Inches from disaster: How 7 family members almost lost their lives in the Lee in 1939

IN the days when motor cars were an unusual enough sight in Cork city, a road accident was bound to bring out crowds of curious onlookers.

The early versions of modern-day ‘rubber-neckers’ pictured here congregated on Sullivan’s Quay in Cork city on the evening of Saturday, July 1, 1939, after a crash in which the occupants had a lucky escape.

The remarkable colourised photo was taken from a rowing boat on the River Lee, by an intrepid Echo/Examiner photographer, and we tracked down the descendants of the people who were in the car that day — and who walked away unscathed from a frightening experience.

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Brian Russell revealed that there were seven occupants of the vehicle, including his grandfather, Michael Russell, and his father, John, then aged just four.

“That Saturday, my grandfather was visiting his parents, Michael and Abina Russell, who lived at 42, McCurtain’s Villa’s, near the College Road, and brought his three sons — eldest Michael, my father, John, and John’s twin, James.

“While there, my grandfather met with three of his brothers, Jimmy, Johnny and Gerry.”

Jimmy was the owner of the car, which he was in the process of selling. A company called Cross’s, located at 12, South Mall, were interested in buying it and Jimmy was on his way there with the car that afternoon. Cross’s were Austin dealers and had petrol pumps on the South Mall up until the early 1970s.

“Johnny and Gerry decided to go along for the spin,” says Brian. “As my grandfather was living in Needham Place, off Dunbar Street, at the time, he and his three sons also travelled with them.”

The seven crammed into the car for the little outing, not aware of the drama that was to follow.

“All the streets in Cork, would have been two-way traffic at that time,” says Brian. “In all probability, they travelled past St Finbarr’s Cathedral, up Proby’s Quay and French’s Quay, across the bottom of Barrack Street and onto Sullivan’s Quay.

“But as the car turned onto Sullivans Quay, a horse and trailer, we think belonging to Evan’s Wholesalers, was travelling towards them. The sight of the car, a rare enough event in Cork at the time, must have spooked the horse, causing it to rear up. In an effort to avoid a collision, the car mounted the footpath, its steering locked, and crashed into the railings.

“While the railings suffered considerable damage, luckily they were strong enough to prevent the car, together with its seven occupants, from entering the water.”

The fate of the seven, particularly the three young boys, if the car had entered the river, which was 9ft deep and at high tide at the time, doesn’t bear thinking about. Suffice to say Brian might not be around the tell this story.

“Imagine, I nearly didn’t exist!” he says.

Brian added: “Needless to say, a certain amount of confusion ensued after the accident, as they all sought to get out of the car, fearful that it might topple into the river.”

For his grandfather Michael, there were a worrying few moments. “Upon exiting the car, he couldn’t see my father. One of my uncles had an abiding memory of him leaning over the railings and scanning the river.

“However, my grandfather’s brother, John, had simply brought my father away from the car and around the corner, onto Sober Lane.”

Apart from a slight injury to a pedestrian, Elizabeth Heffernan, aged 30, of 2, Sober Lane, and some damage to the car and railings, the story ended well. The shaft of the cart was broken in the collision and the horse was injured.

“The horse and cart was probably returning to the Beamish and Crawford stables on Proby’s Quay, opposite the side of St Finbarr’s Cathedral — the structure housing the stables is still there,” added Brian.

The incident occurred at the top of Sullivan’s Quay, by the South Gate bridge, with the spires of St Finbarr’s in the background. Nano Nagle Bridge now situated behind the photographer was not built till 1985.

Brian added: “My grandfather worked in the Lee Boot Factory, as did his father.”

When the picture appeared on the Old Photos Of Cork City And County Facebook page in 2021, it attracted lots of interest — and a few ball-hops too!

Philip O’Callaghan stated: “Sullivan’s Quay CBS in the background, one of the great Cork hurling nurseries.”

Dave Morey called the crowd “the original rubberneckers”, and Patricia McKane added: “Look at those young kids at the front, so tight against the rails, no health and safety then, scary.”

Ray Meaney said on Facebook: “Around 1995, I had to climb down the steps into the river here to retrieve my partner’s bag. It was an extremely low tide so I was amazed that the mud was able to take my weight.”

Arthur Walker remarked: “The bend/dent in the steel rail/bar which was caused by this accident is still visible today.”

The Irish Independent at the time reported the car “struck a double row of protecting bars, carrying away the lower one. The upper row bent but caught the hood and the car halted with its front wheels suspended over the edge of the quay”. However, our attempts to find if the dent is still there drew a blank!

This article originally ran in the 2021 Holly Bough.