The Friday View 13/09
🌥️Unlucky for some, so it seems. That is, unless you’re fortunate enough to live in Cork and are still waiting for the bus. Well, in the meantime, enjoy the Friday View.
Give it back: Apple is a few things: one of the richest and most profitable companies in the world, the maker of some of the most successful and innovative tech gadgets globally, likely the largest private employer in Cork, and, as of this week, out of pocket after the European Court of Justice ruled in favour of the European Commission, confirming its €13 billion back-tax bill. The Irish government had pushed back on accepting this windfall as it exposed our favourable tax regime for multinational firms.
"It was a win that made me cry because it is very important," the EU’s Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager’s told a press conference when the ruling was handed down. "It's very important to show European taxpayers that once in a while tax justice can be done.”
Not to rain on Ms Vestager’s picnic but we should give it right back to Apple. Say, what? Well, read on.
A profit machine
As massive as the size of the tax bill owed to Ireland is, it’s drop in the ocean to Apple when you look at its books. Last year, pre-tax profits at Cork based Apple Operations International Ltd and subsidiaries increased by 2.5% to $71.07 billion (€65.87 billion).
While 2023 wasn’t Apple’s best year, it was far from being an annus horribilis. Apple recorded $383 billion in total revenue in 2023 and earned nearly $97 billion in net income.
Apple is one of those companies which makes it look like they can make money grow on trees. Apple trees.
Apple also has a long history in Cork; in 2020, it celebrated 40 years on the north side of the city. Today, it employs around 6,000 people in Cork, with a workforce comprising more than 90 nationalities. There’s a good chance you know someone who works at Apple, or know someone who knows someone who works there. The canteen, we hear, is very good.
But Apple doesn’t flaunt its connection to Cork or its presence here either. While its campus in Hollyhill is massive and expanding, you’re never going to see Apple pull a SuperValu and have their name emblazoned across a stadium, sponsor city bikes, or put up billboards proclaiming their love for Cork, etc. etc.
Perhaps one of the reasons Apple doesn’t make a big show of its presence in Cork is related to its subsidiary, Apple Operations International Ltd, which, a decade ago, US senators and tax experts claimed was being used as a means to facilitate billions in tax avoidance, Back in 2013, The Guardian sent reporters Simon Bowers to Cork to follow the money and while he didn’t have much luck in Hollyhill or in tracking down Cathy Kearney, Apple's vice president of European Operations, the report is well worth a watch, and doesn’t paper over aspects of Apple’s Northside base.
Fast forward to 2016, and another international outlet was in town, capturing all the usual stock images of Cork for its Apple report. The city and country were still reeling from the economic meltdown following the Celtic Tiger era, and the CNN reporter was there to gauge the sentiment in official Cork regarding the European Commission’s tax-bill investigation. Nobody had a bad word to say about Apple in that segment. (The piece was entitled Why Cork Loves Apple.)
Both CNN and The Guardian were relegated to filming outside Apple’s doors when they showed up. However, the company did allow media inside for its 40th anniversary celebrations in Cork. Apple produces very few tangible products in Cork. Instead, employees at its European HQ work in areas such as customer service and logistics. It has also invested in research and development. (Incidentally, IDA Ireland, through the government, offers a 25% tax credit on research, development, and innovation (RD&I).
In a feature to mark the 40th anniversary in Cork published by Apple, Cathy Kearney espoused Apple’s family traits. Ties to the community, such as mentoring at the nearby Terence MacSwiney School, were also highlighted.
Fast forward to this summer, and an Irish Times report revealed that Apple met with the Department of Enterprise in June. At that meeting, attended by Cathy Kearney, details of which were released under the Freedom of Information Act, Apple had a thing or two to say about the state of infrastructure in the city.
Per the IT: “But the company – which employs more than 6,000 at its European headquarters in Cork – also complained about infrastructure in the city including the road network as well as highlighting the need for an “adequate bus service”.
The meeting was told “the slow progress regarding the public infrastructure in Cork is very worrying and hindering Apple growth plans”.
This is neither new nor startling information; in fact, it’s depressingly all too familiar, but coming from Apple, it carries currency.
Ask Siri?
To return to the bold statement above: give the money back to Apple, but Apple would be locked in to spending it on infrastructure projects that would benefit the public in Cork, which of course includes Apple staff, their families, local schools, the list goes on.
How might Apple do that? Very well, one might imagine. First of all, Apple knows how to get things built, whether it’s new factories, iPods, or iPhones (granted, much of the tech is contracted out to companies in China). Could Apple apply its expertise to building housing, roads, public parks, or an electric bike scheme?
€13 billion and change suggests it could. Famously, Cadbury demonstrated that a company can build a town for the greater good, as it did when it established Bournville in England in the 19th century.
Would Apple bite? Well, it’s clear something needs to be done, especially in transport. Short of Apple running its own bus company, and you can be certain there would be no Apple logo on the side of those buses.
Briefly
Q: Which Fianna Fáil Cork City Councillor at a City Council meeting this week used the word “bums” to describe the individuals who he said have turned the Mary Elmes Bridge into a “no-go area” ?
A: The same councillor who called the NTA “balmpots” for their plans to improve Cork’s creaking bus service. That would be Terry shooting from the hip Shannon. None of his councillor colleagues remarked on his language, either because they’ve heard it all before from Cllr Shannon, or they weren’t listening.
