The Friday View 04/11
November is here and the rain isn't going away. We have a field guide to Cork as well as some recommendations for the week ahead.
A field guide to Cork: 1-50
Cork contains the multitudes and there will never ever be a definitive listicle to capture it all. But try, we must. In no particular order and unranked an in-exhaustive guide to life by the Lee:
The Double
John 3:7
“Take me back? What do you mean if they take me back?”
Cmeretimme
Cmeretimmegowanaway
I will yeah, bai
“Anthony. ANTHONY. Come in for your dinner.” A generation of Cork mams.
Anthony: “Two secs, Mam.”
Cork main drainage
Cork 800
Carrigaline on top
De berries
I'm allerge
You're some langer
Pull like a dog
I will now yeah in a minute (Also, I will yeah now in a minute)
Mo ghrá go daingean tu
How oft do my thoughts in their fancy take flights
City till I die
Here's up them all says the boys of Fairhill
Where's me jumper?
After all, I really love you
And that's another reason why I left Old Skibbereen
Gwanaway
“I was a great believer in hot buttered toast at all hours of the day.” Frank O'Connor on de ball
Tanora and Barry's Tea served here. Sign in a pub window in Thurles on Munster final day.
The Tall Ships
The Shakey Bridge
The biggest county
The tallest building in Ireland
The longest street in Ireland
The longest building in Ireland
The second deepest harbour in the world
The Shawlies
“You put that swan on a lead.”
You're only massive
Echo, Evening Echo
“Bullshit! I'm Minister for Gun-Running, DaylightRobbery, and General Mayhem.” Michael Collins as played by Liam Neeson
I’ll bate yeah
Mockeyah, bai
Mother of God Almighty Tonight
D'mind that eejit
Are you going jazzing?
A moving statue
“Georgie, remove the bodies!”
The Four Faced Liar
The Kinsale Road Roundabout
The Battle of Kinsale
“I'm not a humanitarian, I'm a hell-raiser.” Mother Jones, Cork woman extraordinaire
Tripe and drisheen
-JJ
News in brief
Six months of protest
Every Thursday for the past six months, musician Martin Leahy has traveled from his home in West Cork to Dublin to sing his song “Everyone Should Have a Home” outside Dáil Éireann. This week was the six-month anniversary of that journey and protest. Back in June I wrote about why Martin took to the road and about his struggle to keep a roof over his head and so I dropped him a line this week ahead of that six-month anniversary. As Martin told me, the song and the protest and the commitment to keep protesting week in, week out “started from a place of despair and hopelessness.”
“Going up there and singing my song at that time felt like the only thing that was available to me to do and whether it was actually of any use or not it did feel useful. Over the six months, though, it has developed into something that feels very worthwhile. Lots of people stop by to tell me their stories and support the issue.” Martin Leahy
Martin said he’s heard countless heartbreaking stories of homelessness and housing struggles during his weekly protest over the past half year. As for the road ahead - will he keep on keeping on? When he started out Martin said he had no fixed plan, and “I don’t have a plan going forward but it feels like it’s something I need to continue with for now. It’s a human rights issue in one of the wealthiest countries in the world.”
Tweet of the week
Ann and Frank Cogan retired from running the cafe at Charles Fort in Kinsale this week. It was, as their son Mark wrote on Twitter, “the end of an era.” We wish them all the best in their retirement.
Photo of the week
All that jazz
Depending on which paper you read the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, which took place over the bank holiday weekend, resulted in a windfall worth €45m for the city (The Independent) or €20m (The Echo). Wildly different figures indeed. There was no shortage of rain, but that didn’t keep the crowds away (50,000 people turned up according to The Irish Examiner). Next year will see the 45th edition of the jazz fest.
Out + About
Trad talks. We need to talk about trad. Personally, I prefer my trad served up on instruments, but nonetheless there’s a mighty line-up of trad musicians for Trad Talk 2022 which will be taking place in the Boole in UCC this coming Saturday. Included are musician and broadcaster Tristan Rosenstock as well as fiddler Oisín Mac Diarmada. David Francis, a director with director with Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland will be talking about trad across the water, while larla Ó Lionaird will chair a panel discussion with Ceara Conway, Inni-K and Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh entitled Sean-nós Encounters, while Robbie O'Connell and Jimmy Crowley will be remembering Limerick born US-based singer Mick Moloney who died earlier this year. All events are free including a light lunch but you need to register first. Surely they’ll end the day with music and song?
