VISIT THE CORK PHOTO CATALOG LEARN ABOUT TO OLD FEVER HOSPITAL

URBAN CARTOGRAPHER

JULY 2016 VISIT

CORK AS IT WAS IN 2016

PHOTOGRAPHED BY WILLIAM MURPHY IN JULY

THERE WAS A REASON WHY I STAYED AT THE MOXY

To understand the message, you first have to understand the wall. In 2014, the derelict building on Pine Street was far from forgotten; it was a recognised and dynamic hub for street art, a living gallery in the heart of Cork. Placing a fundraising appeal here was a deliberate and strategic act of communication, targeting a specific audience in a space laden with cultural meaning.

STREET ART FROM 2014

WHO WAS NAN?

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This year, I spent a week at the Moxy Hotel on Camden Quay in Cork. I chose it partly because it replaced a derelict building while thoughtfully restoring some historical elements of the site. While working through my back catalogue of images from a previous visit to the area in 2016, I found a photograph of a wall on Pine Street that no longer exists. What caught my eye was a simple, hand-painted piece of graffiti from two years prior that read: "This Is Nan She Has E.D.S A Rare Disease" 2014.

The use of "Nan" immediately stood out. Was it a given name, or was this, as is so common in Ireland and the UK, a plea for a beloved grandmother? This photograph, an act of documenting a changing urban landscape, serves as a unique piece of archival evidence. It sparked a series of questions: Was this a genuine appeal for help? Was there a fundraising campaign for someone's Nan, suffering from a rare disease that required treatment in the United States? And what was life in Cork like at that moment, that such a desperate, public plea would be written on the wall of a derelict building?

This is the story of that investigation. It’s a search not just for an individual, but for the social, cultural, and medical realities of the time that made this message both possible and necessary. While the identity of Nan remains a mystery, the evidence overwhelmingly suggests the graffiti was an authentic and poignant reflection of a documented crisis.

THE STORY OF NAN AND STREET ART

THE CAMDEN PALACE HOTEL JULY 2016

Despite its name, there is no evidence the building ever functioned as a traditional hotel. The "hotel" moniker appears to have been an adopted title for the arts collective. The building's history is varied; constructed around 1885 with a distinctive Venetian-style facade, it originally housed McKenzie's Agricultural Supplies and later served as a temporary circuit courthouse before becoming the beloved arts hub.

When I photographed this building in July 2016 I had been advised that it was derelict but that was not fully accurate.

In September 2025 I spent a week at the Moxy Hotel which now occupies the site and much more.

From Arts Hub to Modern Hotel: The Story of Cork's Camden Palace

The building on Camden Quay in Cork, known for years as the Camden Palace Hotel, was not derelict in July 2016. On the contrary, it was in its final, vibrant days as a celebrated and dynamic community arts centre. This independent, non-profit venue, a vital part of Cork's cultural landscape since 2009, ceased operations that year to make way for a major redevelopment of the site.

A Centre of Creativity

For seven years, the Camden Palace Hotel provided an invaluable platform for artists across a multitude of disciplines, including painting, theatre, dance, film-making, music, and photography. It was a space that fostered creative experimentation and community engagement, housing studios, exhibition areas, and performance spaces. Even in its final year, the centre was a hive of activity, having launched the Rory Gallagher Music Studio the previous year to honour the 20th anniversary of the legendary guitarist's death.

Despite its name, there is no evidence the building ever functioned as a traditional hotel. The "hotel" moniker appears to have been an adopted title for the arts collective. The building's history is varied; constructed around 1885 with a distinctive Venetian-style facade, it originally housed McKenzie's Agricultural Supplies and later served as a temporary circuit courthouse before becoming the beloved arts hub.

Redevelopment and a New Identity

By July 2016, the arts centre's future was sealed. The site was scheduled for a comprehensive redevelopment, which has since been completed. Today, a modern Moxy Hotel stands in its place, having impressively incorporated the historic and protected facade of the original structure into its design, preserving a piece of Cork's architectural heritage.

The project, however, was far more extensive than just the Camden Palace building. The confusion over whether the site was active or derelict arises from the project's true scale. Planning documents for the €24 million development define the site as encompassing "Camden Quay, Camden Place and Pine Street."

Therefore, the project had two main components:

The Camden Palace building on the quay, which remained a vibrant arts centre until its closure in 2016.

A large derelict site that stretched from the rear of the arts centre along most of Pine Street.

This explains why many recall a significant derelict area being cleared for the hotel, even while the prominent building fronting the quay was still an active cultural venue. The development involved both the careful preservation of the historic facade and the construction of the new hotel on the extensive, long-abandoned land behind it.

