A Place in Time - A Radio Documentary Series

A Place in Time is a 12-part local history series for radio, exploring the characters and stories behind a selection of Cork city's historic plaques and signs. It was first broadcast on Cork Campus Radio in 2010.

The idea for the series was first prompted by a survey undertaken by Cork City Council of the city's plaques and signs in 2002. The results of this survey were published some years later in the form of a booklet entitled "A Guide to Cork city's historic plaques and signs".

Each episode in the series deals with one plaque or topic (e.g. Father Mathew, Nano Nagle etc.) and features on-location interviews with a single source. Typically, this source is someone with particular historical knowledge or familiarity with the subject of the plaque or sign. More detail on each episode is contained in the posts below. An audio link for each episode is also available in each post.

This series was made with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, the Heritage Council and Cork City Council.

For further information, e-mail conorot@eircom.net.

Contact Details + Credits

For further information on any of the episodes, broadcast queries etc., e-mail

conorot@eircom.net

Produced and Edited by Conor O'Toole.
Sound Supervision by Kieran Hurley at Cork Campus Radio.
Theme music "On the banks of my own lovely Lee"
Arranged and Produced by Conor O'Toole.
Recorded by Kieran Hurley at Cork Campus Radio.
Cello by Louise O'Flynn, Guitar by Conor O'Toole.
Voiceover Artist Bridget Nicholas.

This series first broadcast on Cork Campus Radio in 2010.
Cork Campus Radio 98.3FM.
www.ucc.ie/ccr

Copyright Conor O'Toole 2010

Logo Design by PrideDesign.ie

Episode 12 - General Daniel Florence O’Leary, Soldier and Diplomat

Born 1801, Cork city, the son of a butter merchant, eighth of ten children; answered a recruitment call, joining up in Guyana with the forces of Simon Bolivar, future liberator of much of South America; promoted through the ranks during conflicts in modern-day Venezuela, until appointed Brigadier General by Bolivar in 1830; moved to Kingston, Jamaica with his wife Soledad, who gave birth to first of nine children; in 1833 O’Leary returned to Venezuela and later received diplomatic appointments to London, Paris, Madrid and the Vatican; in 1841, appointed British Consul at Caracas, later British Consul-General at Bogota; died 1854 from complications following a brain haemorrhage; remains lie at the National Pantheon in Caracas.

Reference: Society for Irish Latin American Studies, http://www.irlandeses.org/dilab_olearydf.htm

The plaque is located at Elizabeth Fort, Barrack Street.

Contributor: Michael O'Leary, Historian and member of the General Daniel Florence O'Leary Association.

A Place in Time - Episode 12: General Daniel Florence O'Leary, Soldier & Diplomat by Conor O'Toole on Mixcloud

Episode 11 - Tom Barry, IRA Commander

Appointed training officer of West Cork Brigade of the IRA during War of Independence; Barry’s unit responsible for infamous guerilla ambush of company of British Auxiliaries at Kilmichael, County Cork in November 1920, killing all 17 officers; this incident lead to the burning of large sections of Cork city centre weeks later; had enlisted in British Army in 1915 and served with Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force; underwent radicalisation of political views following 1916 Easter Rising and later establishment of government of Ireland 1919; also author of popular memoir Guerilla days in Ireland; died in hospital in Cork in 1980.

Reference: "Guerilla days in Ireland: A personal account of the Anglo-Irish War", by Tom Barry, Roberts Rinehart, 2007.

The plaque is located at 64 Patrick St, overlooking Daunt Square.

Contributor: John Borgonovo, School of History, University College Cork.

A Place in Time - Episode 11: Tom Barry, IRA Commander by Conor O'Toole on Mixcloud

Episode 10 - The English Market

This episode features an on-location interview tracing the market's development from first opening in 1788, created by the Protestant-controlled Cork Corporation; its growth to include fish, fowl and vegetable markets as well as the core meat trade; taking account of local government reform in 1840 when the city’s Catholic majority took control of local administration; its loss of status in the first half of the 20th century; the major fire that destroyed sections of the market in 1980, and its revitalisation following reconstruction since the 1990’s; description of present-day range of produce and stallholders, what changes have occurred over the decades and centuries and discussion of its place in the history of food production in Cork and as one of Cork’s "cultural icons".

Reference: "Serving a City: The story of Cork's English Market", by Donal O'Drisceoil and Diarmaid O'Drisceoil, Collins Press, 2007.

The plaque is located at the Grand Parade entrance of the English Market.

Contributor: Diarmaid O'Drisceoil, co-author of "Serving a City: The story of Cork's English Market (above)".

A Place in Time - Episode 10: The English Market by Conor O'Toole on Mixcloud

Episode 9 - Dr Richard Caulfield, Librarian & Antiquarian

Born 1823, one of 6 children to Catherine and William; renowned as Secretary, Librarian and Custodian of the Royal Cork Institution, founded in 1802, the precursor to Queen’s College, Cork, later renamed University College Cork; went on to become librarian at Queen’s College, following its establishment in 1845; author of The Annals of St Finbarre’s Cathedral (1871), as well as other books of transcriptions of Cork city parish records; bronze door erected at St Finbarr’s Cathedral in his memory; papers held as part of Caulfield Collection at UCC; died February 1887, remains lie at St Luke’s Cemetery, Douglas.

Reference: "Dr. Richard Caulfield: antiquarian, scholar and academic librarian", by McCarthy, J.P., Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, 92, 1987.

The plaque is located at 49-50 North Main Street.

Contributor: Douglas Walsh, Tour Guide at St Finbarr's Cathedral, Cork.

A Place in Time - Episode 9: Dr Richard Caulfield, Librarian & Antiquarian by Conor O'Toole on Mixcloud

Episode 8 - Tomás MacCurtain, Lord Mayor of Cork

Born Thomas Curtin 1884, youngest of 12 children of Patrick and Julia, at Ballyknockane, Mourneabbey, Co. Cork, 14 miles from Cork city; parents both fluent Irish speakers; moved to Cork city to continue his education at North Monastery, living with his sister Mary; developed deep interests in Irish history, language and music, playing violin in the Blackpool Orchestra; brought to a Gaelic League meeting by a friend and joined the Blackpool branch as a volunteer, becoming secretary in 1902; joined Sinn Féin and later the IRB; 1906 proposed to Elizabeth (Eilís) Walsh, married1907; worked as a clerk, later set up a clothing factory at 40 Thomas Davis St, where he also lived; 1911 joined Fianna Éireann, later Honorary Secretary of the Irish Volunteers; served prison terms following 1916 Rising as a result of political activities; 1920 elected Sinn Féin councillor, chosen as Lord Mayor by fellow councillors; shot in his home by members of the RIC in March 1920; remains lie in Republican plot at St Finbarr’s Cemetery, Cork city.

Reference: "Tomás MacCurtain", by Florence O'Donoghue, Kerryman, 1958.

The plaque is located at no. 40 Thomas Davis St, Blackpool.

Contributor: John Borgonovo, School of History, University College Cork.

A Place in Time - Episode 8: Tomás MacCurtain, Lord Mayor of Cork by Conor O'Toole on Mixcloud