Further extracts from Kieran’s newest book
‘A-Z of Cork, Places, People, History’ published by Amberley Publishing (2025) is my latest publication on the rich history of Cork city. Below are extracts from the new book, which is available in any good bookshop in the city as well as online. Below are extracts from the letter R.
To prepare for the TK Maxx complex on Cornmarket Street, archaeological excavations were carried out in 2005 by Sheila Lane and Associates. The excavation confirmed that extensive reclamation of the marsh to the north-east of the walled town took place in the early eighteenth century.
Accumulations up to 1.7m thick of degraded domestic waste were discarded onto the estuarine muds all along the complete western and southern edges of the site. This dredged material included sizable quantities of post-medieval pottery, clay pipes and animal bone.
The lower slopes of these organic deposits had been spread to the north and east to create a broad arc throughout the development site. These were covered by a deposit of manually introduced estuarine muds, which closed both the deposits and the wet muds to the north-east. The report notes that reclamation was sustained by dumping local gravels, crushed stone and locally dredged mixed riverine clays and gravels into this sealed, bowl-shaped area.
Record:
Nicholas Christopher Ring (1920–79), better known as Christy Ring, was a famous Irish sportsman. He played hurling with the Glen Rovers club from 1941 until 1967 and was a member of the Cork senior team from 1939 until 1963. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in the history of the game. Many former players, commentators and fans place him as the number one player of all time.
Christy Ring’s status as one of the all-time greats is self-evident. His record of sixty-four appearances in championship games has yet to be equalled, while his tally of thirty-three goals and 208 points in these games was a record which stood until the 1970s. Christy’s haul of eight senior All-Ireland medals, all won on the field of play, was a record that stood for over a decade. Christy also won a record eighteen Railway Cup medals with Munster. No other player in the history of the competition has gone into double figures.
Reedpod was designed by sculptor Eilís O’Connell and unveiled in 2006. It is made of quarter-inch-thick copper sheeting and is covered with a stainless-steel structure that allows it to move
slightly with the wind. At the unveiling O’Connell noted that the piece was inspired by the site’s history as a marsh. The sculpture derives from studies and drawings of reeds, rushes and pod-like forms.
Repent:
In 1818 a new gaol was built adjacent to the western marshes under the direction of the Inspector General of Prisons, a Revd Archer. Prisoners were to be transported to this gaol from other counties four times a year, especially after conviction. This new ‘House of Correction’ was so filled with hardship and misery that young offenders were quick to see the error of their ways and to repent for their crimes. It is reported that prisoners were more fearful of being moved from the Dublin Gaol to the Cork Gaol than being exiled from Ireland to prison colonies in New South Wales in Australia. Being locked up with other, more hardened criminals made several less experienced culprits repent within days of their conviction.
All prisoners were forced to wear set prison clothing and their days were spent in total hardship. They were either involved in the manufacture of clothing, washing down the floors or moving treadwheels, which pumped water to all parts of the prison.
Resuscitation:
On 10 September 1766, a tailor by the name of Patrick Redmond was executed by hanging at the prominent Gallows Green in the southern suburbs. Patrick was found guilty of robbing the dwelling house of a John Griffin. A man called Mr Glover took an active part in this man’s restoration. After Patrick had been hanging for nine minutes and the soldiers had left, members of the general public cut the rope. Through resuscitation by Mr Glover, who happened to be passing, Patrick was restored to life.
Recovering quickly, Patrick made his escape and got drunk to celebrate his good fortune. Wishing to thank Mr Glover for saving his life, he discovered that he was an actor on stage at the Theatre Royal on George’s Street, now the site of the GPO. Patrick drunkenly stumbled into the stalls of the theatre and proclaimed his thanks out loud for the actor. There was much terror and consternation by members of the audience. Patrick was removed from the building by members of the concerned public before local police could catch him.
River:
The origin of the word ‘Lee’ is sketchy and legend attributes the name to an ethnic group known as the Milesians from Spain who reputedly arrived in Ireland several thousand years before the time of St FinBarre. Legend has it that the Milesians acquired land in southern Munster, which they named ‘Corca Luighe’ or ‘Cork of the Lee’ from Luighe, the son of Ith who attained the land after the Milesian advent to Ireland. The River Lee – An Laoi over the centuries – has had many variations in its spelling. In early Christian texts such as the Book of Lismore, it is described as Luae. It has also been written as Lua, Lai, Laoi and the Latin Luvius. An entry in the Annals of the Four Masters in the year AD 1163 names the river Sabhrann. However, many scholars agree on the name Lee as the most common name of the river.