Union members seek donations to restore banner

MEMBERS of a union are hoping to collect several thousand euro to complete the restoration of an historic banner.

The 10ft by 10ft banner, which was made for The Operative Society of Masons and Bricklayers in 1843, ended up stored in the Fitzgerald Park museum, but it had deteriorated to such an extent that it needed expert restoration.

The museum paid for expert Rachel Phelan to look at the banner and she estimated it would cost up to €30,000 to restore.

“That was a fair shock, I can tell you. But we decided it was an important piece of our Cork heritage and we wanted it to be hung proudly in Cork for all to see,” Masons’ Union (Operative Society) member Jim Fahy said.

After receiving a grant of €7,000 from the Heritage Council, the union raised a further €5,000 and the first phase of restoration work was undertaken in Dublin.

“We still owe about €3,500 for the first stage and it will cost about another €12,000 to finish it off,” Mr Fahy said.

The union has made a DVD of the history of the organisation and amassed a lot of old records which it has given to the archives building in Great William O’Brien Street.

“The Douglas Court Shopping Centre have kindly allowed us to sell these DVDs there on Friday, June 18. We will also have a replica of the banner on display there,” Mr Fahy said.

He said once the restoration was finished it was hoped the banner would be displayed in City Hall. Mr Fahy said he was hoping that people would come forward and support the fundraiser.

Donations can also be made to the Cork Masons’ Union, which is based at Carpenters’ Hall, Father Matthew Quay.