Cork City Centre Wards Signs

ajsp.

Hi all
Every time I walk around Cork I'm always amazed by the number of plaques and signs I see. I'd say I find a new one every time I go in town but there's a certain type that I keep seeing. It's the City Centre Ward type.

I did a little search and found this

"Under the Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act, 1840, Cork was divided into eight wards, returning 16 Aldermen and 48 Councillors to the Corporation, and the official style and title of the Corporate Body was the Mayor, Sheriffs, and Commonalty of the City of Cork. The eight wards into which the city was divided under that Act were described as the Lee Ward, St. Patrick's Ward, Glanmire Ward, Corn Market Ward, St. Fin Bar's Ward, Mansion House Ward, Exchange Ward, and Custom House Ward."
http://www.corkcity.ie/citycouncil/charters/

I'm guessing the signs date back to this time, around 1840's.

So far I've found signs on 6 different buildings that show Wards 3, 4, 5 (three times) and 6 so I'm wondering if anyone know if signs 1, 2, 7 and 8 have survived to this day or what might of happened to the other signs?



Ward 3 on the corner of Maylor St and Parnell Place


Ward 4 on the corner of Oliver Punkett St and Grand Parade


Ward 5 across the road from Daunt Sauare on the corner building


Ward 5a on corner of Oliver Punkett St and Parnell Place


Ward 5b on the corner of Castle St and North main St. It's under this plank


Ward 5b upcolse


Ward 6 on the corner on Castle St and North Main St

Vinta81

To be perfectly honest, I've never heard nor noticed this before.

Tirabaralla

Interesting! :-o
I'll take a look around for you, OP, whenever I'll find my self wandering trough the city.

Cable

Thats actually kinda cool. I've never known what that was about and always forgot about it by the time I got home to look into it. Clears that up. I'll keep my eyes peeled

Vinta81

The St. Finbarres one is up by the Cathedral more than likely (stating the obvious lol )

ajsp.

Thanks guys, I'm sure there's more out there to be found

mik_da_man

I'm pretty sure i've seen one of these around anglsea street or close.
I'll keep an eye out for it ....

ajsp.

Bump.

Anyone find anymore signs?

flo8s967qjh0nd

I've known about these for a while, but never thought of looking for them. Great thread! I'll keep my eyes open.

beer enigma

There are some '2' signs around Bllinlough Douglas area

ajsp.

Andip wrote: »

There are some '2' signs around Bllinlough Douglas area

Cool, Would they be around Douglas Road?

ajsp.

I still havn't found any new signs, anyone else have better luck?

Owen

Andip wrote: »

There are some '2' signs around Bllinlough Douglas area

If you live in that area, and you pay your TV license, the address on your license will read 'Cork 2'.

G Luxel

there is a centre ward No 9 sign in North main street. They are very old signs , from probably the 1920s. They are finished in white and have a Star of David incorporated. must take a picture sometime.

ajsp.

G Luxel wrote: »

there is a centre ward No 9 sign in North main street. They are very old signs , from probably the 1920s. They are finished in white and have a Star of David incorporated. must take a picture sometime.

Cool
Yet another sign I've never seen. Could you tell me where abouts on North Main St it is?

ajsp.

bump!!!

dennisc24

The ones like this one are more modern than the ones that refer to wards. The wards were designated under British rule (not sure why, but I think the OP already found this out).

The signs like this one for Castle Street show the local postcode. This sign shows that Castle Street is located in Cork 1. They're just like the Dublin postcodes e.g. O'Connell Street is in Dublin 1, Westmoreland Street is in Dublin 2 etc. You see these signs around Dublin as well so that you know what postal code area you're in. These postcodes were assigned to Cork too (not sure if it was at the same time as Dublin) to be used as postcodes just as they are in Dublin. The practice was never enforced in Cork (or we simply didn't take to it - not sure), but the signs still remain.

The more modern postcode signs go from 1 to 5. As a general rule, Cork 1 is the Central Island, though it does spill over a little to the quays on the North and South sides. Cork 2 is the south-east of the city, e.g. Blackrock, Mahon, Douglas etc. Cork 3 is the north-west, e.g. Shandon, Knocknaheeney, Sunday's Well etc. Cork 4 is the south-west, e.g. Bishopstown, Togher, Glasheen etc., and Cork 5 is the north-east, e.g. Mayfield, Montenotte, St Lukes etc.

Unlike Dublin, simply saying that you're from Cork 4 or Cork 2 etc. would not imply your social status, wealth etc. if these postcodes were actually in use in Cork. Each area contains affluent areas and disadvantaged areas.

Hopefully, they'll never bring postcodes to Ireland. Something has to be said for the simplicity of an Irish postal address that is devoid of postcodes.

Outkast_IRE

dennisc24 wrote: »

The ones like this one are more modern than the ones that refer to wards. The wards were designated under British rule (not sure why, but I think the OP already found this out).

The signs like this one for Castle Street show the local postcode. This sign shows that Castle Street is located in Cork 1. They're just like the Dublin postcodes e.g. O'Connell Street is in Dublin 1, Westmoreland Street is in Dublin 2 etc. You see these signs around Dublin as well so that you know what postal code area you're in. These postcodes were assigned to Cork too (not sure if it was at the same time as Dublin) to be used as postcodes just as they are in Dublin. The practice was never enforced in Cork (or we simply didn't take to it - not sure), but the signs still remain.

