The Friday View 21/01
Plans announced for Morrison's Island, the launch of a year-long artists' residency at Tramore Valley Park, bringing trains back to West Cork, and more....
Rebuilding the city
JJ writes:
Another week, another round of press releases. The image above is a Computer Generated Image (CGI) of what the redesigned Parnell Plaza at the end of the South Mall could look like when flood defence works at Morrison’s Island is completed. This image was released along with a few others this week in anticipation of construction, which is slated to begin sometime in the autumn of this year.
Construction work of the flood defence on Morrison’s Island was delayed due to appeals and a judicial review, but it has been cleared to proceed. The island is particularly prone to flooding in our marshy city. According to a statement released to the media, Ann Doherty, the city council’s chief executive, said: “The Morrison's Island Scheme will end the use of the riverside as a giant car park. It will create a three-metre-wide quayside promenade and enable visitors and residents to enjoy this city centre area.”
The message here seems to be Morrison’s Island is no longer a car park, or at least a giant one, but cars will still be allowed access Fr Matthew Quay and they’ll still be able to park on the quay, the main difference being there won’t be as many car park spaces as previously. But why have any at all? Cars still have a place in the city, but the question is where and to what extent.
When Ellie and I were selling the print edition of our magazine down on Corn Market Street before Christmas I remarked to her how I would love if that whole street was pedestrianised. The part where cars can turn off St. Patrick’s Street and on to Daunt Square drives me nuts, as you’re mixing a pedestrianised zone with a road. Ellie pushed back though. She mentioned how older people and those with disabilities need cars and access. In my zeal to pedestrianise much of the city or at least ban more cars from certain streets, it’s worth keeping this point in mind.
But Morrison’s Island could easily have become a car-free zone. It’s literally a few minutes walk from South Mall, a central artery through the city, that is well served by busses and taxis. That Quay right up to Parnell Plaza would be transformed it it were entirely pedestrianised. Much of the quay is grim; there’s vacant and derelict buildings in situ there for years, and the council is right that’s it’s nothing more than a “giant car park.”
What’s more when you think about all the students and staff that pour in and out of the College of Commerce, it would be the perfect opportunity to provide an outdoor car-free park all along the quay for them. Also, bear in mind that more than 4,000 staff and students from UCC are meant to be moving into the old Brooks Haughton building on Copley Street as part of the move by the university in to the city. That quay has so much potential for them and for everyone else in the city. Is it really worth giving 30 or 40 cars parking space instead?
Likewise, it was disappointing to see (in another round of press releases) how conservative the city council are being with the plans for MacCurtain Street and surrounding streets and roads. It’s hard to fully gauge what the improvements will look like based just on CGI photos - shrubs and trees abound - but would now not be the time to consider, strongly consider, a complete new traffic plan for the city, that gives more or full priority to public transport or those walking, cycling and on scooters. The “Pana ban” is a halfway measure, and it’s going to continue to be more of a problem than a solution.
News in brief
Run, Cork, run
Cork City Marathon returns to the streets and roads of the city this year. While neither of us have yet to run it (“I’d probably win it” says JJ), it can be a tough and lonely run at times as the course traverses the city and suburbs, so if you’re around in June, cheer them on. Online registration is open now for the marathon which takes place on Sunday. June 5.
Before the marathon, there’s a shorter course, 10 miles to be precise, to be run on April 3. Named after one of Cobh’s greatest athletes, the Sonia O'Sullivan Cobh 10 Mile Road Race is also open for registration. From this year, mile four of that race will be name after Ashling Murphy, the Co Offaly school teacher who was murdered while out running earlier this month.
Take the red line to Rosscarbery
Ciarán Meers was our very first contributor in the Our Cork 2040 series, which included more than a dozen writers all outlining their ideas and hopes for Cork over the next two decades. Back in the summer of 2021, Ciarán wrote about transport and this week his lobby group Cork Commuter Coalition was back in the news with the publication of the West Cork Rail report, which essentially outlines why trains should be pulling in and out of stations in Bandon, Bantry, Dunmanway, but also Ringaskiddy.
The last passenger train to West Cork was in 1963. Since 2013 Ireland has delivered only a single new train station. Ciarán writes:
To continue to ask the question of ‘should West Cork have rail?’ is reductive - a far better question, and the question that we are asking, is ‘how can rail be brought to West Cork in the most efficient, effective, and beneficial matter?
It’s a comprehensive report and impressive work from Ciarán and his colleagues who are all still in college. There’s no costings in there, but it’s a mighty effort and a worthwhile read. Full report can be read here.
One in 100
The giant mural on South Main Street of the Dublin artist Asbestos hidden behind a painting of cardboard box has been nominated as one of the best 100 murals in 2021 by the blog Street Art Cities. It’s an affective piece of art, and there’s something sinister about it too. It was painted during the most recent edition of Ardú Street Art Festival. The 100 murals are mostly drawn from Europe and South America.
Out and about
🌳 Outdoors: Trash no more at Tramore Valley Park
The launch of an ambitious year-long art project based at Cork city’s former landfill site took place this week. Artists Marilyn Lennon and Seán Taylor (we featured Seán in our arts podcast on Softday recently) will head up a programme of public events, artists’ placements and the construction of an EcoLab at Tramore Valley Park for the KinShip Project throughout 2022.
More on this project in these pages soon.
🎧 Music Festival: A little Chamber music to soothe the soul
The Ortús Chamber Music Festival returns for its seventh iteration from February 25 to 27 at venues in Cork City, Tracton, and Midleton. Tickets will be available for live performances. Musicians will include violinist and festival Artistic Director Mairéad Hickey, pianist Fiachra Garvey and violinist Siún Milne, alongside international stars of classical music. Full details of the festival and ticket information can be found on ortusfestival.ie.
🖼 Cork Decorative and Fine Arts Society will be giving a virtual tour of the Mauritshuis this Saturday. You can tune in from wherever you are as Jane Choy guides you around the Hague museum’s collection which contains some of the most recognisable artworks in the world, including Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring.
From the archive
We’re closing in on our first year of publishing T+D and there’s been a lot of stories put down on this site since we started. We were reminded of one of those pieces this week from this tweet:
John linked to a piece JJ wrote last spring. At the time public toilets were being talked about a lot; pubs and restaurants were largely closed, and with them toilets. But the issue hasn’t gone away, nor has the lack of them been solved. What’s changed? Well, more businesses and pubs and hotels are open, so once again, as highlighted in the article, the private sector is taking care of a public health issue.
That’s it for this week’s round-up. 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.
Great read, always looking for the positive, even when it’s hard to find. Really hope that Tramore Valley (car)Park can be improved upon with the artists’ residency.
Great read as usual and many thanks for the mention and details of our DFAS event!