Click play above to listen to an interview with Dance Cork Firkin Crane’s Laurie Uprichard and Yvonne Coughlan.
From Butter to Dance
The Firkin Crane was at the centre of Cork’s butter trade for almost 100 years, from its design, in 1855, by architect Sir John Benson, up until its closure in 1924.
It was the vision of Joan Denise Moriarty, the woman whose name is synonymous with Cork dance, to convert the building to a home for her dance company. It was bought for this purpose in 1979. Unfortunately, she would barely live to see her ambition come to fruition. The project was dogged with problems, including a fire which gutted the building in 1980.
With the support of former Taoiseach Jack Lynch and funding from public and private sources, including EU funds, the building was complete in 1992 and opened by then-Taoiseach Albert Reynolds in April 1992. However, Joan “De Knees,” as she was affectionately known by Corkonians, had passed away in January 1992.
Under the directorship of Mary Brady, it became the Institute for Choreography and Dance, until 2006, and a former of house of Jack Lynch’s, known as The Artist’s House, was acquired to support residencies from visiting dancers.
Dance Cork Firkin Crane celebrates 30 Years in Dance on Saturday, August 27 with a free public programme from 5pm to 9pm. Some highlights include:
30 Chances To Dance, a promenade performance through the city by choreographer and dancer Inma Pavon
A free youth dance workshop by Maria Sinnecker
Screenings of dance films from Cork dancers and choreographers including current dancer-in-residence Helga Deasy
For details of this event and the rest of the Dance Cork Firkin Crane programme, visit their website.
Want to know more? In May, we published a Long Read about the Shandon Butter Exchange, located next to the Firkin Crane, and about the state of play for Shandon as a cultural destination:
Dance Cork Firkin Crane: 30 years a-dancing