The Friday View 21/10
Pat Poland launches his third book documenting the history of the fireservices in Cork and we've a few recommendations for your cultural calendar, from blues to Japanese storytelling.
In the firefighters’ mess hall
On a wet and miserable Wednesday night this week, as the city battened down the hatches for another lashing of rain, firefighters gathered in the mess hall upstairs at the Cork City Fire Brigade Headquarters on Anglesea Street to celebrate one of their own.
Seated at a table at the top of the mess hall was Pat Poland, a retired firefighter and the chronicler-in-chief of the fire service in Cork. Pat was there to officially launch the third book in his series covering the fire service in Cork city from its founding days in the 1870s right up until nearly the present.
Entitled “Cork City Firefighters - A Proud Record,” this is the third book in his deeply researched history of firefighting in Cork.
Pat’s father was a firefighter and Pat too served from 1964 right up until 1996. Pat grew up across the way from the fire station on Sullivan’s Quay, where the Quay Co-Op now stands. While waiting in line to get a copy of the book signed by Pat, firefighter Kevin Higgins was ahead of me and was browsing through one of Pat’s previous books. He paused to show me a picture of his great grandfather and grandfather, both of whom were firefighters. Generations of Cork families have served in the firefighting services, and, as chief fire officer John Ryan said while launching the book, the fire service has changed radically from the days when the ‘hut’ on St. Patrick Street was a shelter for on duty firemen to the fire service’s role today “as an all-purpose emergency service provider responding to a wide range of incidents.”
Mr Ryan thanked Pat for the work and research he poured into the three books, especially as the trilogy stands as a record for generations to come.
“I think it's a great testament to have something like this. And that I think we're the only brigade in the country that has three books written about it,” Mr Ryan said.
I was put in touch with Pat earlier this year while writing up a feature on the ‘hut’ for Tripe+Drisheen. Pat is, to use a cliche, a fountain of knowledge and fiercely accommodating. A few months back while inquiring about another story Pat sent over a picture he had taken of President John F Kennedy boarding Marine One down at what is now known as Kennedy Park in 1963. Pat was on duty and snapped a picture of JFK about to board his flight as he took off from Cork.
“Cork City Firefighters - A Proud Record” will be on sale from next Monday and you can pick the book up in Waterstones and also online. A donation from the proceeds of the sale of the book will be made to the Mercy Hospital Kids & Teens Appeal.
News in brief
As anyone who’s driven east out of the city will know there’s a lot going on over at the Dunkettle Interchange, which is used by about 100,000 vehicles every day. From Monday October 24, there’ll be two new roads opened as well as a new cycleway linking the Dunkettle Roundabout to Little Island. This will include a new bridge for pedestrians and cyclists that will cross over the Cork to Midleton railway line.
The new road opens at 6am on Monday morning and will allow drivers travelling eastbound on the N8 Cork to Dublin road to access Little Island by diverging left along a one-way road to Bury's Bridge. More details here via Jennie O’Sullivan’s report.
Out + About
🎸”The thought of not having Alabama 3 fills me with horror.” So says author Stephen King, who, if he’s in West Cork next week, will not have to live in horror as the group are winding their way to De Barras in Clonakilty for an acoustic gig. For this tour, Alabama 3 Acoustic and Unplugged, have added a fourth member so that full line-up consists of Larry Love (vocals), Aurora Dawn (vocals), Rock Freebase (guitar), and Harpo Strangelove (harmonica). They’ll be bringing their blues to De Barras 12 years after having last appeared in the town at the Clonakilty Waterfront Festival. But this time it’ll be different, and maybe just a liitle bit the same. Tickets and more information here.
Time, date, place: Doors 9pm, Wednesday October 26, De Barras, Clonkakilty
🎶The Kino throws open its doors this Sunday night for an eclectic line-up of music and performances that goes back to the Kino’s experimental roots. Called Trash Culture Revue, this is the premiere edition and it features Seiko Hayase, who we featured this week on Tripe+Drisheen. Seiko will be bringing her Creepy Parade to the Kino and she’ll be joined by Alex Petcu, Raphael Olympio, Iverni Baroque Ensemble, Guillaume Cousson. More information here.
Time, date, place: 7pm, Saturday October 23, The Kino
🎻Johnny na gConnollys; Johnny Phádraic Phíotair; Johnny Phádraig Phíotair Thomáis Mhichil Thaidhg; Johnny Inis Bearachain; Sean-Johnny; King of the Melodeon, a man of many names Johnny Connolly from Connemara was one of the greatest melodeon players of his generation and his music will be celebrated this weekend at The Triskel with An Cosán Draíochta, a new performance by Johnny Óg Connolly in memory of his late father. It features some outstanding Irish music talent including fiddler Ciara Ní Bhriain, Clíodhna Ní Choisdealbha on banjo, tenor guitar & Greek bouzouki, Jim Higginson piano and percussion, Pádraig Ó Dubhgaill on guitar, Johnny Óg Connolly on accordion and melodeon, dancer Seosamh Ó Neachtain and singer Áine Ní Dhroighneáin. More information and tickets here.
Time, date, place: 8pm, Friday October 21, Triskel Arts Centre
🇯🇵Rakugo, a form of comedic storytelling in Japan, has been packaged as “sitdown” - as oposed to stand-up comedy to make it more popular in the west. The rakugoka, or storyteller, is seated on a cushion throughout the performance, usually they are dressed in traditional garb, and they often have a few minimal props which includes a fan. They come armed with stories, many of them riffs on material that has been handed down over generations. Veteran rakugoka Katsura Utazo will be at the Granary Theatre next week for a performance (in English). The event is free and it’s a good chance to hear a type of storytelling that lines up somewhat with how seanchaís operate here. Free to attend but you’ll need to book here.
Time, date, place: 6:30pm, Tuesday October 25, Granary Theathre, Lancaster Quay
This week on T +D
On Thursday JJ profiled Japanese artist Seiko Hayase, a member of Sample-Studios and the first artist-in-residence at Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa. Seiko will be brining her “Creepy Parade” to the Kino this Sunday. Details above in Out+About section.
To get high-quality journalism about Cork in your inbox every week, join our free email list now.
That’s it for this week’s Friday View. Be sure to stop by tomorrow for our weekly Arts+Culture newsletter/podcast. 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.
