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Cork Heritage Open Day

The website www.corkheritageopenday.ie will go live on Saturday August 14 and will feature guided tours of over 45 historic buildings from all over Cork City including Riverstown House in Glanmire, the Quaker Meeting House and Graveyard, The Maryborough Hotel, Cork Opera House, The Courthouse on Washington Street, Ballincollig Gunpowder Mills, Blarney Castle, Cork City Hall, Cork Savings Bank, St Luke’s Church and Military Museum, Collins Barracks.

The Lord Mayor, Cllr. Colm Kelleher said “As Lord Mayor I am delighted to launch Cork Heritage Open Day this year.  The event will be taking place on line and includes several videos showcasing buildings projects, documentaries and events from around the city. The event highlights the breath-taking built heritage of the city and tells the story of its fascinating past which has shaped the city we live in today. This online archive is a great asset to the heritage of the city and brings our shared history to life. I hope you enjoy exploring these stories and films.  Bain taitneamh as Lá Oscailte Oidhreachta Chorcaí”

www.corkheritageopenday.ie celebrates Cork Communities who through interviews, video and imagery tell their story.

  • Memories of a Cork Jewish Childhood- which has been produced by Ruti Lachs sees former Cork residents remember their childhoods in Ireland: their Jewish upbringing, the synagogue, the characters, the sea. Interspersed with photos from the last hundred years of life in Jewish Cork, these stories paint a picture of a time and community gone by.
  • Anne Twomey from the Shandon Area History Group speaks about Emma Hourigan, an extraordinary woman from the Maddens Buildings in Cork who played a central role in the Irish Revolution 1916-1923
  • Biddy McDonagh and Jean O’Donovan from the Traveller Visibility Group discuss their language Gammon and Cant and the tradition of the Beady Pockets in the Traveller Community
  • Jim Fahy speaks about the language of the Stone Masons “Bearlager na Saor”
  • Valerie Power, Breda Scanlon and Suzanne Dineen pay tribute to the Shawlies in Cork
  • Historian Michael Lenihan uses historic postcards to show how Cork has changed in the past 100 years

For the first time, Cork Heritage Open Day, celebrates the natural heritage of Cork and members of the public can enjoy a wonderful guided tour of the Mangala in Douglas with William O’Halloran and a fascinating insight into the Glen River Park with Julie Forrester and Gerard O’Brien. For those wishing to test their knowledge of the streets, bridges and buildings in Cork, historian Liam O’hÚigín has created a special quiz for Cork Heritage Open Day!

www.corkheritageopenday.ie also features wonderful archival footage of Cork including the 1902 International Exhibition, the Burning of Cork and the Street Games Played in Cork in the 1950’s.

All you need to do is click on www.corkheritageopenday.ie  and check out the jam-packed fun programme of online events for Cork Heritage Open Day.