The Friday View 06/09
A plan to make Douglas Street great again, Miracle of Sound gains members, Cork City Council's monthly meeting returns next Monday and there's exhibitions galore to explore around Cork.
☀️Hello and welcome to the Friday View o T+D. Let’s get to it!
In praise of Autumn Fest on Douglas Street: The weather held, and the crowds were out on Douglas Street this past Sunday for the street’s annual Autumn Fest. It was a blast. There was music and food all the way up the street. At the Capwell end, Pitch’d put on a full day of circus shows that were short and compelling. At different intervals all along the way, there were food stalls, face painting, a games area for younger kids, DJs, a ukulele band, a piano surrounded by trad musicians, and a wonky table tennis.
It was all possible because of the considerable efforts of the local business association, with support from the City Council and the neighbours who pitched in and moved their cars off the street for the day. No cars were allowed up and down the street for the duration of the festival. It’s all the more impressive because Douglas Street doesn’t have a full-time lobby group behind it; rather, it’s a patchwork of businesses and locals trying to push on through and raise the game of the street. They did that last Sunday. And with the redevelopment plans that are out for public consultation, they have even more of a chance to turn the street into a public gem.
Make Douglas Street Great Again: This past Monday and Tuesday, Nano Nagle Centre hosted a public consultation on a suite of improvements for Douglas Street, White Street and Mary Street which would essentially make it less car clogged and even more classy!
Right now, the city is a patchwork quilt of these public realm improvements: Morrison’s Island, on Grand Parade at Bishop Lucey Park, upgrades on Grand Parade and St Patrick’s Street.
One of the primary goals of the Douglas Street revamp is to limit through traffic and make the area pedestrian friendly, and one aspect that the scheme tackles is the five-point junction between Evergreen Street, Friar Street, Abbey Street and Industry Street. At the moment, the junction is a confusing mess, with little clarity as to who has right of way. This scheme would resolve that confusion.
On traffic, one of the many interesting infographics on display at Nano Nagle pertained to car ownership in South Parish. More people in South Parish (58%) don’t one a car than do, which might come as a bit of a shock when you travel 2kms into the suburbs and you’d be forgiven there are parked cars than people. Even to look at Douglas Street, at the best of times it’s car clogged and a traffic bottle neck at the best of times. But, under the new plan it would essentially become a low traffic neighbourhood or LTN.
The devil is in the detail, and some of it is spelled out below.
Under the current plan, any traffic accessing Abbey Street through this point will only be able to access the Nano Nagle Centre, and Abbey Street would become a cul-de-sac, as from here, the top of Mary Street and Douglas Street would be pedestrianised. Vehicles could access Douglas Street at Dunbar Street, where it would become one way eastbound as far as Rutland Street.
The area of Douglas Street between Dunbar Street and White Street would probably be the part that makes the most sense to pedestrianise, considering that this is where many of the street’s businesses are located. While outdoor seating is proposed outside Fionnbarra’s and Iberian Way, there is nothing outside Novecento, and it would make sense to pedestrianise this area and allow for a similar type of outdoor seating as Princes Street or Pope’s Quay.
Further down Douglas Street, on the car park opposite Coughlan’s Bar, a public plaza and park is proposed, with an outdoor performance space. The park would also encompass the street and no through traffic will be permitted here. There are a few mechanics-based businesses on this part of the street - John McGrath Motors, Murphy Engine Overhauls, and CB Motorcycles - access to all will be retained but parking in the area will be greatly reduced.
Change is never greeted with unanimous applause, but if the Autumn Fest proves anything, it’s that Douglas Street really could become an authentically sweet spot in the city. The new plans unveiled this week are certainly the right path to follow.
Miracle of Sound: If you follow Gavin Dunne, one of Cork’s most famously lesser-known musicians, you’ll have noticed that he was in a bit of an online spat recently with a fellow artist—hey, who isn’t when it comes to anything online. More interestingly is the news that he’s put together a band, and they are heading out on the road.
We profiled Gavin, better known by his artist name, Miracle of Sound, a few years back, and as his online metrics prove, there are a lot of people listening to his music. He’ll be hoping to translate those clicks into ticket sales with his new group. No tour dates have been announced yet, but surely there’ll be a gig or two in Cork.
Looking down on Cork:It’s true that everything looks better from up high, and photographer Dennis Horgan proves that point with his new exhibition, which opened this week on Cook St. Cork Above All has all the crowd-pleasers in there: the Shakey Bridge, Shandon, Cobh visited by a giant cruise ship, Páirc Uí Chaoimh during a Bruce Springsteen concert, as well as plenty of aerial shots of the Lee splintering its way through the city. One favourite shot is The Lough, which perfectly captures its oblongness.
The mic from the opening night was still in place when we dropped by this week, but definitely do stop by between now and mid-October to have a look. Dennis’s book, This is Cork, is also available to buy. The exhibition is in the building just across from the Framemaker and John Grace’s on Cook Street (we can’t remember what was in there before, but it’s good to see it back in use, even if only temporarily).
