A History of Daly’s Bridge & Surrounds, Cork DR KIERAN MCCARTHY WWW.CORKHERITAGE.IE Entering Cork History Cork has experienced every phase of Irish urban development Each phase informing the next phase Challenge of engineering a city upon a swamp –reclamation issues Challenge of the city’s suburban topography and the hills and geology Some eras are busier in development than other eras ➢ Some sites are more pivotal than others for the city’s development ➢ Some sites have become more famous than others in the city’s development ➢ Mardyke area and site of Daly’s Bridge were and are very important (three centuries in the making) Both the latter looked at first in the early eighteenth century …pre 1700… to 1750 Corke c.1601 (Hardiman Collection TCD) Early 1700s Expansion Spread Source: Charles Smith, 1750 (Source: Cork City Library) Joseph O’Connor, 1774 (source: Cork City Library) Joseph O’Connor, 1774 (source: Cork City Library) Beauford 1801 (Source: Cork City Library) John Carr, Cork from the Mardyke Walk, 1806 (source: Crawford Art Gallery) Beauford, 1801 (source: Cork City Library) The Ferry Site: Ferry rights across the River Lee to the market were passed down from the Weber family to the Carlton family and then came to the Dooley family. In August 1824, it is recorded in the Cork Constitution newspaper that John Dooley of the Ferry Walk Sunday’s Well claimed compensation in consequence of the new Wellington Bridge to be built near the western end of the Mardyke. Mr Dooley claimed that his ferry rights would be injured. He had held the ferry for many years, but on cross-examination he admitted that he had no exclusive rights. He was granted £10 for his claim. Leads us through the maps of 1830s…. Map of Mardyke walk and the new Western Road, 1832 (source: Cork City Library) OS 1836 Two additional amenities… Cork Cricket Club (1849) & Sunday’s Well Boating and Tennis Club (1899) c.1910 from Cork City Through Time by Kieran McCarthy and Dan Breen (right) Dooley’s Ferry, c.1910 from Cork City Through Time by Kieran McCarthy and Dan Breen Source: Cork Public Museum Source: Cork Public Museum Site of Cork International Exhibition, Mardyke, 1902 Cork International Exhibition, c.1902 from Cork City Through Time by Kieran McCarthy and Dan Breen Western Grounds,1902 The Great Chute, Cork International Exhibition, c.1902 from Cork City Through Time by Kieran McCarthy and Dan Breen Mardyke Rugby Grounds Opening Announcement, Extract from Cork Examiner, 4 September 1904 (source: Cork City Library) Deputation to Cork Corporation, Extract from Cork Examiner, 28 August 1908 (source: Cork City Library) Public Works Committee Meeting, Extract from Cork Examiner, 2 September 1908 (source: Cork City Library) Meeting in Sunday’s Well, Extract from Cork Examiner, 6 November 1908 (source: Cork City Library) The 1922 Analysis: 14 years later 5 February 1922 and an update at the Corporation of Cork’s Fitzgerald’s Park Committee reveals ongoing lobbying for the suspension bridge. 1942 Obituary of James Daly (source: Irish Examiner Archives) Stephen W Farrington Stephen Farrington Cork City Engineer from 1924-1954…1958 Born in Cork City circa 1889 and came from a distinguished Cork Presbyterian family. He studied at Cork University, where he obtained BA and ME degrees. After graduating he worked for a time in Northern Ireland, first with Belfast Corporation, then with the Belfast & Co. Down Railway, and finally as town surveyor of Lisburn, Co. Antrim. On 29 November 1924 he was appointed city engineer of Cork, a post which he held until his retirement in 1958. For many years Farrington lectured on municipal engineering at University College, Cork. A fluent speaker of Irish and French, he was an active member the Cork Literary and Scientific Society. He was also a keen sailor with Cork Boat Club. The Bridge Catalogue of David Rowell & Company, 1927 Stephen Farrington’s Expense Detail for Daly’s Bridge, 1927 (source: Cork City Council) Mr M O’Driscoll Cutting the Ribbon on Daly’s Bridge, 9 April 1927 (Source: Cork Examiner) Speeches: “From the numbers who were anxious to cross since the first day the bridge was commenced I am sure that it would serve a very useful purpose for a great many years to come. My unfortunate function was to find out what the people of Cork wanted, and as far as possible to give it to them but it was very difficult to know when Cork people were serious or not! There was one infallible test—how much are those people who urge these projects ready to pay down? That test was put to Mr. Daly, and he answered it magnificently. He was the only Corkman I have ever met to answer the test. I am not without hope that the example of Mr Daly would be followed by others”. Mr Philip Monahan, City Commissioner “I have for many years endeavouring to get the bridge erected, so as to span the Lee at its most picturesque part and to supply a want for one of the most important and populous districts of the city and suburbs of Cork. There were a lot of obstacles in the wav, but with the assistance of the Committee, and others who saw clearly the great necessity of this bridge, they succeeded in clearing the way, and we have now the great pleasure of seeing the bridge completed and being opened to the public. Mr James Daly James Daly giving last minute notes cutting the Ribbon on Daly’s Bridge, 9 April 1927 (source: Irish Examiner Archive) Monahan’s Team Monahan’s Early Projects, 1925-1926: Purification of city’s sewage schemes – replacement of archways under St. Patrick’s Street by sewers Push for a new cattle market -Adoption of Cork: A Civic Survey £70,000 for the provision of 200 houses Management of Mental Hospital by Commissioner Public lecture series – Democracy and local government - Daly’s Bridge in Context (1): January 1927 – Roches Stores Building is completed (25th). February 1927 – Blackrock Garda Station Re-opens (22nd). March 1927 – First proposal for Cork Industrial Fair (26th). April 1927 – Cash and Co Building is completed. April 1927 – Daly’s Bridge Opens (9th) April 1927 – First youth pilgrimage leaves Cork for Lourdes (14th) April 1927 – The First Feis Maithiú Opens (18th) April 1927 – New Wireless broadcasting station opens (26th) April 1927 – Collection of tolls on City’s approach roads abolished (28th). Daly’s Bridge in Context (2): May 1927 – First set of Ex-Servicemen housing in (Ballinlough) Cork City given to tenants. June 1927 – Plans and tenders for new Grand Parade Library completed (23rd) July 1927 – Surveys begin for the erection of poles to carry electricity from Shannon to Cork (22nd). August 1927 – Terro-concrete is poured between on Carrigrohane Straight to Victoria Cross. September 1927 – Famous incident of a collision of a steam roller and the Muskerry Tram on Carrrigrohane Straight Road (6th). Daly’s Bridge in Context (3): October 1927 – Fire Brigade Captain Alfred Hutson retires after 36 ½ years service. November 1927 – Tylers Footwear Store Opens. The last of the hoarding of the street is taken down from the Burning of Cork in December 1920 (3rd). November 1927 – Omnibuses begin to run between major cities and town, provided by the Great Southern Railways (23rd) November 1927 – Cork Corporation Houses at Capwell Road completed (16th). November 1927 – Proposal for new entrance to UCC on Western Road presented to the public. December 1927 – Cork Christmas Carnival Opens organised by the Cork Publicity Association (10th-24th December). December 1927 – An Exhibition of the new Ford Model A is opened at Ford Works, Marina, Cork. St Patrick’s Street 1935 Grand Parade, c.1935 Grand Parade, 1935 (picture: Cork Examiner).