Fitzgerald Park: A Love-Lee retreat right in the heart of Cork city

FROM the dawn of 1901 to the close of 1903, the Mardyke Walk was the focal point of conversation, not alone with Corkonians but with industrialists throughout Ireland and the world; for it was there that the Cork International Exhibition was held.

It was the brainchild of Alderman Sir Edward Fitzgerald, 1st Baronet (Lord Mayor of Cork 1901/2/3). The site chosen for the exhibition was on the northside of the walk, on the grounds and house of the Shrubberies (today Cork Museum and its surroundings) which the exhibition committee had purchased from Cllr Cornelius Desmond for £4,000. The grounds of the newly formed Sunday’s Well Boating & Tennis Club and Captain Jennings’ western field (now UCC Sports Grounds) were leased.

By May 1904, most of the exhibition buildings were demolished and auctioned off; however, the committee had decided long before the close of the exhibition that the grounds and house of the Shrubberies would be presented to the citizens of Cork as a place of recreation. 

They had also unanimously decided to name the grounds Edward Fitzgerald Park, as a tribute to the man who made the Cork International Exhibition a reality.

In order to make this project happen, the committee purchased an additional five acres of ground adjacent to the Shrubberies from Captain Jennings for the sum of £1,250. 

This ground was situated west of the Shrubberies, bounded by Ferry Walk on the west, and from the northside of the Mardyke Walk to the river. 

Today it occupies the children’s recreation area where the swings and slides are situated.

Gift to Corporation

In 1905, a decision was made to set up a Park Committee and develop a programme of amusements etc. for the public. 

The park was to be reserved for the committee a few weeks each year, during which time an admission fee of 6d would be charged in order to net enough to meet the £400 per annum needed for the upkeep and maintenance of the park. 

As time went by, however, conflict grew among the various bodies concerning the running of it.

Eventually, in March the following year, all agreed to hand the house and grounds over to the Corporation (now Cork City Council). Shortly afterwards, the Corporation introduced a programme for improving the grounds. 

To pay for this, they levied a rate of a half-penny in the pound for the upkeep of the park per annum; however, this proved insufficient. In January 1908, they increased the levy to a penny for the purpose of converting the house into a museum.

Park

Today the park consists of eighteen acres and is one of the most beautiful recreation grounds in the country. It’s bounded by Sunday’s Well Boating & Tennis Club on the east, Ferry Walk on the west, the River Lee on the north and the Mardyke Walk on the south.

Its many narrow and wide avenues are adorned with charming displays of colourful flowers and shrubs. It’s also graced with an elegant decorative pond and fountain with aquatic plants that’s home to many species of waterfowl.

 Fine examples of sculpture dress the park’s graceful walks such as the bust of Michael Collins, executed by Cork sculptor, Seamus Murphy.

One of the many attractions around the grounds is a shelter situated in the centre of the park which was formerly a monkey house during the days of the exhibition. It housed monkeys and peacocks until the 1940s. Another treasure is the elegant President & Lord Mayor’s Pavilion situated at the main entrance which was the ladies’ rest room and tea rooms during the exhibition.

It was carefully restored by Cork City Council and officially re-opened on June 14 2011 by the then Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Michael O’Connell and the British Ambassador to Ireland, His Excellency Julian King. During the opening ceremony, the Ambassador was presented with a copy of The Mardyke Book by the author, Richard T. Cooke who was one of the guest speakers at the prestigious event, speaking about the history of the Mardyke Walk and Fitzgerald Park.

Redevelopment

On May 16 2014, the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Catherine Clancy unveiled the beautiful ‘Mardyke Gardens’, part of a multi-million-euro redevelopment initiative that revitalised Fitzgerald’s Park, transforming it into a state-of-the-art recreational area in the heart of the city. This transformation included a large sunken lawn which has become a popular spot for picnics. At the western end of this lawn, a striking sculptural curved roof rests on a spacious modern stage area called the Pavilion of Light. This plays host to musical and theatrical performances, film screenings, aerial classes, craft workshops and much more throughout the year.

And in the Gallery Garden at the rear of the park, resting upon the edge of the River Lee, is the eye-catching pink pod which was the focal point of the stunning ‘Irish Sky Garden’ that won gold in 2011 at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show and which was inspired by the Hollywood blockbuster sci-fi epic film, Avatar. This curious looking structure was one of a number of additions to the Gallery Garden, including a new circular children’s play area.

October 9 2015 saw the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Chris O’Leary opening the revamped children’s playground - an all-inclusive amenity suitable for children with disabilities which cost €600,000 and was part of the spectacular park redevelopment; making the Fitzgerald Park experience a must-see for all the family.

Sources:

• Cork City Library Files
• Cork Corporation Year Book and Diary 2001
• Dan Breen and Tom Spalding: The Cork International Exhibition 1902-1903: A Snapshot of Edwardian Cork, Academic Press, 2014.
• Richard T. Cooke: The Mardyke – Cork City’s Country Walk in History, Seamus Curtin Ltd., Quality Books, Sheares Street, Cork,1990

• Read More

  Nostalgia: Marking 85 years since return of Spike Island