Joe McHugh Park is situated on the northern edge of the Mahon Peninsula, alongside the scenic Douglas Estuary. It once was part of the Crawford Lakelands Estate.
At one time approximately fifty mansions in the south-eastern suburbs of Cork City overlooked Douglas Estuary and Cork Harbour.
Samuel Lewis in his Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1846) notes within his Blackrock section on the large houses and estates:
“The scenery is of the most varied and pleasing character, exhibiting numerous elegant villas and cottages, with lawns, gardens, and plantations reaching down to the margin of the Lee, which is here a noble expanse of water more than a mile broad, constantly enlivened by steam-boats and other vessels…Besides these seats there are numerous villas which are let during the summer. The land is naturally very fertile, and is for the most part enclosed in lawns, gardens, and pleasure grounds; the rest, deriving from its contiguity to Cork an abundant supply of rich manures, and having the advantage of inexhaustible quarries of limestone and plenty of sea sand, is in a high state of cultivation, and supplies the Cork market with a large proportion of its vegetables. The substratum is limestone of excellent quality, which is extensively quarried for various purposes”.
The Origins of Lakelands:
One of the largest houses was that of Lakelands, whose original origins are attributed to Benjamin Bousfield (born 1740). Bousfield is an old Anglo-Norman name. Benjamin began his life in Aughadown in West Cork. Benjamin’s Grandfather was a Church of Ireland Minister, Co. Meath and there are also later references to Bousfield in the Church of Ireland in West Cork.
Benjamin’s father was a merchant in Cork. Benjamin received the Freedom of Cork in 1752. He became a High Sheriff of Cork in 1770 with an address in Aughadown. He was a book collector, whose books were later acquired by William Crawford. As the late eighteenth century progressed, he acquired many acres of land in the townland of Ballinure overlooking Mahon estuary.
Benjamin distinguished himself as an ‘earnest political writer’ and literary man. He wrote a reply to Edmund Burke’s celebrated work on the French Revolution, which was published in London in 1791. He was for the Act of Union in 1801.
The date of the construction of the house is sometime in the late eighteenth century.
Will West in his A Directory and Picture of Cork and its Environs in 1810 describes Lakelands house;
“The next house turning your view to the west, is one of the most neat, and handsome that opulence could define. The plan, elevation and everything about it forms a complete picture, being built upon a rising ground, commands a most extensive view at every point, and exquisite rows of beech trees interfere fed with a variety of ever-greens, descend to the brink of a lake, from which this seat took its name of LAKELAND.
It was lately the residence of Benjamin Bousfield, esq a gentleman of considerable literary ability…Mr. Bousfield has some time since, retired from this part of the country, and this elegant mansion is now occupied by William Crawford, esq”.
The Crawford Intervention:
By 1792 William Crawford had moved from County Down to Cork where he co-founded of the successful Beamish and Crawford brewery. By 1810 William Crawford occupied the fine and large residence Lakelands at Blackrock, to the east of the city overlooking the widening River Lee.
Cork City and County Archives possess the circa 1820 journal of William Crawford (ref: CCCA U18 Beamish & Crawford). The Journal contains household accounts as well as a list of books in the private library by Greek, Latin and Italian authors. Crawford had an extensive and wide-ranging library. The journal also includes sketch plans and other minutely recorded details of Lakelands. The archives relate that “of particular interest (at the end of the page) is the information about his servants: he employed a valet, groom, cook, kitchen maid, house maid, nursery maid and wet nurse”.
William’s son, William Crawford, continued the family involvement with the brewery, but was also active in the cultural life of Cork City. He was one of the founders of the Crawford School of Art.
Members of the Crawford Family (1838) by Augustin Amant Edouart presents a portrait in silhouette of individuals closely associated with Crawford Art Gallery’s development. It is believed to represent William Crawford (1788-1840) and the grandson William Horatio Crawford (1812-1888), at their Lakelands home.
The Gardens of Lakelands:
Under William Horatio Crawford, grandson of the first William Crawford, Lakelands House and Estate was full of collections and curiosities – namely its plant collection, oil painting collection and library collection.
