46
47
my special place
48
49
My name is Eimear Peyton and I live in Ballyvolane, Cork city. To me, Cork
is the best place ever. You never have to worry about war or terrorist at-
tacks. Cork is a very peaceful place compared to Iraq. I would never ever
move to a different country when I’m older because I love the safe wonder-
ful place I come from, Cork. I love hearing about my mam and dad’s and
grandfather’s old stories.
Just recently my school, Sunday’s Well Girls’ National School, became 170
years old and all of my class came together and made a project. I got loads
of information from all my aunts and uncles as all fifteen of them came to
Sunday’s Well. I was really proud of my family as all my cousins also came
to my school (I’ve lost count).
Last year I was really looking forward to Cork 2005 as I knew that there
would be lots of celebration going on. I love going into town and looking
around at the Cork 2005 decorations and people busy working hard at their
job. You would never stop and think of how lucky we are to have food,
water and houses.
Cork has changed an awful lot since the 1800s and 1900s. My grandfather,
Denis Forde, is now 76 and is working on a project on Henry Ford. He is
aiming to have a new flyover named after him. This is also something I love
to hear about. On his project he has a picture of mothers standing outside
their doors with babies in their arms with cloths instead of Pampers. You
would never see something like that growing up nowadays. It’s much bet-
ter. We can go to the park and look forward to the Lord Mayor coming to
our school and getting homework off and a half-day.
My school is very interested in history and I hope it will stay that way and
that I can tell my children and grandchildren my stories. Please God!
growing up in cork 2005
Eimear Peyton
Age 11
Sunday’s Well GNS
Picture - Megan Moynihan
North Presentation Primary School
50
garden
Green grass
Always tall
Red robins
Dizzy daffodils
Ever tall
Nice bees.
spring
Water blue,
Moon-hot snow.
Spring is here
Let life know
cork
Cork
Our
Red and white
King of culture
my cork ‘limerick’
I really love my Cork culture
You could call me a bit of a vulture
My name is Zane
I’m headed for fame
COZ –
I’m a Cork culture-muncher!
Tomás Hussey
6th class
Scoil Cholmcille
Blarney Street
Scott Wilson
6th class
Scoil Cholmcille
Blarney Street
Keith Daly
5th class
Scoil Cholmcille
Blarney Street
Zane O’Sullivan
5th class
Scoil Cholmcille
Blarney Street
51
Cork is very special to me. It is very safe and there are lots of places and
new faces to see, so I never get bored! Cork is like one big house, warm
and comforting.
Sophie (11)
My favourite thing about Cork is that we’re very safe and I know that
volcanoes and wars and disasters like that will never happen.
Rebecca (11)
I feel quite safe living in Cork because we have no sharks, whales or tigers
to attack us.
Nicole (12)
I hate, absolutely hate when people are just so lazy that they leave rubbish
like papers, wrappers and cans lying around, and that they write on poles
and walls.
Sarah (11)
my city is a special place
Long ago in Cork they had very little. Now look what we have. We should
be really happy.
Stephanie (11)
When I go abroad really miss Cork and I really want to go home. Cork
means a lot to me. I was born here and all my family is from here. There
are loads of buildings being built, and loads of buildings being redone. I’m
glad that Cork is the Capital of Culture.
Aoife (10)
Sunday’s Well GNS
Sunday’s Well GNS
Picture - Erica Andriuskeciute
Age 7
North Presentation Primary School
52
Cork is the best,
It’s where I love the most,
You can forget all the rest,
There’s lots and lots of boats.
It’s where all my friends live
It’s where I have lots and lots of fun
The people are real friendly
Even the people I don’t know.
Cork is the best
It’s where I love the most
You can forget all the rest
There’s lots and lots of boats.
Aoife Ní Aodha
Gaelscoil Naomh Therese

