Category: Cork - Reading the Signs

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SKITE? What Is A Skite?

8/10/2023

This particular rabbit hole was inspired by Michael Harding’s book, Chest Pain. I spotted it on my first visit to the library post cardiac incident and it just had to come home. Towards the end, page 363 to be precise, there is a story about damage to a statue to the Blessed Virgin Mary that was not spotted by any of the parishioners, even after the bishop had thrown a ‘skite’ of water on it as a blessing.

‘When the people gathered around the crib that Christmas night I was terrified that someone might notice the damage.

The bishop, an old man with tremendous white eyebrows, gave the crib a skite of holy water. Drops landed on Mary’s face and I feared the congregation would see the scratches on her fingers due to our wanton sexual desires for Mary Brady.’

Michael Harding, Chest Pain

This immediately had me thinking that that is not what I thought ‘skite’ was.

I would have used ‘skite’ as a trip, adventure, or even a session that was an escape from normality. One could go on a ‘bit of a skite’ – some me time to recharge the batteries.

I definitely would not have used it as a volumetric measurement – a dollop of water but not a skite.

The Dictionary of Cork Slang suggests that my use may not be that common in Cork – they equate a ‘skite’ to a drinking session.

Chambers’ Dictionary has it as a ‘boast’. Merriam-Webster has options including blow or impact; trick or prank; a disagreeable offensive person; or a boaster. Collins Dictionary supports the argument for boast; blow; and drinking session - it adds ‘a person held in mild contempt’.

The use of the word by both Michael Harding and yours truly is not supported by the dictionaries – yet.

“Words are in dictionaries because they exist – they do not exist because they are in dictionaries”

Máire Nic Mhaoláin

Not A Ghost Of A Chance

7/8/2023

There I was, a month ago, walking down Patrick’s Street. The builder’s hoarding was still up at the former Eason’s premises. I got to wondering if the clock might become a ghostsign; and, might survive the occupation of the building by the new traders.

A tweet from CorkBeo confirmed that the reference to Eason had been removed – gone before it could become a ghostsign.

Carved In Stone

11/7/2023

St. Martins, Templemartin

My inclination would be to spell the name as JOHANNA. In 1811, maybe JOHANA was a variation in use. But JOHAXA just looks wrong.

Maybe that was her name.

Maybe it was a correction of a mirrored N – similar to Liscleary – but one would expect removal of the incorrect diagonal if that were the case.

If a correction was to be done, I would have expected IHS to have been transformed into HIS.

Opercula - Is Its Time Up?

9/7/2023

Predicting More Cork Heritage To Be Removed

Then

Now

Following on from the post about the benchmark at the bottom of St Patricks’s Hill, it looks suspiciously like more aspects of Cork Heritage may not be compatible with current public realm design.

These iron covers on the lower section of St Patrick’s Hill are not manhole covers. They most probably have not been used for very many years. These are remnants of a time past when coal was delivered and the large houses had a coal bunker, generally under the footpath. Coal was delivered into the coal bunker through these coal plates.

Many of the bunkers have been blocked up so most of these coal plates remain as just a visible record off times past. They are non-functioning but is that a reason to strip them out and replace them with the bland palate of our public realm designers?

I do like reminders of past work practices and of how people lived. These coal plates could easily be retained and incorporated into a street design but as it is Cork City Council, I am not hopeful.

Opercula, the plural of Operculum, is the name used for the structure to cover an opening. Christopher Howse on twitter has photographed over a thousand London coal plates – many of which are decorative, as are some in Dublin. A book by Shephard Taylor called Opercula: London Coal Plates was published in 1929.

I have encountered coal plates in Cork on Lover’s Walk, Montenotte Road, Patrick’s Hill, Summerhill, Wellington Road, and Upper John St.. Most are not very decorative.

If this is meant to be the Victorian Quarter, I would have thought that this was an opportunity to incorporate into a tourist trail of how things were done, but I do not hold out much hope.

p.s. The response from Cork City Council to the now Lord Mayor about the benchmark was:
“it is not possible to retain the benchmark in its current location; it is to be incorporated into the new public realm enhancements in the vicinity”

J. O’Dell’s Work

8/7/2023

Another piece of architectural heritage from the childhood neighbourhood – this one on O’Mahony’s Avenue

Another name marked into ironwork that I did not see until recently

J. O’Dell does not have the same internet profile as MacFarlane Castings so has gone onto my own To Find Out More List

MacFarlane Castings

6/7/2023

I have blogged previously as to the attraction and admiration of the Blacksmith and his forge – and not just once or twice.

It does bring a smile every time I see a maker or foundry name marked into a iron railings; road gulley; manhole cover; bridges; or, as in this instance, a gate.

