Cut Stone Buildings in Cork

[corcaighboy]

First up is a shot of Penny's shop on Patrick Street. Forgive my photography skills...I really have to learn how to take proper photos!

And here is a shot of the old Egan's shop, now River Island or some such clothing outlet. Egan's is the building to the left of the photo. Obviously, if anyone can shed more light on the architects or builders, then fire away. Thankfully, in most of the buildings mentioned here (Custom House, Brown Thomas, Cudmores), the old wooden window frames have not been replaced by PVC equivalents

[Praxiteles]

Here are some more imeages of Brown Thomas on Patrick Street. In my view, the most graceful building on Cork's main street. Looks classy and refined, even compared to the Roches Stores building next to it.

And opposite Brown Thomas, the old Cosgroves fruit/sweet store (I think!), now a Vodafone outlet. This building has two very graceful curved glass windows in front. Lost a bit of its charm now that it is no longer a kid's emporium of delight!

I think it used to be Cudmore's sweet shop!

[KerryBog2]

Penneys first Cork shop was in the Queens Old Castle - there is/ was a cell-like room in it that the Sheares brothers were reputed to have been held in. I remember the present shop as the Munster Arcade; I recall Cudmore's shop as being out of picture to the right???
KB

[Praxiteles]

Correct re the Queen's old castle; correct re. Penny's present location being the Munster arcade; but the buikding next to it is William Egan's, goldrsmiths. Im fully certain that the shop on the corner of Wintrop St. was a sweet shop. Who could have forgotten those acres of temptation posted in the rounded windows?

[corcaighboy]

Apologies...you are right...it was Cudmores Shop. Either I have been out of Cork too long or the memory is fading...or perhaps both;)

[KerryBog2]

Who could have forgotten those acres of temptation posted in the rounded windows?

only bettered by the shop on MacCurtain St that sold stink-bombs, Airfix, Dinkys, Corgis and fireworks.... was it HC Stores?

[Praxiteles]

The ground floor of Woolworths in Patrick's St. was not bad either!

[Praxiteles]

The map below gives a fairly detailed overwiew of the situation in the centre of Cork after the arsonist incendiarism of the Black and Tans unleashed to terrorize the general punlic on 11 December 1920.

[Praxiteles]

The image below shows the east side of Patrick's Street in 1907. Mangan's jeweller's shop can be identified for the clock is outside the door.

[Praxiteles]

The general markets on the Coal Quay in 1893. We hear that the building is about to be restored.

[KerryBog2]

Praxiteles - Did Mangan's become Ryans, the Blackthorn House? I seem to recall it along there somewhere...
Thanks
KB

[Praxiteles]

Not as far as I am aware. WHile not certain, I think Mangan's continued practically up tot he time the whole bloc was demolished to make room for the red brick-crazed monstrosity from around the corner on the quay. Maybe Corcaighboy or Phil might be able to help?

[phil]

Maybe Corcaighboy or Phil might be able to help?

Interesting thread, but I don't think I can be of any help.

[lawyer]

Praxiteles - Did Mangan's become Ryans, the Blackthorn House? I seem to recall it along there somewhere...
Thanks
KB

I think the Blackthorn House was down where Clarkes shoe shop is now, almost on the corner of Princes Street.

[A-ha]

I'm not trying to make anyone feel old, but when was it that Woolworths closed down? All my life I've been hearing about all the auld ones buying toffee in Wolleys in like... the thirties or there abouts. How long were they open and what forced them to leave? Also, corcaighboy, tell me mind me own business if you want, but have you moved to Singapore from HK?

[Praxiteles]

Not at all boy! Woolworths was there up to 80s, I would say.

[MacLeinin]

I think the Blackthorn House was down where Clarkes shoe shop is now, almost on the corner of Princes Street.

I think that the Blackthorn House was one up from Clarkes shop towards Prince's Street.

Also great photo of the Coal Quay, especially the general markets building on the left, I believe a restoration is in progress. A fantastic building. Cork should be proud of her heritage.

[Praxiteles]

Guy's 1925 Directory for Cork tells us that the Blackthorn House, M. A. Ryan, was situated at no. 46 Patrick Street.

[corcaighboy]

Praxiteles - I think you are right...I remember Mangans being open into the early 80's. I think they may have relocated for a while. Don't forget, most of Merchants Quay lay derelict while they were consolidating the site. Alas, the Merchants Quay shopping center which replaced the buildings on the quay and the corner fronting onto Patrick Street is a distressingly ugly piece of work, although at the time it was the only development in the city center and was thus welcomed, warts and all.

Aha - Woolworths closed in 1982/3 I believe. At the time, it was big news (even getting the headline in the Echo . Everything was doom and gloom back then as Dunlops, Fords, and the dockyard all shut within the space of two years. Re your question: Yes, I moved from Hong Kong to Singapore around a year ago but simply forgot to change my location details on Archiseek. Singapore may be a Disneyworld with the death penalty, but they sure know how to do town planning, urban transport, and public housing. Certainly alot we could learn from them.

