I have photographed this bandstand a number of times but this time I had a number of problems but the main one was that I had to edit out a number of children who kept getting in the way but it is nice to see that they like the structure as much, if not more, than I do.
The other issue is that they structure is no longer uniformly white and there is much discolouration which appears to be much uglier in the images than it is in reality.
Here is how the developer (Darmody Architecture) described the structure: “Understanding the client brief in terms of the desire for innovation together with the need for a functioning pavilion was a clear starting point. This led us to a sculptural form which embraces the functionality of a performance space while being a poetic element in its own right. Our studies of fluid forms guided us to an aerodynamic structural skeleton with a technical skin inspired by the engineering of modern aircraft and its composite elements. This development of a fluid skin allowed us to explore and enjoy the idea of the lightness and the vitality of summer light. The canopy form was manipulated and folded creating the implied enclosure of space and light.”
The Mardyke is an area in Cork city, on the northern half of the long western part of the island formed by the two channels of the River Lee near the city centre. It was historically left as open space because the land along the north channel of the river is prone to flooding. From east to west these open spaces are: Presentation Brothers College, a boy’s secondary school; the Mardyke ground of Cork County Cricket Club; Fitzgerald Park, which includes Cork Public Museum; Sunday’s Well Lawn Tennis Club; and the athletic grounds of University College Cork.
Wolfe Tone Park reopened almost a year ago [16 May 2022] following major works by Dublin City Council. It is described as a “green space” but I advise you to visit and decide for yourself but there is no doubt that it is an improvement but I am waiting for the bronze cow to return. Note: It has become much greener since May 2022.
As already mentioned in previous posts the park was closed during the pandemic and the the Parks, Biodiversity and Landscape Services team took the opportunity to restore it to a green space.
The park is the site of a graveyard that was attached to St. Mary’s Church, and is named for Theobald Wolfe Tone (1763–1798), who was baptised in the church. The graveyard was deconsecrated in 1966 and laid out as a green park. From 1998 to 2001, Dublin City Council redeveloped the park as an “urban plaza”.
From the 1960s to the 1990s, the site operated as a “green space”, maintained by Dublin City Council. In 1998, the council held a competition to redesign the park, which was won by Peter Cody of Boyd Cody Architects. The updated layout, in the form of an “urban plaza”, was completed in 2001. After the square’s layout was changed, it was made available by Dublin City Council for events, including the Dublin Fringe Festival. Over the years I began to notice an increase in anti-social behaviour which lead to a campaign from local residents to restore “Wolfe Tone Park as a non-commercial green space. There was an ongoing debate for many years in the council as to the future use of the park. Ultimately the park was closed between 2020 and 2022, and Dublin City Council redeveloped and restored it to a green space.
The 1902 tram was originally built in Philadelphia but spent much its working life in Lisbon before being purchased by a museum in Wales. In 2008 the body of the tram was shipped to Ireland [a farm in Cavan]. Visit www.swissitalianpaddlesteamers.com/lcbtramsoc/no305-sold…. if you are interested in the history of this tram.