An account in The History of Gardening in Ireland 1995 describes Lakelands as full of rare plants and shrubs from the Himalayas and South America, among them the Brazilian monkey-puzzle tree, Araucaria augustifolia then (c. 1850) 12 feet tall.
William Horatio’s love for plants was strong and the conservatories and gardens in Lakelands abounded with the rarest and most costly exotic trees and plants.
The surrounding grounds were richly planted with a rich arboretum of rare shrubs and trees from all temperate parts of the world. Here the magnificent Magnolia Canipbelli flowered for the first time in the open air, the tree being 30 or 40 feet in height. A visit to his grounds sometime in the 1870s, the story of which was published in the eminent The Gardener’s Chronicle, on 27 October 1888 (compiled series, p.485). The story outlines a walk though the arboretum.
“At the entrance to the mansion stand two large tubs of Philesia buxifolia, enormous masses, each 4 or 5 feet in diameter. Rare trees and shrubs from the Himalayas or Andes meet one’s eyes at every turn, while extensive ranges of hothouses and greenhouses are stored with rich collections of Orchids and other choice exotics. The collection of Browneas here is one of the finest in existence, and there is a large house of rare Himalayan Rhododendrons and other shrubs not often seen in cultivation”.
The Death of William Horatio Crawford:
On 19 October 1888, William Horatio Crawford was found dead at Lakelands house. He was buried in the Crawford family vault in Brooklodge, Glanmire.
On the funeral, the Cork Examiner detailed on 26 October 1888, the coffin was carried on a on a bier drawn by two horses and slowly left from Lakelands, travelled through the city centre to Brooklodge. Large crowds were in the procession with the coffin:
“Many members of the public boards took part in the procession, while institutions like the School of Art and the Queen’s College (of which the deceased was a great benefactor) were well represented. Business was suspended in the great brewery establishment of which Mr Crawford was the principal partner, and all the employees walked in front of the pair-horse bier, which bore the coffin containing the remains. The workingmen of the brewery, to the number of 120, camo first, wearing white scarves and hat-bands, and those were followed by thirty of the workmen employed at Lakelands, who wore similar tokens of mourning. Then came about thirty mechanics of the brewery, wearing black hat-bands, tied with white bows”.
Mr Robert Scott, Chair of the Crawford Art Gallery, held a special meeting on 29 October 1888 to reflect on William Horatio’s contribution to the city. The Cork Examiner records that he heaped praise on him;
“It would be almost out of place to refer to his great benefactions to the city of Cork, the large outlay on the Queen’s College and Berkeley Hall, and the sums that he spent in beautifying the Cathedral in this city; his interest in the various other charities to which he contributed in a generous manner, and to this permanent establishment, which will be to all future time a monument to his memory and which will I hope be in all future time maintained by the citizens of Cork for their children, and their children’s children to remoter generations”.
Selling off the Collections of Lakelands:
Soon after William’s death, processes began of selling off his plant collections (1889), oil paintings collections (1890) as well as the library of books (1891).
The Gardener’s Choice magazine for 21 September 1889 (compiled series, p.318) records that stove plants were to be disposed of, by private treaty, including a a number of BROWNEAS, JONESIAS. The plants could be be seen on application to the “Gardener, Lakelands, Cork”.
On 17 June 1890, the valuable and important collection of over 200 oil paintings of Lakelands House, were sold at auction at the Mart on Cork’s South Mall. There was a large attendance of buyers during the day, and as was anticipated, bidding was very brisk. The highest bid during the day was for David Tenier’s A Village Festival, which was knocked down to the bidder at £32.
Amongst the distinguished artists were the names of Murillo, Tintoretto, Carlo Maratti, Palma the Elder, Caracci, Rembrandt, Vermulen, Van der Velde, Juan de Urbino, Memlfog, Morris, Bovic Ostadt, Francis, Mieris, Albano, Van Os, Do Roos, Burghein, Philip de Champaigne, Hogarth, and several Important examples of the Early Italian Schools; Watercolours by Nicholann, Wcale, &c, and a few rare engravings.
On 9 February 1891, the Cork Examiner denotes that the following appeared in the magazine Truth; “The dispersal of the Lakelands library will he the great book sale of the year. There were upwards of 3,400 lots, and the sale at Sotheby’s in London is to extend over twelve days“.
