TIME SQUARE
Great work was carried out in Time Square this week. All the Planters were tidied up and the large area in front of the cinema and shops was power washed. This has made a huge difference.
WORK DONE
On Monday morning Sunday tackled the area around the nameplate and flowerbed at Innishmore. Meanwhile Gay, John and Thomas cleaned up the area alongside the footpath outside Bridgewater which was severely overgrown. There is still some more work to be done here.
Tuesday, we spent the morning assisting the Residents at Leslie’s Arch to clear some kerbside weeds and remove overhanging briars. Ordinarily this type of work should be done by the Residents themselves but we were happy to help them. However, going forward, they need to ensure outside their own home is clean and tidy. John, Jimmy and Sunday removed two one-tonne bags of briars and weeds.
On Wednesday John, Sunday and Tommy spent the morning edging a section of the Link Road. They also edged the footpath outside Aylsbury Estate.
WEATHER BEATEN
As a result of strong winds and unsettled weather over the past two weeks the Planters on the poles between the Oriel House Hotel and the Muskerry Junction are looking disheveled.
We had to make the decision to remove them and bring them to the Allotment for some shelter and TLC. Hopefully, they will be strong enough to put back in a week or so. This is the first time in memory that this has had to be done.
LITTER PICK
On Sunday morning we had 18 Volunteers out for our Sunday morning litter pick. Numbers were down a little again this week due to people being on annual holidays but we still managed to cover all the usual areas.
We met up afterwards at The Plaza where we were able to enjoy the sunshine while sitting outside.
Pat collected a total of 15 bags of general rubbish. These included bags collected from the daily litter picks. He also collected 1 bag of cans, 1 bag of Glass and 1 bag of Plastic. Later, Pat collected 1 bag of Grass Cuttings from Leo Murphy Terrace.
FRIENDLY CALL CORK
LENNOX ROBINSON TRIBUTE
To celebrate Heritage Week, Lord Mayor Cllr Kieran McCarthy and Douglas Library invite you to a special Lennox Robinson tribute on Thursday 17th of August at 11.00am.
The library will be delighted to accept the kind donation of Robinson’s 1938 Three Homes to its collection and the audience will be treated to a selection of readings from this collection.
Musicians from Douglas Comhaltas will also perform a selection of traditional Irish music. Refreshments will be available to mark the occasion.
All very welcome.
FAMILY FUN
ST. ANN’S HYDRO
Interested in local history? Come join us at the Hydro Farm allotments, St Ann’s Hill, Blarney, on Saturday 19 August, for what should be a great afternoon! Open 2.00 pm until 6.00 pm.
As part of Heritage Week 2023, Zwena McCullough will present “A celebration of St. Ann’s Hydro and Farm, its culture, and important local and national heritage”.
The afternoon will feature presentations, including ‘Guests who stayed in the Hydro’ by Sinead McSweeney, along with a display of archive material and artefacts.
There will also be a tour of the allotments and time for refreshments.
NEW STATUE UNVEILING
Honouring the Enduring Legacy of General Michael Collins 1890-1922. The unveiling of a new statue in his memory will take place on Sunday 20th August 2023 at the Grand Parade Cork City near the Cork City Library.
NATIONAL HERITAGE WEEK
Coordinated by the Heritage Council since 2005, Heritage Week has become one of Ireland’s largest cultural events, celebrating Ireland’s built, natural and cultural heritage and aiming to generate awareness, appreciation and preservation of our wonderful resources. At the national level, the National Lottery and Fáilte Ireland are joined by the Office of Public Works (OPW), the Irish Landmark Trust, and the Local Authority Water Programme as partners of National Heritage Week 2023. At county level, National Heritage Week is co-ordinated and supported by local authority heritage officers, their colleagues and with numerous local heritage groups and organisations.
Heritage Week takes place from Saturday 12th to Sunday 20th August., It was recently launched by Malcolm Noonan TD, Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform.
‘Living Heritage’ is the theme for this year’s National Heritage Week, which is defined as the practices, knowledge and skills that have been passed from one generation to the next, and are still in use today. Anyone interested in hosting an event or a digital project can register it online at www.heritageweek.ie, up until Sunday August 20th.
A wide and varied range of events and projects are due to take place for this year’s Heritage Week celebrating all aspects of our heritage. They will take place across the country as communities, families, holiday makers and people of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to get out and explore their heritage.
