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At a special European Committee of the Regions Conference of Presidents meeting held by video conference on the 24th March a five point action plan of the CoR was agreed to support and assist local and regional authorities on the forefront of the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic. The five-points Plan includes the launch of an exchange platform to help local and regional leaders sharing their needs and solutions and to enhance mutual support between local communities across Europe. It will also enable CoR Members to give their feedback on the EU actions already put in place, allowing a policy reality check from the ground. The CoR will provide regular and practical information about EU measures, with particular focus on the financing opportunities.
The European Alliance Group President Cllr Kieran McCarthy (Cork City) strongly supported the action plan and said it was vital that Regions and Cities across the EU worked together to ensure that this virus would be defeated and that regions and cities had to means at their disposal via EU and National Funding. He added it was hugely important for citizens to heed the advice of the relevant authorities regarding ‘staying at home’ and ‘social distancing’.
Commenting the endorsement of the Action Plan, the President of the European Committee of the Regions, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, said: “Our CoR members and all EU’s regional and local leaders are making extraordinary efforts in the fight against the pandemic. In these difficult times we must be united and act responsibly. Many Presidents of Regions and Mayors have asked me to establish an exchange platform that will allow CoR members and EU local and regional leaders to share their needs, feedback and ideas and to elaborate common solutions. The Action Plan will also allow to better target local communities’ healthcare needs and to address the social and economic aspects of the pandemic and their impact on local and regional authorities”.
Cllr McCarthy has also emphasised that the outbreak and rapid spread of COVID-19 is putting public sector organisations through great challenges and great stress with local governments, public administrations, local health services particularly at the forefront of the crisis; “This is a virus with a serious impact on public health, the economy and social and political issues. Different countries, and different regions within the same country are in different scenarios but knowledge of different interventions can help those on the front line with more information and how to drive the virus back”.
Cllr McCarthy added: “The EU has over 280 regions and members of the committee of the Regions stand ready to assist in core EU activities on COVID 19 combatting such as the collection of knowledge of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, to work with the EU’s advisory panel on COVID-19, offer advice on the operation on EU Civil Protection Mechanism and offer perspective on the roll out of the European Stability Mechanism and Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative”.
The European Committee of the Regions:
The European Committee of the Regions is the EU’s assembly of regional and local representatives from all 27 Member States. Created in 1994 following the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, its mission is to involve regional and local authorities in the EU’s decision-making process and to inform them about EU policies. The European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission consult the Committee in policy areas affecting regions and cities. To sit on the European Committee of the Regions, all of its 329 members and 329 alternates must either hold an electoral mandate or be politically accountable to an elected assembly in their home regions and cities. There are 9 Irish members in the CoR.
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For further information contact:
Cllr Kieran McCarthy 087 655 3389
Micheal O Conchuir +32 2 282 2251
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Covid-19 Update – Social Welfare & Restrictions, 24 March 2020
Please see details of announcement that have just been made in relation to the Covid 19 Social Welfare Payments and also the new restrictions which will now be in place until 19 April .
Increase in Covid 19 Special Social Welfare Payment
The Covid 19 Special Social Welfare Payment has been increased from €203 to €350 per week. This payment is also available to self employed people.
Employers to be given a temporary wage subsidy of 70% of take home pay up to a maximum weekly tax free amount of €410 per week to help affected companies keep paying their employees. This is the equivalent of €500 per week before tax
The Covid 19 illness payment is also increased to €350 per week – this is also for people in households who have been asked to self-isolate if 1 person is ill with Covid 19
The full details on this announcement are available https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/a6d8fa-government-announced-new-covid-19-income-support-scheme/
People can apply for forms for these special Covid 19 payments by emailing forms@welfare.ie they can also now apply online at https://www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/
New Restrictions In place until April 19th
- All theatres, clubs, gyms, leisure centres, hairdressers, marts, markets casinos, bingo halls, betting shops, libraries and other similar places are to shut.
- All hotels and non-essential retail outlets will close – a list of those will be provided.
- All cafes and restaurants should limit to take away and deliveries only.
- All sporting events are cancelled – including those behind closed doors.
- All playgrounds and holiday/caravan parks are to close.
- All places of worship are to restrict numbers visiting.
- All household contacts of someone waiting for a test should restrict their movements.
- All non-essential visiting to other persons homes should be avoided.
- All scheduled cruise ships to Ireland will cease.
- Factories or construction sites should not have to shut – authorities can work with them to make sure physical distancing is possible.
- There will be an increased presence of park rangers and gardaí in parks and public places to ensure that physical distancing is being observed.
- Significantly raise the amount of money available on cashless card transactions.