The Cork Examiner article relates: “This library, which was carefully collected by the late Mr W T Crawford, regardless of trouble and expense, contains A marvellous number of exceedingly rare books, many of which are such veritable gems that connoisseurs regard them as practically priceless. There are an enormous number of curious works of the 15th century, and of important books from the presses of the most famous printers, as well as a splendid collection of illuminated manuscripts and rare engravings and etchings. There are some very scarce works relating to Ireland until America”.
Among its treasures were the Complutensian Bible, the “Valdarfer Boccaccio” (bought by Sotheran for the B.M. for £230), Caxton’s Mirrour of the World (£160), the Dante of 1481, some early Shakespeare quartos and folios, illuminated manuscripts, five lots of altogether 313 minatures on vellum, incunables printed by Gutenberg (Matthias de Cracovia, £15 to Quaritch), Mentelin, Sweynheim & Pannartz, Aldus, etc. The catalogue is unique of its kind in that it frequently mentions prices of other copies realized in other sales and those realized for the same copies in earlier sales.
Early Twentieth Century Lakelands:
It is recorded that Lakelands House and farm was purchased by Doctor Edmund Magner who lived in it from 1894 and beyond into the early 1900s. Doctor Magner stood for the County Council elections.
On 17 October 1914, a portion of Lakelands was sold at auction by Marshes Auctioneers at the instruction of the owner, Dr Magner, of the house. The advertisement in the Cork Examiner noted that the sale comprised “the Mansion Home, Farm Buildings, and about 85 Acres of rich Grazing Lands, including large, well-stocked, walled-in Garden about 3 Acres in extent; also the adjoining foreshore to low water mark; with exclusive sea-weed and gravel lights and a quay on which coal, etc., can be lauded from lighters. The entire held under Lease for a term of 972 years from 1805”.
Below are a few more highlights of the 1914 sale:
On Lakelands House: “The Residence is nicely situate, commanding extensive views of Lough Mahon and the surrounding country. It is approached from the road by an Avenue which winds through a lawn thickly planted with fine old trees and shrubs of considerable growth. The house itself is quadrangular in design and contains all the accommodation of a Country Mansion, including spacious Entrance Hall, 4 Large Reception Rooms, 11 good Bedrooms, and several other rooms used as store- rooms, etc.; Kitchen, Pantries, Servants’ Rooms, etc., etc”.
On the lands of Lakelands: “The Lands are justly celebrated for their great fattening and finishing qualities, and have the reputation of being the primest in the county. The fields are well divided and strongly fenced They are perfectly level and easy of access from the public road, and are at present all in permanent pasture, capable of carrying an abundance of grass at ell seasons. Having being continually grazed for some years, they will be found in excellent heart and quite equal to a considerable quantity of fine old timber, as to afford splendid shelter, and to interfere containing numerous heated Glass-houses and substantial annual revenue”.
On the Farm Buildings: “The Farm buildings are in two lock-up yards, and are, perhaps, the most extensive and permanent range to be found on any lidding in the county. Principally stonebuilt and slated, they represent the outlay of thousands of pounds. Three largo Cattle Stalls fitted with iron racks afford accommodation for 150 Dairy Cows; Hay Barn about 200 feet in length capable of holding 500 Tons of Hay; 2 large Implement Sheds, etc., etc. The Stabling is in a separate yards, all lofted, comprising’ loose boxes and standing stalls for 16 Horses; 2 Coach Houses, Harness Room, Potato House, Cart Shed, numerous Calf Houses and Piggeries, etc. There is also a comfortable Steward’s House and two Gate Lodges, and pipe water is laid on throughout the House and Lands”.
Michael Walsh in his Bureau of Military History statement (WS1521) notes that in 1919 men from B/Company were engaged in the construction of a dugout at Lakelands, for the storage of petrol for brigade purposes. Upwards of a dozen men were engaged periodically large barn, out-offices purposes of converting a large barn, out-offices and stores into a suitable storage depot. Some word of their activities reached police the military before the job was completed. Police and military arrived one day and burned the place down. Luckily enough, none of the Volunteers were on the job when the British forces arrived.
