George Boole

TWO VISITS TO BLACKROCK VILLAGE IN CORK AUGUST 2021 AND MAY 2022

George Boole, inventor of Boolean algebra (the basis of modern computer arithmetic) lived near Blackrock during his time as Professor of Mathematics at University College Cork. Boole is buried in the grounds of St. Michael’s Church of Ireland on Church Road.

Blackrock is a suburb, with a village core, in the south east of Cork City, Ireland. Originally a small fishing village about five kilometres from Cork City, the growth of the city over time has meant that the village has become incorporated into the city. It is home to Blackrock GAA club, Blackrock Castle, a weekly farmers market, and as of 2015 has seen some investment in regeneration projects for the traditional village centre.

My visit in 2021 did not go well as my camera was overheating and then, because of travel restrictions, I had to wait two hours for a bus back to the city centre. In May I had expected the bus service to be much better but when the 202 did not turn up as scheduled I discovered that I would have to wait an hour for the next bus to arrive so I decided to walk back to the city along the Blackrock Road which proved to be worthwhile.

The one thing that caught my attention in 2021 was that very few people, other than myself, were wearing masks.

A short distance from the village is Blackrock Castle. There has been a castle on the site since medieval times but the present castle was built in the mid 19th century in mock-baronial style. It now houses an observatory and planetarium.

The Marina, a tree lined avenue (not strictly a marina) runs along the southern bank of the River Lee from Blackrock Village past Páirc Uí Chaoimh and is a used for a number of recreational activities such as rowing, walking and cycling. The Atlantic Pond, in the shadow of Páirc Uí Chaoimh is also used by walkers and is populated by wildlife, mainly ducks and swans.

Dundanion Castle, overlooking the Marina but difficult to access, is a ruined 16th-century castle. It is from this spot that William Penn reputedly sailed on his first voyage to America in 1682 before founding the state of Pennsylvania.

Blackrock Village hosts a farmer’s market every Sunday morning in the village square. A pathway links the village to the relatively new development of Eden in Blackrock, which is a mix of apartments, duplexes and houses along with green spaces built on the former grounds of Blackrock convent. The village square and surrounding area were subject to a €2 million “rejuvenation” scheme between 2015 and 2017.