A city unphased
Home cooked meals took a major back seat this week when a gasping Cork city took its first delicious sip of something resembling normality.
Architecture aside, one could have been strolling through Paris or Lisbon with the energy, smells, sights and sounds that were evident while passing by Cork’s seemingly endless number of delightful cafés, restaurants and bars.
Buskers were firing out tunes as if nothing had happened while barbers were standing at their doors peddling that crucial bazzer that much of the country has been craving.
Princes Street, off Oliver Plunkett Street, is a perfect example of the kind of city we can look forward to for the coming months. Pedestrianised for the time being, the place is humming with chatter and the music of clinking cutlery as Leeside diners enjoy an alfresco meal in the sun.
Compare this scene to a damp and dismally empty city centre only three short months ago. It’s scary to see the city you love so empty, but now it’s back with a thirsty vengeance.
I managed to secure a seat in Gallagher’s Gastro Pub on MacCurtain Street on Tuesday evening. The popular spot was one of at least a dozen places I’d called to.
Inside I spoke with customer Jason O’Reilly from Grange while he enjoyed his first pint of the summer.
“This is my first pint since mid-February. When I went to take the first sip, I actually had to catch myself and make an occasion of it. It’s muscle memory at this stage. It was when the cream of the Guinness touched my lips I went, ‘hang on a minute, this is a big deal’.”
Later, I spoke with Mick who was enjoying a pint with a group of friends outside the Thomond Bar on Marlboro Street. “It was lovely. It’s the mother’s milk. After four months it’s great to see friends again. The real point is, how we are all coming out of this hell that we’ve been in for three months. The pint doesn’t matter. It’s not about the pint. It’s about the social interaction amongst friends,” he said.
One of many restaurants to reopen on Monday was Umi Falafel on Academy Street.
“The last three months have been tough for us. We closed in the middle of March and stayed closed for almost six weeks,” explained owner, George.
“And then we started the deliveries and takeaways. We had to pay rent, so we had to get something going.”
Umi Falafel is just one example of Cork’s resilience as the city peaks its head out from its unscheduled hibernation. It seems our city is certainly back open for business, long may it continue.