CORK MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

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The Following extracts have been taken from a "Ward Locks Killarney & S.W. Ireland", undated, but early 1900s.

CORK - GENERAL

Up to living memory, everyone who wrote anything about Cork liked to start around the beginning of the 7th Century, when St. Finbar (or Fin Barre), came from Bougane Barra and founded a monastery and church by a lake called Lough Eric. There are many conflicting views of the exact site of Finbar's first monastery, but the general view is that it was where University College stands, and hence the College Motto "Where Finbar taught let Munster Learn". There is not a suggestion of a lake here now however.
BRIDGES
Many of the streets in Cork, though wide, are irregular, having been originally erected on the banks of the streams which seperated the islands. The central portion of the City is connected with the farther sides of the Lee by numerous bridges. The chief bridges are St. Patricks Bridge and the Parnell Bridge. The Northgate Bridge crosses the northern arm of the Lee half a mile to the West of St. Patricks Bridge; it occupies the site of one of the old fortified bridges and gates of the city and with the Southgate Bridge, which spans the southern branch of the river, formed for many years the only means of communication with the surrounding country. These bridges are connected by North & South Main Streets.
Wellington Bridge, renamed Thomas Davis Bridge, at the western extremity of the City, is close to the spot at which the river forks. This beautiful bridge rests on 3 arches of hewn limestone, with solid parapets. Peter O'Neill Crowley Bridge, formerly George IV Bridge, spans the South River 1 1/2 miles west fro mthe Grand Parade-Washington Street corner.
Clarkes Bridge and Parliament Bridge also span the South River. The former, which connects Wandesford Quay with Hanover Street, was built in 1726, of red clay-slate; and the latter, of one broad arch with open parapets, built of hewn limestone, connects the South Mall with Geroges Quay, which is opposite the father Mathew Memorial (Trinity) Church.
In addition to the above are the 2 important Railway Bridges, each with road and footpaths, and St. Vincents Bridge and Dalys Bridge, 2 footbridges over the North Channel, leading to the Sundays Well District.
DIVERSITY OF BUILDINGS
The diversity of the building matter of bridges is equalled, if not excelled, by the diversity of the buildings. A peculiarity of Cork is its want of uniformity, and the striking contrasts in colour of the houses. The stone of which the houses in the northern suburbs are built is of a reddish-brown - that on the South, of a cold grey tint. Some are constructed of red brick, some of brown, some are sheathed in slate, some whitewashed, some reddened, some yellowed. The most famous steeple in the city, that of St. Anns,Shandon, is red on two sides and white on the other two.
OTHER INTERESTING AREAS
The Mardyke is a mile-long promenade running between the 2 channels of the river, and shaded by fine old elm trees. The entrance to Fitzgerald Park is midway on the North side of the Mardyke. The grounds are extensive, well ornamented with shrubs, flower-beds, a miniature lake and fountain. Many pleasing vistas may be obtained of the river and the picturesque district of Sundays Well, which can be approached by Dalys Bridge.
Sundays Well is on the southern side of a long hill sloping upwards from the river. The name is derived form a spring once believed to possess miraculous virtues.

FEATURES OF CORK WORTH SEEING - Churches

St. Fin Barres Cathedral (C.of I.) Bishop Street.
Saints.Peter & Paul R.C., Off St. Patricks Street
St. Anns, Shandon Near Shandon Street
St. Marys Cathedral R.C., Near Shandon Street
St. Marys R.C., Popes Quay
St. Francis Libery Street
Holy Trinity Father Mathew Quay
St. Patricks Lower Road
St. Francis R.C., Broad Lane

FEATURES OF CORK WORTH SEEING - Streets, Promendades etc

St. Patricks Grand Parade
MacCurtain Street The Quays
South Mall The Marina
The Mardyke Fitzgerald Park on Mardyke

PASSAGE WEST (Extract from Slaters Directory, 1856)

(Population in 1851: 2,857)

Passage, or West Passage (to distinguish it from Passage in the County of Waterford) is a Sea-port and post town, partly in the parish of Monkstown, and partly in that of Marmulane (by which the latter name it is also known), in the Barony of Kerrycurrihy, County of Coirk, 7 miles E.S.E. from that City, seated on the Western Shore of the Estuary of the River Lee, opposite to Great Island.
The Parish of Marmulane is bounded on the West by the liberties of Cork City, and on the South by Monkstown. The town comprises one principal street extending along the shore for nearly a mile, with smaller streets and lanes diverging from it. The ferry to Great Island and Cove is at the Eastern extremity of the town and the thoroughfare, during the summer months, is very great. The intercourse between this place and Cove is kept up by the steamers belonging to the Railway Company; and numberous covered cars or jingles are constantly in requisition for the communication between Passage & Cork, besides which trains run hourly on the Cork, Blackrock & Passage Railway.
The interesting character of the scenery, the varied and delightful views over the river, and the Islands, and its general salubrity, have combined to render Passage highly desirable as a place of permenant residence, and attractive, druing the summer, for the fine air and sea bathing. The principal business is ship building, carried on by Messrs Brown, and Messrs Hennessy & Peasley, and many of the labouring classes are occupied in discharging the cargoes of large vessels, as none above 400 or 500 tons burthen can proceed up the river to Cork.
A constabulary police station is established here, and petty sessions are held every Friday. The Church is a neat edifice; The Roman Catholic Chapel, a rather handsome structure was built in 1832. A Parochial School, one in connection with the Catholic Chapel, and a fever hospital and dispensary, comprise the charities. There are neither markets nor fairs, but the town is pretty well supplied with all the necessaries of life.

MONKSTOWN (Extract from Slaters Directory, 1856)

(Population in 1851: 2,123 - Parish., 484 - village)

Monkstown, a villgae, in the parish of its anme, in the same barony of Passage, about 1 mile from that town, like it, seated on the Western Bank of the Lee River and on the new line of the road from Carrigaline to the City of Cork. It is said to have obtained its name from a small establishment of Benedictine monks, belonging to the Priory of St. Johns, Waterford, which settled here in the 14th Century and founded, and founded Legan Abbey, of which no traces remain.
The Parish is bounded on the East and South East by the Lee before-mentioned and Cove Harbour, the river affording every facility for water carriage, and excellent anchorage for vessels of almost any burthen. The village, which altogether is remarkably pleasant, comprises a large number of pretty detached villas; somme of these are really elegant, especially those situated near the shore, built in the Elizabethan style, of which there are several, and which are increasing in number daily.
The environs are embellished with many beautiful seats placed in delightful situations - amongst these are "Rock Lodge", the residence of Henry W. Perry Esq., "The Castle", B.R. Shaw Esq., "Carrickmahan", (Dr. Curtain), etc.
The Royal Victoria Baths, conducted by Mr. Archibald McDougall, are fitted up with elegance and every appropriate convenience - they comprise warm, cold, vapour, etc. baths. This place is so closely allied to Passage as respects distance, matters of business, and local interests, that it may well be deemed a suburban portion of that town. The Church, which stands on a pleasing elevation, is cruciform, which a tower & spire: it contains a fine organ, and the East window exhibits some armorial bearings in stained glass. The public schools are at Passage, and, like that place, Monkstown holds neither markets or fairs.