All About Cork: First Blackpool Block Party will celebrate all things local

Tue, 19 Aug, 2025 - 07:00

Robert McNamara

The inaugural Blackpool Block Party will take place on Great William O’Brien St, in Blackpool, this Sunday, from 1pm to 5pm.

In partnership with Cork Community Art Link and the Blackpool Community Centre, the party is a celebration of everything local.

This fun-filled family afternoon promises to bring a carnival atmosphere to the streets of Blackpool, with an eclectic mix of live music, children’s entertainment, food, art, drama, dancing, arts workshops, acrobatics, crafts, and free giveaways, including local produce from the community gardens all over the northside of Cork city.

Cork Community Art Link and The Blackpool Community Centre will be hosting the Céili All Stars, Kabin Crew, The Heppsters Jazz Trio, and the Tomás Mac Curtain Pipe Band on stage.

Moray Bresnihan, of Cork Community Art Link, said: “There will be street theatre from the Cork Community Art Link Drama Troupe, flash fiction workshops with Graffiti Theatre, a musical theatre performance by Super Stars Stage School, Ringo Bingo (a music-intro and comedy-based Game), DIY bike repair workshops with Cork Community Bikes, workshops on gardening from Glen Community Gardens, The Foyer, Meitheal Follaine, and NICHE Community Gardens, a Repair Café (where you can learn to fix your broken stuff), knitting classes provided by the Blackpool Knitting Group, acrobatics workshop by Streetacro extraordinaire Ally Futto, a céilí with the Community Ceili Fusion Dance Group, as well as street games, and plenty of craft stalls.

“And that’s not all. We’ll be hosting a tea party under our large marquee, and will be serving free pizza and salad made with local ingredients, and freshly baked traybakes and scones, as you enjoy the music and fun on the street.

“Best of all, the wonderful horticulturalists from the Health Action Zone, and the Blackpool Men’s Shed, will be giving away the best seasonal produce from our local community gardens, as well as free planters, pots, compost, and seeds, so that you can grow your own at home. The Blackpool Block Party is locally produced for local people and has been kindly supported by HSE, Health Action Zone, Cork City Partnership, SICAP, Cork City Council, Blackpool Credit Union, and Fórsa trade union.”

The event is also part of the Cork City Council Open Streets programme. The concept opens up roadways as spaces for social and community events, not just for vehicles.

A busy week in the life of Cork city

Anne Twomey of Shandon Area History Group and her cousin Shane Ryan the North Monastery at the Cork Opera House at the launch of the 20th Anniversary of Cork Heritage Open Day. Picture: Clare Keogh

Work on the four clock faces and the bells of Shandon steeple at the Church of St Anne, Shandon, is underway with scaffolding in position at the famous Cork landmark. Picture: Larry Cummins

Tidy Village group is keeping Blackpool ‘blooming’

The Tidy Village group has lots of new projects. New dog-waste litter bins have been installed around the village, with free waste bags for dog owners.

The group is also unveiling three ‘Fáilte go dí an Linn Dubh’ signs. Check them out on the group’s Facebook page.

Some of Blackpool Tidy Village’s flower planting. Their work can been seen around the area.

Meanwhile, the group’s litter-picking, flower-planting, and painting projects continue.

However, the Blackpool Tidy Village is always looking for new volunteers.

A spokesperson said: “We need you! New volunteers are really welcome to help us with our work and our first year entering the Supervalu Tidy Towns competition. We meet every Saturday at 10.30am at Blackpool Community Centre, Great William O’Brien St.”

Heritage talk

There is a free talk today at Dance Cork Firkin Crane as part of National Heritage Week. It is entitled, ‘Honouring Heritage, Shaping the Future: The Story and Conservation of the Firkin Crane’.

The talk is presented by Dr Colin Rynne, senior lecturer in the Department of Archaeology at University College Cork, and Chris Southgate, conservation engineer and director of Southgate Associates. They will discuss the recent conservation works of the building and its future, with details from DCFC’s conservation plan, which they are developing.

It takes place today at 11am. Reserve your free place at dancecorkfirkincrane.ie. The plan is funded by a Community Heritage Grant from the The Heritage Council.

Last lunchtime play

Cork Arts Theatre is bringing its lunchtime season to an end this week. A spokesperson said: “Our summer lunchtime season comes to an end this week with the wonderful Still Life, by Noel Coward. The play became the classic 1940s movie, Brief Encounter.

“Set entirely within a railway tea room, Lighthouse Theatre’s inventive adaptation features three multiple role-playing actors as the contrasting couples and supporting characters, accompanied by the unforgettable strains of Rachmaninov’s second piano concerto.”

Lunchtime shows on Thursday and Friday, and 8pm shows Wednesday to Saturday. See www.corkartstheatre.com or call 021 450 5624 for ticket details.

Cathedral Credit Union Ltd, Shandon St, has announced details of their third-level bursary awards, which are open to members of their credit union.

Third-level bursary

A €3,000 bursary is payable over a three-year period and is open to members who are entering full-time third-level education this year for the first time. An additional €1,000 bursary is payable over one year and open to all members in full-time third-level education.

The closing date for applications is September 30. Application forms are available in the office at 44/46 Shandon St or can be downloaded from cathedralcu.ie/educationbursaries.