More Cork, old Cork: Sticking with photographs and photos of Cork, Joe Healy, another person we’ve profiled on T+D, also has a photo book out (an exhibition of Joe’s work would be great to see too, perhaps on Cook St 👀👀👀).
Many people will be familiar with Joe’s shots, which he has been posting on social media for the past number of years, but now they’re all together in Cork In Decades Past.
Joe told T+D that the book is a labour of love and has been many years in the making. “I have always enjoyed strolling around town and further afield, taking pictures with my camera, and I must say that I have equally enjoyed carrying out the research which accompanies the photos featured in the book.
“I have been overwhelmed by the support and feedback the book has received since its publication, and I would like to take the opportunity to thank all those who have bought a copy so far.”
You can order Cork In Decades Past online here, and it’s also available to pick up at The Roughty Foodie (The English Market), Carrigaline Bookshop, Bookstation (Douglas), and Leaf and Bower (Ballincollig).
Council meetings: There’s plenty of motions to pick through from the upcoming Cork City Council monthly meeting, the first back since the summer break. It’ll be held in City Council chambers and streamed online on Monday, September 9.
Newly elected Social Democrat Cllr Pádraig Rice has Tramore Valley Park on his agenda, specifically that “Cork City Council agrees that Tramore Valley Park has untapped potential.” (Not sure if anyone is going to be in disagreement there).
Anyways, Cllr Rice wants to see:
Improved pedestrian access from Ballyphehane to the park
An accessible playground
More bins
The creation of a dog park
Additional seating
Thankfully, there was no mention of a bike shed! The first point, access from Ballypheane is a big one and would create parity with Grange/Frankfield. The dog park is interesting in that the issue has been kicking around a while now. You might recall T+D had a (very) long read on the topic which you can read here.
Cork Podcast Festival kicked off this week and it has, as the papers would have it, something for everyone, except for, well podcast makers, or those looking to get a better idea how the sausage made. Instead, it’s just wave after wave of talking heads surrounded by mics talking shop on different stages in the Opera House. While many of the shows are touring gigs, a show from the Rebel Army (Cork City FC) podcast and local funnymen Chris Kent and Cornelius O’Sulivan, give the fest a bit of local flavour.
Not in the Opera House, or in the Festival, but scheduled to take place on the penultimate day of the Cork Podcast Festival, Rob Heffernan and Laura O’Mahony take to the stage of The Everyman for their podcast Red Raw Live for one night only on September 14. At this rate, T+D will have to start a podcast. Again.
Out + About
The American saying goes: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and with that in mind Cork Clothes Swap returns to St. Peter’s on Saturday. Running every month, you can bring and take up to five items of clothing. But there are a few rules: Wash & dry your clothes in advance as they won’t accept unwashed or damp clothes, and they won’t accept swimwear, underwear or pajamas for hygiene reasons, nor shoes, accessories, bags or children's clothes. Just book your ticket on Eventbrite and for one of the two slots.
Time, date, place: 11am-1pm, Saturday September 7, St. Peter’s, North Main Street, Cork.
Exhibition of the week: Amna Walayat is a Pakistani-born visual artist who makes incredible women-themed paintings in an Indo-Persian style. Her last exhibition at the Sirius Arts Centre offered an insight into her culture in a manner that we would not usually see in Ireland. She collaborates with Tina Whelan, who comes from a very different background to herself, with Songs From A Lost Paradise, which focus on the womb as a symbolic space, at the Laneway Gallery.
Time, date, place: Saturday September 7-Saturday September 28, Laneway Gallery, Shandon Street, Cork.
Gig of the Week: Sounds Original is a quarterly event of music and musicians, poets, dancers & artists, organised by Fi Tierney. This Sunday’s lineup includes singer-songwriter Colm Philpott, vocalist & piano player Wike, oud playing duo Mesopotami, and singer Nella. Tickets available here.
Time, date, place: Sunday September 8, The Roundy, Castle Street, Cork.
Sports on the Green: To celebrate International Clean Air Day (Saturday September 7), Cork City Council is hosting a number of events throughout the city. At the City Library on Grand Parade a mix of scientists and artists wll be engaging kids and adults alike during the morning, while out at Tramore Valley Park kids between the ages of 4 to 12+ are invited to try out a range of sports including athletics, GAA, soccer and cricket. Coaches will be on hand with full details and sign up here.
Time, date, place: Saturday September 7, various venues
That’s it for this week’s Friday View.
Any tips, comments, news or events you’d like to share with Tripe+Drisheen, you can contact us via at tripeanddrisheen@substack.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. Have a lovely weekend.
ICYMI: This week on T+D.
On Monday, Noel Sweeney showed some of his photos from Skibbereen:
While on Tuesday, JJ had a look at the city parklets, five years on:
