Bishop Lucey Park

Bishop Lucey Park, sometimes known locally as the "People's Park",^[2] is a public park located between Grand Parade and South Main Street in the centre of Cork in Ireland. It is one of few green spaces in the city centre and among the most widely used.^[3] The park was closed for redevelopment from December 2023.^[4]

Bishop Lucey Park
The People's Park[1]
Park visitors relaxing during fine weather
Type	Public
Location	Cork, Ireland
Coordinates	51°53′50″N 8°28′32″W
Created	1985 (1985)
Status	Open all year

History

Remains of part of Cork'c city walls in Bishop Lucey Park

The park's main gates were originally sited at the corn market on Anglesea Street

The site of Bishop Lucey Park lies within the site of the original Hiberno-Norse settlement of Cork. A portion of the old city wall was excavated during the park construction and is visible near the Grand Parade entrance to the park.^[5]

For almost 800 years, the location of the park was a built environment, with a variety of commercial buildings, religious buildings and schools occupying portions of the site.

In 1970, Jennings department store burnt down leaving a substantial amount of the site derelict. It was decided to create a new park on the site in time for the celebrations of the 800th anniversary of Cork being granted a charter in 1985. The new park was named in honour of the Bishop of Cork and Ross Cornelius Lucey, who had died in 1982.

The gates to the park, which was officially opened on 6 December 1985, were moved from the former site of Cork's corn market on Anglesea Street.^[6]

In 2020, Cork City North East councillor Oliver Moran suggested that it may be appropriate to rename Bishop Lucey Park and certain other place names in the city in light of the publication of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes final report.^[7]

In late 2023, the park was closed in advance of significant redevelopment.^[4] As of December 2023, the park was due to reopen - with a new layout - in "early 2025".^[4]

Usage

The park is used by city centre workers and residents, and is one of few examples of green spaces within Cork City Centre. It can be particularly crowded at lunch time when, if the weather permits, people take their lunch al fresco.^{[citation needed]}

At winter time, the park hosts the Winter Wonderland, when it is illuminated with Christmas lights in conjunction with the Christmas Market that is held on Grand Parade.^{[citation needed]}

Christchurch Lane, which had been a pedestrian lane running alongside Christ Church on the northern edge of the park, was incorporated into the park in 2011.^[8]

There are a number of art-works within the park. A copy of Seamus Murphy's sculpture "The Onion Seller" was donated by hosiery manufacturers Sunbeam Wolsey when the park opened.^{[9][nb 1]}

Footnotes

1. Another copy, donated by a McDonald's franchisee on Winthrop Street in 1995, was moved to Cornmarket Street — "the Coal Quay".^[10][11]

References

1. Rountree, Sara (4 December 2023). "Huge public project in Cork city centre as Bishop Lucey park closes for construction". corkbeo.ie. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
2. O'Shea, Joe (3 February 2023). "Cork City park to close as huge redevelopment plan gets underway". corkbeo.ie. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
3. "Amenity Areas". Cork City Council. Archived from the original on 19 November 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
4. Haddaoui, Lara (5 December 2023). "Cork's Bishop Lucey Park to close its gates until 2025 due to major revamp". The Corkman. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
5. Healy, Alan. "Bishop Lucey Park". Cork Past and Present. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
6. Nolan, Amy (6 November 2021). "Nostalgia: A brief look back at the history of Bishop Lucey Park 36 years on". echolive.ie. The Echo. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
7. "Calls to rename Cork's Bishop Lucey Park in wake of Mother and Baby homes report". EchoLive.ie. 24 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
8. "Christchurch Lane". triskelartscentre.ie. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
9. René & Peter van der Krogt. "153: The Onion Seller". vanderkrogt.net. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
10. René & Peter van der Krogt. "149: The Onion Seller". vanderkrogt.net. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
11. "The Onion Seller, Winthrop Street, Cork City, Cork City". Buildings of Ireland: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Retrieved 3 April 2017.

External links

• Media related to Bishop Lucey Park at Wikimedia Commons