- All organised indoor and outdoor events of any size are not to take place
- Social distancing, in as far as practicable, is to be ensured between the clients/patients in confined settings, such as:
long term care facilities, either for the elderly or people with special needs;
psychiatric institutions;
homeless shelters
prisons
Ward Landscapes – Old Court Woods, Garryduff, Rochestown, March 2020
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, 19 March 2020
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 19 March 2020
Remembering 1920: The Murder of Tomás MacCurtain
One hundred years ago on the night of 19 March and the morning of 20 March 1920, Tomás MacCurtain (1884-1920), was murdered at his home in Blackpool. His murder is linked to the tit-for-tat violence between the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and the Irish Republican Army (IRA). For example, on 10 March 1920 District Inspector McDonagh was shot dead by IRA members. The response by the RIC was the ransacking of Sinn Féin clubs and the homes of key members such as Seán O’Sullivan and Professor William Stockley. On 19 March 1920, RIC Constable Joseph Murtagh was shot and killed by the IRA near the City Centre. The RIC response was quick and this time Brigade no 1 Commander Tomás MacCurtain was to be the target. He was murdered later that night. The details of the murder were detailed by his wife Eilís in her inquest interview some days later, of which I lay out below.
Tomás and Eilís MacCurtain had lived for some years at 40 Thomas Davis Street in the heart of Blackpool. By March 1920 they had five children living, of whom the youngest was ten months. In addition to her late husband her three-sisters, brother, two nieces, and a nephew lived in the house. Eilís went to bed at 8.30pm on Friday night 19 March 1920, but she could not say when her husband retired. Sometime during the night she heard a tapping as with a man’s fingers at the door, and sometime after that she heard the door being broken in. After she heard the tapping, and before it was being broken, in, she looked out of the window and asked who was there, and those below said, “Come down”. She asked, when they were breaking in the door, if they would give her time to dress. But she got no reply. “I had a candle lighting in the bedroom”, she said. “My husband got up out of bed and said, ‘Lizzi, I will go down myself”.
Eilís went to the door and opened it. She had a candle in her hand. A man rushed in with a blackened face. One man outside the door then asked “where was Curtain?”, and she said that he was upstairs. Six men rushed in the hall—four tall men and two small men. The two smaller men carried rifles, which they held against their side. One gave orders to hold that her, and the second tall man turned around and caught her and shoved her towards the door. He wore a big overcoat and cap. The men immediately went upstairs, with the exception of one who stood beside me at the door. They were not up several steps of the stair when she heard the firing of rifles or revolvers. When they were upstairs the baby that was in the room of Eilís and Tomás cried. Eilís called out “you have mothers, and I am a mother; for God’s sake let me bring down the baby”. The baby stopped crying when shots were fired. When the crying stopped she thought the baby had been shot.
Shortly afterwards as the six men left the house they shoved Eilís out before them on the street, where she cried for help. She asked if someone could go for the priest, that her husband was shot. There were ten or fifteen men on the road outside the door then. The six men who had been in the house were part of that group. Her brother was also calling out for a priest from a top window, and after an order of “fire” was given the body of men faced the door and fired up towards the windows. The groups left and immediately, she closed the door and saw no more of them.
The body of Tomás was taken from the floor and placed in the bed. Eilís remained downstairs for some time after the men left as she telephoned for a priest to the North Presbytery, and there was some difficulty in getting communication. She, however, succeeded in getting the priest. Before the priest arrived, she went upstairs and addressed her husband by his Christian name, and Tomás opened his eyes. Eilís then telephoned again for the priest, the ambulance, and the doctor. The priest arrived first and heard his Confession end administered the Rites of the Church, but he was dead when the doctor arrived.
At 20 minutes past 1am on Saturday 20 March the telephone of Dr William O’Connor on St Patrick’s Hill rang. He was told by a man at the exchange to hurry to Blackpool – that the Lord Mayor Tomás MacCurtain had been shot and was very bad. Being connected to the MacCurtain phone he heard Mrs MacCurtain’s voice who said the Lord Mayor was shot and she was afraid he was dying. The doctor immediately dressed, got some surgical dressings, rushed out and got a car on Patrick’s Bridge which took him to Blackpool immediately. When he got to the house he found the Lord Mayor lying on the landing, On examination, he found he was dead. His shirt was stained with blood and he had two wounds on the right side of his chest. Dr O’Connor did not make any further examination under the circumstances but made a postmortem examination on the following evening.
An hour after the murder Eilís was downstairs with the baby in the shop when a second visit was paid to the MacCurtain house. There was another tap at the door, and she asked “Who was there?” and the answer was: “Military, open”. She opened the door, and was met with four bayonets to her face, I asked; “In the name of God, what do you want now?” and I got no answer. I then said: “Didn’t ye tear the heart out of him with bullets, and do you want to get my brother, now?”. About six soldiers went into the house with fixed bayonets and four remained outside the door, and two on the street outside. One was familiar to her. He was an RIC officer stationed at Blackpool. The group left after checking the body of Tomás.
