☕️The Friday View 20/02
The pods are coming down. Will we ever see a Cork museum of music? Much a do about drones and our round-up of what's on for the week ahead.
Hello and welcome to the Friday View. Let’s get to it!
“Robo trees” meet city PODs: This week signalled curtains for one of the ill-fated pods directly outside Bishop Lucey Park, as the screens went up to allow workers in to dismantle it. The pods are closing in on two decades of existence and, apart from the one occupied by Three Fools outside the City Library, they could be chalked down to a bad experiment. The Bishop Lucey Park pod was too close to the park and obstructed the view of it — something we can all appreciate now, since the park has been revamped and the railings taken down.
“It’s a mistake. It’s a disaster. The park gates are a protected structure and we’re blocking them,” Cllr Denis Cregan said at the time, according to The Examiner. Traders in the English Market were also critical of the glass boxes.
Then City Manager, Joe Gavin, defended the pods, arguing that they would “enhance the attractiveness and bring a new ambience to the street”.
City Council TV: Late last year, Cork City Council moved the recording of its meetings to a new platform, one which is widely used by local authorities across Ireland and the UK. Apart from some technical difficulties during December’s meeting, it’s been a smooth transition and it’s a better product. However, the monthly meetings are still not archived, meaning that unless you tune in during the live broadcast (or record it yourself), there’s no way to review proceedings.
That said, as Cllr Oliver Moran told T+D, there’s also a tacit acceptance that members are reusing video clips of themselves speaking in the chamber. In the recent revision of standing orders, this was openly accepted and agreed that it was fine.
He also said that councillors are discussing how media can reuse the clips without running the risk of misrepresentation, bias, or satire. That will never be foolproof, but as he noted, the Houses of the Oireachtas have a special licence for media reuse, which he shared in the chamber. The final step in the process is to make the archive available for public viewing.
A museum of music: On the agenda at this month’s full council meeting was a motion by Cllr Damian Boylan (FG) to develop a dedicated Museum of Music in and for the city. In itself, the idea is good - as Cllr Oliver Moran said, “Cork is an anagram of rock!”, and councillors welcomed the motion. The museum would be a physical space to celebrate and document the contribution of musicians including stars such as Rory Gallagher and Seán Ó Riada, but also musicians like John Mitchell and bands such as the Sultans, and many others.
Another aspect the potential museum would celebrate is Cork’s “iconic” music venues. Places such as Sir Henry’s, the Arcadia (a U2 favourite), and The Lobby immediately jump out. The museum could also be used as a “living space” for clubs and organisations such as the Cork Pipers’ Club to gather, play, and keep culture alive.
But, in spite of best intentions, it’s likely that a venue is the exact reason this motion is destined for “motion heaven.” Why? Well, the City Council is unlikely in the extreme to take on a project like this by themselves (budget, lack of will). Despairingly, the city centre is overflowing with derelict and vacant buildings — on our most recent walk through Tuckey Street, at least half the buildings there are vacant. Add in the rents, which are only going one way, and in all likelihood, is the Cork Museum of Music one more idea destined for “motion heaven”?
Florida intrigue: Restaurateur Patricia Toscano, whose daughter owns and runs the long-established Ristorante Rossini on Princes Street, has been the subject of reporting in The Independent following the sale of a Florida mansion for $16 million (€13.5 million) in 2025.
As The Indo reports, on April 4 last year, a property in Coral Gables was sold to Toscano for $3 million. Eleven days later, she sold it for $15.8 million — file that under sale of the century. However, Toscano’s former partner, New York lawyer Michael Griffith, who was the guardian of the house’s then owner, Jeffrey Gerson, claims that he and Toscano had an oral agreement to split the sale price 50-50. She disputes this.
Griffith subsequently filed a motion in Florida for legal action, but the papers were incorrectly served to her daughter Katie at Rossini’s on Princes Street. Per The Indo: “As it stands, it appears that Ms Toscano has walked away with approximately $8 million. Mr Griffith, meanwhile, is attempting to keep his legal case alive.” Business reporter John Mulligan discusses the case in depth on the Indo Daily here.