 

THE WEST VIEW IN COBH

When I visited Cobh in 2016 I used a Sony FE PZ 28-135mm f/4 G OSS which performed very well but it is too bulky and heavy for travel photography. Unfortunately, I use it infrequently.

THERE IS A 1916 MEMORIAL GARDEN

THE STACK OF CARDS

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Cobh's Garden of Remembrance at West View Established in 2016

The Garden of Remembrance at West View in Cobh, where the annual Easter 1916 Commemoration is held, was created and dedicated on Sunday, April 24, 2016. The development of the garden and the unveiling of a new monument were central to the Cobh 1916 Commemoration Committee's events to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising.

The monument, created by Cork sculptor Mick Wilkins, is dedicated to the seven signatories of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic. The dedication ceremony was a significant event in Cobh's centenary commemorations, involving a wreath-laying, the reading of the Proclamation, and performances by local choirs.

While the formal Garden of Remembrance was established in 2016, the location at West View has long been a public space. It is situated opposite the iconic row of colourful houses known as the "Deck of Cards," which date back to circa 1850. This area includes a small public park, often referred to as "West View Park," which has been a grassy, open space for residents and visitors. Therefore, while the memorial garden itself is a relatively recent addition, the site has been accessible to the public for a considerable time.

FREEDOM’S DAWN OR THE PIKEMAN

I first photographed this in 2016. When I visited again in 2019 I could not find sculpture this so I decided that I must have been confused or visited the wrong location. Later, I discovered that the statue had been removed for repair as it had been vandalised not long before my 2019 visit to the town of Midleton. Apparently the scroll had been stolen. My most recent visit was September and noticed that the sculpture is now on a plinth making it difficult to reach the scroll.

THIS IS LOCATED IN MIDLETON

THE PIKEMAN

PHOTOGRAPHED 2016 HISTORY PHOTOGRAPHED 2025

Theft, Repair, and Reinstallation

In a lamentable act of vandalism, the bronze scroll held in the pikeman's left hand was stolen from the sculpture. This necessitated the removal of the entire statue for repair in 2019. The theft of the scroll, an integral part of the sculpture's narrative representing the ideals and proclamations of the United Irishmen, was a significant loss.







THE WAR MEMORIAL ON THE SOUTH MALL

"Greater Deed Hath No Man Done"

"They Shall Grow Not Old, As We That Are Left Grow Old…"

"For your tomorrow we gave our today"

I USED A ZEISS BATIS LENS

CORK WAR MEMORIAL

PHOTOGRAPHED 2016 HISTORY PHOTOGRAPHED 2025

Strolling along the grand, tree-lined South Mall in Cork City, it’s impossible to miss the quiet dignity of the War Memorial. Standing as a silent sentinel amidst the city's hustle and bustle, it's a poignant tribute to the local lives given in service during the two greatest conflicts of the 20th century. First unveiled in 1925, this monument is steeped in layers of historical and emotional significance.








THE BRIDGE I COULD NOT FIND AND THE HOUSE THAT I COULD NOT FORGET

During a 2016 trip to Cork City, one landmark sat at the very top of my photography list: the famous 'Shakey Bridge'. Yet, after two days and nearly twenty miles of walking, it remained elusive. I left the city feeling I had missed a key part of its character, unaware of the photographic surprise that lay waiting.

I LOCATED THE RED HOUSE

THE SHAKEY BRIDGE

PHOTOGRAPHED 2016 THE LONG STORY THE HISTORY OF THE RED HOUSE DISCUSSION: THE RED HOUSE

A few months later, a magazine contacted me looking for a photograph of either the Shakey Bridge or a large, derelict house painted red. I instantly remembered the imposing, slightly eerie house overlooking the River Lee and sent them my photographs. To my astonishment, they replied that my photographs of the house also featured the very bridge I had searched for in the background!

What I didn't know then was that my 2016 photos had captured these two landmarks at a specific point in their history, just before they both underwent dramatic transformations.

The house, as a recent Google search confirmed, is WestView Villa, a Victorian gem known to all Corkonians as the "Iconic Red House". When I photographed it, it had been sitting in a state of dereliction for years. Its vibrant red-rendered façade was a symbol of faded grandeur. Today, however, that decay is a thing of the past. Beginning in 2018, the house was subject to a complete conservation restoration, transforming it from a forlorn icon into a stunning, modernised home.

Similarly, its famous neighbour has also been reborn. Since my visit, Daly's Bridge has been meticulously restored. In a major project that began in 2019, the beloved "Shakey Bridge" was carefully dismantled and rebuilt, securing its future. It was reopened in late 2020, retaining its signature wobble but now standing stronger than ever.

It’s a perfect reminder of the power of photography. My accidental photo captured two connected pieces of Cork's heritage as they were, preserving a moment in time just before a new chapter for both was about to begin.

PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE RED HOUSE