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UCC Library and UCC researchers have made this item openly available. Please let us know how this has helped you. Thanks! Title Journeying to a journal Author(s) McCarthy, J. P. Publication date 1991 Original citation McCarthy, J. P. , 1991. Journeying to a journal. Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, 96, pp. 1-18 Type of publication Article (peer-reviewed) Link to publisher's http://www.corkhist.ie/wp-content/uploads/jfiles/1991/b1991-003.pdf version Access to the full text of the published version may require a subscription. Rights ©Cork Historical and Archaeological Society Item downloaded http://hdl.handle.net/10468/125 from Downloaded on 2021-10-08T15:33:11Z Journeying to a Journal: the Society's Predecessors By J.P. McCARTHY (Councli Member 1988) INTRODUCTION Cork. Influenced by the establishment of the At a Council meeting of the newly-formed Royal Society in England, Wm Molyneux and Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, 17 Sir Wm Petty began a Philosophical Society in November 1891, the Chairman /President, Dublin in 1683. It attempted county surveys, Revd R.A. Canon Sheehan, 'informed the collecting data on antiquities and other topics. meeting that Mr. Robert Day had been gener­ Interest in ecclesiastical history and in the ous enough to place his valuable edition of 'ethnography of the wild Irish' found expres­ Smith's History, with notes by Dr. Caulfield sion in tour journals and in field notes. The and Crofton Croker, at the disposal of the rude monuments of antiquity were viewed Society for publication'. At a subsequent from the saddle and from the coach window. meeting W m Ringrose Atkins expressed the Diggings were accomplished and curios col­ Society's thanks to W.A. Copinger 'who has lected. Smith's wo rk in the southern cou nties kindly consented to edit Smith's Cork with of Ireland epitomized the accumulated WIS­ Mr. Robert Day'. Thus began the work of dom of efforts such at these . rounding out close to two and a half centuries of antiquarian endeavour in Cork and of using CHARLES SMITH irs synthesis as a foundation for a new medium Before progressing into Munstet Smith worked [Q record and communicate the soc ial and for a time with Walter Harris, who had a fam­ cultural heritage of Cork city and county. il y connexion with Sir James Ware as we ll as Ir was also in the month of November I in being the editor of his Ireland. They were both 1749, that the Physico-Historical Society in grad uates of Teo, and it is interesting to note Dublin ordered the publication of the original that the orientation of 'Common Science' manuscript of Smith's Cork. When published , drew to its ranks persons from the medical, re­ the two volumes contained four parts: 'The ligious and legal schools within this institu­ Antient Names of the Territories and In­ tion. In an annotation to his personal copy of habitants ... ', 'The Topography of the Coun­ Smith's Cork, Thomas Crofton Croker states ty and City of Cotk', 'The Civil History of the that Smith was an apothecary in Lismore , County', 'The Natural Histoty'. This attempt while acknowledging that the Waterford his­ at comprehensiveness illustrates the focus of torian, Ryland, said it was Dungarvan. Crone inquiry then fashionable, and underlying it is states that he was born in Waterford c. 1715. the philosophy of the Common Scientist. This may explain why Waterford was the fust Academic life in Trinity College Dublin had of his histories. Smith died in Bristol in 1762, been a haven for antiquarian studies for over a one year after the death of his colleague, century prior to the appearance of Smith's Walter Harris. 1 2 Cork Historical and Archaeological Society Harris's name appeared on the title page. Smith and Harris also worked on a volume for Co. Dublin, but it was Smith's solo perfor­ mance which created the stage on which Cork antiquarians would pl ay out their tole in the ensuing century. It is tempting to imagine Smith supporting himself as a Dungarvan apothecary and local doctor within the next twO years, and to see these circumstances as the reason why the next counties chosen for in vestigation were so far diS[anced from Down or Dublin. From the date of pubtication of his Waterford volume in 1746 he went on over a ten-year period to pro­ duce the Cork volumes published in 1750 and the Kerry volume in 1756. The printer was A. Reilly of Dublin and the principal distributor was Exshaw. For rhe Kerry volume the book­ sellers Ewing, Faulkner and Wilson are added and perhaps this is indicative of conce rn dec­ C. SMITH , M.D. ived from the demise of the Physico-Historical Sociery (1752). As see n in the preface, the The story behind his histories began in Society no longer exiSted, which