cork
Picture - Paul Lawlor
6th Class
Scoil Na Croise Naofa, Mahon.
53
Some people think there is nothing good about Mahon but, let me tell
you, it’s great living in Mahon, I’ve lived here since I was four. Where I
lived before, there was only one other child to play with. I used to play
with him all the time. He wouldn’t play girl games so we played wild
and naughty games.
So when my family moved to Mahon I was excited and delighted to see
so many girls in my park. When I first went out to play I was very ex-
cited but shy and the first person I played with was a boy. Soon all the
girls came asking me questions. They wanted me to be their friend, we
were all small then and we are all so grown up now. We are still the best
of friends at the ages of ten, eleven and twelve. These days we go to
homework club, dancing club, sports clubs, art club, and drama club.
The homework club is my favourite. We go on great trips, everywhere
and anywhere, we get to decide. It is the greatest and most exciting
fun.
celebrating my community
how we live in mahon
My friends and I all go to the same great school; it is called Scoil Ursula,
Blackrock. We get to do loads of fun things such as plays, art, and espe-
cially fun projects such as this cool project or competition. We just got a
great new park to play in, we had a great opening Fun Day last Sunday. So
whoever says there’s nothing good about Mahon is missing all the fun.
Ha Ha Hah!
Shari Dingivan
Scoil Ursula
“We j
ust
got
a great
new P
ark t
o pl
ay
in”
54
As you walk down Church Street, getting closer to my special place
Can you hear the bells ring out? The famous bells of Cork.
My special place is Shandon.
As you walk up the steps to the entrance of Shandon, inside the door
stands a very old church.
Don’t forget to say a prayer.
Come on, let’s walk up the steps and ring the bells.
There’s lots of songs to play.
Take your pick and it will be heard all over Cork city.
Now let’s continue on up the narrow steps to the best view in Cork city.
Now it’s time to go.
You saw my favourite place.
Don’t spoil it, just go.
Ryan O’Donovan
Scoil Mhuire Fatima
North Monastery Primary School
my special place
“Can you hear the bells ring out? The fam
ous bells of Cork.”
Picture - Jamie Milner
Scoil na Croise Naofa
Mahón
55
I have lived in Cork all my life,
And it has been very nice.

I love watching fish jump in the River Lee,
And watch it flow right out to sea.

Across the bridge to the Opera House,
Sitting inside as quiet as a mouse.

Many wonderful things to see,
In the Museum beside the Lee.

Some unusual buildings both big and small,
Some quite short, some very tall,

Go to Blarney to kiss the stone,
But whatever you do, don’t do it alone!

Bring a friend so you both can see.
The Wonderful, Beautiful,
CORK CITY
By Hazel Twomey, 6th class,
Scoil Aiséirí Críost,
Farranree.
my beautiful cork city
56
I am in my room.
No friends, no food.
Locked away in a dull cell,
Thinking only about my future.
Not even knowing what I have done
But only to be in this awful place.
I must have been a fool!
Orlaith Ni Fhathaigh,
Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh Naofa
cork gaol
lá vailintín
Bhí buachaill ag siúl Lá Vailintín
Agus bhuail sé le cailín.
Dúirt se le sí,
“Is tú grá mo chroí.”
Mar bhí sé i ngrá le Caitlín.
Ciara de Sutúin,
Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh Naola
57
Country cottages
Abundant in wild flowers,
Pebbled narrow lanes.
Robyn Ní Mhurchú
Rang 6
Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh Naofa
where i live
Swans splashing water
Sun glistening on every drop
Living by The Lough.
Padraig Ó Caochlaoich
Rang 6
Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh Naofa
58
Tá crann ag fás sa gháirdín.
Bím ag féachaint air nuair a bhím tinn.
Bíonn na duilleoga ag fás,
Ach faigheann siad bás.
Is aoibhinn liom na crainn.
Jenny Nic Uighir
Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh Naofa
mo gháirdín
Chuaigh rang a ceathar ar thuras,
Go UCC ar an mbus.
Bhí sé an-mhaith,
Ba iontach an lá
Is thugamar go léir bualadh bos.
Rang 4
Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh Naofa
turas go ucc



