Meet the 90-year-old former ballerina helping to restore Shandon's clock

Sally Stokes is leading three generations of her family in applying the finishing touches to Cork’s famous four-faced liar

(Left to right) Robin, Sally and Philip Stokes in the workshop at Stokes Clocks on MacCurtain Street, each holding a gold number for the Shandon tower clock. Picture: Chani Anderson

At 90 years of age, Sally Stokes is literally working around the clock as she applies the finishing touches to Cork’s famous four-faced liar.

While many in Cork may be unfamiliar with her name, the former professional ballerina’s art is an integral part of the cultural fabric of Leeside and beyond. 

Sitting among a wall of timepieces in Stokes Clocks on MacCurtain Street, Sally Stokes holds a completed numeral destined for Shandon's four-faced liar, reflecting decades of gold-leafing expertise. Picture: Chani Anderson

Whether it’s the gold leafing on the Brown Thomas clock on Patrick’s Street or her distinctive imprint on the famous timepiece in St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, her intricate skills have helped keep time for many a shopper. 

And time has been kind to the nonagenarian in more ways than one. Even at this impressive age, she continues to remain active and indulge her artistic streak at every opportunity. 

Gold leafing the clock from the tower of St Anne's Church in Cork City — as part of a Shandon restoration project — fills Sally with pride. But it’s not the historic significance of these repairs that are special to the devoted family woman. 

The biggest perk, as far as she is concerned, is being able to collaborate on the project with her grandson Robin. Originally working in finance, the opportunity to be part of such historic repair work was impossible for Robin to resist.

Robin says:

This is not something you get to do every day, or in this case, every 200 years.

Shandon’s clock mechanism was introduced in 1847 by the then Cork Corporation. It wasn’t long before the timepiece earned the nickname "the four-faced liar", a reference to its unreliable timekeeping.

A total of €250,000 was allocated by Cork City Council earlier this year to repair and restore what has become an iconic fixture of Cork City’s skyline. This was the largest individual share of €700,000 in funding received by heritage projects across Cork under the Historic Structures Fund.

Keith Starr from Hearthstone in Glanmire is overseeing the restoration team that also includes Cork City Council architectural conservation officer, Jessie Castle, and James Bourke Architects as well as a large number of construction workers.

Sally’s love of clocks dates back to when she met her now late husband Chris Stokes who opened a clock repair shock on MacCurtain Street several decades ago. Today, Stokes Clocks is run by their son Philip who trained at the Swiss/Irish School of Horology and now repairs antique and modern timepieces.

Sally explains how she first learned the art of gold leafing from Sean O’Leary who kindly taught her the intricate skills required before his death several decades ago.

Sally Stokes prepares the two-foot-high clock numbers for the Shandon clock restoration as her grandson Robin Stokes looks on. Picture: Chani Anderson

While many of us are guilty of taking our work home, the 90-year-old is no different and can often be found pouring over the numbers and hands of the famous clock in the workshop of her home in Mayfield. Her grandson Robin is never too far away.

“All the numbers are two foot high so we have to clean them and paint them before applying the gold leaf on top of that,” she explains. “Gold leaf doesn’t go on like paint does since it’s metal — which means it takes a lot longer. I’ve been gold leafing for some years now. Philip learned to do it from me and now Robin is learning. We have all three generations working together.” 

Gold leafing, she explains, requires a lot of patience.

“You have to wait 10 hours until it is tacky before you can apply the gold leaf. It’s very fiddly because the gold leaf is like tissue. It’s paper thin. I often have to start over because it breaks so easily.” 

And the project comes with extra pressure for Sally, who attends church at St Anne’s every week.

“This is my own church so it’s lovely to be involved in it. I think the most rewarding part of this will be seeing the numbers when they are finished.” 

Sally Stokes: 'This is my own church so it’s lovely to be involved in it.' Picture: Chani Anderson

One of the most rewarding parts of the project for Robin, on the other hand, is spending time with his grandmother.

“Hanging around with my granny has been great. 90 years is a long time so there is plenty of wisdom and stories for her to share."

And he says he is learning so much working closely with Sally on the project which is due to be completed in January.

“This was obviously an interesting project that dad and granny were working on so I said I would lend a hand while also learning from them both. The gold leafing is a large part of it. Granny’s word is gospel which is important when you are learning something new. 

"The glue takes between 10 and 11 hours to dry so we are spending a lot of time together. The glue has to be a very specific type of tacky. If you put it on too soon it gets very clumpy and wet, whereas in contrast if you put it on too late it won’t stick properly.

"We were just doing this in our sitting room so it wasn’t a classroom setting and that definitely made things easier. I’m enjoying it a lot but there is a bit more pressure for granny since she goes to church in St Anne’s every week. The most rewarding part of this for me has been listening to my grandmother's stories."

But why switch from finance to timepieces?

Robin Stokes with a mantel clock inside Stokes Clocks on MacCurtain Street. Picture: Chani Anderson

“I was studying finance and working in the bank. Just recently I decided I would give this a go because I thought it would be something interesting and different to get into. 

"The work varies and often includes assembling and reassembling the clock. I get to meet with all kinds of people as opposed to sitting at a desk all day and only chatting to those in the same field. 

"Watching granny do what she does and her attention to detail is crazy. It’s only now as I get older that I’m truly beginning to appreciate clocks and what they represent.”