June walking tours will focus on Cork's suburban development

Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has announced his free historical walking tours for June, which will have a focus on the city’s suburban development and also on the city’s nineteenth century social history.

He will conduct walks across Blackrock, Sunday’s Well, St Patrick’s Hill area, The Lee Fields and The Marina.

Cllr McCarthy noted: “The June tours are all about showcasing Cork city and its suburbs’ unique character, plan, topography, and built fabric.

“It is also a city that is unique among other cities, it is the only one which has experienced all phases of Irish urban development, from circa 600AD to the present day. So, there are so many histories to view in just a cross section of a section of the city suburbs.

“All tours attract large groups of people and offer interesting lens to view the realities of living in a port city, beset by large scale poverty, whereby everyone did not make money and lived in a sense on the edge of making ends meet,”

concluded Cllr McCarthy.

All tours are free and take about two hours, no booking required.

Sunday, June 7: Stories from Blackrock, historical walking tour of Blackrock Village area, from Blackrock Castle to nineteenth century houses, fishing and society; meet in the adjacent car park at base of Blackrock Castle, 6.30pm, in association with the Cork Harbour Festival.

Sunday, June 14: Sunday’s Well historical walking tour; meet at St Vincent’s Bridge, North Mall end, 6.30pm.

Saturday, June 27: The Northern Ridge, St Patrick’s Hill to MacCurtain Street; Historical walking tour of the area around St Patrick’s Hill – Old Youghal Road to McCurtain Street; meet on the Green at Audley Place, top of St Patrick’s Hill, 2pm, (finishes on MacCurtain Street).

Sunday, June 28: The Banks of the Lee, The Lee Fields and its Heritage, meet at the western end of the Lee Fields footpath, Ballincollig side, as it meets the green fields, 6.30pm.

Monday, June 29: The Marina, meet at western end adjacent Shandon Boat Club, The Marina, City end car park, 6.30pm.