The more modern postcode signs go from 1 to 5. As a general rule, Cork 1 is the Central Island, though it does spill over a little to the quays on the North and South sides. Cork 2 is the south-east of the city, e.g. Blackrock, Mahon, Douglas etc. Cork 3 is the north-west, e.g. Shandon, Knocknaheeney, Sunday's Well etc. Cork 4 is the south-west, e.g. Bishopstown, Togher, Glasheen etc., and Cork 5 is the north-east, e.g. Mayfield, Montenotte, St Lukes etc.

Unlike Dublin, simply saying that you're from Cork 4 or Cork 2 etc. would not imply your social status, wealth etc. if these postcodes were actually in use in Cork. Each area contains affluent areas and disadvantaged areas.

Hopefully, they'll never bring postcodes to Ireland. Something has to be said for the simplicity of an Irish postal address that is devoid of postcodes.

I think he means under the sign your talking about behind the piece of wood ?

ajsp.

dennisc24 wrote: »

The ones like this one are more modern than the ones that refer to wards. The wards were designated under British rule (not sure why, but I think the OP already found this out).

The signs like this one for Castle Street show the local postcode. This sign shows that Castle Street is located in Cork 1. They're just like the Dublin postcodes e.g. O'Connell Street is in Dublin 1, Westmoreland Street is in Dublin 2 etc. You see these signs around Dublin as well so that you know what postal code area you're in. These postcodes were assigned to Cork too (not sure if it was at the same time as Dublin) to be used as postcodes just as they are in Dublin. The practice was never enforced in Cork (or we simply didn't take to it - not sure), but the signs still remain.

The more modern postcode signs go from 1 to 5. As a general rule, Cork 1 is the Central Island, though it does spill over a little to the quays on the North and South sides. Cork 2 is the south-east of the city, e.g. Blackrock, Mahon, Douglas etc. Cork 3 is the north-west, e.g. Shandon, Knocknaheeney, Sunday's Well etc. Cork 4 is the south-west, e.g. Bishopstown, Togher, Glasheen etc., and Cork 5 is the north-east, e.g. Mayfield, Montenotte, St Lukes etc.

Unlike Dublin, simply saying that you're from Cork 4 or Cork 2 etc. would not imply your social status, wealth etc. if these postcodes were actually in use in Cork. Each area contains affluent areas and disadvantaged areas.

Hopefully, they'll never bring postcodes to Ireland. Something has to be said for the simplicity of an Irish postal address that is devoid of postcodes.

I'm talking about the sign under the plank ( which has since been removed)

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

I think he means under the sign your talking about behind the piece of wood ?

Correct

dewdrop

Slightly off topic but there is a sign at top of Grand Parade near Paul st corner which says "Grand Parade" but the Irish is Sraid an capaill buidhe"..sorry but my irish spelling is from memory. Anyway this is "street of the yellow horse" and there is a historical explanation for this aabout a monument with a horse thereon painted yellow.

ajsp.

dewdrop wrote: »

Slightly off topic but there is a sign at top of Grand Parade near Paul st corner which says "Grand Parade" but the Irish is Sraid an capaill buidhe"..sorry but my irish spelling is from memory. Anyway this is "street of the yellow horse" and there is a historical explanation for this aabout a monument with a horse thereon painted yellow.

Tue, the horse got fired into the Lee by Nano Nagle Bridge only to float away and never be seen again. I must look up that story again.

subedei

dewdrop wrote: »

Slightly off topic but there is a sign at top of Grand Parade near Paul st corner which says "Grand Parade" but the Irish is Sraid an capaill buidhe"..sorry but my irish spelling is from memory. Anyway this is "street of the yellow horse" and there is a historical explanation for this aabout a monument with a horse thereon painted yellow.

Think it was a statue of some King of England on his horse, hence why it was disposed of after the war independance

ajsp.

It was a statue of King Groege II


http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/mapsimages/corkphotographs/corkcameraclubhistoricalphotos/yellowequestrianstatue/

http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/grandparade/

ajsp.

Bump.

I still haven't been able to find anymore signs,starting to think that these few are the only ones left.

Fabio

I have seen those signs around and often wondered what they actually meant so thanks OP for getting around to photoing them and getting a discussion going! Fair dues!

ajsp.

Fabio wrote: »

I have seen those signs around and often wondered what they actually meant so thanks OP for getting around to photoing them and getting a discussion going! Fair dues!

Thanks Fabio

ajsp.

Anyone find any more signs???

Lemag

The 'Ward No. 1' sign is on Bridge Street, I think.

mik_da_man

Spotted a sign the other day - sorry for the delay
There's one on albert quay on the old building think it was a tyre fitting place

ajsp.

Lemag wrote: »

The 'Ward No. 1' sign is on Bridge Street, I think.

mik_da_man wrote: »

Spotted a sign the other day - sorry for the delay
There's one on albert quay on the old building think it was a tyre fitting place

Thanks guys, I'll try and get to them over the weekend and post them up here.
I was starting to think that there was no more to be found.

BarneyMagee

There's one on Castle Street at its junction with North Main street.

ajsp.

BarneyMagee wrote: »

There's one on Castle Street at its junction with North Main street.

Cheers Barney but I got them already. Pics 5,6 and 7

Heckler

Wow. lived in Cork all of my 30 odd years and never noticed those. Thanks OP. Very interesting !

ajsp.

mik_da_man wrote: »

Spotted a sign the other day - sorry for the delay
There's one on albert quay on the old building think it was a tyre fitting place

10/10 for observation. I drove past it yesterday but couldn't get a snap.

Heckler wrote: »

Wow. lived in Cork all of my 30 odd years and never noticed those. Thanks OP. Very interesting !

Cheers Heck



I still got to look for the one on Bridge St