This gate was on my way to secondary school and I have walked past in the decades since but it was only recently that I spotted that the name of MacFarlane Castings

David Mitchell on twitter educates that Walter MacFarlane, born in 1818, created what became ‘the largest architectural ironfounding firm of its kind in the world’ – you could do worse than spend a few minutes scrolling there

Planning permission was recently granted for adaption of the building. The applicant and the architect do give home that I will be seeing MacFarlane Castings for some time

Another Benchmark

5/7/2023

Unlike St Patrick’s Hill, this one is still in-situ

A few weeks back, spotted a benchmark on top of the key wall at Camden Quay.

I have walked this way more than once or twice but only noticed it a few weeks ago.

Hidden in plain sight

What is rare is beautiful…..

14/6/2023

Seamus Murphy headstones are beautiful examples of stone carving, to these eyes at least. An encounter with an uncatalogued Seamus Murphy headstone is even more so.

There is the anticipation as you spot the thickness and shape of the stone from a distance. The serrated grooves to the edge face and return raise expectation. Getting nearer, the lettering (particularly if red) will have you nearly convinced.

After standing back to admire, then the search for the letter cutter’s signature is the confirmation that life is good. It is time to stand back, enjoy and appreciate – and then, just like those two early evening pints with a long lost friend who you just bumped into on the way home, leave happier and in a better space.

I have seen a few headstones by Seamus Murphy not in the Crawford Art Gallery book of his work, so they do exist. It was just that last Sunday morning, taking some me time strolling around Douglas Cemetery, I was not expecting to see such a headstone.

Just like pints – the unplanned meetings with headstones can be the best.

A Little Piece of Heritage – Gone

13/6/2023

The above photographs were taken at the bottom of St Patrick’s Hill on the 24th May. When I saw the eastern side of the hill barricaded off, I did fear for the fate of the benchmark.

Benchmarks as a useful piece of data have long been replaced by GPS. As a mark on the fabric of the city recording how things were done in the past, they are a mark of history. I particularly liked this one as it was in the kerb on St. Patrick’s Hill. I have seen many on stone pillars, less in brickwork – on a kerb is very rare.

The photographs below were taken just 5 days later, on 29th May. The kerbs had all been removed. They have not returned since.

When demolition of the existing warehouse was being carried out in advance of the construction of 1, Albert Quay, I did ask as to whether the old fire cock sign might be available. I was told that it was being retained and was to be re-applied to the new building. It is now on the new building, complete with a new colour scheme.

It is as functional as a benchmark but its heritage value was appreciated by someone with decision making powers - thankfully

Another Lightning Strike

13/12/2022

Last Sunday, once again, I received the lesson that one is very unlikely to record all of a particular thing – there always is the rick that one exists somewhere I just have not been before. This time is was the E.S.B. Lightning logo.

Castle Avenue in Monkstown was the road not travelled before. And there it was.

It has prompted me to put a webpage together of those that I have encountered and recorded - HERE

The Steady Hand To Victory

12/12/2022

Our conversational Irish walk was a bit puzzled yesterday.

Our monthly siúlóid took us through Monkstown Demense. As we we exiting the estate before heading back down Glen Road to the village, we tried, and failed to figure out the meaning of the words carved into the archways on either side of the road.

LÁMH FOIS TENACHABÚ

The archways facing the road read Monkstown Demense so it was not a translation.

Lámh Fois Tenachabú had us stumped – not too difficult for my level of Gaeilge but it had all of us beaten. Jerry did think it may have something to do with the motto for the estate – top marks.

Learning can be difficult enough – even relearning. But it definitely does not helped when the mason or letter carver sets out not to make things easy. The number of stones in the arch mean that these two options would have been equally easy to cut:

LÁMH FOIS TENACHABÚ

LÁMH FOIST- ENACH ABÚ

The latter option may well have been read as Lámh Foistenach Abú which translates as The Steady Hand To Victory. If there was an O’Sullivan among the group, we may have had greater success in interpreting as it is the motto of the O’Sullivan’s.

LÁMH FOISTENACH ABÚ

Monkstown Demense

If The Hat Fits …………. Stick It On A Picture Frame

28/11/2022

It is a long time since I even thought of the headwear of the Catholic clergy.

I do recall the Canon in the local parish church regularly wearing a hat that the other priests did not wear – a black Biretta if memory has not faded too much. The Eucharistic Procession would also show that the bishop wore a mitre.

What I did not realise until a couple of weeks ago is that there were/are quite a number of different types – and I did not see real hats, paintings or photographs to realise this, just picture frames.

I was deliberately early for a meeting which allowed me to stop in Maynooth and look for the Seamus Murphy statue of St Patrick. The directions I received were spot on and there he was inside the main door of the enclosed quad – once again a piece calling out to be touched.

It was only when I had touched and photographed St Patrick did I realise the paintings along the corridor. Then I spotted the hats incorporated into the top of the frame. And then, that not all of the hats were the same.