Time, date, place: 9.30am - 5pm, Saturday November 5, Boole Basement 3, UCC
Ciorcal Cnon na hAoine. The sessions are still ongoing at The Kabin Studio in Knocknaheeny, but they’ve moved them indoors, which is probably for the best given the recent weather. Run by Creative Tradition, it's an open invite for anyone who’d like to come along and join in (in music or song), or if you’d just like to listen in. Ciorcal Cnon na hAoine will meet on the first and third Fridays of each month over the winter. More information here.
Time, date, place: 6-8pm, Friday 4 November, The Kabin Studio, Harbour View Rd, Hollyhill
Art now. As part of the tie-up between the Glucksman Gallery and Cork City Libraries, there’s a free one-hour art workshop this weekend in the Frank O’Connor library in Mayfield taking the state of the planet as the theme. Artist Meadhbh Healy will be leading the workshop and teaching illustration techniques using recyclable and sustainable materials so that children can create their own story about the environment. The Save Our Planet! workshops will take inspiration from original works of art on loan to City Libraries from the University College Cork art collection as part of the Glucksman Art Library initiative. Free to attend. Registration information here.
Time, date, place: 2-3pm, Saturday November 5, Frank O’Connor Library, Mayfield
LOL. You can catch the Snatch troupe this coming Tuesday at The Roundy where they’ll be performing their monthly improv gig. Snatch Comedy is one of Ireland’s longest-running improv groups, having formed in 2002, and are back to performing on a monthly basis since this year. You can listen to Ellie’s Arts+Culture podcast with the crew from Snatch recorded earlier this year, and if that impresses you then get yourself along to The Roundy for their 9pm show. Audience suggestions are encouraged and the Snatch troupe has to grasp the nettle and run with it. The results will be “spontaneous, hilarious, unexpected and always great fun!” So says the Snatch crew anyway. Tickets are €10 and can be purchased at the door.
Time, date, place: 9pm, Tuesday November 8, The Roundy, Castle Street
The Blue Night. Anahuac Mexican Dance Ireland and Cali Cultural Centre are coming together for a special night of culture from across central and Latin America this weekend at St. Peter’s. Included in the line-up are Johnny Arias aka “Charro Dublin", Pamela Luque, Carlos Paz, Alma Bolivian Dance Group and belly dance group Anouk. Called La Nieble Azul (The Blue Night) the evening of festivities will celebrate the day of the dead through song and dance. Tickets and more information here.
Time, date, place: 6pm, Saturday November 5, St Peter’s, North Main Street
Gaffs. Author and lecturer Rory Hearne will be in Cork city next week to talk about Gaffs his new book which details all that’s wrong with housing and accommodation in Ireland. Hearne is a prolific writer on the housing and rental crisis here and he’s also the host of the Reboot Republic podcast. All welcome and no booking required.
Time, date, place: 7pm, Wednesday November 9, Waterstones, St. Patrick’s Street
Music at Midday Series. Musicians Lily Munday, Kate O'Shea, Síomha Marron, Niamh Bourke and Jake Kalilec will gather this Sunday in the Crawford Art Gallery as part of a collaboration between the art gallery and MTU Cork School of Music for the music at midday series - and yes it does start at midday. Bar Kalilec (piano) all of the four other musicians will be on fiddle playing a selection of music that explores traditional Irish music and its contemporary fusions with folk and jazz. All welcome. Free entry. More information here.
Time, date, place: 12pm, Sunday 6 November, Crawford Art Gallery, Emmet Place
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That’s it for this week’s Friday View. Be sure to stop by tomorrow for our weekly Arts+Culture newsletter. As always any tips, news or events you’d like to share with Tripe+Drisheen, you can contact either of us at jj.odonoghue@gmail.com or emailellieobyrne@gmail.com. We are always happy to speak to people off the record in the first instance, and we will treat your information with confidence and sensitivity. Get in touch.