Also, sticking with questions: which fee-paying secondary school in its admission form for new entrants inquires of the father’s and mother’s business address? Well, that would be the same one that used a PR firm to send out a press release announcing the success of its Leaving Cert students this summer.
We should know soon who will replace Ann Doherty, the former Chief Exec of Cork City Council, who herself was busy interviewing for top job at the Port of Cork. It looks likely that the City Council will welcome back Valerie O’Sullivan, a former director and former acting CE of Cork County Council. The doors they do revolve.
And finally, Friday the 13th might be unlucky for some but singer songwriter John Spillane launches his Lough opera today (full of ahhh swan songs!). Spilliane will be at the Lough this coming Sunday to formally launch that album Fíoruisce - The Legend of the Lough from 4pm. Album details here.
And one more finally, we’ve had lots of new subscribers this week which is great to see. If you can at all put your hand in your pocket and help by becoming a paying subscriber you’ll be funding indepedent journalism and writers.
Out + About
Upstart Festival returns to Glounthaune on Saturday with the best emerging music to come out of Cork City. Headlined by Cardinals, who have made waves in the past couple of months following the release of their self-titled EP and named by Fontaines DC’s Grian Chatten as one of his favourite new acts. Also on the bill are I Dreamed I Dream, a genre-blending five-piece band of beours, three members of the 90s cult band Manhole playing as The Men From Manhole, northside shoegaze band Mossy, affable young bachelors Single Men In Their Twenties, and Galway band Telebox. Get your tickets here.
Time, date, place: 4:30pm, Craig’s Field, Glounthaune.
The River Runs Round Festival is a music and arts festival run by singer-songwriter Matthew Xavier Corrigan. It returns for its second year with gigs in across the city. It begins this evening with a collaboration with Spaces in St. Peter’s, followed by a Circle gig in Coughlan’s with Lorkin O’Reilly (Dug), Luke O’Neill (Damsel) and Julia Maria. AVA Producer of the Year Rory Sweeney, who DJ sets are energetic and experimental plays a set in Dali. Tomorrow sees a talk in Plugd with fourth.best, a new platform for alternative Irish music, who speak with music journalist Dylan Murphy about the future of music journalism in Ireland. Rita Lynn presents Mystée y la Loba with Brian Leach in St. Peter’s on Saturday, while on Sunday, Little Known and Arthouse Van Houten play in Plugd, and Macdara Ó Faolain plays in Coughlan’s. Maureen’s also host a series of free acoustic shows, The Estuary at Maureen’s, starting at 12pm on Saturday and Sunday. See the full programme and reserve tickets here.
Time, date, place: Friday September 13-Sunday September 15, Plugd, Coughlan’s, Maureen’s, St. Peter’s, Dali, Rising Son’s, Cork.
Dublin-based artist Lisa Freeman explores the interdependence of power structures and relations, and examines how intimacy emerges and can be used as a form of resistance. Her film, Approx 1 Second of a Sweet Kiss, which follows an Irish woman as she makes her way through an unfamiliar city southern Europe and makes new connections, screens at the Sirius Arts Centre from Saturday onward. More information is available here. Also exhibiting at Sirius is Thais Muniz: Rites of Care, Curse & Comfort, an exhibition by Irish-Brazilian artist Thais Muniz that explores racism, displacement and memory. More information here.
Time, date, place: Saturday September 14-Saturday October 12, Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh.
Cinesalon are hosting an Experimental Film Festival this weekend with an eclectic program of local filmmakers. It kicks off in Plugd this evening, with Live & Opulent, an evening of live film performances by Shells Le Cain and Mick O’Shea, Vicki Davis, and Benjamin Burns. On Saturday, it’s up to Shandon for a day of screenings at The Guesthouse, with short films submitted to their open call playing between 1 and 3:30, and 2-6:50, while a focus on Arran Tenzin Bradstock and a screening of Kilter, Matter and Ghosts: Remnant by Natasha Bourke also feature. Sunday sees a talk with Rouzbeh Rachidi at the UCC Film and Screen Department, with screenings of films by them, and by Shells Le Cain. See the full program here. They also have an online program which is available here.
Time, date, place: Friday September 13-Sunday September 15, Plugd, The Guesthouse and UCC Film and Screen Department, Cork.
The Lavit Gallery is hosting a meet the artists this Saturday as well as performance by Cork-based Japanese dancer Haru (Hanako Nakajima) accompanied by musician and artist Harry Moore. The duo will be permfing as part of Civilisation Blooming which is on until September 21 and features the work of Seiko Hayase and Deirdre Frost. It’s an exhibition well worth seeing and the performance is a chance rot see contemporary butoh dance. Tea will be served.
Time, date, place: 4pm, Saturday September, Lavit Gallery, Wandesford Quay
Melts are a Dublin four-piece comprising of Robbie Brady on organ and synth, Hugh O'Reilly on guitar, Gaz Earle on the drums and lead vocalist Eoin Kenny. A psych-rock band, they’ve supported Gilla Band and Public Image Ltd. Supported by Cork and Lisbon five-piece Pôt-Pot, they play in Coughlan’s on Thursday. Tickets are available here.
Time, date, place: 7:30pm, Thursday September 19, Coughlan’s, Douglas Street, Cork.
That’s it for this week’s Friday View.
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