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

Episode 7 - Joan Denise Moriarty, Ballet Dancer and Teacher

Early family life spent in Liverpool, excelling at Irish dancing and war pipes; studied classical ballet, later moving into teaching; family returned to Ireland in 1933, Joan Denise moving to Cork city in 1940; meeting with composer Aloys Fleischmann in 1945 lead to lifelong artistic collaboration between the two; 1947 founded Cork Ballet Company, first performance in Cork Opera House; 1959 founded Irish Theatre Ballet, the first Irish professional ballet company, with aim of bringing ballet to ordinary people around the country; 1978 staged Playboy of the Western World with music by The Chieftains to acclaim at Dublin Theatre Festival; 1983 founded Irish Ballet Company, later Irish National Ballet; 1981 oversaw purchase of historic Firkin Crane building in Cork city, and its restoration to become the home of the Irish National Ballet; credited with fusing Irish folk dance with classical ballet; throughout her life, she choreographed more than 100 original works; died 1992.

Reference: "Joan Denise Moriarty: Founder of Irish National Ballet", ed. Ruth Fleischmann, Mercier, 1998.

The plaque is located in Emmet Place.

Contributor: Sinead Murphy, Director of Cork School of Dance

A Place in Time - Episode 7: Joan Denise Moriarty, Ballet Dancer & Teacher by Conor O'Toole on Mixcloud

Episode 6 - Jerome Collins, Engineer & Meteorologist

Born Cork city, 1841, eldest of nine children; 1857 began work as apprentice engineer for Cork Corporation under City Architect Sir John Benson; Clerk of Works on construction of North Gate Bridge, completed in 1864; while working on a construction project on Pentonville Prison in London in 1866, involved in an attempted break-out of Fenian prisoners held there, attempt failed and Collins fled to New York; founder member in the U.S. of Irish-American organisation the United Brotherhood, a.k.a. Clan na nGael, active in the 1860’s and 70’s; later became involved in the field of meteorology, appointed Chief of the New York Herald Weather Bureau in 1877; joined an Arctic expedition from San Francisco in 1879, financed by the owner of the Herald, James Gordon Bennett, which would be beset with difficulties; Collins’ ship caught in a storm off the coast of Northern Siberia in 1881, leading to loss of most of the crew including Collins; remains returned to New York in 1884, and on to Cork for burial in the family plot at Curraghkippane, outside Cork city.

Reference: "Jerome J. Collins: The remarkable life and tragic death of Ireland's forgotten patriot", by Amy Johnson & Roger Herlihy, unpublished article

The plaque is located at South Gate Bridge.

Contributor: Ronnie Herlihy, South Parish Historical Society, Cork

A Place in Time - Episode 6: Jerome Collins, Engineer & Meteorologist by Conor O'Toole on Mixcloud

Episode 5 - Cork Synagogue

This episode features an interview with Fred Rosehill, the Chairman of Trustees of Cork Hebrew Congregation, speaking about the history of the Cork Synagogue, which has been in existence since the early 1880’s, and of the Jewish community in Cork as a whole; the late 19th century settlement, in a part of the city which came to be known as Jewtown, made up of refugees fleeing pogroms in Eastern Europe; the integration of this Jewish community into the wider community of Cork city, their involvement in business, culture and politics in the city; the setting up of the Jewish cemetery and the eventual dwindling of the Cork Jewish population in the latter part of the 20th century.

Reference: Cork Hebrew Congregation website, http://www.corkhebrewcongregation.com/gpage.html

The Star of David sign is located at no. 10 South Terrace.

Contributor: Fred Rosehill, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hebrew Congregation in Cork.

A Place in Time - Episode 5: Cork Synagogue by Conor O'Toole on Mixcloud

Episode 4 - James Barry, Painter

Born 1741 Cork city, father a trader; recognised early on as a prodigious talent; attracted patronage of Edmund Burke in 1773, enabling him to travel abroad for further study; 1766 to 1771, trip to Italy to study the Old Masters; returned to England, becoming member of Royal Academy 1773; commission to decorate Royal Society rooms 1777, a series of paintings which would become his masterpiece, The progress of human culture; stylistically, Barry associated with an English, neo-classical style, as, for example, poet-painter William Blake; 1782 to 1799 professor of painting at the Royal Academy; died 1806, remains lie at St Paul’s Cathedral, London.

Reference: Crawford Art Gallery, Cork website, http://www.crawfordartgallery.ie/Paintings/Barry.html

The plaque is located at Barry's Place, Seminary Road, Blackpool.

Contributor: Tom Dunne, Emeritus Professor of History, University College Cork

A Place in Time - Episode 4: James Barry, Painter by Conor O'Toole on Mixcloud

Episode 3: Nano Nagle, Founder of the Presentation Sisters

Born 1718 in Ballygriffin, near Mallow, Co. Cork, daughter of a wealthy landowner, eldest of seven children; early education received at home, as Catholic schools prohibited by English law; later convent education received in Paris; moved to Cork city in 1754 to live with her brother Joseph and his wife Frances on Cove Lane (now Douglas St); inspired by the poverty of the inner city, she rented a cabin and began her first school, teaching thirty girls from the vicinity; by 1769, with financial assistance from her family, she had expanded her teaching operation to seven different locations around the city; 1771 founded the Order of the Sisters of the Charitable Instruction of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, receiving four Irish girls from the French Ursuline order; formal vows were taken in 1777; died 1784, remains lie at the South Presentation Convent on Douglas Street.

Reference: "Nano Nagle: Woman of vision", by Sr M. Kieran Hartnett, South Presentation Sisters Cork, 2002.

The plaque is located on Nano Nagle Bridge, Grand Parade.

Contributor: Sr Rosario Allen, South Presentation Convent, Cork.

A Place in Time - Episode 3: Nano Nagle, Founder of the Presentation Sisters by Conor O'Toole on Mixcloud

Episode 2: Frank O'Connor, Writer

Born Michael O’Donovan, 1903, on Douglas St in Cork city, an only child; family subsequently moved to Blarney St and later Harrington Sq; self-educated to a great extent after the age of twelve, learning French and German; came under the influence of Daniel Corkery as a teenager, leading him into nationalist politics; fought for the anti-Treaty side in the Irish Civil War; interned in Gormanstown, an experience which informed his first collection of stories Guests of the Nation (1931), a form of which he is considered a master.

Reference: "Frank O'Connor: A Life", by Jim McKeon, Mainstream, 1998

The plaque is located at no. 84 Douglas Street.

Contributor: Jim McKeon, biographer of Frank O'Connor

A Place in Time - Episode 2: Frank O'Connor, Writer by Conor O'Toole on Mixcloud

Episode 1: Father Mathew, Apostle of Temperance

Born 1790, Thomastown, Co. Tipperary; joined Capuchin Order 1810, ordained 1813, later posted to Cork city; lived on present-day Cove St, preaching at friary on Blackamoor Lane, working alongside Catholic poor; asked to join Cork Total Abstinence Society, taking pledge and becoming the face of the organisation in 1838; travelled Ireland and abroad preaching in support of abstinence (temperance); founder of Barrack Street Silver & Reed Band, originally based at Temperance Hall on Barrack St.; landmark statue, unveiled 1864, stands on Patrick St. in the city.

Reference: Capuchin Order website, http://www.fathermathew.ie/

The statue of Fr Mathew is located on Patrick Street.

Contributor: Fr Brendan O'Mahony, Capuchin Order, Cork.

A Place in Time - Episode 1: Father Mathew, Apostle of Temperance by Conor O'Toole on Mixcloud