obviously Dubtin when a group of gentlemen of means burdened Smith financially and caused great came together in 1740 to found what they disappointment. called the Ph ys ico-Historical Society. Its objec­ Crofton Croker in 1832 said that Sir Wm tive was to collect materials for a book after the Betham told him there were interleaved copies manner of Camden's Brittanio to be published (belonging to Smith) of Cork , Kerry and under the title Hibernia or Ireland Antient Waterford in the library at TeD. A footnore to and Modern. As a means of collecting infor­ Crofton Croker's statement by Thomas mation, circulars were sent to 'many curious Hewitt, Cork distiller and collector of anti­ and learned gentlemen in their several co un~ quities, states that in 1854 the Kerry copy was ties' . Co. Down was re-inves tigated through in his possession. According to Crofton Croker the assistance of gentlemen in that county who these interleaved volumes for the three coun­ were aided by persons sent from Dublin. The ties contained 'very considerable MS additions, editors of the Co. Down volume which resul­ and corrections by Smith'. The W. Wilson of 6 ted were Charles Smith and Walter Harris. Dame St., who appeared as a bookseller for the Three surveyors were employed to reduce the first edition of the Kerry volume, emerged in Grand Jury map, add to it, and survey several 1774 with reprinrs of all three county histories. parts of the sea coast as well as the new canal. An adverrisement bound in with the Co rk vol­ The resulting map was claimed to be the most umes states that Wilson was inspired by the exact that had yet been published for an y same motives as had urged Smith to prepare a county in Ireland. The Antient and PreJenl second edition for Waterford. He had acquired Siale ofthe Counly ofDown was published in the late Charles Smith's notes from a friend . 1744. It is interesting that neither Smith's nor WiJ soo' s desire to encourage readers to Journeying to a Journal: the Society's Predecessors 3 contribute to future editions set a course for 100 of these also subscribed to Smi th 's Water­ local antiquarians to follow , ending in Cork in ford, indicating a market for the entire pro­ 1892 with the publication of the first issue of jected national set. The social positions of the Journal of the Cork Histoneal and Ar­ subsc ribers, where recorded , falls into nobility, chaeological Society. The inclusio n of Smirh's landed gentry, merchantS, booksellers, history as a supplement to the three volumes bishops, clergy, medical doctors, military. All which form the fuS[ series dovetailed both are represented within the Cork purchasing publications, leaving theJoumai in its second community. and they provide an indicator to series free to pursue a broader course of ex­ the existence of personal coll ections and ploration commemorated in this cemenary private libraries. Smith's work would have ISsue . made a valuable addition to their topograph­ ical sections, The effect of so many persons of ENCOURAGING MINDS TO TRAVEL position, ambition and influence reading the Smith's Cork was a canal city , a Venice 10 work should be considered, given that it pro­ Ireland to the imagination ofsome. Dutch and vided the fust opportunity to get to know the Span ish influ ences in its architecture inter­ county in depth without having to travel j[ or mingled with the Medieval in timber and in rely on the gossip of the wayside wanderer. stone. Rich hopes filled the ambitious pro­ The presence of maps was an important posals ofmen like Pauick Aher, the map maker enhancement as were the topographical views. at Broad Lane. Nathaniel Grogan 's sketches It was a reasonably objective source of informa­ and paimings captured its tall ships and small tion and must have had many spin-offs in the boats , its multi-stacked cityscape and way people used what it contained. One of stubborn-willed populace. At Castle St . local these undoubtedly was a desire to visit, discuss printing presses fust began imprinting title and understand the'reliques' of ancient Irish pages in the seve nteenth century. The Ex­ histOry. change building dominated Cas tle St. and Many of the Cork su bscribers were by the those of academic and polite literary tastes nature of the Physico-Historical Society's could purchase the larest novels, plays, news­ scheme also conuibutors, The strategy as papers, street ballads and sa tirical cartoons. outlined in the Co . Down volume was to rais e The closing in of the canals and waterways and funds through a netwo rk consisting of 60 the opening up of new thoroughfares caused a Dublin city members and 320 corresponding geographicaJ restructuring of commercial, in­ members, ten from eac h county.
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