During the First World War, the Cork Coursing Club are known to have started out at Lakelands. The Cork Examiner writes in the coursing on 30 September 1922; “The Blackrock Coursing Club are indeed lucky to possess the sporting rights of such a far-famed preserve. On last Sunday there was assembled a crowd of about 500 sportsmen and about 65 greyhounds. At Ballinure when the writer arrived, and indeed It was a gathering of which any club might justly be proud. When the order to move was given, the crowd needed no second word of command, as they were as eager as only good sportsmen can be to start”.
Local Blackrock man Tom O’Mahony was gamekeeper for the Cork Coursing Club around 1923. He was also delegate for the Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association, and was also delegate to the Cork County Open Coursing Clubs Association of which he is now life honorary vice -president. Tom was also call steward for the first international coursing meeting held in Ireland in 1959 at Lakelands.. Various pressures made it important that the club should own its own coursing grounds and they moved away from Lakelands as the years progressed.
On 30 September 1926, the entire Lakeland estate comprising of an area of about 231 acres of “well-known prime fattening lands with Cottages and Buildings thereon” were sold in five lots by W Marsh & Sons – as instructed by the executors of the will of the owner of the estate. Ground rent connected to a lease arrangement in lot 2 dated to 1787. The sale as advertised in the Cork Examiner denoted: “The lands generally are well known to he the primest in the vicinity of Cork, and are at present all in grass, in grand heart, carrying abundance of rich pasture. Pipe Water is laid on to all the lots, excepting Lot 1”.
Late Twentieth Century Lakelands:
In 1959, the first political pitch to create the foreshore of the historic estate as a public walkway was proposed. Members of Cork Corporation sought a report from the Medical Officer of Health on the possibility of developing the foreshore at Lakelands, Blackrock and making it a place of relaxation for the public. Proposer of the motion Alderman. J. W. Reidy urged “That this Corporation recommend lo the Government to take immediate steps to clean the foreshore and. It possible, extend the strand on beach at Lakelands, Blackrock, and equip and furnish this vast area so ns to accommodate and be an attraction lo local residents, city people and visitors, and a place of relaxation, pleasure and amusement for the residents of Cork City and the vicinity and particularly for the kiddies”.
Creating Joe McHugh Park:
The site of Lakelands house is now occupied by a regional road and apartment complex of Jacob’s Island whilst the core of the former estate is marked by Mahon Shopping Centre.
In 2003 preparation works for Mahon Point Shopping Centre complex revealed several features from the Lakelands estate. Two access roads and a number of garden features such as its icehouse, estate wine cellar and three walled gardens were archaeologically excavated.
In the wider area in the present day, a laneway, a boathouse and the Crawford Quay have been preserved for posterity.
The former estate lands was presented to Cork City Council by the McCarthy Family for the creation of a public park. It was opened to the public on 30 September 2005. The 18 acre park remembers Joe McHugh, Cork City Manager 1974-1986, and who died in 2002. He was widely regarded as a person who led the entire Mahon Cork Corporation housing development in the 1970s and 1980s.
The £2 million amenity was developed by Cork-based McCarthy Developments as part of their multi-million euro Jacob’s island residential development. People can walk all the way from Harty’s Quay in Rochestown to Blackrock Castle.
Check out Crawford’s Quay on the Douglas Estuary as well as historic stonewalls. storehouses, and trees indicate a location that was once a hive of activity.
The Monkey Puzzle Tree Collapse, 2020:
On 19 August 2020, as Storm Ellen raged, the giant and well known Monkey Puzzle Tree crashed through a fence and towards, but not onto, the westbound lane of the N40. The distinctive towering tree, which was located on the southern side of the N40 South Ring Road, dated from the 1840s, and was the last botanical remnant of William H Crawford’s once magnificent Lakeland gardens.
Cork city councillor Kieran McCarthy, UCC’s Dr Eoin Lettice, O’Callaghan Properties and St Michael’s Credit Union joined together to ensure locals with fond memories of the tree could take part of it home. A section of it was cut into 180 small blocks, about the size of a shoebox.
Read more: Cork residents snap up pieces of iconic monkey puzzle tree
Read about Loughmahon Park here, 11. Loughmahon Park | Cllr. Kieran McCarthy