€15M Emigration Museum/Diaspora Centre

Rhys Essien

It would be an ideal place for it.It would be the right choice for Cork to win the bid.

click on the design picture in link to get better look.

http://www.eveningecho.ie/2014/10/01/e15m-custom-house-emigration-museum/

CB19Kevo

Would make sense for it to be in Cork when so many left from there.
Hopefully the bid reflects this.

Judes

Cork City needs more heritage sites, it would be fantastic for our City.

I live in Cobh but work in the City and I see those Cruise Ships come in and then Coaches whisk those tourists to Blarney and Killarney - and of course Cork city. But some tourists are not overly impressed by the City and feel our City sites are seen too quickly especially when they use the open top Tour Bus.

But in Cobh both National and International visitors queue for the Titanic Experience, the Heritage Centre and we have a smaller museum too. Then there are Guided historic walking trails and Spike Island is being improved upon each year.

My childhood was spent in Sydney and I remember my parents taking myself and my brother to a heritage centre at Botany Bay a few times and being enthralled to think of my Irish Ancestors landing there. When older I visited Ellis Island, a huge tourist attraction in New York. Equally Australians, Americans, Canadians are entralled to see where their ancestors left from.

Every other City in the world would cash in on whatever resources they have to attract tourists - be it arts and culture, shopping, historical, geographical, sports - we have it all on our doorstep - and the Politicians we elected should ensure that Cork City is the only choice for such a venue - we were and still are a Maritime County and Cork Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in the World (following Sydney).

Let's hope that the 4 million of us still on this island can appreciate that Cork really was the gate way to the world..................

whisky_galore

The bonded warehouses are crying out to be restored.
Not so sure about the Spire/DNA jobbie type thing, a rather superflous ugly yoke. The Dublin Spire which it's supposed to rival is hardly universally loved.

who_me

Would be fantastic to have something there - anything. It'd be a fantastic asset in the city centre - though it's a bit unfortunate that pedestrians would be crossing/blocking one of the busiest streets in the city. I'd love to see a maritime museum or anything that keeps the link to its current/past usage, but anything would be great.

I have to say I'd be a bit worried about an "Irish diaspora" centre with Flatley involved, hope it wouldn't be too tacky, "Oirish".

whisky_galore

who_me wrote: »

Would be fantastic to have something there - anything. It'd be a fantastic asset in the city centre - though it's a bit unfortunate that pedestrians would be crossing/blocking one of the busiest streets in the city. I'd love to see a maritime museum or anything that keeps the link to its current/past usage, but anything would be great.

I have to say I'd be a bit worried about an "Irish diaspora" centre with Flatley involved, hope it wouldn't be too tacky, "Oirish".

Suppose the Queenstown Centre/Titanic Experince could sort of qualify as maritime museums, though they'd be hard to hold a candle to excellent one in Liverpool. We don't do industrial, built or maritime heritage much justice here, instead we do the overpriced faux Irish tourist traps (ie Bunratty) and the obligatory 'interpretive centres' (usually a method of herding them into a souvenir shop selling plastic paddywhackery and crystal that's gone out of fashion) that we think tourists want...I'd actually be surprised if anyone knew where our National Maritime Museum was without cheating by Googling.

who_me

whisky_galore wrote: »

Suppose the Queenstown Centre/Titanic Experince could sort of qualify as maritime museums, though they'd be hard to hold a candle to excellent one in Liverpool. We don't do industrial, built or maritime heritage much justice here, instead we do the overpriced faux Irish tourist traps (ie Bunratty) and the obligatory 'interpretive centres' (usually a method of herding them into a souvenir shop selling plastic paddywhackery and crystal that's gone out of fashion) that we think tourists want...I'd actually be surprised if anyone knew where our National Maritime Museum was without cheating by Googling.

To be honest, I wouldn't even know that myself.

Failing any kind of historical centre, it'd be the perfect location for a business like the Union Chandlery if they wanted to move (along with the restaurants/bars/cafes etc. obviously) and maybe an aquatic activity centre - it's surprising how much is going on on the river these days with kayaking, old-style currachs, paddle-boards etc. That could get people in during the day, with the restaurants & bars being busy in the evenings.

Rhys Essien

So this is after being axed by none other than Minister Paschal Donohoe.So the man does not think that Cork airport really matters and now does'nt want us to have this.:mad:

http://www.thecorknews.ie/articles/diaspora-centre-axed-17813

keithclancy

Rhys Essien wrote: »

So this is after being axed by none other than Minister Paschal Donohoe.So the man does not think that Cork airport really matters and now does'nt want us to have this.:mad:

http://www.thecorknews.ie/articles/diaspora-centre-axed-17813

Money is probably better spent in the City Center.

Rhys Essien

keithclancy wrote: »

Money is probably better spent in the City Center.

???.

This was to be in the City centre,well almost.

It would have been the ideal site.

Fabio

It is the city centre. Another slap in the face for Cork.

keithclancy

Fabio wrote: »

It is the city centre. Another slap in the face for Cork.

I meant that new Cultural Quarter thing thats replacing the Beamish Brewery grounds.

Mumha

I didn't think a National Diaspora Centre was such a good idea anyway, and even if there was one, Cobh would have a been a more natural fit.