Section 3 Loss of Character
Streets and Laneways Shandon’s streets and laneways have been gradually shedding their character, through demolition of historic buildings, removal of old shopfronts, burdened by the clutter of signage and overhead services. Shandon Street has experienced closure of shops and pubs, outflow of industry and manufacturing, and the intrusion of passing traffic and parked cars. While many of the street’s features and buildings survive, and new international businesses are contributing to the vibrancy of the street, its character is becoming more of a passing route, rather than a place where the neighbourhood can meet. The laneways have caught up with modern times, and while most of them, due to their limited widths, have kept on-street parking at bay, the laneways are cluttered by bins and many of their houses have lost character through modern interventions and unsympathetic retrofits.
Pope’s Quay: Poorly proportioned PVC windows, surface mounted unility boxes
Photograph taken from Cattle Market Avenue looking towards Church Street and St. Mary’s Church, Shandon, 1952 (Florence O’Donoghue Papers, National Library of Ireland)
Photograph taken outside John Twomey’s Bakery and Tea Warehouse at 102 Shandon Street (Fergus O’Connor Collection, National Library of Ireland)
Laneways: clutter of overhead cables, bins, poor surface
Photograph taken from Cattle Market Avenue looking towards Church Street and St. Mary’s Church, Shandon, 2024
View of 102 Shandon Street, 2024
Project: Historic Character Assessment Client: Cork City Council
Date:
15/10/2024
Pg 20
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