The Firkin Crane is a non-profit arts organisation based in the protected building of the same name in the Shandon area of Cork City in Ireland.[1][2] It is a theatre and dance centre and is a permanent base for Cork City Ballet and Crux Dance Theatre.[3][4][5]
Firkin Crane Centre | |
 The Firkin Crane Centre in Shandon, Cork City. | |
  Firkin Crane Location within Cork Central | |
| Address | John Redmond St. Cork Ireland |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°54′09″N 8°28′35″W / 51.9026°N 8.4764°W |
| Elevation | 23 m (75 ft) |
| Capacity | 238 (Smurfit Theatre) |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1855 |
| Rebuilt | 1992 |
| Architect | John Benson |
| Website | |
| www | |
History
editBuilding
editThe Firkin Crane building is located near the Church of St Anne, Shandon close to the Cork Butter Museum and the site of the original Cork City Butter Exchange.[6] The building was opened in August 1855, designed to a rotunda plan by Sir John Benson[7] for the Butter Exchange. The building's name derives from the "Firkin" unit (9 gallons or 80Ibs of butter) and the "Crane" weighing scale.[8][9] Where the building currently stands is reputed to have been a possible site for a fort belonging to the MacCarthy Clan.[10][11] The Shandon Butter Factory was housed within the Firkin Crane and the firkins were weighed up there.[12] A margarine factory (James Daly & Sons) replaced the market in 1924. This closed in 1976.
Dance company
editJoan Denise Moriarty created an Arts Council approved space in the building until a fire destroyed it on 6 July 1980.[13][14] According to the Cork Examiner, Moriarty was just about to embark on an IR£400,000 campaign to renovate it. Three units from Cork Fire Brigade fought the fire. Within minutes of the fire breaking out, the structure was an inferno, with most of the building being constructed of wood which had been covered in a thick coating of grease over the years.[15] In response to the fire, Tom Donnelly, general manager of the Irish Ballet Company, said they were determined with their plans to establish there. Gardaí did not rule out the possibility that the fire may have been maliciously started.[16]
The building was rebuilt using funds from the European Economic Community Architectural Award for Ireland. On 26 April 1992, the building was re-opened by then Taoiseach Albert Reynolds. It became known as the Firkin Crane Centre.[11][17] By 2000, the Firkin Crane Dance Development Agency was in operation.[18]
According to The Encyclopedia of Ireland, by Oxford University Press, it was Ireland's only dedicated dance venue in 2000.[19]
Performances
editIt held the William Thompson Weekend School in 2003.[20] Ireland's first dance house, The Institute for Choreography and Dance, was based in the building, and became a founding member of the European Dancehouse Network in 2004. It continued as a centre dedicated to choreographic research until 2006.[21][22]
Dance performances were held in the Firkin Crane in 2015 as part of Cork Culture Night.[23] In 2018, a documentary on the history of the Ford Factory in Cork was held in the building.[24][25] It also hosted a play called Cosy, featuring an all-female cast as part of the Cork Midsummer Festival.[26]
As of 2020, it hosted bursary awards. That year, 16 year old James Berkery, a ballet dancer at the Firkin Crane was nominated for a BAFTA in the UK.[27][28] It was received part of a €290,000 grant to arts organisations from Cork City Council that year.[29] CEO Paul McCarthy departed from the organisation, having held the position for 25 years.[30]
Sinn Féin's Thomas Gould and the Green Party's Dan Boyle have served on the Firkin Crane's voluntary Board of Directors.[31][32]
References
edit- ^ "Firkin Crane". Cork City Council. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ Grant-Smith, Deanna; Matthews, Tony. "Inner-city neighbourhood shows the way in protecting heritage of centuries past". The Conversation. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "Firkin Crane/Butter Market". IFTN.
- ^ "Butter market building plan in the works for Shandon". echo live. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ McGrath, Aoife (3 December 2012). Dance Theatre in Ireland: Revolutionary Moves. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-137-03547-9.
- ^ Ireland 2000: Expert Advice and Smart Choices, Completely Updated Every Year, Plus a Full Size Color Map. Fodor's Travel Publications. 1999. ISBN 978-0-679-00359-5.
- ^ O'Sullivan, Des (20 March 2021). "Harry Clarke's piece of gruesome forboding could fetch €120,000 at auction". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ O’Hanlon, Oliver. "Butter days – An Irishman's Diary on the Cork Butter Exchange and the world's largest butter market". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ Stevens, Jennifer (4 October 2020). "How to be pure Cork: Tips on passing as a local in the Rebel County". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "History Trail, Shandon Street Area | Cork Heritage". corkheritage.ie. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Cork Trade". www.askaboutireland.ie. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ Rynne, Colin; Wigham, Billy; Day, Robert; Day, William Tottenham; Day, Alec (2004). Forgotten Cork: Photographs from the Day Collection. Collins. ISBN 978-1-903464-56-4.
- ^ "Nostalgia: Legendary figure who put Cork ballet on the map". EchoLive.ie. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "The Firkin Crane Centre, O' Connell Square, CORK CITY, Cork City, CORK". Buildings of Ireland.
- ^ "Tragic Blow to Ballet Company". Cork Examiner. 7 July 1980.
- ^ "Ballet Group Determined to Rebuild". Evening Echo. 7 July 1980.
- ^ Bryan, Mike McGrath (26 November 2020). "Spirit of Mother Jones Festival goes online to mark 90 years since Cork-born icon's passing". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ Hall, G. K.; Gale, Thomson (October 2003). Bibliographic Guide to Dance 2002 V1. Gale Group. ISBN 978-0-7838-9802-5.
- ^ Brady, Ciaran (2000). The Encyclopedia of Ireland: An A-Z Guide to Its People, Places, History, and Culture. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-521685-1.
- ^ Connolly, Linda; Hourigan, Niamh (2006). Social Movements and Ireland. Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0-7190-7243-7.
- ^ "HISTORY". Firkin Crane. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "Firkin Crane | Glucksman Library". www.ul.ie. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ Roche, Barry. "Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh to join Cork Culture Night". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "Ford factory documentary and Kinsale speaker for Mother Jones 2018 festival". The Southern Star. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ Roche, Barry. "Film on Ford: Cork car workers feature in documentary". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "'We need to talk about death... it's part of living'". EchoLive.ie. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "Munster based dancers encouraged to apply for Firkin Crane bursary awards". echo live. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "James hopes for BAFTA glory this week". echo live. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "Almost €290k to be allocated to arts groups in Cork city". echo live. 12 January 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "Firkin Crane CEO departs after 25 years". EchoLive.ie. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ O'Halloran, Marie. "Election 2020: Thomas Gould (Sinn Féin)". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ Murphy, Darragh. "Overqualified: Dan Boyle, former TD: 'I've had it said a number of times that I'm too qualified'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
External links
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