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In Fermoy, Ireland

89

 

Fermoy a Garrison Town
Page 2

by Paudie McGrath



King’s Square, renamed Brian Boru Square; Queen’s Square, now known as Pearse Square; King’s Street, now MacCurtain Street; Prince’s Street,Victoria Terrace, Albert Place,Grubb’s Quay, now Ashe Quay; Grubb’s Hill,William Street, Bowling Green Street,Bridewell Hill, Artillery Quay and the Polo Grounds - these are some of the street names and squares, when Fermoy was a British Garrison town and predominately a market place for the people in the surrounding area. The British Military arrived in Fermoy about 1797 and had a continuous presence in the town until 1922. When the British left Fermoy in 1922, the Barracks and Military Hospital were burned to the ground during the period that was referred to as ‘The Trouble Times’. The actual burning took place in August 1923 and from that period onwards, British street names disappeared.


Military Cemetery

Fermoy Golf Club
Fermoy Golf Club

Fermoy Golf Club occupied the land on the right hand side of the road beyond the Camp as you approach Fermoy from the Dublin side. This stretched back to the quarry and to the Fermoy/Mallow railway track. Golf in Fermoy started in what was called the Aerodrome. It then moved to the Sandpit in Duntaheen Road and moved back again to the Aerodrome fields in the late 1920’s. This remained their home until 1970 when they moved to Corrin. Across the main road from the Golf Club is St.Josephs Square, which was built in the early 1950’s.

As you walked towards the town the first prominent building you would see would be the magnificent British Army hospital, which was situated inside the high stonewall opposite the present-day Dairygold store on the Dublin Road. There are still iron rings embedded in that wall, which were used to tie up the ponies and donkeys during that period.

This Hospital was said to be one of the most modern hospitals in Europe. One of the many historic occasions associated with the hospital was the fact that Edmond Kent, executed in Cork in May 1916, and whose remains were brought back to Fermoy after his execution, lay in repose in this Hospital before his final removal and burial. You would then continue southwards passing the goods entrance to the Railway Station and then under the railway-bridge, which crossed the main road. This bridge carried the main railway line from Cork to Rosslare, which was the property of the Great Southern and Western Railway Company. The Railway Station was opened in 1860.

Fitzgerald Camp
Fitzgerald Camp

Kent Memorial on Fermoy Bridge
Kent Memorial on Fermoy Bridge
This bridge was considered the gateway into Fermoy. It crossed over the main road just about where the two garages, Shell and Statoil, are presently situated on the Dublin Road. The Railway line ran along outside the Pitch and Putt wall where the Beechfield Road is now. On the left hand side of the road there was a very substantial property called Beechfield House which was located in the field where Beechfield Estate now stands. This property was demolished in the 1960’s.

As you start your walk down towards Oliver Plunkett Hill which was then Barrack Hill, you’d find Albert Place on your right, now named McDermott Place. The Albert Place nameplate is still on the wall of Shinnick’s Supermarket over the Post Box.
The forage yard was across the road where Wolfe Tone Park was built in 1912. South of Wolfe Tone Park lies Casement Row,which was then called Factory Row. No one seems to know what factory the name refers to but the old people used to say that there was an ammunition factory somewhere in that area.

The next street on the right is Bridget Street. This was a very busy street and was called West Barrack Street. This street had many homes, seven pubs and a guesthouse and also had a number of service type businesses.
Bridget Street
West Barrack Street


  


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©   Paudie McGrath Cork Ireland 2003 -
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