More next week…
Captions:
1040a. Tomás & Eilís MacCurtain with family, March 1920 (source: Cork City Library).
1040b. Crowd outside MacCurtain House, Blackpool Bridge, the day after the murder of Tomás 20 March 1920 (source: Cork City Library).
Covid 19 Update – Mortgage Deferrals, 18 March 2020
Details just announced by Minister Paschal Donohoe following his meeting with the Banking industry, which will be of interest to many people who have been affected by Covid 19. Work and negotiations are still ongoing.
The full details of this is available at https://www.gov.ie/en/news/878d4d-wednesdminister-donohoe-outlines-further-measures-to-support-individ/
People affected should contact their bank immediately to discuss their personal situation in relation to the below.
Home owners and Renters
-3 month payment break for mortgage holders impacted by the Covid-19 is to be put in place by all banks.
-Banks and the Minister are also to announce a deferral of repossession legal actions for three months.
-Landlords to also be given the opportunity for this 3 month payment break on their mortgages- this is to be passed onto tenants who have been affected by Covid 19
Small to Medium Business
-Loan guarantee scheme for small businesses fund of €50m.
– A deferral of up to 3 months on loan repayments
– Supports including extensions of credit lines, risk guarantees and trade finance
Further Measures
– Flexible arrangements on all loans for up to 3 months
-Contactless card payments to be raised to €50.
– Credit Unions have indicated that they will look favourably upon requests from members who seek assistance from their local branch.
COVID-19 Update – Social Welfare Emergency Payments
https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/covid19_and_social_welfare.html
Coronavirus, Contacts and Social Welfare Forms, 16 March 2020
This situation is moving quickly and this information is correct as of this morning but will no doubt continue to be updated in the days ahead.
Pensions
For those unable to collect pensions, they can nominate someone to act on their behalf and collect the pensions for them. An Post have provided the form at this link https://www.anpost.com/AnPost/media/PDFs/Appointment-of-Temporary-Agent.pdf
Travel
As with everything, this is a very fast moving situation and travel advice and guidelines from the Department is being updated regularly.
If you have constituents in Spain, please advise them to travel home as soon as possible, the Department of Foreign Affairs have worked with Spanish Authorities and the airlines to ensure extra capacity is available for Irish Citizens, but they have strongly urged all citizens to make arrangement to fly home by midnight on Thursday.
The Department of Foreign Affairs have a dedicated page which is being updated with travel advice and guidelines https://dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/coronavirus/
As of this morning the situation for travel is
Do not travel – Italy
Avoid non-essential travel – Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Iran, Laos, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Spain, Slovakia, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam
The United States
The United States Embassy in Dublin is now operating on a limited capacity, only processing emergency services for U.S. citizens and emergency visa processing.
The J1 Visa programme has also been suspended for 90 Day. I am working to get clarity on this situation as I have been contacted by a number of families for details on this.
Social Welfare
A new special social welfare payment has been created for all those left unemployed by Covid 19, this includes those who are self-employed. It is a simple 1 page form that must be downloaded and sent back into the social welfare office through free post at PO BOX 12896 Dublin 1. If people have a verified MyGovId they can apply for this online. The link below is to the form and full details on the payment.
The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) has published information on coronavirus for employers and employees.
It includes recommendations for employers to help support the response to the virus. It also includes information about changes to the Illness Benefit and Supplementary Welfare Allowance rules. These changes require legislation, which is expected to be passed by the Dáil on Thursday 19th March and Seanad on Friday 20th March.
Full details on this are available at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/99104a-covid-19-coronavirus/ this will continue to be updated as the situation progresses
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, 12 March 2020
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 12 March 2020
Remembering 1920: Outcomes of a Bye-Election
It was a tale of democracy in action versus the continuation of the violence between opposing sides within the second week of March 1920. On the 10 and 11 March 1920 Sinn Féin candidates Donal O’Callaghan and Barry Egan emerged as victors in the first bye-election post the January 1920 local elections for Cork Corporation. The Cork Examiner reports that Donal had no competition on the ballot paper in the South Ward No.1 Barry Egan fought off just one other candidate Independent Jeremiah Lane – 2,385 first preference votes versus 846 for Jeremiah in the City Centre ward.
Both Donal O’Callaghan or Donal Óg Ó Ceallacháin and Barry Egan are worthy Corkonians to remark upon in terms of their contribution to promoting Cork in 1920. With a little-known background bar his involvement as a young person in Sinn Féin, Donal within months of the bye-election, would become the third Lord Mayor of Cork in 1920 after Terence MacSwiney’s death from hunger strike. Donal’s life and times will be published upon in a book by UCC’s Dr Aodh Quinlivan later this year.
