🌦️The Friday View 21/02
Black Ash park-and-ride upgrade, a motion for Bishop Lucey Park to be renamed, Cork County Council is giving away native trees and there's lots to see and do in our Out+About round-up.
Good morning and welcome to the Friday View. Let’s get to it.
It might feel like BusConnects Cork is missing in action, but work continues in the background to try and reduce Cork's over-reliance on the car. To wit, Cork City Council has published details of an upgrade to the Black Ash Park and Ride on the south side of the city, just off the South Link Road, which would see the number of bus bays increased by four. Black Ash has the capacity for 940 cars, but this would not be increased.
Details of the changes are set out in a Part 8 planning notice here and outlines how the council and National Transport Authority’s plan for Black Ash to cater for additional bus services proposed as part of the new bus network from BusConnects. The public are invited to offer their submissions and observations in writing or online by April 10.
The Electric on South Mall, previously run by nepo baby Ernest Cantillon, will reopen this summer under the management of the Emporium Group, who are making their first foray into the city with the purchase of the riverside bar. It has been closed since 2023, when it was put up for sale for €2.5 million. Given how long it has been idle, it is unlikely to have fetched that price. Frankies, the pizza joint on the boardwalk next to the Electric, shut its doors last month.
Putting names on streets: Design historian Tom Spalding popped on RTÉ’s Brainstorm this week with a piece which looked at how Irish has made its mark on our street signs. As he notes, it’s a process that is still ongoing across the island of Ireland, and still only in its infancy in parts of the North. Closer to home, Tom writes about a sign on Francis St, off Bachelor’s Quay (near the Mercy Hospital):
The earliest street sign I am aware of is from 1730 and is in Cork (where all the best things are, of course). As well as naming the street in a charming mixture of capitals and lower-case letters, it commemorates the developer of the area, a Quaker, Samuel Pike. Based on my research in Cork and Dublin, Irish language signs arrived long after English language ones. There are early 19th century examples of inscriptions in Irish on funerary monuments, but Irish appears to be completely absent from public signage before 1899.
Glanmire greenway: Construction is underway on a new greenway linking Riverstown and Glanmire through John O’Callaghan Park. It will create a new link road through Dooley’s Lane, as well as junction upgrades in Glyntown, Hazelwood and at Riverstown Cross. Once completed in 2026, it should be possible to walk or cycle to Little Island and the city centre along the new infrastructure.
Recognition: The Northside’s Kabin Crew were honoured with a civic reception at City Hall last night, February 20, celebrating the community group’s success since it was founded 12 years ago. The Crew, a group of local musicians, singers, producers led by founder and creative director, Garry McCarthy shot to global fame last summer with their hit song “The Spark.” Kilian wrote about Gary and the Krew back in 2023, which you can read here.
“Responsible operator”: Irving Oil, the Canadian owner and operator of Ireland’s only oil refinery located in East Cork, avoided a conviction in the district court this week following a spill of estimated 14,200 tonnes in January 2024. Per the Examiner, “Judge Colm Roberts ordered Irving Oil to make a €2,500 donation to the RNLI in Ballycotton and adjourned the matter to March 27 for finalisation. He said if the donation was made he would be inclined to give Iriving Oil the benefit of the Probation Act.”
Renaming of Bishop Lucey Park: Cllr. Ted Tynan and President of the Workers Party, will ask in a motion for the city centre park, often mislabelled as the “Peace Park”, to be renamed Páirc na mBan Chorcaí. In his motion, Cllr Tynan said that under Bishop Lucey, whose watch and term of office and administrator, both as serving priest and bishop of the Diocese of Cork & Ross, much of the abuse, documented, proven or alleged, be it sexual or physical or psychological, occurred, from the public park on Grand Parade for whom he was named by a previous decision of Council.”
Given the largely conservative nature of the City Council, Cllr. Tynan’s motion is up against it.
Get your native tree: Cork County Council is offering native trees to schools, community groups and organisations to celebrate National Tree Week 2025, which runs from March 9 through to 16. According to the Council, the trees being given away will include Common and Silver Birch, Oak, Rowan, Alder, Scots Pine, and Hazel and will be available in bundles of 5 or 10. To get on the list and get planting, email corkheritage@corkcoco.ie by Friday, February 26.