So far, over 1,000 free events and projects have been registered nationally with that figure expected to double before festivities kick off. Galleries, gardens, historic houses, barnyards and studios will play host to events covering everything from architecture to archaeology, film to foraging, philosophy to genealogy and music to storytelling.
GRANT FOR IRISH LANGUAGE EVENTS & INITIATIVES LAUNCHED
Cllr Frank O’Flynn, Mayor of Cork County has announced the launch of a grant scheme. This is aimed at providing financial support to organisations and groups involved in Irish language projects. Cork County Council has established the initiative to assist and promote Irish language events and initiatives throughout the county.
Projects that utilise and promote the Irish language are open to support from the grant scheme. These include festivals, concerts, family event days, films, plays, or any art form that celebrates and encourages the use of the Irish language.
Cllr. Frank O’Flynn welcomed the launch of the scheme saying ‘Cork County Council considers the Irish language as a very important part of our culture and identity. As a county with two Gaeltachtaí within our boundaries, along with many Irish speakers and communities throughout the county, support for projects which promote Irish as an exciting, vibrant, living, and vital language is essential. I encourage any event that will encourage the use of the Irish language and make it more visible and accessible in our communities to apply for support under this grant’.
€1,500 is the maximum amount granted for any event under this scheme. The ability by the organisation in question to match funding is required. More than one event within the application period can be applied for, and these will be considered subject to availability of funding and the initiative meeting the grant criteria.
The scheme is open to applications until close of business on Friday, 11th August.
Visit https://www.yourcouncil.ie/ for more information.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL GUIDE MAP LAUNCHED
The guide map launched by Cork County Council covers North and East Cork.
The Mayor of County Cork, Cllr. Frank O’Flynn has launched a new guide map offering an introduction to the archaeology of East and North Cork. The comprehensive guide showcases thousands of years of human activity, offering a remarkable insight into the region’s rich and diverse archaeology.
Entitled ‘101 Archaeological Sites to Visit in North and East Cork’, the map is specifically designed to highlight the rural landscape, complementing the Cork County Council’s Historic Town Map series. Mayor O’Flynn welcomed Cork County Council’s latest heritage publication saying, ‘I am delighted to present the ‘101 Archaeological Sites to Visit in North and East Cork’ guide map to our community and visitors. This remarkable map offers a unique opportunity to explore the fascinating archaeological heritage of our county. It is a testament to the Council’s commitment to preserving and sharing our rich history, making it accessible to all. I encourage everyone to embark on this journey of discovery and gain a deeper appreciation for Cork County’s remarkable heritage.’
In the map, the prehistoric period is represented by monuments that show the importance that people in that period placed in venerating the dead and how their beliefs were tied into a worship of the sun. For example, the magnificent stone tomb at Labbacallee, near Glanworth, was carefully constructed of massive stone blocks according to strict rules including its shape and the entrance facing the south-west. The Bronze Age Stone Circle at Knocknakilla, overlooking Millstreet, also observes a defined pattern in the way the stones forming the circle are arranged. Both monuments are easily accessible and feature on the map along with other prehistoric sites.
The Early Christian period has left a rich legacy in the area and many important early monastic sites feature on the map. These include Tullylease, with its internationally renowned carved cross, Labbamollaga, where the shrine tomb of its founding saint St. Molaga can be seen and Cloyne in East Cork, with its tall round tower and medieval cathedral.
North and East Cork were bustling locations during the medieval period. There are numerous castles of different periods such as the great stone edifice at Glanworth, where an important medieval bridge is still in use, numerous tower houses built by the Gaelic lords, such as Conna and Carrigadrohid and later castles such as Mallow and Kanturk. The church is represented by impressive monastic remains like Ballybeg Priory in Buttevant, Kilcrea Friary near Ovens and Bridgetown Priory, near Castletownroche. One of the best-preserved monastic sites in the county set in a wonderful rural location on the banks of the river Blackwater, Bridgetown Priory, is in the care of Cork County Council who maintain it as a public amenity.
The more recent past is also represented in the map, including two important visitor attractions in the care of Cork County Council, Camden Fort Meagher, Crosshaven, and Fort Mitchell, Spike Island.
‘101 Archaeological Sites to Visit in North and East Cork’ is a production of Cork County Council’s National Monuments Advisory Council (NMAC) and is part of a wider project by the Council’s Heritage Unit to foster a greater public understanding and appreciation of the county’s wonderful and unique archaeological and built heritage. The text was written by Elena Turk and the watercolour illustrations are by Rhoda Cronin Allanic. (Article courtesy of Muintir Na Tire)
OLD HEAD KINSALE