Drone wars: Anyone watching the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina could not be but impressed by the drone shots in the skiing, snowboarding, bobsleighing, et al. It’s as if these sports were designed for drones.
Nearer to home, drones and who gets to operate them over the sky in Cork were a source of controversy following a decree by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) of an impending temporary no-fly zone, due to be implemented across the city to facilitate new commercial operators, such as Manna, for drone deliveries.
What makes the entry of Manna, and companies like them, different is that they will operate beyond their visual line of sight (unlike, say, drones being operated by commercial photographers, videographers, or engineers). The no-fly zone could have a serious impact on their work.
The Dublin-based drone delivery service is piloting its scheme out of the Marina Market with some of the food operators based there. It’s likely that a solution will be found imminently to allow all drone operators to carry on as before. One cohort who will definitely be looking up at the sky is the couriers who crisscross the city in all weather conditions. Are the drones coming for their jobs
Flagging
The City Council's pot of €285,000 to be doled out under the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) 2026 is now accepting applications from organisations. The funding can be used to carry out building repairs and improvements, as well as purchasing new equipment. The scheme does not provide funding for running costs, pay, or employment of staff. More information here. Deadline of applications 5pm Friday February 27.
Cork Harbour Festival, which takes place from the end of May into the beginning of June, has opened registration for its signature event, the Ocean to City race, on May 30. The race sees rowers and paddlers set sail (or oar!) in Crosshaven and push all the way to the finish line at Kennedy Quay. It's a feast of crews in currachs, dragon boats, kayaks, SUPs, outriggers, and canoes - and maybe even a bathtub Early bird registration until March 12 with discounts.
Cork French Film Festival: Alliance Française de Cork is back with the 37th edition of the week-long festival of French cinema, which runs from March 2–8. It’s not a packed schedule by any means, but it includes a few standouts, including La Vérité, an Oscar-nominated crime thriller starring the singular Brigitte Bardot. Also showing is François Ozon's adaptation of L'Étranger, with Jean Valjean closing out the festival.. Full programme here; all shows in The Arc.
Out + About
🥢Low intervention Sundays: Chefs Pádraig Nagle (Miyazaki) and Epi Rogan (formerly The Glass Curtain / Paradiso) are back for a follow-up at L'Attitude 51 this weekend, following their successful debut last month. Japan and East Asian cuisine are the inspiration, while the ingredients are wild and Irish: sea beet, wild garlic, pepper dulse. No booking — walk-ins only — and hopefully chopsticks will also feature in this very welcome addition to the Cork food scene.
Time, date, place: 3pm-8pm, Sunday February 22, L’Attitude 51, Union Quay
🎭Scratch that: Cork Fringe teams up Cork Theatres Collective tonight for an evening of brand new material by novices and more seasoned actors and creatives in an ‘open-mic’ style night. It takes place in the CTC Studio of the Triskel and it’s bring your own booze.
Time, date, place: 8pm, Friday February 20, CTC Studio, Tobin Street
🎻Ortus Festival Prizewinner’s Concert takes place in St Peter’s next week featuring winners of the MTU Cork School of Music’s Advanced Recital and Vanbrugh Chamber Music Competition. They’ll be performing with violinist Yevlaliia Yershova and the Meliora Quartet for the lunchtime concert. Tickets and more information here.
Time, date, place: 1pm-2pm, Wednesday February 25, St Peter’s, North Main Street
🎶Trad time: The Fireside Sessions returns to Mr Bradleys on Thursday 26/02 fireplace snug, with the High Strung String Band playing Old Time Appalachian trad by the fireplace from 8:30pm. In Coughlan’s the weekly Smithwick’s session with the wonderful Lisa and Tosh O’Sullivan is from 8:30pm on Monday 23/02.
🤣Hahahaha: Chris Kent will be rocking up to Coughlan’s with some his crew to see if they can raise a laugh or two and perhaps even a decent heckle. Free in.
Time, date, place: 8:30pm, Tuesday January 24, Coughlan’s, Douglas St
That’s it for this week’s Friday View. As always, any tips, comments, news or events you’d like to share with Tripe+Drisheen, you can contact us 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.
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