City marks burning of Cork

THE burning of Cork, one of the worst atrocities of the War of Independence, will be remembered in the city this weekend.

Lord Mayor Michael O’Connell will lead a symbolic procession through the city centre to mark the culmination of civic events commemorating the tumultuous events of 1920 — a year when one lord mayor was murdered and another died on hunger strike.

On the night of December 11, 1920, British forces deliberately set fire to several blocks of buildings along the east and south sides of Saint Patrick’s Street.

City Hall and the Carnegie Library on Anglesea Street were completely destroyed. The loss of library stock and the records in City Hall was a huge blow to future historians.

Among the buildings on St Patrick’s Street which were destroyed in the blaze were Roches Stores, Cash & Co, The Munster Arcade, Egan’s, The American Shoe Company, Forrests, Sunners chemist and Saxone Shoes.

Cork City Council has organised a series of events in recent months to mark the 90th anniversary of these events, including exhibitions in City Hall, the City Library, and the City and County Archives.

The events marking the anniversary of the burning began at the city library last night.