Throwback Thursday: My happy childhood in city’s Moores Hotel

Throwback Thursday reader Declan Groeger has written concerning a former Cork city landmark, Moores Hotel on Morrison’s Island.

“Hi Jo. I wonder if readers would be interested in the fact that I was actually born in Moores Hotel in 1957?” he writes.

“We were a family of six children living in the hotel between the early 1950s and the early 1960s. Martin, Kieran, and Marion were born in Cork nursing homes, but my sister Anita was born at the hotel in 1956, and my brother Eugene followed me in 1958.

“Shortly after Eugene’s birth, we moved to Douglas, where Grace, Rose and Steve completed our family of nine children. Seems a lot today, but back then large families were the norm.”

Well, I answered for the entire readership of Throwback Thursday, I am sure, when I eagerly demanded more details, and Declan duly obliged.

He pointed out that Premier Inn recently decided to take over the Moores Hotel site for a new hotel.

“I kept an eye on the construction progress throughout, because I had this special interest,” says Declan. “Recently, I have been teasing out the memories of my brothers and sisters to gather their recollections together, as I feel it would be of value for future generations to know how we lived.”

Absolutely right, Declan! Everybody should do the same, keep a record of their own childhood, that of their parents and grandparents if possible, and make sure the next generation get a copy of it!

“It all started in the 1940s,” continues Declan, “when mum’s Auntie Deasy bought the hotel, having previously been involved in Wynn’s Hotel on Winthrop Street.

“She was decades ahead of her time with her business interests and one of the early female car owners in Cork. She was also involved with Cades Mineral Water in Killarney.

“Mum and her sister Mary went to live with Auntie Deasy on the death of their mother. After their Leaving Cert (or the equivalent), mum and Mary went to America.

“Mary went on to become a nun, Sister Eugenia. Unfortunately (or fortunately for us!) health issues prevented mum from joining the convent.

“She had actually started a university course after leaving the convent when Aunty Deasy became ill and asked mum to come home – which she did, in 1945 - to help run the hotel.

“The Cork branch of the AOH (Ancient Order of Hibernians) was next door, with billiard tables on which dad was a frequent player. (He even had his own cue.) The lads often went in to the hotel for a pint after a game where dad met mum and, as they say, the rest is history.

“They fell in love, and got married in 1951 at St Finbarr’s South. Mum cooked the wedding breakfast afterwards!”

Declan continues: “They lived in the hotel and six of us grew up there - Martin, Kieran, Marion, Anita, Declan, and Eugene. No maternity leave in those days and mum was always back working immediately!

“My older brothers and sisters have childhood memories of the hotel – there was a function room where Martin learned to ride his bike, and Marion remembers us younger ones in a playpen in that same room.

“Martin and Kieran remember a birthday when the river flooded up to the front door and boxes were used as stepping stones to get the guests out – what an adventure! We have a photograph of the Liam MacCarthy Cup with the legendary Jim (Tough) Barry, Kieran and Martin. 

“Martin also remembers a bakers’ strike in the city and going with dad and Spur Walsh to Mitchelstown to get bread.

“Kieran remembers walking to school via Fitton Street East and passing the gin distillery, and the smells and laughter coming from the open door.

“He also remembers a fire in the AOH hall and dad going to rescue a set of billiard balls.

“Also, a young man working in the hotel crawling around on the floor whilst pretending to be lion – for us kids it was great fun and very entertaining.

“My elder siblings told me that I was brought to the Turkish Baths on the South Mall in my younger years as I had a bad leg when I was born, and the steam was supposed to help.

“Some years later, I remember going for a haircut to Parnells Barbers, also on the South Mall.”

Declan adds: “Anita married Jim Egan in 1977, had her reception in the hotel, and we were all there. What a memory to treasure – having your wedding reception in the place you were born.

“Kieran married Bríd Russel in in Cork and two days later Marion married Paul Meaney in Dublin. This was bit of a logistical nightmare, with one important event in Cork and the second in Dublin two days later! The Cork/Dublin road at that 1975 time didn’t facilitate an easy journey.”

You’re not wrong, Declan! Hands up those who still remember the long journey to Dublin which took in every town and village along the way, with resultant delays, traffic jams, market crowds, everything.

“Mind you, the last run into Dublin back then probably wasn’t the gridlocked horror it is today!

“They are both celebrating their Golden Jubilees this year,” says Declan happily of those two weddings that took place in 1975. “We try to get together every year anyway, but with two big anniversaries coming up, we felt it was especially important to mark the occasion with a reunion. That was no easy task with nine siblings to assemble in one place!