The corridor gallery brought me back to the Capuchin Cemetery in Rochestown, Co. Cork where I went looking for the Celtic Cross headstones made by Seamus Murphy for Fr. Albert and Fr. Dominic whose bodies were repatriated in 1958 – 23 years after the death of Fr Dominic who was chaplain to both Cork Lord Mayors who died in 1920, Tomás MacCurtin and Terence MacSwiney. But there was no sign of a Celtic Cross.

The graves of Fr Dominic and Fr Albert were marked with a cross – a simple cross just like all of the others in the cemetery. A friend did ask a member of the Capuchin community in Rochestown who recalled that some years ago, a Provincial decided that all priests and brothers were equal and should be recognised as equal. The location of the Celtic Crosses removed to make way for the uniform simple cross memorials remains unknown.

The principle of all being equal in death did not extend to the African Missions Cemetery in Wilton in Cork. It appears to have been introduced in Maynooth but not retrospectively – the newer paintings appearing to have no adornment on the picture frame.

I foresee that I will be in a rabbit hole in the future trying to understand the different hat syles and meanings……

Josephine McCoy

27/11/2022

Yesterday, driving on the Back Douglas Road, I spotted the name of an as yet unfinished development. A U-turn was executed and I returned to what will be Josephine McCoy Mews. This had me intrigued.

Buildings, roads or structures named after females are not that common. If the sub-grouping of female saints is excluded, the number would be very very small.

I remember mentally screaming at the car radio about ten years ago when there was a, what proved to be successful, campaign to name the suspension bridge over the Dublin to Belfast M1 after former President Mary McAleese. Someone on the radio was saying that it would be the first structure named after a women, ignorant of the Cork footbridge erected in 1985 and named after Nano Nagle.

Mary Elmes Bridge, Rosie Hackett Bridge and others have followed since then – but the numbers are still so small that I did return and photograph what will be Josephine McCoy Mews. Heading onwards towards the Nursing Home, I did think as to who Josephine McCoy was and whether I had read of her previously.

As it transpired, I had actually stopped at the grave she shares with her (second) husband. John Borgonovo’s piece on RTE Brainstorm gave the answers – well worth a read.

“ – Aren’t Cork people funny all the same, I said. I mean like see that footbridge there, there are two footbridges along this stretch of the river. This one here was opened by Gerald Goldberg, Cork’s Jewish Lord Mayor, it leads from Goldberg’s office in the heart of the city to the Synagogue on South Terrace and on into the Jew Town of Albert Road; but the funny thing is that bridge is known locally as the Pass-Over. Then we have the other footbridge up by the Quay Co-op. It’s called the By-Pass, ya see Joe McHugh was the City Manager at de time dey were building it, and sur poor aul Joe had to go under the knife with his heart… de By-Pass, gas or wat?”

Passion Play – Cónal Creedon (1999)

Grey is the new Green…

9/10/2022

St. Luke's Cross - 2022.10.09

St. Luke's Cross - 2013.04.27

40 Shades of Green

Taking my morning coffee and croissant earlier today, I wondered as to the post box across the road at St Luke’s Cross.

It was definitely not the normal shade of green for postboxes – Emerald Green. This evening, I returned to photograph and suspect that the brighter green is an undercoat as the demarcation between the green and black is far from sharp.

‘In keeping with this, a circular was issued by the Chief Clerk, J. J. Coonan, on the 22nd February 1922 informing postmasters that
The Postmaster General of the Irish Free State has decided that in future all Letter Boxes are to be painted emerald green instead of P.O. red as at present. The words “An Post” in Gaelic characters should be inserted in yellow over the doors of the Letter Boxes. Black paint should be used for the bases of Pillar Boxes.’

The Irish Post Box – Silent Servant And Symbol Of The State - Stephen Ferguson

I suspect that same excuse does not apply to the wall box at Mitchel St in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. The box is still open for use but is painted camouflage grey – possibly to fool the tourists…..

Julia M. Crowley – 1932

9/10/2022

R532 - Buttevant to Kildorrery, Co. Cork

This morning, I started filing away some of my photographs, a long overdue task. I got as far back as late July and this roadside Calvary cross on the Buttevant to Kildorrery road (R532). The filing of the photographs stopped as the vague recollections stirred.

Calvary Cross locations marked in blue

I was correct in thinking that I had another in the Grotto folder named Wallstown. Only when comparing the two did other coincidences come forth:

The majority of roadside grottos or religious statues are to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Calvary crosses are not nearly as common. When I eventually get around to populating the full database, I will be able to give the percentage but suspect it will be in low single digits.

1954 was a Marian Year as is regularly noted on the roadside shrines. 1932 is not as common – another for the database recording.

When plotting the crosses on the map, they are not very far apart.

They both mention Julia M. Crowley and 1932. She erected, or caused erected, the Calvary Cross on the N73. She died on 27th September and the Calvary Cross on the R532 was erected in her memory – interestingly, this one has statues of three others praying and remembering, whereas the earlier one does not.

Julia M. Crowley of Wallstown Castle has gone onto the To Find Out More list……