Did You Know?

• Cork’s Lord Mayors still annually perform the traditional ‘Throwing the Dart’ ceremony to signify their authority over the port and harbour.

• On the corner of the Grand Parade and Tuckey Street, embedded into the pavement, is a cannon that was reputedly used during the Siege of Cork.

• In November 1930 a world speed record was set by Joseph S. Wright when he rode his motorcycle at 150mph up the Carrigrohane Straight Road in Cork.

The Little Book of Cork is a compendium of fascinating, obscure, strange and entertaining facts about Cork City.

Here you will find out about Cork’s buildings and businesses, its proud sporting heritage, its hidden corners and its famous (and occasionally infamous) men and women. Through its bustling thoroughfares and down winding laneways, this book takes the reader on a journey through Cork and its vibrant past, recalling the people and events that shaped this great city.

A reliable reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped into time and again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage and the secrets of Cork.

KIERAN McCARTHY writes a weekly local heritage column for the Cork Independent, is the author of over 20 local history titles on Cork, and runs a heritage consultancy and walking tour company. He was awarded the Mary Mulvihill Publication/ Media Award, Industrial Heritage Association of Ireland, 2019 for The Little Book of Cork Harbour, and for championing cultural heritage. He has been an independent member of Cork County Council and is a member of the EU Committee of the Regions.