, even non-Catholics, who had been deeply moved by the television programme. In particular there was one pound note which Fr O’Flynn could not return, for all that was enclosed with it was a covering note that read simply: “From a black Ulster Protestant”. Fr O’Flynn confessed to Raymond afterwards more than once that he cherished that note most of all and he carried it with him to his death bed. Unconsciously he felt he had broken down the barriers that divide for “his business was with universal humanity and not with a fragment of it”.

Inspired during his visit to Passage Raymond Smith also outlines in his book that he was the person who pushed Fr O’Flynn in the penning of a series of articles in the Sunday Independent setting out ideas on how to cure impediments. Raymond was staff representative for Independent Newspapers Ltd in the Cork Office at the time, having just returned from his first trip to The Congo.

In his book on Fr O’Flynn he noted; “Going down to Passage, I had no intention taking on such a heavy task for, looking back on it no more sweat and toil went into that series than into anything ever I did in my journalistic career. And yet in the end it was a labour of love…The rain-swept road to Passage West that night became as it were the road to Damascus. Father O’Flynn made such a deep impression upon me during that first meeting that I came away a disciple, intent lifting from his shoulders, if I could, some of the burden of answering all those letters. For then he could refer those seeking advice to the newspaper series rather than try to reply to each letter individually”.

On 18 January 1962 – almost on the first anniversary of his famous television appearance – Fr O’Flynn passed away.  After his death, the Cork Shakespearean Company continued the work that he had started. It is still going strong in the present day. In 2024, the Company celebrated their centenary.

Caption:

1291a. Fr O’Flynn with Hywel Davies, BBC 1960 (source: Raymond Smith’s Father O’Flynn – The Well of Love).

Former Lord Mayor and Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has called for public consultation to be included in any future management strategy for All Saint’s Cemetery on Carr’s Hill. In raising the historic cemetery at the February Cork City Council meeting, the Chief Executive outlined that since the completion of the transfer of ownership of the Carr’s Hill graveyard to Cork City Council in mid- 2023 a review of all surveys and information pertaining to the site is being undertaken in order to inform a sustainable maintenance and management strategy for the site. An archaeological conservation strategy is not currently being undertaken.

A number of non-intrusive archaeological surveys have been carried out including GPR (ground penetrating radar) and drone photogrammetry surveys which have created a detailed 2D and 3D model of the physical landscape and features at Carr’s Hill.

A bio-diversity study for the site was completed late last year. Further analysis of these surveys and studies is ongoing and Council Members will be updated as matters progress. In the meantime the graveyard has been included in the Parks work programme for 2025 and grass-cutting on the site will commence next month.

Cllr McCarthy noted: “The detailed survey work on All Saint’s Graveyard is welcome. I asked specifically at the Council meeting that there would be a form of public consultation woven into the future of any evolving management strategy for the site. Arising from public conversations, there are positive suggestions of how to improve access to the site and there are calls for improved interpretation on the site itself. There are also calls that that access to the site is maintained and improved. The maintenance of the Sorenson memorial Cross is essential as well as creating opportunities to commemorate more the victims of the Great Famine. There are also growing public calls to commemorate the children buried there from the City’s Mother and Baby Homes”.

View the site here and explore a short history video, October 2021: