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Liam Ó hUigín: The River Lee
Liam speaks of being born in Henry Street and that the River Lee flowed through his parish. He remembers learning how to swim just outside where the Mercy Hospital is. He says when they were a bit older they would go swimming a bit further away using…
Arthur Walker Snr: Evergreen Road, Ballyphehane
Arthur tells of his early life on Evergreen road and the move to Ballyphehane in the 1950s
Michael Creedon: Bradley's
Michael Creedon relates some of the history pertaining to Bradley's, a 4th generation shop established in 1850 on North Main Street. He discusses the changes that have taken place during that time in the area and the importance of supporting local…
Patrick Leader: Leader's Menswear
Patrick Leader gives the history of Leader’s shop on North Main Street. He discusses the ups and downs of North Main Street over generations and provides his views on challenges facing the street during the recession. He talks about local characters…
Rosarii Comber: North Gate Chemist
Rosarii Comber is a pharmacist at North Gate Pharmacy, a business that has been in her family since 1964. She begins the interview discussing some of the history of the building – that families would have lived above the business and that at one…
Erin O'Brien: Historic Spine
Erin O’Brien is originally from Nebraska but has lived in Ireland since 1993. She is a planner at the Planning Department at City Hall and she also lives on North Main Street. In this interview, she takes an in-depth look mostly at North Main Street,…
Liam Ó hUigín: Henry Street
Liam O hUigin grew up on Henry Street in the vicinity of North and South Main Streets in the 1940s and 1950s. He describes the area in great detail, including various changes over the decades. He recalls the many shops along North Main Street and the…
Tom Spalding: North Main Street
In this interview, Tom Spalding, a local historian and author, discusses his research methods and interests concerning the development of the North and South Main Street area over time. His interest lies primarily in what he calls “street furniture”…
Noreen Hannover: South Main Street
Noreen Hanover was born in 1950 and grew up in the South Main Street area until 1975. Her family would have done most of their shopping on South Main Street and she relates the character of the shops there, their different purposes, as well as what…
John O'Leary: Sir Henry's
John O’Leary describes life as an insider of the alternative music scene in the 1990s. This interview focuses largely on the clubs (Sir Henry’s on South Main Street), characters, events, and bands throughout this period.
In this interview, John…
In this interview, John…
Ed Hinchy: Beamish & Crawford
Ed talks about his involvement with Beamish and Crawford
Frances McCarthy and Betty O’Mahony: The Dixies, Christy O'Mahony
Frances has always lived on the Northside. She was born in Poulraddy, went to school in North Presentation school. When she was seven she moved to Ballyvolane and went to school at St Patrick’s College, Gardiner’s Hill, and Mayfield Community School.…
Liam Foley: Blackpool, Showbands, Arcadia
Liam is originally from the Northside, from Great William Street in Blackpool. His whole family were musical, and even though his father worked as a cabinet-maker, he and the rest of the family were very keen on playing music at home. He went to…
Vincent Power: Send ‘em Home Sweatin’
Vincent was born in 1960. In 1990 he published the book Send ‘em Home Sweatin’, the story of the showband era.
He talks in detail about the showband scene. Irish audiences had no access to rock’n’roll and its performers, but showbands were copycat…
He talks in detail about the showband scene. Irish audiences had no access to rock’n’roll and its performers, but showbands were copycat…
Pat Nolan: Northside, Cork Academy School of Music
Pat is from John Street on the Northside. He was educated at the North Monastery, which was good for general studies but did not teach music. The school environment was harsh. He left school early. His father bought him a second-hand saxophone, and…
Tommy Rooney: Second City Jazzband, Cork Academy School of Music
Tommy Rooney was born in 1931. He was reared in Crosshaven and was the eldest of nine. His father’s family were from Dublin. He joined the army in 1945 at the age of 14 and remained in the service for 12 years. He played music during some of that…
Sean Lucey, Terry McCarthy: Blackpool, Dixies Showband
Seán Lucy was born in 1936. Seán is from a family of four. He started work as a radio and television repairman in 1950, before becoming a professional musician in 1960. He played the clarinet. He played with the Butter Exchange Band, a brass and reed…
Mícheál Ó Geallabháin: Family, Community, Social Class, Sport, Music, Emigration.
An in-depth, evocative interview about growing up in The Middle Parish highlighting poverty and the power of education in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Mícheál Ó Geallabháin gives intimate and warm detail about family life, community spirit, class,…
Alan Botan: Immigration, Iraq, Kurdistan, Ireland,
Alan is from Kurdistan. He briefly describes his childhood in Iraq and his experience of Cork city and Ireland.
Alan is an asylum seeker. He came to Cork in 2002 and describes his efforts to integrate, and how he experienced Cork and its people. He…
Alan is an asylum seeker. He came to Cork in 2002 and describes his efforts to integrate, and how he experienced Cork and its people. He…
Tim O’Brien: Cork Fire Brigade, Murphy’s Brewery, Murphy’s Rock,
Tim talks about working for Cork’s Fire Brigade, and about changes to the job over the years. He has been a fire-fighter since 1975 and loves the job.
Tim was born in Watercourse Road. His father worked in Murphy’s Brewery. His mother came from West…
Tim was born in Watercourse Road. His father worked in Murphy’s Brewery. His mother came from West…