“My sister, Grace, lives in Australia. My brother, Steve, lives in England and the rest of us are spread out between Cork and Dublin.

“Of course we thought that the Premier Inn, associated as it is with all our family history, and on the very same spot as our former family home, would be an appropriate venue and so we set things in motion.

“The Premier was more than accommodating when I told our story, and agreed to get it all organised for the big occasion, which will take place on December 11.”

That should be some family celebration, Declan!

He adds: “Mum, dad, and Auntie Deasy continued in the hospitality industry for a number of years, in the Windsor Hotel on McCurtain Street, having sold Moores.

“South of the Northside and north of the Southside – truly the Middle Parish - or were we in the South Parish?

“Mum and dad were married in St Finbarr’s South and we were all baptised there.”

What a great record, Declan, of one family’s link with Moores, which must surely hold memories for so many other Corkonians.

Back in the ’40s and ’50s, the hotel often hosted winter dinner dances for different groups (the Munster Motor Cycle & Car Club was one.) But Moores’ history goes much further back, and we would very much like to hear from anyone who can extend our knowledge of its existence back into the 19th century.

We do know that it was thriving in the 1920s, because it hosted the Black and Tans in the city before the Free State forces moved in. In fact, one elderly lady, a Frances Haynes, is recorded as having died in the hotel in September, 1922, as a result of the Civil War playing out on the streets of the rebel city.

To find out more, check out the excellent online piece https://rebelstreetscork1919-1923.blogspot.com/2020/01/moores-hotel-september-22-1922.html for the stirring details.

Once the Free State forces took over, the hotel became the HQ of the Civic Guard, the forerunner to the Garda Síochana. The Civic Guard were first stationed in the School of Music before moving across the river to Moores Hotel.

In peace-time, the grand old hotel returned to its roots, welcoming guests and providing gala dinners.

Now, if any of you know more stories about Moores – or indeed about any of our old Cork hotels – do let us know! All the contact details are at the bottom of this page.

And thank you again, Mr Groeger, for sharing your family history with Throwback Thursday!

In fact, Pauline, an old friend from old UCC days, emailed recently to ask if I remembered some lovely evenings with friends sharing a pot of coffee in the elegant surroundings of the Imperial or Metropole in those carefree student days.

“The coffee pots were silver, and engraved,” she said, “and the milk was hot and came in a matching silver jug. We felt so cool, sitting there on the sofas and armchairs!”

Yes, the foyers at both hotels were havens of calm and gracious living back then, Pauline, weren’t they? Not that they aren’t highly fashionable venues today – they are - but somehow the relaxed charm has given way to a more frenetic atmosphere, with mobile phones having taken over completely from leatherbound diaries as past ladies of leisure checked their appointments for the week ahead (they probably knew them off by heart already, but it did look good to have to check your diary to see if you had a window of opportunity). Facebook has definitely taken over from “Fenella’s – haircut – Friday” noted down in the very best fountain pen.

And speaking of coffee coming in elegant pots makes one think of how that beverage and its supply to the thirsting multitudes has changed over the decades.

Hands up who remembers never being able to find a refreshing cup of coffee between Dublin and Cork, or between Rosslare and home?

This writer well remembers going into several pubs on the latter route from the ferry, desperate for a strong coffee to beat the fatigue of the journey, and being told firmly, “No, no, no, we wouldn’t have anything like that at all.”

Eventually, spotting a sign for ‘The Best Irish Coffee’ on a pub window, I confidently asked for the drink, minus the alcohol. You would think that would be easy, wouldn’t you? Again - “No, no, no, nothing like that.”

But, but – can’t you just pour out the coffee and save yourselves the trouble of opening the whiskey bottle? No, that did not seem possible. I kid you not, they would make a nice strong Irish coffee at the drop of a hat, but coffee on its own – ah, sure there’s no call for that!

When you did find a roadside café that did serve coffee – and by heck there weren’t many of them back then – it would come from an industrial-sized tin of lumpy granules behind the counter (with the spoon permanently stuck in it,) and a boiling kettle brought out from the kitchen eventually.

Myles Staunton, who runs the busy and popular hairdressing salon Staunton Byrne in the Winthrop Arcade, laughs at the memory as he checks coffee requests among his clients.

“My father was a hairdresser too, and he did have that catering can of lumpy granules behind the reception desk. But it was state of the art back then.”

It’s hard to believe nowadays, when citygoers not only expect but take for granted the availability of skinny lattes, ethnically and ethically sourced beans, soya or almond milk, double espressos or Instant Whip Foamy Matcha (OK, I made that one up), that there was a time when you couldn’t get a coffee for love nor money on your travels. Haven’t we come a long way in Cork?

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