Price hike: The first game of the Eirtricity League season kicked last week with Cork City FC back at Turner’s Cross. The overall attendance was down on previous season openers, despite the club being back playing top flight football. Could that be down to a significant price hike on tickets? Or, well, the weather? Or both? Ticket prices have gone up across the board, with an adult ticket setting you back €25 up from €15 for home games. It’s €18 for juvenile and seniors and €10 for kids under 13.
This week the club also announced that they’ve teamed up with the Arc Cinema in a deal to show some of the club’s away games. That’s a welcome innovation, but the new to tie-up did not come with a schedule or more importantly, a price guideline.
Fitzgerald’s Bar: You don’t have to have a beard to work in the newly renovated Fitzgerald’s Bar in The Imperial but, well, maybe actually you do. The newly renovated cocktail bar opened this week. They’ve made it all one level, added a grand piano and a cocktail list.
Open calls: Visual artists - Market Gallery in Douglas and the Laneway Gallery in Shandon both have open calls for upcoming exhibitions. Full details on their respective websites, but you’ll need to hurry up for Market Gallery as their open call closes today.
Out + About
🎶The fourth edition of the oNo NoNo improvised sound session is in the Liberty this weekend. The group aims to provide a community space for experimental listening and sounding, without a distinction between performers and audiences, so participants or viewers are encouraged to bring their own instrument or use one provided. All levels and art forms are welcome.
Time, date, place: 3-5pm, Saturday February 22, upstairs in the Liberty, 92 South Main St
🖼️ There will be a closing event for Clann Mionlantach/Mythlantics this weekend at Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh. *~Mythlantics~* is a day of performances by Eamon Ivri, Dylan Kerr, D.OTU, Cían Ó Donnchadha, polyp, Julie Landers and Jasmine Wood in connection with the exhibition. The artists respond to the positioning of the Atlantic Ocean as a terrain of mythological recovery and remembrance that encapsulates stories common to Irish and Black people. More information here.
Time, date, place: 11am - 7pm, Saturday February 22, Old Yacht Club, The, Ballyvoloon, Cobh.
🪩Take Off Festival, a contemporary dance festival, finishes up today at the Firkin Crane. It presents two international choreographers’ chosen from the Aerowaves Twenty22 selected artists. Programme 2 takes place tonight and features choreography by Amir Sabra and Habib Ben Tanfous. Tickets and information here.
Time, date, place: Until Friday February 21, Firkin Crane, Shandon.
🖼️Alliance Francaise hosts an exhibition by the French artist collective Art Maestria. The collective, which has exhibited internationally, unites diverse artists with a shared vision of creativity and collaboration. The Palettes of France exhibition features paintings inspired by iconic French themes, and features the work of Hanaé Han, Hervé Alexandre, Laurence Merlette, Oana Alexa d’Ablove, Alexandra Kazakova, Aline Chevalier, Christelle Rodriguez, Marie France Gély, and Sabine Raymond. More information here.
Time, date, place: Alliance Francaise, Enterprise House, 36 Mary St
🎶Philadelphia-born singer songwriter Dave Hause takes to the Triskel tonight with his songbook, a mix of punk and folk that draws on Springsteen, Petty, and Dylan. Hause released his first solo album Resolutions, in 2011, and he’s once more on the road with Drive It Like It’s Stolen his sixth solo album. Catch a man who can put a show on, and some, tonight. Tickets and more information here.
Time, date, place: 8pm, Friday February 21, Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street.
🎧Stevie G will be holding court in the City Library this weekend for a workshop aimed at teenagers looking to get to know more about mixing, hip-hop and the world of DJing. It’s more of an introduction than a masterclass, and it is hoped it will be the first of many such workshops in Cork City Library according to Mr.G. Free but booking required.
Time, date, place: 11am to 12.30pm, Saturday February 22, City Library, Grand Parade.
🎤Tom Spalding, mentioned above, has new a book out which looks at Cork's twentieth century architecture and design. In that period, Cork experienced significant growth through the century and could be considered an industrial city. As well as its well known breweries the city hosted vehicle, clothing, textile, paint and rubber manufacturing. Tom’s talk talk will review the variety of buildings constructed in the city and environs, as well as examining a few well known places in detail. It is sure to jog some memories and stories. All welcome however places are limited so advance booking is essential on friends@crawfordartgallery.ie or on 021-4907864.
Tickets cost €10, students go free with a valid I.D.
Time, date, place: 12:30pm, Friday February 21, Cork Public Museum, Fitzgerald’s Park
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. Have a lovely long weekend.