MacLeinin - Here are some recent shots I took of the Coal Quay. There is alot of redevelopment going on there at present, particularly on the old Guys site. One of the buildings is now a popular bar/restaruant called Bodegas.

[lawyer]

Guy's 1925 Directory for Cork tells us that the Blackthorn House, M. A. Ryan, was situated at no. 46 Patrick Street.

I know it is wandering from Cork Cut Stone Buildings but this link provides directories of Patrick Street, which may be of interest
http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/patrick_directory.shtml

[Praxiteles]

I know it is wandering from Cork Cut Stone Buildings but this link provides directories of Patrick Street, which may be of interest
http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/patrick_directory.shtml

Thanks for the link, Lawyer. It would be interesting to see what has disappeared from Patrick Street bewteen the 1976 and 1997 editions of the street directory. Has it even been published since 1997? Typical problem to be seen in the mainthorougfares of many cities: decline of the traditional businesses and their substitutionn with rag shops!

[corcaighboy]

Lawyer - Many thanks for posting that link. Never saw it before but it is indeed a treasure trove of info on Cork's past. Love the listing of business names down the years...Newsom's Cafe de Paris in particular sounds like they had some nice cakes to go with the coffee
And on the subject of old business and commercial names down the years, attached is a photo of a floor mosaic which is at the main entrance of the Imperial Hotel, which thankfully has been retained down the years.

[lawyer]

Thanks for the link, Lawyer. It would be interesting to see what has disappeared from Patrick Street bewteen the 1976 and 1997 editions of the street directory. Has it even been published since 1997? Typical problem to be seen in the mainthorougfares of many cities: decline of the traditional businesses and their substitutionn with rag shops!

As you can see, it is an extract from Thom's Commercial Directory which is published each year [at a cost of €142.50 plus VAT] Maybe the info. has to be a few years old before Cork City Council can publish on a site like this - free of charge.
I'm afraid that Patrick Street is now no better than a typical U.K. 'High Street' and will be worse when Roche's Stores goes.

[A-ha]

Aha - Woolworths closed in 1982/3 I believe. At the time, it was big news (even getting the headline in the Echo . Everything was doom and gloom back then as Dunlops, Fords, and the dockyard all shut within the space of two years. Re your question: Yes, I moved from Hong Kong to Singapore around a year ago but simply forgot to change my location details on Archiseek. Singapore may be a Disneyworld with the death penalty, but they sure know how to do town planning, urban transport, and public housing. Certainly alot we could learn from them.

Thanks and yes, I suppose it's no wonder Woolworths left Cork at that particular time. Urban transport keeps coming up again and again when it comes to Cork. I've seen villages with better transport links than what we have. Fingers crossed it will improve over the next few years.

I'm afraid that Patrick Street is now no better than a typical U.K. 'High Street' and will be worse when Roche's Stores goes.

You make it sound as if U.K. High Streets are bad. Yes I think it will be a terribly sad day when Roches closes its doors, but when it comes to it, people want those British stores that are popping up everywhere, without having to go to London for the day shopping. Next, Debenhams, River Island, Argos.... what city doesn't want to attract these? I think the crime of it is, is that they are all located on Patrick St. They would be far more suited to out of town shopping centres and leave home grown stores to Pana (excluding Dunnes and their manky green signage, those I'm just plain sick of). Oliver Plunkett St. is my favourite street in Cork. It's one local shop after another and they are all thriving. It's sort of a Catch 22 though, because if you take the popular stores out of Patrick St....... then who will shop there?

[Spinal Tap]

Thanks and yes, I suppose it's no wonder Woolworths left Cork at that particular time. Urban transport keeps coming up again and again when it comes to Cork. I've seen villages with better transport links than what we have. Fingers crossed it will improve over the next few years.


You make it sound as if U.K. High Streets are bad. Yes I think it will be a terribly sad day when Roches closes its doors, but when it comes to it, people want those British stores that are popping up everywhere, without having to go to London for the day shopping. Next, Debenhams, River Island, Argos.... what city doesn't want to attract these? I think the crime of it is, is that they are all located on Patrick St. They would be far more suited to out of town shopping centres and leave home grown stores to Pana (excluding Dunnes and their manky green signage, those I'm just plain sick of). Oliver Plunkett St. is my favourite street in Cork. It's one local shop after another and they are all thriving. It's sort of a Catch 22 though, because if you take the popular stores out of Patrick St....... then who will shop there?

Its great to have the local stores thriving in Cork but the neglect of the upper storys of their buildings all over the city is adding to their unnattractivness as a shop as one thing that the UK stores do is at least re-paint the facades.
Whats the storey with the 1200mmhigh steel bollards on Oliver Plunkett Street ? They have been left there for 18 months and are terrible.