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Cathedral (2019)

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The South Parish Walk
Following from the Daunt’s Square plaque:
As you walk along the Grand Parade, imagine that what is now
solid ground, was, until the latter half of the 18th century,
a major waterway that flowed outside the eastern wall of
the old medieval City of Cork. On your right you pass the
beautiful 19th century façade of the large department store
that was known as the Queen’s Old Castle, whose name
remembers one of the main towers of the walled city, the
Queen’s Castle, thought to be one of the towers depicted
on the Cork Coat of Arms. The major thoroughfare that
is Washington Street was completed in 1824 and was then
known as Great George’s Street, called after King George
IV. In 1918 the Cork Corporation re-named it in honour
of the first American President, George Washington. The
impressive entrance gates to Bishop Lucey Park once formed
the entrance to the old Corn Market that stood on Anglesea
Street, to the rear of the Cork City Hall. They were placed
here in 1985, when the park was opened to commemorate the
800th anniversary of the granting of Cork’s first city charter
in 1185.
Following the directions from the Grand Parade plaque:
Tuckey Street, formerly Tuckey’s Lane, was named after
Timothy Tuckey, Mayor of Cork in 1677. The “Lane” became
a “Street” in 1761, and a limestone plaque situated between
nos. 7 and 8 remembers that event. The Tuckey family owned
a lot of property in this area, and part of the western side of
the present day Grand Parade was also known as Tuckey’s
Quay, when it was still a waterway. The first building you meet
on your right is the Masonic Lodge, an 18th century building
that is home to the First Lodge of Ireland. Entering South
Main Street, brings you to the heart of medieval Cork. This
was part of the main street of the old city that ran between
the bridges at the South Gate and North Gate. The neo-
Tudor offices of the former Beamish and Crawford’s Brewery
were constructed around 1920.
Following the directions from the South Gate Bridge
plaque:
French’s Quay was named after James French, a wine
merchant and Mayor of Cork in 1696. Originally, only a
portion of this quayside was called French’s Quay. There
were a number of properties situated along the quay
wall heading west from the South Gate Bridge and the
thoroughfare in front of these was called Globe Lane. It was
not until 1872, following the demolition of these properties,
that the whole quay became French’s Quay. You pass on your
left a narrow, stepped hill called Keyser’s Hill. This is a Norse
name and it indicates that it is one of the oldest thoroughfares
in Cork City. Opposite Keyser’s Hill is a very unusual bridge,
Proby’s Bridge. It is really only half a bridge, as what was
originally the western side of the bridge now forms part of
the roadway. The old river channel has been culverted and
runs westwards under the modern road surface. This road still
retains the name Proby’s Quay, remembering the old waterway
that ran in front of it.
Following the directions from the Bishop’s Street plaque:
On the northern side of the street, the old stables of Beamish
and Crawford’s Brewery were built around 1902 to the designs
of Houston & Houston. The foundation stone of the convent
of St Marie’s of the Isle was laid in 1850 and completed within
two years. Additional buildings, such as schools, a chapel,
and an orphanage were added to the complex over the rest of
that century. As you turn the bend in Bishop’s Street to make
your way to the gates of the cathedral, on the other side of the
street you will see the gates leading to the Episcopal residence
of the Church of Ireland Bishop Paul Colton, who officiated
at the wedding of the footballer David Beckham and Victoria
Adams in 1999. Next to those gates stands the beautiful
18th century Carrigbarre House. Enter the grounds of the
cathedral and you are entering the place out of which grew the
foundations of our great City of Cork, and a place of worship
for fourteen centuries.
Following the directions from the St Fin Barre’s
Cathedral plaque:
On leaving the cathedral you enter Dean Street, so-called
because it was where the Dean of St Fin Barre’s resided for
the past couple of centuries. Recently a new Deanery was
built just to the west of Dean Street. There is a gateway in
the boundary wall of the cathedral, inside of which can be
seen a beautiful carved archway. This formed the entrance
to the previous, 18th century cathedral, and was placed
here following its demolition in the 1860s. A bit further on,
leading off to the right is Vicar Street, where some of the
oldest houses in Cork are said to stand. Just opposite Vicar
Street, in the boundary wall of the cathedral you can see
an old blocked-up archway, again this was also originally
part of the old 18th century cathedral. On entering Fort

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