59
silence is golden

Quiet,

Quiet,

So quietly

Being silent

In a library
Caolbhinn Ó Conghaile
Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh Naofa
-(Inspired by a school visit to the library in UCC with Bridging the Gap project)
Picture - Risteárd Mac Suibhne
Gaelscoil Mhachan
60
Last summer I went to Kinsale with my mam. We decided to take a boat
and saiI in the harbour. As we sailed out I asked “Please mam, can I sit
in the bow”. “Sit still Deborah” warned Mam. “You couId fall out”. Of
course I didn’t listen. I stood up suddenly, lost my balance and fell with
a splash into the cold deep dark water.
Down and down I went. Suddenly I saw a dark shadow swimming
towards me. I was pushed to the surface gasping for air. “Hi Deborah,
welcome to my world” said a voice in my ear. “My name is Sammy
Salmon. Don’t worry, I’ll get you home”. I climbed on his back and
closed my eyes tightly.
We zoomed through the air and landed on Shandon Steeple. It was the
goldie fish of Shandon that saved my life!
Text & Picture
Deborah Miller
6th class
St Vincent’s Convent NS
boat terror in kinsale
“My nam
e is Sammy Salm
on”
61
I woke up at about half-ten on a bright sunny Saturday. When I was finished
my breakfast, my Mam and I were ready to go into town. We went to the
English Market.
Instantly I could smell the smells that are so familiar, like the fish smells,
the fresh meat smells, the newly-baked cake and bread smells and so many
more delicious aromas.
The reason my Mam and I went to the market was because my Mam
wanted to get bodice (a Cork meat dish that looks a bit like spare ribs) for
my dinner, a dozen of eggs, tripe and drisheen (two more Cork meat dishes)
for my Dad’s dinner and mackerel for my sister’s dinner.
After that, coming back from town and up the hill towards home, the
Shandon Bells were ringing. I really enjoyed my morning in town. The
English Market and the Shandon Bells are in Cork for years and years now.
If you ever come to Cork for a holiday and decide to visit the market or
Shandon, when you go back to your home-town I am certain that you will
miss the lovely smells and sounds of Cork by the Lee!
Laura O’Connor
5th class
St. Vincent’s Convent NS
a visit to the
english market
Cork Capital of Culture,
Oh what a fantastic year,
Rebels are the greatest,
Kids enjoy the cheer.
Music, dancing, art and drama,
Yippee! Cork’s céilí world record set.
Parades and fire works, how spectacular,
Lee displaying a giant snake,
Amuse the crowds from far and near.
Cameras flashing, every where,
Events until the end of year.
Seán Twomey
First year
Deerpark CBS
cork my place
Picture - Darren Keenan
‘Blackrock Castle’
Scoil Na Croise Naofa, Mahon.
“Lee
dis
playing a
gian
t sn
ake”
62
Life can often be about making little connections. Connections be-
tween people and between people and places. Greenfield Lane con-
nects Douglas Street and Cobh Street. It is one of the quietest lanes in
the South Parish. Two years ago I began researching local history for my
Leaving Certificate History Research Project. By chance I happened to
speak to my Grandmother and she introduced me to Greenfield Lane.
She and her husband moved into the lane in 1960 as a newly married
couple. Her oral history prompted me to find out more about the lane.
My Nan recalls that up to 30 years ago the lane teemed with young
children, however only “elderly people live here today.”
Most of the surviving buildings date from the 1850’s when thirteen of
the fifteen dwellings were occupied. In 1911 the lane had a community
of one hundred and three residents living in eleven houses. A total of
thirty-two children under fourteen played and lived in the lane. The
youngest resident was three-month old George Good while the oldest
was seventy-five year old George Rogers. In 2005, only eleven residents
occupied the lane. Four of these people live on the lane for only six
months of the year and there is no echo of children playing in a place
that once was full of noise and banter.
a sense of place
greenfield lane past & present
Connections
My Grandmother, Eileen Creamer and her husband Finbarr bought
house No. 11 from Daniel McCarthy, the surviving son of Denis
McCarthy who had lived in the house at the time of the 1911 census.
What follows is my Grandmother’s oral history and her memories of
Greenfield Lane.
“I was born on 26 June 1933 at 53 North Main Street. In November 1935
our family of nine moved to 13 Cornmarket Street. My mother was a
tailoress and my father was a soldier in the British Army. The house
was four stories high and we lived over Hemsworth’s Bacon Shop. I
attended school at St. Peter and Paul’s and about 1500 pupils attended
the school. The teachers of the school were very strict and often beat
students who did nothing wrong.
I left school at fifteen and went to work in the Sunbeam factory on
the Mallow Road, where I made hosiery. In 1960 my uncle bought the
house on Greenfield Lane from the McCarthy family. As soon as the
house was emptied my husband Finbarr and I moved in with our first
child but later rented rooms out to two other people. The house was a
simple two storey one with an outdoor toilet. Finbarr was a checker in
the docks but I gave up my job in the Sunbeam. All of the people in the
63
lane were very nice and well-mannered. Neighbours got on very well with each
other and there was a real sense of community about the lane.
In 1967 we had our second child. Both children then attended the South Pres-
entation Convent where there were about six hundred students in the primary
school alone. During the summer we would regularly go to Youghal or Cross-
haven on the bus for a day out. In 1976 we had a television installed and we got a
proper bathroom in the house after the other lodgers moved out. Before we got
the bathroom I would wash the children in a wrought iron bath in front of the
coal fire. We have happy memories of living in No. 11 Greenfield Lane.”
Text & Photograph
Matthew O’Callaghan
Deerpark CBS
“No. 11 Greenfield Lane”