Barry Egan’s obituary on his death in 1954 in the Cork Examiner reveals much on his life and times. Born in 1879 Barry Egan was a grandson of the late William Egan, who founded the Egan jewellery firm in 1820. As a young man Barry went to France to learn his trade, and he returned to Cork to improve the standards of church furniture and vestments as manager of the family business in Cork. He revived the ancient and historic craft of the silversmith to the city that was once famous for that art. He loved to show visitors the workshops in his premises on St Patrick’s Street, where vestments and jewellery were made by highly skilled craftsmen and women, whose training he had done to improve. Barry was one of the pioneers of the Irish industrial revival in the early twentieth century.
Barry Egan was an active member of the Cork Chamber of Commerce with interests as well in tourism promotion. He was a founder also, and a former president, of the Irish Tourist Association, which in the present day has become Fáilte Ireland. Within months of his bye election win, Barry would also become the acting Lord Mayor after Terence MacSwiney’s death on 25 October 1920, become a target of the auxiliaries, flee to Paris for his life and be one of the key champions of rebuilding St Patrick’s Street after the Burning of Cork in December 1920.
On Thursday morning 11 March 1920, the result of Donal O’Callaghan’s municipal bye-election was announced by a poster from the window of the Sinn Féin Club on the Grand Parade, and there was also hung out an invitation to the public to step inside and see the results of an overnight RIC raid. The announcement bore the words: “Admission Free”.
Following on the shooting of District Inspector MacDonagh on Wednesday night 10 March 1920, large forces of police and military raided two Sinn Féin clubs mid a number of private houses in Cork. The headquarters of the Sinn Féin organisation in the city was the club at 56 Grand Parade, and this was entered at 2am on Thursday morning, 11 March 1920. The street door was not forced. The police had in some way provided themselves with a key. About fifteen police and soldiers were said to have entered, whilst a larger number awaited developments outside. There was nobody, in the club at the time. The Cork Examiner reporting on it wrote that not a picture remained unbroken, nor a chair nor a table. Five chairs were in the front room, and these appeared to have been broken and swung against the table or floor. Two tables also were broken, and the whole floor was strewn with broken glass. The photo near the door was of Mr J J Walsh, MP, for Cork City, and the glass and frame of this were broken whilst the photo itself bore a mark similar to what might be made by a blow of the butt end of a rifle.
A picture representing the shooting of Fenian Peter O’Neill Crowley at Kilclooney Wood, East Cork was pulled flown, and the glass and frame were broken; the picture itself was not damaged. The glass and frame of the picture showing a group of the leading spirits of the 1916 Rising were also broken. A similar fate befell the glass frame of a photograph of Madame Maud Gonne McBride. A frame in the front room of the club contained grass and leaves from the grave of Charles Stewart Parnell, Fenian Leader Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa and Easter Rising Director of Arms Michael Joseph O’Rahilly and this was torn down and its contents strewn about.
Two families lived over the club, and they became alarmed at the noise downstairs. When they heard the crashing of tables, chairs and pictures they thought that a fire had broken out in the building, and that the Fire Brigade were trying to force the door. One of the women rushed on to the stairs with her children, but only to see a policeman with a lighted paper in his hand, and a soldier by his side with a rifle, on the landing below. The policeman shouted up at her and asked if that part of the house was private property and, on her saying that it was they did not come any further. But she and her family, and another woman who lived in the house dressed and sat up for the remaining of the night for fear of another raid on the premises.
Captions:
1039a. Advertisement for Egan’s Silversmiths, St Patrick’s Street, from Cork: Its Trade and Commerce, 1919 (source: Cork City Library).
1039b. Former site of central Sinn Fein Club on the Grand Parade, Cork, present day (picture: Kieran McCarthy).
Kieran’s Question to CE and Motions, Cork City Council Meeting, 9 March 2020
Question to CE:
To ask the CE for an update on the tender process for Marina Park? (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)
Motions:
That the white lines be repainted at the entrance and exit from Maryville Estate to Blackrock Road (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)
That “Welcome to” Signs to Ballintemple Village and Blackrock Village be erected on routes entering the respective villages (Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
That a bus stop shelter be erected at Skehard Lawn stop next to the Petrol Station on Skehard Road (Cllr Kieran McCarthy)
That Cork City Council amend the Private Drains Information Leaflet to state that should the deeds of a house owner state that the house owner is responsible for their own drains then any pipe work repair / replacement will be the responsibility of the house owner only (Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
Ward Landscapes – Spring & Daffodils, The Marina, 8 March 2020
