If the Walls Could Talk: Stories of Cork's Built Heritage (2013)

Title

If the Walls Could Talk: Stories of Cork's Built Heritage (2013)

Subject

Built Heritage:

Description

In 2013, the Cork Folklore Project was commissioned by Cork City Council as part of Cork Heritage Open Day to create a film exploring the relationship between some of Cork's most historic buildings and the people who use them. The project carried out a series of interviews with local historians, people associated with the buildings, and Cork residents (the interviews in this collection were carried out by Mark Wilkins), and drew on existing audio and video interviews. Interviews in this collection featured in the DVD discuss the Trinity Presbyterian Church, the National Sculpture Factory, the Custom House/Port of Cork, the Pavilion, the Masonic Hall, Triskel/Christchurch, Cork Vision Centre, South Presentation Convent, Elizabeth Fort, St. Fin Barre's Cathedral, UCC Crawford Observatory and Blackrock Castle Observatory. The overall built heritage project was continued throughout 2013 and 2014 in order to create an interview collection and DVD on the other buildings featured in Cork Heritage Open Day. Interviews about UCC Boole Library and Cork City Opera House, which were not featured in the first DVD, form part of this collection. The DVD was edited by Ian Stephenson, and featured music by Mark Wilkins and photography by Gráinne McGee. The project was co-ordinated by Mary O’Driscoll.
The film contributed to Cork City Council’s Cork Heritage Open day, winning the Irish Heritage Council Heritage Week 2013 Award for the Best Interactive Event.
A second DVD was produced by the Cork Folklore Project in 2015, drawing on further interviews carried out by Mark Wilkins, entitled If the Stones Could Speak.
Support: this project was part-funded by Cork City Council.

Date

2013

Coverage

Cork city and surrounds. The 1700s to 2000s, with some reference to 500-1700.

Relation

If the Walls Could Talk: Stories of Cork's Built Heritage (2013) Film

If the Stones Could Speak: More stories from Cork's heritage (2015)

Links to:
Catalogue Collection

Film

Source

Cork Folklore Project Audio Archive

Rights

Cork Folklore Project

Language

English

Type

Audio

Format

13 .wav files

Collection Items

Roger Herlihy: Barrack Street, Saint Fin Barre’s cathedral, William Burgess, Elizabeth Fort, Jimmy Page, Pavilion cinema, Second World War
Ronnie talks about some of the buildings of the South Parish, such as Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral and Elizabeth Fort, and comments on some related photographs.
Ronnie (b. circa 1963)talks about the laying of the foundation stone for Saint Fin…

Pat Walsh: Barrack Street, Custom House, Dundanion Castle, Elizabeth Fort, Railways, Sculpture Factory, Trams, Transport,
Pat Walsh talks about some of the transport histories of Cork, including the railway and tramway systems and their associated infrastructure; and about the history of Elizabeth Fort.
He talks about the channels of the River Lee within the city and…

David J. Butler: Elizabeth Aldworth, William Henry Beamish, David J Butler, Anderson Cooper, Freemasonry, Elizabeth St Leger, Tuckey Street
David is a member of the Freemasons and talks about the Masonic Hall building on Tuckey Street. It dates back to the late 1700s when it was used as a meeting place for several different groups until it was bought by the Freemasons in 1844. He lists…

John Farris: Cash’s Stores, Presbyterians, Social Class, Trinity Presbyterian Church, Unitarian church
Minister Farris talks about the history of the Trinity Presbyterian Church, York Street.
He talks about the present church building, which was established in 1861. He comments on its crooked steeple and the stories associated with it. The site of…

Ria O’Sullivan: Blackrock Castle, Pirates, Observatory,
Ria talks about the history and purpose of Blackrock Castle. She explains that the building was bought by Cork County Council and saved from dereliction. It went on to house a science centre and an observatory.

Note: this interview was conducted…

David Ryan: Christchurch, Siege of Cork, Sir Henry Browne Hayes, Triskel Arts Centre,
David talks about the history and use of Christchurch and the adjoining Triskel arts centre.
He describes the Siege of Cork in the 1690s when the church was badly damaged.
He relates the story of Sir Henry Browne Hayes, who kidnapped Quaker heiress…

Michael Holland: William Crawford, Crawford Observatory, Eoin O’Mahony Eoin The Pope O’Mahony, Alfred O’Rahilly, William Kirby Sullivan, UCC, University College Cork
Michael talks about the Crawford Observatory building, about the instruments it housed, and about the advancement of scientific knowledge.
Michael is the curator of University College Cork. The Crawford Observatory was established on the campus in…

Carmel Hartnett & Maeve O’Sullivan: Nano Nagle, Bill Parfrey, Presentation Sisters, South Pres, South Presentation Convent,
A group of religious sisters talk about Nano Nagle, her life and work and miracles attributed to praying to her. They talk about the modern schooling needs of the area, and the role of the South Presentation building.

Note: This interview was…

Mary McCarthy: Jewtown, National Sculpture Factory
Mary talks about the establishment of the National Sculpture Factory, and the history of the building that houses it.
The sculpture factory was founded by four artists who wished to work collectively, and their project was supported by the city…

Geraldine Healy: Boole Library, Cinemas, The Pavillion Cinema, Univesity College Cork,
Geraldine talks about her time at UCC in the late 1970s and 1980s, and about the then new Boole Library. She mentions a superstition about walking on the grass of the quadrangle before graduation. (She reads aloud about the Crawford Observatory from…

Eibhlín Gleeson: Cork Opera House, Athenaeum, Theatre,
Eibhlín talks about Cork Opera House, its history and its role in the life of the city.
The building was established in 1855 as the Athenaeum, a rebuild of an earlier exhibition hall, and remodelled as the Munster Hall in 1872 and again in…

John X Miller: Cork Vision Centre, Marriage, St Peter’s Church, Supernatural,
John talks about the history and present role of Cork’s Vision Centre.
The building was originally St Peter’s Church, completed in 1788, and sold into private hands in 1949, after which it fell into disrepair. It was restored by Cork Corporation and…
View all 12 items