A visit to Innishannon in September 2011

Innishannon village is on the busy road between Cork and west Cork and many motorists aim to travel through the main street as quickly as possible. But look again! The village has some wonderful buildings and a fascinating history. This was explored by members of the Cork Chapter who gathered at old St Mary's Church on the morning of Saturday, 17th September, 2011.

The old church is surrounded by an ancient graveyyard and is located near the River Bandon. The church tower partially collapsed some years ago and a local group, The Friends of Innishannon, are actively promoting its restoration. Unfortunately, the church and graveyard are not accessible to the public, but can be viewed from outside the gates. Information about the church (in use until the 1850s), the graveyard and the general area was provided by Dr. Alicia St. Leger, Gavin Falk and Alice Taylor.

The group then made the short walk up hill to St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church which was built between 1810 and 1829 at a cost of stg 1,500. A spire was brought from St. Luke's Church in Cork and added to St. Mary's in 1875-1876. The church was restored in 2002. As well as being an attractive building, it also houses a gem: a wonderful old estate map of Innishannon. The story of this map was brought to life by the renowned author Alice Taylor, whose enthusiasm for the village was evident in her talk to the group.

The third church of the morning was Christ Church (Church of Ireland), located prominently on the main street. Built between 1854 and 1856, it was designed by Joseph Welland and replaced the earlier church near the river. Christ Church contains some notable features, including a stained glass window by Alfred Ernest Child of An Tur Gloine. Members of the group were treated to refreshments before examining the many fine features of the building.

Following a delicious lunch at the Poacher's Inn in nearby Bandon, the group reconvened at Cork Castle. This house stands in a prominent position overlooking Innishannon and has recently been meticulously restored by Richard Good-Stephenson. The house was destroyed by fire in 1921 and for years was in a ruinous condition. Richard Good-Stephenson, whose family have always owned the house, kindly led the group on a tour of the property. He has combined careful research into the history of Cor Castle with Superb craftsmanship, to create a most attractive family home. The gardens above the house have also been restored and provide a magnificient view over Innishannon.

Thanks to all of those who hosted the group at Innishannon, providing a very warm welcome and excellent hospitality

A visit to The Masonic Hall and Triskel Christ Church in November 2011

The Masonic Hall & Triskel Christ Church - November 2011

The final event for the Cork Chapter in 2011 was held on Saturday, 19th November and proved to be a great success.

The day began with members assembling in the Masonic Hall on Tuckey Street in Cork city. There Dr. David Butler welcomed everybody and led the group on a fascinating and very informative tour of the building. The structure dates to about 1770 and was known as the 'New Assembly Rooms' and later as 'The King's Theatre'. Originally there were three shops at ground level. The first Lodge of Ireland purchased the premises in 1844 and there have been various alterations to the building over the years. In september 1970 a major fire at the adjacent Jennings furniture store threatened the Masonic Hall and caused considerable damage to teh top floor. In recent years the property has been upgraded and renovated. Dr. Butler explained the fascinating and complex history of the building and of Freemasonry. Amongst the most interesting artefacts are some of the furnishings from the old St. Fin Barre's Cathedral.

Having taken leave of the Masonic Hall, it was only a short stroll around the corner to Christ Church on South Main Street. This important building dates to the 18th century and is on the site of earlier churches, being located within the original medieval walls of the City. Cork Chapter member, Pat Houlihan, provided a most interesting and entertaining talk on the history of the church. Originally designed in the 1720s by John Colstsman, it was substantially altered by George Richard Pain in the 1820s. Being built on marshy ground le its original tower to 'lean' to such an extent that it was taken down! Pat Houlihan pointed out the many remarkable features of the building, including the interesting coat of arms on the balcony. The church was in use until 1978 and then housed the Cork Archives for many years. It has recently been completely renovated and sympathetically adapted for use as a venue for concerts, film and other public events, under the auspices of the Triskel Arts Centre.

The adjacent Arts Centre and restaurant has been linked directly to Christ Church and the group finished the morning visit by having lunch (with an early Christmas theme) there. Grateful thanks are due to our informative guides, Dr. David Butler and Mr. Pat Houlihan, for kindly speaking to the group. Thanks also to the organisers of the event.